I'm very happy to see Chinese lens manufacturers catching up with the Japanese ones. Looking forward to high quality offerings at more affordable price points.
Super happy to see "new" brands doing so good. And as you mentioned, 35mm, 50mm and 85mm will also be very interesting or I should say, Viltrox set the bar very high with this one
Great to see your high-praise of this lens. I have the older manual Samyang 135mm F2 for APS-C x-mount and I'm blown away by the images it can create. If I ever move out of crop sensor, the Viltrox will be on my list. Thanks for the in-depth assessment.
The Viltrox 1335mm finally came in today and out the box there was something I had to know... YES, it is shorter and heavier than the 70-200mm GMII. Looking forward to see how it shoots. At $760 USD was a pretty good deal.
I think they want to add other functionnality for that ring/button via the app, it's the trend. But if that's the case in the futur lens they should keep the classic marked engraved aperture ring and add an another multifuction ring, would be the top !
Another terrific review Dustin!! Great to see Viltrox produce the first LAB series lens...this looks like an amazing lens and, like you, I am excited to see the rest of the series be released. Once they bring out in Z-mount, it will be hard not to pull the trigger on this one!
I wouldn’t mind the 14, 24, 35, 50 and 85mm lab versions but AF on RF Mount… Canon, let’s do it. This lens needs to be shouted about more, it looks like a real gem
I know it's a weird question, but I wonder how the Tamron 35-150mm compares to this in terms of IQ attributes like contrast and sharpness at 135mm f/2.8? I assume the Viltrox lens is better, of course.
Dustin- thanks as always for the in depth review. I am hopeful to see this and more fx lab lenses come to Z mount. It’s hard to believe I am seriously considering a Viltrox but your review makes this a very compelling price/ performance ratio. Especially when considering the Plena and 85 1.2 are over 3k Canadian!
I compared the samyang's corner image you showed at the samyang-sony GM comparison with the same image in this review. The samyang's image is significantly worse in this video. Could you check if the image selection may have affected the results?
The initial Samyang 135mm test was done on a 50MP Alpha 1, while this comparison is done on a 61MP a7RV. That extra resolution can can the results to look a little softer.
After playing with the 16mm F1.8, I am a new fan of Viltox, and great to heard this 135 F1.8 does not disappoint either, lookign forward to my own copy.
Very interesting, I picked up the f-mount version Sigma 135 f/1.8, when Viltrox announced, that the lens is Sony exclusive (for now), and I wonder how the two would compare. Christopher Frost posted a review a couple of months ago, and the lens didn't look very good optically, he took it down after a couple of hours, I wonder if something was wrong with his copy.
I did see that review, and was surprised by 1) the fact it was released, as the lens was under embargo and 2) that it didn't perform better in his tests. I was already reviewing the lens at that point, and was surprised by how different my findings were.
Very good job doing it. I own a 135 samyang sony, sometimes I feel that is not that sharp as the 85mm samyang ( that I own as well) looking for other alternatives Do you recommend to buy the viltrox 135 for better sharp results And focus, 135GM is a little more $$$ for me. with the Viltrox 16mm 1.8 I'm super happy so would you recommend me buying 135 viltrox ? thank you.
Hmmm, I wonder if you have a good copy of the 135, as it should definitely be sharper than the 85mm. But yes, if you can tolerate the weight, the Viltrox is the superior lens, in my opinion. I'll break that down in a video that will launch on Thursday.
Fantastic review! This makes me even more excited for the 35/85 1.2 that is coming, which Sony could've done. This is an excellent release by viltrox. They are going to surprise many, I suspect. Creamy bokeh, 85 gm ii like micro contrast, barely any lens flare, even better center to mid performance? That is a winning formula. I love shooting with a 135mm!
I sold my Samyang 135mm a while back and missed the unique look it brought to portraits at that focal length. This new lens not only brings that vibe back but seems to perform even better than the Samyang did. I usually rely on the Tamron 35-150mm for events and weddings, but there are times when I love switching things up with a dedicated 135mm prime.
As a Sony user myself I've been keenly waiting for the Viltrox LAB series. I own the 135mm GM which I use to photograph dogs which I'll keep. My current 85mm lens is the Samyang 85mm f1.4 first edition which I love for people portraits. I also own the Samyang 45mm f1.8. I can certainly see myself buying a Viltrox lens, just not sure if it will be 85mm or 50mm. I think it's strange they started with the 135mm, I would think they would sell more units with the 85mm or 50mm.
They have 35 | 50 | 85mm F1.4 and F1.2 versions in their future roadmap. The 135mm was obviously already in the development cycle, and covers a focal length that they did not previously have.
Like it, I have the Nikon 135 and the Sony gm 135 one just today I decided to sell the Nikon on eBay . Thanks Dustin the lab line from viltrox is exacting
It's kind of hard to go wrong with either from what I've seen. DA's comparison video will be aces for sure. I think for most people, it'll come down to weight and their preferences for aperture:rendering.
Thanks SO much for this excellent review. I've really been waiting for a great 135mm lens to add into my kit. Will I use it every day ? No. But when i do, I dont want to spend $2000 + on a G master.
That was my philosophy when I sold the 135GM and replaced it with the Samyang (which I'll now replace with this lens). I loved the GM lens, but didn't use the focal length often enough to justify it. I used the money from the 135GM to buy the 50mm F1.4 GM, which I use all the time.
Did you experience better focus tracking in Sony A7R5 after upgrade to FW Ver 3.0 . I get that feeling but need someone to confirm the same observation on his camera.
Currently rocking the sigma 24 - 70 2.8 ART and looking to gain some more versatility in focal length, looking at this, the Tamron 50-300 and the Sigma 100 - 400. Help! Love the reviews as always.
@@DustinAbbottTWI Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD thinking this might be what I end up with? I would love to have some amateur wildlife and birding possible and it can also do the 1:2 macro at 50mm. Would be going on a A7 IV! Especially after the firmware update for this lens for AF and tracking that seems to have made it very very good
That's only true if you don't put the aperture ring into "A" (automatic mode), just like any other lens with an aperture ring. I don't think they knew what they were talking about.
