Viltrox AF 75mm F1.8 EVO review – a remarkably sharp and affordably priced portrait lens for APS

The Viltrox AF 75mm F1.8 EVO is a compact telephoto lens, and balanced well on the Fujifilm X-E5. Image credit: Angela Nicholson

The Viltrox AF 75mm F1.8 EVO promises sharp results, soft backgrounds and a light load, all for $329/£319. Angela Nicholson puts it to the test on the 40MP Fujifilm X-E5.

Amateur Photographer verdict

At this price point, delivering xcellent sharpness you’re unlikely to question whether it’s worth putting in your bag
Pros

• Very sharp results even at f/1.8
• Compact and light for the aperture and focal length
• Well controlled aberrations

• Fujifilm version lacks aperture click switch
• Noticeable vignetting at wider apertures
• Limited weather-sealing

Viltrox AF 75mm F1.8 EVO review at a glance

• Price: $329/£319
• Filter Diameter: 58mm
• Minimum focus: 0.74m
• Weight: 325g
• Lens Mount: Fujifilm X, Sony E, Nikon Z

Viltrox’s EVO range sits between the company’s high end Pro series and its more affordable Air lenses. There are currently six EVO lenses with focal lengths running from 26mm to 90mm, four of which are for full-frame cameras, while the Viltrox AF 75mm F1.8 EVO and AF 90mm F2.2 EVO are designed for APS-C models.

The two APS-C lenses are available in Fujifilm X, Sony E and Nikon Z mounts. With the 1.5x focal length magnification factor of these cameras, the 75mm produces a view equivalent to a 112.5mm lens on a full frame camera. That puts it into short telephoto territory, making it useful for picking out details and more distant subjects.

Combine that focal length with the f/1.8 maximum aperture and there’s plenty of scope for isolating a subject against a soft background. The large aperture also enables relatively fast shutter speeds when light levels fall. At $329/£319, the Viltrox looks attractively priced too, especially for Fujifilm photographers looking for a fairly compact telephoto prime.

Viltrox AF 75mm F1.8 EVO – Features

The Viltrox AF 75mm F1.8 EVO is constructed from 11 elements in 9 groups, including two ED (Extra low Dispersion) elements and two HR (High Refractive index) elements. These specialist optics are designed to reduce aberrationswhile helping to keep the lens relatively compact.

Its aperture range runs from f/1.8 to f/16, with a nine-blade diaphragm forming the iris. The closest focusing distance is 0.74m and the maximum reproduction ratio is 0.12x. That means it isn’t a macro lens, but it can get close enough for flowers, details and other small subjects while still throwing the background well out of focus.

As the focusing is internal, the barrel doesn’t change length as the focus distance shifts. A stepping motor, or STM, drives the focusing group and there’s a USB-C port for firmware updates.

Interestingly, there are some differences between the mount options. The Sony E and Nikon Z versions have an Fn button, an AF/MF switch and an aperture click switch, but none of these controls are present on the Fujifilm X version.

I can understand why the AF/MF switch and Fn button might be omitted, as almost all Fujifilm cameras have focus mode switches on the body, and only a few XF lenses employ function buttons (mostly large telephotos). But the lack of an aperture click switch is more puzzling. That control is entirely within the lens, so it seems a strange omission.

Viltrox AF 75mm F1.8 EVO – Build and Handling

At 69mm in diameter and 76mm in length, the Viltrox AF 75mm F1.8 EVO is quite compact for a short telephoto lens with an f/1.8 aperture. At 325g, it also feels light and reasonably well balanced on the Fujifilm X-E5.

If you’re used to shooting the X-E5 with the tiny XF 23mm f/2.8 R WR kit lens, it takes a little getting used to, but it’s hardly a burden. For context, Fujifilm’s XF 80mm F2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro weighs 750g and measures 80 x 130mm. Of course, that Fujifilm optic offers 1:1 macro capability, but the comparison helps put the Viltrox’s size into perspective.

As I alluded to earlier, the Fujifilm version of the Viltrox lens has a simple control layout, with an aperture ring near the camera body and a broad manual focus ring further forward.

As there’s no click switch, the aperture ring is permanently ‘clicked’. As a photographer, I’m perfectly happy with that and I like the subtle feedback from the clicks. The ring also moves with a nice degree of resistance. But videographers may feel differently, as there’s no option to make smooth and silent aperture adjustments while recording.

Also, there isn’t an aperture ring lock, and the gap between f/16 and the A position isn’t particularly large. Nevertheless, I found it pretty easy to tell when I’d rotated the ring too far.

The manual focus ring has a similarly high-quality feel and smooth action. It’s tight enough not to move readily by accident, but loose enough that I can rotate it with a little pressure from one finger.

With Focus Check activated on the X-E5, the area under the AF point magnifies quickly when the ring is rotated in manual focus mode. If AF+MF is also switched on, the same thing happens in single AF mode when the shutter button is held down and the focus ring is turned. That can be handy when you’re trying to focus through moving foliage, or on those rare occasions when the focus isn’t quite where you want it.

Viltrox is fairly vague about weather resistance. There’s a rubber seal around the mount and the front element has a coating to repel water droplets, dirt and fingerprints, but there’s no mention of seals around the moving parts.

