Viltrox EVO
p.12 #1Viltrox EVO
I’ve just got my new 85/2 EVO. As usual, I updated it to the latest firmware, 1.08. Almost immediately, both the lens and camera froze. 😖
Should’ve stayed on 1.07. 😭
Should’ve stayed on 1.07. 😭
Sep 13, 2026 at 01:26 PM
RoamingScott
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p.12 #2Viltrox EVO
vaptre wrote:
I’ve just got my new 85/2 EVO. As usual, I updated it to the latest firmware, 1.08. Almost immediately, both the lens and camera froze. 😖
Should’ve stayed on 1.07. 😭
I've started recommending NOT updating the FW on Viltrox lenses if you are happy with the performance because I've seen performance degrade on several lenses now with updates. It's really annoying that you can't roll them back.
I’ve just got my new 85/2 EVO. As usual, I updated it to the latest firmware, 1.08. Almost immediately, both the lens and camera froze. 😖
Should’ve stayed on 1.07. 😭
I've started recommending NOT updating the FW on Viltrox lenses if you are happy with the performance because I've seen performance degrade on several lenses now with updates. It's really annoying that you can't roll them back.
Sep 13, 2026 at 01:27 PM
RoamingScott
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p.12 #4Viltrox EVO
vaptre wrote:
I didn’t know. 😖
You might reach out and see if they can send you the 1.07 file, it's worth a shot: comm.support at viltrox dot com
I didn’t know. 😖
You might reach out and see if they can send you the 1.07 file, it's worth a shot: comm.support at viltrox dot com
Sep 13, 2026 at 01:49 PM
p.12 #5Viltrox EVO
vaptre wrote:
I didn’t know. 😖
Can you clarify a little, what happened after turning the camera off and back on, and or pulling the battery? Camera is fine, I assume?
I didn’t know. 😖
Can you clarify a little, what happened after turning the camera off and back on, and or pulling the battery? Camera is fine, I assume?
Sep 13, 2026 at 02:22 PM
p.12 #6Viltrox EVO
I was trying to take a photo. As usual, I was using back-button focus. I focused on my subject and then pressed the shutter, but the camera completely froze.
The image on the rear screen froze as well, and the camera stopped responding to any buttons. I kept pressing the shutter and other buttons, but nothing happened.
It stayed like that for almost a minute. I was just about to open the battery door and pull the battery out when the camera suddenly came back to life. Restarted completely.
At that exact moment, the shutter fired and the photo was taken. Almost a minute after I had originally pressed the shutter button.
The image on the rear screen froze as well, and the camera stopped responding to any buttons. I kept pressing the shutter and other buttons, but nothing happened.
It stayed like that for almost a minute. I was just about to open the battery door and pull the battery out when the camera suddenly came back to life. Restarted completely.
At that exact moment, the shutter fired and the photo was taken. Almost a minute after I had originally pressed the shutter button.
Sep 13, 2026 at 02:52 PM
p.12 #7Viltrox EVO
BigBabyMoses06 wrote:
Can you clarify a little, what happened after turning the camera off and back on, and or pulling the battery? Camera is fine, I assume?
Thank God the camera is fine! But this is really annoying. Really annoying! 😖
vaptre wrote
I didn’t know. 😖Thank God the camera is fine! But this is really annoying. Really annoying! 😖
Sep 13, 2026 at 02:53 PM
p.12 #8Viltrox EVO
I bought the lens on Amazon and it was delivered today, so luckily I still have a month to decide whether to keep it.
Honestly, the image quality is just wow. Absolutely superb. The lens is worth every penny in that regard.
But these firmware issues are really frustrating. If it freezes on me one more time, it’s going straight back to Amazon.
Such a shame, because I really like the lens otherwise.
Honestly, the image quality is just wow. Absolutely superb. The lens is worth every penny in that regard.
But these firmware issues are really frustrating. If it freezes on me one more time, it’s going straight back to Amazon.
Such a shame, because I really like the lens otherwise.
Sep 13, 2026 at 03:03 PM
RoamingScott
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p.12 #9Viltrox EVO
I had that same lens lock my Nikon up on an earlier firmware than 1.07 too. Sent it back and never replaced it, as my Sirui 85/1.4 is better in every regard anyways.
