I compared V1 and V2, sold my V1 for close to what I paid for V2. WIDE OPEN, My copy of V2 was significantly sharper and a lot less CA than V1. And OF COURSE, they shaved off a third of the terrible brick weight of V1, which became an issue on an a6400. Better in every way, win win situation. Don't think about buying the V1, it still sells for about the same price as the mark 2. I bought mine from emgreat on Amazon for about $335 USD all in. the focusing is supposedly better as well, although in my testing i didn
Good, well-reasoned review. Very true about 1.4 being overkill in most cases - it also means you'll miss focus on far more shots. (In fact, I traded in my Sigma 50mm 1.4 for this reason). Also true is that low noise sensors allow higher ISO. I'm ordering the Viltrox 85mm mk II for my A7III kit bag.
@@gazzoification I have not. It says it "enhances the stability of the lens" and fixes "VILTROX product problem feedback-QQ: 555727730". I have no idea what that is so don't really have a reason to update. Let me know how it goes if you do!
@@NewLayer I updated, just because I like to keep my stuff updated! Lens performance is improved for sure. When taking video my lens would hesitate, breath in and out before locking just for a 20th of a second. Now the focus no longer hunts between focus points, smooth focus pull. Definitely worth updating!
Thanks! And me neither until I kind of randomly came across it. I'm actually going to be selling my Samyang because I like how small this one is in comparison, and I'm completely happy with the image quality. And I never really shoot f/1.4, so it's easier to just crank the aperture to it's widest at f/1.8 really quickly and shoot when I need ultra-shallow depth of field.
My only concern is the focus. In every comparison I saw, the viltrox was last and I don’t know if it’s such a big deal that I should pick a Sony 85mm over the Viltrox for street photography.
In my personal experience, I've never noticed the Viltrox being slower than any other lens. I had 10+ Canon EF lenses, mostly L, as well as many Sigma, Tamron, and a couple Sony. Perhaps if I was testing in milliseconds there would be a technical difference, but I think it's one of those things that doesn't matter from a practical standpoint, at least in my opinion.
For the shot comparing the size of Samyang and Viltrox, you should have left both of them on the same lens cap or both naked. Did you do it on purpose to make the Viltrox look more compact?
I'm getting into photography, I am going to pick up a used Fujifilm X-H1 I have NO lenses so I can only afford to buy one. I shoot mainly Landscape / Nature photos and Portrait. Do you think this would be a good lens to buy in the X Mount version? To start off with that is. Great video btw! :)
The X-H1 is an APS-C sized sensor, so it has a "crop factor" of 1.5x. So an 85mm lens on that camera is actually like 127.5mm, which is very zoomed in. A better choice for that camera would be the Viltrox 33mm, which with the 1.5x crop factor, is like a 50mm lens on a full frame: geni.us/viltrox33mmfuji It's also a good deal cheaper, and although I've never used it myself, I've heard good things about it :)
Im confused by the autofocus but needing to set camera at manual focus bit. So if I used this lens on a Sony Ar7iii, would the eye tracking work with it or not?
I can't remember what I may have said like that, but sorry for any confusion. I mainly used this lens on the a7R III and it works just like native Sony lenses, eye tracking AF and all. Hope that helps!
@@mariadevine7760 Hope you like the lens as much as me! I also just got the 23, 33, and 56mm EF-M lenses of theirs which I like even better! I'll be a doing a video on those as soon as I have enough sample images/footage to share.
@@NewLayer I do actually want a 30ish mm lens so I’ll keep my eyes open for your video thanks! Do you happen to know what the difference is in the version 1 & 2 of this 85mm by the way?
@@mariadevine7760 The new ones I have are only Fuji X or Canon EF-M Mount but... I honestly can’t remember the difference anymore except that the V1 has inferior image quality and build 😬 Hope that’s helpful anyways!
That can definitely be a factor if you shoot in the rain/dust a lot. I think both of the other 2 lenses you mentioned are not full frame, only APS-C sensor coverage, so it it depends on the camera you have too.
