In the past few years i always chose the technical and optical better alternative if there were two comparable lenses. That also meant to get the bigger, heavier and often more expensive lens. And while the pictures was great, i always had a hard time carrying all those big heavy lenses with me. Within the last 12 months i sold almost all my bigger and better lenses (some of them were fullframe even if i am shooting with APS-C) and switched for the smaller and cheaper alternatives if available. Last switch was from Tamron 50-400 to 50-300. Is the 50-400 better in terms of image quality? Yes, absolutely. But i don't take it with me very often or if i do, it is a pain in the ass. I also tested the Viltrox 27 because it was so hyped up. It produces amazing pictures. But it is so heavy and bulky, i really don't like that. So i went for the Sigma 23 in the end. I love the pictures it produces as well and i take it with me more often. Of course, i am no professional photographer, so i do not need perfection. But i don't think i would shoot on APS-C at all if i was a professional. Why do i shoot on APS-C? Because i love the good enough quality with the advantage of being cheaper, smaller, more compact. I can live with the compromises in image quality.
@@dimitris470 We don't need this discussion for the millionth time. I don't know how much of the FF circle the Viltrox 1.2 lenses cover. If they only cover APS-C then there's no reason to use them instead of an FF 1.8 lens. You get f1.2 in terms of exposure settings (correct) but by cropping to APS-C the better noise performance of FF is lost.
I am using 27 and 75 with X-T3 and they are perfect, even-thought quite heavy. It really brought the system closer to Full-frame for me. Looking forward to any new Viltrox lens. Even the cheapo 56F1.7 looks great for traveling
This what I actually search since the focal length close around 30. Wonder if the price difference is worthed to get viltrox or is the 30mm sigma close enough in term of quality.
@@Levy.AlecPhotography do you regret or satisfied? I have viltrox 13mm f1.2 It's quite heavy..and the focus motor quite annoying.. The quality is superb tho.. Lately im planning to buy lens 30s mm ..and i hv no doubt on sigma 30mm f1.4 .. since the quality, price and weight are good
I just purchased both the Viltrox 27mm/1.2 and the 75mm/1.2 and can they are outstanding premium lenses. However, they are HEAVY and BULKY compared to the other APSC lenses I have. Either one on my a6700 makes the set up feel like a holding heavy dumbbell in my hands. But again, super fine quality on all levels.
I bought Viltrox 27/1.2 a week ago and also encountered this strange vignette, which does not always appear. The lens firmware is 1.1.3, but there is already a new 1.1.7 on the website, I will update it later. And yet, in the A6700, correction with this lens does not work, no matter what you turn on, no matter what you turn off, the result is the same.
@@baku153 Sony has not yet released a new camera firmware update where the correction will work. So far, turning it on or off does not change anything.
@@baku153 You are wrong about this, using the example of my video about the Tamron 17-70 lens, which was posted 3 years ago, you can clearly see how the correction works in the camera.
i have viltrox 27mm f1.2 also in a6400 the vignette will appear in ss 1/4000 and i just update in latest firmware but nothing change the vignette still appear for some reason i try ttartisan 50mm f1.2 lens with a64 there is no vignette on ss 1/4000, i dont know viltrox 27mm is big trouble for some people or no but my deal is always use 1/2000 ss max for save my shoot
Interesting comparison. 2 of my lens collection are Viltrox lenses (23mm f1.4 for apsc and 85mm f1.8 V2 for full frame) and I like them very much, they offer very good quality for the price. I think I will buy more Viltrox lenses, but for full frame cameras.
I used the Sony 11mm f1.8 on my FX recently and the AF worked as good as ever imho. Can’t say what the A6700 and its AI tracking would look like with that lense but judging by by the overall Sony eye Autofocus performance I’d say pretty dang good 👍🏻
@@Moredrums the ai tracking makes the camera track you at a certain mm 30 50 etc. I just wonder if it’ll always be a clear picture with the zoom. It’s kinda like moving clear image zoom maybe. I haven’t used it yet.
Depends. Obviously you get a bit more compression which helps for bokeh but you will never get the 4mm back in tighter spaces or when you want to show more of the environment in a portrait.
