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Viltrox Air 50mm f2.0

jowul
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p.1 #1 · Viltrox Air 50mm f2.0

A7 RV with Viltrox 50mm f2.0

comp_DSC05986_ji by Joachim Wulfers, on Flickr

comp_DSC05990_ji by Joachim Wulfers, on Flickr

comp_DSC06001_ji by Joachim Wulfers, on Flickr

comp_DSC05994_ji by Joachim Wulfers, on Flickr

comp_DSC06020_ji by Joachim Wulfers, on Flickr

Mar 02, 2026 at 04:19 PM

Nifty Fifty
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p.1 #2 · Viltrox Air 50mm f2.0

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1898039/0
😉

Mar 02, 2026 at 05:01 PM

philip_pj
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p.1 #3 · Viltrox Air 50mm f2.0

Very easy viewing, images present so much information. As one reviewer put it: 'This lens really is the niftiest of fifties - it�s light, compact, and sharp. It made me love the 50mm focal length and is superb for an everyday carry package!'

But for the unconvinced, soon we see the 55mm APO.

Mar 02, 2026 at 05:32 PM

jowul
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p.1 #4 · Viltrox Air 50mm f2.0

philip_pj wrote:
Very easy viewing, images present so much information. As one reviewer put it: 'This lens really is the niftiest of fifties - it�s light, compact, and sharp. It made me love the 50mm focal length and is superb for an everyday carry package!'

But for the unconvinced, soon we see the 55mm APO.

Thanks Philip. Like in my case I am also learning to like the 50mm FL again. I own one Sony one legacy Olympus and one Canon FD SSC breach lock from 1973 (the only I have recently touched). The Viltrox Air is like fresh air to me. Yes, light, compact and sharp and pleasing colours.

BTW Philip, I have been missing your photography from Nepal (I think it was?)

Mar 02, 2026 at 05:57 PM

TravelinBriNY
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p.1 #5 · Viltrox Air 50mm f2.0

jowul wrote:
Thanks Philip. Like in my case I am also learning to like the 50mm FL again. I own one Sony one legacy Olympus and one Canon FD SSC breach lock from 1973 (the only I have recently touched). The Viltrox Air is like fresh air to me. Yes, light, compact and sharp and pleasing colours.

BTW Philip, I have been missing your photography from Nepal (I think it was?)

@Philip, are you in Nepal? I am here too...

https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjCJ6vF

Mar 03, 2026 at 10:28 PM

philip_pj
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p.1 #6 · Viltrox Air 50mm f2.0

Oh, lucky you, I am envious, maybe stay there a while.

TBNY, you have done a fine job of those! You should post some in the FE thread if not a dedicated lens thread. Nepal is easy going, horrible roads and driving, great food, and the scenery is unreal. Amazing flights to Lukla and Jomsom, if you get the chance. Real seat of the pants stuff. If you like Nepal, Ladakh is a great option - Buddhism and big mountains, not many tourists, good people, May to late Sept is best. Spiti too, an extraordinary place, then the green paradise of Kinnaur.

I'm off next in May, to Leh and Zanskar; then (ii) Rupshu (via Nubra) right next to the Indian-Tibet border. Hanle (which has a claim to the world's cleanest air, they have an observatory), then Umling La (6000m). Then flights to Delh, then Fort Cochin, Quilon, Panjim in Goa. I revisit a lot, it makes photography easier.

My recent images come from Ladakh, Spiti, Goa plus Shimla. If you go to the right places, India is not what people think it is, people are so friendly, warm, chatty. So I take a lot of street 'found portraits', after a short banter. No one fusses. The phone craze helps, they are used to taking pics of each other, themselves, everything.

Mar 04, 2026 at 12:44 AM

jowul
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p.1 #7 · Viltrox Air 50mm f2.0

I look forward to seeing your next photos from Nepal, Philip. I just remember your beautiful photos of wide landscapes, ancient monasteries and the people. I doubt I will get a chance to visit. When in my fourtie's a bucket list motor cycle trip fell apart when one of my friends got into an accident before our trip.

Mar 04, 2026 at 08:58 AM

TravelinBriNY
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p.1 #8 · Viltrox Air 50mm f2.0

philip_pj wrote:
Oh, lucky you, I am envious, maybe stay there a while.

