I have quite a few of Fujifilm's best lenses including the 90mm f2 (awesome awesome) and on a whim got the 56mm f1.4 Viltrox. I must admit that it's WAY better than I was expecting. Very very sharp wide open, beautiful bokeh, just an overall great lens. It's a keeper for sure. Great review and thank you.
Holy Moly! Viltrox now has my full attention !! What a blessing for those, like me, who have always wanted to add an additional lens or two but could never justify the Fuji cost. I have accepted that the only two additional lenses I bought would be the end...until now! I checked the Fuji 56mm out when it was released and loved it but couldn't afford another 1200.00 (the then price) and have been watching it in the hopes of it becoming affordable. Thx so much Chris! I did pay full price for the Fuji 16mm f/1.4 ...and thought it to be my last Fuji purchase. Viltrox, here I come!
When I finally bought the Viltrox 23mm, I was so impressed despite the fringing. It is light, compact, and the AF is fast. My Fujifilm 16mm 1.4, 35mm 1.4, and 56mm 1.2 all exhibit fringing and flaring (which I like) but the only one with fast AF was the 16mm. So it was then that I decided to finally let go of my Fujinon lenses and ordered the Viltrox 56mm. I'll be checking out the Viltrox 13mm if it comes out too as a replacement to the Fujifilm 16mm (which is now too close in range to the 23mm). Only the Fujifilm 35mm remains but I have already ordered a Mitakon 35mm 0.95 and I'll see if I'll end up selling it too. Viltrox is on a roll with their Fujifilm lenses. Great value and more compact, faster in autofocus, and has the same filter sizes (!!!).
I have the Viltrox 23mm, 56mm, and 85mm. While the only Fuji prime I own is the 35mm f/2, I have nothing but good things to say about the Viltrox primes. For lenses performing almost undetectably shy of the Fuji offerings, the price says it all. I'd have to be a professional to justify $400 extra per lens for a sliver of corner sharpness at wide apertures.
Excellent review, sir! I hadn't considered buying a "non-Fuji" lens for my X-T3 until watching some of your Viltrox reviews. It's nice to know that there are more than adequate options available for my camera when it comes to the lenses!
Great video. If I could suggest one thing it would be to add a section in your videos where you just show comparison images side by side with no zooming in, and let them stay on screen for maybe 3 seconds before moving to the next set of images, with about 10 sets of images total. This would give us a chance to see how the whole images are rendered and a more accurate representation of how we actually consume images. Thanks again for the in depth video, you strike a good balance between a technical and actual use review.
Excellent suggestion!!! Consider it done and for all review videos moving forward. I really appreciate your feedback!! In the meantime, check out the RAW files that I posted in the description and hopefully some of those can assist. Cheers! 👍
What I did was just pause the video and analyzed the photos. It was so obvious that the viltrox image fidelity had more contrast and more beautiful color saturation straight out of raw. Maybe that's why fuji has less chromatic aberration because all lense designs have to make some compromises. For less CA, the Fuji lens colors are less rich.
Color looked more pleasing too! Can't wait for mine to come in. Apparently they are bringing out a 13mm f/1.4 early next year. Excited to see that one!
is it sharp, is it sharp, is it sharp,is it sharp, is it sharp, is it sharp, is it sharp, is it sharp, is it sharp, is it sharp, is it sharp, is it sharp.....hehehe
When i got into photography as a relaxing hobby, i told myself i will never buy third party lenses, for the longest time i’ve been buying the original lenses for whatever camera i was using, that added up into my debt really quick, gave this one a try on my XT5/XT30II and i love it! Selling some of my fuji lenses at the time of posting this comment.
Well, I've only gone and ordered one on the back of this and a couple of other similar reviews. Thanks: your videos are so helpful and informative - and a little zany!
Thanks so much for this review. I purchased the 33mm Viltrox a few months ago and it hasn't come off my XT-3 yet. It's an excellent lens for the price. May have to start saving for this one. This, coupled with Ken Wheeler's review has me sold!
Outstanding review. Exactly what I was looking for. My dog is missing the cicadas. He loves the crunchy treats. Never so proud prancing around with a buzzing cicada in his mouth.
LOL!!! We need him here stat. I can't tell you how many of those things I'm seeing all over the place. I may do a coffee table macro photography book on them or something!
