For a limited time - 15% off from Nov 4th - Nov 10th. Then 8% off afterwards for a limited time. Discount should automatically apply at checkout. Find it through this link (affiliate link - a commission comes back to me, thank you for your support): bit.ly/ChristopherFrost-135
"A bit" hahaha, not only overpriced but Nikon Z85 1.2 and 135 Plena makes one of the ugliest photos in NIkon history ever. Flat, ugly, lifeless AI rendering ... I'm passionately waiting for 135 Manual focus from 7artisans or TTartisan ;(
The markup on many OEM lenses must be absolutely astonishing, considering that a fairly complex high-quality lens like this one costs less than much simpler OEM lenses from Sony or Nikon (and let's not even get into Canon).
I had only heard of Viltrox in the last couple of years , I was surprised to see just how high end their ranges go they have a $100,000 VILTROX LUNA 42-420mm T5.6 cine lens for larger than 35mm sensors
@@dicekolev5360 lol those lenses mentioned give superb results , confirmed by every user , and every review including the one from Christopher . Price is of course a matter of opinion .
@@CC3GROUNDZERO I have no doubt that the mark up is high on OEM lens , in their defense { reluctantly 😀 } . The will have much higher production costs { labour etc } and will only be making a lens for one mount { lower volume } where as Viltox can produce lenses for multiple mounts. I am still sure that they milk the buyers like dairy cows squeezing out every last drop of cash
Mr Frost, you became my go-to reviewer when it comes to lenses, I absolutely enjoy listening to your reviews and you are as objective as one can be. I've tried and bought a couple of lenses you reviewed, and you were always on point. Thank you and best of luck in the future.
This is totally false. I love my 16mm 1.8 Viltrox, but barring possibly the 24-120 zoom, this lens does not out-IQ/resolve any of the S line lenses. It’s hyperbolic bs to say otherwise.
Looking at pictures from this Viltrox 135/1.8 and comparing it to the Canon or Sigma 135/1.8 clearly shows they can remain calm. Viltrox is not a competition once an ultimate IQ is in the game.
@@roscot40 I have both Viltrox 16mm and Z 24-120. And yes, I am sure the 16mm lens is sharper in the center wide open than the zoom lens at 24mm wide open. You can check the photography life website for detailed charts.
@@petrpohnan875 is pixel peeping worth an extra 1000$? I am sure for many people tiny sharpness things are not even important when they save a lot of money. Once this lens is on Z mount, it will cost 1400$ less than Plena.
I love my Samsung 135 len. You can get it for 759 dollars and used for as low as about 500 in excellent condition. My lens is super sharp, so there is no need to change it. I remember your video review on the Samyang, when you said that if you're in jail, break out and buy this Samyang lens. lol. great review as alway.
If this does not get Canon worried, I don't know what will. Lenses like this will push photographers away from Canon keeping RF to themselves. Excellent review as always, consistent, to the point and short. I watched Dustin Abbott first since he came up first on my youtube. He says the same in 45 minutes :-). No doubt this is a must have lens if you are on Sony.
I just watched Gerald Undone video review and his lens copy performed way better in close up, and I think even in general! This is a bit strange, or do they have such a massive difference from copy to copy? All of my lenses that I have, I bought them thanks to this amazing channel btw! keep the good work!!!
I watched his review as well and the lens was one of the sharpest lenses he’s ever tested and my have been THE sharpest 135mm he’s ever tested. The focus seemed much faster and accurate with no stepping or hunting but he had the latest firmware update applied which seemed to fix any problems that may have been there. His copy at least was nearly flawless in every way. This is an amazingly good lens at any price let alone for $899. It’s odd that Mr. Frost’s copy did much worse with loCA and even up-close performance didn’t seem nearly as good wide open either and the Viltrox was clearly sharper than the Samyang but Christopher Frost says the Samyang was a bit sharper than the Viltrox. Dustin Abbott does very thorough reviews and he was blown away with the performance of this lens. It’s as if they were reviewing two different versions of this lens.
@@glennn.3464 Yes I was also confused with vignetting and chromatic abberations on christopher's video since I saw nothing like that on Dustin's video. I like Christopher but Dustin is really really thorough with reviews so I don't know what to think now. I'll watch some more videos I guess...
1.2kg? It’s heavier that Tamron 35-150 f/2-2.8… still using and love my Samyang 135 1.8 for almost 2 yrs now, still producing stellar performance and a balanced weight of 772g. Good video as always Chris 😀
Nice review, once again! Thank you! A few months ago I decided to get the Samyang 135mm F1.8. In comparison (based on your reviews), the Samyang performs slightly better in my opinion, too. I decided not to wait for the Viltrox as waiting for a DxO lens module can take too long. I've been waiting for a module like this for my Sigma 60-600 DG DN OS for months. So far, despite my repeated requests, they haven't published a module! The same applies to the Viltrox 27mm F1.2 and 75mm F1.2 - no DxO lens profile. But DxO offered a lens module for the Samyang!
Are there any Dxo lens profile for any Viltrox lenses ? MPB won't get any Viltrox lens also, very strange, seems they realy disturbing the business... I ll buy them just for that reason.
@Kliffot Yes, one of my favorite lenses, the Viltrox 13mm f1.4, has a DxO profile! But I agree with you. By the way, DxO is disrupting business. As I mentioned, there are no profiles for the 27 and 75mm F1.2 lenses, but another great lens, my Sigma 60-600 DG DN OS, also lags behind a DxO profile! And I have expressed the wish more than once that the Sigma 60-600 should be profiled for the Sony lineup. Sigma, on the other hand, replied to an email saying that there is an LrC profile 😞.
