An excellent portrait telephoto lens at an affordable price!

In our previous review, we explored the compact and budget-friendly Viltrox 20 mm f/2.8 lens. This time, we're diving into the opposite — a large, fast premium lens designed for portraiture. With this release, Viltrox seems to be throwing down the gauntlet to the big-name OEMs.

- Ashok Kandimalla

Design & Build Quality

This is an all-metal lens that is very large, heavy, and solidly built. It is heavier than some of its peers from the other manufacturers. This is despite the use of advanced magnesium alloys in its construction.

There are two rings on the lens - the first is for focusing and the second is customizable. You will find two function buttons and three switches - AF/MF, Aperture click stop enable/disable, and Focus range limiter. There is also a display panel that adds a touch of colour!

There are seals all over to make the lens dust and moisture-proof. On the barrel, you can see the label “LAB”, which is the Viltrox seal for premium quality lenses. The lens we tested came with the Nikon Z mount, and a Sony E version is also available.

Key Features

This is a prime lens with 14 elements in 9 groups. These include two high refractive index and four extra low dispersion elements. The lens elements are coated to reduce reflections and prevent smudges on the exposed surfaces. The aperture has 11 blades to give a smooth bokeh.

The focussing is internal. The control ring can be customized in many ways. When set as an aperture ring, there is a switch that allows either stepless or click-stopped aperture adjustment. Since the ring is multifunctional, there are no aperture markings on the ring, but you can see the set value on the display.