Hi Richard, Thanks for another great video 👍. . Impressive results from the lens and your images are superb as always 💯. Would love see another vid outlying any updated steps in your finely tuned alignment technique for your brilliant star tracking 🙏😉. Rgds
Three absolutely beautiful photos from that Viltrox lens, and just with moonlight on the foreground too - stunning photography, Richard. I created a PayPal account just so I could order your calendar 2024. I am so looking forward to receiving it.
Thanks for the review Richard. I recently picked up the Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 for my Nikon z30 (DX) which I use for vlogging. Also used it for a couple of astro timelapses and it did a great job. I understand there is a full frame 16mm f/1.8 on the way which will also be interesting
Thanks heaps Greg. Yes I'm hanging out to try that 16mm f1.8. There has been a Sony E mount version of that lens out for a while now with good reviews.
beautiful photos Richard, thanks for sharing astro view on these Viltrox lenses. Will pick up once they announce RF mount lenses. Hopefully Canon ties know with third party this year.
Great video and images Richard. Seems to be a pretty good budget lens option. On the editing front, I always tend to struggle with bringing out the nebulosity of the Milky Way. I was wondering if you have one or two of your prior videos that you could recommend where you go into more detail in how to bring out the nebulosity in Photoshop. Cheers.
Thanks for watching Robert. Yes I have quite a few editing videos. See here: ruclips.net/p/PLAYKmqkUeSM9eXVRj3boNPWRTSgYIShUh I really love the plug-in to Photoshop called StarXterminator which is demonstrated in some of my videos. It gives a unique way to edit the nebulosity of the milky way. See here: www.rc-astro.com/software/sxt/
@@nightscapeimages.richard Thanks Richard. I'll go through the videos. I recently got Star Xterminator, but have only played around with it for a little bit. I got to the point of removing the stars easily enough, but editing the remaining Milky Way gas structures to make them pop is where I was struggling. I'll send you a copy of the image.
Hi Richard, you got great images with this lens. One question: does the lens focus at infinity automatically when AF is activated and turned off/on, like the original Nikon Z lenses? Hug from Brazil.
Thanks for watching Jorge. No unfortunately this lens will not automatically focus to infinity when turned on. I think only the native Nikon Z lenses do that.
Hi Richard, a very interesting review. I think for the money, this lens offers very good value. The shots you showed were terrific but they raised one question for me. At about 11:00 you mentioned processing in PS with Star Terminator and workinf on the luminosity. Do you have a video showing your workflow? I am sure you do and I have probably seen it but don't recall it and can't find it. If you could provide a link, that would be great.
Hi Richard appreciate your insights on that particular lens. I was wondering how it would perform tracked at f4. Perhaps that would help with the vignette and coma issues.
A couple things to mention. One is for the size of the lenses. When you remove the lens hoods, they are all close to the same length. Only the diameter is dramatically different. The second thing is that you seemed to only consider the lens hood for a safety factor not the origional reason of preventing stray light.
Great video Richard. Do you still favour the 20mm focal length for overall nightscapes? I have always used the nikon F mount 20mm 1.8 G but I took advantage of a recent sale and purchased the sigma 28mm f1.4 dg hsm art series. An absolute beast of a lens! I personally find that the 28mm is a happy medium between 20 and 50mm for tracked night shots allowing me to still get some decent foreground in and maximising detail in the milky-way.
hey richard, thanks for your content to nightscape photography, always watching your videos. but now i have a question, an answer would be great. what are your camera settings for your vlogs outside in landscape. how is it possible to see the stars so clear in the background? greets from germany oliver
Thanks so much for watching. I'm using a Sony A7S3 camera which is incredible in low light. I also use a Sony 24mm f1.4GM lens. I shoot my videos at 1080p 25pfs f1.4 iso64,000
Great review Richard, would love to see the Sony version. I'm looking at the Sigma 35mm 1.4 at the moment but the 28mm focal length looks good also. Cheers Dennis
Beautiful photos with Vitrox in the Moonlight, thank you Richard for this video. Richard, I know from your videos that you use the Sony 20mm lens with an adapter on your Nikon Z 6 cameras, have you ever had the opportunity to use the Sony 14mm f/1.8 lens?? If so, what is your opinion as Nikon does not yet have a 14mm f/1.8 lens. Thanks again Richard
Thank you Richard for your opinion.🙏 Richard, the widest angle lens I have is the Z 20mm f/1.8 and if everything goes well in February I'm going to Iceland to try to photograph the Northern Lights, but I'd like to take a lens between 14 and 16mm, do you have any suggestions Richard for mount on Nikon Z Cameras?? A hug from your follower
I find the 28mm focal length really interesting, seems to be a good option for simpler single row portrait orientation panoramics. Not a focal length I've seen many options for apart from the Sigma art. I see Laowa also released a 28mm except at f/1.2, though from what Ive seen it has extreme vignetting wide open. Seems quite similar to the Viltrox you're looking at here.