Not sure what kind of focus motor this lens has, but Fuji lenses with linear motors (LM) also have that bumping feeling inside because the focus group moves around freely when turned off. Not much to worry about as that system is made to handle it (unless you handle it like a drink shaker 😛)
@@technodronesogxl9783 Exactly, because the linear motor magnets then turn on and hold the focus group in place. Same with the OIS in some lenses and the sensor in cameras with IBIS.
Good job by Viltrox, but not quite a match for the Samyang despite the extra features. What kills it for me is the weight. It's a whopping 428 grams heavier than the Samyang!
But, it's sharper based on the reviewsthat I have seen....for lanscape and astrophotography it's great. Hopefully my Z mount will get one. The shaking according to Dustin Abbott is because it has floating elements that when connected to camera disappear.
my Samyang 135 was bad tbh and it felt like all samyangs very cheap with thin body, don’t drop it, it will bent. Viltrox lenses are very solid built but can have some occasional focus issues. but so does samyang.
@@technodronesogxl9783It's quite clear from Christophers videos (and his commentary) that the Samyang is sharper. Which reviews have you seen that indicate otherwise?
Dustin Abbott shot this on an A7RV and it was sharper and faster than Samyang on his mtf chart. Even camera conspiracies Casey swears that it's really sharp but too big for him
A Viltrox Fan here. I'm going for this lens when the Z-mount version comes out. In fact, been saving up now for it already. Even at $899, it still hurts my pocket. One reason why I'd always go for Vitrox than the orginal branding. I'm no professional. Just a hobbyist/enthisiast with an OCD urge to collect and possess. 😅
Spectacular lens. But I would rather see a compact/light 135mm f2.8. That was a long time classic. Gives plenty of bg blur at 135mm while being portable.
I had a 1980s Formula Five (?) 135/1.8. About the same size, manual (great for me) and $500 CAD. Most expensive lens I ever bought and I loved it, despite it weighing over a kilo.
I wish budget vendors would come out with a 135/2.8 - I love the focal length of my adapted vintage 135/2.8 and they still deliver great portraits but the modern convenience and sharpness just isn't there. 135/1.8s are humongous, not to mention the prohibitive cost, but a modern f/2.8 could be convenient enough to always have in the bag just in case, like I have the adapted ones. The only modern 135 f/2.8 I'm aware of is the ludicrously priced Zeiss Batis 135 f/2.8.
The auto focus "issue" is a Sony feature. My Sigma Art lenses for Canon EF (coincidentally including the 135/1.8) all do that with the Sigma EF to FE adapter on the Sony a7r3. The Sony cameras do phase shift and contrast mode auto focus. Phase shift gets close to the target, and then a front and back focus measures a (presumably) more accurate distance. It does that pumping motion every time on one-shot AF. This is a behavior, which the lens can choose though. The Sigma adapter is only doing it with the Art/Sport/Contemporary lenses, not with older Sigma or Canon lenses.
While you are correct that on Sony cameras AF-S mode is slower, it's not normally quite as bad as it was in this instance (trust me - I've tested nearly all lenses available on Sony cameras, including with adaptors). But the problem really isn't that bad on this lens
The TTArtisan 75mm f/2 has become my favourite lens lately for how small and light it is, any FE options for a compact 135mm? - maybe an f/2.8 one or something? - This Viltrox is great but it's sooooo huge.
I’m curious about the amount of bokeh you get at varying distance from the subject. I have a Sony 85 f1.8 and love the bokeh up to about 6 meters away. I’d love to know if this lens can get more blur and longer distances despite its minimum focus distance being closer than the Sony 85?
This lens looks really impressive, but I'm weary of ever buying Viltrox again after my lightly used 23mm 1.4 lens stopped working after just a few months. I babied that lens just like all my others and the aperture and autofocus just stopped working one day.
I've been using the Tamron 35-150 for a year and some now and it's weight was unsettling at first but it's really grown on me, so I think this wouldn't be any different for me
I don't really get why people would get this for Sony, when the Samyang is out there at an even cheaper price and pretty much identical image quality at nearly half the weight!
Just a short reminder: this lens costs 1000 Bucks, all the other big 135s (Sony, Canon, Nikon) cost between 500 and 1500€/$ more for just slight improvements. Amamzing how these companies can make such good lenses nowadays.
Did you get a bad copy? I've watched five other reviews of this lens, and they all said the same thing: this lens is sharper than the Samyang with much better AF. Actually sharper than the Sony in the middle of the frame (not in the image corners or even midframe).
The Sony 20mm 1.8 has this issue though (only bad thing about the lens). I have to agree it sure feels a lot more fragile with those loose elements inside
I'm hoping that Viltrox also releases this lens for the Nikon Z (I don't see why they wouldn't as they have other competing lenses with Nikon's OEM versions). I could see buying this from Viltrox over the Nikon version (which is about 3x as much, and one reason I just can't justify the Nikon Plena lens). But if this was to stay under $1000 I could see getting one for casual portrait use. Let's hope it does in fact come to the Z though. Otherwise I can adapt it I guess (although adapting third party lenses on third party adapters can be tricky).
Great review once again. Though I am more and more annoyed about the ‘everybody published at exactly the same time’. To me, both the brand and content maker frustrates their own exposure. It made me whittle down my subscriptions on camera and lens reviews, leaving you and Gerald Undone as your perspectives are a bit different. DPreview , Caleb and all others get an active ‘not interested’ when they pop up in my feed with practically the same content. Like I said: this really bugs me as it gives youtube the impression I don’t like their channels, while I just don’t intend to sit through five carbon copies on the same product.
