The Viltrox AF 135mm f/1.8 LAB lens is creating a buzz among Sony and Nikon shooters, offering a combination of excellent image quality and a fast aperture. Its potential to elevate portrait and sports photography makes it a lens worth considering for those looking to step up their game.
Coming to you from Omar Gonzalez Photography, this excellent video review provides a practical overview of what the Viltrox AF 135mm f/1.8 LAB lens can do in everyday scenarios. Gonzalez tested it extensively, including candid street scenes, action sports shots, and intimate family portraits, revealing its strengths and some points to watch out for. One standout moment comes early, with a snapshot that immediately caught Gonzalez' attention, showcasing the lens's exceptional rendering and pleasing background blur. However, not everything about this lens is flawless—Gonzalez shares a legitimate concern about its tight fit when mounting it on Nikon Z-series bodies, cautioning users to be gentle.
In photography mode, the autofocus is snappy and precise, handling quick, spontaneous shots impressively well. Gonzalez recounts a spontaneous capture of a cyclist framed perfectly between cherry blossoms, praising the lens's rapid focus acquisition. However, video users might find slight frustrations here, as the lens exhibits minor hesitation during continuous autofocus tracking in video mode. Gonzalez points out that although it's subtle, videographers might notice and prefer a smoother experience.
Key Specs
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Focal Length: 135mm
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Aperture Range: f/1.8 - f/16
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Mounts Available: Sony E, Nikon Z
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Autofocus: Yes
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Stabilization: None
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Filter Thread: 82 mm
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Minimum Focus Distance: 2.36' (0.72 m)
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Optical Design: 14 elements in 9 groups
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Diaphragm Blades: 11
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Angle of View: 19.04°
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Dimensions: 3.7 x 5.7" (93 x 145.7 mm)
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Weight: 2.7 lb (1235 g)
Gonzalez emphasizes the versatility of the 135mm focal length, particularly its strength in capturing full-body portraits, which achieve a striking medium-format aesthetic thanks to the pronounced separation between subject and background. He demonstrates clearly how distance from the subject profoundly affects the blur, advising viewers to experiment creatively. While the lens excels at wide apertures, Gonzalez reminds you to avoid relying solely on shooting wide-open, illustrating with an example of a couple portrait where stepping down the aperture slightly would have improved sharpness and depth of field.
The video also explores the practical limitations of the lens, particularly its noticeable vignetting at f/1.8, which diminishes significantly by f/2.8 and is nearly invisible at narrower apertures like f/5.6 and f/8. Gonzalez personally finds vignetting appealing, suggesting it can enhance rather than detract from a photograph. He also notes the lens is sharpest at mid-range apertures, recommending f/5.6 to f/8 for optimal detail. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Gonzalez.