Sep 13, 2026 at 03:34 PM
p.12 #10Viltrox EVO
I’m not really a fan of the 85mm focal length. I only need something in that range for travel. I was torn between the Sigma 90/2.8 and this one.
The Viltrox is half the price of the Sigma here in Spain, so I thought it was worth a shot. The Sirui is nice, but at 570g, it’s staying at home. 😄
The Viltrox is half the price of the Sigma here in Spain, so I thought it was worth a shot. The Sirui is nice, but at 570g, it’s staying at home. 😄
Sep 13, 2026 at 03:54 PM
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RoamingScott
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p.12 #11Viltrox EVO
vaptre wrote:
I’m not really a fan of the 85mm focal length. I only need something in that range for travel. I was torn between the Sigma 90/2.8 and this one.
The Viltrox is half the price of the Sigma here in Spain, so I thought it was worth a shot. The Sirui is nice, but at 570g, it’s staying at home. 😄
Check out the TTArtisan 75/2 instead if you want something light and not quite as deep. A real sleeper lens.
I’m not really a fan of the 85mm focal length. I only need something in that range for travel. I was torn between the Sigma 90/2.8 and this one.
The Viltrox is half the price of the Sigma here in Spain, so I thought it was worth a shot. The Sirui is nice, but at 570g, it’s staying at home. 😄
Check out the TTArtisan 75/2 instead if you want something light and not quite as deep. A real sleeper lens.
Sep 13, 2026 at 03:55 PM
p.12 #12Viltrox EVO
RoamingScott wrote:
Check out the TTArtisan 75/2 instead if you want something light and not quite as deep. A real sleeper lens.
Tried it. Didn’t like it at all.
And when I say the build felt cheap, I don’t mean the materials! Yes, the barrel is metal. I mean the actual feel and tolerances. On my copy, the aperture ring was way too loose, the hood creaked, and even Sony’s original E-mount rear cap wouldn’t stay on properly - only the TTArtisan cap did.
None of those things is a huge problem by itself, but taken together, the lens just felt cheap in the hand despite the metal construction. The Viltrox feels much, much better in terms of build quality and handling.
I’m also very picky about color and rendering. Absolute sharpness isn’t that important to me! I care much more about fine-detail contrast and tonal separation, what I personally think of as microcontrast. And that’s where the TTArtisan didn’t work for me either. Technically it’s quite good for the money, but I didn’t like the color rendering or the overall look it produced, especially at f/2.
I gave it a week and returned it.
My favorite in this general range is still the Sigma 65/2, but it’s not quite where I want to be in terms of focal length and weight. And I simply haven’t tried the 90/2.8 yet.
Check out the TTArtisan 75/2 instead if you want something light and not quite as deep. A real sleeper lens.
Tried it. Didn’t like it at all.
And when I say the build felt cheap, I don’t mean the materials! Yes, the barrel is metal. I mean the actual feel and tolerances. On my copy, the aperture ring was way too loose, the hood creaked, and even Sony’s original E-mount rear cap wouldn’t stay on properly - only the TTArtisan cap did.
None of those things is a huge problem by itself, but taken together, the lens just felt cheap in the hand despite the metal construction. The Viltrox feels much, much better in terms of build quality and handling.
I’m also very picky about color and rendering. Absolute sharpness isn’t that important to me! I care much more about fine-detail contrast and tonal separation, what I personally think of as microcontrast. And that’s where the TTArtisan didn’t work for me either. Technically it’s quite good for the money, but I didn’t like the color rendering or the overall look it produced, especially at f/2.
I gave it a week and returned it.
My favorite in this general range is still the Sigma 65/2, but it’s not quite where I want to be in terms of focal length and weight. And I simply haven’t tried the 90/2.8 yet.
Sep 13, 2026 at 04:24 PM
p.12 #13Viltrox EVO
vaptre wrote:
I’m not really a fan of the 85mm focal length. I only need something in that range for travel. I was torn between the Sigma 90/2.8 and this one.
