Viltrox AF 85mm F1.8 FE

Testers found it optically strong for the price. The centre is very sharp from f/1.8 and the lens is usable wide open at portrait distances. One test found the full-frame edges weaker than Sony's FE 85mm F1.8, while another rated the corners good to very good at f/1.8 and excellent by f/5.6. Bokeh is a highlight, with few cat's eyes and little outlining, though foreground blur can turn busy. Vignetting is strong wide open on full frame, lateral colour is easy to correct, longitudinal fringing is visible, focus shift is significant, and the complex pincushion distortion is stronger than rivals' and hard to correct.

Autofocus divides opinion. It is quick, and in one test slightly faster than Sony's FE 85mm F1.8, but two tests found its accuracy weaker, with frequent slight back-focus at half- and full-body distances. A later test, after firmware updates, found it quick and precise in good light and in a dim church, though it could still hunt briefly in very dark rooms. Build is solid metal and glass but heavy, the hood is flimsy, and flare resistance is mixed with low sun.

Owners are split. Some say it is all they need as a portrait lens on Sony bodies and like the low price, resolution and bokeh, and one reports that autofocus rarely misses except in backlight. Another, who bought in 2020, came to agree with criticism of its autofocus and sharpness.

The recurring complaints are the weight, strong flare when light hits the front element and magenta-green fringing in backlight, which led some owners to sell or return their copies. In the comments, the reviewer adds that a firmware update opening the aperture to a nominal f/1.6 adds almost no extra blur.