One of my favourite lenses is the venerable Tokina 100/2.8 macro for the F-mount. Used it for 10 years on a Nikon D80 and now with the FTZ on a Z 6. It has been amazing through all this time - no issues whatsoever. I only learned relatively recently that the mounts in third-party lenses for most camera systems are actually reverse-engineered and was honestly shocked by that. The way I see it, camera manufacturers should be able to sell first-party lenses on their own merits - if they're good, they'll sell despite others making lenses for the mount. It's more choice to the customers, which will ultimately incentivise them to buy into the system and spend more money on lenses (first-party or other) and bodies down the road.
I love my Sigma lenses in conjunction with my 3 Sony bodies (NEX-7, a6000 and a6500). Sony rocks and going mirrorless means you can use ANY lens even vintage 1960s lenses that are cheap and sharp and unique with your cameras, as long as you have the right adapter. Having options is great.
I am actually really happy with my Rokinon 10mm APS-C prime lens on my a6400 and a7RM4. I use this lens for hand-held vlogging, landscapes and any time I need a cool shot of something up close, especially if it is big and up close🙂
I got mine for my Fujifilm XT3 even though I own the 90 mm Fujifilm this lens is really really sharp not brutally sharp like the 90 but very sharp nonetheless and it does have a bit more chromatic aberration which can be fixed quite easily and post PROD
thanks for the video! They just released a mark 2 version that is a bit smaller. I'm looking forward to reviews of that lens coming out. All my sony lenses are f4's- I'd love a fast lens like this.
I just ordered the Mark II version an hour ago. It will be here tomorrow. Can't wait to try it out on my A7ii. I hope the 24mm f1.8 they have coming out this year will be as good as the 85mm, or better.
I decided to try the Viltrox manual focus 85mm. It was less than $200 on Amazon too. With focus peaking, and a little practice, nailing focus is quick. And I have to say this lens is built like a tank. Now I am eyeing their new 24mm which should be available soon.
Viltrox released a statement about the 23mm, 35mm and 85mm to not be be used on the Fuji Xpro3 because the lens release button is to close to the bayonet and will scratch up that area or as they say damage your camera. This isn’t a problem on the XT series like the Xt3 or Xt2.
third party used to be what you would get when you started out and couldn't afford the name brand lens. but quality would always suffer. as well as build quality. i mean, you will find working ten, even twenty year old lenses from nikon or canon but can you say that about sigma or tamron? but that changed. i switched from Nikon to Sony because the A7iii fit my photography style best (i really wanted to go with fuji but after renting both systems, Sony just fit my style better) and my go to lens is the Tamron 28-75 2.8 and it is amazing. fast focus, great quality. and another selling point for Sony was that although the body was more expensive, there were more lens options at a lower cost. and this lens is a perfect example of that.
Thanks for the review! Just curious, is there a link you could share where Sony shared the AF specification with third party lens manufacturers? That's awesome news and first time I've heard it.
Good lens to consider if you don't already have the Sony FE. Of course, if you want to update the lens on the body vs mini-USB, want the focus-button and water & dust resistance than the Sony is the best buy.
Shooting with the a7iii and exclusively with Tamron glass for close to a year with no regrets. I'm considering either the Viltrox or the Samyang to add an 85mm to my kit. I do have a pancake Samyang 35mm f2.8 for the times when I want to downsize the camera footprint and the quality of that lens cannot stand up to my Tamron lenses. The quality lacks...something. Not all 3rd party lenses are great but some are trully outstanding.
When shooting D700/D3 i had a Sigma 50/1.4 EX DG HSM prime. I have tried all of possible 50mm and that one was just an amazing one, and it was not a cheap one too. Also, as i remember it was BIG, even on D3. Anyway, it was one of my fav. lenses in pair with Nikkor 80-200 AF-S (and i need to state as THIS one, the last version, with AF-S, as there were 3 versions of it in the timeline - af-s one was superior to 70-200 VR1 in any possibly matter, i have tested both on few sport events and ... well. Speed, sharpness and overall image quality was a league over newer 70-200 VR1, tho things have changes slightly after VR2 release). Now im using mostly canon lenses on A7S2 and some manual ones (moved to film from stills) and some of the off-brand perform really nice.
