Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.8 II FE Review: Budget APO Lens for Astrophotography

The Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.8 II FE is an affordable prime lens for Sony full-frame mirrorless cameras that punches above its price class, especially for night-sky photography. With a bright f/1.8 maximum aperture and a 35mm focal length, it captures wide-field Milky Way shots with good light gathering and minimal coma. The lens features an apochromatic (APO) design, which reduces chromatic aberration—a common issue in astrophotography where bright stars can show purple or green fringing. In testing, the Viltrox delivered sharp results across the frame when stopped down slightly, while wide-open performance remained impressive for its cost. Build quality is solid, and autofocus is quick and quiet, though manual focus is smooth for precise star focusing. For beginners or enthusiasts seeking a budget-friendly astro lens, the Viltrox 35mm f/1.8 II FE offers exceptional value, proving you don't need to spend a fortune to capture the cosmos.