I have the Samyang 12mm f/2. I like it a lot. I can live without total fog for bokeh on a 12mm. It makes nice pictures and works well / fits well with the a6600 and a6500 cameras. Not knocking the Viltrox but Samyang is also getting better, and so is Tamron. I think the whole environment is driving them to get good or die. I also think all the manufacturers have realized that a lot of people really like APS-C (for all the well known reasons) and don't regard it as just a poor stepchild to full-frame.
All that being said, I’m a little annoyed that Sony has all but abandoned their APS-C camera lineup for the time being. I have an upcoming review of the ZV-E10 where I mention it’s Good, but clearly a bottom of the line camera, and the upper end hasn’t been updated in ages, with the 6400 and 6600 already discontinued. Hopefully they’ll have some new cameras coming soon… and won’t be asking an arm and a leg for them either. The price point of the 6500 and 6600 were kinda nutty. Surely it doesn’t take That much more money to put ibis in one of these little cameras. They can’t truly rule the Vlogging space without it!
Great review. I got the Viltrox and really like it a lot but it is pretty heavy. I'm not really interested in the 15mm but the 11 is very appealing. At less than half the weight and the 2 focusing motors the 11mm sounds awesome.
@@novikovgarage_SPB I owned the Viltrox before, and now I just got the 11mm. The Viltrox is better for photography. But it's too heavy to use as a Vlog lens.
Thanks for the review. I ordered this lens from China last week and it should arrive in the next few days. I was choosing between this lens and the Sony 11mm, leaning towards the Sony because of the weight, size and 2mm wider. However, Viltrox lens was on sales on 9.9 (Sep 9) so I jumped right it. I paid just below US$260 for a brand new Viltrox 13mm F1.4, which was the offer I couldn't refuse. After seeing many RUclips reviews and hearing many good things about this lens, I believe I made a good choice, especially at the price I paid.
my question, is there distance changes to an object, when you do distortion test?, because box on table with 11mm sony shot looks bigger than viltrox 13mm. Wander if you took picture closer with 11mm sony and that is caused more distortion?
What do you think is the optimal focal length for wide angle landscape or cityscape shots ? Should i get 1 or 2 prime lenses to cover the wide focal ranges or simply get the sigma 10-18 f2.8 , i would prefer spending the bare minimum get the job done.
Great analysis, thanks for discussing the different effective wide angles between lenses. Even a fraction of a millimeter can make a substantial difference on a wide lens when you are counting on it.
Very true! When you get this wide, at and below 16mm, every millimetre makes a Huge difference! And when you have to warp the frame back again, it's definitely not the same anymore.
Excellent review !!!, I'm getting very close to buying one (Viltrox 13mm), though I'd like to know how far off the actual Color science is from the sony lenses , when shooting a Video with different Focal length Glass , one would like everything to match...If you have that info, it would be much appreciated...... thanks......
I’m inclined to derate the score a bit the Viltrox AF is noisy and focus breathing is noticeable plus in low light focus acquisition is a wee bit slower and twitchy compared to the 15mm Sony.
Interesting. On my lens the AF was quite silent, and I would put it about on par with the AF of the Sony 15 that I tried. Although many have told me I must have had a bad copy, as mine didn’t impress with sharpness Or AF.
@@WesPerry Actually I'm asking because a number of reviewers have not only commented about but also demonstrated those two "flaws". I have the Sony 11mm f1.8 and 20mm f1.8 and the 11mm has vignette and distortion more than the Viltrox but is practically silent AF and no focus breathing. I'm tossing up the 13mm Viltrox vs the 15mm Sony at the moment. The 15mm seems better for video but the Viltrox better for photo... I'm at least 70% photo-centric. I can see the Viltrox is potentially a great studio lens whereas the 15mm being lighter maybe better for walk arounds... your thoughts?
Any time I see a review of a product by you I have to watch it. I can not believe you have as few subscribers as you do. Your videos are top-notch in production and information.
