Last October saw the launch of the Viltrox AF 50mm f/1.4 Pro, following hot on the heels of the more portrait-friendly AF 85mm f/1.4 Pro. Both lenses are from the upper echelons of Viltrox product lines, bearing a ‘Pro’ badge and very much aiming to live up to that billing. Interchangeable in the best possible way, both lenses have a virtually identical size and weight of 85x111mm / 3.4x4.4" and 800g / 1.76lb, making it an absolute doddle to switch between the two and carry on shooting as if nothing happened.
Pro aspirations of any lens have more to do with the quality of the glass than anything else. While the Viltrox has really solid, weather-sealed build quality, its top-level feature is an exotic optical path based on 15-elements, arranged in 11 groups. These include a UA (Ultra Aspherical) element with a relatively large diameter and ultra-high precision build, 3 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements, 8 HR (High Refractive index) elements, and the application of HD Nano multi-layer coatings.
