I just sold my Samyang 85mm 1.8 Prima and bought the Viltrox EVO 85mm f2.
HUGE difference. The Viltrox is sharper across the frame, no contest really. The Samyang was softer, but it also had better bokeh (softer and non-distracting).
Got mine yesterday via Amazon here in Spain and unfortunately, it's on its way back today. Hoping mine is an isolated incident. I was a little worried when I opened the Amazon box and discovered the Viltrox box had been opened before (the two pieces of tape where already cut). When I opened the box I found the plastic bag around the lens definitely was not wrapped like it would be from the factory. I figure it must have been a returned lens but pressed on as I was hoping it was otherwise fine despite the packaging. Mounting it my A7rIV, I noticed it didn't quite seat as snug as my other lenses. It didn't "wobble" but with very little effort, the lens could rotate a little in the mount. I get that most any lens is going to have some play once mounted but it typically takes some effort to do so. This one was rather easy to "wiggle". It seemed to operate fine but a new lens that fits a bit loosely, nahhh.. It went right back. After I cleaned the front element as it came out of the box with a surprising amount of dust on it. I'm pretty sure this isn't a Viltrox issue but more likely a seller issue.
Curious if anyone finds the 85 EVO to fit a little loosely, and... was the lens mount gasket red? Photos show them to be black but the one on my example was red.
Tomservo wrote:
[...]
Curious if anyone finds the 85 EVO to fit a little loosely, and... was the lens mount gasket red? Photos show them to be black but the one on my example was red.
The gasket on my copy is red. There is no wobble, everything is tight and nice.
Ise my copy of the EVO 85 a few weeks now, and like it very much.
Light, small AF ok for street photography also, it's sharp enough.
So yes very happy to buy it.
Ive been hesitating a lot as I have the Batis since it came out. But this Viltrox make me think of selling the Batis
How come people are sleeping on the Samyang 85mm f1.8 P? It's only $70 more expensive than the Viltrox but is smaller, significantly lighter (270 vs 340 grams), and faster.
Well, the Viltrox is better build, has better AF, is sharper in the corners, has better ergonomics, and with Samyang the risk for a bad copy is much bigger...
That's why I bought the Viltrox.
jaygould wrote:
How come people are sleeping on the Samyang 85mm f1.8 P? It's only $70 more expensive than the Viltrox but is smaller, significantly lighter (270 vs 340 grams), and faster.
The price difference I've seen is bigger, however. The Viltrox is $275, but sometimes less with discounts. The Samyang is $399.
Chaliel wrote:
Well, the Viltrox is better build, has better AF, is sharper in the corners, has better ergonomics, and with Samyang the risk for a bad copy is much bigger...
That's why I bought the Viltrox.
I've owned a bunch of Samyang lenses and they've all been good copies. No issues so far.
Honestly, the rendering from the Viltrox 85 I have appeal and interest me a lot more than what I've seen from the Samyang 85/1.8
I did have the first version of their 85/1.4 before though and liked it plenty. (Had to return the first copy of that due to pretty severe decentering).
jaygould wrote:
How come people are sleeping on the Samyang 85mm f1.8 P? It's only $70 more expensive than the Viltrox but is smaller, significantly lighter (270 vs 340 grams), and faster.
I had the Samyang. Yes it's smaller and lighter, but it's also more expensive and softer. The Viltrox is sharp straight from f/2. I bought the Samyang just weeks before the EVO was announced. Wish I had waited, I lost money on the Samyang when I sold it to buy the EVO.
Mzrk wrote:
I had the Samyang. Yes it's smaller and lighter, but it's also more expensive and softer. The Viltrox is sharp straight from f/2. I bought the Samyang just weeks before the EVO was announced. Wish I had waited, I lost money on the Samyang when I sold it to buy the EVO.
All right, good to know. Hopefully the SY 75 will be good enough for me then. I just don't like the red rings it has, makes it look cheap. Did the 85 have that red ring too? Doesn't look like it on the pictures.
Comming of new EVO's
A new 55mm f1.8, and a 35mm f1.8
Boxes of the new lenses for Z mount are seen, so the E-mount will soon be seen!
The Sony (Zeiss) 55 f1.8 has been my favorite for a long time, but it's imaginable that a new lens more then 10 years later will surpass it.
On top aperure ring, some buttons and lineair MF and I will buy it for sure.
