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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. 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. 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. 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.
