I was looking for a nifty fifty for my Sony for a while and it's not really easy to decide. The Sony 1.8 is really low quality even if cheap, the 55 Zeiss is nice but it feels dated especially for the price, also it's too long. The G 2.5 is beautiful construction, small, but it’s expensive and 2.5. Numerous other options are there but they all fell into one of the categories: 1: very cheap and you feel it, 2: Too expensive for what you get, 3: Nice but too big and heavy for street photography.
I somehow always ignored Viltrox as a not known brand as I never had one before. But then this little lens caught my attention because it seemed to bridge the gap between affordable and good enough quality so I decided to give it a try.
And wow I am impressed.
While the plastic build and simple design does show that this is not a Leica, it still feels solid and well made (Similar to tamrons). It still feels much better than Sony 1.8 version. The AF is fast precise and practically inaudible. Works very well with AF-C mode too, eye autofocus is spot on.
But what shocked me most was - This lens is SHARP! It’s is so sharp that it rivals pretty much anything regardless of what you are willing to pay. Paired with the excellent AF this is sounds too good to be true. I almost want to ask the question is "How is it legal at this price point :D”
There are obviously some small limitations which are normal at this price point, like no official weather sealing ( I still feel comfortable using in the light drizzle). The minimal focus distance could be smaller and bokeh could be a bit less busy (although it gives it a character).
But if you need a 50mm lens which is small light and performs close to what a large G Master can do (at f2 of course) without the weight in the camera bag and on your finances. Just get this lens without thinking. There is nothing even close to this in terms of price to performance on a market right now. And because of this viltrox being so small, light and so affordable, I can just throw it in a bag wherever I go. I can only recommend this one.
