The tested lens starts with a metal mount surrounding a contact plate and a rear element, 25 mm in diameter. The element is hidden just several milimeters inside the casing and the area around it is well matted and black. From this side everything looks very well.
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The barrel of the Viltrox 1.4/23 starts with a narrow, metal ring that doesn't move; it features the serial number and mount version of the instrument. Then you see an aperture ring, just 7.5 mm wide, with ribbed sides that allow you a firmer grip. In the middle there are aperture values with markings up to 1/3 EV but it should be mentioned that the ring is clickless so you can turn it as you wish, without paying the slightest attention to the markings.
The next part of the barrel is made of metal and it doesn't move. On it you find parameters of the lens (AF 23/1.4 XF), the name of the producer and a red badge with a C letter.
A manual focus ring is the biggest part of the lens's barrel – it is 36 mm wide and almost completely covered by fine ribbing. You can't find any distance and/or depth of field scale on it but the last one does appear on the display of your camera if you choose the manual focusing mode. The ring is a well damped focus-by-wire construction; even if you turn it quickly, running through the whole distance scale needs an angle of over 200 degrees, and that value ensures very precise settings.
Out of the manual focus ring sticks a hood mount and that's how the Viltrox ends.
The front element is slightly convex, it doesn't move, and is 32 mm in diameter.
Round it you can find a part of the barrel with the name and parameters of the lens and a non-rotating filter thread, 52 mm in diameter.
When it comes to optical construction the lens consists of 11 elements positioned in 10 groups. Among them you can find two elements made of low dispersion ED glass and two others made of high refraction index glass. Inside there is also a round aperture with nine blades which can be closed down to a value of f/16 at the maximum.
Buyers get in the box with the lens: both caps, a petal-type hood, and a soft pouch.
