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Mirrorless APS-C/DX cameras are, in my opinion, an excellent compromise between optical performance, dimensions, and weight. At the same time I really like it very much when the producers are well aware of their potential and can equip them with appropriate optics. Some do it better, some do it worse but the first group undoubtedly includes the Fujifilm company. For them the mirrorless APS-C/DX instruments segment is crucial.

Combining a small, very unobtrusive body with equally small but still sensibly fast fixed focal length lens is a feature appreciated by many photographers. Fujifilm has noticed it from the very beginning and that's why its line-up features such interesting instruments as the Fujinon XF 18 mm f/2 R, the Fujinon XF 35 mm f/2 R WR, the Fujinon XF 23 mm f/2 R WR ot the Fujinon XF 50 mm f/2 R WR, not to mention classic f/2.8 pancake instruments with focal length of 23 and 27 mm. Other systems are not that accommodating but you have to admit that lately also Sony has contributed to this segment by introducing very well-put-together 11 and 15 mm models.

Fortunately also third-party producers have been actively pampering owners of Sony and Fujifilm cameras; recently they also have started to patch holes in the most neglected APS-C/DX systems of Canon and Nikon.

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Viltrox, with their line of lenses called Air, is an excellent example of such an activity. Air line of lenses consists of small, lightweight, (almost any of them weighs less than 200 grams), fixed focal length primes equipped with autofocus. Currently they are offered as Fujifilm X, Nikon Z, and Sony E mount variants. What's more, this producer also provides a very decent aperture fastness - despite a very moderate weight and physical dimensions, they offer an aperture as fast as f/1.7.

The portrait Viltrox AF 56 mm f/1.7 Air presented in April 2024 was the first such a model. In December the same year they showed a standard lens, namely the Viltrox AF 35 mm f/1.7 Air and in 2025 we saw launches of wide angle models such as the Viltrox AF 25 mm f/1.7 Air and the Viltrox AF 15 mm f/1.7 Air. The following chart presents a comparison between basic parameters of these lenses.

It's also worth mentioning the fact that the Air series has also been developed in the full frame segment where, so far, they have launched 20, 45, and 50 mm models. As if it wasn't enough, on 18 September 2025 Viltrox entered forcefully the segment of lenses with really wide angles of view. On this day two Air models were launched – the full frame 4/14, and the 2.8/9 designed to cooperate with smaller APS-C sensors.

Tests of these instruments we started from the newest Viltroksa AF 15 mm f/1.7 Air, and now we are going back in time with the launch date and we are going to deal with the 25 mm model. Our test was possible courtesy of the Fototechnika company as they had sent us one specimen of the tested lens very quickly. The results of our test present the following chapters – enjoy your reading!

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