p.1 #1 · Viltrox AF 50mm F1.4 Pro (new lens, available now, october 2025)
Viltrox presents their new 50/1.4 pro lens:
Full-Frame Standard Prime for Every Scene.
Bright F1.4 Aperture for Portraits & Low-Light.
Pro-Grade Optics: 15/11 Elements (1 UA, 3 ED, 8 HR).
Dual Viltrox HyperVCM Motor for Fast, Silent Autofocus.
0.45m Minimum Focusing Distance.
All-Metal, Weather-Sealed Construction.
77 mm Standard Filter Thread.
USB-C Firmware Upgrade Port.
Firmware Upgrade Notice: Please upgrade to the latest firmware v1.14 to optimize the focusing performance
p.1 #3 · Viltrox AF 50mm F1.4 Pro (new lens, available now, october 2025)
Jonas B wrote:
Viltrox presents their new 50/1.4 pro lens:
Full-Frame Standard Prime for Every Scene.
Bright F1.4 Aperture for Portraits & Low-Light.
Pro-Grade Optics: 15/11 Elements (1 UA, 3 ED, 8 HR).
Dual Viltrox HyperVCM Motor for Fast, Silent Autofocus.
0.45m Minimum Focusing Distance.
All-Metal, Weather-Sealed Construction.
77 mm Standard Filter Thread.
USB-C Firmware Upgrade Port.
Firmware Upgrade Notice: Please upgrade to the latest firmware v1.14 to optimize the focusing performance
I'm out. I could have been very interested. The specifications and the price are both good but I'm not interested in an 800 gram 50mm lens.
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mudlake wrote:
Yikes. That’s very heavy for a 50/1.4.
I was just discussing this elsewhere... so I will add my thoughts here.
As I see many comparing to the Sony 50mm GM 1.4 and complaining about the size and weight, I think the lens y'all should be comparing it to is more likely the Sony ZA Planar 50mm 1.4 ...
When you put the new Viltrox 50 1.4 side by side with the Planar 50 1.4, they are uncannily similar in size and weight, minimum focus distance, magnification, etc. Almost identical, except the new Viltrox has a more complex optical design and new linear motor.
If this new Viltrox renders as nicely or better than the Planar, I think they will have something pretty nice. I'm looking forward to the reviews! And this is coming from someone who has held onto his Sony ZA55mm 1.8 because I like its small size, heh, so I must be losing my resolve to keep it small, because I've always wanted to get the Planar but the size/weight has put me off too, .
p.1 #6 · Viltrox AF 50mm F1.4 Pro (new lens, available now, october 2025)
I had the opportunity to handle this lens at the Salon de la Photo in Paris last week. It was so new that they hadn't even set a price yet. (It was an all-Dutch team working the Viltrox booth at the show.)
It is indeed a very hefty lens. 77mm filter thread on a 50mm lens is nothing to sneeze at. We all know that building bigger and heavier is actually an easier engineering problem than trying to keep the size and weight down while maximizing image quality, thus I suspect they are going for maximum IQ with this one.
The biggest initial relief is that there is no IBIS built in like the 85/1.4 PRO, which has this very uncomfortable and loud wobbling of the sliding mechanism inside the lens when it is not on/engaged. Salespeople said it was completely normal and nothing to worry about, but I don't see how that doesn't create wear and tear over time.
The price seems very competitive. I'm sure it is a fine lens, but too big and heavy for my tastes. The Sony 50/1.4 GM is such a phenomenal lens, so that is where I would put my money, unless you want to go all out and get the f/1.2.
p.1 #7 · Viltrox AF 50mm F1.4 Pro (new lens, available now, october 2025)
Viltrox on a roll, I'm really impressed with their 50mmf2 Air but part of that was the high performance in a really small package, and cheap. This one has 2 of the 3 but it does seem nice.
Dustin mentioned he liked the bokeh better than the gmaster, I may have missed it but he was referring to the f1.4 right?
p.1 #8 · Viltrox AF 50mm F1.4 Pro (new lens, available now, october 2025)
Very different lens composition to the Sony ZA 50/1.4. Sony's lens uses two asph-shaped glass and the one ED element, in a 15/11 design; leaving aside the overdone asph and ED gives it that distinct character many like, it's largely an older fashioned spherical lens (no bad thing, of course).
This high end Viltrox lens showcases the maker's (and the optical culture's) use of HRI glass, of which more than half the lens is constructed. (design is 15:30 in the above imbedded video).
You can almost feel them learning the way to progress towards the happy medium. Abbott points to a lift in sharpness f1.4 to f2, and corner sharpness best at f4. That is done for better portrait performance wide open. He was surprised at mid-aperture performance, and it's something I also see in the Thypoch lenses. It might be large and weighty but it can get the job done in several niches.
p.1 #9 · Viltrox AF 50mm F1.4 Pro (new lens, available now, october 2025)
To compare, the new Zeiss Otus ML, which is a manual focus lens, mind you, comes in at 718 g and comes with a 67mm filter thread. This thing really is a beast.
p.1 #11 · Viltrox AF 50mm F1.4 Pro (new lens, available now, october 2025)
This is a great release - feels like Viltrox is really hitting their stride now. It's big and heavy but it's optically excellent and it looks like they've really nailed the rendering on this lens. Dustin Abbott's samples are very nice - you can see that it is like a faster version of the Sigma 45 - one personality wide open, another stopped down.
I like that it has a different personality than the GM - and for the price. Christmas is coming up....
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