Didn't expect Chinese optics to catch up so quickly, even Laowa doesn't have impressive autofocus lenses, the 13 and this 75 are shockingly good, nice job Viltrox
Laowa is super niche. They are all macro and cine lenses and are actually great IQ wise. Their 15mm has the best IQ and distortion control in that range that I've tried. The 15 zero D is crazy and the 15 macro is something else too. Just lent out the 15 macro to a photog friend of mine that is super into Legos and he's already trying to buy it off me
Beside many other good or great lenses Laowa doing one true gem - 9mm F5.6 rectilinear lens for full frame cameras... Its not cheap, cost about 800 USD, but its a best in the world... And this is just begin for chinese companies, next generation of their lenses will be 1 steb better then current production lines... I hope they will keep current price tags in future too... By Viltrox I think soon we will see other Pro lenses, like 23mm and 35mm...
Excellent @F1.2 already. Glad to see, Viltrox is stepping up the game ! I'd like to see next a Viltrox PRO 23mm F1.2 Lens, with the same features, weather sealing. Great video, Chris ! Happy holidays !
The corners on this lens are even better than several lenses are at their center Christopher! I’m surprised you were so harsh on them, this is probably one of the sharpest lenses you’ve ever tested!
I think he compared the lens performance to the newer versions of fuji lenses, which are amazingly good, so this viltrox is very competent and with equivalent results.at least this is what I can get from Cristopher's opinion on this video. =)
I have doubts, it's probably that they sent him a special version for the youtube review, and this version is not the same on the market, the quality of the aperture at 1.2 is simply breathtaking better redo the same test with a version of the market and not sent by the company.
@@Username-xl6jj lol why don’t u just simply buy one later and give it a try before commenting all the nonsense jibber jabbering. If it’s bad, simply send it back for a full refund
@@xmurnxYou're also the kind of guy who said that Sigma 35 1,4 ART back in 2013 which wiped the floor with the brand originals was also "too good to be true"?
If Viltrox improved their focus motors and lens coatings they would be right up there in quality for third-party manufacturers with the likes of Sigma and Tamron. They have improved in leaps and bounds over the last few years, and I hope to see continued improvements in their future lenses.
I totally agree with you, last year Ive bought the 13mm 1.4 for Fuji and it is a delight to use it. Really, I use it all in every event filmmaking like weddings.
What's wrong with their lens coatings? seems to me their later batch of lenses have excellent CA control, what more do we need? this 'pro' line, the 13mm and now the 75 are already surpassing those other third party manufacturers
@@Cagey7531 Coatings help control flair (and can improve contrast), they do not affect CA. Viltrox lenses have not had the best flair performance, ergo they need to improve their coatings.
Another thing i think they can improve is the minimum focus distance and its quality, the imagens captured with the 13mm are so good at the MFD, recently ive made some shots for a restaurant in my City and used it alot.
Blimey. What an inpressive performance. I was thinking of buying the Sigma 56mm, now I think this might be a better purchase even though it's more expensive. Good range and sharp wide open. Never expected that from Viltrox!
it's not that much more expensive, like 25% more, but for a half stop extra light and bokeh, completely superior IQ in every way as well as superior build? yeah i'd pay double tbh
I had both, Viltrox is equally or even more sharp, but at 75mm with F1.2. This is a beast of a lens. I hope Viltrox will keep these very low prices in the future, because a lens like this made by Sony or Fuji would be 2000+ euros. :)
Another great review, Chris. Thank you. I would love to see you put this up against Fuji’s 90 mm F2. Obviously the compression of the 90mm distance will work in its favour, but the extra stops of light for the Viltrox should see it swing back towards that lens… An interesting comparison I would think. Thank you in advance.
Bravo Viltrox and Fuji! This lens review shows how the myth of high megapixel sensors resolving problem is a history now! Yes it will exaggerat the poor optics weakness, but when the optics are great also let's it shine better!
The first pictures you presented said "WoW". I still can't fathom out how you play the piano whilst juggeling lenses! Happy new year to you and family Chris.
Impressive performance, and another push for healthy competition in the lens market. Looking forward to what Viltrox will come up with in the future. Thanks for another great review! Hopefully you will get around to reviewing the Tamron 17-28mm some day too:P
Extraordinary. I've found my Fuji portrait lens. I'm sure I'm not alone in prefering >85mm equivalent lenses for portraits. This is probably about equivalent to a 112 f2 in terms of field of view and depth of field. For less than $600? With pro Fuji/Canon image quality? _And_ autofocus? Just fantastic.
I’ve been researching the 50 mm and 56mm options and since the Fuji 56mm Mk II seems the best this will be a great interim portrait lens for my Fuji kit and give me time to save up. On my Sony FF A7R IV the cost of lenses? Well prohibitive for a smaller part of what I do. This lens is such a great performer it is a no brainier on the X-T 5. Plus in the last few days they have released a firmware update that I understand has improved AF performance.