TBNY, you have done a fine job of those! You should post some in the FE thread if not a dedicated lens thread. Nepal is easy going, horrible roads and driving, great food, and the scenery is unreal. Amazing flights to Lukla and Jomsom, if you get the chance. Real seat of the pants stuff. If you like Nepal, Ladakh is a great option - Buddhism and big mountains, not many tourists, good people, May to late Sept is best. Spiti too, an extraordinary place, then the green paradise...Show more →

Namase Phil - A human after my own heart it seems. I have been coming to Nepal since 2003 - firstly for the trekking, but I fell in love with the entire country. I have done most of the treks in the Khumbu and Annapurna area, but was planning to do either Manaslu/Tsulm or Dolpa on this visit, however poor visibility and work obligations have arisen (I work overseas) - and now I am looking at shorter treks.

I have indeed been to and love Ladakh - although not quite as much as I love Nepal (some photos from Ladakh in 2018 here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmJUESSj ) but I would love to go back; and have never been to Spiti - I will take a long look. Would love to link up one day to shoot together, where can I see your photos?

I will reply with a few recommendations from my side. For overall travel, Mongolia is amazing; for the mountains, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are definitely worth a long visit; and Uzbekistan for the cities.

Just posted a few in the Sigma 20-200 thread. Maybe when I depart Nepal I will put together a thread with a few of my overall favorites.

Mar 09, 2026 at 06:31 PM

Yogifi
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p.1 #9 · Viltrox Air 50mm f2.0

Something doesn't look right to my eye with those @jowul - nothing to do with composition or subjects etc but it's like there's a CA effect?

I usually steer clear of commenting on post processing (also because mine is terrible and I'm learning too) but I wonder if it's your copy or the PP. If it's latter and intentional, feel free to ignore this!

I don't want to cause any undue alarm, but something seems off - enough that (against better judgement) I thought to mention it.

Most noticeable in the first pic, but it's there in the others too.

Mar 10, 2026 at 05:01 AM

Jonas B
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p.1 #10 · Viltrox Air 50mm f2.0

Yogifi wrote:
Something doesn't look right to my eye with those @jowul@ - nothing to do with composition or subjects etc but it's like there's a CA effect?

I usually steer clear of commenting on post processing (also because mine is terrible and I'm learning too) but I wonder if it's your copy or the PP. If it's latter and intentional, feel free to ignore this!

I don't want to cause any undue alarm, but something seems off - enough that (against better judgement) I thought to mention it.

Most noticeable in the first pic, but it's there in the others too.

I think what you mainly react against is the color temperature. In the top image you can see the grey overcast is kind of purple. Correcting that will you bring the usual "black" wet asphalt and other black areas. Now we have a purple cast. Or is it something else you are thinking about?

Mar 10, 2026 at 07:02 AM

Yogifi
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p.1 #11 · Viltrox Air 50mm f2.0

Jonas B wrote:
I think what you mainly react against is the color temperature. In the top image you can see the grey overcast is kind of purple. Correcting that will you bring the usual "black" wet asphalt and other black areas. Now we have a purple cast. Or is it something else you are thinking about?

I'm not 100% but I don't think it's the white balance (or his post processing actually) - after zooming in I think it's more like CA giving this weird double lining on edges... it reminds me of my nokton 28/1.5 but quite a bit worse:

I'm not sure if it's CA or the lens out-resolving the sensor and a type of "moire".

Even where these colours don't appear it's just a little off but it could be compression adding to that. (like it was shrunk then upscaled)

Mar 10, 2026 at 07:26 AM

Jonas B
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p.1 #12 · Viltrox Air 50mm f2.0

Yogifi wrote:
I'm not 100% but I don't think it's the white balance (or his post processing actually) - after zooming in I think it's more like CA giving this weird double lining on edges... it reminds me of my nokton 28/1.5 but quite a bit worse:
[2 enlarged images]
I'm not sure if it's CA or the lens out-resolving the sensor and a type of "moire".

Even where these colours don't appear it's just a little off but it could be compression adding to that. (like it was shrunk then upscaled)

That's CA.
In the size the images shows in my browser that doesn't bother me; the purple "overlay" does. It's interesting what different things we see or notice and perhaps like or not.

Mar 10, 2026 at 07:55 AM

Yogifi
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p.1 #13 · Viltrox Air 50mm f2.0

Yeah - you're likely right about the purple haze contributing, it sticks out less for me - or at least I don't identify it as causing a probelm as easily.
I remember adjusting the tint lessened my annoyance with a lens that was doing this also. I don't think it's related though.

