New Viltrox 16mm f/1.8 FE review by Phillip Reeve: This may the point where Chinese outdo Japanese manufacturers

Viltrox 16mm f/1.8 FE lens at BHphoto, Amazon US&EU and PerGear.

Phillip Reeve tested the new Viltrox lens and concluded:

in my opinion this Viltrox 16mm 1.8 AF FE is a real gamechanger. It adds a competitive modern AF system and the most useful and advanced controls found on any E-mount lens (except for some of the high end tele lenses) highlighted by its flashy but also useful LCD display.

Points of criticism are scarce. The vignetting is high at f/1.8 to f/2.0, but this was probably a tradeoff necessary by avoiding a bulbous front element and allowing for easy use of standard filters.
Flare resistance could be better, but considering the competitors’ performances and the Viltrox’ more complex 15 elements design this might actually be asking too much here. And this isn’t a small lens by any means.

To me it was only a matter of time before the Chinese lens manufacturers start to outdo the Japanese ones and this lens might be where it begins. I don’t know how the people at Viltrox did it, but they got a lot of things right here.

Considering the lens is 1/3 the price of the Sony 14mm GM and the new Sigma 14mm FE…well I do believe we have a secret hidden gem here!

Get the Viltrox 16mm f/1.8 FE lens at BHphoto, Amazon US&EU and PerGear.