Hi Wes. I found your channel recently and I've been getting a lot of information. I'm absolutely new to the camera world. I just ordered the Sony a7IV as my first one. I'm just torn between what lens to get. I have a budget of 800$. I'm mainly going to use my camera for RUclips content/vlogging and some street photography. Would you recommend me to get the sony 20mm FE ? Or split the money and get two viltrox lenses (13mm and 85mm) Thank you
Let's say you've just bought the Sigma 16 f/1.4, Tamron 11-20 f/2.8, Sony 11 f/1.8 and the Sony 15 f/1.4; You can ONLY keep two. Which ones are you keeping and why?
Depends a lot on what you do, but I would say if you’re a handheld vlogger, just the 11 1.8. (I’m mostly a primes shooter). I don’t see much purpose in zooming at that super wide range. You’ll have lens distortion and perspective no matter what, so just zoom with your feet. Lol If you’re so so big on handheld vlogging your own face, the Viltrox 13 1.4 would be the do all. Less distortion, less money, and a more pleasing falloff and bokeh than the Sony 15 1.4 (and wider angle of course). I was a little disappointed with the Sony 15 1.4. Not sure what I was expecting, but for the price, it just doesn’t do it for me.
I bought Viltrox 13mm f1.4, owning like less than 2months and planning to sell it. There are 3 reasons: 1. The autofocus is not quite good compare to Sony nor Sigma.. and it is noisy. 2. The weight and size.. well actually it is not really a problem.. but i think i prefer to carry light and compact lens 3. I already hv 17-70mm f2.8 ..4mm wider are noticable ..but i think if i had 11mm.. i can punch in and get around 13mm look. Viltrox 13mm f1.4 is great lens..the quality also amazing.. but it doesnt suit me..
Hello, great video. I'm filming in a small bedroom for guitar youtube tutorials. So i'm looking for a wide lens with background blur. Which lens out the 3 would you recommend? The Viltrox ticks all the boxes except size and weight but I guess you win and lose. Any clear recommendation would be super helpful. Thanks Wes!
It’s a matter of opinion somewhat, but for me it’s the best combination of wide angle and bokeh available at present. My next favorite is the Sony 11 1.8, but that won’t give you much background blur at all. Great price and size though.
Which these ultra wide angle lenses do you suggest for indoor real estate videography in a low light noisy situation with the Sony ZV-E10 camera ? 👇 1. Sony 11mm f.1/8 2. Samyang 12mm 3. Rokinon 12mm 4. Tamron 11-20mm 5. Viltrox 13mm F1.4
@@Pixelpeeps-69 I wouldn’t have imagine much cross shopping between those two. The Fuji lens costs 2.5x more, and is a max f/4 aperture. Quite different purposes! I would expect the Viltrox to have similar or better sharpness at f/4 to f/8 though (since that’s stopped way down for that lens).
What would you pick between the sony 11mm f1.8 and viltrox 13mm f1.4 for landscape/astro photography? I'm leaning towards the viltrox due to the f stop and I'd save a bit of money, but the size and image quality of the sony is very tempting. The only other lens I own is the sigma 18-50mm f2.8 and these will go on my a6000. Thanks!
I’d more likely go 11 1.8 for Astro, since it’s sharper wide open. The Viltrox has a lot of coma and ghosting wide open. In the mid range the Viltrox is sharper, but that’s less useful for Astro.
It’s a little more consistent than the 13 1.4, and obviously Wayyy smaller But it also has Enormous distortion, and can’t produce much bokeh, where the 13 1.4 has a surprisingly creamy look. The 13 is more a photographers or artists lens, I suppose.
@Penison Wenda I almost went that far, but the 13 can give a Very cinematic look. But the 11 is 100% the winner when it comes to vlogging, and anything very “matter of fact”. The 13 is what I’d reach for if I’m looking to pretty things up, get some bokeh, some flares, some drama. Haha
I unfortunately no longer have an APS-C camera, and really miss the 13. As much as I respect the 11, I’m totally not a vlogger and I don’t think about it much anymore. Haha
Yep But corrections degrade image quality around the edges of the image. And when distortion is Very strong, you’ll never have great sharpness beyond the center of the frame if you’re fully correcting for distortion in a lens with such strong distortion.
