- Viltrox unveils 75mm f/1.8 and 90mm f/2.2 autofocus primes for APS-C
- They’re available in Sony E, Fujifilm X and Nikon Z-mount versions
- We still don’t know the outcome of the Nikon / Viltrox lawsuit
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Viltrox lenses — and why not? The Chinese lens manufacturer makes some of the best-quality and affordable third-party lenses, and we now have two more to choose from: the AF 75mm F1.8 EVO and AF 90mm F2.2 EVO.
Both lenses are available from today in Sony E, Fujifilm X and Nikon Z-mount versions, for $329 / £319 at Amazon and $369 / £359 at Amazon respectively (Australia pricing TBC). There are often deals at the Viltrox site — in fact, there’s already around 5% off those prices at launch.
They’re designed for APS-C cameras, meaning both lenses work directly with the likes of the Sony A6700, Nikon Z50 II, Fujifilm X-T5 (look out for my review of the X-mount version of the 90mm, coming soon), and have 113mm and 135mm effective focal lengths respectively.
These focal lengths are particularly popular for portrait photography — I especially love the 135mm focal length — and the bright maximum aperture for each able to render blurry backgrounds.
Being ‘EVO’ lenses, the pair are affordable, especially lightweight, and will be impressively sharp considering those factors. And I should know — we’ve already tested other EVO lenses, including the 85mm F2 EVO for full-frame, and expect the same high quality from the latest additions to the series.
Each lens features a clicked / de-clicked aperture ring, customizable function button and AF/MF switch, plus autofocus powered by an STM motor. They’re pretty much the same size and take 58mm lens filters, while the 75mm lens weighs 11.8oz / 335g and the 90mm lens weighs 11.3oz / 320g.
With a 0.74m minimum focus distance, neither lens is particularly strong for close-up photography.
The 90mm F2.2 is a different proposition to Viltrox’s 135mm F1.8 LAB lens for full-frame cameras, which has the same effective focal length — that flagship lens is thrice the price and weight. No, Viltrox’s EVO lenses are designed to deliver dreamy bokeh and sharp detail for enthusiast-level cameras, but in a lightweight and tidy package. I’m excited to share my review of the 90mm lens soon.
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So what’s up with the Nikon lawsuit?
It’s no surprise to see more new prime lenses by Viltrox — it has been prolific in the last two years especially. What did cause my raised eyebrow, however, is that these two new lenses are available for Nikon cameras.
At the turn of the year, we reported that Nikon was suing Viltrox for alleged patent infringements, and that the case would be in courts at some point in March. That situation has since been awfully quiet, and we don’t know the status of this case.
So if you’re a Nikon user, say of the Z50 II or Z30, should you buy either of these new lenses? I don’t see much of a risk — it would be a highly aggressive move for Nikon to push future firmware updates for its mirrorless cameras that breaks existing compatibility with Viltrox lenses.
There could be a point at which Viltrox lenses go up in price, however, should Viltrox start paying Nikon royalties as a result. Until then, it remains arguably the best-value lens manufacturer of all, even if Sigma overall has a wider choice.
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