Is This Mid-Level 50mm Lens Worth the Extra Money?

You can spend under $100 for a 50mm lens with autofocus to well over $2,000 if you want the best of the best, with options at just about every price point in between. At $379, Viltrox's AF 50mm f/1.8 lens promises performance upgrades over the cheapest options without getting into the realm of ultra-expensive options, and this great video review takes a look at the performance and image quality you can expect from it. 

Coming to you from Dustin Abbott, this excellent video review looks at the Viltrox AF 50mm f/1.8 lens. Viltrox has caught the attention of a lot of photographers and filmmakers in the last couple of years by creating highly affordable lenses, and this particular option shows some nice features, particularly decent wide-open sharpness in the center of the frame. No doubt, it will not match the performance of top-level options, but for those who are ready to move on from a sub-$100 nifty fifty without breaking the bank, it looks like a potentially intriguing option, especially with its all-metal construction, USB-C port for firmware upgrades, low levels of distortion, quiet autofocus, and upgraded metal construction. Check out the video above for Abbott's full thoughts on the lens. 

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

Log in or register to post comments