I have a Sony NEX F3 and for me this Viltrox lens does not work with AF, only MF works. Other old and new Sony lenses work flawlessly with the Sony NEX F3 body.
Hmm. It would seem that this is because your camera is so early that it lacks phase detect AF, which this lens relies on. I’d suggest installing the latest firmware on the lens to see if that helps: viltrox.com/xzzx
@@WesPerry OK. Danke - ich werde versuchen zu suchen. Mein Körper bestätigt den grünen AF, aber das Bild mit dem Viltrox ist nicht scharf, es ist verschwommen.
There’s an excellent chance that this lens wasn’t tested on anything older than an a6100 or possibly a6000. They likely never even put it on one of the old contrast detect only models unfortunately. Hopefully the new firmware helps you out, though.
Hello Friend, nice video…I’m very new into professional camera world, just been working on with Dji Osmo action, Dji Pocket 2, Dji mini 2 along Moza mini p Gimbal and Insta 360 one x2 for my work into real estate Videography…Now planning to be more professional and productive in my work and quality of video’s in low light interiors of properties…What do you suggest considering a very tight budget…? Sony ZV-E10 with Sony 11mm f1.8 or Viltrox 13mm f1.4…If not any other ideal better combination as per your expertise…
@@WesPerry ..Thanks my dear friend but does investing on SonyZV-E10 and Sony 11mm f1.8 makes much difference in my work, since I’m having Pocket 2 combo with Freewell All day ND filters and others as mentioned…In Financially tough times…
The sensor in the pocket 2 is Very small, so you have quite limited dynamic range, which is a very important factor with real estate photography. Most real estate photogs use full frame cameras because of this, to maximize their dynamic range. The bigger the sensor, the better for this.
@@WesPerry …Thanks my friend…Viltrox 13mm f1.4 is way much cheaper at $360 compared to Sony 11mm f 1.8 $530… Sony is lighter and costlier but accommodates my Moza mini P gimbal without any problem but Viltrox is bit heavy but still able to use on gimbal with caution…Very new to Professional cameras, hopefully you understand…As said required camera for Real estate Low light video shoots…Hence what’s your suggestion considering my current situation..
@@WesPerry Thanks for the response. It’s for OnlyFans. I was worried with the 11mm distortion compared to the 13mm shown in your reviews. Will probably go with the 11mm then, thanks
I have the Samyang 12mm f/2. I like it a lot. I can live without total fog for bokeh on a 12mm. It makes nice pictures and works well / fits well with the a6600 and a6500 cameras. Not knocking the Viltrox but Samyang is also getting better, and so is Tamron. I think the whole environment is driving them to get good or die. I also think all the manufacturers have realized that a lot of people really like APS-C (for all the well known reasons) and don't regard it as just a poor stepchild to full-frame.
All that being said, I’m a little annoyed that Sony has all but abandoned their APS-C camera lineup for the time being. I have an upcoming review of the ZV-E10 where I mention it’s Good, but clearly a bottom of the line camera, and the upper end hasn’t been updated in ages, with the 6400 and 6600 already discontinued. Hopefully they’ll have some new cameras coming soon… and won’t be asking an arm and a leg for them either. The price point of the 6500 and 6600 were kinda nutty. Surely it doesn’t take That much more money to put ibis in one of these little cameras. They can’t truly rule the Vlogging space without it!
Great review. I got the Viltrox and really like it a lot but it is pretty heavy. I'm not really interested in the 15mm but the 11 is very appealing. At less than half the weight and the 2 focusing motors the 11mm sounds awesome.
11mm от Sony?
@@novikovgarage_SPB I owned the Viltrox before, and now I just got the 11mm. The Viltrox is better for photography. But it's too heavy to use as a Vlog lens.
Thanks for the review. I ordered this lens from China last week and it should arrive in the next few days. I was choosing between this lens and the Sony 11mm, leaning towards the Sony because of the weight, size and 2mm wider. However, Viltrox lens was on sales on 9.9 (Sep 9) so I jumped right it. I paid just below US$260 for a brand new Viltrox 13mm F1.4, which was the offer I couldn't refuse. After seeing many RUclips reviews and hearing many good things about this lens, I believe I made a good choice, especially at the price I paid.
