Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 Air vs Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S

Let’s see if the new Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 Air is a good alternative to the much more expensive Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S released in 2018.

If you’re looking for an APS-C lens that is ideal for portraits, weddings and low-light photography, you have many options to choose from.

The Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 Air was released in late 2024, and delivers great optical quality at a very affordable price.

The Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S is one of the first Z lenses for Nikon’s new mirrorless system. It’s extremely popular and well designed, both internally and externally.

In this comparison, I will go over the advantages for each lens, show you some sample images, as well as how they both compare at different photography types.

If you’re in a hurry, the advantages below are all you need to make the final decision.

Now, let’s see which features and advantages are actually important for your specific needs and which ones only sound good on paper.

Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 vs Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8: Detailed Comparison

🔭 1. Focal Length

• Viltrox 35mm f/1.7: 35mm
• Nikon 35mm f/1.8: 35mm

Both lenses provide an identical focal length of 35mm.

I find 35mm on APS-C to be ideal for portraits, weddings, traveling, street and casual photography. It’s not too wide, but it’s also not too long.

🎥 2. Maximum Aperture

• Viltrox 35mm f/1.7: Aperture f/1.7
• Nikon 35mm f/1.8: Aperture f/1.8
• Winner: Viltrox 🏆

The Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 Air brings in a little bit more light. To be honest, it’s such a small difference that it’s not worth even stressing about. It’s less than 1/3rd of a stop of extra light, so let’s pretend both lenses are the same.

For weddings, concerts and indoor events, an aperture of f/1.7 and f/1.8 will allow you to shoot with a very low ISO.

📏 3. Dimensions & Weight

• Viltrox 35mm f/1.7: 180g / 0.40lb
• Nikon 35mm f/1.8: 370g / 0.82lb
• Winner: Viltrox 🏆

The Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 Air weighs 190g less, hence the “Air” in its name. At times, it really does feel like you’re not even shooting with a lens attached to your camera.

The Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S is noticeably heavier, mainly due to more robust design and overall function. It’s “heavy” for an 35mm lens with this aperture size, but it’s definitely not a heavy lens overall.

• Viltrox 35mm f/1.7: 64 x 56mm / 2.52″ x 2.20″
• Nikon 35mm f/1.8: 73 x 86mm / 2.87″ x 3.39″
• Winner: Viltrox 🏆

Similar story here. The Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 is less bulkier than the Nikon, which makes it more attractive for traveling and casual day to day photography.

🎥 4. Minimum Aperture

• Viltrox 35mm f/1.7: f/16
• Nikon 35mm f/1.8: f/16
• Winner: Tie

The Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 Air and Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S both share the same smallest aperture size of f/16.

This is pretty common for 35mm lenses, and I’ve never really wished that it could go smaller than that. Aperture f/16 is more than enough for landscape and time-lapses on a bright day. If you’re looking for smaller aperture sizes, then I suggest you get an ND filter as it will make your life much easier.

Plus, shooting with f/16 or smaller raises the risk of losing image quality due to diffraction. Here’s my aperture tutorial where you can see more tips to improve your shots.

🔬 5. Minimum Focusing Distance

• Viltrox 35mm f/1.7: Minimum focusing distance of 33cm / 12.99″
• Nikon 35mm f/1.8: Minimum focusing distance of 25cm / 9.84″
• Winner: Nikon 🏆

The Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S is better suited for close-up photography due to its 8cm (3 inches) shorter focusing distance. It will make a difference when taking pictures of flowers, products, food or details closely.

The same goes for Viltrox with its 33cm (12.99″) minimum focusing distance. Enough to cover needs of 90% situations, but you might miss those super close situations every now and then.

Remember, these distances are measured from your camera’s sensor, so in reality your subject will actually be closer to the front element of your lens by a couple of inches.

⛅ 6. Weather-Sealing

• Viltrox 35mm f/1.7: ❌
• Nikon 35mm f/1.8: ✔️
• Winner: Nikon 🏆

In order to keep the price down, the Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 Air doesn’t feature any weather-sealing.

For casual use, all lenses can handle a normal amount of rain, snow and dust. It won’t simply stop working if a little bit of rain falls onto it, but the Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S will allow you to travel worry-free.