Hopefully this will become available to micro four thirds! It will be a fantastic alternative to the Olympus 75mm f/1.8 and will be an amazing fast aperture sports, event, and portrait lens with that 150mm equivalence
Looks great, Would like to see them refine some of their older lenses as well now that they seem to have figured out how to make good lenses. The 23, 33 and 56 were quite poor compared to fuji/sigma versions but the more recent 13 and 75 seem much improved.
I have the latest version of the Viltrox 23 1.4 and it keeps up very well with the 40mp xh2 and resolves way more detail than the older Fuji 23 1.4. I haven’t tried the newer Fuji 23 but I can’t imagine it would do any better, or would I need it to do any better. Viltrox must’ve made some significant updates from the original copy or I got something unique in the copy variation.
@@JL-sn1ee I can’t say that I’ve noticed any aggressive purple fringing but I’m not much of a pixel peeper. I was however shocked at how well it resolved detail on my xh2. I got it as a second 23mm to match the framing on a reverse shot (for video interview work and not wanting to spend too much on a second 23mm) with the original Fuji 23 and to have a 23 option with smoother autofocus on the newer Fuji cams. After using it I was blown away at how good it was; Especially when I had only heard “okay” reviews. So much that I’m thinking about selling the original fuji 23 and just getting a second viltrox to replace it. But I worry sometimes that the copy variation might be too great and I’ll end up with one that doesn’t quite match the quality of the one I currently have haha. Seems like most of the reviews online are of the older versions, too. So I’m not sure what’s changed, or if they just actually refined the design and production process over time. But as is, it performs about as good as the viltrox 13mm I have - at least to my eyes. Mileage always varies a little from person to person and copy to copy with these third party lenses.
@@trustnugget280 are those full-frame lenses? F/1.2 on APS-C is equivalent to f/1.8 on full-frame. Get in close with the 65mm f/2 and you'll get similar results.
@@neilr7935 f1.2 on APS-C is equivalent to f1.2 on full frame. What you mean is that bokeh at f1.2 looks the same as f1.8 on full frame as long as the distance to the subject changes to match the field of view, that's the only difference.
The move to mirrorless is going great guns and lens manufacturers are working hard to churn out good options and make some money. All power to Viltrox for this lens. They started pretty good and are upping their game with every new product or revision. Great review as always from Chris.
@@svetlanagrobman3476 Yes the newer 13mm 1,4 is great, but the 23,33,56 lenses are older and not that good. So i really would like to see an update on these.
As with all your reviews: similar in approach--but very, very helpful. Thank you. You have a pleasant, friendly style that I like. I always check things through by turning to your 'Review List'.
@@kzr83 LOL.. I just eased my GAS by buying a Sigma 56 1.4, which I really don't NEED NEED, but like new for $300 was irresistible and a different enough FL from the 90 to justify, at least in my mind, the acquisition .. eagerly awaiting the 27 1.2 Viltrox has coming out.. just because I have a 23 and a 33 doesn't mean I don't need a 27 right.. right?
@@JungleCatImages I was either unaware or had forgotten about the 27mm f/1.2 😱 I love that field of view. I have a 40mm Konica film lens so this would be the same as that. I love 23mm on Fujifilm but often find it a tad wide, and 33/35 is wonderful too but often a bit long. I think if I could pick only 1 focal length for Fuji it would be 27mm. But I'd like more subject isolation than f/2.8... When's the 27mm f/1.2 meant to come out?
Thanks for this review! Now to wait for them to bring this to Sony E mount. I have the 13mm Viltrox lens (thanks to your review of it) and I love that piece of kit.
Never been a viltrox fan until the 13 1.4 came out.... And now this "must have" lens... It's making me reconsider the other lenses that they offer. Y u do dis 2 me?
Wow-if the T-stop is anywhere near the F-number, this is a real stunner. I often find myself giving up on 50p video in the autumn evening or cloudy afternoons, and family sessions with kids around solstice time, I find myself making compromises with shutter speed I really oughtn’t to
It'll probably be good enough. Note that Fuji applies artificial iso to their lenses by about a 1 stop so even a 3rd party lens like Mitakon f/0.95 will have same exposure as Fuji f/1.4.
@@anonymousl5150 uhhh I don’t shoot JPEGs/ “in camera corrections”, and I’m unaware of if Fuji does anything to video Insofar as… Wait, I have no idea what you’re talking about
@@The_CGA RAW files are manipulated by the camera all the time. Someone once found the Fuji 35 f/1.4 was brighter at f/1.4 than the Mitakon. But they disconnected the camera and found this exposure gain was artificially induced, and the Fuji was actually darker.