Pretty good deal! Hope you love it!
my question, is there distance changes to an object, when you do distortion test?, because box on table with 11mm sony shot looks bigger than viltrox 13mm.
Wander if you took picture closer with 11mm sony and that is caused more distortion?
What do you think is the optimal focal length for wide angle landscape or cityscape shots ? Should i get 1 or 2 prime lenses to cover the wide focal ranges or simply get the sigma 10-18 f2.8 , i would prefer spending the bare minimum get the job done.
Please make a full review of the sony 11mm f1.8.
Already filmed. Just need to find time to edit it ;)
Great analysis, thanks for discussing the different effective wide angles between lenses. Even a fraction of a millimeter can make a substantial difference on a wide lens when you are counting on it.
Very true! When you get this wide, at and below 16mm, every millimetre makes a Huge difference! And when you have to warp the frame back again, it's definitely not the same anymore.
Hoping VIltrox make a mk 2 version of this lens that clears up a few flaws gets it sharp at 1.4 adds weather sealing and clicky aperture
I don’t think they’ve ever made a mk2 lens thus far. Not sure if I’d hold out hope there 😬
great video. Hopefully I will be able to take amazing photos like yours. Ps what do you mean by having the lenses wide open
@@IdahoMthman wide open being the widest aperture, which would be f1.4 on this lens
@WesPerry thank you for the reply and your amazing review. Just started my photography journey and you help me out
Excellent review !!!, I'm getting very close to buying one (Viltrox 13mm), though I'd like to know how far off the actual Color science is from the sony lenses , when shooting a Video with different Focal length Glass , one would like everything to match...If you have that info, it would be much appreciated...... thanks......
Colours are rather different from the Sony lenses
I’m inclined to derate the score a bit the Viltrox AF is noisy and focus breathing is noticeable plus in low light focus acquisition is a wee bit slower and twitchy compared to the 15mm Sony.
Interesting. On my lens the AF was quite silent, and I would put it about on par with the AF of the Sony 15 that I tried. Although many have told me I must have had a bad copy, as mine didn’t impress with sharpness Or AF.
@@WesPerry I think you have a bad copy of the 15mm. If you just use in camera mic the AF noise from the Viltrox is very noticeable.
And I think You have a bad copy of the Viltrox 😂
@@WesPerry Actually I'm asking because a number of reviewers have not only commented about but also demonstrated those two "flaws". I have the Sony 11mm f1.8 and 20mm f1.8 and the 11mm has vignette and distortion more than the Viltrox but is practically silent AF and no focus breathing. I'm tossing up the 13mm Viltrox vs the 15mm Sony at the moment. The 15mm seems better for video but the Viltrox better for photo... I'm at least 70% photo-centric. I can see the Viltrox is potentially a great studio lens whereas the 15mm being lighter maybe better for walk arounds... your thoughts?
Any time I see a review of a product by you I have to watch it. I can not believe you have as few subscribers as you do. Your videos are top-notch in production and information.
Thanks!
I don’t think I’m good enough at “playing the game” to break out on here. Haha. Need more “RUclips face” in my thumbnails I guess? 😂
@@WesPerry well, it works for me and most of the time you are covering systems I don't even use. Your videos are truly stellar.
@@bwloawesome 🙏🏻
does product showcase work on viltrox lens???
Works on any autofocus lens. It’s just a modification of the face AF algorithm.
Hi Wes. I found your channel recently and I've been getting a lot of information. I'm absolutely new to the camera world. I just ordered the Sony a7IV as my first one. I'm just torn between what lens to get. I have a budget of 800$. I'm mainly going to use my camera for RUclips content/vlogging and some street photography.
Would you recommend me to get the sony 20mm FE ? Or split the money and get two viltrox lenses (13mm and 85mm)
Thank you
The Viltrox 13 is unfortunately only APS-C. That’s a tough choice because vlogging really requires you to go ultra wide to at least start
Let's say you've just bought the Sigma 16 f/1.4, Tamron 11-20 f/2.8, Sony 11 f/1.8 and the Sony 15 f/1.4; You can ONLY keep two. Which ones are you keeping and why?
