Viltrox has announced the Viltrox AF 85 / 1.8 STM ED IF for the RF mount

[koenkooi]

Hi all, I do not want to sound arrogant but to me when you buy a 4000 euro/$ R5 or 2200 euro/$ R6 or even an R3, why you would buy a lens like that?[..]

I can think of a few reasons:

1. You bought the lens before being able to afford on R5/R6
2. You could just afford an R5/R6 and want a lens without having to save up for it

For me, not making any money with photography, buying non-cheap lenses after getting the R5+100-500 coincides with pay raises, referral bonuses and surprise tax returns

 

[Kane Clements]

Don't wish to sound ungrateful, but I'd rather 3rd parties tried to fill some of the gaps in Canon's RF lineup first. We already have 2 Canons and a Samyang at 85mm.

If this thing is $300, I'll take that back.

I moved to Fuji, but still keep an eye on the Canon world. I rather like the kit, though not the prices. I'd be surprised if this cost more than $400 US. Plenty of reviews of other platform versions. I have a couple of their lenses the 23mm f1.4 and 56mm f1.4 and for the price they are great. I got the 56 as an impulse purchase at 33% off.

It is a case sometimes of cutting one's cloth. I'm an enthusiast not a pro so getting good value kit and learning how to make it work for me is part of the deal.

 

[navastronia]

As someone whose Samyang RF 85/1.4 freaked out and stopped working on a job last week, I don't know if I'd be comfortable with that lens as my only 85mm option on even a $500 gig, not to mention thousands of dollars worth.

 

[Kane Clements]

As someone whose Samyang RF 85/1.4 freaked out and stopped working on a job last week, I don't know if I'd be comfortable with that lens as my only 85mm option on even a $500 gig, not to mention thousands of dollars worth.

Quite understand. I'm an enthusiast not a pro so my priorities are a bit different. It would be interesting to get some stats on Viltrox reliability.

 

[ReflexVE]

I moved to Fuji, but still keep an eye on the Canon world. I rather like the kit, though not the prices. I'd be surprised if this cost more than $400 US. Plenty of reviews of other platform versions. I have a couple of their lenses the 23mm f1.4 and 56mm f1.4 and for the price they are great. I got the 56 as an impulse purchase at 33% off.

It is a case sometimes of cutting one's cloth. I'm an enthusiast not a pro so getting good value kit and learning how to make it work for me is part of the deal.

Literally my journey. Loved my M50 but didn't see an upgrade path that preserved the small/light/reasonably priced/advanced features priorities I had, so ended up with an X-S10. Still like Canon and who knows, maybe they'll value that market again someday.

 

[dsut4392]

As someone whose Samyang RF 85/1.4 freaked out and stopped working on a job last week, I don't know if I'd be comfortable with that lens as my only 85mm option on even a $500 gig, not to mention thousands of dollars worth.

You could always buy two of the Samyang, still cheaper and lighter than carrying one of the RF 85/1.2

 

[SteveC]

You could always buy two of the Samyang, still cheaper and lighter than carrying one of the RF 85/1.2

And if they BOTH crap out, you can entertain the customer by juggling them.

 

[Ozarker]

Hi all, I do not want to sound arrogant but to me when you buy a 4000 euro/$ R5 or 2200 euro/$ R6 or even an R3, why you would buy a lens like that? No offense please but I think that at the end, what makes a great picture beside a good sensor and overall camera is of course a good photographer AND a great lens! The lens is often the key and for such a low price I doubt that lenses like that could compete so well against a Canon RF or a Sigma Art or Laowa Zero...

But is it the lens that competes, or the photographers that compete?

I am sure there are people out there who just love manual lenses. They still want the best camera they can afford.

 

[jeffa4444]

The Canon EF 85mm F1.4L IS USM with the adaptor takes brilliant portraits etc on the R5 & R6 and It won’t pack up on you like the Samyang. I will wait patiently until the RF 85 F1.4L IS USM comes out knowing I’ve already got a near impossible lens to beat by third parties.

 

[Kiton]

Wake the %$#@ Canon and Sigma!

Not every lens has to be 1.2 or .95 etc etc

1.8 or 2 is a very beautiful thing, now lets make some please!!

 

[HenryL]

Wake the %$#@ Canon and Sigma!

Not every lens has to be 1.2 or .95 etc etc

1.8 or 2 is a very beautiful thing, now lets make some please!!

Ask and you shall receive - Canon has you covered.

 

[Kiton]

Ask and you shall receive - Canon has you covered.

I have that lens, since day 1 of its launch locally.

Good lens.
But it is not a great street lens at all.
The focus is slow, as is always the case with Macros glass, but this lens is useless for video. I have shot interviews with it when it is on a tripod and the focus shifts very little, it was fine. Video at a parade or protest in the street.....scrap.

I shot a portrait with the RF 85 2 today.
A male employee of a client and I want the very sharp details of his face and beard.
Then I shot a young female and I removed the RF 85 and used the EF 85 1.8. Much more pleasing skin tones with its slight softer feel at 2.8.
I will keep the RF 85 f2 until a better street lens comes, and then it will be gone over night!

I will always keep the EF 85 1.8 for portraits!

 

[SteveC]

I will always keep the EF 85 1.8 for portraits!

My favorite non-macro prime. (I don't use primes all that much except for coin photography.)

 

[wockawocka]

Hi all, I do not want to sound arrogant but to me when you buy a 4000 euro/$ R5 or 2200 euro/$ R6 or even an R3, why you would buy a lens like that? No offense please but I think that at the end, what makes a great picture beside a good sensor and overall camera is of course a good photographer AND a great lens! The lens is often the key and for such a low price I doubt that lenses like that could compete so well against a Canon RF or a Sigma Art or Laowa Zero...

Currently there's no fast focusing native mid range 85mm for the RF mount.

There's the slower, heavy focusing RF 1.2L
There's the almost 30 year old 1.8 EF USM
There's the RF F2 which has crappy slow STM
There's the EF 1.4 which is inbetween everything

But a fast focusing, native, modern and lightweight RF mount 85? Unlikely to be coming from Canon for years now that the STM version is out. Canon dropped the ball in using STM focusing. It should have been USM all through.

 

[Ozarker]

Currently there's no fast focusing native mid range 85mm for the RF mount.

There's the slower, heavy focusing RF 1.2L
There's the almost 30 year old 1.8 EF USM
There's the RF F2 which has crappy slow STM
There's the EF 1.4 which is inbetween everything

But a fast focusing, native, modern and lightweight RF mount 85? Unlikely to be coming from Canon for years now that the STM version is out. Canon dropped the ball in using STM focusing. It should have been USM all through.

I never noticed that the RF 85mm f/1.2L focused slowly when I had it. Granted, I'm a portrait shooter.