I'm glad you enjoy my reviews! I love Gerald Undone's, too. This is just the nature of embargo times I'm afraid - if you don't publish on embargo date then you miss a huge amount of traffic.
How is your LOCA test I assume you are boosting saturation on test target and since it's a book it's shot at close to minimum distance (but not minimum distance) right? Your LOCA test is very revealing
Thanks for your question! No colours are saturated by me - that would lead to an unfair test. It is shot at close to minimum focus distance. Some would say that's a bit harsh to do - perhaps true, but it makes the test fair as I consistently do this with all that pass through my hands.
@christopherfrost thank you for the info i prefer your LOCA test since it's the most revealing. Some lenses behave really well until you really challenge them like this in a controlled way and then you understand whats the deal with lenses like Voigtlander 110mm APO.
Maybe it's time for you to buy a newer camera for your reviews, a7RIII is relatively old camera for reviewing a brandnew lens, though many of us are still using old sony mirrorless cameras, a newer camera like a7IV or A7CII would be much appreciated. The AFS of old cameras won't justify what the lens could offer specially to newer cameras if it's not seen in your review. Im hoping for you to have one newer. Great video still. Thank you for your effort doing these reviews for the longest years! Thanks mate!
Thanks for the comment! I've tested a lot of lenses in AF-S mode on my Sony a7R III as well as on some of the very latest Sony cameras, and there's no real difference - the a7R III is a very fast camera to autofocus. The main AF differences between it and newer cameras lie in subject detection capabilities which was not something that was part of this review.
This is not the sound of glass component collision, but the sound generated by the shock absorption system of the lens group. The Viltrox AF 135mm f/1.8 LAB lens, like the SONY135mm F1.8 lens, produces noticeable noise from the shock absorber components when the lens is vigorously shaken up and down. In addition, the Viltrox AF 135mm f/1.8 LAB lens is made of high-strength magnesium aluminum alloy material, rather than primarily made of plastic.
You weren't as enthusiastic on this lense compare to samyang 135. It was your review of the samyang that got me my first 135. If i remember correctly you said "if youre in jail...break out and get this lense". That was enough to convince me 😂.
I agree with you. The screen is a gimmick. Also, does anyone even use aperture rings? Why do lens manufacturers persist with this? Modern cameras have aperture priority and auto ISO settings.
Viltrox at 1300g almost twice the weight of the Samyang at 950. Sony is 1130g and the excellent Sigma Art I sold due to it's being a brick in my bag weighed in at 1130g.
😊Thank you for your kind suggestion. This screen, can be said, is specifically designed for astrophotography. First, yes you can set the screen to sleep mode in the App. Second, it can record the focus point, so you don’t have to repeatedly check if the focus is correct in the cold outdoors.
I've read the Petapixel article and I was surprised by it. Viltrox sent me this final production copy of the lens last week and said it was working fine, except for the mild AF compatibility issue with older Sony cameras, and they asked me to publish a review on this date. I hope PP reach out to me next time with such articles, I would have been very happy to give clarification.
Shame this wasn't a F1.4 lens, like its weight would indicate. Samyang 135mm is a whopping 500g lighter than this monster of a lens. The upcoming F1.2 85mm and 35mm LAB lenses are looking much more enticing however.
@@MOTOJendays I don't think so, there's no comparison between the lens in this video, and the Canon RF135/1.8. I would never buy this lens at any price point, why invest in OEM tech in the body, if the lens is not up to par?
@@G95G95 Lenses are up to par whether you choose to accept it or not lol. This isn't even on RF mount nor is it ever going to be so why are you trying to compare them? On Sony E it's more of a competitive market. It's as good as Sony 135 1.8 if not better, and debatably on par with the Samyang which is one of the best 135s that exist optically(chinese btw) And on Nikon when it arrives it'll be competing with the Plena at 1/3 of the price while being maybe %5 worse. There are plenty of reasons to invest into this lens. Just because it's not for you, doesn't mean the lens isn't good or on par. There's not a single indicator that you can really point out where this lens is lacking other than size and weight.
@@MOTOJendays the obvious reason that I'm comparing it to Canon, is because the comment we're responding to is about Canon, which makes their 135 to the highest standards in Japan. This viltrox knock off, is just that, a poor knock off of OEM and doesn't perform as good in terms of sharpness and AF precision as the OEM glass. There's currently a trend amongst broke Sony fanboys, they like to pretend that their bootleg lenses are as good as OEM, but everyone knows that they are not. I'm actually glad that the Canon lens eco system isn't polluted with junk, I buy all my RF glass used in like new condition and it's great that the used market isn't flooded with crappy bootleg knockoffs that I would never buy anyway.
Compatibility problems? That why you should go for tried and tested lenses or stay OEM. The Focus breathing is enourmous. The Image quailty comes also with a caveat. Too much colour fringing. Not really my cup of tea. Pricewise ok? Then I would rather go for an older manual design and with adapters.
ANother reason why I refuse to jump into Canon R system. It was clear since year 2018 by just comparing lenses between Sony, Nikon Z, and R at the time. Sony must re design everything into GMII, same with most RF lenses, Z glass was already high standard. Is still a dumb route taken by Canon abusing of their loyalty and Viltrox take their mask off qith this premium lenses. Might also affect Sigma´s market whom couriously is the only third party allowed with only one lens for R system up to date...
I think you may have to redo this review as you noted there is a new firmware update already . Other reviewers are in stark contrast of yours and that maybe attributed to the new firmware update .
The lens was running with the latest firmware. I'm not sure what you're referring to about the 'stark contrast' - if you mean the autofocus performance, as I explained in the review, Viltrox have told me it's a problem only with older Sony cameras.