Depends a lot on what you do, but I would say if you’re a handheld vlogger, just the 11 1.8. (I’m mostly a primes shooter). I don’t see much purpose in zooming at that super wide range. You’ll have lens distortion and perspective no matter what, so just zoom with your feet. Lol
If you’re so so big on handheld vlogging your own face, the Viltrox 13 1.4 would be the do all. Less distortion, less money, and a more pleasing falloff and bokeh than the Sony 15 1.4 (and wider angle of course).
I was a little disappointed with the Sony 15 1.4. Not sure what I was expecting, but for the price, it just doesn’t do it for me.
@@WesPerry Probably talking head shots at home, with some occasional car vlog or travel landscape shots
Hmm. Talking head shots you’d usually want a longer focal length than any of these 🤔
@@WesPerry well its a crop of 1.5 so technically the 16 is like 24mm FFE
Yeah, but generally I’d be looking at 50-85mm equivalent for shot like that. Depends on preference, of course ;)
I bought Viltrox 13mm f1.4, owning like less than 2months and planning to sell it.
There are 3 reasons:
1. The autofocus is not quite good compare to Sony nor Sigma.. and it is noisy.
2. The weight and size.. well actually it is not really a problem.. but i think i prefer to carry light and compact lens
3. I already hv 17-70mm f2.8 ..4mm wider are noticable ..but i think if i had 11mm.. i can punch in and get around 13mm look.
Viltrox 13mm f1.4 is great lens..the quality also amazing.. but it doesnt suit me..
Hello, great video. I'm filming in a small bedroom for guitar youtube tutorials. So i'm looking for a wide lens with background blur. Which lens out the 3 would you recommend? The Viltrox ticks all the boxes except size and weight but I guess you win and lose. Any clear recommendation would be super helpful. Thanks Wes!
If you’re using an APS-C camera, and you’re not always hand holding it, then this one would be the winner for me.
@@WesPerry thanks Wes. Just purchased the zv-e10 body only. So this would beat the Sonys and sigmas etc in your opinion for what I need?
It’s a matter of opinion somewhat, but for me it’s the best combination of wide angle and bokeh available at present. My next favorite is the Sony 11 1.8, but that won’t give you much background blur at all. Great price and size though.
Which these ultra wide angle lenses do you suggest for indoor real estate videography in a low light noisy situation with the Sony ZV-E10 camera ?
👇
1. Sony 11mm f.1/8
2. Samyang 12mm
3. Rokinon 12mm
4. Tamron 11-20mm
5. Viltrox 13mm F1.4
Sony 11. You want to go Very wide for this.
Please review samyang 135mm f1.8 for sony e-mount
I would very much like to
For some reason they haven’t answered my emails yet. One of these days…
Great review!! Is 13mm wide enough??
For? 😏
@@WesPerry for landscape photography as one might prefer the Fuji zoom xf10-24mm as it’s more versatile
@@Pixelpeeps-69 I wouldn’t have imagine much cross shopping between those two. The Fuji lens costs 2.5x more, and is a max f/4 aperture. Quite different purposes! I would expect the Viltrox to have similar or better sharpness at f/4 to f/8 though (since that’s stopped way down for that lens).
What would you pick between the sony 11mm f1.8 and viltrox 13mm f1.4 for landscape/astro photography? I'm leaning towards the viltrox due to the f stop and I'd save a bit of money, but the size and image quality of the sony is very tempting. The only other lens I own is the sigma 18-50mm f2.8 and these will go on my a6000. Thanks!
I’d more likely go 11 1.8 for Astro, since it’s sharper wide open. The Viltrox has a lot of coma and ghosting wide open. In the mid range the Viltrox is sharper, but that’s less useful for Astro.
@@WesPerry thank you! That makes my decision much easier
It’s a little more consistent than the 13 1.4, and obviously Wayyy smaller
But it also has Enormous distortion, and can’t produce much bokeh, where the 13 1.4 has a surprisingly creamy look.
The 13 is more a photographers or artists lens, I suppose.