I think 28mm is an old focal length .. maybe back in the film days. Nikon make a Z mount 28mm f2.8 compact. I quite like what Viltrox is doing .. affordable lenses that are not that far off the name brands in quality. Certainly they are very well built.
I hope Nikon will give you the new ZF to have a play with Richard, would be interesting to hear your thoughts on that one as it sounds exciting. Have a wonderful weekend.
Great review, RIchard, and the images you got with tell it all! So good to see these cheaper alternatives coming on the market, and with AF at that price point I think they’ll give Samyang / Rokinnon a run for their money!
Hmm, it does look like a very solid lens... I would really like to see how it compares to my Sigma 28mm ART. The weight and no need for FTZ is on Viltorx's side, I'm just worried about optical performance.
@@nightscapeimages.richard this is exactly why I am even considering it. If I go out to shoot astro, there is always hiking and I want to get my setup as light as possible. Is there any chance to get the f1.8 and f2.2 RAW files, so I can compare it to my Sigma? I can contact you via email
![Coheed and Cambria - Searching for Tomorrow [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/hDsYGLbmadg/mqdefault.jpg)
Excellent information about this lens and beautiful photos. Thank you Richard,
I very much appreciate you watching Tony
Wow, some beautiful pictures again. I love that lens that's a keeper.
Can't wait to get there and get some pictures.
Thanks as always for tuning in my friend. Yes it's a very good lens.
Great review of the Viltrox lens. Definitely worth some serious consideration. Keep up the great work, Richard 👍🙂
You're always very welcome Simon
I just picked up the Viltrox 16mm f/1.8 and am loving it especially for astrophotography time lapses.
Yes that's one I'm keen to try when they get a Nikon Z version Boyce . .I'm told it's on the way.
Breathtaking images as usual ❤❤❤❤
I really appreciate that Carole
Hi Richard,
Thanks for another great video 👍. . Impressive results from the lens and your images are superb as always 💯.
Would love see another vid outlying any updated steps in your finely tuned alignment technique for your brilliant star tracking 🙏😉.
Rgds
Thanks so much for watching Phillip. I will certainly do an update on my star tracking setup in the coming months.
Three absolutely beautiful photos from that Viltrox lens, and just with moonlight on the foreground too - stunning photography, Richard.
I created a PayPal account just so I could order your calendar 2024. I am so looking forward to receiving it.
That's so very kind of you Joan, thanks for your wonderful support.
Great shots Richard, as usual, wish I could see your Australian skies
Thanks Suzie. Yes the sky here at this time of year is spectacular.
A very nice review Richard, have a great day :-)
Thanks as always for tuning in Les.
Thanks Richard! I appreciate your review. I purchase a Viltrox 20mm the other day. I need to work on my editing skills for astrophotography.
Thanks for watching. Yes editing milky way is 50% of the image for sure.
Loved the picture of the dam
Thanks so much Julie. .yes that was my favourite as well.
Hi Richard, beautiful image of your little lake. Are you still using the shoot-move-shoot tracker?
Thanks so much for watching Kerry. I've never owned an MSM tracker. I have star adventurers, ioptron and Benro Polaris trackers.
Nice job and what a compact little lens I might have to pick one up, the 20mm viltrox has also been announced.
Thanks for watching. The Viltrox 20mm f1.8 for Nikon Z has been around for a while . .but that one is manual focus only.
I meant the 20mm 2.8 auto focus for z mount that’s just announced my mistake I thought it was a 1.8@@nightscapeimages.richard
No worries. I have no info on that new lens.
