Viltrox Brings Its $275 AF 85mm f/2 Evo Portrait Prime to Nikon Z

Nov 05, 2025

Jeremy Gray

A camera lens is displayed in front of large blue letters spelling "EVO" on a dark background, with a gradient effect at the bottom.

Viltrox’s brand new AF 85mm f/2 Evo lens that was announced for Sony E-mount on October 20 is officially now available for Nikon Z-mount as well, giving Nikon photographers a fast full-frame prime lens option that costs just $275.

While the lens’s specs are essentially unchanged from the Sony E-mount version released a couple of weeks ago, it is worth recapping them for the new Nikon audience. The compact lens is just 78 millimeters (a shade under 3.1 inches) long, which is 21 millimeters (0.8 inches) shorter than the faster, pricier Nikon Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.8 S lens, which is on sale now for $746.95 after a $100 instant rebate. The Viltrox AF 85mm f/2 Evo weighs 360 grams (12.7 ounces), whereas the Nikkor Z 85mm f/1.8 S weighs 470 grams (16.6 ounces). The Viltrox AF 85mm f/2 Evo is also a bit narrower than Nikon’s 85mm f/1.8 lens and uses a 58mm filter rather than a 67mm one.

Other specifications are similar. The Viltrox lens’s maximum magnification is 0.13x, whereas the Nikon lens’s is 0.12x. Both lenses also have a nine-bladed aperture diaphragm.

A person holds a black Nikon mirrorless camera with a large attached lens, adjusting the settings with their fingers. The camera is detailed and clearly visible in a well-lit indoor setting.

The new Viltrox 85mm f/2 features 10 elements arranged across eight groups, including a pair of ED and two HR specialized elements. These special elements promise to correct for aberrations, including axial chromatic ones. The lens utilizes “fast, accurate” STM autofocus technology, which Viltrox says works well for both photo and video applications.

As for build quality, despite costing just $275, the lens offers dust and moisture protection and features a USB-C port on the mount for future firmware upgrades, a mainstay in many of Viltrox’s recent lenses. The lens also includes a dedicated Fn button, a switch to de-click the aperture control ring, and an AF/MF switch on the barrel.

A person holding a Nikon camera with a large Viltrox lens, adjusting settings indoors with soft, warm lighting.

While not quite as fast as Nikon’s Nikkor 85mm f/1.8 S, Viltrox’s new 85mm f/2 lens targets a similar audience. It is designed for portrait photography, but can also be used for landscapes, travel, and street photography.

The new Viltrox AF 85mm f/2 Evo joins a fairly crowded 85mm Viltrox lineup. The lens is slightly slower but much lighter than the Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.8 II ($329) and way lighter than the 800-gram, ultra-fast Viltrox AF 85mm f/1.4 Pro, which costs $600 and features the company’s highest-end Viltrox VCM autofocus system and professional build quality. Viltrox is giving photographers with Sony E-mount and now Nikon Z-mount cameras a much more affordable, compact 85mm option that’s still reasonably quick at f/2.

Sample Images

The sample photos below were captured with the Viltrox AF 85mm f/2 Evo for Sony E-mount, but they illustrate the expected performance of the Nikon Z-mount version.

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 Viltrox AF 85mm f/2 Evo lens is available to order now in Sony E-mount and Nikon Z-mount versions for $275 through authorized retailers, including B&H. It is also available directly from Viltrox with a special launch discount, which brings the price down to $261.25. The Z-mount lens is expected to begin shipping next week.

Buy the Viltrox AF 85mm f/2 Evo new on B&H Buy the Viltrox AF 85mm f/2 Evo used on KEH.com

Image credits: Viltrox