Viltrox is busy filling all the prime lens niches that they can find. This time they found the 90mm focal length for APS-C format cameras. So let’s meet the Viltrox AF 90mm f/2.2 EVO, equivalent to an 137mm f/3.3 lens in full format terms. It’s available in Sony E, Nikon Z as well as Fujifilm X mount with the latter version being discussed here. In Fujifilm X mount, it’s placed directly against the Fujinon XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR, one of the highest-rated lenses that we ever tested (albeit that was back in the day on 16 megapixels). While…
Author: Klaus
New, dedicated APS-C format prime lenses from OEMs have become a bit of a rare sight outside the Fujifilm ecosystem. However, Viltrox has been putting some new life into this format lately. Besides the AF 90mm f/2.2 EVO, Viltrox just released the Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.8 EVO – again available in E-, Z- and X-mount. We’ve tested the E-mount version for this review. In full-format terms it’s equivalent to a 114mm f/2.7 putting it in between the classic 56mm (FF “85mm”) and 90m (FF “135mm”) focal lengths. Just like the other EVO lenses, it is very competitively priced at just…
Thypoch (derived from “Thy” = “your” and “Epoch” = “era”) is a fairly recent addition to the fleet of Chinese lens manufacturers. They debuted back in 2023 with a set of interesting prime lenses inspired by some classic European designs. Thypoch belongs to the DZO group, which also owns DZO Film, a manufacturer of CINE lenses so despite being a newcomer in the mirrorless lens market, they got some history behind them. Normally, you’d expect a new manufacturer to step up from manual focus prime lenses to AF prime lenses. However, Thypoch decided to skip this step and moved straight…
Ref.: https://meikeglobal.com/products/8514iie SpecificationsOptical construction11 elements in 8 groupsNumber of aperture blades11min. focus distance0.81m (max. magnification ?)Dimensionsφ 85 x 110mmWeight648gFilter size77mmHoodbarrel-shaped, suppliedAvailable MountsSony E, Nikon Z, L-mountOther featuresaperture ring (de-clickable)aperture lockFn custom buttonUSB-C port for firmware updatesPrice$498 USD
I’d like to start this review with a caveat – it is almost crazy trying to test a fisheye lens in a formal way. The image distortions are all over the place, and making readings for a software analysis is a gamble. However, every once in a while we should challenge ourselves with an impossible task, shouldn’t we? 🙂 Anyway, so here’s our attempt to review the Laowa 8-15mm f/2.8 Zoom Fisheye lens. For starters, it’s not really a zoom lens in a conventional way. It’s a circular fisheye lens at 8mm and a full-frame fisheye lens at 15mm. You…
Ref.: https://brightinstar.com/products/brightin-star-af-12mm-f2-8-full-frame-lens SpecificationsOptical construction15 elements in 11 groups (2x aspherical, 2x ED, 2x HR)Number of aperture blades5min. focus distance0.24m (max. magnification ?)Dimensionsφ 70 x 96.9mmWeight550gFilter size34mm rear-filterHoodbuilt-inAvailable MountsSony E-mount (AF version)Other featuresaperture ringFn custom buttonPrice$659 USD
Ref.: https://www.venuslens.net/product/4-5-10mm-f-2-8-cf-zoom-fisheye/ SpecificationsOptical construction13 elements in 9 groups (4x ELD, 1x HR)Number of aperture blades7min. focus distance0.10m (max. magnification 0.27x)Dimensionsφ 68.9 x 59.3mmWeight338gFilter size-Hood-Available MountsE / Z / RF / L / X / EF-M / MFTOther featuresaperture ringPrice$399 USD
A little while ago, we already tested the Viltrox AF 35mm f/1.2 LAB FE in both Nikon Z and Sony E-mount – with impressive results. The original version of the lens – which is still available -uses a rather unusual aperture ring handling. The ring is unmarked and turns infinitely, and you can’t really determine the currently set aperture / mode before switching on the camera. While some videographers may actually prefer this, it’s probably not ideal from a photographer’s perspective. So Viltrox listened and released this new “N” version, which features a more traditional marked aperture ring with clear…
Ref.: https://brightinstar.com/products/brightin-star-10mm-f5-6-ii-aps-c-fisheye-lens SpecificationsOptical construction7 elements in 5 groupsNumber of aperture bladesRound (fixed)min. focus distance0.12m (max. magnification ? )Dimensionsφ 57 x 32mmWeight132gFilter size-Hoodbuilt-inAvailable MountsSony E, Nikon Z, EF-M, RF-S, Fujifilm X, MFTOther featuresAvailable in black and silverPrice$75 USD
PRESS RELEASE Thypoch enters autofocus market with Voyager 24-50mm f/2.8 for Sony E-mount The first full-frame autofocus zoom developed by a Chinese optical brand, in a constant f/2.8 internal-zoom design Shenzhen, China, May 14, 2026. Thypoch today announced the Voyager 24-50mm f/2.8, the first full-frame autofocus zoom developed by a Chinese optical brand and Thypoch’s first AF lens. Built for Sony E-mount mirrorless cameras, the Voyager uses an internal zoom mechanism that holds physical length fixed across the focal range, with a constant f/2.8 aperture from 24mm through 50mm. Three Primes in One Lens A photographer working with primes typically…