The Viltrox AF 13/1.4 released in the first half of this year is a very good lens. It is the only one in the APS-C format system. And it has improved significantly in terms of image quality. So this lens can be said to be a strong candidate for the best China made lens of the year in my mind.
But when I got the Viltrox AF 75/1.2 XF, I think this lens can better represent the current optical strength of Viltrox. Today I am here to share with you my experience in using this lens.
First, let me introduce the hardware of this lens. Currently we have the Fuji X-mount version, and the Sony E-mount and Nikon Z-mount versions will be launched gradually in the future. The lens volume can only be said to be a little smaller than Fuji XF50mmF1.0 R WR, and the aperture is also 77mm, but it is much larger than Fuji XF56mmF1.2 R WR.
If you want to calculate the amount of bokeh, the Viltrox AF 75/1.2 XF is larger than the two original fixed focal lengths, and it can be regarded as an “air cutter” in the portrait telephoto of the Fuji X-mount system. It is precisely because of this that Viltros has added the PRO logo on the lens body. I am also very curious about the powerful specifications of Viltrox’s next PRO lens.
There is no shortage of super-large aperture fixed-focus lenses in domestic lenses, such as the 50/0.95 manual focus lens of Yishui, but the Viltrox AF 75/1.2 XF is not only exaggerated in the amount of blur, but also an auto-focus lens. Unlike Fuji XF50mmF1.0 R WR which uses a DC motor to push the focusing lens group, Viltrox AF 75/1.2 XF uses an STM stepping motor to solve the focusing problem of super large aperture lenses. In actual use, I can clearly feel that the focusing response speed of this lens is very fast, and there is no big problem in shooting videos with human eye recognition.
Focal length: 75mm Aperture: F1.2 Sensitivity: ISO125 Shutter speed: 1/3000s
Focal length: 75mm Aperture: F1.2 Sensitivity: ISO6400 Shutter speed: 1/34s
Generally speaking, if the aperture is larger, the picture quality will be compromised by the amount of bokeh. This time, Viltros said no to this “stereotype”. As an old user of the Viltros prime focus group, I can guarantee that the picture quality of the Viltros AF 75/1.2 XF is obviously two to three levels better than that of the Viltros AF 56/1.4 XF, and it can even be said to be on par with Fuji XF33mmF1.4 R WR is comparable. Even on my Fuji X-H2, its picture quality can challenge the four Viltros brothers of the full frame system.
The Viltros Three Musketeers can be said to be “not satisfactory” in terms of dispersion control, but I didn’t find any obvious dispersion at all in this F1.2 big brother. I’m really not bragging, this is the conclusion I got by pulling the RAW file into ACR, manually turning off the built-in profile correction, and then carefully looking for the dispersion. Different brands of cameras have different sensor protection glass thicknesses, so my conclusion is currently applicable to the Fuji X-mount version of the Viltrox AF 75/1.2 XF. As for whether the Sony E-mount version has the same effect, wait for the E-mount version Let’s talk about the version later.
The glare problem that plagued China Made lenses before seems to have been resolved. When the Viltrox AF 75/1.2 XF is facing the sun, there is no obvious glare and contrast drop, which allows us to have greater confidence when shooting portraits. As for the starburst, the minimum aperture of this lens is only F16, so don’t force it.
Of course, this lens also has two fly in the ointment minor problems. The first is the adaptation problem in video mode. Viltrox AF 75/1.2 XF cannot use the aperture ring on the lens to control the aperture, nor can it use the AF/MF lever on the lens to switch focus modes. I believe this problem is only viltrox will fix it through firmware update.
Secondly, the weight of this lens should not be underestimated. My Fuji X-H2 + rabbit cage + Viltrox AF 75/1.2 XF weighs as much as 1.5 kg. After all, if it can “compete full frame” in terms of equivalent specifications, it is bound to “compete full frame” in terms of volume and weight.
Yes, after I have used it for a while, the comparison object of this lens has changed from the large aperture lens in the APS-C format system to the large aperture lens in the full frame system. As the mid-focus portrait lens with the largest amount of blur in the current APS-C format system, the Viltros AF 75/1.2 XF has indeed been able to achieve the level of “full frame”. Its existence not only enables APS-C format users to experience the excellent blurring ability like an “air cutter”, but also enables video users to have better video quality in dark light environments.
The most shocking thing to me is not the blurring ability and image quality, but the price. The price of Viltrox AF 75/1.2 XF only costs half of Fuji XF56mmF1.2 R WR, so I strongly recommend it to anyone who needs portrait stabilization. Focused Fuji users buy this artifact. At the same time, I also recommend Sony and Nikon APS-C format users to hold coins and wait for the launch of the corresponding bayonet version.
In the past two years, China produced lenses have brought me a lot of surprises in terms of image quality, specifications, and even price. I believe that the launch of only one product with specifications such as Viltrox AF 75/1.2 XF and AF 13/1.4 XF is just the beginning of the rise of Chinese optical products rather than the most glorious moment. I am willing to give more time to China made lens brands, and hope that they will live up to our enthusiastic expectations and repay our enthusiastic photographers with better products.
This lens is not aiablable for sale yet, but it will available on early January 2023. You can find it from Pergear.com for lens avaialbility update.