Good informative video thans Richard
I really appreciate that Phil
Thanks for the review Richard. I recently picked up the Viltrox 13mm f/1.4 for my Nikon z30 (DX) which I use for vlogging. Also used it for a couple of astro timelapses and it did a great job. I understand there is a full frame 16mm f/1.8 on the way which will also be interesting
Thanks heaps Greg. Yes I'm hanging out to try that 16mm f1.8. There has been a Sony E mount version of that lens out for a while now with good reviews.
beautiful photos Richard, thanks for sharing astro view on these Viltrox lenses. Will pick up once they announce RF mount lenses. Hopefully Canon ties know with third party this year.
Yes it's hard to know when Canon will let them make lenses for the RF system.
My favourite Milky Way and night photography lens is Sigma Art 28mm f1.4.
Yes all of the Sigma art lenses are wonderful Samuel.
Great video and images Richard. Seems to be a pretty good budget lens option. On the editing front, I always tend to struggle with bringing out the nebulosity of the Milky Way. I was wondering if you have one or two of your prior videos that you could recommend where you go into more detail in how to bring out the nebulosity in Photoshop. Cheers.
Thanks for watching Robert. Yes I have quite a few editing videos. See here: ruclips.net/p/PLAYKmqkUeSM9eXVRj3boNPWRTSgYIShUh
I really love the plug-in to Photoshop called StarXterminator which is demonstrated in some of my videos. It gives a unique way to edit the nebulosity of the milky way. See here: www.rc-astro.com/software/sxt/
@@nightscapeimages.richard Thanks Richard. I'll go through the videos. I recently got Star Xterminator, but have only played around with it for a little bit. I got to the point of removing the stars easily enough, but editing the remaining Milky Way gas structures to make them pop is where I was struggling. I'll send you a copy of the image.
Nice review Richard
Thanks again for watching Eric
Hi Richard, you got great images with this lens. One question: does the lens focus at infinity automatically when AF is activated and turned off/on, like the original Nikon Z lenses? Hug from Brazil.
Thanks for watching Jorge. No unfortunately this lens will not automatically focus to infinity when turned on. I think only the native Nikon Z lenses do that.
Viltrox seems to be very good ones. Less expensive for sure. Luv ya!
Yes they are doing a really good job with their lenses.
Hi Richard, a very interesting review. I think for the money, this lens offers very good value. The shots you showed were terrific but they raised one question for me. At about 11:00 you mentioned processing in PS with Star Terminator and workinf on the luminosity. Do you have a video showing your workflow? I am sure you do and I have probably seen it but don't recall it and can't find it. If you could provide a link, that would be great.
Thanks again for watching David. Yes I have included this workflow in a few videos. See here: ruclips.net/video/_2Zp1CyFic4/видео.html
@@nightscapeimages.richard Hi Richard, many thanks for the link, it really helped. I am sure I saw this vid at the time but couldn't find it.
Hi Richard appreciate your insights on that particular lens. I was wondering how it would perform tracked at f4. Perhaps that would help with the vignette and coma issues.
Yes you are right ..at f4 it would be very clean . .but to be honest I liked it at f2.8 anyway.
A couple things to mention. One is for the size of the lenses. When you remove the lens hoods, they are all close to the same length. Only the diameter is dramatically different.
The second thing is that you seemed to only consider the lens hood for a safety factor not the origional reason of preventing stray light.
my mega wide lost the lens cap in no time the hood does the job how i lost a MASSIVE lens cap????
I appreciate you watching, thank you.
Great video Richard. Do you still favour the 20mm focal length for overall nightscapes? I have always used the nikon F mount 20mm 1.8 G but I took advantage of a recent sale and purchased the sigma 28mm f1.4 dg hsm art series. An absolute beast of a lens! I personally find that the 28mm is a happy medium between 20 and 50mm for tracked night shots allowing me to still get some decent foreground in and maximising detail in the milky-way.