The Viltrox is half the price of the Sigma here in Spain, so I thought it was worth a shot. The Sirui is nice, but at 570g, it’s staying at home. 😄
There's also the Samyang 75/1.8 AF. No aperture ring, but remarkably good optically even wide open, small and lightweight -- and cheap used.
I’m not really a fan of the 85mm focal length. I only need something in that range for travel. I was torn between the Sigma 90/2.8 and this one.
The Viltrox is half the price of the Sigma here in Spain, so I thought it was worth a shot. The Sirui is nice, but at 570g, it’s staying at home. 😄
There's also the Samyang 75/1.8 AF. No aperture ring, but remarkably good optically even wide open, small and lightweight -- and cheap used.
Sep 13, 2026 at 04:30 PM
p.12 #14Viltrox EVO
Jack Flesher wrote:
There's also the Samyang 75/1.8 AF. No aperture ring, but remarkably good optically even wide open, small and lightweight -- and cheap used.
I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Samyang 75/1.8 and I’d really like to try one.
The problem is that it’s not very popular here in Spain, and the support isn’t great either. The shops with easy, guaranteed returns simply don’t stock it, while the places that do sell it tend to have rather questionable return/exchange policies.
And there seem to be quite a few reports of decentering and general QC issues, which makes me a bit hesitant to take the chance.
That’s exactly why I was so excited about the Viltrox 85/2 EVO.
There's also the Samyang 75/1.8 AF. No aperture ring, but remarkably good optically even wide open, small and lightweight -- and cheap used.
I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Samyang 75/1.8 and I’d really like to try one.
The problem is that it’s not very popular here in Spain, and the support isn’t great either. The shops with easy, guaranteed returns simply don’t stock it, while the places that do sell it tend to have rather questionable return/exchange policies.
And there seem to be quite a few reports of decentering and general QC issues, which makes me a bit hesitant to take the chance.
That’s exactly why I was so excited about the Viltrox 85/2 EVO.
Sep 13, 2026 at 04:47 PM
p.12 #15Viltrox EVO
But aren't reports about QC problems with Viltrox also? You are lucky to be able to buy the lens via official Amazon channels. I bought a Viltrox - at a great price on sale - via the Viltrox website, and I had to pay 40 EUR to return it directly to China. Never again until they have proper sales, service and return structures in Europe.
In general, I'm against all this drop-shipping from the other side of the world, regardless of product and market - it is not environmentally sustainable.
In general, I'm against all this drop-shipping from the other side of the world, regardless of product and market - it is not environmentally sustainable.
Sep 14, 2026 at 01:24 PM
p.12 #16Viltrox EVO
patotts wrote:
But aren't reports about QC problems with Viltrox also? You are lucky to be able to buy the lens via official Amazon channels. I bought a Viltrox - at a great price on sale - via the Viltrox website, and I had to pay 40 EUR to return it directly to China. Never again until they have proper sales, service and return structures in Europe.
In general, I'm against all this drop-shipping from the other side of the world, regardless of product and market - it is not environmentally sustainable.
Yes, I reported it to Viltrox. They asked me for a video showing the issue, but unfortunately I have nothing to send them. When the camera froze, I was too busy dealing with it to think about recording what was happening.
So far there’s nothing useful I can show them. Over the last two evenings I’ve shot almost 700 frames, and thankfully it hasn’t happened again.
And yes, I completely agree with you about where to buy. I buy almost everything from Amazon for exactly that reason - easy returns if something goes wrong.
I also completely agree with your point about shipping products back and forth across the world. Sending the same box across three continents because of a return is hardly environmentally sustainable. Having proper local sales, service and returns in Europe would make a lot more sense.
But aren't reports about QC problems with Viltrox also? You are lucky to be able to buy the lens via official Amazon channels. I bought a Viltrox - at a great price on sale - via the Viltrox website, and I had to pay 40 EUR to return it directly to China. Never again until they have proper sales, service and return structures in Europe.
In general, I'm against all this drop-shipping from the other side of the world, regardless of product and market - it is not environmentally sustainable.
Yes, I reported it to Viltrox. They asked me for a video showing the issue, but unfortunately I have nothing to send them. When the camera froze, I was too busy dealing with it to think about recording what was happening.