@@Jontsu86 I wouldn't be concerned unless you're shooting in abnormal environments. Non-weather sealed lenses will do totally fine for a very long time in every day shooting conditions :)
Out of nowhere my Sony a7III doesn't recognize the lens. Both are pretty much brand new and they did work for months. I even upgraded lens' software and made a factory reset to my camera, nothing... Does anyone have a soluton or experiences the same problem?
That's super weird! Have you tested the lens on another camera? My first thought would be that something happened with the connectors on the lens, but if it works on another camera, that's a total mystery to me. Sorry that happened :-/
@@NewLayer That surely is very weird. I haven't tried but I have tried other lenses on my Sony so it must be lens' fault. If I get the chance I'll try it on another body.
@@KevinTimps If for some reason it works on another camera, that would be really intriguing. Let me know if you are able to do it, I'm really curious now.
@@NewLayerJust to give you an update... I was already starting to lose hope but I detached and attached the lens once again and all of a sudden the camera recognises it. Seems to work for now!
@@KevinTimps So weird! I wonder if the contacts got dirty somehow, or if it just needed to reset somehow. Either way, glad it's working! I have the 23, 33, and 56mm EF-M lenses and REALLY like them, so I'll be doing a video on those ASAP too.
Everyone says the same thing about the Lens hood. The trick is, instead of using your whole hand to remove or replace, try just using your thumb and one finger close to the edge to remove. And just finger tips close to the lens edge, without squeezing, to replace. That worked Great for me and others in my group. Hope that helps everyone.
I noticed that too. I have to just push in harder than most, which is actually probably good because then it won't accidentally come off like some of the looser ones I own. It's really a non-problem :)
Mostly image quality. Version 1 had a weird firmware update that turned it into an f/1.6, but I’d much rather have the mark II simply due to the quality of the optics.
Hello. I t has a great image, but sometimes, a lot of times doesn't`t work the focus, and aperture with my fuji xt3. probably I am going to send it back
I think it depends on the type of work you do. If you shoot mostly indoor portraiture, the difference is negligible because the lighting is so controlled. If you're shooting a lot of high contrast outdoor stuff, then maybe. Obviously it looks bad in the video, but I also chose the most extreme example I could, and it still cleans up pretty nicely with very minimal post processing. My Samyang lens is very, very close to the same as the Viltrox if you're shooting something like branches against a blown out sky. In my opinion, you have to go with the Sony G-Master to get significantly less chromatic aberration, but that lens is so expensive that for many people, it's either something like this Viltrox, or nothing. It definitely has its place, as does the G-Master.
What do you think? Would you take the chance on this lens over the other, more expensive options? Why or why not?
If I had a sony :D
Adapters? 🤷♂️ LOL
I will buy this!!!
@@lovenaonao Nice! I hope you'll be pleasantly surprised. Let me know how you like it :)
i took a chance and i love this lens i've been using it for a year now minor tweaks in post results come out great.
First class review, and great practical advice on the 1.4 vs 1.8.
Glad you liked it! I have the new EF-M 23, 33, and 56mm and I think I like them even more. Video one those coming soon :)
I compared V1 and V2, sold my V1 for close to what I paid for V2. WIDE OPEN, My copy of V2 was significantly sharper and a lot less CA than V1. And OF COURSE, they shaved off a third of the terrible brick weight of V1, which became an issue on an a6400. Better in every way, win win situation. Don't think about buying the V1, it still sells for about the same price as the mark 2. I bought mine from emgreat on Amazon for about $335 USD all in. the focusing is supposedly better as well, although in my testing i didn
That’s awesome! Great deal you got.
Viltrox is doing some really great things in budget lenses. I hope to try some more out in the near future.
Do more about budget lenses please!
Divil22 I’d be so down! Maybe I’ll start making a list.
@@NewLayer yezzzz
Good, well-reasoned review. Very true about 1.4 being overkill in most cases - it also means you'll miss focus on far more shots. (In fact, I traded in my Sigma 50mm 1.4 for this reason). Also true is that low noise sensors allow higher ISO. I'm ordering the Viltrox 85mm mk II for my A7III kit bag.
Glad you liked the video, and thanks for the support. Hope you like the lens as much as me :)
Have you done the latest firmware update? 1.2.3 came out in July 2021?
