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Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.2 PRO XF - Review / Test Report |
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Lens Reviews -
Fujifilm X
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Page 1 of 3
Review by Klaus Schroiff, published February 2023
Introduction
Viltrox is a bit of an outlier among Chinese lens manufacturers. Most are trying their luck in certain niches. e.g. Loawa is well-known for ultra-wide and macro lenses while others are bottom feeders. However, Viltrox has a very different approach. They are going for the mainstream market. Their rise to (relative) fame started with a set of APS-C format prime lenses - namely the AF 23mm f/1.4, AF 33mm f/1.4 and AF 56mm f/1.4 both in Sony E and Fujifilm X mount. Later they added a 13mm f/1.4 including one for Nikon Z as well as a set of full-format prime lenses. Despite the high speed, they still managed to keep the retail price very competitive - which brings us to their latest offering, the Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.2 PRO XF. Nothing beats speed but more speed and f/1.2 is about as fast as it gets in Fujifilm X mount. Yet a price of around $550/600EUR is almost a steal in this lens class.
Unlike previous Viltrox lenses, the 75mm f/1.2 is a designated "PRO" lens and this isn't just marketing. The build quality is very good if not exceptional thanks to a tightly assembled metal body as well as weather-sealing - the latter is a first for a Chinese manufacturer. The lens uses an inner focusing system thus the physical length remains constant throughout the focus range. It also features a dedicated, clicked aperture ring. There's also an MF/AF switch on the lens. The manual focusing ring operates smoothly. Viltrox also included a petal-shaped (plastic) lens hood. Given its impressive specs and high build quality, it's not surprising that it's comparatively big and quite heavy.
As hinted above, the AF 75mm f/1.2 PRO XF is fully coupled so all relevant aspects can be controlled via the camera. EXIF data is provided making it also compatible with in-camera image stabilization. The lens uses a stepping motor (STM) for auto-focusing. The AF works well but, typical for STM, it's not a speed demon. Manual focusing works "by wire" thus you are driving the AF motor when turning the focus ring in manual mode. Firmware updates are possible via a dedicated USB port on the lens mount.
| Specifications |
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| Equiv. full-format focal length | "115mm" |
| quiv. full-format aperture (FoV) | "f/1.8" |
| Optical construction | 16 elements in 11 groups (3xED, 4xHR) |
| Number of aperture blades | 11 (rounded) |
| min. focus distance | 0.88m (1:10 max magnification) |
| Dimensions | 87x101mm |
| Weight | 670g |
| Filter size | 77mm |
| Hood | petal-shaped (bayonet mount, supplied) |
| AF motor | Stepping type |
| Other | HD Nano coating (water-resistant), aperture ring, weather-proof, USB Port |
| Available Mounts | Fujifilm X |
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