Great review! Sounds like Viltrox are really getting their competition to Fuji’s lenses sorted. Kinda like Tamron have with Nikon 3rd party glass. And, of course, we have a parrot to help us answer whether it’s sharp! 🤪😜
Same stuff. No need for comparison as It's already known that Viltrox and Tokina rebadged lens from third party lens designer. Hard proof is Viltrox 85mm mark II is the almost identical optically compared to Tokina 85mm (ayrn.io/tokina-viltrox-85mm-f1-8-same-copy-rebrand-rebadge/amp/#update-it-seems-as-though-the-tokina-85mm-might-actually-share-more-commonality-with-the-viltrox-85mm-f-1-8-mark-ii)
@@trym2121 do you think we get some discount on the viltrox lenses after the tolina release? I need a 33 and 56mm prime but I want to wait for a good offer
Tokina very likely will have better coating than Vitrox, which reduces more if the purple fringing and flare. It’s similar to the Batis 85 f1.8 vs Sony 85 f1.8, both share the same optical structure but Zeiss one has much better T* coating.
@@trym2121 i m not sure.. Viltrox is chinese & Tokina is Japanese apparently and untill now the manufactured is still japanese.. I m waiting more reviews to make a choice..
Good review Chris, I have the Fuji 56 1.2 and see nothing to make me go Viltrox, but if I had the option to re purchase the Fuji or Viltrox I would be seriously thinking Viltrox . Thanks again to you and the great model for this review.
I've just ordered it on the strength of this review, Chris. I'm shooting a wedding in a couple of weeks and hope it will be a very useful addition to my lens quiver. The rest of my X-mount lenses are Fuji so I'm a bit nervous but hope the results will please the clients.
You just put this lens on my list. I wanted something for portraits on my fuji but it was hard choosing between the 56mm f/1.2 and the 50mm f/2. But this seems like the best of both worlds. Wide aperture, low cost, light, quick autofocus. Could be my favorite lens when I get my hands on it.
If people are going to be looking at the corner of your photos, then the photos were not that interesting to begin with. To me, I would think the center sharpness is the most important feature as you explained at (5:45 / 13:53) in the video.
This is the only review of this viltrox 56mm1.4 that convinced me to buy it. lol! Thanks for sharing this review, definitely what I was looking for but I still need to see the viltrox 85mm first before I decide.
Thanks for the great review! One observation about the Vitrox with the brick wall sharpness test is that it seems like the Fuji 56mm is about 1/3 to 1/2 stop overexposed with the same exposure setting vs. the Viltrox This explains the lack of contrast.
I know this is now an older video, but I was wondering if you'll be doing a review of Sigma X mount lenses any time soon? I purchased their 30mm f1.4 lens couple of months ago and I'm quite pleased with it. From what I heard, their 56mm f1.4 is a beast for the price and outperforms the Viltrox lens in every way, while being just a bit more expensive. Cheers and keep up the good work! :)
this video just sold me on the viltrox, ordering it now on Amazon. i have a 56 mm 1.2 but i have been looking at a used fuji 10-24 on my local craigslist and the guy wanted to trade for my 56. I will do that, get the 10-24 and buy the viltrox 56. Hell i might even consider selling my 90 and getting the 85. thanks a lot for this review! Liked and subbed!
I am always mostly interested in the tonality of lenses. That is why I love how my Fujinon 35mm f1.4, 60mm f2.4 and 27mm f2.8 renders, and why I sold all my Fujinon f2’s. I just didn’t like how they rendered - something about how they handle light falloff. I now own the Viltrox 23mm and 85mm, and I love them both. They are sharp, yes, but most importantly they render beautifully, and if you are like me and hate post, you want your images to be close to perfect sooc. Will I get this Viltrox? I think so, but still can’t figure out if it will be redundant to my 60mm.
I’m really in doubt between the fuji 50mm f2 and the viltrox 56mm f1.4. How do they compare in terms of image quality? Which one of these two would you recommend for portraits?
Thanks for another wonderful video. How would you compare the the Fuji 50mm f2.0 vs. Viltrox 56 in terms of sharpness & image quality. I know the Fuji is weather resistant, smaller& lighter.
First time watching your video. Loved your concise and detailed review. Thank you. Definitely will check other viltrox reviews you have done. Subscribed and liked. Cheers!
Thank you for the review. By the way, I believe, Viltrox could design an X-mount 85mm F1.4 lens the size and weight of the current 85mm F1.8 (originally designed for full-frame bodies). A shame both current X-mount 85mm F1.8s are so large and heavy.