Eating whatever is left of Japan’s camera industry… and that after being eaten by smartphones and internal competition for a while. Now all we need is a body that is not riddled with absolute trash software.
Why did you release this review when Viltrox asked reviewers not to? Viltrox emailed all reviewers to inform us that there was an issue with the 135mm f/1.8 Lab lens and that the company wanted more time to deal with the situation before we rendered a verdict on performance..
Why do you say that Viltrox asked me not to release this review? That's not the case. They sent me a final production copy of the lens last week, said it was fully ready for testing, and asked me to publish my review on this date.
L mount has such potential, too bad no one cares to support them other than Sigma. I understand L mount isn't popular but that can change. That would be a great lens to have for it. Great review.
@@muttishelfer9122 Yes, which is why I said it had potential. Just like I used a Sony SLT, and the first gen a7 and people thought Sony was a joke for stills cameras.They too had a pretty low market share for photo cameras. Now look on how it all changed. Panasonic does many aspects right, things could always change.
Fuji needs to make a modern 85f1.2WR with the same 0.25x magnification as this lens, but maintaining perfect image quality at maximum magnification as the 56f1.2WR does.
@@muttishelfer9122 Amazing as the Viltrox 75mm f1.2 is, it only has 0.10x magnification, and even then it still needs to be stopped down. The Viltrox 135mm f1.8 at 0.25x is a close focus beast. Fuji has thus far kept their lenses reasonably priced and I'd gladly pay a bit extra for first party AF on a lens with a field of view as narrow as 15 degrees.
1.2 KG.. nah.. 3rd party making big and heavy but cheaper lens is not a new thing anymore.. How about and when will the opposite happen? I dare Sony make the 135 GMii 600 grams.. alot smaller and lighter.. even $3000.. I'll buy 1. We want something lighter and smaller. So we can buy more and carry more.
For a limited time - 15% off from Nov 4th - Nov 10th. Then 8% off afterwards for a limited time. Discount should automatically apply at checkout. Find it through this link (affiliate link - a commission comes back to me, thank you for your support):
bit.ly/ChristopherFrost-135
I think it would be good anyway for Viltrox joining L mount. More manufacturers, the better.
@@kamilpotato3764 L Mount has only about 5% market share- not very attractive for Viltrox to join.
Your greatest strength is your consistency. And your gentle voice is healing me. I'm always looking forward to your videos. Love CF🎉
I couldn't agree more!
He never disappoints
Viltrox lowkey exposing that bigger brands lenses might be a bit too overpriced.
"A bit" hahaha, not only overpriced but Nikon Z85 1.2 and 135 Plena makes one of the ugliest photos in NIkon history ever. Flat, ugly, lifeless AI rendering ... I'm passionately waiting for 135 Manual focus from 7artisans or TTartisan ;(
The markup on many OEM lenses must be absolutely astonishing, considering that a fairly complex high-quality lens like this one costs less than much simpler OEM lenses from Sony or Nikon (and let's not even get into Canon).
I had only heard of Viltrox in the last couple of years , I was surprised to see just how high end their ranges go they have a $100,000 VILTROX LUNA 42-420mm T5.6 cine lens for larger than 35mm sensors
@@dicekolev5360 lol those lenses mentioned give superb results , confirmed by every user , and every review including the one from Christopher . Price is of course a matter of opinion .
@@CC3GROUNDZERO I have no doubt that the mark up is high on OEM lens , in their defense { reluctantly 😀 } . The will have much higher production costs { labour etc } and will only be making a lens for one mount { lower volume } where as Viltox can produce lenses for multiple mounts. I am still sure that they milk the buyers like dairy cows squeezing out every last drop of cash
Mr Frost, you became my go-to reviewer when it comes to lenses, I absolutely enjoy listening to your reviews and you are as objective as one can be. I've tried and bought a couple of lenses you reviewed, and you were always on point. Thank you and best of luck in the future.
FINALLY REVIEW IS BACK
Viltrox establishes itself as a strong competitor to Tamron and Sigma. Their 16mm lens is even sharper than some Nikon S line lenses.
This is totally false. I love my 16mm 1.8 Viltrox, but barring possibly the 24-120 zoom, this lens does not out-IQ/resolve any of the S line lenses. It’s hyperbolic bs to say otherwise.
Looking at pictures from this Viltrox 135/1.8 and comparing it to the Canon or Sigma 135/1.8 clearly shows they can remain calm. Viltrox is not a competition once an ultimate IQ is in the game.
@@petrpohnan875 I think they are fast becoming a major 3rd party to sit alongside Tamron and Sigma, but still a little way to go.
@@roscot40 I have both Viltrox 16mm and Z 24-120. And yes, I am sure the 16mm lens is sharper in the center wide open than the zoom lens at 24mm wide open. You can check the photography life website for detailed charts.
@@petrpohnan875 is pixel peeping worth an extra 1000$? I am sure for many people tiny sharpness things are not even important when they save a lot of money. Once this lens is on Z mount, it will cost 1400$ less than Plena.
Looks great, my Plena is pure perfection for my Z7II
Well here we are, watching your videos day by day. Amazing review as always Mr. Frost. I'm a fan of your channel for years now.
I bought the Samyang based on your recommendation, and I'm very happy with the experience
I have never had a problem with it. Keep up the good work.
I love my Samsung 135 len. You can get it for 759 dollars and used for as low as about 500 in excellent condition. My lens is super sharp, so there is no need to change it. I remember your video review on the Samyang, when you said that if you're in jail, break out and buy this Samyang lens. lol. great review as alway.
samsung??
@@MrsJones-lz8xn misspelled, sorry
Lenses this heavy should be designed with a tripod collar in mind.
