A new dawn of affordable zoom lenses is here the first Chinese autofocus
zoom has been spotted and thats a big deal

Date:
Sat, 21 Mar 2026 09:00:00 +0000

Description:
If China is to overtake Japan as the new lens-making superpower, we need more choice, most notably autofocus zooms. That day could soon be here...

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Get the TechRadar Newsletter Sign up for
breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are
now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter There's no shortage of lens manufacturers from China several come to mind, including Laowa, Viltrox, 7Artisans, Meike, Sirui and Thypoch. Google lists
14 known Chinese lens brands in all, between them making lenses for Sony , Nikon, Fujifilm , Panasonic and Leica cameras and more.

Laowa makes completely unique tilt-shift optics and high magnification
macros optics , while Thypoch engineers beautiful manual focus primes for Leica M cameras, at a fraction of the cost. What's striking from Viltrox , is the speed at which it's growing by making high quality and affordable autofocus primes, it has gone from obscurity to a serious player in double-quick time. Article continues below You may like The indie camera
brand We will keep making unique cameras says Sigma's CEO 2025 was such a strong year for new lenses these were my 5 favorites I found my dream lens why the Viltrox 35mm F1.2 LAB never leaves my Nikon camera

I'm not alone in appreciating these brands the big appeal of various Chinese-made lenses, now that the quality is there, is the price. I can buy a Viltrox prime that costs just a fraction of equivalent proprietary lenses and therefore saving myself hundreds if not thousands of dollars, plus it's undercutting other leading third party brands, such as Sigma. The Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 LAB lens costs less than half the price of Nikon's 135mm f/1.8 Plena, and Sony's 135mm F1.8, but it's still optical quality is a good match (Image credit: Viltrox) Its practices have potentially landed it in hot
water, mind you Nikon is suing Viltrox for alleged patent infringements. We're yet to hear the outcome of this lawsuit, and whether Viltrox will be able to keep making Nikon Z-mount lenses. I'm hoping it can, but I would expect the prices of future Viltrox Z-mount lenses to go up a little.

Each Chinese lens manufacturer is relatively infant, certainly when compared to camera makers Sony, Canon , Nikon, Leica and others, plus established Japanese third party lens makers Sigma and Tamron.

As such, one thing holding Chinese lens manufacturers back right now is product range. Sigma has a much wider choice of lenses than Viltrox, for example. Crucially, we're yet to really see a variety of autofocus zoom lenses, but that could be about to change. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. One big step Tipster @camerainsider on X recently posted that a 'Chinese lens manufacturer that has never released an AF lens will launch a full-frame autofocus zoom lens in Q2, 2026.' So, any day.

In fact, fresh news has emerged since I started writing this article, that
the mysterious post could be referring to Thypoch. Previously known for stunning Leica M-mount manual focus primes, Thypoch displayed a new lens at The Photography Show in Birmingham, UK, last week, which was clocked by our sister site, Digital Camera World.

On display, a Thypoch 24-50mm AF F2.8 lens for Sony E-mount. Now I could be wrong, but this could be the very first autofocus zoom lens from China seen
in the wild. What to read next The affordable Viltrox 85mm EVO is my new favorite prime lens for Nikon here's why These authentic Chinese M-mount lenses for Leica cameras are gaining quite the reputation 'Will my lens
become a brick?' Nikon's Viltrox lawsuit rumor has users worried A Chinese lens manufacturer that has never released an AF lens will launch a full-frame autofocus zoom lens in Q2, 2026. March 12, 2026 It's just one zoom lens, from one brand, for one lens mount (and we don't know the price), but it's a big step, and one that I expect other lens manufacturers from China to follow shortly.

I can't believe that Viltrox isn't already working on an autofocus zoom lens. If I were a betting man, I would gamble my house on Viltrox launching an autofocus zoom lens this year, sparking a new dawn of affordable zoom lenses.

We spoke with Sigma's CEO Kazuto Yamaki at CP+ 2026 in Japan last month and asked him about the threat of low-cost Chinese rivals. Sigma at CP+ 2026 (Image credit: Future) Yamaki said, Ive honestly been amazed by the progress that these manufacturers from China have made. I have a lot of respect for them. Overall, however, we believe there is a significant difference in quality while we also offer a huge range of lenses."

There's no doubt that Sigma has a huge head start over the likes of Viltrox it was founded in the 1960s and was making world-first zoom lenses as long
ago as 1979.

For me, Sigma is the first name that comes to mind when I think of third
party lenses I've owned several for my various cameras down the years, starting with a 35mm f/1.4 Art lens for my Nikon DSLR. Viltrox's AF 35mm F1.2 LAB lens is exceptionally good (Image credit: Tim Coleman) More recently,
I've been drawn to Viltrox and its impressive primes, such as the 35mm f/1.2 LAB . However, it's plain to see the limitations in Viltrox's line up, which comprises prime lenses between 14mm and 135mm full-frame focal lengths only. Sigma has a much bigger choice; wider and longer primes, and zooms of all types. It's also pushing the boat out with completely new optics, such as the 5-star 135mm F1.4 DG .

If China is to overtake Japan as the new lens-making superpower, we need more choice, most notably autofocus zooms. Given the siting of the Thypoch lens, and the rate at which Viltrox and others are developing new products, that
day could come soon.

What I will say though, is that there is plenty to like about Sigma specifically beyond the lenses it makes. Sigma has been operating as a
private family-owned business for over 60 years. It's regularly developing entirely new products, made in Japan, that cost less than proprietary lenses, and it adheres to sustainable and eco-manufacturing practices. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

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