So far there’s nothing useful I can show them. Over the last two evenings I’ve shot almost 700 frames, and thankfully it hasn’t happened again.
And yes, I completely agree with you about where to buy. I buy almost everything from Amazon for exactly that reason - easy returns if something goes wrong.
I also completely agree with your point about shipping products back and forth across the world. Sending the same box across three continents because of a return is hardly environmentally sustainable. Having proper local sales, service and returns in Europe would make a lot more sense.
Sep 14, 2026 at 04:12 PM
p.12 #17Viltrox EVO
vaptre wrote:
In general, I'm against all this drop-shipping from the other side of the world, regardless of product and market - it is not environmentally sustainable.Yes, I reported it to Viltrox. They asked me for a video showing the issue, but unfortunately I have nothing to send them. When the camera froze, I was too busy dealing with it to think about recording what was happening.
So far there’s nothing useful I can show them. Over the last two evenings I’ve shot almost 700 frames, and thankfully it hasn’t happened again.
And yes, I completely agree with you about where to buy. I buy almost everything from Amazon for exactly that reason - easy returns if something goes wrong.
I also completely agree with your point about shipping...Show more →
A word on Amazon's "easy returns..." If the seller has an Amazon storefront like Viltrox does, yes, it's very easy to return and I will deal with them happily. But if it's a 3rd party, even a relatively well known one, it can be a hassle to return a piece of camera gear AND then get the actual refund. On now 3 separate occasions when I've returned a camera lens through Amazon to a 3rd party vendor, I have had to contact Amazon CS to "speed up" the credit to my account. Add in that nowadays it's near impossible to get beyond Amazon's AI CS firewall and talk to an actual person that has enough power to motivate the seller to get their act together, it makes the process a total PITA...
patotts wrote
But aren't reports about QC problems with Viltrox also? You are lucky to be able to buy the lens via official Amazon channels. I bought a Viltrox - at a great price on sale - via the Viltrox website, and I had to pay 40 EUR to return it directly to China. Never again until they have proper sales, service and return structures in Europe.In general, I'm against all this drop-shipping from the other side of the world, regardless of product and market - it is not environmentally sustainable.
So far there’s nothing useful I can show them. Over the last two evenings I’ve shot almost 700 frames, and thankfully it hasn’t happened again.
And yes, I completely agree with you about where to buy. I buy almost everything from Amazon for exactly that reason - easy returns if something goes wrong.
I also completely agree with your point about shipping...Show more →
A word on Amazon's "easy returns..." If the seller has an Amazon storefront like Viltrox does, yes, it's very easy to return and I will deal with them happily. But if it's a 3rd party, even a relatively well known one, it can be a hassle to return a piece of camera gear AND then get the actual refund. On now 3 separate occasions when I've returned a camera lens through Amazon to a 3rd party vendor, I have had to contact Amazon CS to "speed up" the credit to my account. Add in that nowadays it's near impossible to get beyond Amazon's AI CS firewall and talk to an actual person that has enough power to motivate the seller to get their act together, it makes the process a total PITA...
Sep 14, 2026 at 04:19 PM
p.12 #18Viltrox EVO
Exactly! I always avoid third-party sellers on Amazon! 
Amazon storefronts only! Only!
Had a bad experience before. Don’t want to fall into that trap again!
Amazon storefronts only! Only!
Had a bad experience before. Don’t want to fall into that trap again!
Sep 14, 2026 at 04:32 PM
p.12 #19Viltrox EVO
I just checked Amazon.fr - Viltrox is now available there, but sold by "GUZHIZHI", not Amazon proper. Still a fail in my book.
Sep 15, 2026 at 08:07 AM
p.12 #20Viltrox EVO
patotts wrote:
I just checked Amazon.fr - Viltrox is now available there, but sold by "GUZHIZHI", not Amazon proper. Still a fail in my book.
You can buy Viltrox lenses from foto-erhardt.com (Germany) and pay by using Amazon.pay.
I just checked Amazon.fr - Viltrox is now available there, but sold by "GUZHIZHI", not Amazon proper. Still a fail in my book.
You can buy Viltrox lenses from foto-erhardt.com (Germany) and pay by using Amazon.pay.
Sep 15, 2026 at 08:12 AM