@Penison Wenda I almost went that far, but the 13 can give a Very cinematic look. But the 11 is 100% the winner when it comes to vlogging, and anything very “matter of fact”. The 13 is what I’d reach for if I’m looking to pretty things up, get some bokeh, some flares, some drama. Haha
I unfortunately no longer have an APS-C camera, and really miss the 13.
As much as I respect the 11, I’m totally not a vlogger and I don’t think about it much anymore. Haha
I want to buy the viltrox but money is tight 😰
This stuff’s expensive! And the Sony equivalent is twice the price!
But the distortion is corrected in Lightroom?
Yep
But corrections degrade image quality around the edges of the image. And when distortion is Very strong, you’ll never have great sharpness beyond the center of the frame if you’re fully correcting for distortion in a lens with such strong distortion.
@@WesPerry Fully respect this. We just need a lightweight camera lens combo and wide open aperture for photo/video.
On APS-C or full frame?
I have a Sony NEX F3 and for me this Viltrox lens does not work with AF, only MF works. Other old and new Sony lenses work flawlessly with the Sony NEX F3 body.
Hmm. It would seem that this is because your camera is so early that it lacks phase detect AF, which this lens relies on. I’d suggest installing the latest firmware on the lens to see if that helps:
viltrox.com/xzzx
@@WesPerry OK. Danke - ich werde versuchen zu suchen. Mein Körper bestätigt den grünen AF, aber das Bild mit dem Viltrox ist nicht scharf, es ist verschwommen.
@@WesPerry OK. Thanks - I'll try to look. My body confirms the green AF, but the image with the Viltrox is not sharp, it is blurry.
There’s an excellent chance that this lens wasn’t tested on anything older than an a6100 or possibly a6000. They likely never even put it on one of the old contrast detect only models unfortunately. Hopefully the new firmware helps you out, though.
Hello Friend, nice video…I’m very new into professional camera world, just been working on with Dji Osmo action, Dji Pocket 2, Dji mini 2 along Moza mini p Gimbal and Insta 360 one x2 for my work into real estate Videography…Now planning to be more professional and productive in my work and quality of video’s in low light interiors of properties…What do you suggest considering a very tight budget…? Sony ZV-E10 with Sony 11mm f1.8 or Viltrox 13mm f1.4…If not any other ideal better combination as per your expertise…
For real estate generally wider is better, and bokeh isn’t useful, so I’d go 11 1.8
@@WesPerry ..Thanks my dear friend but does investing on SonyZV-E10 and Sony 11mm f1.8 makes much difference in my work, since I’m having Pocket 2 combo with Freewell All day ND filters and others as mentioned…In Financially tough times…
The sensor in the pocket 2 is Very small, so you have quite limited dynamic range, which is a very important factor with real estate photography. Most real estate photogs use full frame cameras because of this, to maximize their dynamic range. The bigger the sensor, the better for this.
@@WesPerry …Thanks my friend…Viltrox 13mm f1.4 is way much cheaper at $360 compared to Sony 11mm f 1.8 $530… Sony is lighter and costlier but accommodates my Moza mini P gimbal without any problem but Viltrox is bit heavy but still able to use on gimbal with caution…Very new to Professional cameras, hopefully you understand…As said required camera for Real estate Low light video shoots…Hence what’s your suggestion considering my current situation..
i love my full frame 14mm
A beauty at Just 4x the price 👀😂
@@WesPerry lol samyang af f2.8 cost me about £300 open box about 5 years ago
Ah, figured you went for the GM 😏
@@WesPerry nah ive had the samyang for a good few years ive used the gm its lovely but dont use the wide enough to make it worth upgrading
Are you paying the cat?
I mean, I’m not Not paying him? 🤔
Thinking about getting this one or the Sony 11mm for POV porn vids, anyone have any suggestions?
If you have to hold the camera with one hand, then the 11 1.8 is a much safer bet 👀
@@WesPerry Thanks for the response. It’s for OnlyFans. I was worried with the 11mm distortion compared to the 13mm shown in your reviews. Will probably go with the 11mm then, thanks
@@AC-vu1js distortion can sometimes be used to your advantage 👀