Viltrox AF 75mm F1.8 EVO – Autofocus

The Viltrox AF 75mm F1.8 EVO’s autofocusing is generally fast and accurate. There are faster focusing lenses available, but it responds well enough for a wide range of everyday subjects.

I was able to get a few sharp images of insects investigating flowers, for example, which is pretty good going. They can move quickly and unpredictably, so it was encouraging to see the lens keeping up on several occasions. It took rowers powering along a river in its stride too.

X-E5 · f/1.8 · 1/2900s · 75mm · ISO64

While this Viltrox lens doesn’t focus in complete silence, it’s very quiet. I can hear a few subtle sounds as the internal elements move, but there’s no obvious buzz or whir from the motor.

For relatively static subjects, the focusing gives little cause for concern.

Viltrox AF 75mm F1.8 EVO – Image quality

The Viltrox AF 75mm F1.8 EVO produces very impressive sharpness, even at f/1.8. That’s good news because there’s little point in buying a fast prime if you need to close the aperture before getting the image quality you want.

I’d be perfectly happy to use f/1.8 whenever the light level or the desired depth of field calls for it. That’s especially encouraging given that the 40.4MP sensor in the Fujifilm X-E5 is quite demanding of a lens.

X-E5 · f/1.8 · 1/4000s · 75mm · ISO125

Sharpness remains strong as the aperture is closed down. Inevitably, diffraction causes a slight drop at f/16, but it isn’t something I’d worry about in normal use.

I hunted around my images for chromatic aberration and was unable to find any significant problems as those exotic elements I mentioned earlier ensure coloured fringing is very well controlled.

X-E5 · f/1.8 · 1/2900s · 75mm · ISO125

Curvilinear distortion isn’t an issue either and straight lines look nice and straight. That means I wouldn’t think twice about using the Viltrox for subjects containing strong geometric shapes.

Vignetting, however, is more noticeable. There’s fairly obvious corner shading at f/1.8 and it remains visible as the aperture is closed, disappearing at around f/5.6.

X-E5 · f/2.5 · 1/1400s · 75mm · ISO125

Depending upon the subject, it can go unnoticed and it may even help draw attention towards the centre of the frame. If it doesn’t suit the image, it’s easy to correct. I find taking Adobe Camera Raw’s Vignette slider to around +7 delivers natural looking results.

When a strong lightflare, but I find it fairly forgivable. It usually appears as a diffuse glow rather than harsh hot spots or strange artefacts. In many cases, it helps impart a summer vibe

X-E5 · f/1.8 · 1/2400s · 75mm · ISO125

The Viltrox AF 75mm F1.8 EVO also produces generally attractive bokeh. At f/1.8, small out of focus highlights look good, although, as is often the case, they become more cat’s eye shaped towards the edges and corners. I don’t find that especially distracting and overall, the out-of-focus areas are rendered pleasantly.

Viltrox AF 75mm F1.8 EVO – Verdict

There’s quite a lot to like about the Viltrox AF 75mm F1.8 EVO. At $329/£319, it’s an affordable way to add a bright short telephoto prime to a Fujifilm X, Sony E or Nikon Z kit, while its 325g weight means you’re unlikely to question whether it’s worth putting in your bag.

Its 112.5mm equivalent focal length won’t suit every subject, but it’s useful when you want to pick out details, shoot a portrait or separate a subject from its surroundings. The f/1.8 aperture helps here too, producing attractive background blur while also giving more scope for faster shutter speeds when the light level falls.

Most importantly, the Viltrox AF 75mm F1.8 EVO produces very sharp images, even at f/1.8. Chromatic aberration and distortion are also controlled very well. There is obvious vignetting at the widest apertures, but it reduces as the aperture is closed and it’s straightforward to correct.

I also find the autofocusing generally fast and accurate, and it was able to keep up with insects moving around flowers on several occasions.

My main gripe concerns the Fujifilm version rather than the optics. It seems odd that it misses out on the aperture click switch found on the Nikon and Sony versions. As a stills photographer, I wouldn’t think twice about the permanently clicked ring, but videographers may not like it.

Overall, it’s a nicely sized lens that delivers strong results without making too much of a dent in your bank balance or camera bag.

Viltrox AF 75mm F1.8 EVO – Full Specifications

Viltrox AF 75mm F1.8 EVO – Sony E mount

Viltrox AF 75mm F1.8 EVO – Fujifilm X mount

Viltrox AF 75mm F1.8 EVO – Nikon Z mount

• Viltrox AF 35mm F1.8 EVO II FE review – a sub $400 all rounder with striking sharpness
• Viltrox AF 85mm F2.0 EVO review – Pro portrait lens for under $300
• Affordable and Pro? New Viltrox 85mm F1.4 portrait lens promises to be both
• Viltrox AF 50mm F1.4 Pro FE review – pro quality at a bargain price?

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About

Angela is a former Technical Editor of AP and a widely respected editor, writer and reviewer, she’s used and reviewed a huge range of photographic kit. She’s also a CAA-qualified drone pilot and the founder of SheClicks, a community for female photographers. Angela is a judge for the British Photography Awards, Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year, Potato Photographer of the Year and Landscape Photographer of the Year.