Carry less, capture more. That is the philosophy behind Viltrox’s Air Series, and now it reaches L-Mount. Four new primes arrive together. They comprise a 14mm, a 20mm, a 40mm, and a 50mm giving Leica, Panasonic, and Sigma shooters a usable spread from wide-angle to standard. The heaviest weighs in at a fraction over 200 g.
Viltrox has been building its reputation since 2009 as a manufacturer of affordable, well-specified lenses and adapters, for stills and cine work. These include the LAB, Pro, EVO, and Air ranges launched from 2018 onwards. Viltrox expanded into cinema lenses in 2022, with the EPIC anamorphic and LUNA zoom lines. When Viltrox joined the L-Mount Alliance last September, it gained access to Leica, Panasonic, and Sigma’s shared full-frame L-mount system.
This launch is the third wave of Viltrox glass for the mount since it joined the L-Mount Alliance a year ago. The 16mm f/1.8 handles ultra-wide work and the tiny Chip 28mm f/4.5 pancake is for minimalists. The Air Series primes fill the gaps between those two, at very low weight and cost.
The 14mm f/4
At 172g, the 14mm f/4 is the widest lens in the set, covering an expansive 112.6-degree field of view. Viltrox has packed twelve elements into nine groups, including four ED, two HR, and two aspherical elements, to keep chromatic aberration and other optical faults under control. A minimum focus distance of 0.13m and 0.23x maximum magnification give it useful close-up range for an ultra-wide, too.
The 20mm f/2.8
The 20mm f/2.8 takes a similar brief and trims the weight further, to 159g. It offers a faster maximum aperture than the 14mm while still offering a wide field-of-view, and its ten-element, eight-group design — two ED, one HR, two aspherical — is built for consistent sharpness across a range of conditions. Minimum focus comes in at 0.19m, with 0.17x maximum magnification.
The 40mm f/2.5
Weighing 169g, the 40mm f/2.5 is the lens most likely to live on a camera day to day — a natural, slightly wide-of-standard view suited to street work, travel, and general storytelling. Ten elements in six groups, with one ED, three HR, and one aspherical element, promise clean, detailed rendering. It focuses down to 0.34m, for 0.14x maximum magnification.
The 50mm f/2
At 205g, the 50mm f/2 is the heaviest of the four, though still light by any standard. Its classic focal length and wide-ish aperture suit portraits, lifestyle work, and lower-light shooting, and the 13-element, nine-group design — three ED, four HR, one aspherical — is built to control aberration while holding on to sharpness. Minimum focus is 0.51m, for 0.11x maximum magnification.
We have had this lens on test for the past three weeks and, later today, we will publish Mike Evans’s extensive review.
Pricing, specifications, and availability
| Lens | Max aperture | Weight | Min. focus distance | Max. magnification | Price |
| AF 14mm f/4 Air L | f/4 | 172g | 0.13m | 0.23x | $199 / €229 / £190 |
| AF 20mm f/2.8 Air L | f/2.8 | 159g | 0.19m | 0.17x | $168 / €189 / £165 |
| AF 40mm f/2.5 Air L | f/2.5 | 169g | 0.34m | 0.14x | $176 / €189 / £165 |
| AF 50mm f/2 Air L | f/2 | 205g | 0.51m | 0.11x | $199 / €229 / £190 |
All four lenses are on sale now. For L-Mount shooters assembling a lightweight kit, that is four focal lengths covered for well under a thousand pounds combined.
If you wish to purchase the Viltrox AF 50mm f/2.0 Air L lens, use the link button below. You will receive a 5% discount, and we will collect a small contribution to our running costs. Macfilos is run by photography enthusiasts who cover the overheads after any donations have been received. We make a loss, not a profit.
Further reading
| Macfilos Articles | Other Links |
|---|---|
| Hands-on with the Viltrox 16mm f/1.8 for L-Mount: A walk on the wide side – Our full report on Viltrox’s first L-Mount prime | Viltrox L-Mount collection – Full specifications and official images for all four lenses |
| The Viltrox Chip: a tiny marvel for L-Mount shooters hungry for a pancake – How the featherweight 28mm pancake compares | Viltrox Air available through Amazon Store US |
| Viltrox Air available through Amazon Store Europe |
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