If this does not get Canon worried, I don't know what will. Lenses like this will push photographers away from Canon keeping RF to themselves.
Excellent review as always, consistent, to the point and short. I watched Dustin Abbott first since he came up first on my youtube. He says the same in 45 minutes :-). No doubt this is a must have lens if you are on Sony.
I just watched Gerald Undone video review and his lens copy performed way better in close up, and I think even in general! This is a bit strange, or do they have such a massive difference from copy to copy? All of my lenses that I have, I bought them thanks to this amazing channel btw! keep the good work!!!
Dustin Abbott did a head to head against the G mster and this lens was sharper on his A7RV
I watched his review as well and the lens was one of the sharpest lenses he’s ever tested and my have been THE sharpest 135mm he’s ever tested. The focus seemed much faster and accurate with no stepping or hunting but he had the latest firmware update applied which seemed to fix any problems that may have been there. His copy at least was nearly flawless in every way. This is an amazingly good lens at any price let alone for $899. It’s odd that Mr. Frost’s copy did much worse with loCA and even up-close performance didn’t seem nearly as good wide open either and the Viltrox was clearly sharper than the Samyang but Christopher Frost says the Samyang was a bit sharper than the Viltrox. Dustin Abbott does very thorough reviews and he was blown away with the performance of this lens. It’s as if they were reviewing two different versions of this lens.
@@glennn.3464Gerald undone says the same as Dustin vs the G master. I go with both of them on a current camera for this and want a z mount.
@@glennn.3464 Yes I was also confused with vignetting and chromatic abberations on christopher's video since I saw nothing like that on Dustin's video. I like Christopher but Dustin is really really thorough with reviews so I don't know what to think now. I'll watch some more videos I guess...
@@stefistefistefGerald undone made the same comparison to the G master and he did a firmware update which he shows in the comparison video
Abotts reviews are cringe
Too heavy, but respect to their ambition of making LAB line seriously.
1.2kg? It’s heavier that Tamron 35-150 f/2-2.8… still using and love my Samyang 135 1.8 for almost 2 yrs now, still producing stellar performance and a balanced weight of 772g. Good video as always Chris 😀
Waiting for the Z mount for my ZF! :D
Nice review, once again! Thank you! A few months ago I decided to get the Samyang 135mm F1.8. In comparison (based on your reviews), the Samyang performs slightly better in my opinion, too. I decided not to wait for the Viltrox as waiting for a DxO lens module can take too long. I've been waiting for a module like this for my Sigma 60-600 DG DN OS for months. So far, despite my repeated requests, they haven't published a module! The same applies to the Viltrox 27mm F1.2 and 75mm F1.2 - no DxO lens profile. But DxO offered a lens module for the Samyang!
Are there any Dxo lens profile for any Viltrox lenses ? MPB won't get any Viltrox lens also, very strange, seems they realy disturbing the business... I ll buy them just for that reason.
@Kliffot Yes, one of my favorite lenses, the Viltrox 13mm f1.4, has a DxO profile! But I agree with you. By the way, DxO is disrupting business. As I mentioned, there are no profiles for the 27 and 75mm F1.2 lenses, but another great lens, my Sigma 60-600 DG DN OS, also lags behind a DxO profile! And I have expressed the wish more than once that the Sigma 60-600 should be profiled for the Sony lineup. Sigma, on the other hand, replied to an email saying that there is an LrC profile 😞.
@@neutrinostorm Seems there are profiles but for the Fuji version, lag behing as you said
Any news about a possible Nikon Z version?
Sony E only
there will be also for Z mount, guess in a few months
Not sure what kind of focus motor this lens has, but Fuji lenses with linear motors (LM) also have that bumping feeling inside because the focus group moves around freely when turned off. Not much to worry about as that system is made to handle it (unless you handle it like a drink shaker 😛)
Dustin said that the floating elements cause this until the camera is turned on.
@@technodronesogxl9783 Exactly, because the linear motor magnets then turn on and hold the focus group in place. Same with the OIS in some lenses and the sensor in cameras with IBIS.
This is a nice little lens !
Let's hope that Viltrox will continue to develop some bight primes for Sony E-mount.
Good job by Viltrox, but not quite a match for the Samyang despite the extra features. What kills it for me is the weight. It's a whopping 428 grams heavier than the Samyang!
But, it's sharper based on the reviewsthat I have seen....for lanscape and astrophotography it's great. Hopefully my Z mount will get one. The shaking according to Dustin Abbott is because it has floating elements that when connected to camera disappear.
my Samyang 135 was bad tbh and it felt like all samyangs very cheap with thin body, don’t drop it, it will bent. Viltrox lenses are very solid built but can have some occasional focus issues. but so does samyang.
@@technodronesogxl9783It's quite clear from Christophers videos (and his commentary) that the Samyang is sharper. Which reviews have you seen that indicate otherwise?
Dustin Abbott shot this on an A7RV and it was sharper and faster than Samyang on his mtf chart. Even camera conspiracies Casey swears that it's really sharp but too big for him
@@hardywoodaway9912 Solid advice I guess. I honestly thought dropping large primes to the ground was supposed to be completely safe.
A Viltrox Fan here. I'm going for this lens when the Z-mount version comes out. In fact, been saving up now for it already. Even at $899, it still hurts my pocket. One reason why I'd always go for Vitrox than the orginal branding. I'm no professional. Just a hobbyist/enthisiast with an OCD urge to collect and possess. 😅
Love the 135mm focal length for photos. I used the Sony FE 90mm F/2.8 on apsc to get that same effect and it qoeks perfectly
Spectacular lens. But I would rather see a compact/light 135mm f2.8. That was a long time classic. Gives plenty of bg blur at 135mm while being portable.
