Viltrox Launches $180 56mm f/1.7 Lens for APS-C Sony Cameras

Viltrox’s new 56mm f/1.7 is a tiny, lightweight prime lens for photographers and videographers using APS-C Sony cameras.

For Sony APS-C shooters looking for a compact, lightweight, and affordable portrait option, Viltrox’s new 56mm f/1.7 could be the answer. Part of the Viltrox “Air” series of compact and affordable primes, this lens weighs in at only 170 grams (less than half of a pound) and is designed for travel and street photography.

It’s a little longer at 56mm and a tad faster at f/1.7 than a traditional “nifty fifty” 50mm f/1.8 lens, but shooters can expect an approximate 85mm full frame equivalent — a typical sweet spot for portraits and b-roll due to the way the focal length renders faces and bokeh. With an optical design featuring 11 elements in nine groups, shooters can expect sharp subjects and, as Viltrox describes, a “retro” background blur.

Assuming the new 56mm f/1.7 lens for E-mount delivers the same performance as the Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.7 lens for Fujifilm X Series cameras, E-mount photographers are in for a treat and can expect excellent image quality at a budget price.

“Viltrox has managed to break expectations and genuinely set a new bar for performance at this price,” Mike Smith wrote in his PetaPixel review of the X-mount lens.

The lens appears to be well built and includes a metal rear mount, which lenses in this range don’t always have. It features a 52mm front filter thread for standard-sized filters and ships with a lens hood. It also comes with a USB-C port in the rear mount to connect to a computer for firmware updates.

Video shooters should also enjoy this one. The lens comes with an STM focusing motor, which typically offers fast and near-silent autofocus performance. Thanks to the lens’s low amount of focus breathing, videographers can expect quick and smooth focus racks that can keep up with Sony’s Eye-AF for subjects moving between the foreground and background.

At only $180, the Viltrox 56mm f/1.7 is an accessible option for crop-sensor Sony owners looking for a cheaper portrait option. It’s currently more affordable than Sony’s full-frame 50mm f/1.8 ($248) and Sigma’s well-regarded 56mm f/1.4 for APS-C cameras ($399).

Viltrox is marketing this as an entry-level option for budding photographers stepping up from an iPhone and portrait mode. The small and light design makes it a perfect match for the Sony a6700, but the sharpness and video-friendly performance means it could also pair nicely on a ZV-E10 II or FX-30.

The Viltrox 56mm f/1.7 is available for purchase today on the Viltrox website and through other retailers, including Pergear, AVShutter, and B&H. The new E-mount version joins existing AF 56mm f/1.7 APS-C lenses for X and Z mount cameras.

Image credits: Photographs by Viltrox.