I have a Samyang 85mm f/1.4 & it's been perfect so far only downside is that you need the dock to upgrade the firmware , wish they would have used a usb port like the Viltrox
Looking at picking this up for my X-Pro3, but it's HUGE. My largest lens right now is the Fuji 35 1.4 the rest are crons... (only use primes) Thank you
Thank you for your videos. Have/love the Batis 40 and 85mm Bonus 4 out 5 Batis use same filter dia. Also have/love the Voigtlander 65mm. However need to start buying Sony lenses to qualify for their pro service
The FE Samyang small lenses have impressed me greatly. The 18mm 2.8 is as good a lens as I need at that length and although it's build is very cheap it ships with a hard shell case that's incredibly form fitting so no extra bulk to speak of. Also, it has a 58mm filter thread which is super useful. The 24mm 2.8 is decently sharp on the A7RII but far better on the A7III. It doubles as 35ish on the A6400 and makes an almost pocketable X100V style package. My fave focal length of 35mm is covered extremely well with the 35mm 2.8. The overall image quality isn't far off the SonyZeiss 35mm 2.8 launch lens. The build and lack of weathersealing come at a far reduced cost which are more than acceptable. These lenses in particular show what you can do with mirrorless designs and aren't far off Micro Four Thirds in size. Secondhand the 24 and 35 range from £150-200. The 18mm is around £260 used.
The lens is certainly competitively priced. Size/weight is certainly a factor, vis-a-vis the much smaller 85/1.8 Sony (550 US$). The new Sigma 85/1.4 DG DN (diminutive for an 85/1.4) is also an option, albeit at a higher price.
Hi! I just discovered your videos and love them. I was gifted the Nikon Z6 for my birthday. I've been shooting with the D7100 and loved my Sigma 35mm art lens. The Nikon Z6 is such a fun camera! However, my boyfriend didn't know it didn't come with a memory card and didn't worry about it because I have so many SD cards. Ha! I have been doing some reading and it's a bit confusing. It seemed that the XQD used to be the only option but now there might be a CF Express adapter? I am not sure what that is and I have been told to get the Sony memory card reader...? Thoughts? I was wondering if you have any gear reviews in this area. Thank you!
Andi Smith I have an answer to your questions. Xqd is physically the same size as CF Express so no adapter is required. Xqd is older technology compared to CF Express, which is much faster. This firmware update to the Nikon Z6 took place with Firmware version 2.20, which enabled CF Express compatibility with limited tested cards. CF Express is much more expensive than XQD and if I were you I would stick with Xqdfor the time being until all of the bugs or stuff shakes up in the Industry surrounding it. There are Xqd cards and readers on Amazon. The Xqd readers start at around 49.00 and go up to about 79.00 to 99.00 with the higher end or pricier models having Sd card compatibility as well. Firmware version 3.0 for the Nikon Z6 added improved Eye Auto Focus and Animal Eye Auto Focus and if you are into video, Nikon offers a video upgrade (not needed unless you are into production quality video) to Pro Res, which is about $200.00 and you send the camera into them and they perform the update and send it back to you. If you want to use older lenses, especially G lenses from your Nikon 7100 on your Z6, especially if they are full frame you will need the Nikon FTZ Adapter, if you don’t already own it. I hope this helps and enjoy your Z6.
I actually don't own any Sony or Zeiss lens on my Sony camera. I have 3 Sigma art lenses 24mm, 40mm and 105mm F1.4, other than those I have manual focus lenses Nikkor 105mm F2.5,, 200mm F4, Pentax Super Takuma 135mm F3.5, Helios 58mm F2, and Yashinon 50mm F2. Vintage lenses have their flaws and they are certainly not as sharp as the newer ones but they have some unique characters that is not present on the Sigma lenses.
There’s nothing wrong with 3rd party lenses, I have used them forever. I still have an excellent Tamron zoom that is in this range. I like all my Nikon glass from different time periods but there some awfully good stuff out there from 3rd party manufacturers for less money. Looks like this is one.
I got my Sony 85mm used in mint condition for $450 (Adorama). So, I could not see the profit in getting the Viltrox over the Sony... I can't seem to see any advantage of the Viltrox over the Sony lens...
I have the Samyang 85mm f1.4 and I think it's amazing. But it's my first 85mm prime so I don't know how it compares to the Sony 1.8, or G-Master, or the Viltrox.
@@rutaemilija8653, yes. Only manual focus. I own the 40mm f1.2 and love it. I also just ordered the Mark II version of the Viltrox 85mm f1.8 for my A7ii. Fingers crossed...
Nice review. Haven't taken the plunge yet but considering bug time... Fuji rumours has a news about Viltrox 56 and 23, both F1.4 surprised you didn't mention it.