I only have the Viltrox 23mm f1.4 for comparison, but I thought it was awful for video. The motor is very noticeable compared to my other lens which is Fuji 16-80mm. Also if you don't lock the aperture you can see it stepping the picture brighter or darker. The effect is so smooth with the Fuji. As for photos though, it's a great prime lens for the price. I have the first version of the lens with the different font so I don't know if this was taken care of in the newer version, but I have the latest firmware for it.
Wasn’t aware this was coming out; perhaps not surprising since Viltrox has been putting out cheaper alternatives to Fuji’s other key primes. But the speed they’re putting them out is a bit surprising, obviously it’s been in the planning for some time, as it happens, I recently got the Fuji 56mm on sale, knowing their 50// f1 was coming but was likely to be big, heavy and very expensive. It’s gotten some very good reviews, but overkill for my purpose, This looks like a good alternative though. I’m wary of 3rd party Fuji lenses, esp without a history, but it seems Viltrox is establishing one very quickly. I seriously considered the 85mm, but the,no aperture thing and it seemingly being a converted full-frame lens, made me go for the 56mm on sale. I might consider a replacement for my Fuji 35mm though, much as I love it’s rendering; it’s focusing motor is slow and noisy, not good for street shooting. But then, I don’t need f1.4 for that particular purpose. For that, their small f2 series is ideal, though with the proviso it relies on lens profiles to correct image distortion to keep the size down.
Such a great review of the Viltrox 56mm lens, and great comparisons between the Fuji lens and the Viltrox! I was wondering if you had any intention of reviewing the Mitakon 35mm 0.95 Mk2. I have been looking at it for a while but have not seen any reviews in the style that you make them.
Totally happy with the 23 33 and 56 all 1.4. All three under $1000. Also they are all about the same size and weight which makes replacing one for another on a gimball a little faster
Not sure if you mentioned it or not but I wonder what you think about the new F1.0 50mm lens? That seems to be the best one but it's really expensive I guess.
Do you have any experience with the XF 50mm f/2? I personally overlooked it, giving most of my attention to the XF 56mm f/1.2 for the low light ability; but I've been researching the two lenses, and the quality of the XF 50mm f/2 seems incredible. Now I'm curious how the XF 50mm f/2 compares to this Viltrox 56mm f/1.4. I was thinking either of these lenses could be a good companion lens for the XF 90mm f/2. Awesome review! I like what I'm seeing from this Viltrox lens!
Man that was HIGH on the list to also review. I actually in hindsight think that all three should have been tested for this video. LOL, I literally cannot get anyone at Fuji to answer my emails or contact requests. So, I just had to go w/o doing that lens and w/o doing the 50 f/1 (which was the huge one just released).
@@pal2tech That would be a great comparison video in the future! As a fan, I just sent an email to FUJIFILM Media Inquiries to recommend your channel and Omar Gonzalez's channel for product reviews. I cc'd both of you. You guys are amazing!
@@jonesmatthewlee Really? Wow, thank you Matthew!!!!! I'll check right now... I've been so buried in email lately LOL!! That's so nice of you to reach out to them!! 🙏
I have this lens on my X-E3 and really like its performance in all areas. However, I would like to see a spot focus sized indicator for more accurate, pinpoint focusing. Thanks so much!
Excellent video once again, thanks pal2tech, but...i bought this lens a few months ago and i have used it a hundred times and i am really disappointed with the sharpness and definition which are not really did not live up to my expectations. I was able to do comparison tests with a fujinon zoom which is really not a reference in terms of sharpening the XF 16-80 F4 and indeed at 56mm and F4 for both lenses and in identical conditions, the viltrox gives barely better than fuji. I'm reselling this lens to maybe buy a Fujinon 56mm. I don't understand why all the reviews I've seen of this viltrox are so glowing, maybe the lenses tested weren't production lenses? PS: I just bought the 13mm viltrox, which is really good, I have nothing against the viltrox brand!
Hi, thanks for your interesting channel. At 7:30 the Fuji image is taken with 1 stop less light and the background looks very different (greens). Just curious if the light changed at this moment?
Fantastic review and terrific video all round as always. This Viltrox 56 1.4 has me torn now. Lol. I own the Fuji 50mm F2 lens and its a tiny little beast in all aspects of IQ. Even at F2, you can get some beautiful portraits. But indoor evening events, I find myself cranking my ISO to keep a reasonable shutter speed. This Viltrox might just be the answer. Especially at this price point. Hmmm...