No need, as 70-200mm 2,8 lenses are so light and sharp these days.
@@muttishelfer9122 We are living in different worlds if you think a 70-200mm f2.8 is "so light".
@@the_wiki9408hahaaa he is funny for sure. No way a 70-200 is lighter than a 135mm 2.8
I had a 1980s Formula Five (?) 135/1.8. About the same size, manual (great for me) and $500 CAD. Most expensive lens I ever bought and I loved it, despite it weighing over a kilo.
Didn't you put this out early, or am i having episode time travel level mind trip 😅😂
He did 😂
Samyang is still the best value lens. Thanks Chris
very true
And while being far lighter. Much lighter than the Sony even!!
I wish budget vendors would come out with a 135/2.8 - I love the focal length of my adapted vintage 135/2.8 and they still deliver great portraits but the modern convenience and sharpness just isn't there.
135/1.8s are humongous, not to mention the prohibitive cost, but a modern f/2.8 could be convenient enough to always have in the bag just in case, like I have the adapted ones.
The only modern 135 f/2.8 I'm aware of is the ludicrously priced Zeiss Batis 135 f/2.8.
That lens review deserved an update with the latest firmware.
The auto focus "issue" is a Sony feature. My Sigma Art lenses for Canon EF (coincidentally including the 135/1.8) all do that with the Sigma EF to FE adapter on the Sony a7r3. The Sony cameras do phase shift and contrast mode auto focus. Phase shift gets close to the target, and then a front and back focus measures a (presumably) more accurate distance. It does that pumping motion every time on one-shot AF. This is a behavior, which the lens can choose though. The Sigma adapter is only doing it with the Art/Sport/Contemporary lenses, not with older Sigma or Canon lenses.
While you are correct that on Sony cameras AF-S mode is slower, it's not normally quite as bad as it was in this instance (trust me - I've tested nearly all lenses available on Sony cameras, including with adaptors). But the problem really isn't that bad on this lens
My goodness. So much quality at such a low price. 1/3rd the price of Nikkor Z equivalent.
Yes, but the Viltrox is for Sony E only.
@@muttishelfer9122 No wonder.
Hi Chris very good review, please do review of fujifilm 16-55 f2.8 mark 2 lens. please
The Nikon plena and Sigma are still better
The TTArtisan 75mm f/2 has become my favourite lens lately for how small and light it is, any FE options for a compact 135mm? - maybe an f/2.8 one or something? - This Viltrox is great but it's sooooo huge.
Is this the same review you posted a while ago, or did they send you a new copy? I remember being kind of disappointed, but this actually looks great.
This is a new lens - turned out the first one was pre-production
@christopherfrost Thanks for the reply. Seems like this one is significantly better.
@@cy9nvs The optics were about the same TBH but the functionality was fixed up
Can I run Doom on that screen?
Possible to do a review on viltrox EF-E booster?
How does this compare to Samyang offering?
similar, but much much much heavier and bigger!
I’m curious about the amount of bokeh you get at varying distance from the subject. I have a Sony 85 f1.8 and love the bokeh up to about 6 meters away. I’d love to know if this lens can get more blur and longer distances despite its minimum focus distance being closer than the Sony 85?
This lens looks really impressive, but I'm weary of ever buying Viltrox again after my lightly used 23mm 1.4 lens stopped working after just a few months. I babied that lens just like all my others and the aperture and autofocus just stopped working one day.
I've been using the Tamron 35-150 for a year and some now and it's weight was unsettling at first but it's really grown on me, so I think this wouldn't be any different for me
I don't really get why people would get this for Sony, when the Samyang is out there at an even cheaper price and pretty much identical image quality at nearly half the weight!
I’ve sold it now but I really liked the Samyang, fantastic lens, I just didn’t use it enough.
Some people reaaaaly need more than 15fps. Not me tho.
Thanks chris. Would love you opinion on the new samyang remaster slim!!
I'm working on a review
@@christopherfrost great can't wait!
How does it compare to the GM?
Just a short reminder: this lens costs 1000 Bucks, all the other big 135s (Sony, Canon, Nikon) cost between 500 and 1500€/$ more for just slight improvements. Amamzing how these companies can make such good lenses nowadays.
When are you doing Sirui 85mm F1.4?
V soon!
Did you get a bad copy? I've watched five other reviews of this lens, and they all said the same thing: this lens is sharper than the Samyang with much better AF. Actually sharper than the Sony in the middle of the frame (not in the image corners or even midframe).
I didn't notice any lenses bumping around with my 135 1.8 GM. Now I want to check it out again haha.
The Sony 20mm 1.8 has this issue though (only bad thing about the lens). I have to agree it sure feels a lot more fragile with those loose elements inside
@@terje5723 I checked out my GM lens and I didn't hear or feel any glass bumping around loose in there.
It definitely bumped around a little for me when I tested one
I'm hoping that Viltrox also releases this lens for the Nikon Z (I don't see why they wouldn't as they have other competing lenses with Nikon's OEM versions). I could see buying this from Viltrox over the Nikon version (which is about 3x as much, and one reason I just can't justify the Nikon Plena lens). But if this was to stay under $1000 I could see getting one for casual portrait use. Let's hope it does in fact come to the Z though. Otherwise I can adapt it I guess (although adapting third party lenses on third party adapters can be tricky).
Great review once again. Though I am more and more annoyed about the ‘everybody published at exactly the same time’. To me, both the brand and content maker frustrates their own exposure.
It made me whittle down my subscriptions on camera and lens reviews, leaving you and Gerald Undone as your perspectives are a bit different. DPreview , Caleb and all others get an active ‘not interested’ when they pop up in my feed with practically the same content.