The Sony to Nikon Z adapter does not fit on the Z 50, but you will see another Brand to Nikon Z adapter very soon that did fit and function on our Z 50.
85mm is a great focal length, especially for portraits, on both full frame and crop cameras. If I did not own the Sony 85mm f/1.8 lens, I would seriously consider this lens...
Well, the question is, is the lens capable to utilize all the 62.5 Mpixels? I somehow has reservations, there are very few of those lenses. It maybe is good enough on a 24Mpixel camera.
I absolutely love my 85 1.8 sony on my old and faithful a7r3 but I find myself using the massive sigma 105 1.4 more as it is a godly lense (though 3 times the price)
Cheers! I just ordered a copy for myself an hour ago to use on my A7ii. I'm happy to hear positive feedback. What other lenses are you using on your A7ii? The only other lens I have is the Voigtlander 40mm f1.2.
i dont like where cameras are going, they are more computers. i never tought i someone would ever need to update a lens. But nice lens and review Though.
Viltrox has one also for the Z body, any chance of a review?
Amazing to have such a high quality 3rd party offering at this price. Hopefully this pushes the big brands to bring prices down to match!
One of my favourite lenses is the venerable Tokina 100/2.8 macro for the F-mount. Used it for 10 years on a Nikon D80 and now with the FTZ on a Z 6. It has been amazing through all this time - no issues whatsoever. I only learned relatively recently that the mounts in third-party lenses for most camera systems are actually reverse-engineered and was honestly shocked by that. The way I see it, camera manufacturers should be able to sell first-party lenses on their own merits - if they're good, they'll sell despite others making lenses for the mount. It's more choice to the customers, which will ultimately incentivise them to buy into the system and spend more money on lenses (first-party or other) and bodies down the road.
I’ve really enjoyed the Sigma 1.8 prime lenses on Sony. I actually gave my Sony 50mm and 35mm to my son after I used the Sigmas for awhile.
I love my Sigma lenses in conjunction with my 3 Sony bodies (NEX-7, a6000 and a6500). Sony rocks and going mirrorless means you can use ANY lens even vintage 1960s lenses that are cheap and sharp and unique with your cameras, as long as you have the right adapter. Having options is great.
I am actually really happy with my Rokinon 10mm APS-C prime lens on my a6400 and a7RM4. I use this lens for hand-held vlogging, landscapes and any time I need a cool shot of something up close, especially if it is big and up close🙂
I got mine for my Fujifilm XT3 even though I own the 90 mm Fujifilm this lens is really really sharp not brutally sharp like the 90 but very sharp nonetheless and it does have a bit more chromatic aberration which can be fixed quite easily and post PROD
thanks for the video! They just released a mark 2 version that is a bit smaller. I'm looking forward to reviews of that lens coming out. All my sony lenses are f4's- I'd love a fast lens like this.
I just ordered the Mark II version an hour ago. It will be here tomorrow. Can't wait to try it out on my A7ii. I hope the 24mm f1.8 they have coming out this year will be as good as the 85mm, or better.
I decided to try the Viltrox manual focus 85mm. It was less than $200 on Amazon too. With focus peaking, and a little practice, nailing focus is quick. And I have to say this lens is built like a tank. Now I am eyeing their new 24mm which should be available soon.
Viltrox released a statement about the 23mm, 35mm and 85mm to not be be used on the Fuji Xpro3 because the lens release button is to close to the bayonet and will scratch up that area or as they say damage your camera. This isn’t a problem on the XT series like the Xt3 or Xt2.
third party used to be what you would get when you started out and couldn't afford the name brand lens. but quality would always suffer. as well as build quality. i mean, you will find working ten, even twenty year old lenses from nikon or canon but can you say that about sigma or tamron? but that changed. i switched from Nikon to Sony because the A7iii fit my photography style best (i really wanted to go with fuji but after renting both systems, Sony just fit my style better) and my go to lens is the Tamron 28-75 2.8 and it is amazing. fast focus, great quality. and another selling point for Sony was that although the body was more expensive, there were more lens options at a lower cost. and this lens is a perfect example of that.
I like my budget Samyang AF FE primes: 18/2.8, 24/2.8, 35/2.8, and 45/1.8. They work well on my A7II.
Thanks for the review! Just curious, is there a link you could share where Sony shared the AF specification with third party lens manufacturers? That's awesome news and first time I've heard it.
