The 56mm lens, an 85mm full body equal, has lengthy been the crown jewel for portrait photographers utilizing Fujifilm’s X-mount system. For years, the market has been a crowded battlefield. Fujifilm’s personal 56mm f/1.2 set the unique normal, whereas the stalwart Sigma 56mm f/1.4 grew to become a legend for its unimaginable sharpness-to-price ratio. Viltrox additionally carved out its personal territory with the budget-friendly 56mm f/1.7 Air and its older, value-packed 56mm f/1.4.
For the final couple of years, my bag has not often been with out that older Viltrox 56mm f/1.4. It has been a dependable companion for numerous paid consumer shoots and private initiatives, serving me extremely nicely with its sharp photographs, good dealing with, and solely minor sacrifices within the chromatic aberrations division. However Viltrox has launched a brand new flagship, the 56mm f/1.2 Pro, and on paper it appears to supply some severe worth. The query is, on this sea of high-quality choices, is that this new “Professional” lens a worthy new king or simply extra noise?
Construct High quality and Dealing with
From the second you decide it up, the 56mm f/1.2 Professional makes its intentions clear. That is no light-weight, plastic-bodied optic. It’s a dense, all-metal-and-glass device that feels substantial within the hand, weighing in at a hefty 575 grams. This construct high quality extends to its options, that are clearly aimed toward severe photographers and videographers. If you happen to shoot Sony E or Nikon Z, the 1.2 Professional features a bodily AF/MF change, a customized perform button, a USB-C port for future firmware updates, and a de-clickable aperture ring for clean iris management throughout video recording. If you happen to shoot Fuji, like myself, you’ll should do with out the switches, customized button, and de-clicked aperture possibility (ouch!).
An in depth look confirms the lens features a strong weather-sealing gasket on the mount, offering confidence in less-than-perfect capturing situations, and that is considered one of my private favourite enhancements, as a result of I put in work exterior all winter lengthy out right here in Utah. Mud and drip resistance is welcome on any gear I can get it on.
This premium construct is a double-edged sword. This isn’t a lens you toss in a bag and overlook about. It’s a deliberate selection. It’s considerably bigger and heavier than each the Sigma 1.4 and the older Viltrox fashions. Just a few minor quirks are there, such because the aperture ring’s “A” place being a bit too simple to knock misplaced and the sound of inside components shifting when the lens is tilted. Nevertheless, these really feel like minor observations moderately than true purposeful flaws.
Autofocus and Video Efficiency
The place this lens actually earns its “Professional” moniker is in its efficiency. The autofocus is an enormous leap ahead, not only for Viltrox however for the X-mount system as a complete. Powered by a contemporary voice coil motor, the AF was snappy, silent, and decisive throughout my time placing it by means of its paces this month. It locked on with no hesitation or pulsing and supplied dependable monitoring for each stills and video, a typical ache level for a lot of Fuji-mount lenses.
This autofocus efficiency, mixed with its different options, makes the lens a formidable device for hybrid shooters. The silent AF and the minimal-to-non-existent focus respiration create a video-ready package deal that many rivals can not match.
I’m very excited to place this lens to make use of capturing courtside highschool and school basketball when the seasons kick off in a few months, and based mostly on the expertise I’ve had with it to this point, I count on it to carry out significantly better than the older f1.4 model within the usually poorly lit gyms the place the video games are performed.
Picture High quality and Optical Efficiency
In fact, the primary draw of a lens like that is its f/1.2 aperture, and the optical high quality right here doesn’t disappoint. The Viltrox Professional, very similar to its 27mm and 75mm siblings, is exceptionally sharp, even when capturing broad open. Stopping all the way down to f/2 transforms it right into a razor-sharp instrument. This sharpness is paired with the lens’s true character: its bokeh. The out-of-focus rendering is fantastically clean and creamy, permitting it to successfully “obliterate” distracting backgrounds and create a profound sense of topic separation.
No lens is ideal. The f/1.2 aperture comes with the anticipated trade-off of noticeable vignetting, although that is simply corrected in post-processing. It additionally reveals a slight, and equally correctable, pincushion distortion. In some high-contrast, backlit conditions, it may be susceptible to catching some flare, however that is nicely managed for such a posh optical design and is considerably improved over my Viltrox 56mm f/1.4 copy.
The 56mm Showdown: The way it Compares
So, how does it stack up in opposition to the competitors? As a long-time person of the Viltrox 56mm f/1.4, I can say the brand new f/1.2 Professional is a night-and-day distinction. Whereas my f/1.4 is pretty sharp, the Professional is sharper at its widest aperture, and its autofocus is in one other league solely. The skilled construct, climate sealing, and superior options make it a very worthy improve for my skilled work.
In opposition to the very fashionable Sigma 56mm f/1.4, the Viltrox Professional holds its personal. It matches the Sigma for sharpness when stopped all the way down to f/1.4 and is almost as sharp at f/1.2. The selection right here comes all the way down to priorities. The Sigma is considerably lighter and extra compact, making it a greater journey or walk-around possibility. The Viltrox gives a quicker aperture, a extra strong construct, and superior video options, however at the price of measurement and weight.
Essentially the most direct rival is, after all, Fujifilm’s personal 56mm f/1.2 WR. Right here, the Viltrox mounts a shocking problem. It competes instantly with the native lens in each sharpness and autofocus velocity (which was by no means actually the 56mm Fuji’s robust level), all whereas costing almost half the value. This makes it an extremely compelling various.
Conclusion and Private Take
For years, I’ve been a giant fan of the Fujifilm 50mm f/1.0, usually renting it for high-stakes consumer work to get that extra-shallow depth of area and magical rendering. However this new Viltrox 56mm f/1.2 Professional is positioned to save lots of me that expense shifting ahead. It delivers the same look with autofocus that’s arguably extra dependable, and for a value I can personal as an alternative of lease. It’s protected to say this lens will possible imply the top of my 50mm f/1.0 leases.
The Viltrox 56mm f/1.2 Professional is a heavyweight contender in each sense. It’s massive, it’s heavy, and it’s constructed to final. However its efficiency unequivocally matches its measurement. It isn’t simply one other 56mm lens; it’s a new benchmark for third-party choices on the X-mount, delivering professional-grade efficiency at a value that’s exhausting to disregard.
Abstract: Execs and Cons
Execs
- Distinctive optical high quality with excellent sharpness, even at f/1.2
- Lovely, creamy bokeh for glorious topic isolation
- Quick, silent, and dependable autofocus for each pictures and video
- Minimal focus respiration and de-clickable aperture ring on Sony mount model
- Skilled, all-metal physique with climate sealing and premium really feel
- Priced considerably decrease than its important native competitor
Cons
- Massive and heavy, which can deter customers searching for a compact setup
- Noticeable vignetting at its widest aperture (correctable)
- Might be vulnerable to flare in high-contrast conditions (correctable)
- Aperture ring may be too simply knocked from auto setting
- Audible noise from inside components when the lens is moved
