Last week, I was in Bangkok — the Land of Smiles. 🇹🇭
And today, there are even more reasons to smile because I’ll be sharing not one, but two autofocus lenses from Viltrox— the 75mm F1.8 and the 90mm F2.2.
Both lenses are part of Viltrox’s EVO Series, which sits right between their Air Series and Pro Series.So, is this “middle child” actually any good? Well, if you’re looking for a compact and affordable mid-telephoto prime lens for your Fujifilm system, Check out the photos below.
Size & Build Quality
Let’s start with the size and build of these two lenses. The first thing you’ll notice is that they’re virtually identical in size and weight. Both feature a premium lightweight construction and come equipped with dedicated aperture rings. This is all part of Viltrox’s EVO Series unified design language, which aims to provide a consistent look, feel, size, and handling experience across the lineup.
At just 325 grams, I’d consider both lenses pleasantly lightweight for their focal lengths.They also share the same 58mm filter thread, making it easy to swap filters between them. Both lenses use STM autofocus motors, which I’ll talk more about later, and they also share the same minimum focusing distance of 0.74 metres.
That’s actually quite impressive for lenses in this focal range. The 75mm F1.8 offers a maximum magnification of 0.12x, while the 90mm F2.2 comes in slightly higher at 0.14x. Neither lens is designed as a macro lens, but both are surprisingly enjoyable for shooting close-up lifestyle subjects such as food, drinks, and small details. According to Viltrox, both the lenses are dust and splash proof. Which is good to know.
Optical Performance
On the optical side, both lenses feature two high-refractive index elements and two ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements.
In simple terms, they’re designed to minimise chromatic aberration and improve image quality.Based on my experience shooting with both lenses, they perform exactly as intended. Fringing is very well controlled, and overall image quality is impressively clean. Now, what about sharpness? I’ve certainly used sharper lenses. As for the bokeh; I am rather neutral on that. I don’t particular love it nor hate it.
Naturally, many photographers will compare the Viltrox 90mm F2.2 to Fujifilm’s legendary XF90mm F2.0 LM WR. Base on what I remember; I think they are pretty close. Again; the XF90mm F2 is a more than a decade old lens. The XF90mm is a professional-grade lens that’s larger, heavier, significantly more expensive, and was designed with different priorities in mind. And it’s more than a decade old lens. The EVO Series targets a more affordable mid-range segment. That said, for the sake of curiosity and a little fun, I shot both lenses at F2.2 so you can judge the differences for yourself.
Both are equally sharp. Which is good. The Viltrox feel warmer in color vs Fujifilm, which is more neutral. Viltrox is more contrasty. Lastly; I think the Fujifilm produces a softer bokeh. Which is key if you are shooting portraits.
Autofocus Performance
Autofocus is driven by an STM motor, and overall it’s both quiet and reasonably quick. Could you use it for sports photography? Yes, absolutely. Would it be my first choice for serious action work? Probably not.
In lower-contrast situations, I did notice occasional focus hunting. That said, don’t get the wrong impression. For portraits, travel, street photography, lifestyle work, and general day-to-day shooting, the autofocus performance is more than capable and should satisfy most photographers.
Conclusion
The 75mm F1.8 is priced at USD $329, while the 90mm F2.2 comes in at USD $359. Both sit comfortably in that sweet middle ground between affordability and performance. So which one should you choose? Personally, the focal lengths are close enough that your existing lens lineup may influence your decision. If I already owned a 56mm lens, I’d probably choose the 90mm F2.2 to create a little more separation in focal length.
I also prefer the compression from the 90mm frame. If I didn’t own a 56mm, I’d likely go with the 75mm F1.8, as it offers a slightly more versatile field of view. For photographers who are new to the Fujifilm system and are looking for a quality third-party lens, I think the EVO Series is a fantastic place to start.
It strikes a very nice balance between price, portability, build quality, optical performance and that aperture ring. And sometimes, that’s exactly what most photographers need. Below are the 2 links for those that can’t make-up their mind. There 5% discount for the first 5 days from launch date.
75mm F1.8. https://geni.us/Ivan75EVOXF
90mm F2.2. https://geni.us/Ivan90EVOXF
Here is a video from our Youtube channel.
Great! I recently traded in my 50-140mm because it was a beast annd I didn’t like shooting with it. I was planning on the 90mm Fuji until I saw these guys. That 90mm 2.2 will be great, even though the bokeh was a little more contrasty and pronounced. I’m willing to make that compromise for the smaller size.
Hello Eric,
this lens is really “small” for what it offers. I would compromise; especially if I am travelling. cheers.
Hi, excellent review, thank you very much! One note about the Viltrox compared to the Fuji 90/2: not only the bokeh but also the contrast are significantly higher, and the difference in depth of field was simply astonishing!
HELLO. Thank you for your sharing.
Unfortunately 75/1.8 demonstrates a lot (more than 25%) of AF mistakes on old generation Fuji bodies (X-E3, X-H1 etc). Communication with Viltrox support finished when they sent me video, where X-E3 makes AF mistakes with native lenses too. 🙂