These VIltrox lenses look great and it's nice they are the same size/filter size. I'm interested in what they do next and I hope it forces Fuji to be more competitive.
great review as always, thank you sir! I'm xf 56mm user. The fact that Viltrox (who does reverse engineering) gives better and solid AF performance than Fuji's engineers did with their own x-mount protocols. Xf 56mm f1.2 was produced first in 2014 without significant improvement both in hardware and firmware untill now. The presence of Viltrox and other third party lens manufacturers should bring Fuji's engineer in good competition after a decades of bad monopoly practice.
Excellent video, I am really impressed with Viltrox, I already bought the 23mm, 33mm and I hope to sell my 56mm from fuji to get the 56mm and 85mm viltrox. Greetings.
This is a great review. I'm about to purchase a fuji camera for christmas body only and is looking for a first lens that is not so expensive. Thanks for this video
Thanks for the review! I have the Viltrox 23mm and I'm quite happy with it. I do have the Fuji 50mm F2, do you think it's worth getting it for just 1 stop more? I was considering a used Fuji 56mm F1.2 instead which gives almost 2 stops. Also I'm always worried about the long-term compatibility of the Viltrox lenses.
How do you like the 50mmf2 i am debating to get one.. But im not sure since this came out lol WR is a big bonus but also love that depth of field of the viltrox....
I’ve seen some of the 56 1.2 prices starting to go down on the used market very recently. I just bought one for 550 (a little beat up but looks great). I’m really enjoying it so far, but I may pick up the viltrox used in the future for the better auto focus. Fuji REALLY needs to fix the autofocus on their fast primes and I think they’ve just decided to say “whatever” and let 3rd party companies resolve that issue for them to save them the money.
56 1.2 drops because of 50 1.0 came out. Even Fuji has started cutting the price. Fuji can't keep on milking users using slow feature lens all the time.
I think the problem with the Fuji 16 1.4, the 23 1.4, and any other "fast glass", is that these lens are,now, old designs. Despite Fuji's semi desperate firmware updates following the early release of the X series ( I still have and use my XT20), the focussing of the 23 1.4 is still very slow and very noisy. Luckily, the majority of my subjects are stationary, or very slow moving.
Nice video Pal! May I know which lens yoi think has overall better image quality between Viltrox 23mm and 56mm (also consider sharpness and flair issue)?
@@srinivassridhar5151 Everyone has an opinion. I have heard different opinions about the Fuji 56 1.2 and the Viltrox 56 1.4. I would you can’t go wrong with the Fuji 56 1.2. And I am perfectly fine with the Viltrox 56 1.4. I have done professional work with the Viltrox 56 1.4. So I do not want to tell you what to do.
Great videos!! You do a great job explaining some of the more obscure but powerful features of the Fujifilm cameras. I'm awaiting delivery of the Viltrox 56. How might I get the lens profile into Lightroom? Thanks!
got the 1.2 a few months ago used for a little less than 600€. it's a cool lens and it makes me wanna shoot with it, but if i had to choose again, i'd go for the viltrox. you simply get a lot for your money, i already did with the 23/1.4. i'm surprised the bokeh looks that smooth on the cheapo viltrox!
Finger cross VIltrox is developing an autofocus ultra-wide-angle prime lens with this quality. 12mm f2/2.8 would be absolutely mind-blowing and I would switch from Sony in a blink.
For my shooting, I went with the Fuji Film Red Badges Lens of 16-55 and 50-140 f/2.8 lens. I did find the review helpful if I ever need that lens. What's your thoughts on the MKX 'Cina lense' from Fujinon 18-55/50-135 T2.9
I photograph models on my X-H1 and found a clean Viltrox 85mm 1.8 (version 1) on Offerup for $200. The shots I get with it are amazing. I'm sure the 90mm 2 is better overall but I really don't need the WR and the extra bit of reach. This thing is sharp, faster (aperture), and the bokeh is pretty good. It's about 90% of the Fuji 90 mm at a quarter of the price (used).
The 85mm is a splendid lens from viltrox but i guarantee you the fujinon 90 mm is worth every single cent. I wouldn't say the same for the 33mm and 23mm that beside the fringing they are almost identical with the fujinon counterparts but the 90mm is amazing (I've heard that the 80mm is even better but it's pricy and extremely slow,but the image quality and the macro is beyond the competition).