@@gazzoification I have not. It says it "enhances the stability of the lens" and fixes "VILTROX product problem feedback-QQ: 555727730". I have no idea what that is so don't really have a reason to update. Let me know how it goes if you do!
@@NewLayer I updated, just because I like to keep my stuff updated! Lens performance is improved for sure. When taking video my lens would hesitate, breath in and out before locking just for a 20th of a second. Now the focus no longer hunts between focus points, smooth focus pull. Definitely worth updating!
Nice review man. I really need to pick up an 85mm for product B-Roll.
Thanks for watching!
@@NewLayer You got it!
Great video, didn't know I wanted this lens!
Thanks! And me neither until I kind of randomly came across it. I'm actually going to be selling my Samyang because I like how small this one is in comparison, and I'm completely happy with the image quality.
And I never really shoot f/1.4, so it's easier to just crank the aperture to it's widest at f/1.8 really quickly and shoot when I need ultra-shallow depth of field.
Brilliant review thank you
Happy to help, thanks for commenting :)
My only concern is the focus. In every comparison I saw, the viltrox was last and I don’t know if it’s such a big deal that I should pick a Sony 85mm over the Viltrox for street photography.
In my personal experience, I've never noticed the Viltrox being slower than any other lens. I had 10+ Canon EF lenses, mostly L, as well as many Sigma, Tamron, and a couple Sony. Perhaps if I was testing in milliseconds there would be a technical difference, but I think it's one of those things that doesn't matter from a practical standpoint, at least in my opinion.
For the shot comparing the size of Samyang and Viltrox, you should have left both of them on the same lens cap or both naked. Did you do it on purpose to make the Viltrox look more compact?
Dong Cap Nope that was an accident 😬
But the lens cap adds only a teeny tiny bit of height.
I'm getting into photography, I am going to pick up a used Fujifilm X-H1 I have NO lenses so I can only afford to buy one. I shoot mainly Landscape / Nature photos and Portrait. Do you think this would be a good lens to buy in the X Mount version? To start off with that is. Great video btw! :)
The X-H1 is an APS-C sized sensor, so it has a "crop factor" of 1.5x. So an 85mm lens on that camera is actually like 127.5mm, which is very zoomed in.
A better choice for that camera would be the Viltrox 33mm, which with the 1.5x crop factor, is like a 50mm lens on a full frame: geni.us/viltrox33mmfuji
It's also a good deal cheaper, and although I've never used it myself, I've heard good things about it :)
Viltrox 23 1.4 around 250 dollars. I've also an fujifilm xh1
@@MegaJURISTE Nice! That's a killer price :)
6:18 nice comparison!
Thanks! Glad that part was helpful. Even looking at it now, I really struggle to tell the difference haha.
Im confused by the autofocus but needing to set camera at manual focus bit.
So if I used this lens on a Sony Ar7iii, would the eye tracking work with it or not?
I can't remember what I may have said like that, but sorry for any confusion. I mainly used this lens on the a7R III and it works just like native Sony lenses, eye tracking AF and all. Hope that helps!
@@NewLayer really helpful thank you! You’ve got me sold! Thank you!
@@mariadevine7760 Hope you like the lens as much as me! I also just got the 23, 33, and 56mm EF-M lenses of theirs which I like even better!
I'll be a doing a video on those as soon as I have enough sample images/footage to share.
@@NewLayer I do actually want a 30ish mm lens so I’ll keep my eyes open for your video thanks!
Do you happen to know what the difference is in the version 1 & 2 of this 85mm by the way?
@@mariadevine7760 The new ones I have are only Fuji X or Canon EF-M Mount but...
I honestly can’t remember the difference anymore except that the V1 has inferior image quality and build 😬
Hope that’s helpful anyways!
My only concern is that, this is not weather sealed. Im thinking this, 85mm Viltrox, 56mm Viltrox or Fuji 50mm f2. Not sure which one to buy.
That can definitely be a factor if you shoot in the rain/dust a lot. I think both of the other 2 lenses you mentioned are not full frame, only APS-C sensor coverage, so it it depends on the camera you have too.
