Thank you Benj for your review. There's a lot to love here with the Viltrox (they do have the IQ : price ratio nailed down), but as so often is the case with third party gear, it's so close and yet so far. For example the screen and then the aperture ring with no stops. In use these could become very pesky pains in the butt. The more time spent fiddling the gear, the more shots missed, so give careful consideration of these details before buying. And please don't get me wrong - first party in not always immune either.
I have the Viltrox 16mm 1.8 for my Sony A7R V and love it but I really wish Viltrox would make some zoom lenses like a 24-70 2.8 and some other zoom lenses and not just fixed lenses because for the price of the Viltrox lenses and what you get they really are a good value at least to me
Sony limits all third-party lenses to a max of 15fps. So with this Viltrox lens you cant do 20fps with the A9/A9II, 30fps with the A1, 120fps with the A9III. I have the excellent Viltrox 16mm f1.8 lens for my A1, A9III, A7RV. Cheers
The Zeiss Batis 135mm is actually F2.8 not F1.8, which makes it more than one stop slower than the other options, hence not really a fair comparison or alternative.
I used to own the Sigma DSLR version which weighed about the same with the adapter and it was so heavy I didn't want to take it out. The Sony version was a huge improvement and the Samyang is absolutely amazing since it also delivers the same image quality while being far lighter than even the Sony and the price is even cheaper than the Viltrox. If you're on the Sony platform I can't see why anyone would go for the Viltrox. There is just far too much, far better competition and the weight is a deal breaker.
I have the sigma 105 1.4 I love the lens and the look but the auto focus is a bit to slow for me and I end up using it a lot les than I would like. Do you think the auto focus in this is better?
@@midwestgnar I loved the sigma 105 1.4! Such a great lens and gave awesome photos, but I did not like the lens flare amount or the weight of it and that’s why I sold it for the 85mm sigma. Then 3 years later I switched to the 50mm sigma dg dn and its great
Maybe i’m the only odd 1. Everyone is head and shoulder over this because yea its alot cheaper yet perform almost the same but at the same time its bigger and heavier lens. People still like it because its alot cheaper. I get it. But how about and when can we see the opposite. Ever have a chance we see the same lens 135 f1.8 but ALOT smaller and lighter then maybe price $1000 more? That would be then interesting. I mean 3rd party coming out something cheaper but bigger and heavier is not something new already.
@@sgpork it would be difficult if not impossible. The size of the front element is at its limit. It's just not possible physically to make the front diameter smaller. But length wise it's possible.
@@Ryuken2721 to be fair... almost everything start with impossible.. isnt it. that's why I say hopefully 1 day or soon we will be able to see that tech advancement or tech marvel. There are market of people who just want cheap.. they dont care the size and weight. But there are also market for people who want high quality yet smaller and lighter and willing or able to pay abit more. Cheaper but heavier and bigger has always been a thing. But the opposite is rare. Having said that.. 50 GM 1.2 is pretty small and light. Look at Nikon and Canon 50 1.2... 70-200GMii is also lightweight.. 70-200 used to be 1400++.. but the GMii is 1000+ abit.. Then the 300GM 2.8.. used to be 3kg now only 1400+grams.. These are huge news and really welcome to people who appreciate high quality yet smaller and lighter. Sure it come at a price.. But more option is always better. ^^
The Sony 135mm GM lens is probably the best lens I've ever used. If the Viltrox approaches the quality of that lens it would certainly be a good value.
I've heard the same from Mark Galer, best IQ/sharpness on the market. For people needing that focal length and speed it was a no brainer, at least until this Viltrox dropped heh
I will stay with the Samyang 135 mm. Viltrox' biggest problem is the size and weight of their lenses. Either they don't learn, or they just can't do any better. An absolute dealbreaker for me, I mainly do nature photography (apart from portraits) and every gram counts.
This is really interesting. I’m curious about the close focusing distance. My Plena lens is around 135mm, but I know that some third-party lenses lose focal length because of focus breathing. For example, my old Sigma 70-200 was actually closer to 135mm when focusing closely, even though it was set to 200mm. I say this because the 135mm is generally a portrait lens, and it may perform more like a true 85 at closer focus distances
@@justinburley8659 that’s wild, I double checked on 5 different lenses yesterday and every single one of them made a tighter frame as it focused closer. Maybe I’m just not communicating this right or something or maybe some lenses do the opposite and I’ve just never seen it.
