Last month, we reviewed the Viltrox 85mm f2 for Sony E mount. And we found this lens to be something of an identity crisis. By all means, it’s a good lens — but it’s clearly designed for the deal-seeking crowd and it’s nothing like their 85mm f1.4 that we’re in love with. The Viltrox 85mm f2 EVO has an aperture ring, decent focusing, and pretty darn good image quality. And now, it’s coming to Nikon Z mount.
With the Viltrox 85mm f2 you’re getting a pretty good lens that most photographers might be happy with. There’s a metal build, lots of hardware controls, etc. It can pair with the Nikon ZF’s retro aesthetics or with the standard Nikon way of doing things by turning the aperture ring to the A-setting. Still, in our mind, we wonder why they didn’t try to weather seal the lens at all.
We found the autofocus to be a bit behind what we’re used to, and we’re sure that this might get fixed with firmware as it usually does with Viltrox lenses.
Here’s a quote from the conclusion of our review:
The Viltrox 85mm F2 EVO FE is something of an oddity when it comes to the world of 85mm prime lenses. With a maximum aperture of f2, it’s not as fast as several affordable 85mm options, but its price point makes it a compelling option for photographers on the strictest of budgets. In terms of overall performance, the 85mm F2 EVO consistently delivers sharp images and pleasing colors. I just wish there was even the slightest bit of weather-sealing, even if just at the mount.
Alberto Lima
The Sony variant is less than $300, and we can only expect that the new Z mount version will be super affordable too. If you’re looking for a few small primes for Nikon Z mount, this lens will pair well with the Nikon 40mm f2 and the Nikon 26mm f2.8 pancake lens. With these three lenses, you’ll have a decent amount of coverage for a very affordable price point. But also remember that you’ll be able to take the Nikon lenses out into tougher conditions — which tend to pop up randomly with the way global warming works these days.