After joining the L-mount alliance last year, Viltrox released its first autofocus lens for the system – the Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8. This fast, ultra-wide, full-frame prime lens offers a weather-sealed, durable body, a 77mm front filter thread, built-in display, function buttons, and a 27cm (10.6in) minimum focusing distance. Available now for preorder, the lens will retail for $580, but you can get it for a limited time with 5% off.
Back in September 2025, the increasingly popular Chinese lens and camera accessories manufacturer Viltrox joined the L-mount alliance (which currently includes full-frame cameras from Panasonic, Leica, SIGMA, DJI, and Blackmagic Design). Personally, as a filmmaker and photographer fully invested in the L-mount ecosystem, I was quite happy to hear the news, as Viltrox offers quite a few interesting fast autofocus lenses in its lineup. At the moment, these are only available for Sony E-mount or Nikon Z-mount, but lenses such as the 35mm f/1.2 LAB promise to offer good image quality at an affordable price. I am curious to see how long we will have to wait for the majority of the Viltrox lenses to be released for L-mount.
Shortly after the September announcement, Viltrox communicated that the company will debut its L-mount lineup with two existing lenses:
Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 lensViltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 pancake lens
While it seems that we still have to wait a little longer for the tiny, affordable 28mm pancake lens, the fast, ultra-wide 16mm L-mount prime has been released. Let’s briefly recap what we know about the lens.
Viltrox 16mm f/1.8 lens for L-mount
The AF 16mm f/1.8 is an ultra-wide-angle prime lens that produces an image circle large enough to fully cover full-frame sensors. It comprises 15/12 optical elements (4 ED, 3 aspherical) and an STM autofocus motor.
AF 16mm f/1.8 lens for L-mount. Source: Viltrox
Viltrox claims the lens is weather-sealed and features a durable body. Like other LAB lenses from Viltrox’s lineup, the 16mm also features a physical aperture ring and a built-in LED display that shows the current focusing distance and the chosen aperture value. There are also two function buttons on the side, as well as an AF/MF switch.
The lens’s minimum focusing distance is 27cm (10.6 in) from the sensor plane. There is no optical stabilization, so you have to rely solely on the camera’s IBIS and steady hands. The lens offers a 77mm filter thread at the front.
AF 16mm f/1.8 lens for L-mount. Source: ViltroxViltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 L-mount – key specsLens mount: L-mountLens elements: 15/12Focal length: f=16mmViewing angle: 105.6°Aperture: F1.8-F22Number of aperture blades: 9Shooting distance: 0.27m-∞Focus mechanism: Ultralight internal focusingFocus motor: STM+Lead screwFocus mode: MF, AFMax. magnification: 0.1xLens size: Φ85.2x103mmWeight: ≈550gFilter size: Φ77mm
AF 16mm f/1.8 lens for L-mount. Source: ViltroxFast ultra-wide lens alternatives for L-mount
When it comes to other existing fast ultra-wide primes with autofocus for L-mount cameras, there are currently only a few options available:
Panasonic LUMIX S 18mm f/1.8 lens, which offers a closer minimum focusing distance (and therefore a higher magnification ratio).SIGMA 20mm f/2 DG Contemporary lens, which is the most compact model in this category.SIGMA 20mm f/1.4 DG DN Art lensSigma 14mm f/1.4 DG DN Art lensLeica Super-APO-Summicron-SL 21mm f/2 ASPH. lens
Among these options, the new Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 lens is the most affordable.
Viltrox 28mm pancake & Air prime lens line. Source: ViltroxFuture Viltrox L-mount releases
Until Viltrox officially releases a clear L-mount roadmap, it is difficult to guess which lenses the company will adapt next. Since they previously stated which two lenses would be the first, I suppose the next L-mount release will be the Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 pancake lens. After that, it is a pure guessing game.
Personally, I would like to see Viltrox’s Air full-frame line (20mm f/2.8, 40mm f/2.5, and 50mm f/2.0) adapted to L-mount sooner rather than later. As a LUMIX S9 owner, I would love to use these compact, fast primes with AF on the S9’s compact body. Unfortunately, there are very few compact autofocus primes for L-mount at the moment, so I think many L-mount alliance users would welcome the addition of the Viltrox Air line too.
Right after that, it would be nice if Viltrox adapted their top-of-the-line AF 35mm f/1.2 LAB and the AF 135mm f/1.8 LAB. Let’s hope that (unlike Samyang, which has adapted only ONE L-mount lens in almost three years since joining L-mount), Viltrox remains consistent in adapting its L-mount lineup and that we see many new lenses in the near future.
Price and availability
The Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 lens is now available for preorder. The retail price is $580 (€599 in Europe), the same as the existing E-mount and Z-mount versions. It is worth mentioning that if you preorder directly from the Viltrox online shop, you currently get a 5% discount.
Are you invested in the L-Mount ecosystem? What do you think about the Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 finally coming to L-mount? Which Viltrox lens would you like to see adapted next? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section underneath the article.