Yes, sony has been making their mount open source thats why 3rd party lenses work better on sony than other camera manufacturers
Good lens to consider if you don't already have the Sony FE. Of course, if you want to update the lens on the body vs mini-USB, want the focus-button and water & dust resistance than the Sony is the best buy.
Shooting with the a7iii and exclusively with Tamron glass for close to a year with no regrets. I'm considering either the Viltrox or the Samyang to add an 85mm to my kit. I do have a pancake Samyang 35mm f2.8 for the times when I want to downsize the camera footprint and the quality of that lens cannot stand up to my Tamron lenses. The quality lacks...something. Not all 3rd party lenses are great but some are trully outstanding.
When shooting D700/D3 i had a Sigma 50/1.4 EX DG HSM prime. I have tried all of possible 50mm and that one was just an amazing one, and it was not a cheap one too. Also, as i remember it was BIG, even on D3. Anyway, it was one of my fav. lenses in pair with Nikkor 80-200 AF-S (and i need to state as THIS one, the last version, with AF-S, as there were 3 versions of it in the timeline - af-s one was superior to 70-200 VR1 in any possibly matter, i have tested both on few sport events and ... well. Speed, sharpness and overall image quality was a league over newer 70-200 VR1, tho things have changes slightly after VR2 release). Now im using mostly canon lenses on A7S2 and some manual ones (moved to film from stills) and some of the off-brand perform really nice.
I have a Samyang 85mm f/1.4 & it's been perfect so far only downside is that you need the dock to upgrade the firmware , wish they would have used a usb port like the Viltrox
A very late post! Have you had the opportunity to test the "" Gen 2"" version of this lens?
Looking at picking this up for my X-Pro3, but it's HUGE. My largest lens right now is the Fuji 35 1.4 the rest are crons... (only use primes) Thank you
Thank you for your videos.
Have/love the Batis 40 and 85mm
Bonus 4 out 5 Batis use same filter dia.
Also have/love the Voigtlander 65mm.
However need to start buying Sony lenses to qualify for their pro service
The FE Samyang small lenses have impressed me greatly.
The 18mm 2.8 is as good a lens as I need at that length and although it's build is very cheap it ships with a hard shell case that's incredibly form fitting so no extra bulk to speak of. Also, it has a 58mm filter thread which is super useful.
The 24mm 2.8 is decently sharp on the A7RII but far better on the A7III. It doubles as 35ish on the A6400 and makes an almost pocketable X100V style package.
My fave focal length of 35mm is covered extremely well with the 35mm 2.8. The overall image quality isn't far off the SonyZeiss 35mm 2.8 launch lens. The build and lack of weathersealing come at a far reduced cost which are more than acceptable.
These lenses in particular show what you can do with mirrorless designs and aren't far off Micro Four Thirds in size. Secondhand the 24 and 35 range from £150-200. The 18mm is around £260 used.
The lens is certainly competitively priced. Size/weight is certainly a factor, vis-a-vis the much smaller 85/1.8 Sony (550 US$). The new Sigma 85/1.4 DG DN (diminutive for an 85/1.4) is also an option, albeit at a higher price.
Hi! I just discovered your videos and love them. I was gifted the Nikon Z6 for my birthday. I've been shooting with the D7100 and loved my Sigma 35mm art lens. The Nikon Z6 is such a fun camera! However, my boyfriend didn't know it didn't come with a memory card and didn't worry about it because I have so many SD cards. Ha! I have been doing some reading and it's a bit confusing. It seemed that the XQD used to be the only option but now there might be a CF Express adapter? I am not sure what that is and I have been told to get the Sony memory card reader...? Thoughts? I was wondering if you have any gear reviews in this area. Thank you!
Andi Smith I have an answer to your questions. Xqd is physically the same size as CF Express so no adapter is required. Xqd is older technology compared to CF Express, which is much faster. This firmware update to the Nikon Z6 took place with Firmware version 2.20, which enabled CF Express compatibility with limited tested cards.
CF Express is much more expensive than XQD and if I were you I would stick with Xqdfor the time being until all of the bugs or stuff shakes up in the Industry surrounding it. There are Xqd cards and readers on Amazon. The Xqd readers start at around 49.00 and go up to about 79.00 to 99.00 with the higher end or pricier models having Sd card compatibility as well. Firmware version 3.0 for the Nikon Z6 added improved Eye Auto Focus and Animal Eye Auto Focus and if you are into video, Nikon offers a video upgrade (not needed unless you are into production quality video) to Pro Res, which is about $200.00 and you send the camera into them and they perform the update and send it back to you.