Great test Dustin, thank you for all the efforts invested in this review... for a lens that seems to deserve such attentions ! If this one does not make those "big names" think about their quality procedures and price policies, then : what will ?
It's interesting to see that the rear element is quire recessed into the lens body. Looks like they could make a version for camera systems with a longer flange distance (Fuji GFX) if they wanted to. I suspect this lens would cover the GFX's sensor. It looks like it's similarly designed to the Sigma Art lenses: the edges of the image circle that have lower optical quality (every single lens has those lower quality edges that show physicals vignetting) are chopped off / not captured by a Full Frame sensor.
74 mm = 7,4 cm... so, think about this lens being a "macro" one or not and you'll have your answer. Metric system goes in increments from 10 to 10, making calculation so much easier and errors more than things of the past (unless not being concentrated).
Hmmm, it's definitely nowhere anything that extreme. There might be a couple of mm between them, but I think the biggest difference will be up close, as the floating elements in the Viltrox allow it to have less breathing.
Excellent review again Dustin. Appreciate the detailed look! What a shame Viltrox couldn't just follow standards and had to invent their own faux-aperture ring that sounds very frustrating to use. Then there's the weight... For me the handling of the lens is almost as important as image quality, and from this first impression the LAB lenses are not convincing me. Which is a real bummer as the image quality looks to be fantastic.
Your pictures are very nice and it has useful features, but I think the Takumar 135 2.5 six element, while technically less perfect, has more pop and more spectacular texture rendering.
Impressive. We may well see a 135GM II on the horizon - they could probably make it even smaller, lighter and sharper given the trend with the new 85 and 50 GMs.
Hmmm, I'm not sure about this. There is nothing wrong the GM lens as it stands (its excellent); it's just that these competitors are much, much cheaper. I doubt a GM II version would solve that.
@@DustinAbbottTWI I'm sure it's not a priority right now for them, but now that there are great alternatives they will probably be considering it. In the meantime I wish they would update the ancient 90mm Macro to a GM lens :)
I've watched a few other major reviews, and it seems everyone else found results more similar to mine. Gerald Undone found that the Viltrox was every bit as good as the Sony GM, which would fit my experience.
Frost also said the lens was made in plastic 🙄. He made his test more than 2 month ago with an old firmware on an old body. Versus that extremely detailled review from Dustin...yeah..
I went for Viltrox 16 mm this summer, lovely glass but totally useless on my Z9: focus distance is a gimmick and af was unpredictable af. Many ruined shot and the software doesnt communicate well with the camera - forget the in camera cous distance as well! So I sent it back, and it was a pity, sunstars and rendering was beautiful. But quality wise no way near my 14-30/4 (not to be expected). Ill go with plena instead of this, but thx for a nice review.
@DustinAbbottTWI Odd indeed. So you mean the LCD on the lens is reporting correct focus distance? Or the Z8 in mf mode? Would be very strange if Z8 and Z9 gave different results. With a 10 stop filter I was totally blind, no clue where focus were. Im really curious about this since the glass offered a lot to love (beautiful sunstars!). Can you test the 135 in mf, both LCD and camera reporting. Would appreciate it a lot (I live in Sweden, lens bought in Sweden).
I have the Sony 135mm 1.8 GM, which I think is too big and heavy, so the Viltrox lens is ridiculous huge and too heavy !!! I would go for either the Samyang 135mm 1.8 or a used Zeiss Batis Apo Sonnar 135mm 2.8 T* !
Just to be pedantic, a linear VCM doesn't have torque. Torque is a twisting force, the VCM doesn't have the twisting, just the force. Apart from that well done and informative review.
I hear that argument, but the problem is that the companies themselves use the term. Tamron's VXD (a voice coil design) stands for Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive. It's hard not to use the word torque when they put it right in the name :)
@@DustinAbbottTWI The companies say all kinds of things that are wrong - plus of course that's a marketing name, not an engineering one. From Marriam Webster (and every other dictionary) 1 : a force that produces or tends to produce rotation or torsion an automobile engine delivers torque to the drive shaft also : a measure of the effectiveness of such a force that consists of the product of the force and the perpendicular distance from the line of action of the force to the axis of rotation 2 : a turning or twisting force. I think we shouldn't let marketing departments degrade our vocabulary too much.
@@DustinAbbottTWI I think the same - sadly sigma/tamron arent really interested because they make more profit in the fullrame market - hope fuji will add a wideangle 1,7 sometime for astro photography - have the 20-35mm and dont wanna use a tracker all the time for milky way shots -
Too heavy. Its heavier than 70-200 2.8 GM II. On the brighy side It doesn't cost 4000usd and has autofocus. Comparing to Otus is a lot more than LOCA and sharpness performance but I see your point. I wil stick to my Samyang 135mm Af for now mostly due to weight but Viltrox achieved their goal and I hope they get their share of the market.
21:47 Why in the Samyang 135 test it was sharp at the edges of the frame, but in this comparative test with Viltrox Samyang is no longer sharp at the edges ?? 😂 source: ruclips.net/video/VPHlVBoAHeQ/видео.html
First of all, I actually say that the Samyang is sharper in the corners than the Viltrox. Secondly, the initial Samyang 135mm test was done on a 50MP Alpha 1, while this comparison is done on a 61MP a7RV. That extra resolution can can the results to look a little softer.
This thing weighs a god damn ton. And no photographer thinks heavy is somehow great, whatsoever. Why doesn't Voltrox learn that mirrorless means light and not having a tank to lug around. Are they unable to make decent plastics or composites? Most people will decide for the Samyang/Rokinon..
Hmmm, I would say from the comments that its probably not true that most people will go for the Samyang, but I wouldn't say their goal here was small and light. They wanted to make the best 135mm optically (and functionally) that they could, and while I would loved it to be 400g lighter, that's about all I can complain about.
@@DustinAbbottTWI I could imagine, that your audience is more technically demanding than the average customer. I use the Samyang 135mm on my A7r IV (for nature and portrait), more or less non-stop wide open at F1.8 and I'm totally happy with its optical performance. If I was debating to upgrade, I'd get the Sony 135m GM because I think it's still the best lens overall. And the Samyang already is a bit too heavy for my liking, especially usually it's not the only lens I have to carry around..
Sure.. If 1 is willing to carry that lens being at 1.2kg.. then all is good. The price is excellent. All else is also on the good side. Just heavy and maybe big. I guess.. making a lens bigger, heavier and cheaper while maintaining the sharpness quick af and etc is easier and already happening long ago. Almost all 3rd party does that.. releasing a lens cheaper than original but being heavier and bigger.. Now when can we really see a breakthrough.. for eg same 135 f1.8 but size like 50mm and weights 600grams. Now that would be the real interesting and technology advancement. Sure.. make it cost $1000 more than the GM.. But can they do it.
@ i wont say if there is a market. But im sure someone would buy them. Maybe especiallly the pro or the richer hobbyist. Who doesnt like or want to carry lighter and smaller gear. Money .. oh well. Some people just has more than others or willing to spend. But like I said above. We just see cheaper but bigger and heavier option many times already but when can we have more expensive but smaller and lighter. Im sure some people would buy them.
A 135mm the size of a 50mm? Seems like you won't be able to get something like that with standard photographic elements. The physics just doesn't add up. MAYBE if they were to develop a lens using metamaterials, but I still thing we're at least a decade or two away from seeing an affordable consumer-grade Metalens on a photographic system. That's metamaterial optics are more or less in their infancy stage.
The initial Samyang 135mm test was done on a 50MP Alpha 1, while this comparison is done on a 61MP a7RV. That extra resolution can can the results to look a little softer. I do say both in this video and in the comparison video that the Samyang is better in the corners than the Viltrox, however.
@@DustinAbbottTWI The fact that it is better does not mean that it is visible that after scaling down the resolution in the original Samyang test was much better. It does not matter whether the sensor is 50 or 61 Mpx.
Personally not a fan of the mechanics, the aperture ring, as well as the LED display and built-in Bluetooth which are unnecessary drains on the camera's battery. But a good job by the optical engineers. Interesting that the vignetting is so low, yet there is still noticeable deformation of the bokeh off-axis, in contrast to the Nikon Plena which has low vignetting and minimal off-axis bokeh deformation. The only lenses I can think of that might give this a run for the under $1,000 best optical performance crown are the Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50/2, and possibly the Sigma 40/1.4 Art (when stopped down to f1.8). The Sigma 70/2.8 Macro Art is pretty good value for its performance too.
LED display : you don't HAVE TO look at it, as your viewfinder and backscreen shall propose the same data. Bluetooth : you DO NOT have to use it, for the lens has a USB-C connector. bokeh "off-axis" : do you make so many portraits with the model "off-axis", or Christmas lights in the same style ? Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50 mm f/2 : what type of autofocus system does this lens have ? NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena : what is the usual price tag attached to this lens ? Sigma 40 mm f/1.4 Art : what is the focal length of this lens ? Sigma 70/2.8 Macro Art : what are the focal length and maximum aperture of this lens ? You have a strange way of comparing things ! And, actually, this is not comparing, rather dropping words then chosing which characteristics you want to evaluate or not. Thankfully, Dustin Abbott and folks at DxO Mark are comparing. Really, by measuring feature for feature and publishing factual data. Then, if all this is not enough and you still find yourself "not a fan of" this lens, I suggest purchasing an Angénieux one. This French brand specializes in cinema lens (after producing photo lenses for a while, during the 1980s and 1990s) considered "perfect"... but. But they might not be "perfect" enough for you, and the price may have you think twice before looking for "perfection".
@@DustinAbbottTWI I base that estimation on the late Robert O'Toole's test titled "1X High-End Lens Test" on his site, "Close Up Photography", where the Sigma 70mm Art matched dedicated machine vision lenses that are an order of magnitude more expensive. Admittedly, that test was only at one focal distance/magnification.
@@gillesmatheronpro I suggest taking a more charitable reading of my comment, as you seem to be misunderstanding many parts of it. Regarding the LED display and Bluetooth: I was not criticising their usefulness, as you claim, but the fact that they exist and, as far as I know, can not be disabled, and thus draw battery power, which causes a negative effect on the shooting experience even if I were to never look at/use these features. Regarding off-axis bokeh: you may not find it a metric of importance to a lens' performance, but reviewers do test for it so I can not be the only one who cares. Regarding the lens comparisons I provided: the point was not to compare with lenses of similar focal lengths or maximum apertures, as you have misunderstood, but to respond to the title of the video, i.e., whether this lens is the best lens under $1,000. I reasonably presumed that no qualification of focal length or maximum aperture was made in that rhetorical titular question, and thus that any lens in existence (as long as it is under $1,000), could be considered as competition. In this respect it is you who has a "strange way of comparing things", as your proffered alternative, an Angénieux lens, is about as far from meeting the under $1,000 criteria as possible. I might also suggest that Angénieux lenses may not be as "perfect" as you assume, because lens design is a compromise of a multitude of factors, and even just the umbrella factor of aberrations can not be completely eliminated. In other words, no lens is "perfect", not even with an unlimited budget. Finally, I never wrote that I was, ""not a fan of" this lens". You have taken that quote out of its original context. What I wrote was that I was, "not a fan of the mechanics [of the lens]", and explained why, with reference to the aperture ring (which Dustin also criticised), and the LED display and Bluetooth features. But overall, my impression is quite positive in fact.
great, i now ist very important for you:! cheep, cheep, cheep!! terrible. all people wants to cheep. and nikon and canon, and the other one? the world is tommorow only chinese
I don't even know what to say about something like that. The company VILTROX builds lenses from China. It may sound strange, but the Chinese definitely want to win the world market for themselves. As an ambitious professional photographer, you should not even consider buying such lenses. This is throwing dirt on well-known manufacturers who have been building great lenses for decades. I can't understand why any photographer is enthusiastic about these lenses. As a matter of principle, you shouldn't buy one. And you, who loved taking photos with Zeiss Otus, now sounds unbelievable.
Hmmm, interesting that you called me on the Zeiss Otus reference, considering that Zeiss is a German company that moved its manufacturing to Japan. Was that a betrayal of the German people? I'm obviously not at all a fan of the CCP, but to penalize what I consider to be the fastest improving and most innovative lensmaker in the world at the moment just because they happen to be Chinese is a little ridiculous.
Very nice optic qualities and functionalities. Big brands need to be worried by Viltrox who already delivered amazing lenses and seems to launch an high end line with this lab one. Just a con for me is this aperture ring with its unnecessary 1/9 clics… a true « manual » aperture ring like GM or other viltrox would have been sufficient. The best would have been to let it under one kilo to have a better balance and less weight. It s the same weight as the sigma old art line for reflex which is known to be heavy and more heavy than Nikon canon and Sony ones. This is probably it s only disadvantage vs the other brands.
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I'm very happy to see Chinese lens manufacturers catching up with the Japanese ones. Looking forward to high quality offerings at more affordable price points.
Viltrox has really impressed me with just how aggressive they are in getting better and better.
Like how Godox has become so big in the flash market.@@DustinAbbottTWI
I’m happy for Viltrox that they’re doing so great, just bought the 28 chip lens and the tiny 20mm 2.8.
The E-mount competition is ferocious.
You are absolutely right about the competitiveness on the platform.
Excellent, we also expect 14, 35, 50, 85 200mm in the Lab series!
Lmfao. Exactly! Make first party lenses obsolete!!!
Definitely the middle three are on the roadmap, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a wider option in the future.
Awesome performance and a Viltrox LAB 85mm f1.2 would be welcome.
100%. I can't believe we don't have any 85mm F1.2 on E-mount yet.
Super happy to see "new" brands doing so good. And as you mentioned, 35mm, 50mm and 85mm will also be very interesting or I should say, Viltrox set the bar very high with this one
Their Pro glasses were already really brilliant for the APSC cameras. Lab series seems to be the most clinical version yet.
I'm also very interested in their Pro lineup of FF F1.4 lenses along with the LAB F1.2 options. Viltrox is killing it!
@@DustinAbbottTWIwould love to see a FF 85mm 1.2
@@lauriewahlig2819 100%
Holy cow !! You’ve smashed this review 👌👍
Thank you.
Great to see your high-praise of this lens. I have the older manual Samyang 135mm F2 for APS-C x-mount and I'm blown away by the images it can create. If I ever move out of crop sensor, the Viltrox will be on my list. Thanks for the in-depth assessment.
Absolutely. You're welcome.
I had that lens as well, wait til you try the Samyang AF 135 F/1.8. You'll be amazed.
Great review! It seems like this lens has a smoother bokeh than my Zeiss 135mm Apo...impressive!
It's really gorgeous optically.
The Viltrox 1335mm finally came in today and out the box there was something I had to know... YES, it is shorter and heavier than the 70-200mm GMII. Looking forward to see how it shoots. At $760 USD was a pretty good deal.
That's an amazing deal for this lens. Enjoy!
@@DustinAbbottTWI Well, it was actually $764.15 +tax... so maybe slightly less than amazing! lol
Thank you for discussing and explaining the aperture ring, it's such a weird choice from Viltrox here
My pleasure. I love the lens, but I think it is important to highlight the lowlights as well as the highlights.
I think they want to add other functionnality for that ring/button via the app, it's the trend. But if that's the case in the futur lens they should keep the classic marked engraved aperture ring and add an another multifuction ring, would be the top !
Another terrific review Dustin!! Great to see Viltrox produce the first LAB series lens...this looks like an amazing lens and, like you, I am excited to see the rest of the series be released. Once they bring out in Z-mount, it will be hard not to pull the trigger on this one!
Agreed on both counts.
I wouldn’t mind the 14, 24, 35, 50 and 85mm lab versions but AF on RF Mount… Canon, let’s do it. This lens needs to be shouted about more, it looks like a real gem
I suspect it will be a LONG time before Canon lets Viltrox in. Their lenses are way too competitive, and priced far beyond Canon equivalents.
I know it's a weird question, but I wonder how the Tamron 35-150mm compares to this in terms of IQ attributes like contrast and sharpness at 135mm f/2.8? I assume the Viltrox lens is better, of course.
The Tamron is very good, obviously, but the Viltrox is sharper.
Dustin- thanks as always for the in depth review. I am hopeful to see this and more fx lab lenses come to Z mount. It’s hard to believe I am seriously considering a Viltrox but your review makes this a very compelling price/ performance ratio. Especially when considering the Plena and 85 1.2 are over 3k Canadian!
I'm really excited to see this lens on Z mount as well.
I compared the samyang's corner image you showed at the samyang-sony GM comparison with the same image in this review. The samyang's image is significantly worse in this video. Could you check if the image selection may have affected the results?
I noticed exactly the same thing. Suddenly Samyang stopped being super sharp? 🙃🙂🙃🙂
The initial Samyang 135mm test was done on a 50MP Alpha 1, while this comparison is done on a 61MP a7RV. That extra resolution can can the results to look a little softer.
The image sizes in the comparison are the same, so the extra resolution shouldn't matter?
@@8momentswhen you see a big difference even in downscaled photos it doesn't matter if camera is 50 or 61 Mpx.
After playing with the 16mm F1.8, I am a new fan of Viltox, and great to heard this 135 F1.8 does not disappoint either, lookign forward to my own copy.
The 16mm F1.8 is an amazing lens for the money.
Very interesting, I picked up the f-mount version Sigma 135 f/1.8, when Viltrox announced, that the lens is Sony exclusive (for now), and I wonder how the two would compare.
Christopher Frost posted a review a couple of months ago, and the lens didn't look very good optically, he took it down after a couple of hours, I wonder if something was wrong with his copy.
I did see that review, and was surprised by 1) the fact it was released, as the lens was under embargo and 2) that it didn't perform better in his tests. I was already reviewing the lens at that point, and was surprised by how different my findings were.
Very good job doing it. I own a 135 samyang sony, sometimes I feel that is not that sharp as the 85mm samyang ( that I own as well) looking for other alternatives Do you recommend to buy the viltrox 135 for better sharp results And focus, 135GM is a little more $$$ for me. with the Viltrox 16mm 1.8 I'm super happy so would you recommend me buying 135 viltrox ? thank you.
Hmmm, I wonder if you have a good copy of the 135, as it should definitely be sharper than the 85mm. But yes, if you can tolerate the weight, the Viltrox is the superior lens, in my opinion. I'll break that down in a video that will launch on Thursday.
Fantastic review! This makes me even more excited for the 35/85 1.2 that is coming, which Sony could've done. This is an excellent release by viltrox. They are going to surprise many, I suspect. Creamy bokeh, 85 gm ii like micro contrast, barely any lens flare, even better center to mid performance? That is a winning formula. I love shooting with a 135mm!
I'm really excited for the rest of the LAB series.
I'm actually curious how did you get the app working on iOS.
I just can't get past the login screen on iOS. It works just fine on Android, though.
Hmmm, I can't tell you any secret formula as I never had any problem with it.
Waiting for a long time. Thank you for your great review❤
You're welcome!
The Viltrox is 1,25 kg. All three lenses I own for Sony (The 1.8 Samyangs in 35, 75 and 135mm) weigh 1,22 kg. That is crazy 😄
Oh my!
I sold my Samyang 135mm a while back and missed the unique look it brought to portraits at that focal length. This new lens not only brings that vibe back but seems to perform even better than the Samyang did. I usually rely on the Tamron 35-150mm for events and weddings, but there are times when I love switching things up with a dedicated 135mm prime.
This and the Samyang options are nice because many of us don't use 135mm lenses every day.
Unsure if i can justify this since I already own a 70-200 f/4 G OSS II. Thoughts?
That is a tough call. The Sony is an excellent lens. I guess the real question is, "Do you need a much faster aperture at 135mm?"
As a Sony user myself I've been keenly waiting for the Viltrox LAB series. I own the 135mm GM which I use to photograph dogs which I'll keep. My current 85mm lens is the Samyang 85mm f1.4 first edition which I love for people portraits. I also own the Samyang 45mm f1.8. I can certainly see myself buying a Viltrox lens, just not sure if it will be 85mm or 50mm. I think it's strange they started with the 135mm, I would think they would sell more units with the 85mm or 50mm.
They have 35 | 50 | 85mm F1.4 and F1.2 versions in their future roadmap. The 135mm was obviously already in the development cycle, and covers a focal length that they did not previously have.
I am excited about this range, this 135mm sounds like one to have in the bag. I can see in the images the quality is extremely good.
It's an amazing lens.
Great review! I’m excited for the 50mm and 85mm.
Agreed!
Like it, I have the Nikon 135 and the Sony gm 135 one just today I decided to sell the Nikon on eBay . Thanks Dustin the lab line from viltrox is exacting
I haven't tested the recent Nikon or Canon 135mm yet, but I do look forward to both of them.
samyang 135 mm or this one ? i have samyang at 625$ in my cart in my country TIA, thankyou for this video sir
viltrox is much better
@@ruikao7587 In office company 899$
I've got a comparison video coming later this week.
I'd buy the VILTROX if I could.
It's kind of hard to go wrong with either from what I've seen. DA's comparison video will be aces for sure. I think for most people, it'll come down to weight and their preferences for aperture:rendering.
Love the 13 1.4 on Fuji crop - for the money its simply stunning.
It's a very good lens.
Wow, great job Viltrox. Hopefully a sign of things to come. 👏
Agreed. I'm looking forward to more LAB lenses.
Thanks SO much for this excellent review. I've really been waiting for a great 135mm lens to add into my kit. Will I use it every day ? No. But when i do, I dont want to spend $2000 + on a G master.
That was my philosophy when I sold the 135GM and replaced it with the Samyang (which I'll now replace with this lens). I loved the GM lens, but didn't use the focal length often enough to justify it. I used the money from the 135GM to buy the 50mm F1.4 GM, which I use all the time.
Did you experience better focus tracking in Sony A7R5 after upgrade to FW Ver 3.0 . I get that feeling but need someone to confirm the same observation on his camera.
I shot some basketball after 3.0, and it tracked pretty great.
Currently rocking the sigma 24 - 70 2.8 ART and looking to gain some more versatility in focal length, looking at this, the Tamron 50-300 and the Sigma 100 - 400. Help! Love the reviews as always.
If versatility is your goal, consider the Tamron 35-150mm VXD. It's my go to lens for a LOT.
@@DustinAbbottTWI
Tamron 50-400mm f/4.5-6.3 Di III VC VXD thinking this might be what I end up with? I would love to have some amateur wildlife and birding possible and it can also do the 1:2 macro at 50mm. Would be going on a A7 IV! Especially after the firmware update for this lens for AF and tracking that seems to have made it very very good
Focus is really fast Dustin. When is the Z mount coming, and how is this compared to the 135 plenna for Nikon Z series.
I really look forward to testing a Z mount version, and would love to do a comparison to the Plena if I can get a loaner.
@DustinAbbottTWI one reviewer mentioned that you can't change the aperture in camera, you have to use the lens' aperture ring instead. Is that true?
That's only true if you don't put the aperture ring into "A" (automatic mode), just like any other lens with an aperture ring. I don't think they knew what they were talking about.
@ thank you for taking the time.
Great test Dustin, thank you for all the efforts invested in this review... for a lens that seems to deserve such attentions !
If this one does not make those "big names" think about their quality procedures and price policies, then : what will ?
They definitely should. Viltrox is coming on very strong.
Now waiting for the Z mount version, hoping that doesn’t take to long. Sold my Zeiss Apo Sonnar T* 135mm f2.0 which was brilliant.
I'm very intrigued to see this lens on Z-mount, too.
It's interesting to see that the rear element is quire recessed into the lens body. Looks like they could make a version for camera systems with a longer flange distance (Fuji GFX) if they wanted to. I suspect this lens would cover the GFX's sensor. It looks like it's similarly designed to the Sigma Art lenses: the edges of the image circle that have lower optical quality (every single lens has those lower quality edges that show physicals vignetting) are chopped off / not captured by a Full Frame sensor.
That lens on GFX would be a dream !! I really hope 🙏
Interesting thought. It would be pretty sweet on GFX.
@@Kliffot It would be indeed.
Did you mean 74mm or 74cm for close focus? In the video, I heard "millimeter". Thank you for the review! Looking forward to the comparison video.
That would be centimeter.
74 mm = 7,4 cm... so, think about this lens being a "macro" one or not and you'll have your answer.
Metric system goes in increments from 10 to 10, making calculation so much easier and errors more than things of the past (unless not being concentrated).
Thanks so much for the clarification! 74mm would be out of this world! Still not bad at all. @DustinAbbottTWI
Very exciting times when even the "smaller" players can produce exceptional lenses. Great review as always!
If Viltrox keeps it up, they won't be a smaller player for long.
What do you think 85 1.2 or 135 1.8 for portraits?
I love the look of 135mm images, but 85mm is the more flexible focal length.
Is the Viltrox closer to 140mm or the Samyang closer to 130mm? Noticeable difference in field of view.
Hmmm, it's definitely nowhere anything that extreme. There might be a couple of mm between them, but I think the biggest difference will be up close, as the floating elements in the Viltrox allow it to have less breathing.
Excellent review again Dustin. Appreciate the detailed look! What a shame Viltrox couldn't just follow standards and had to invent their own faux-aperture ring that sounds very frustrating to use. Then there's the weight... For me the handling of the lens is almost as important as image quality, and from this first impression the LAB lenses are not convincing me. Which is a real bummer as the image quality looks to be fantastic.
Sometimes companies take a risk and try to innovate and it pays off, other times it doesn't. This is more of a doesn't in my mind.
Your pictures are very nice and it has useful features, but I think the Takumar 135 2.5 six element, while technically less perfect, has more pop and more spectacular texture rendering.
I owned that lens for a while, and frankly I was underwhelmed by it. I love some of the other Takumar glass, but wasn't wowed by 135mm F2.5
Impressive. We may well see a 135GM II on the horizon - they could probably make it even smaller, lighter and sharper given the trend with the new 85 and 50 GMs.
Hmmm, I'm not sure about this. There is nothing wrong the GM lens as it stands (its excellent); it's just that these competitors are much, much cheaper. I doubt a GM II version would solve that.
@@DustinAbbottTWI I'm sure it's not a priority right now for them, but now that there are great alternatives they will probably be considering it. In the meantime I wish they would update the ancient 90mm Macro to a GM lens :)
Surprising that you found basically no longitudinal CA, Christopher Frost had vastly dissimilar results on this point
I've watched a few other major reviews, and it seems everyone else found results more similar to mine. Gerald Undone found that the Viltrox was every bit as good as the Sony GM, which would fit my experience.
Frost also said the lens was made in plastic 🙄. He made his test more than 2 month ago with an old firmware on an old body. Versus that extremely detailled review from Dustin...yeah..
I went for Viltrox 16 mm this summer, lovely glass but totally useless on my Z9: focus distance is a gimmick and af was unpredictable af. Many ruined shot and the software doesnt communicate well with the camera - forget the in camera cous distance as well! So I sent it back, and it was a pity, sunstars and rendering was beautiful. But quality wise no way near my 14-30/4 (not to be expected). Ill go with plena instead of this, but thx for a nice review.
Hmmm, that's odd. I've had no issues with the 16mm F1.8 on my Z8.
@DustinAbbottTWI Odd indeed. So you mean the LCD on the lens is reporting correct focus distance? Or the Z8 in mf mode? Would be very strange if Z8 and Z9 gave different results. With a 10 stop filter I was totally blind, no clue where focus were. Im really curious about this since the glass offered a lot to love (beautiful sunstars!). Can you test the 135 in mf, both LCD and camera reporting. Would appreciate it a lot (I live in Sweden, lens bought in Sweden).
I can't test the Z mount version yet, obviously, but I'll try to remember that.
I will buy this 1.8 because I had the VILTROX 13mm 1.4 Fuji mount and have the 16mm Z mount. A 1.8 135mm Z mountvworks for me.
I too am looking forward to the Z-mount version.
What better than the Gm in the center, wow wow 🤩 go Viltorx and the price point
It's pretty amazing, for sure.
What mount is this for
sony , later nikon
Sony FE, for now, but I do know that a Nikon Z mount version will be coming.
I have the Sony 135mm 1.8 GM, which I think is too big and heavy, so the Viltrox lens is ridiculous huge and too heavy !!! I would go for either the Samyang 135mm 1.8 or a used Zeiss Batis Apo Sonnar 135mm 2.8 T* !
Fair enough.
Just to be pedantic, a linear VCM doesn't have torque. Torque is a twisting force, the VCM doesn't have the twisting, just the force. Apart from that well done and informative review.
I hear that argument, but the problem is that the companies themselves use the term. Tamron's VXD (a voice coil design) stands for Voice-coil eXtreme-torque Drive. It's hard not to use the word torque when they put it right in the name :)
@@DustinAbbottTWI The companies say all kinds of things that are wrong - plus of course that's a marketing name, not an engineering one. From Marriam Webster (and every other dictionary)
1
: a force that produces or tends to produce rotation or torsion
an automobile engine delivers torque to the drive shaft
also : a measure of the effectiveness of such a force that consists of the product of the force and the perpendicular distance from the line of action of the force to the axis of rotation
2
: a turning or twisting force.
I think we shouldn't let marketing departments degrade our vocabulary too much.
Someone needs to answer this question, how is this any better than the Samyang?
Check out my recent video for a thorough answer to that question.
@DustinAbbottTWI i just did and I now have even more questions
X mount is where?
I'm not sure it is coming. This is a full frame lens, and is pretty big for APS-C.
Would like to see Samyang Viltrox… would join the GFX system… a 135mm lets say 2.8 would be sweet
That would be great, though I'm not sure Fuji is ready to open that platform.
@@DustinAbbottTWI I think the same - sadly sigma/tamron arent really interested because they make more profit in the fullrame market - hope fuji will add a wideangle 1,7 sometime for astro photography - have the 20-35mm and dont wanna use a tracker all the time for milky way shots -
Thank you.
you're welcome!
First party manufacturers, Sigma and Tamron should fear the day Viltrox starts making Zooms.
I've had the same thought.
Very good sharpness and bokeh ，price is good too. Except for the weight.
All true.
Waiting for Z Mount ??
I suspect that will be announced before the year is out.
I want to see this lens on the ZV-E10 haha
Probably a matter of the tail wagging the dog ;)
Too heavy. Its heavier than 70-200 2.8 GM II. On the brighy side It doesn't cost 4000usd and has autofocus. Comparing to Otus is a lot more than LOCA and sharpness performance but I see your point.
I wil stick to my Samyang 135mm Af for now mostly due to weight but Viltrox achieved their goal and I hope they get their share of the market.
That's a fair take.
two letters close to perfection, RF :)
Wouldn't that be nice!
What 85 1.2 for Sony I am in
I can't wait for that one.
Merci 🙏 ❤❤❤
You're welcome!
🎉
:)
Woahhhh 😮
For sure.
21:47 Why in the Samyang 135 test it was sharp at the edges of the frame, but in this comparative test with Viltrox Samyang is no longer sharp at the edges ?? 😂 source: ruclips.net/video/VPHlVBoAHeQ/видео.html
First of all, I actually say that the Samyang is sharper in the corners than the Viltrox. Secondly, the initial Samyang 135mm test was done on a 50MP Alpha 1, while this comparison is done on a 61MP a7RV. That extra resolution can can the results to look a little softer.
@@DustinAbbottTWI doesn't matter whether it is 50 or 60 Mpx. There's huge difference even when you watching it downscaled.
This thing weighs a god damn ton. And no photographer thinks heavy is somehow great, whatsoever. Why doesn't Voltrox learn that mirrorless means light and not having a tank to lug around. Are they unable to make decent plastics or composites? Most people will decide for the Samyang/Rokinon..
Hmmm, I would say from the comments that its probably not true that most people will go for the Samyang, but I wouldn't say their goal here was small and light. They wanted to make the best 135mm optically (and functionally) that they could, and while I would loved it to be 400g lighter, that's about all I can complain about.
@@DustinAbbottTWI I could imagine, that your audience is more technically demanding than the average customer. I use the Samyang 135mm on my A7r IV (for nature and portrait), more or less non-stop wide open at F1.8 and I'm totally happy with its optical performance. If I was debating to upgrade, I'd get the Sony 135m GM because I think it's still the best lens overall. And the Samyang already is a bit too heavy for my liking, especially usually it's not the only lens I have to carry around..
Please viltrox, build a 600mm prime f/4.
That would be sweet.
I know I am chatty today, Viltorx should make you there rep
LOL
That lens is so big that you'll need written permission from the government to go outside with it.
LOL
Sure.. If 1 is willing to carry that lens being at 1.2kg.. then all is good. The price is excellent. All else is also on the good side. Just heavy and maybe big.
I guess.. making a lens bigger, heavier and cheaper while maintaining the sharpness quick af and etc is easier and already happening long ago. Almost all 3rd party does that.. releasing a lens cheaper than original but being heavier and bigger..
Now when can we really see a breakthrough.. for eg same 135 f1.8 but size like 50mm and weights 600grams. Now that would be the real interesting and technology advancement. Sure.. make it cost $1000 more than the GM.. But can they do it.
It may be possible to do, but is there a market for a third party lens $1000 above a GM? I doubt they'll go for that.
@ i wont say if there is a market. But im sure someone would buy them. Maybe especiallly the pro or the richer hobbyist. Who doesnt like or want to carry lighter and smaller gear. Money .. oh well. Some people just has more than others or willing to spend. But like I said above. We just see cheaper but bigger and heavier option many times already but when can we have more expensive but smaller and lighter. Im sure some people would buy them.
A 135mm the size of a 50mm? Seems like you won't be able to get something like that with standard photographic elements. The physics just doesn't add up. MAYBE if they were to develop a lens using metamaterials, but I still thing we're at least a decade or two away from seeing an affordable consumer-grade Metalens on a photographic system. That's metamaterial optics are more or less in their infancy stage.
Interesting, Christopher Frost found his copy of Samyang 135 F1.8 to be sharper than new Viltrox, he mentions it at 7:30 in his video.
You'll see my detailed comparison this week, but that's not even close to being true for me (other than the far corners).
@@DustinAbbottTWI That's interesting, because in the Samyang vs. GM comparative test the Korean lens was super sharp at the edges and now it's not?
The initial Samyang 135mm test was done on a 50MP Alpha 1, while this comparison is done on a 61MP a7RV. That extra resolution can can the results to look a little softer. I do say both in this video and in the comparison video that the Samyang is better in the corners than the Viltrox, however.
@@DustinAbbottTWI The fact that it is better does not mean that it is visible that after scaling down the resolution in the original Samyang test was much better. It does not matter whether the sensor is 50 or 61 Mpx.
Personally not a fan of the mechanics, the aperture ring, as well as the LED display and built-in Bluetooth which are unnecessary drains on the camera's battery. But a good job by the optical engineers. Interesting that the vignetting is so low, yet there is still noticeable deformation of the bokeh off-axis, in contrast to the Nikon Plena which has low vignetting and minimal off-axis bokeh deformation.
The only lenses I can think of that might give this a run for the under $1,000 best optical performance crown are the Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50/2, and possibly the Sigma 40/1.4 Art (when stopped down to f1.8). The Sigma 70/2.8 Macro Art is pretty good value for its performance too.
Those are some good options, though I'm not sure I can go with the Sigma 70. That lenses had a lot of compromises, in my opinion.
LED display : you don't HAVE TO look at it, as your viewfinder and backscreen shall propose the same data.
Bluetooth : you DO NOT have to use it, for the lens has a USB-C connector.
bokeh "off-axis" : do you make so many portraits with the model "off-axis", or Christmas lights in the same style ?
Voigtlander APO-Lanthar 50 mm f/2 : what type of autofocus system does this lens have ?
NIKKOR Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena : what is the usual price tag attached to this lens ?
Sigma 40 mm f/1.4 Art : what is the focal length of this lens ?
Sigma 70/2.8 Macro Art : what are the focal length and maximum aperture of this lens ?
You have a strange way of comparing things ! And, actually, this is not comparing, rather dropping words then chosing which characteristics you want to evaluate or not.
Thankfully, Dustin Abbott and folks at DxO Mark are comparing. Really, by measuring feature for feature and publishing factual data.
Then, if all this is not enough and you still find yourself "not a fan of" this lens, I suggest purchasing an Angénieux one. This French brand specializes in cinema lens (after producing photo lenses for a while, during the 1980s and 1990s) considered "perfect"... but.
But they might not be "perfect" enough for you, and the price may have you think twice before looking for "perfection".
@@DustinAbbottTWI I base that estimation on the late Robert O'Toole's test titled "1X High-End Lens Test" on his site, "Close Up Photography", where the Sigma 70mm Art matched dedicated machine vision lenses that are an order of magnitude more expensive. Admittedly, that test was only at one focal distance/magnification.
@@gillesmatheronpro I suggest taking a more charitable reading of my comment, as you seem to be misunderstanding many parts of it.
Regarding the LED display and Bluetooth: I was not criticising their usefulness, as you claim, but the fact that they exist and, as far as I know, can not be disabled, and thus draw battery power, which causes a negative effect on the shooting experience even if I were to never look at/use these features.
Regarding off-axis bokeh: you may not find it a metric of importance to a lens' performance, but reviewers do test for it so I can not be the only one who cares.
Regarding the lens comparisons I provided: the point was not to compare with lenses of similar focal lengths or maximum apertures, as you have misunderstood, but to respond to the title of the video, i.e., whether this lens is the best lens under $1,000. I reasonably presumed that no qualification of focal length or maximum aperture was made in that rhetorical titular question, and thus that any lens in existence (as long as it is under $1,000), could be considered as competition. In this respect it is you who has a "strange way of comparing things", as your proffered alternative, an Angénieux lens, is about as far from meeting the under $1,000 criteria as possible. I might also suggest that Angénieux lenses may not be as "perfect" as you assume, because lens design is a compromise of a multitude of factors, and even just the umbrella factor of aberrations can not be completely eliminated. In other words, no lens is "perfect", not even with an unlimited budget.
Finally, I never wrote that I was, ""not a fan of" this lens". You have taken that quote out of its original context. What I wrote was that I was, "not a fan of the mechanics [of the lens]", and explained why, with reference to the aperture ring (which Dustin also criticised), and the LED display and Bluetooth features. But overall, my impression is quite positive in fact.
Sony 90mm f2.8 macro is great. Obviously the Minolta 100mm Macro was great too 🤷♂️
It is too heavy. That is main weakness vs. Samyang
Agreed.
Waiting an Z mount version, the Nikon 135 was way too expensive for this range
That's where a lot of people are. Most of us don't shoot 135mm often enough to want to spend $2000+ on a 135.
great, i now ist very important for you:! cheep, cheep, cheep!! terrible. all people wants to cheep. and nikon and canon, and the other one?
the world is tommorow only chinese
I don't even know what to say about something like that. The company VILTROX builds lenses from China. It may sound strange, but the Chinese definitely want to win the world market for themselves. As an ambitious professional photographer, you should not even consider buying such lenses. This is throwing dirt on well-known manufacturers who have been building great lenses for decades. I can't understand why any photographer is enthusiastic about these lenses. As a matter of principle, you shouldn't buy one. And you, who loved taking photos with Zeiss Otus, now sounds unbelievable.
What principle is that? Only established players should control the market and innovative new companies should be shunned?
@Testprinz that is an incredibly ridiculous statement.
Nikon USED to build lenses in Japan. Now they save $$$ by building them elsewhere.
Hmmm, interesting that you called me on the Zeiss Otus reference, considering that Zeiss is a German company that moved its manufacturing to Japan. Was that a betrayal of the German people? I'm obviously not at all a fan of the CCP, but to penalize what I consider to be the fastest improving and most innovative lensmaker in the world at the moment just because they happen to be Chinese is a little ridiculous.
Gonna get the RF version when available 🎉
Hmmm, at the current rate Canon is going, that make be 2030. They show no signs of opening up the full frame RF mount.
Very nice optic qualities and functionalities. Big brands need to be worried by Viltrox who already delivered amazing lenses and seems to launch an high end line with this lab one. Just a con for me is this aperture ring with its unnecessary 1/9 clics… a true « manual » aperture ring like GM or other viltrox would have been sufficient. The best would have been to let it under one kilo to have a better balance and less weight. It s the same weight as the sigma old art line for reflex which is known to be heavy and more heavy than Nikon canon and Sony ones. This is probably it s only disadvantage vs the other brands.
Fair critiques, I think.
@ Thx Dustin I appreciate :)