Viltrox to Release the AF 56mm F1.2 Pro for Everyone but Us

[Richard CR]

We don't get nice things on the RF mount - okay, that was a bit of hyperbole - we have lots of nice things on the RF mount, just not this one.

Viltrox has come a long way from their earlier days of their triple fast primes for APS-C (which were decent, especially when you considered the price). Now they have an entire line of primes with three different quality scales: standard, Pro, and Lab. They have also expanded into full frame, as they continue to flex their optical design and lens manufacturing chops.

Viltrox to Release the AF 56mm F1.2 Pro for Everyone but Us - Canon Rumors

We don’t get nice things on the RF mount – okay, that was a bit of hyperbole – we have lots of nice things on the RF mount, just not this one. Viltrox has come a long way from their earlier days of their triple fast primes for APS-C (which were decent, especially when you […]

www.canonrumors.com

 

[Uneternal]

It's getting more and more frustrating to see Chinese manufacturers coming up with great APS-C lenses and knowing they won't appear on RF any time soon.
If the situation doesn't improve soon, I'm thinking of switching to Nikon or Panasonic.

 

[Besisika]

Other than Laowa, Viltrox is the only third party I am most interested in.

 

[ashmadux]

(Looks at my S9 and chuckles)

Feels freaking wonderful being out of Canon lens jail. Options FTW

 

[DhlcadR6]

Meanwhile Yongnuo's 56mm f1.4 will come to RF-S soon.... Yes it's not f1.2 but progress are making, am I the only one not bothered to jump/switch systems?

 

[Besisika]

Meanwhile Yongnuo's 56mm f1.4 will come to RF-S soon.... Yes it's not f1.2 but progress are making, am I the only one not bothered to jump/switch systems?

I have been a Canon shooter since the Berlin wall still stood and the land was still called Soyuz Sovetskikh
When I shoot only photos, all good and even today, no matter what, I can't think of a better system than my R5 for what I do. Photo-wise, Canon is still the best and I have zero reason to think about other systems. It is the anchor the Canon system still hangs on in my mind. The ability to tweak the raw files in post is simply amazing. I can create 10 versions of the same photo in post, thanks to the quality of the raw file.
From a videography standpoint, it is another story. This is the first year I begin to look elsewhere, because of the C80.
A new tool is there to help you resolve issues.
When no such tool exists, my mind is at ease and I am able to convince myself that the technology doesn't exist yet.
But when that tool does exist and it is actually made by someone way "weaker" than Canon, but we cannot have it for whatever reason,; it is really difficult to calm down my troubled mind.
It is difficult for me to jump ship because of photography. I don't need to think about gear nor technique any longer. I have used it for around 40 years, just a new version every 5-6 years. It allows me to focus on the people aspect of the job.
Videography-wise, it is a trouble. My mind is bothered at 70-80% by the gear, not the art. It drives me crazy.
Granted, I made a mistake not to be aware of the R5c, but if no R5c mark II, nor R1c comes out, ... the next "cinema first' gear better have something worth staying around, not another C80 with an SD card.
I hope that answers your question.

 

[DhlcadR6]

I have been a Canon shooter since the Berlin wall still stood and the land was still called Soyuz Sovetskikh
When I shoot only photos, all good and even today, no matter what, I can't think of a better system than my R5 for what I do. Photo-wise, Canon is still the best and I have zero reason to think about other systems. It is the anchor the Canon system still hangs on in my mind. The ability to tweak the raw files in post is simply amazing. I can create 10 versions of the same photo in post, thanks to the quality of the raw file.
From a videography standpoint, it is another story. This is the first year I begin to look elsewhere, because of the C80.
A new tool is there to help you resolve issues.
When no such tool exists, my mind is at ease and I am able to convince myself that the technology doesn't exist yet.
But when that tool does exist and it is actually made by someone way "weaker" than Canon, but we cannot have it for whatever reason,; it is really difficult to calm down my troubled mind.
It is difficult for me to jump ship because of photography. I don't need to think about gear nor technique any longer. I have used it for around 40 years, just a new version every 5-6 years. It allows me to focus on the people aspect of the job.
Videography-wise, it is a trouble. My mind is bothered at 70-80% by the gear, not the art. It drives me crazy.
Granted, I made a mistake not to be aware of the R5c, but if no R5c mark II, nor R1c comes out, ... the next "cinema first' gear better have something worth staying around, not another C80 with an SD card.
I hope that answers your question.

There's C400, if SD card is a big concern for you.

 

[mimbu]

It's getting more and more frustrating to see Chinese manufacturers coming up with great APS-C lenses and knowing they won't appear on RF any time soon.
If the situation doesn't improve soon, I'm thinking of switching to Nikon or Panasonic.

This is 1000% because of Canon's aggressive legal tactics. Viltrox did release some RF lenses with AF, but withdrew them after receiving legal threats from Canon. Samyang also had some RF lenses with AF but withdrew them as well, but no specific reason was given. I doubt Samyang decided to stop selling RF on their own.

If 3rd party glass is your desire, there is only one mount you should be looking at. It's not RF, not Z, and not L. On Z you get some Tamron products but very limited Sigma stuff (no Sigma on FF Z at all.) On L you get Sigma but no Tamron. On RF you get nothing at all, of course. L also has AF that is years behind where others are.

