Viltrox’s tiny 26mm f/2.8 lands for Sony and Nikon

Viltrox has unveiled the AF 26mm F2.8 EVO, a new full-frame pancake lens for Sony E and Nikon Z cameras. It launches at $299 / £279 and keeps its footprint unusually small for a lens with a bright f/2.8 aperture.

The lens measures just 23.8mm thick and weighs 4.6oz / 130g, putting it squarely in the compact, everyday-lens category. TechRadar notes that it should pair well with small full-frame bodies such as the Sony A7C / A7C II and Nikon Zf.

This is not Viltrox’s smallest autofocus full-frame lens — that remains the AF 28mm F4.5 — but the new model adds more brightness and a fuller feature set. According to Viltrox, those features include:

• Dust- and splash-resistant machined metal construction
• Dedicated aperture and focus rings
• A metal rear mount with USB-C for firmware updates
• An STM focus motor for autofocus

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One standout detail is the magnetic lens cap, which snaps on instead of using a standard pinch-release design. Viltrox says the lens is also part of a broader magnetic accessory system that includes a magnetic lens hood and support for magnetic filters. Standard 43mm screw-on filters are supported too.

Optically, the AF 26mm F2.8 EVO uses eight elements in six groups. It has a minimum focus distance of 0.2m and offers up to 0.2x magnification, making it usable for moderate close-up work.

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The lens is available now in Sony E and Nikon Z versions through Amazon US and Viltrox’s official store. There is still no word on L-mount or Fujifilm X-mount versions. TechRadar also points to the steady flow of recent Viltrox lenses for Nikon Z as a sign that the Nikon vs Viltrox lawsuit from earlier this year may have been resolved quietly.