Budget Brilliance: Reviewing the Viltrox AF 50mm f/2

The 50mm lens is usually the first prime lens many buy. It's popular for a reason—it gives a natural view that's perfect for everyday shooting without the extremes of wide angle or telephoto. Here's a look at an extremely affordable option.

Coming to you from Christopher Frost, this practical video reviews the Viltrox AF 50mm f/2, highlighting some key aspects you'll want to know about before buying. Frost points out that the lens feels solid enough despite its plastic build and lightweight design. At 220 grams, it won't weigh down your camera bag, but there's no weather-sealing, which means you'll need to be careful in damp conditions. Autofocus works smoothly and accurately but isn't the quickest, especially noticeable when tracking moving subjects. Videographers might appreciate the minimal focus breathing, a nice advantage if you frequently shoot video.

Frost emphasizes image quality, showing detailed tests on both full-frame and APS-C sensors. Sharpness at f/2 is outstanding, with crisp detail and excellent contrast right from the center to the edges—even on a demanding 42 MP sensor like the Sony a7R III. Stopping down to f/4 makes the image razor sharp corner-to-corner, showcasing the impressive optical design Viltrox has implemented here. It's a reliable performer not just on full frame but also on APS-C, although corners aren't quite as sharp wide-open on smaller sensors. You might be surprised at just how well this lens handles distortion and vignetting, though some darkness in the corners at f/2 is noticeable without in-camera corrections.

Key Specs

• Focal Length: 50mm

• Maximum Aperture: f/2

• Lens Mount: Sony E, Nikon Z

• Lens Format Coverage: Full Frame

• Autofocus: Yes

• Image Stabilization: No

• Minimum Aperture: f/16

• Minimum Focus Distance: 20.1" (51 cm)

• Optical Design: 13 Elements in 9 Groups

• Diaphragm Blades: 9

• Filter Size: 58mm

• Dimensions: 2.7 x 2.3" (68 x 58.6 mm)

• Weight: 7.8 oz (220 g)

For those who enjoy close-up photography, keep in mind the minimum focus distance is slightly longer than average at just over 20 inches. However, once you stop down slightly, sharpness returns to top-notch levels. If shooting against bright lights or dealing with tricky lighting situations, this lens handles flare decently, though a lens hood will improve performance. Frost also shows tests for coma and sun stars, noting the lens handles these optical challenges reasonably well, improving significantly when stopped down.

Background blur, a key reason many choose a prime lens, looks pleasingly smooth with this lens. Specular highlights are generally nice, though they display slight hardness at the edges and subtle cat-eye shapes in the corners. Chromatic aberration is minimal, which means cleaner-looking images overall. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Frost.