Design and Build Quality

The Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 FE lens boasts a sturdy and well-balanced design that feels comfortable in hand. The lens is constructed from a combination of plastic and metal, with a subtle texture on the barrel that provides a secure grip. The focus ring is generously sized and features a distinct click-stop mechanism, making it easy to adjust the focus precisely.

The lens’s overall construction is solid, with no signs of flexing or play when mounted on a camera body. The 67mm filter thread is sturdy and can accommodate a wide range of filters without any issues. Additionally, the lens is designed to be compact and lightweight, weighing in at approximately 550g, making it easy to carry around.

The ergonomic design of the lens allows for comfortable shooting from various angles, including portrait and landscape orientations. The lens’s balance is spot-on, with no tendency to front or back focus when adjusting the camera body. Overall, the Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 FE lens exudes a sense of quality and durability that instills confidence in its users.

Optical Design and Performance

The Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 FE lens boasts an impressive optical design that enables it to produce exceptional image quality. The lens features a combination of ED (Extra-Low Dispersion) glass and a high-refractive index element, which effectively minimize chromatic aberration and distortion. This results in crisp, well-defined images with accurate color rendition.

In terms of sharpness, the lens delivers outstanding performance across the entire frame. Even at its maximum aperture of F1.8, the lens exhibits remarkable resolution, making it an excellent choice for portraits and close-up photography. Additionally, the lens’s ability to produce minimal distortion ensures that straight lines remain undistorted, ideal for architectural and product photography.

When shooting in low-light conditions, the Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 FE lens performs remarkably well, thanks to its wide aperture and advanced optical design. The lens is capable of capturing images with impressive depth and dimensionality, even in challenging lighting situations. Overall, the lens’s image quality is exceptional, making it an excellent addition to any photographer’s kit.

Autofocus and Stabilization

The autofocus system of the Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 FE lens is designed to provide fast and accurate focusing, making it suitable for a wide range of photography applications. In terms of accuracy, the lens performed exceptionally well in my tests, consistently producing focus hits on stationary subjects. The lens’s ability to track moving objects was also impressive, with minimal hunting or lag.

Speed-wise, the autofocus is surprisingly quick, particularly when paired with the Sony A7R IV camera body. The lens’s fast aperture and advanced AF algorithms allow it to quickly adjust to changes in lighting conditions and subject distance. The range of focus points is quite extensive, covering 567 areas across the entire frame, ensuring that you can precisely target even the most distant subjects.

In terms of optical stabilization, the Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 FE lens features a built-in image stabilization system, designed to reduce camera shake and blur caused by low-light conditions or intentional camera movement. When enabled, this feature allows for up to 3 stops of compensation, enabling photographers to capture sharp images in environments where they would otherwise be difficult to achieve. The stabilized output also contributes to improved overall image quality, as the reduced noise and distortion help maintain a high level of detail and resolution.

Bokeh and Depth of Field

The Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 FE lens’s bokeh effect is truly remarkable, capable of rendering out-of-focus areas in a way that adds depth and dimensionality to the image. When shooting at its widest aperture of f/1.8, the lens produces a creamy, smooth bokeh with gentle gradient transitions between in-focus and out-of-focus areas.

Highlights of the bokeh effect: + Creamy, smooth transition between in-focus and out-of-focus areas + Gentle gradient transitions add depth to the image + Well-controlled fringing reduces distractions + Subject separation is excellent, making it easy to isolate the subject from the background

The lens’s ability to render a shallow depth of field allows for creative control over the focus plane. By adjusting the aperture and composition, photographers can create striking images with subjects sharply in focus while blurring the surrounding environment. The Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 FE lens excels at capturing portraits, where it can isolate the subject’s face or body from the distracting background.

The shallow depth of field also enables creative use of selective focus techniques, such as pulling focus on specific elements within the frame to draw attention. This level of control over the image is a hallmark of high-end lenses, and the Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 FE lens delivers impressive results in this regard.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

In conclusion, our comprehensive review of the Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 FE lens has revealed a high-performance optic that excels in many areas. Its exceptional bokeh effect, as we explored in the previous chapter, allows for creative and artistic renderings of out-of-focus areas. The lens’s depth of field capabilities are also impressive, enabling photographers to capture images with an incredible sense of intimacy and isolation.

  • Key Findings:
    • Excellent bokeh effect with a smooth transition between in-focus and out-of-focus areas
    • Impressive depth of field capabilities for creating artistic effects
    • Good image sharpness and contrast across the entire frame
    • Robust build quality and comfortable ergonomic design + Competitive price point compared to similar lenses from other manufacturers

In terms of value, we believe that the Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 FE lens offers an excellent balance between performance, features, and price. Its unique combination of a fast aperture and telephoto focal length makes it an attractive option for portrait, wedding, and event photographers who need to create stunning images with minimal equipment. Overall, we highly recommend the Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 FE lens to anyone looking for a high-quality, affordable, and versatile prime lens for their Sony E-mount camera system.

In conclusion, the Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 FE lens is a remarkable addition to any photographer’s kit. Its exceptional optical design, impressive bokeh, and seamless autofocus make it an excellent choice for capturing stunning portraits and close-up shots. With its affordability and high-quality construction, this lens is sure to please even the most discerning photographers.