@@NewLayer I have X-T3. Im not shooting any harsh weather, so 85mm or 56mm would be just fine.. But im still concerned :D
@@Jontsu86 I wouldn't be concerned unless you're shooting in abnormal environments. Non-weather sealed lenses will do totally fine for a very long time in every day shooting conditions :)
@@NewLayer Ok, thanks!
The lens has to be in Manual Mode? So I can't use this in Aperture/Program Mode?
Nope, you can use it in any mode like any other AF lens.
@@NewLayer Fast reply, Thanks! I'm sold on this product and your channel. Buying it now.
Out of nowhere my Sony a7III doesn't recognize the lens. Both are pretty much brand new and they did work for months. I even upgraded lens' software and made a factory reset to my camera, nothing... Does anyone have a soluton or experiences the same problem?
That's super weird! Have you tested the lens on another camera? My first thought would be that something happened with the connectors on the lens, but if it works on another camera, that's a total mystery to me. Sorry that happened :-/
@@NewLayer That surely is very weird. I haven't tried but I have tried other lenses on my Sony so it must be lens' fault. If I get the chance I'll try it on another body.
@@KevinTimps If for some reason it works on another camera, that would be really intriguing. Let me know if you are able to do it, I'm really curious now.
@@NewLayerJust to give you an update... I was already starting to lose hope but I detached and attached the lens once again and all of a sudden the camera recognises it. Seems to work for now!
@@KevinTimps So weird! I wonder if the contacts got dirty somehow, or if it just needed to reset somehow. Either way, glad it's working!
I have the 23, 33, and 56mm EF-M lenses and REALLY like them, so I'll be doing a video on those ASAP too.
I got the 23mm 1.4 and it's even better than the 1000€ Fujifilm one😂
I'd need that one for portaits
I've heard great things about that one too! I'm really hoping they continue their trend of killer cheap primes!
@@NewLayer great video, subscribed
@@v_stands_for_value124 Thanks! Glad you liked it :)
Update, i got that and i'm almost famous for my portraits in northern Italy
Everyone says the same thing about the Lens hood. The trick is, instead of using your whole hand to remove or replace, try just using your thumb and one finger close to the edge to remove. And just finger tips close to the lens edge, without squeezing, to replace. That worked Great for me and others in my group.
Hope that helps everyone.
I noticed that too. I have to just push in harder than most, which is actually probably good because then it won't accidentally come off like some of the looser ones I own. It's really a non-problem :)
What’s the difference between version 1 and 2
Mostly image quality. Version 1 had a weird firmware update that turned it into an f/1.6, but I’d much rather have the mark II simply due to the quality of the optics.
Hello.
I
t has a great image, but sometimes, a lot of times doesn't`t work the focus, and aperture with my fuji xt3.
probably I am going to send it back
Sorry to hear that, sounds like a faulty copy and you should try to exchange it if you can!
Most mind blowing stat here was 70 photos in 10 minutes ;)
Was there really? Thanks for counting, haha!
@@NewLayer haha I’m just kidding. You mentioned taking that many photos at that shoot :) love the channel
Af noisy ?
Nope! I kind of expected it to be before I got it, but it's just as quiet as any other lens I have (Canon, Sigma, Sony, etc)
Wait it doesnt have autofocus?
It does! I talk about the autofocus speed, noise, and other things at this point in the video ruclips.net/video/APcoKWrRDNg/видео.html
The serious chromatic adorationtion problem for professional work is a deal breaker.
I think it depends on the type of work you do. If you shoot mostly indoor portraiture, the difference is negligible because the lighting is so controlled. If you're shooting a lot of high contrast outdoor stuff, then maybe. Obviously it looks bad in the video, but I also chose the most extreme example I could, and it still cleans up pretty nicely with very minimal post processing. My Samyang lens is very, very close to the same as the Viltrox if you're shooting something like branches against a blown out sky.
In my opinion, you have to go with the Sony G-Master to get significantly less chromatic aberration, but that lens is so expensive that for many people, it's either something like this Viltrox, or nothing. It definitely has its place, as does the G-Master.