Yes I think your comments are spot on Tony. For general nightscapes I still like the 20mm but for tracking I think 28 is fantastic.
hey richard, thanks for your content to nightscape photography, always watching your videos.
but now i have a question, an answer would be great.
what are your camera settings for your vlogs outside in landscape.
how is it possible to see the stars so clear in the background?
greets from germany
oliver
Thanks so much for watching. I'm using a Sony A7S3 camera which is incredible in low light. I also use a Sony 24mm f1.4GM lens. I shoot my videos at 1080p 25pfs f1.4 iso64,000
@@nightscapeimages.richard thanks so much for your answer. watched all of yout tasmania videos :) best entertainment on youtube,
Great review Richard, would love to see the Sony version. I'm looking at the Sigma 35mm 1.4 at the moment but the 28mm focal length looks good also. Cheers Dennis
Thanks Dennis. Yes I think the 28mm is a great focal length.
Beautiful photos with Vitrox in the Moonlight, thank you Richard for this video.
Richard, I know from your videos that you use the Sony 20mm lens with an adapter on your Nikon Z 6 cameras, have you ever had the opportunity to use the Sony 14mm f/1.8 lens?? If so, what is your opinion as Nikon does not yet have a 14mm f/1.8 lens.
Thanks again Richard
Thanks for watching Mario. I haven't used the Sony 14mm f1.8GM but I know from others that it's an amazing lens . .well worth the money.
Thank you Richard for your opinion.🙏
Richard, the widest angle lens I have is the Z 20mm f/1.8 and if everything goes well in February I'm going to Iceland to try to photograph the Northern Lights, but I'd like to take a lens between 14 and 16mm, do you have any suggestions Richard for mount on Nikon Z Cameras??
A hug from your follower
There is a Laowa 15mm f2 for Nikon Z mount. Also I think Samyang may have a 14mm @@mariopereira8261
Thanks Richard, I'll check out these lenses.🙏
I find the 28mm focal length really interesting, seems to be a good option for simpler single row portrait orientation panoramics. Not a focal length I've seen many options for apart from the Sigma art. I see Laowa also released a 28mm except at f/1.2, though from what Ive seen it has extreme vignetting wide open. Seems quite similar to the Viltrox you're looking at here.
I think 28mm is an old focal length .. maybe back in the film days. Nikon make a Z mount 28mm f2.8 compact. I quite like what Viltrox is doing .. affordable lenses that are not that far off the name brands in quality. Certainly they are very well built.
I hope Nikon will give you the new ZF to have a play with Richard, would be interesting to hear your thoughts on that one as it sounds exciting. Have a wonderful weekend.
I'd love to give the ZF a go Rob .. but alas .. Nikon don't know I exist ...!!!
Jumping Kangaroo's I will sort that@@nightscapeimages.richard
Great review, RIchard, and the images you got with tell it all! So good to see these cheaper alternatives coming on the market, and with AF at that price point I think they’ll give Samyang / Rokinnon a run for their money!
Thanks heaps Paul. Yes I reckon Samyang have had it their way for a long time now.
Hmm, it does look like a very solid lens... I would really like to see how it compares to my Sigma 28mm ART. The weight and no need for FTZ is on Viltorx's side, I'm just worried about optical performance.
It won't be as good as the Sigma Art . .but I don't like heavy lenses anymore. With the kind of editing I do these lenses are plenty sharp enough.
@@nightscapeimages.richard this is exactly why I am even considering it. If I go out to shoot astro, there is always hiking and I want to get my setup as light as possible. Is there any chance to get the f1.8 and f2.2 RAW files, so I can compare it to my Sigma? I can contact you via email
The photos do look very good, as always.
Is the greenish lower sky from city lights or could it be a form of the aurora australis?
There was quite a bit of green airglow in the sky .. not aurora in these shots. Maybe a bit of stray light pollution as well.
Richard, do you ever use the denoise function in lightroom, I've tried it but on my old computer it's a bit painful to use
I have tried it Tony. It's pretty good . .I find Topaz De-Noise a little quicker on my computer with similar results.
I was thinking about something in between the 20 and 50mm this seems just the ticket Richard!
Is there an affiliate link?
Thanks Carl. I couldn't find one.
It looks like Viltrox has an almost identical lens that is 24mm for $20 more. Would that be a good choice?
Yes it's a great chice. I did a video on that lens a while back. See here: ruclips.net/video/xmwyNlbFXYo/видео.html