I guess I don’t understand the utility of a 135 prime over a 70-200 which is much more versatile. That’s like mounting a 50x fixed spotting scope on a combat rifle which you will be engaging at various distances instead of an adjustable optic.
@@bosiefoobar It's a new body to me, but I've been mostly sticking to the G primes. They don't really really resolve well on the R sensor some of the time but the weight is really swell. I think the next buys for me will be the 65 and 90 sigma primes. Low aperture doesn't matter a lot to me.
@@POVwithRC small primes like the 40G seem to be perfection with the C. do you find yourself using the screen a lot with the C? how do you find foucsing/setting the focus on the C?
I think the performance of this lens is stellar, but I won't buy it because it's too heavy. I currently own the Samyang 135 f1.8 and I love the weight, but the AF performance is a letdown. If Sigma doesn't come out with a 135 1.8 soon, I'll sell the Samyang for the Sony GM, which can be had used quite reliably under 1000€.
Thank you Benj for your review. There's a lot to love here with the Viltrox (they do have the IQ : price ratio nailed down), but as so often is the case with third party gear, it's so close and yet so far. For example the screen and then the aperture ring with no stops. In use these could become very pesky pains in the butt. The more time spent fiddling the gear, the more shots missed, so give careful consideration of these details before buying. And please don't get me wrong - first party in not always immune either.
I have the Viltrox 16mm 1.8 for my Sony A7R V and love it but I really wish Viltrox would make some zoom lenses like a 24-70 2.8 and some other zoom lenses and not just fixed lenses because for the price of the Viltrox lenses and what you get they really are a good value at least to me
Sony limits all third-party lenses to a max of 15fps. So with this Viltrox lens you cant do 20fps with the A9/A9II, 30fps with the A1, 120fps with the A9III. I have the excellent Viltrox 16mm f1.8 lens for my A1, A9III, A7RV. Cheers
The Viltrox is much too big and heavy 1235g , get the Samyang 135mm 1.8 772g or a used Zeiss Batis Apo Sonnar 135mm 1.8 T* 614g.
The Zeiss Batis 135mm is actually F2.8 not F1.8, which makes it more than one stop slower than the other options, hence not really a fair comparison or alternative.
@@ParampreetDhatt exactly!
I used to own the Sigma DSLR version which weighed about the same with the adapter and it was so heavy I didn't want to take it out. The Sony version was a huge improvement and the Samyang is absolutely amazing since it also delivers the same image quality while being far lighter than even the Sony and the price is even cheaper than the Viltrox. If you're on the Sony platform I can't see why anyone would go for the Viltrox. There is just far too much, far better competition and the weight is a deal breaker.
I have the sigma 105 1.4 I love the lens and the look but the auto focus is a bit to slow for me and I end up using it a lot les than I would like. Do you think the auto focus in this is better?
@@midwestgnar I loved the sigma 105 1.4! Such a great lens and gave awesome photos, but I did not like the lens flare amount or the weight of it and that’s why I sold it for the 85mm sigma. Then 3 years later I switched to the 50mm sigma dg dn and its great
Maybe i’m the only odd 1. Everyone is head and shoulder over this because yea its alot cheaper yet perform almost the same but at the same time its bigger and heavier lens. People still like it because its alot cheaper. I get it.
But how about and when can we see the opposite. Ever have a chance we see the same lens 135 f1.8 but ALOT smaller and lighter then maybe price $1000 more?
That would be then interesting. I mean 3rd party coming out something cheaper but bigger and heavier is not something new already.
@@sgpork it would be difficult if not impossible. The size of the front element is at its limit. It's just not possible physically to make the front diameter smaller. But length wise it's possible.
@@Ryuken2721 to be fair... almost everything start with impossible.. isnt it. that's why I say hopefully 1 day or soon we will be able to see that tech advancement or tech marvel. There are market of people who just want cheap.. they dont care the size and weight. But there are also market for people who want high quality yet smaller and lighter and willing or able to pay abit more. Cheaper but heavier and bigger has always been a thing. But the opposite is rare. Having said that..