Like I said: this really bugs me as it gives youtube the impression I don’t like their channels, while I just don’t intend to sit through five carbon copies on the same product.
I'm glad you enjoy my reviews! I love Gerald Undone's, too. This is just the nature of embargo times I'm afraid - if you don't publish on embargo date then you miss a huge amount of traffic.
How is your LOCA test I assume you are boosting saturation on test target and since it's a book it's shot at close to minimum distance (but not minimum distance) right? Your LOCA test is very revealing
Thanks for your question! No colours are saturated by me - that would lead to an unfair test. It is shot at close to minimum focus distance. Some would say that's a bit harsh to do - perhaps true, but it makes the test fair as I consistently do this with all that pass through my hands.
@christopherfrost thank you for the info i prefer your LOCA test since it's the most revealing. Some lenses behave really well until you really challenge them like this in a controlled way and then you understand whats the deal with lenses like Voigtlander 110mm APO.
Maybe it's time for you to buy a newer camera for your reviews, a7RIII is relatively old camera for reviewing a brandnew lens, though many of us are still using old sony mirrorless cameras, a newer camera like a7IV or A7CII would be much appreciated.
The AFS of old cameras won't justify what the lens could offer specially to newer cameras if it's not seen in your review. Im hoping for you to have one newer.
Great video still. Thank you for your effort doing these reviews for the longest years! Thanks mate!
Thanks for the comment! I've tested a lot of lenses in AF-S mode on my Sony a7R III as well as on some of the very latest Sony cameras, and there's no real difference - the a7R III is a very fast camera to autofocus. The main AF differences between it and newer cameras lie in subject detection capabilities which was not something that was part of this review.
a7RIII best DR and a7III best ISO 2024
This lens is huge, really limits its practicality no matter how good it is optically.
I have the Samyang- on sale at £699, v good BUT I had to invest in the Samyang dock to get it compatible with my A7cr
nooooooooooooo wait for this to go to Fuji before reviewing thiiiiiiiis it's the most anticipated Fuji lens EVER
Good , now 85 1.2 and 35 1.2 for Z mount please
How's the comatic aberration? Is it good for Astro photo?
Watch the video, and you'll see all about its CA
@@christopherfrost Sorry, not chromatic aberration, but comatic aberration (coma level)
How does it compare to nikon plena?
plena 10/10 and viltrox 8/10
If you find the Viltrox app won't connect, you need to have location turned on with the phone.
This is not the sound of glass component collision, but the sound generated by the shock absorption system of the lens group. The Viltrox AF 135mm f/1.8 LAB lens, like the SONY135mm F1.8 lens, produces noticeable noise from the shock absorber components when the lens is vigorously shaken up and down. In addition, the Viltrox AF 135mm f/1.8 LAB lens is made of high-strength magnesium aluminum alloy material, rather than primarily made of plastic.
It's the sound of the focus lens shifting on its rails within the autofocus module. Neither of these lenses have an image stabiliser.
@@giklab 是的，不是防抖（影像稳定），是镜头内部镜片减震系统，
Yes, it's not anti shake (image stabilization), it's the internal lens damping system of the lens,
we got changing lens wallpaper before GTA6 🤣🤣
somehow I hope they make an rf version, in the next 10 years.
You weren't as enthusiastic on this lense compare to samyang 135. It was your review of the samyang that got me my first 135.
If i remember correctly you said "if youre in jail...break out and get this lense". That was enough to convince me 😂.
I agree with you. The screen is a gimmick. Also, does anyone even use aperture rings? Why do lens manufacturers persist with this? Modern cameras have aperture priority and auto ISO settings.
Nikon Rumors reported the LAB series will offer f1.2 lenes in 35mm, 50mm, and 85mm.
Viltrox at 1300g almost twice the weight of the Samyang at 950. Sony is 1130g and the excellent Sigma Art I sold due to it's being a brick in my bag weighed in at 1130g.
The screen is cool, but I almost wish they had a version without it. If I want to use it at a dark sky site, it's one more thing to cover up.
😊Thank you for your kind suggestion. This screen, can be said, is specifically designed for astrophotography. First, yes you can set the screen to sleep mode in the App. Second, it can record the focus point, so you don’t have to repeatedly check if the focus is correct in the cold outdoors.
the lens has bluetooth???? why ????
Bluetooth for firmware update
@@technodronesogxl9783 There's a usb-c port
Z user here excited and waiting
Too HEAVY and HUGE !
I may have to get a Sony purely for the lens selection.
According to Petapixel the lens has a problem and they are delaying the release for a couple of months. That may be the rattling Chris identified.
I've read the Petapixel article and I was surprised by it. Viltrox sent me this final production copy of the lens last week and said it was working fine, except for the mild AF compatibility issue with older Sony cameras, and they asked me to publish a review on this date. I hope PP reach out to me next time with such articles, I would have been very happy to give clarification.
Shame this wasn't a F1.4 lens, like its weight would indicate. Samyang 135mm is a whopping 500g lighter than this monster of a lens. The upcoming F1.2 85mm and 35mm LAB lenses are looking much more enticing however.
Sony junkies got an immense amount of lenses, hope canon wakes up
Japanese quality, vs Chinese pulsating quantity
@@G95G95 They are becoming the same quality these days lmao.
@@MOTOJendays I don't think so, there's no comparison between the lens in this video, and the Canon RF135/1.8. I would never buy this lens at any price point, why invest in OEM tech in the body, if the lens is not up to par?
@@G95G95 Lenses are up to par whether you choose to accept it or not lol. This isn't even on RF mount nor is it ever going to be so why are you trying to compare them?
