The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Viltrox AF 16mm f1.8 L and the Nikon Z 12-28mm F3.5-5.6 PZ for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Viltrox AF 16mm f1.8 L is the longer of the two lenses at 103mm. The Nikon Z 12-28mm F3.5-5.6 PZ with a length of 64mm, is 39mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Viltrox AF 16mm f1.8 L also has a larger diameter of 85mm compared to the Nikon Z 12-28mm F3.5-5.6 PZ's 72mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Nikon Z 12-28mm F3.5-5.6 PZ weighs 205g, 62% (345g) lighter than the Viltrox AF 16mm f1.8 L's weight of 550g.
Filter Threads
The Viltrox AF 16mm f1.8 L has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Nikon Z 12-28mm F3.5-5.6 PZ has a 67mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Viltrox AF 16mm f1.8 L:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Nikon Z 12-28mm F3.5-5.6 PZ:
Lens Mounts
The Viltrox AF 16mm f1.8 L has the Leica L lens mount whereas the Nikon Z 12-28mm F3.5-5.6 PZ has the Nikon Z lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Nikon ZR, Nikon Z5 II and RED Komodo-X 6K Z for the Leica L Mount and RED Komodo-X 6K Z, Nikon Z50 II and Nikon Z30 for the Nikon Z Mount.
Focal Range
Viltrox AF 16mm f1.8 L is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 16mm.
On the other hand, the Nikon Z 12-28mm F3.5-5.6 PZ has a focal range of 12-28mm and 2.3X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 18-42mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
