Viltrox AF 135mm f/1.8 LAB
Announced November 1, 2024
PixelMeter The PixelMeter is our 1–100 aggregate of reviewer scores from trusted publications and creators. Weighted by source tier — not a raw average, and not PetaPixel’s own review.
Reviewer Consensus
Strong
The Viltrox AF 135mm f/1.8 LAB is a high-performance portrait lens that delivers professional-grade optical quality and sharpness at a highly competitive price point. While it offers premium build quality and features like an integrated LCD, its significant size and weight, along with some autofocus and ergonomic limitations, may deter some users.
Weighted from 30 reviewer scores
Pros
- Robust, weather-sealed metal construction
- Exceptional sharpness and image quality
- Feature-rich design including LCD and programmable controls
- Smooth and aesthetically pleasing bokeh
- High-value pricing compared to native alternatives
Cons
- Heavy and bulky physical design
- Inconsistent or poorly designed aperture ring
- Autofocus performance limitations
- Noticeable focus breathing
- Susceptibility to lens flare
- Launch price $899 (USD)
- Focal length & aperture 135mm f/1.8
- Mount & coverage Sony E, Nikon Z Full-Frame
- Stabilization None
- Close focus 72 cm (0.25x)
- Filter thread 82mm
- Autofocus motor HyperVCM
- Weight & size 1235g · 93 x 145.7 mm (3.66 x 5.74 in)
What the Reviewers Say
All 30 expert reviews, weighted into the PixelMeter score.
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- PetaPixel 8.5/10
Viltrox has managed to make a lens that easily competes against the best in the business for an impressively low price. At a price of $899, as long as the extra size doesn’t bother you, there is no denying the incredible value this lens represents.
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[...] I think Viltrox did a fantastic job with this lens and I'm very interested to see where they go with the rest of this LAB lineup because as a first entry into that series, this is a very promising start.
- OpticalLimits 9.5/10
[...] Viltrox has a winner here - especially but not only because of its price point.
- OpticalLimits 9/10
[I]t deserves our highest praise thanks to its combination of excellent image quality and reasonable pricing.
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I recognize that LAB 135Z will be too big and heavy for some potential buyers, but [y]ou will find an absolutely stunning lens that will produces images that are richer, sharper, and more compelling that what you can get with just about anything else in your bag.
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The Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 LAB is a rare treat for a reviewer like me. [...] [T]he LAB 135mm has allowed me to both do my job (as a lens tester), but do photography with one of the nicest optical instruments I’ve had the privilege to use.
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All well, it's great to see this excellent Viltrox lens working so very well over on Nikon Z-mount too. It's working perfectly really and it's as sharp as ever.
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[T]he Viltrox AF 135mm f/1.8 LAB is a truly excellent portrait lens.
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At the end of the day, this Viltrox 135mm 1.8 LAB is a very good lens, but some of the competitors are even better.
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I love that the Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 LAB has an ideal focal length for tight head-and-shoulders portraiture, coupled with a fast aperture that enables a tight depth of field.
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The Viltrox AF 135mm F1.8 FE Lab lens combines a sturdy build with fast focus and background-blurring optics, but its questionable ergonomics, tendency to flare, and faulty firmware are tough to overcome.
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The 135mm F1.8 LAB is virtually flawless optically, and offers incredible value. Opting for the Viltrox lens instead of Nikon's feels like a no-brainer but for one drawback – the cheaper lens is extremely heavy.
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Genuinely blown away by this lens. If they bring this out for Nikon mount, I'll be picking one up for myself.
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We weren't really sure what to expect from this new lab series of lenses, but we came away very impressed by the performance of this 135 and it has us excited for what Viltrox has in store for the series and other focal lengths over time.
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So this one is more usable and you can still get incredibly magic results, and for the money it's a really good option.
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I would consider this a “shut up and buy it” lens at least for my personal taste and use cases – especially for this price.
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[T]his is one of, if not the best lenses I've ever tested [...]
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The Viltrox AF 135mm f/1.8 LAB is truly a pleasant surprise for me. It's an extremely well-built lens with excellent image quality at a very modest price point.
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[T]his lens has really exceeded my expectations in all ways.
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A marvel first of all optically. Super sharp at 1.8, even sharper at 2.8 F4.
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Just the image quality overall with this Viltrox AF 135mm f/1.8 LAB lens is absolutely phenomenal. It is tack sharp, it is clinically clean if that is something that you're looking for when it comes to a 135 lens.
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This is a really, really good alternative.
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I love it when third parties step in to offer innovation like an LCD screen and metal construction lacking in the other brands. I love having the choice, and this Viltrox is less than half the price.
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[T]his lens delivers performance that comes dangerously close to lenses twice its price.
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All in all, this lens does everything I ask and it does it beautifully.
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It falls short when it comes to autofocus performance, but otherwise is an outstanding lens, especially at its price point.
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Optically it's like a Zeiss otus lens it is freaking phenomenal even at 1.8 wide open.
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Like sure, there's some minor annoyances with the focus noise and the aperture ring being a little less than perfect, but for half the price it suddenly becomes an insane value.
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[W]hen it comes to sharpness and also contrast, it really doesn't get much better than the Viltrox and actually surprised me because the 135 G Master is already supposed to be one of the sharpest lenses out there, but this one definitely tops it.
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If you shoot full-frame Sony and you enjoy taking portraits, this is one that you should definitely consider.