This was very helpful. I'm not planning to buy either at the moment, but I was biased toward the Sigma because of size and weight. After seeing this, I would need to see a significant price drop on the Sigma to go that way. At the same price, the extra optical performance of the Viltrox makes it worth lugging around. Well done, Viltrox!
The Viltrox 27mm looks more appealing than the Sigma 30 to complete the "trio" nowadays. Especially since the price of the Sigma 30 went up by $120 in Canada for some reason 🤷
I own the Sigma 23mm 1.4 since the release and tested the Viltrox 27mm 1.2. Both are the top of the line APS-C lenses by the respective brands, so it is fair to compare them. Sigma stated that the 23mm 1.4 is the best lens they ever made for aps-c, if I remember correctly. Given that, I was really disappointed about the first 23 mm 1.4 I received. The images were blurry for the entire horizontal left 15%. I was really disappointed, sent it back and received a slightly better lens. The Viltrox I received for testing was flawless despite the vignetting. However, the Viltrox with all its glory is really heavy especially for an every day lens (considering the 40mm equivalent focal length). For a special purpose lens like portrait (e.g. Viltrox 75mm 1.2) the size would be more acceptable. Therefore I stick to the Sigma.
In the video, I could not see the fringing associated with the Sigma lens. The Viltrox is a great optic, but it's not a 35mm equivalent, and it's quite large. In his review of the Viltrox, Christopher Frost found only a small amount of distortion. Nice. Would I buy the Viltrox? Well, I'm thinking about it.
The Viltrox 23 is a great lens that is significantly less expensive. I think the sigma 23 and Viltrox 27 are in the “premium” category in this regard both in terms of optics and price.
@@ArthurRcompletely agree with you here - I own the 23mm f1.4 and while it’s an okay lense especially for the price point below 300€ it’s not even close in any other category - wether it’s build, AF performance, sharpness…! Did you do any video testing with the 27mm 1.2 one by any chance chance? I’m a solo shooter and rely on AF a lot so that would be my main concern.
I'm obviously late here but recently picked up the Viltrox. Optically, probably the best lens I've ever used. I've never used the Sigma being compared here. If the focal length works for you, it's a winner. With the build quality, optical quality, and fast aperture it's not surprising it's pretty hefty. Current physics necessitates that lens designers choose some set of compromises. That said, it is pretty big and heavy on a small APS-C body. I'm kind of hoping Viltrox eventually releases a few smaller lighter f/2 ish lenses with the same optical quality.
Can anyone tell me if this lens has a linear focus ring? So does the focus throw depend on the speed with that you rotate the ring or on the rotation angle?
Thank you for the review, Arthur! I wonder why no one's comparing this Viltrox 27mm to Sigma 30mm, because I thought these two were actually closer in range... kinda?
You are right, but the Sigma 30mm is so old now that the less-advanced optics are showing. Some budget AF lenses coming out perform better than the Sigma 30mm nowadays. Thats why you can pick up the Sigma 30 for $200 all the time.
m.th-cam.com/video/HvXDpXX15UI/w-d-xo.html. This is in spanish but I used english closed caption. I am quite surprised how many reviewers are not making the comparison. The Viltrox will win optically but as an enthusiasts, who have done limited professional work in the past, the sigma wins on price and size for a similar "look" to the average person.
Arthur. I disagree. The 30mm is the first of the series and it is not optically perfect but if you want a 40-50mm look, it is a much better comparison. I own the sigma 23mm and tried and bought the 30mm a few months ago (a good while after buying the 23mm). I was surprised how great it was as so many people comment about it's dated optics. You see the optical issues if you pixel peep, but it's great if you don't pixel peep. It's focal length gives a completely different look when compared to the 23 in my opinion and close to the viltrox. It is also half the price and half the size of the viltrox. I have tried the viltrox 27mm at a camera shop, and I own and love the viltrox 75mm. I know these two are great lenses.
Given that 6100 is half the price of 6700 and having one of these lenses would it be more value for money since you said it is very close?I am using Sony slt a57 since 2014 which is a mount , I am looking for an upgrade primary for photos on a budget .Any suggestions.Thank you .
I own the 27 mm and 75mm f/1.2 for Fujifilm. They are my favorite lenses and want to get them for Sony but I have full frame only. I know I can still use them but considering getting a 6700 just for these lenses.
