Viltrox Is Gearing Up for a Micro Four Thirds Reveal

There have been rumblings about Viltrox releasing Micro Four Thirds lenses for months, and it sure looks like an official announcement is just around the corner.

As DPReview reported, an official Viltrox teaser appeared on Chinese social media, suggesting that the company would unveil something for Micro Four Thirds tomorrow, July 23.

Over on Reddit, Viltrox’s official account, well known for its candor on social media, chimed in, writing “Something new coming soon,” followed by a fire emoji and salute emoji.

Viltrox’s teaser graphic shared on Chinese social media

As the new Reddit post explains, earlier rumors suggested that the new lenses would be AF 25mm f/1.7 Air and AF 35mm f/1.7 lenses for Micro Four Thirds, which would be equivalent to 50mm and 70mm primes. While that may not prove to be the case, Viltrox did not refute this suggestion on Reddit.

As of yet, there is very little concrete info. However, if Viltrox’s first foray into Micro Four Thirds is the AF 25mm f/1.7 Air and AF 35mm f/1.7 lenses mentioned above, that would make quite a bit of sense. These lenses are optimized for APS-C, which doesn’t have a much larger image circle than Micro Four Thirds, all things considered.

Viltrox AF 25mm f/1.7 Air (XF)

While it’s always nice to see unique optical designs built for Micro Four Thirds, it’s certainly not like Viltrox’s 25mm and 35mm prime lenses are particularly big or heavy. The company’s “Air” lenses prioritize compact, lightweight designs, and the AF 25mm f/1.7 and AF 35mm f/1.7 are no exception.

The X-Mount version of the AF 25mm f/1.7 Air weighs just 170 grams (six ounces) and is 54.7 millimeters (2.2 inches) long. It accepts 52mm front filters. The AF 35mm f/1.7 is the same size and weight as the AF 25mm f/1.7 Air lens, down to the gram and millimeter.

While these lenses would technically be overkill for a Micro Four Thirds sensor, they definitely aren’t oversized.

Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.7 Air (XF)

Assuming these are the first Viltrox lenses to make their way to Micro Four Thirds, the Air series has plenty of other candidates for similar treatment down the road. There are 9mm f/2.8, 15mm f/1.7, and 56mm f/1.7 Air lenses designed for APS-C cameras, all of which are extremely small and light. All these lenses also cost under $200, with the exception of the $239 AF 15mm f/1.7, which is a bonus.

It remains to be seen if Viltrox plans to join the Micro Four Thirds system officially. A company doesn’t necessarily have to, but there are technological and logistical benefits to being a member.

These mysteries won’t remain such for long, though, as Viltrox plans to announce its Micro Four Thirds news tomorrow.

Image creditsViltrox. Header photo created using an asset licensed via Depositphotos.com.