I've been eager to test out this budget portrait lens and see how it performs. So I’ve been shooting with it for the past few months and I’m really excited to share my thoughts with you.
Overviews of Features
The Viltrox 85mm f/1.8 is an affordable prime lens designed for APS-C Fujifilm cameras. With an 85mm focal length, it gives you a 127.5mm full frame equivalent field of view which is perfect for portraits.
For the price, you get:
* A wide f/1.8 aperture for shallow depth of field
* Smooth and nearly silent autofocus
* Solid metal construction
* 67mm filter thread
* A wide f/1.8 aperture for shallow depth of field
* Smooth and nearly silent autofocus
* Solid metal construction
* 67mm filter thread
It is hefty, it is chonky, but I don’t mind that.
It's currently priced around $400 which is significantly cheaper than Fujifilm's 90mm f/2 prime lens. One of the main reasons I got this lens was because I got it second hand at a bargain price here in South Korea via a second hand app, at an equivalent of around $260 USD.
Image Quality
Now let's talk about image quality because that's what really matters in a lens. And I have to say, the Viltrox doesn’t disappoint.
Sharpness isn’t excellent but it is pretty darn good, even when shooting wide open at f/1.8. Center sharpness is great but there is very minor softening around the edges and corners when shooting at max aperture. But stop down just slightly to f2 or 2.2 and sharpness becomes very consistent across the frame.
Bokeh looks smooth and pleasing thanks to the fast f/1.8 aperture. You get that nice subject isolation and background blur that you want in portraits.
Vignetting and chromatic aberration are both well controlled too.
Overall, I'm very satisfied with the image quality, especially considering the price of this lens. It can definitely compete with lenses costing much more.
Focusing Performance
In terms of autofocus, it's decent but not amazing. In good light, it's pretty quick and accurate. But in low light it can hunt a bit and be less consistent.
The motor is very quiet though, so you won’t attract too much attention or hear it if you’re doing video work.
With the tech spec stuff out the way, I want to talk a bit about the actual use cases for this lens and why I probably wouldn’t buy it again. You see, 85mm, I feel, is such a niche focal length and I hardly shoot portraits that this wouldn’t make much sense to purchase new. If I’m being honest I actually had my eye on the Viltrox 75mm f1.2 which has taken Fuji YouTube by storm, but again, considering how seldom I shoot portraits it just didn’t make sense.
That said, I want to be able to take on portrait jobs at short notice, and it never hurts to have that telephoto focal length in my arsenal. My workhorse Lens is and will always be my Sigma 18-50, and while both the Sigma and Fuji 56mm lenses are amazing portrait performers, I felt that they were just a bit too close to 50mm to warrant buying. And that’s how I ended with this absolute beast of a lens.
Conclusion
To wrap things up, if you own a Fuji mirrorless camera and want an affordable portrait lens, the Viltrox 85mm f/1.8 is an excellent option. The image quality punches far above its price class. Autofocus holds up well and build quality feels solid despite the lower price point.
For less than half the cost of Fuji's 90mm lens, the Viltrox 85mm gives you great results at a budget friendly price. So if you're looking to get into portrait photography with your Fuji, I can easily recommend this lens.