If you want to use older lenses, especially G lenses from your Nikon 7100 on your Z6, especially if they are full frame you will need the Nikon FTZ Adapter, if you don’t already own it. I hope this helps and enjoy your Z6.
I actually don't own any Sony or Zeiss lens on my Sony camera. I have 3 Sigma art lenses 24mm, 40mm and 105mm F1.4, other than those I have manual focus lenses Nikkor 105mm F2.5,, 200mm F4, Pentax Super Takuma 135mm F3.5, Helios 58mm F2, and Yashinon 50mm F2. Vintage lenses have their flaws and they are certainly not as sharp as the newer ones but they have some unique characters that is not present on the Sigma lenses.
There’s nothing wrong with 3rd party lenses, I have used them forever. I still have an excellent Tamron zoom that is in this range. I like all my Nikon glass from different time periods but there some awfully good stuff out there from 3rd party manufacturers for less money. Looks like this is one.
Do you think this is the same lens as the Tokina 85 1.8 E mount?
Yes
I got my Sony 85mm used in mint condition for $450 (Adorama). So, I could not see the profit in getting the Viltrox over the Sony... I can't seem to see any advantage of the Viltrox over the Sony lens...
I have the Samyang 85mm f1.4 and I think it's amazing. But it's my first 85mm prime so I don't know how it compares to the Sony 1.8, or G-Master, or the Viltrox.
I own this lens and it's amazing. Would recommend to anyone looking for an 85mm lens for Sony.
Thanks for the review. Look at Voigtländer FE lenses. I love my 40mm for landscape, street and some portraits. I think you’ll also be impressed.
Do they have auto focus options? I thought they only did MF lenses for Sony?
@@rutaemilija8653, yes. Only manual focus. I own the 40mm f1.2 and love it. I also just ordered the Mark II version of the Viltrox 85mm f1.8 for my A7ii. Fingers crossed...
Nice review. Haven't taken the plunge yet but considering bug time... Fuji rumours has a news about Viltrox 56 and 23, both F1.4 surprised you didn't mention it.
Any chance for adapted lenses for the z50 reviews ?
The Sony to Nikon Z adapter does not fit on the Z 50, but you will see another Brand to Nikon Z adapter very soon that did fit and function on our Z 50.
Very strange, have seen other reviews where it did much worse. Were you lucky getting a better copy?
85mm is a great focal length, especially for portraits, on both full frame and crop cameras. If I did not own the Sony 85mm f/1.8 lens, I would seriously consider this lens...
I got very very impressed with my Viltrox 20mm f1.8 ... you should review it!
Well, the question is, is the lens capable to utilize all the 62.5 Mpixels? I somehow has reservations, there are very few of those lenses. It maybe is good enough on a 24Mpixel camera.
I found it to work great on my a7R IV. :)
I absolutely love my 85 1.8 sony on my old and faithful a7r3 but I find myself using the massive sigma 105 1.4 more as it is a godly lense (though 3 times the price)
This lens delivers!! Absolutely love it on my a7ii 👌🏼
Cheers! I just ordered a copy for myself an hour ago to use on my A7ii. I'm happy to hear positive feedback. What other lenses are you using on your A7ii? The only other lens I have is the Voigtlander 40mm f1.2.
Awesome!! Ordered mine tonight for my a7ii!!
How about eye auto focus on this lens ?
Getting one for my X-T2
I use the 7artisans line and have enjoyed them. This lens is in the buy list for sure. Thanks for the video.
i have been buyin the samyang 85mm 50mm and the 35mm f1.4 and i was really happy with them
Viltrox crossed the line and now offers this lens i.e. AF 85mm 1.8 STM for tadam! - Nikon Z with full AF
1st party lenses have been way overpriced, as a result the 3rd party lenses are not cheap.
I been watching snap chick for a decade now.
Christopher frost reviewed this lens on RUclips and his views are not as positive as yours , finding many flaws.
No third-party supports 20 FPS tracking on E-mount
great lens, firmware update to f1.6
It would be an amazing value at $800, it's an absolute steal at $400.
The 85 1.8 S Nikon lens blew my mind on the Nikon Z7
i dont like where cameras are going, they are more computers. i never tought i someone would ever need to update a lens. But nice lens and review Though.
Chinese people make good stuff, can't say it enough
bow•kei
Got one for Fuji, $279 , NO BRAINER
You're Beautiful..