There are days when some launches indeed confuse me. Today happens to be one of them. This does not pertain to the quality or features of an upcoming product but rather the sheer volume at which things are being announced. A few days ago, we tested Viltrox’s 135mm LAB lens, which was followed by a report of the company making a new 35mm lens for Fujifilm. And today, I came across another 35mm lens, which made me scratch my head for a few seconds. However, as it turns out, this Viltrox lens is not for Fujifilm but for Sony FE mount! And the new image leaks have excited many photographers. Come, have a look.
Viltrox to Expand its Lab Lineup
Viltrox recently announced its LAB lineup, which is a premium series that promises a large aperture, better build quality, and great images. It now seems that after the 135mm f1.8, the company is set to release a few more lenses in this lineup. According to Sony Alpha Rumors, a leaked image of a 35mm f1.8 LAB lens has recently surfaced on Reddit, and it does look pretty huge on the FE mount. The 135mm was also no different, but we will get to it in a minute. Although no specifications have yet been disclosed, users are quite excited to get their hands on a lens that is certainly offering the best of both worlds: price and quality.
The 35mm is not the only lens that has been teased. Sony Alpha Rumor further adds the company will also launch a 50mm f1.2 LAB and an 85mm f1.2 LAB pretty soon, making the Viltrox LAB a set of four. With the leaked images already out, we believe the company will launch this lens next year since the last two months are largely a time for people to spend time with their families. Nobody really wants to look at their phone, let alone comment about a new gear.
Viltrox is on to Something
This is not to sensationalize the article but to reveal that the company is really trying to change things. In our review of the 135mm lens, we found that despite being so huge, it was quite snappy, and the image was medium-format quality. We expect the same results from the 35mm, and in fact, we believe that, like the 135mm, it will easily be a better choice than Sigma. The weather sealing and the built are some features that will entice photographers. The image quality is equally great. As we stated in our review: “The image quality is stunning and comparable to what Canon outputs. That means that the lens surely has character to it.” In fact, we suggest that people purchase this over Sigma, which is not only slower but also expensive (about $500 expensive).
However, the negative that we still want them to change is the size and weight. The 35mm lens is ideal for street photography or documentaries, so the lens must be unconscious. In its current state, that doesn’t seem like that’s the state. Besides that, we hope the 35mm will be great. The physical features resemble the 135mm, with the LCD panel adding a nice touch. It may weigh more than other competing lenses, but it will be priced reasonably, like the 135mm. And since the lenses are supposed to be premium, we think the 50mm and the 85mm will follow the same build and characteristics.
Since Viltrox is performing at par with Tamrom, we think it may become the go-to brand for Sony photographers who have grown tired of Sigma. But we will wait and see how it all plays out.