 

[DhlcadR6]

This is 1000% because of Canon's aggressive legal tactics. Viltrox did release some RF lenses with AF, but withdrew them after receiving legal threats from Canon. Samyang also had some RF lenses with AF but withdrew them as well, but no specific reason was given. I doubt Samyang decided to stop selling RF on their own.

If 3rd party glass is your desire, there is only one mount you should be looking at. It's not RF, not Z, and not L. On Z you get some Tamron products but very limited Sigma stuff (no Sigma on FF Z at all.) On L you get Sigma but no Tamron. On RF you get nothing at all, of course. L also has AF that is years behind where others are.

Viltrox could have did what Yongnuo did, re-design the RF mount&did minimal advertising to avoid Canon's legal action

 

[mimbu]

Viltrox could have did what Yongnuo did, re-design the RF mount&did minimal advertising to avoid Canon's legal action

Viltrox, Samyang, and according to Viltrox, "others".

Laowa for example only offers RF lenses with manual focus. The Laowa full frame 10/2.8 and 12/2.8 are available in AF or MF for E/Z/L but only MF for RF. I don't know what Yongnuo did or didn't do but clearly other companies are not willing to make RF AF without some sort of agreement from Canon.

Laowa has chosen an interesting route for their upcoming AF 200/2 release and that is to make it in an EF mount. I suppose it will work on RF with an EF to RF adapter. On E and Z it has an integrated flange extension that includes a drop-in filter holder. It's coming out in early October. 1.6kg. Price not yet known but probably less than the Sigma. The Laowa does not have stabilization.

 

[Besisika]

Viltrox, Samyang, and according to Viltrox, "others".

Laowa for example only offers RF lenses with manual focus. The Laowa full frame 10/2.8 and 12/2.8 are available in AF or MF for E/Z/L but only MF for RF. I don't know what Yongnuo did or didn't do but clearly other companies are not willing to make RF AF without some sort of agreement from Canon.

Laowa has chosen an interesting route for their upcoming AF 200/2 release and that is to make it in an EF mount. I suppose it will work on RF with an EF to RF adapter. On E and Z it has an integrated flange extension that includes a drop-in filter holder. It's coming out in early October. 1.6kg. Price not yet known but probably less than the Sigma. The Laowa does not have stabilization.

Some of EF lenses adapted to the RF have some issues as they were optimized for EF bodies. If the lens is optimized to be used with an adapter on RF bodies, this might be interesting solution for us. I can't wait to see this Laowa version of the 200F2. That is my portraiture focal length.

 

[Greggr]

we have canon ef 501.2, we have canon rf 501.2... we don't need some unknown lenses that just degrade the picture... even they cost less of canon lenses...

 

[rombe3jr]

2025 is fading fast and the number of new RF & RF-S lenses is very low. Each new third party lens announcement is a dagger to the heart of Canon.

 

[mimbu]

we have canon ef 501.2, we have canon rf 501.2... we don't need some unknown lenses that just degrade the picture... even they cost less of canon lenses...

Yes, when you have a 50/1.2, why would you ever want other lenses? You don't need a 35/1.2. You don't need a 135/1.4. You certainly could never use a 200/2. And a 14/1.8 would just be absurd. Who could ever use such a lens? [/sarcasm off]

 

[mimbu]

2025 is fading fast and the number of new RF & RF-S lenses is very low. Each new third party lens announcement is a dagger to the heart of Canon.

Canon has never been friendly to 3rd party glass, I don't find it surprising that they doubled-down on this with RF. I also don't expect it to change, Canon will do everything they can to keep almost all 3rd party glass off RF.

 

[DhlcadR6]

Canon has never been friendly to 3rd party glass, I don't find it surprising that they doubled-down on this with RF. I also don't expect it to change, Canon will do everything they can to keep almost all 3rd party glass off RF.

No. They let Yongnuo to have AF FF primes, other manufacturers should consider similar way to make "RF" lenses.

 

[Walrus]

Some of EF lenses adapted to the RF have some issues as they were optimized for EF bodies. If the lens is optimized to be used with an adapter on RF bodies, this might be interesting solution for us. I can't wait to see this Laowa version of the 200F2. That is my portraiture focal length.

I have to say that all my past and present EF lenses (either from Canon or third parties) work much better on R bodies then they've ever made on DSLR, especially bright f1.4 primes shot wide open at close distance, where the eye-AF makes a ton of difference from the old "optical viewfinder" AF, regardless of how many focus points/zones it had, the hit rate is now basically perfect, like 95% tack sharp, while with my 6D perfectly tack sharp eye hit rate from close distance was around 50% to 60% at best.

I have yet to find any EF lens performing worse on R, and I tested I think not less then 20 EF lenses in the last 4 years, since I moved from dslr to R, having tried most of them on a range of 3 FF (R, RP and R6) and two APS (R10 and R100) bodies.
Of course it's just my personal experience.

 

[ReflexVE]

Gotta say the Viltrox 75mm f1.2 is my all time second favorite lens (after the Fujinon GF110mmF2) and it takes absolutely fantastic portraits. I own the 13mm f1.4 as well and it's also fantastic. Best part of moving to Fuji was getting access to a lens library that is absolutely EF like, but all for APS-C.