Sony Photography News and Rumors

Viltrox 85mm f/1.4 Pro FE: B&H Photo / Amazon

Optical Limits posted its full review of the very affordable high-performance Viltrox 85mm f/1.4 Pro FE, which you can read in full here or check out the excerpt below:

The Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.4 PRO FE delivers a very solid performance with a few caveats. It is already sharp at f/1.4 and great at medium aperture settings… The lens produces a very slight image distortion and noticeable vignetting at large aperture… Lateral CAs are low, whereas axial CAs can show up at f/1.4 and f/2. The quality of the bokeh is generally good…The build quality is superb. The metal body feels solid as a rock, and the control rings and button feel reassuringly high quality. The AF is good, although it stays slightly below Sony standards in terms of speed… Overall, a very attractive option that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.

Pro

1. Very sharp
2. Great Build Quality

Con

1. AF issue in enlarged Live View mode (to be corrected via firmware update)
2. Comparatively heavy
3. No auto-correction profile

Follow SonyAddict on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube

Plus our owners’ groups
Sony a1 Owners Group
Sony a9 Owners Group
Sony a7 Owners Group

Viltrox 85mm f/1.4 Pro FE: B&H Photo / Amazon

Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.4 Overview

Pro Flagship Series
Combining a portrait focal length with an impressively bright aperture, the AF 85mm f/1.4 Pro FE Lens from Viltrox is designed for Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras. This fast prime lens is driven by dual Hyper VCM motors that ensure high-speed and consistent autofocus performance with a minimum focusing distance of 2.6′. The lens’s optical design incorporates various high-quality glass elements for ensuring impressive image quality throughout the frame. The metal, weather-sealed lens body is both dust- and splash-resistant, improving reliability against the elements.

Comprehensive Optical Design
The AF 85mm f/1.4 Pro FE features one ultra-precision aspherical (UA) lens, three extra-low dispersion (ED) lenses, and nine high refractive index (HR) lenses to minimize optical aberrations and significantly improve image quality.

15 elements in 11 groups make up the optical design which work together to deliver impressive sharpness.

The HD multilayer nano coating on the lens glass effectively reduces ghosting and flare, helping to create clearer images.

Professional Control
Viltrox’s dual Hyper VCM motors deliver fast, efficient autofocus with advanced face and eye detection, ensuring your subject is properly tracked and in focus.

A customizable Fn button is featured on the lens barrel for programming your preferred setting and accessing it quickly.

A click switch allows swapping between clicked and smooth aperture adjustments, which is useful when capturing videos.

AF/MF switch for rapidly switching between autofocus and manual focus modes.

Built for All Conditions
Dust- and splash-resistant design with weather sealing for handling various weather conditions and preventing dust from entering the lens.

The front lens element is treated with a waterproof and anti-fouling coating, which repels unwanted liquids from accumulating.

Full metal construction, providing a durable and lightweight design weighing 1.8 lb.

Additional Lens Benefits

• 77mm filter thread for wide compatibility with attachments such as polarizers or ND filters.
• 2.6′ minimum focusing distance, allowing you to work fairly close to your subject.
• USB-C port for firmware updates.

Read More »