For photographing in difficult weather (blizzards, near waterfalls, humid areas), it helps having a lens that won’t break down. This is a huge plus for the Nikon lens, especially if your camera is also weather-sealed.

🎦 7. Image Stabilization

• Viltrox 35mm f/1.7: ❌
• Nikon 35mm f/1.8: ❌
• Winner: Tie

Neither of these lenses feature Image Stabilization technology.

If your mirrorless camera has built-in stabilization, you’re not missing out on anything.

💿 8. Aperture Blades

• Viltrox 35mm f/1.7: 9 diaphragm blades
• Nikon 35mm f/1.8: 9 diaphragm blades
• Winner: Tie

Both lenses feature 9 diaphragm blades, which makes them equally good for portraits, pets and food photos with a smooth looking bokeh.

📽 9. Filter Size

• Viltrox 35mm f/1.7: 52mm filter size
• Nikon 35mm f/1.8: 62mm filter size
• Winner: Viltrox 🏆

The Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 Air uses smaller filters that are cheaper and more common in all photography stores.

The Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S uses 62mm filters, and they’re still very affordable, just expect to pay a little bit more.

💲 10. Price

• Viltrox 35mm f/1.7: $179
• Nikon 35mm f/1.8: $846
• Winner: Viltrox 🏆

You could get 5 x Viltrox lenses for the price of 1 x Nikon.

That’s a huge price difference!

For $667 more, the Nikon delivers slightly better optical performance, especially wide open and in corners. It’s weather-sealed and feels better in hand. It gets the job done, but that comes at a cost.

The Viltrox gets you 90% the performance of the Nikon, at a way lower price. If you’re just starting out, or don’t want to spend too much for a focal length you don’t know if you’ll enjoy, it doesn’t get better than this.

Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 vs Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8: Photography Type

From 1 being the worst, 5 being the best.

It’s best to choose a lens that suits your favorite photography types, or offers you something that your current gear is not good enough for.

📷 Photography Type	Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 Air	Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8
👤 Portrait	4.5	4.5
✈️ Travel	4	4.5
🐾 Wildlife	3	3.5
🏟️ Sport	3.5	3.5
💍 Wedding	4.5	4.5
🚶 Street	4.5	4.5
🏞️ Landscape	3	3.5
🐛 Macro	2	2
🔄 Low-Light	4.5	4.5
🎥 Video	4	4

No major advantages for one over the other, but the weather-sealing of the Nikon gives it a slight advantage in travel, wildlife and landscape.

In those scenarios, the weather can often make a difference between being able to shoot or not.

Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 vs Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8: Comparison Table

Better specifications are highlighted in green.

🎥 Lens Specification	Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 Air	Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 S
Focal Length	35mm	35mm
35mm Equivalent	52.5mm	52.5mm
Mount	Nikon Z	Nikon Z
Maximum Aperture	f/1.7	f/1.8
Minimum Aperture	f/16	f/16
Filter Size	52 mm	62 mm
Maximum Magnification	0.13x	0.19x
Minimum Focus Distance	33cm / 12.99″	25cm / 9.84″
Aperture Ring	No	No
Focus Type	Autofocus	Autofocus
Motor Type	Stepper Motor	Stepper Motor
Lens Construction	11 elements in 9 groups	11 elements in 9 groups
Aperture Blades	9	9
Image Stabilization	❌	❌
Weather Sealing	❌	✔️
Dimensions (mm)	64 x 56mm / 2.52″ x 2.2″	73 x 86mm / 2.87″ x 3.39″
Weight (g)	180g / 0.40lb	370g / 0.82lb
Hood Included	Yes	Yes
Released	2024	2018
Price	Amazon	Amazon

So, which lens is the better one?

Choose the Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 Air if:

• You want to spend a ton less money
• You want to shoot weddings, portraits, indoor events, low-light
• You want a super compact, lightweight lens

Choose the Nikon Z 35mm f/1.8 if:

• You want an optically excellent lens at all aperture sizes
• You want weather-sealing for any type of situation
• You do a lot of close-ups and need the closer focusing distance