Forget Sony, Fujifilm, and Nikon – this brand makes the best affordable lenses, and they're 20% off for Black Friday

Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 lens attached to a Nikon Zf camera, over a gray background alongside Black Friday deals text overlay — (Image credit: Viltrox)

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Should I buy?

Viltrox has rightly built up an excellent reputation as a high-quality and affordable third-party alternative to proprietary lenses for Sony, Fujifilm, and Nikon cameras. And I should know – I've personally bought three, including the pro-grade AF 135mm f/1.8 LAB for my Nikon mirrorless camera.

These lenses are even better value now since there's a site-wide 20% off for Black Friday on Sony E, Fujifilm X, and Nikon Z mount lenses. You won't find a better price-to-performance. The quality of the Chinese-made 135mm f/1.8 lens is incredible, especially when you consider how much less it costs than Nikon's own Plena – it's around one third of the price. Or how about the 35mm F1.2 LAB, which scored a top five stars in our review?

So which one do I have my eye on next, especially over Black Friday? The Viltrox AF 28mm F4.5 for $79.20 at B&H Photo (was $99) / £72 at Amazon is tempting – the bargain pancake lens weighs just 60g and looks like a fun everyday carry. Another option that has my attention is the Viltrox AF 85mm F1.4 Pro for £455.20 (was £569). I am currently in the process of testing it, and it's another stellar optic.

I've rounded up my top Viltrox picks below. If you're hunting for general tech bargains, you should also head over to TechRadar's live Black Friday coverage, where we put the spotlight on the very best deals throughout the year's biggest sale.

(Not in the US or UK? See today's best deals in your region below)

Today's best Viltrox lens deals (US)

Today's best Viltrox lens deals (UK)

Should I buy Viltrox lenses?

Viltrox has proven that it's another reason to trust third-party lenses. Like Sigma and Tamron before it, Viltrox's recent lenses have blown me away, delivering unbeatable value considering the optical quality they possess.

Sony users get the widest choice – there are more E-mount versions in Viltrox's range than others. However, there are an increasing number of Fujifilm X and Nikon Z mount versions being released, while Viltrox recently announced it has joined the L mount alliance, meaning its lenses should be made for Panasonic and Leica cameras too. Canon RF mount continues to miss out.

So far, Viltrox has focused on making high-quality prime lenses, from wide-angle all the way up to 135mm. There are no zoom lenses or super telephoto lenses yet, so Viltrox isn't for everyone. However, if you're after an affordable and high-quality wide to short telephoto prime, I highly recommend them based on my own hands-on experience with 5-10 different lenses – TechRadar reviews back this up. You won't be disappointed.

Here are the reviews we've conducted so far: