- Viltrox unveils 75mm f/1.8 and 90mm f/2.2 autofocus primes for APS-C
- They are available in Sony E, Fujifilm X and Nikon Z-mount versions
- We still do not know the outcome of the Nikon/Viltrox lawsuit
It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Viltrox lenses — and why not? The Chinese lens maker makes some of the best quality and affordable third-party lenses, and we now have two more to choose from: the AF 75mm F1.8 EVO and the AF 90mm F2.2 EVO.
Both lenses are available from today in Sony E, Fujifilm X and Nikon Z-mount versions for $329 / £319 at Amazon and $369 / £359 at Amazon respectively (Australian pricing TBC). There are frequent offers on the Viltrox website – in fact there are already about 5% off these prices at launch.
They are designed for APS-C cameras, which means that both lenses work directly with e.g. Sony A6700, Nikon Z50 II, Fujifilm X-T5 (look out for my review of the X-mount version of the 90mm coming soon), and have 113mm and 135mm effective focal lengths respectively.
These focal lengths are particularly popular for portrait photography – I especially love the 135mm focal length – and the bright maximum aperture of each capable of rendering blurred backgrounds.
Being ‘EVO’ lenses, the pair are affordable, especially lightweight, and will be impressively sharp given these factors. And I should know – we’ve already tested other EVO lenses, including the full-frame 85mm F2 EVO, and expect the same high quality from the latest additions to the range.
Each lens has a click/unclick aperture ring, customizable mode dial and AF/MF switch, plus autofocus powered by an STM motor. They are roughly the same size and take 58mm lens filters, while the 75mm lens weighs 11.8oz / 335g and the 90mm lens weighs 11.3oz / 320g.
With a minimum focus distance of 0.74m, neither lens is particularly strong for close-ups.
The 90mm F2.2 is a different proposition to Viltrox’s 135mm F1.8 LAB lens for full-frame cameras, which has the same effective focal length – that flagship lens is three times the price and weight. No, Viltrox’s EVO lenses are designed to deliver dreamy bokeh and sharp detail to enthusiast-level cameras, but in a light and uncluttered package. I’m excited to share my review of the 90mm lens soon.
Picture 1 of 5
So what’s up with the Nikon case?
It’s no surprise to see more new prime lenses from Viltrox – it’s been especially prolific in the last two years. What caused my raised eyebrow, however, is that these two new lenses are available for Nikon cameras.
At the turn of the year, we reported that Nikon was suing Viltrox for alleged patent infringement, and that the case would be before the courts sometime in March. That situation has since been terribly quiet, and we do not know the status of this case.
So if you are a Nikon user, e.g. Z50 II or Z30, should you buy one of these new lenses? I don’t see much of a risk – it would be a very aggressive move for Nikon to push future firmware updates to its mirrorless cameras that break existing compatibility with Viltrox lenses.
However, there may be a time when Viltrox lenses increase in price should Viltrox start paying Nikon royalties as a result. Until then, it remains arguably the most affordable lens manufacturer of all, although Sigma generally has a wider range.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews and opinions in your feeds.
