The Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.2 LAB FE promises professional-grade performance at a lower cost than comparable Sony glass. When you're looking at f/1.2 apertures in the 35mm focal length, you're typically facing eye-watering price tags that put serious wide-aperture photography out of reach for many, but not with this lens.
Coming to you from Phillip Skraba, this comprehensive video puts the Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.2 LAB FE lens through its paces during both everyday shooting and a professional fashion shoot on a Warsaw rooftop. Skraba immediately addresses the elephant in the room: this isn't a lightweight travel lens at 910 grams, but rather a serious tool for serious work. The lens packs features you'd expect from much more expensive glass, including weather-sealing, Bluetooth connectivity, and a customizable LCD screen that displays focus distance and aperture settings. Most intriguingly, the lens includes programmable function buttons that allow you to set focus points and rack between them automatically, essentially giving you a personal focus puller.
The real test comes during Skraba's fashion photography session, where he demonstrates the lens' ability to isolate subjects even at distances of 4-5 meters. His model remains tack sharp while backgrounds dissolve into creamy bokeh that rivals lenses costing three times as much. The autofocus performance particularly impresses, with face and eye detection working flawlessly throughout the shoot. Skraba emphasizes that all the fashion photos were shot wide open at f/1.2, showcasing the lens' ability to maintain sharpness even at its maximum aperture. The 35mm focal length proves its versatility, handling everything from environmental portraits to tighter compositions without the distortion you'd get from wider angles.
Key Specs
- Lens Mount: Sony E (Full Frame)
- Optical Design: 15 Elements in 10 Groups
- Aperture Range: f/1.2 to f/16 with 11 aperture blades
- Minimum Focus Distance: 13.4" (34 cm)
- Filter Size: 77mm
- Weight: 2 lb (910g)
- Dimensions: 3.5" x 4.8"
- Weather-sealing
- USB-C updates
- Bluetooth connectivity
What sets this lens apart isn't just its optical performance, but its smart features that bridge the gap between photography and videography. The VCM motor system operates 150% faster than traditional STM motors while remaining virtually silent—crucial for video work. Skraba's comparison to his collection of 150 lenses provides valuable context, particularly his note that Viltrox lenses often match or exceed Sony's performance in sharpness while offering less focus breathing. The ability to update firmware via smartphone app ensures the lens continues improving over time, addressing issues and adding features without requiring a trip to a service center. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Skraba.
