The Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.2 doesn’t slot neatly into Viltrox’s current prime Lens lineup for APS-C cameras (and at the moment for Fuji X-mount) – in reality, I’d name it an aberration, an experiment, probably even a mistake. However what an exquisite mistake.
It is a actually extraordinary lens that can whet the urge for food of any photographer that enjoys taking pictures with primes. It has a focal size I’d by no means thought of earlier than however – my oh my – is it price making an attempt out simply to see what it’s able to.
Some preamble earlier than we get into the nitty-gritty of the evaluate itself. Over the previous couple of years, Viltrox has garnered a constructive fame for constructing good – verging on superb – Lenses at low costs. Like many latest Chinese language lens producers, it advanced from producing guide focus lenses to full autofocus fashions.
The core of this vary relies round APS-C system cameras, principally Sony E-mount and Fuji X-mount, though there was some enlargement into different mounts extra lately afforded by their early experience in mount adapters (though Canon is defending its IP across the RF-mount). The principal choices are prime lenses, sometimes on the extensive finish of the lens vary, and embody cine choices: it’s a variety that has quickly crammed out because it has discovered success in gross sales.
That stated, the 75mm f/1.2 is clearly a deviation from this tack and the primary of a brand new line.
Lens Specs
The 75mm f/1.2 is the primary in a brand new line with “Professional” badging that reveals aspirations above the price range finish of the market. The all-metal physique is designed round Hoya glass from Japan and claims close to APO ranges of correction. The design makes use of 16 components in 11 teams, together with 4 high-refractive components, and three extra-low dispersion components. There may be an 11-bladed diaphragm.
As you’d count on, there’s a focus ring, with a completely inner focusing mechanism, together with an AF/MF change on the facet of the barrel. The latter is a pleasant addition because it saves you from having to dig round in your digital camera menus. Alongside this, we see 9 factors of climate sealing to forestall mud and water ingress (together with a nano-coating on the outermost component) to actually carry this lens above the peculiar.
As a reminder, that is designed for APS-C which implies the 35mm equal of the 75mm is (round) 115mm.
At 87mm in diameter and 101mm lengthy, this pet weighs in at a reasonably vital 670g, utilizing a standard 77mm entrance thread. There’s a pretty uncompetitive minimal focus distance of 88cm giving a 0.1x magnification; briefly, you received’t be utilizing this lens for macro work. It comes with a reversible plastic petal-shaped hood; that is not like earlier lenses which used metallic hoods though I’m ambivalent on materials as they each do the job (and you’ll’t dent a plastic hood).
As is changing into more and more frequent there’s a USB socket for firmware updates; this has been up to date from earlier lenses to USB-C and mine shipped with v1.0 firmware. Viltrox has been good at issuing updates which is encouraging. Lastly, there’s a padded leatherette pouch to guard it.
Construct High quality and Design
The all-metal physique is reassuringly stable and I can’t fault the development high quality. It is a weighty lens with a number of glass in it and there has clearly been appreciable care taken in its design, development, and ergonomics. If there’s one factor you may say about massive lenses it’s that it shortly turns into apparent if they’re troublesome to deal with; even on the comparatively svelte physique of my X-E3, this was a properly balanced lens albeit bigger and heavier than every other X-mount lens I’ve used. It’s barely greater than the Fuji 90mm f/2 – its closest comparability – and a good bit heavier (the latter weighs 540g).
That stated, whereas it’s clearly an enormous lens, it isn’t as massive (or costly) as a basic 70-200mm full-frame lens. Possibly that’s an unfair comparability, however discovering full-frame comparisons is definitely fairly troublesome. Nikon doesn’t have something of their vary as evidently 85mm is the popular prime focal size. Whereas circuitously comparable, Sony has a 100mm f/2.8 which weighs 700g and is 118mm lengthy.
The main focus ring is pleasantly clean and properly weighted however the latter will in all probability depend upon how heavy you want this stuff. There’s a clicked aperture ring that includes an Auto setting that additionally has a barely stiffer click on which implies you recognize you’ve discovered it and it’s much less prone to be knocked off, nevertheless (for videographers) there is no such thing as a de-click possibility.
One detailed design enchancment is the barrel locator for partaking with the digital camera physique – earlier Viltrox lenses used white dots and these have now modified to purple. It’s a small change which – for me – makes an enormous psychological distinction as I can at all times see it for no errors when attaching the lens.
If the whole lot in the previous couple of sections seems like a no-holds-barred design for a portrait lens then you definitely’d be proper; it’s. In actual fact, you might be pondering of a wafer-thin depth of area (DoF) and, simply to emphasise the purpose, Viltrox has named the lens the “Air Cutter”. Should you do the calculations for a portrait shot at 2m – wide-open – then it offers you a DoF of simply 4cm; scale back that to the minimal focus distance (0.88m) and you’re sub-centimeter.
Apparently, the DoF is sort of equivalent to the Fuji 90mm f/2, besides – after all – the Viltrox 75mm has that f/1.2 which is nice for these low mild conditions comparable to weddings and different “on-the-hoof” occasions. Conversely, in the event you change to the Viltrox 56mm f/1.4 then the DoF drops to 10cm… besides after all it doesn’t, as a result of in the event you shoot your portrait to fill the body then you definitely step nearer which brings the DoF into an identical vary. In fact, the field-of-view adjustments compression within the picture and that is demonstrated under.
