Viltrox recently sent me a lens to try out: their brand-new AF 75mm f/1.8 EVO. This a portrait lens with a somewhat large maximum aperture. As a third-party (non-Fujinon) option, how good is it? Where does it fit within Fujifilm’s lineup? Is it worthwhile to buy? Those are the questions I will try to answer in this review.
The first question I had is: what does EVO mean? Apparently, it is short for “Evolution of Essentials” and designates Viltrox’s mid-tier lineup. They call their low-budget line AIR and the top-end PRO. So the 75mm f/1.8 fits in the middle. It’s probably most equivalent to Fujifilm’s “Fujicron” f/2 series, as far as build and image quality goes, which is good company to be in.
Fujifilm has a pretty mature lens lineup with high quality glass and without a lot of holes; however, there are indeed some holes. The middle ground is pretty crowded, but at the ultra-wide and telephoto ends, there is a little lack of coverage. After the Fujinon 56mm f/1.2, there are two macro’s—the aging 60mm f/2.4 (in need of a refresh) and the excellent but expensive 80mm f/2.8—and then the 90mm f/2. The 56mm f/1.2 and 90mm f/2 are a couple of my favorite lenses, and are great options, but there should be something in-between that’s fast and affordable (and not a macro). That’s where we find the Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 EVO.
A 75mm (112mm full-frame equivalent) lens isn’t just good for portrait photography, but for a lot of other things, too. Anytime you want to isolate the subject or compress the scene, this is a good focal-length choice. It can be used in street, travel, landscapes, events, still-life, and more. It’s a very useful focal length to have available for a variety of subjects and situations, but Fujifilm doesn’t offer it.
The image quality from the Viltrox 75mm f/1.8 is fantastic. It has excellent sharpness edge-to-edge and very little distortion. When wide open, there is a very small drop in overall sharpness and some minor vignetting (nothing to be concerned about); however, stopping down just a little improves it, with optimal image quality around f/4 and f/5.6. Bokeh, which is the quality of the out of focus areas of the picture, is very pleasing. I was impressed with the photographs that this lens produces, and found very little to complain about. Well done, Viltrox!
Personally, I like lens flare, but not everyone does. The Viltrox lens controls flare very well. If the sun or a bright light is just out of frame, you can get some hazy “veiling” flare. Sunstars aren’t half bad when using small apertures. If you don’t like lens flare or if you do like sunstars, this lens is pretty good. Below are two examples of sunstars and one example of flare with this lens.
Autofocus was quiet, quick, and accurate. The focus ring is smooth, making manual focus pleasant. Close focus is mediocre, at “only” 29 inches (maybe a reason why those two macro lenses might be preferable). The aperture ring—yea, it has an aperture ring!—has nice clicks, with one-third intermediate stops in-between the full stops. It takes 58mm filters. Build quality seems quite good, perhaps a tad plasticky, if there’s anything negative to say about it. It has some level of weather sealing, although I did not put that too the test. The lens weighs only 11.8 ounces, which is just slightly more than the old kit Fujinon 18-55mm f/2.8-4 zoom, and pretty lightweight for a telephoto. It’s a little smaller than both the Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 and Fujinon 90mm f/2, making it a good in-between option that will fit a little easier into your camera bag.
Perhaps the number one selling point for the Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 EVO is the price, at only $330. For that low amount, it’s very easy to recommend. This isn’t a “good for the money” situation, though: the lens is good, the affordable price is a bonus. If you are in the market for a lens in-between Fujifilm’s 56mm and 90mm options, and you don’t want or need a macro, this is one to strongly consider. Also, maybe you own and love both the 56mm and 90mm, but want something that’s close enough to both yet is a little easier to travel with, this might be it. I think the Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 EVO is a really good lens, and it fills a void in the Fujinon lineup quite nicely. I’m very happy with it, and you probably would be, too.
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Fujifilm X-E5 in black:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Nuzira
Fujifilm X-E5 in silver:
Amazon, B&H, Moment, Nuzira
Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 EVO:
Amazon, B&H
I agree, the Viltrox lenses are great alternatives to Fuji. I have the 27mm Pro, and it is a great lens. Downside to the Pro line is that they are heavy, and a bit out of balance on the smaller Fuji bodies (much more at home on my X-T5 than on my X-Pro3). I think if I were to buy one of the 75mm’s, I would give the Evo a go over the Pro for the reduced weight and size.
I went with the 75m 1.2 last year. Love the lens. I wanted something close in focal length as the Nikkor 105mm 2.5. AIS Manual. When using that lens back in the day, I was impressed with how I could see in 105 when giving it a chance. I used the Viltrox for a Parisienne trip testing as to whether or not its weight would influence how I went about my business with the lens. Attached to my XT-5 with a grip it is actually a non issue. The 751.2 is wicked sharp and renderers tones beautifully. Anyway, Viltrox is on to something.