50 GM 1.2 is pretty small and light. Look at Nikon and Canon 50 1.2...
70-200GMii is also lightweight.. 70-200 used to be 1400++.. but the GMii is 1000+ abit.. Then the 300GM 2.8.. used to be 3kg now only 1400+grams.. These are huge news and really welcome to people who appreciate high quality yet smaller and lighter. Sure it come at a price.. But more option is always better. ^^
@@sgpork hmm, the amount of light entering the camera is the problem. How to you get more light inside without making the entrance bigger?
@@sgpork maybe lighter and shorter lens. But not smaller diameter
The Sony 135mm GM lens is probably the best lens I've ever used. If the Viltrox approaches the quality of that lens it would certainly be a good value.
Same
95% of the Sony at 40% of the price 👀
I've heard the same from Mark Galer, best IQ/sharpness on the market. For people needing that focal length and speed it was a no brainer, at least until this Viltrox dropped heh
1:20
How can you be frank, YOU’RE BEN!! 😎
I’m Benj hahaha
@gah! Beni, my apologies, silly joke. Love the content!
I will stay with the Samyang 135 mm. Viltrox' biggest problem is the size and weight of their lenses. Either they don't learn, or they just can't do any better. An absolute dealbreaker for me, I mainly do nature photography (apart from portraits) and every gram counts.
Viltrox Nailed It👌
It’s a must have, but not necessarily for me!
great review & comparison. Clearly not much different & huge cost saving as well..
This is really interesting. I’m curious about the close focusing distance. My Plena lens is around 135mm, but I know that some third-party lenses lose focal length because of focus breathing. For example, my old Sigma 70-200 was actually closer to 135mm when focusing closely, even though it was set to 200mm. I say this because the 135mm is generally a portrait lens, and it may perform more like a true 85 at closer focus distances
Don’t lenses typically zoom *in* at closer focal distances in terms of focus breathing? Mine all do. They get tighter in terms of FOV.
@ That would be a nice issue to have. :) The norm is having the focal length decrease due to focus breathing.
Not on the close end? It’s every lens I’ve ever owned, gets tighter as it focuses closer and zooms out as I focus away.
@@benjhaisch My Tamron 70-200 SP for example, zooms out when close focusing
@@justinburley8659 that’s wild, I double checked on 5 different lenses yesterday and every single one of them made a tighter frame as it focused closer. Maybe I’m just not communicating this right or something or maybe some lenses do the opposite and I’ve just never seen it.
Can we add it to a Leica L mount or RF mount? ❤🎉❤
RF Mount is going to be a no, sadly. I’m not sure Viltrox has done any L Mount stuff but it could be a possibility
I guess I don’t understand the utility of a 135 prime over a 70-200 which is much more versatile. That’s like mounting a 50x fixed spotting scope on a combat rifle which you will be engaging at various distances instead of an adjustable optic.
Zooms vs primes ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
So how's it handle on the C body? Apologies if you answer during the video.
Not great, I’d use the included grip for anything of this size
Very good. Keeping me from spending more on my lens library today ☺️@@benjhaisch
@@POVwithRC what lenses do you use on your c body?
@@bosiefoobar It's a new body to me, but I've been mostly sticking to the G primes. They don't really really resolve well on the R sensor some of the time but the weight is really swell. I think the next buys for me will be the 65 and 90 sigma primes. Low aperture doesn't matter a lot to me.
@@POVwithRC small primes like the 40G seem to be perfection with the C.
do you find yourself using the screen a lot with the C? how do you find foucsing/setting the focus on the C?
either a7rv has light metering issues like a7iv or viltrox is a tad worse in transmission, all images come a little dimmer
Yep, I’m curious if that is actual transmission or if it’s down to in camera corrections. The same didn’t seem to apply in video but I could be wrong
It wasn’t a metering issue though as both cameras had identical settings on manual exposure
I think the performance of this lens is stellar, but I won't buy it because it's too heavy. I currently own the Samyang 135 f1.8 and I love the weight, but the AF performance is a letdown. If Sigma doesn't come out with a 135 1.8 soon, I'll sell the Samyang for the Sony GM, which can be had used quite reliably under 1000€.
What about viltox vs sigma 135
They only make the old DSLR version, right?
just get the Samyang..lighter than the GM (but just as good) and cheaper than the Viltrox 😉
Cmonnnn canonnnnn..ugh
You got what you paid for, there a reason why it’s way cheaper then the Sony GM.
Ok