Subtle CA on the other hand can really be grating for me - more so than really obvious ones! I've had to send eyes glasses back for it in the past and it took some convincing of the doc before he'd then give in and say yeah these were cheaper but most people don't notice.

I haven't shot a tonne with my copy of the 50f2 air yet but in the few shots I have, I haven't seen this at all. I'm using the A7cii.
I wonder if it's copy dependant. Maybe I'll try a different 28/1.5 if it is.

Mar 10, 2026 at 08:12 AM

Jonas B
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p.1 #14 · Viltrox Air 50mm f2.0

Yogifi wrote:
Yeah - you're likely right about the purple haze contributing, it sticks out less for me - or at least I don't identify it as causing a probelm as easily.
I remember adjusting the tint lessened my annoyance with a lens that was doing this also. I don't think it's related though.

Subtle CA on the other hand can really be grating for me - more so than really obvious ones! I've had to send eyes glasses back for it in the past and it took some convincing of the doc before he'd then give in and say yeah these were...Show more →

Maximizing the browser window made me see the CA as well (but, of course, now knowing it is there...). Normally the browser is allowed to occupy half the screen only.

Enlarging the image shows sharpening artefacts at different places. The mix of those and CA can be confusing. Fixing the color temperature is the most critically needed step in my opinion. The CA could have been removed in post but if shot JPG it's harder.

Mar 10, 2026 at 09:24 AM

Yogifi
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p.1 #15 · Viltrox Air 50mm f2.0

Not to overrun the thread but I wouldn't necessarily worry about your copy of the Air op. But maybe do look at the sharpening artefacts in your process as @Jonas B mentions. I think that's the main offender but the things here and the WB/purple likely add to it as well. I use quite a big monitor and that might be why it was easier to see. Something like 30-32", I forget.

A cheap vintage 50mm on the left, apo-lanthar 50/2 right, both at f8:

It's at 630% zoom with a 33 megapixel camera. Even at < 100% you can notice somethings not right, especially with the water.

It's not fixed in lightroom with the remove CA, and the defringe tool is something I don't love using as it can rob saturation in other parts of the frame and doesn't actually help with the water or tarmac here.

I'm not 100% convinced it's CA and not a type of moire. Even in the OP's shots, it's not particularly high contrast.
I think it's the sensor. These were with the A7cII. Lens might be too sharp for it, and if so then it's probably the same for the viltrox air.

I think we may need the AA filters back as the lenses get better...?

I'm not needing any more clarity than the apo/viltrox, infact I often turn it and sharpness down a touch, but the reviews all test that for comparisons so I guess that's where things will continue to go.
Not that I'm looking to get many more lenses at this point. And I kind of don't want denser than 40-50 to be fully honest.

Mar 14, 2026 at 09:49 AM

rico
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p.1 #16 · Viltrox Air 50mm f2.0

The Viltrox 50 Air has no CA, and I do mean absolutely none starting from wide open. There is no lateral color, and no axial color. The Air ranks among the best lenses ever made for CA control, and I'm an asshole about these things.

Mar 14, 2026 at 03:11 PM

Nifty Fifty
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p.1 #17 · Viltrox Air 50mm f2.0

rico wrote:
The Viltrox 50 Air has no CA, and I do mean absolutely none starting from wide open. There is no lateral color, and no axial color. The Air ranks among the best lenses ever made for CA control, and I'm an asshole about these things.

My copy is Z mount, so there may be an issue with the Air optimization for the Sony Alpha thick sensor cover. I run both systems, and see CA on my A7ii with alternative glass that is absent on the Z6.

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1897462/1#16822174
The E-mount version is just as good, at least with the 33MP sensor. In this respect, it's even better than the GM.

Mar 14, 2026 at 03:16 PM

RoamingScott
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p.1 #18 · Viltrox Air 50mm f2.0

I'd love to see a RAW file of the photo in the OP. I smell post processing issues, not lens or sensor issues.

Mar 14, 2026 at 03:17 PM

Yogifi
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p.1 #19 · Viltrox Air 50mm f2.0

Mar 14, 2026 at 03:19 PM

rico
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p.1 #20 · Viltrox Air 50mm f2.0

Both A7ii and Z6 have AA filters over their 24MP sensors.

Mar 14, 2026 at 03:29 PM

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