Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 for Nikon Z: A Comprehensive Review
The Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 AF for Nikon Z mount has made a significant splash in the photography world, offering a compelling combination of image quality, autofocus performance, and a remarkably attractive price point. This prime lens caters to portrait photographers, sports enthusiasts, and anyone seeking creamy bokeh and impressive reach without breaking the bank. In this comprehensive review, we’ll delve deep into every aspect of the Viltrox 135mm f/1.8, exploring its optical performance, build quality, autofocus capabilities, and overall value proposition.
I. Introduction: A New Contender in the 135mm Arena
The 135mm focal length has long been a favorite among photographers, offering a flattering perspective for portraits, isolating subjects effectively, and providing ample reach for sports and wildlife photography. Traditionally, high-quality 135mm lenses have come with a hefty price tag, often placing them out of reach for amateur and budget-conscious photographers. Viltrox has disrupted this status quo with the introduction of their 135mm f/1.8 AF, a lens that aims to deliver professional-level performance at a fraction of the cost of first-party options. This review aims to determine whether Viltrox has truly succeeded in achieving this ambitious goal.
II. Build Quality and Design: A Solid Foundation
The Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 boasts a robust and well-constructed design. The lens barrel is primarily made of metal, giving it a solid and durable feel. While not weather-sealed, the lens feels sturdy enough to withstand regular use in various shooting conditions. The focus and aperture rings operate smoothly with a reassuring tactile feedback. The lens also features a programmable function button, which can be customized to control various camera settings, adding a layer of convenience to the user experience.
The included lens hood is well-designed, effectively minimizing flare and ghosting. The lens also comes with a padded carrying case, further enhancing its overall value. The overall impression is one of quality and attention to detail, exceeding expectations for a lens at this price point.
III. Optical Performance: Sharpness, Bokeh, and Aberrations
The core strength of any lens lies in its optical performance. The Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 delivers impressive results in this regard. Sharpness is excellent across the frame, even when shooting wide open at f/1.8. Stopping down to f/2.8 or f/4 yields marginally improved sharpness, but the difference is subtle. This wide-open sharpness is a significant advantage, allowing photographers to capture stunning images with beautifully blurred backgrounds even in low-light conditions.
Bokeh, the quality of the out-of-focus blur, is another area where the Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 excels. The 11-blade diaphragm produces smooth, creamy bokeh, rendering backgrounds with a pleasing aesthetic quality. The rounded aperture blades contribute to circular highlights, enhancing the overall visual appeal of the images.
Chromatic aberration, often seen as color fringing around high-contrast edges, is well-controlled. While some minor chromatic aberration can be observed in extreme scenarios, it is easily corrected in post-processing. Similarly, vignetting, the darkening of the corners of the image, is minimal and easily manageable.
Distortion is also well-corrected, with minimal noticeable barrel or pincushion distortion. This is particularly important for portrait photography, where accurate rendering of facial features is crucial.
IV. Autofocus Performance: Speed and Accuracy
The autofocus system of the Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 utilizes a stepping motor (STM) for quiet and accurate focusing. While not as lightning-fast as some higher-end lenses, the autofocus performance is generally quick and reliable. In well-lit conditions, the lens acquires focus quickly and accurately. In low-light situations, the autofocus can hunt occasionally, but it rarely fails to lock onto the subject.
The lens also supports eye-autofocus, a valuable feature for portrait photographers. The eye-AF functionality is generally accurate and responsive, allowing for precise focus on the subject’s eyes.
V. Real-World Applications: Portraits, Sports, and More
The Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 is a versatile lens suitable for a variety of photographic genres.
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Portrait Photography: The 135mm focal length provides a flattering perspective for portraits, compressing the background and isolating the subject effectively. The wide f/1.8 aperture allows for shallow depth of field, further enhancing the subject separation and creating beautiful bokeh.
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Sports Photography: While not designed specifically for sports, the 135mm focal length offers sufficient reach for capturing action from a distance. The relatively fast autofocus performance allows for tracking moving subjects, although it might struggle with extremely fast-paced action.
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Wildlife Photography: The 135mm focal length can be useful for capturing images of smaller wildlife. The fast aperture allows for shooting in low-light conditions, which can be beneficial for wildlife photography.
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General Photography: The Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 can also be used for various other applications, such as landscape photography, street photography, and even astrophotography.
VI. Comparisons with Competitors:
While the Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 doesn’t have many direct competitors in the Nikon Z mount ecosystem at its price point, it’s worth comparing its features and performance to more expensive options. Nikon’s own Z 105mm f/2.8 S offers superior build quality, weather sealing, and potentially faster autofocus, but at a significantly higher price. Third-party options like the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art are also available for other mounts and can be adapted, but again, come at a premium. The Viltrox stands out for offering comparable image quality at a fraction of the cost.
VII. Value Proposition: A Budget-Friendly Powerhouse
The Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 offers exceptional value for money. Its combination of excellent image quality, solid build quality, and respectable autofocus performance makes it a compelling option for photographers seeking a high-quality 135mm lens without breaking the bank. While it may lack some of the features found in more expensive lenses, such as weather sealing and lightning-fast autofocus, its performance far exceeds its price point.
VIII. Conclusion: A Highly Recommended Lens
The Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 AF for Nikon Z is a truly impressive lens. Its combination of outstanding image quality, solid build construction, and a remarkably attractive price point makes it a must-have for any Nikon Z shooter looking for a high-quality 135mm prime. While it might not be perfect, its strengths far outweigh its weaknesses, making it a highly recommended lens for photographers of all skill levels. Viltrox has undoubtedly disrupted the market with this lens, proving that exceptional performance doesn’t always have to come with a premium price tag.
IX. Pros and Cons:
Pros:
- Excellent image quality, sharpness across the frame even at f/1.8
- Beautiful bokeh with smooth, rounded highlights
- Robust and well-constructed build
- Fast and reliable autofocus performance
- Excellent value for money
- Customizable function button
- Includes lens hood and carrying case
Cons:
- Not weather-sealed
- Autofocus can hunt occasionally in low light
- No image stabilization
X. Specifications:
- Focal Length: 135mm
- Maximum Aperture: f/1.8
- Minimum Aperture: f/16
- Lens Mount: Nikon Z
- Format Compatibility: Full-frame
- Autofocus: Yes
- Image Stabilization: No
- Minimum Focusing Distance: 0.8m
- Filter Size: 77mm
- Dimensions: 87mm x 114mm
- Weight: 920g
This concludes our comprehensive review of the Viltrox 135mm f/1.8 for Nikon Z. We hope this detailed analysis has provided valuable insights into this impressive lens and helps you make an informed decision about whether it’s the right choice for your photographic needs.