Viltrox Kicks Off New Compact Lens Series With $275 AF 85mm f/2 Evo

Oct 20, 2025

Jeremy Gray

Side-by-side images of a Viltrox 85mm f/2.0 FE camera lens; one shows the lens upright highlighting focus and aperture rings, the other shows a top view with glass elements and text details visible.

Viltrox has announced a brand new series of fast, affordable full-frame prime lenses: Evo. The first lens in the series is the AF 85mm f/2 Evo for Sony E-mount, which the Chinese lens maker says “redefines” this essential portrait focal length for a new generation of photographers.

The Viltrox AF 85mm f/2 Evo features a redesigned optical structure that doesn’t skimp on specialized optics. The lens includes 10 elements arranged across eight groups, including two high-refractive index (HR) lenses and a pair of extra-low dispersion (ED) elements. Viltrox promises edge-to-edge sharpness, even when shooting wide open. The company also claims the lens has strong control over chromatic aberrations.

A person holds a camera, focusing on a woman standing on a city street. The woman appears sharp on the camera screen but is blurred in the background. Urban buildings and parked cars are visible.

Although Viltrox says the lens is sharp across its focal plane, it also promises soft out-of-focus areas thanks to its nine-bladed aperture diaphragm and fast f/2 aperture. While not as fast as Viltrox’s 85mm f/1.4 Pro ($598) or even the AF 85mm f/1.8 II ($329 on sale), the new Viltrox 85mm f/2 Evo costs just $275.

A close-up of a hand holding a black digital camera with a large lens; colorful blurred lights and cityscape are visible in the background.

The new prime lens is also very lightweight. It tips the scales at only 340 grams (0.75 pounds) and is only 76 millimeters (three inches) long. Compare that to the Viltrox 85mm f/1.4 Pro, which weighs 800 grams (1.8 pounds) and is 108.5 millimeters (4.3 inches) long. The Viltrox 85mm f/1.8 II weighs 484 grams (1.1 pounds) and is 92 millimeters (3.6 inches) long. The new 85mm f/2 Evo gives up a bit of speed, but is significantly smaller and lighter than Viltrox’s other 85mm primes.

A woman in a white blouse holds a camera, preparing to take a photo at night. City lights and blurred buildings glow in the background, reflecting on the water.

Although compact and affordable, the lens includes a rubber-sealed mount, offering some level of weather resistance. It also has an AF/MF switch, an aperture control ring, and a function (Fn) button.

A person holds a camera mounted on a handheld stabilizer, with a blurred background of fallen autumn leaves on the ground.

As for autofocus, the lens features an STM motor, which promises accurate, smooth autofocus for photos and videos. The lens supports the eye- and face-detect autofocus in Sony Alpha cameras as well. The lens’s minimum focusing distance is 0.74 meters (2.4 feet), resulting in a maximum magnification of 0.13x.

Sample Photos

A close-up of a woman’s face with dark hair, soft makeup, and glowing skin, gazing thoughtfully. The background is blurred with colorful bokeh lights creating a dreamy atmosphere.

A happy black, white, and brown dog sits among vibrant orange and yellow flowers in a sunlit field, looking to the side with its mouth open and tongue out.

A scenic view of a coastal town with red-roofed buildings beside a bay, surrounded by mountains. A stone church tower with a cross stands in the foreground under a clear blue sky.

A woman in a white blouse and dark skirt stands by a railing at night, with a city skyline and bright lights blurred in the background across the water.

A coastal town with colorful buildings and a tall church tower on a hill, lit by golden sunlight. Several boats float on the calm water in the foreground under a dramatic, cloudy sky.

A black and white dog jumps excitedly on a grassy path lined with vibrant orange flowers, with a blurred green background.

A woman with short dark hair, wearing a white blouse and beige pants, leans casually on a metal railing in an urban street with neon signs and blurred buildings in the background. She carries a navy shoulder bag.

A scenic view of Lake Bled with small boats on the water, an island with a church, and forested mountains in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

A young woman with short dark hair, wearing a white shirt and carrying a black bag, stands outdoors leaning against a red pole, looking over her shoulder towards the camera.

A woman with short black hair and a white blouse poses confidently in front of a green wall decorated with various colorful stickers.

A black and white Border Collie dog lies on grass outdoors with its mouth open and tongue hanging out, surrounded by tall, blurred green and golden plants.

A woman with short dark hair wearing a white blouse and long gray skirt stands on a city street, looking over her shoulder. Buses and blurred city elements are visible in the background.

A black and white dog lies on a wooden path at night, panting with its tongue out, next to a glowing lantern. Soft, out-of-focus lights appear in the foreground.

Pricing and Availability

The new Viltrox AF 85mm f/2 Evo is available now for full-frame Sony E-mount cameras and is priced at $275, a very competitive price for a reasonably fast 85mm lens. It will be available through Amazon and B&H shortly.

Image credits: Viltrox