On Sony E it's more of a competitive market. It's as good as Sony 135 1.8 if not better, and debatably on par with the Samyang which is one of the best 135s that exist optically(chinese btw)
And on Nikon when it arrives it'll be competing with the Plena at 1/3 of the price while being maybe %5 worse. There are plenty of reasons to invest into this lens.
Just because it's not for you, doesn't mean the lens isn't good or on par. There's not a single indicator that you can really point out where this lens is lacking other than size and weight.
@@MOTOJendays the obvious reason that I'm comparing it to Canon, is because the comment we're responding to is about Canon, which makes their 135 to the highest standards in Japan.
This viltrox knock off, is just that, a poor knock off of OEM and doesn't perform as good in terms of sharpness and AF precision as the OEM glass. There's currently a trend amongst broke Sony fanboys, they like to pretend that their bootleg lenses are as good as OEM, but everyone knows that they are not.
I'm actually glad that the Canon lens eco system isn't polluted with junk, I buy all my RF glass used in like new condition and it's great that the used market isn't flooded with crappy bootleg knockoffs that I would never buy anyway.
Compatibility problems? That why you should go for tried and tested lenses or stay OEM. The Focus breathing is enourmous. The Image quailty comes also with a caveat.
Too much colour fringing. Not really my cup of tea. Pricewise ok? Then I would rather go for an older manual design and with adapters.
ANother reason why I refuse to jump into Canon R system. It was clear since year 2018 by just comparing lenses between Sony, Nikon Z, and R at the time. Sony must re design everything into GMII, same with most RF lenses, Z glass was already high standard. Is still a dumb route taken by Canon abusing of their loyalty and Viltrox take their mask off qith this premium lenses. Might also affect Sigma´s market whom couriously is the only third party allowed with only one lens for R system up to date...
The only thing that keeps me in the Sony system is lenses lile these ... I cant live without my 16 f1.8...
I look forward to the Viltrox Lab 85mm f/1.4
the Viltrox Lab 85mm will be a f/1.2
Even better. Let's hope it is sharp and the auto-focuse is spot on. Next to portrait I want to use it for wildlife at dusk or dawn.
I think you may have to redo this review as you noted there is a new firmware update already . Other reviewers are in stark contrast of yours and that maybe attributed to the new firmware update .
The lens was running with the latest firmware. I'm not sure what you're referring to about the 'stark contrast' - if you mean the autofocus performance, as I explained in the review, Viltrox have told me it's a problem only with older Sony cameras.
cant wait for Canon to suck it up and let these lenses be on there mount
Canon will never do it.
@@muttishelfer9122 not true but its going to be a while
Whoooooaaaa
Wonder if someone try to play doom on that screen.
This against RF 135mm f 1.8 and Nikon Plena 135mm f1.8
Auto focus looks dreadful, but the sharpness is good
Eating whatever is left of Japan’s camera industry… and that after being eaten by smartphones and internal competition for a while.
Now all we need is a body that is not riddled with absolute trash software.
Hope you make a video about battle 50/56mm lenses APSC camera.. thank in advance Mr. Frost
We absolutely need one with the abundance of f/1.4 and f/1.8 lenses now.
Dylan Goldby did that brilliantly
Now if they would just build a 600mm prime.
Why did you release this review when Viltrox asked reviewers not to? Viltrox emailed all reviewers to inform us that there was an issue with the 135mm f/1.8 Lab lens and that the company wanted more time to deal with the situation before we rendered a verdict on performance..
Why do you say that Viltrox asked me not to release this review? That's not the case. They sent me a final production copy of the lens last week, said it was fully ready for testing, and asked me to publish my review on this date.
Love my Viltrox 13 1.4 on Fuji crop - trying my best not to purchase the 27 1.2 and 75 1.2 .....
You really should upgrade your test camera to 60MP to do justice with the newest lenses made for Sony E Mount...!
Looks like the Samyang is a better option here
Too heavy. Not selling my G master.
So much focus breathing, this feels almost like a zoom lens 😂
Dustin Abbott turned on a LED light for GM vs Samyang photos... he has lost his merit forever for me!
L mount has such potential, too bad no one cares to support them other than Sigma. I understand L mount isn't popular but that can change. That would be a great lens to have for it. Great review.
L Mount has only about 5% market share...
@@muttishelfer9122 Yes, which is why I said it had potential. Just like I used a Sony SLT, and the first gen a7 and people thought Sony was a joke for stills cameras.They too had a pretty low market share for photo cameras. Now look on how it all changed. Panasonic does many aspects right, things could always change.
Fuji needs to make a modern 85f1.2WR with the same 0.25x magnification as this lens, but maintaining perfect image quality at maximum magnification as the 56f1.2WR does.
Just use the Viltrox 75mm 1,2 or use a Macro lens if you need high magnification..
@@muttishelfer9122 Amazing as the Viltrox 75mm f1.2 is, it only has 0.10x magnification, and even then it still needs to be stopped down.
The Viltrox 135mm f1.8 at 0.25x is a close focus beast.
Fuji has thus far kept their lenses reasonably priced and I'd gladly pay a bit extra for first party AF on a lens with a field of view as narrow as 15 degrees.
0,25x magnification on fullframe= 0,16x magnification on APS-C...
@@muttishelfer9122 Magnification doesn't change with sensor size.
About time to upgrade to 61 MP sensor, Mr. Frost! 🤘
1.2 KG.. nah.. 3rd party making big and heavy but cheaper lens is not a new thing anymore.. How about and when will the opposite happen? I dare Sony make the 135 GMii 600 grams.. alot smaller and lighter.. even $3000.. I'll buy 1. We want something lighter and smaller. So we can buy more and carry more.
7 year phone :)