Picture High quality and Efficiency
You’ve learn the specs, so how does the lens truly carry out? It is a real-world check which implies I’m not caught in a lab taking pictures check charts to argue over minuscule variations, however truly out with the lens taking pictures a mixture of private panorama and portrait initiatives, alongside precise occasions. I take advantage of a Fuji X-E3 for unobtrusive occasion jobs and whereas the lens clearly isn’t small, the entire package deal stays nice to make use of. Not gigantic and fairly properly balanced.
First up is the focusing that’s delivered from the Lead Screw-type STM (stepping motor) – briefly, it’s quick, quiet, and clean with no apparent stepping. There may be loads of glass it has to maneuver so whether or not there may be sufficient torque for focusing stays to be seen. It’s not fairly as instantaneous as – for instance – their very own 56mm f/1.4 or, certainly, my Nikon 70-200m f/2.8. That stated it’s not clearly laggy and I actually wasn’t sad with the pace of focus when taking pictures an indoor occasion in darkish situations.
The implementation of eye-AF within the X-E3 is just partially profitable and doesn’t work if you’ve acquired a number of topics within the body; in consequence, I have a tendency to make use of spot focus, controlling the purpose with the joystick. The lens was spot on with focus – assuming that I had centered accurately on the particular person! There was, nevertheless, a bent for some “searching” which was irritating when making an attempt to shoot “within the second”. Whether or not this was to do with the digital camera, the lens, or a mixture, stays to be seen.
When there was sufficient distinction within the scene, focusing was instantaneous. I’ve had no dissimilar issues with an early iteration of the Viltrox 56mm f/1.4, and through testing new firmware was launched which all however fastened the issue. On condition that this can be a considerably completely different lens from the remainder of the lineup, I might count on to see some incremental firmware enhancements, so verify their web site repeatedly.
Should you take a look at the revealed MTF chart for the lens then you may see nice sharpness at f/8 throughout the body; this stays superb within the middle at f/1.2, dropping barely on the corners. It is a nice efficiency and mirrors different own-brand producers for distinction/decision. Suffice it to say, this reveals the lens is sharp – very sharp.
In fact, in the event you do shoot wide-open (and why wouldn’t you with a lens like this?!) then you’ll get fantastically creamy bokeh. It’s clean and buttery, dropping off pleasantly with typically round bokeh though there generally is a trace of “cats eyes”.
I noticed no actual affect of flare which was properly managed with no actual veiling (distinction loss) and restricted ghosting. This was whereas taking pictures each straight into the solar in addition to at 45 levels. Likewise, there was restricted proof of chromatic aberration, vignetting, or distortion though there’ll undoubtedly be in-lens corrections utilized.
A Particular Lens
Viltrox is making an attempt to “step up a gear” through the use of higher glass places inside its lenses, enhancing the construct high quality, and displaying its proof-of-concept with a flagship portrait lens. In doing so, it needs to maneuver from low-cost price range lenses to low-cost premium lenses, consuming into the margins of own-brand producers in addition to premium lenses from the likes of Sigma and Tokina. And there’s no denying that this can be a specialty lens, evidenced by the truth that so few producers go for this focal size, however that’s to overlook the purpose.
Viltrox has ridden on the again of providing specialty lenses and it’s about reaching a quantity of gross sales, which doesn’t essentially imply the preferred ones… as a result of there are many these available on the market! The 75mm f/1.2, due to this fact, permits it to dip its toe within the water, check out what’s undoubtedly a brand new manufacturing setup for probably a decrease quantity of lenses and refine it for the following mannequin. In that respect, maybe probably the most attention-grabbing final result will not be this lens, however the subsequent one. This evaluate, nevertheless, is clearly not about that lens as a result of it’s in all probability nonetheless on the drafting board!
Given all the above, how do I view this lens? Taking pictures with it over a interval of weeks has been an incredible expertise and time and time once more it’s proven a exceptional capacity to provide crisp images which have sharpness and distinction… if you get the main target proper. Because the DoF calculations above present, you’ll want to be pinpoint correct to get the perfect outcomes however that goes with out saying. I’ve at all times been a fan of the 85mm equal focal size, however taking pictures with a 115mm equal has been refreshing. Possibly it’s as a result of it’s much less frequent, however the portraits have a pleasant isolation to them which brings out the topic. And the sleek, properly transitioned, bokeh simply provides to the impact. It is a lens you need to shoot with.
Are There Alternate options?
Type of… I’ve briefly talked about different choices, probably the most direct comparator being the marginally smaller and lighter Fujinon 90mm f/2 LM WR or Viltrox’s personal 85mm f/1.8. Should you step all the way down to the 56mm phase then there may be the Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 R or the Viltrox 56mm f/1.4. None are the identical however all fall inside scope if you’re after a portrait lens.
Ought to You Purchase It?
The Viltrox 75mm f/1.2 was launched at $549 and continues to be out there from some distributors at this worth, though word that Viltrox now has it listed at $659. Extra pertinently the Viltrox 56mm f/1.4 is $299 and that is the place the troublesome resolution is available in. The 75mm is a superb optic: I really like taking pictures with it and it’s my “go-to” of selection over the 56mm focal size. The bokeh is subtly higher, it’s quicker, and its sharpness throughout the body is nice. It’s undoubtedly higher worth than the Fujinon 90mm ($949) however is it higher worth than their personal 85mm and – significantly – the 56mm?
That’s a troublesome resolution because it’s an even bigger and heavier lens, however offers choices that – no less than for Fuji – you may’t get in any other case. If I’m touring and dimension is necessary, then the 56mm wins out via sheer portability because the picture under demonstrates. Nonetheless, if I do know I’m taking pictures portraits I received’t let it off the digital camera because it presents an additional edge that’s clearly seen.