The viltrox 85mm f/1.8 for Fuji is already very impressive compared to the price, even more so considering there is a lot of 85mm lenses on the used market while this 75mm is brand new This might prove to be the only problem for that lens, it's extremely good but not enough of a difference with the already sharp and budget friendly 85mm f/1.8 that you can find for half the price
The 85mm f1.8 is a full frame lens ported to APS-C, it better be sharp since you're not using the edges of the image circle. But Viltrox have come a long way in lens coatings and optics since then still
This is insanely impressive!! I never gave Viltrox a second thought until now. Hoping for a Z or E Mount version. Why did you skip the stars and chroma smearing part of the video?? was it a bad performer????
The greatest lens ever!!😍🙏 Very good and cheap!! I hope yo see soon more of this Line Up on the Aps-C line for Fujifim and Sony, like : - Viltrox 18mm f1.2 - Viltrox 28mm f1.2 - Viltrox 40mm F1.2 - Viltrox 90mm F1.2
5:16 All things through Him indeed, Chris. Thinking about my next portrait lens, but wondering if this is too long at ~112mm full frame equivalent. Hard to pass up with weather sealing though. Keep 'em coming!
@@johnnykempo I have the 23mm f1.4 R (35mm equivalent). Love that lens. I'm thinking for events the 23mm plus this 75mm or a 56mm would be a good combo. Thoughts on those two lengths for events? Might add the 90mm for longer reach, eventually.
Just found it at $499 usd (shipping included) in the aliexpress viltrox official store, so I couldn't resist to order it. I'm really excited to start using it.
Absolute beast of a lens. Admittedly only used once on a shoot, but super impressive all around. Image quality,, build as good, if not better than some of Fuji's already impressive X lenses. On par with the 13mm 1.4 for sure! Bokeh monster, fast prime for low light shooting at a focal range gap for fuji primes. Winner so far!
thank You for the review!! this or SAMYANG F2.0 135mm? i don't care much about AF. 135mm is quite tighter, but i think it can also focus closer, which is important for me
I used an online depth of field calculator to compare this lens. If that is to be believed, Viltrox have done somthing truly amazing. This lens on an APS-C camera provides more background blur than an 85mm 1.4 or 100mm 1.8 on FF, for the same subject size in frame. Only the Sony 135mm 1.8 or Canon 85mm 1.2 beats it, and they are considerably more costly. In Nikon Z, I'm not sure there is anything currently available can match the shallow DoF the Viltrox lens provides.
You're half correct, 75/1.2 APSC is equivalent to 112.5/1.8 on FF. However, in comparison to an 85/1.4, the 75/1.2 has a 6% larger entrance pupil, but with the 1.5x crop of APSC yields 40% larger DOF (ie, deeper, less blur). So any 85/1.4 on FF will have more blur, at any focal distance, and a 135/1.8 will have over double shallower DOF (about 2.16x more blur). So, whilst a nice lens it isn't breaking physics or doing anything new, specs wise.
I'm not quite convinced. For a 3m subject, an 85 / 1.4 has DoF of 10cm. Using the Equiv FF lens for the new Viltrox (112.5 mm / 1.8), DoF becomes 7cm, as defined by DoF calculators. Sure, a 135/ 1.8 will obviously have an even narrower DoF, but this costs many times that of the new Viltrox, as will an 85 / 1.4. As you point out there is more to the rendered blur that a DoF calculator can convey, but it would be quite interesting to see side by side examples. And to know it is sharp at 1.2 is amazing.
I have the 85mm f1.8, it's a big lens but quality is reasonable for the price. Although a bugbear I have with the lens is the handling, when trying to pick it up out of my camers bag, I find it a bit slippery, due to its all metal construction, especially when you're fingers are cold.
this is amazing, i wish it also had same performance in f8+ as it have on f 1.2/ it is excellent in f1.2 which all other competitors lag! and it get a little soft when others improve! but i love to see it comes to sony and fix this issue and im sure it will become top tear choice for photographers
Luckily I ordered one. The mass of all the glass in the focus group with never let fast lenses like this of AF fast. I think it's doing ok Wedding, Portrait, Model, Great for Landscape, Still life. Kids, Dogs, Flying Birds. not so much. Scott
Hola Chris. Como responde este lente Viltrox 75 mm para astrofotografía? Tiene un efecto coma acusado? Muchas gracias por todas tus videos rewiew, son interesantísimos.
@@djstuc I have an x-t3 with 3 fuji lenses (xf 50 f2, xf 23 1.4, xf 70-300) and many others I have sold. I just speak facts based on proven optical mtf charts and usage. Don't get butthurt.
I struggle to figure out when to use this focal length, I have the Viltrox 56mm F1.4 and even on that one, I barely ever use it, even for portraits, you have to be quite far back, I prefer using the 33mm.