I sold the Viltrox 27mm, nice lens but too heavy for apsc, and the worse is the lens hood, Viltrox should’ve gave us a metal hood, not that cheap hood that the locks break easily, Viltrox replaced the hood sending me a new one, but still too flimsy. I am looking to get the Sigma 30mm instead
Interesting....dropped my Viltrox 27mm with the hood on and came out with scratches on the hood and nothing else on the lens. The hood and lens still functions ok and it didn't come off despite looking kinda fragile. A month later I dropped my Sigma 18-50 with lens hood on and the hood broke .... I can't even put it on now lol.
@@rsat9526wow! Mine broke from the thin plastics, and never actually locked on place, unless they updated the hood, I tried the Viltrox 13mm, that one had a metal lens, pretty solid. Regards
@@joaquin730 Yea I guess every accident is different lol Anyway, I feel the viltrox hood is not the best but I guess at least they try to keep the weight down. My copy is ok and stay tight on the lens though.
We compare the new generation lens with a similar price of arround $550, the new 23mm sigma is claimed to have better optical quality, therefore the price is higher than the old lens.
I had Sigma30mm F1.4 before and once I got Viltrox 27mm F.2 I did some test comparing the two and I saw no reason at all to keep the Sigma. The only reasons I believe one would keep it is the size and weight which is not that important to me for what I could get out of The viltrox. Viltrox 27mm is manageable and is not that heavy to me.
I did the same thing recently, sold Sigma and bought Viltrox. So far the feelings are ambivalent. Size and weight are not a big problem, as long as there is one big drawback, vignette and there were some minor glitches with autofocus. Therefore, do not rush to change it yet.
@@Ribkakeenamateur Vignette can be corrected easily these days while Sigma 30mm CA is hard to fix in post and requires some effort. Viltrox sharpness beats Sigma 30mm by around a mile ahead but ,again, at the cost of the size and weight and many may not like that. For AF I got that issue too and I guess you refer to focus haunting issue? If yes, the new firmware kinda fix it. I already forgot about the issue until I read this haha but to be honest I feel overall Sigma AF is slightly better overall but Viltrox is not bad at all. May be its the A6700 that do pretty much most of the work. I just had a 1 hour portraits session. Shot around 250-300pictures with Viltrox 75mm and 27mm and I got around 10 miss focus shot.
@@rsat9526 While there was still little time to test Viltrox, I took it to the sea a couple of times, and that’s where this problem with the vignette appeared. I had Sigma for more than 6 years and its disadvantages were easily corrected in Photoshop. Now I updated Photoshop and it has become easier with processing. It’s still annoying that the lens correction does not work in the A6700 camera, maybe it will be added with an update. And with autofocus, there was a moment when the Viltrox lens did not focus at all for 10-15 seconds, then everything became ok, which was also a little annoying.
I love the Sigma 23mm 1.4, got it right at release but I would still kill to have a 23 F2 for a more compact size. Sony APS-C is always hurting for quality, small prime lenses.
Honestly Sony needs to get off their butts but I doubt they will. It took them how long to come out with that 15mm G lol. If it wasn't for the fact I've been looking for something in that 10-20mm area I'd probably go and trade in both my sigma's now for the Viltrox Pro APS-C line. The more videos and samples I see of the 27 & 75 they more I want them. Pretty much the only reason stopping me is I need a 50-140/150 2.8 Zoom (Sigma I'm waiting), the 10-20mm Prime of some type as mentioned earlier, and I have car mods i need to spend money on.
it doesnt make business sense i think. the third party enjoys lesser r&d budgets and quality standards, keeping the price low. i am sure Sony is already struggling to sale their expensive apsc g lenses.
I would actually love to hear your impressions on the X100VI. I am a professional portrait and wedding photographer on full frame Sony, and I find the X100VI such an enjoyable camera to shoot for personal stuff.
I bought the Viltrox 27mm f1.2 as soon as it released on Sony E-mount. It's just a perfect lens to me. There are a few minor cons to consider though : 1) It is big and heavy for an APS-C prime 2) The plastic lens hood build quality is horrible 3) Minimum focus distance isn't great If the above cons don't bother you, I highly recommend this lens
On the lens hood I did not like it either However, this is my story about it...I dropped my Viltrox 27mm with the hood on and came out with scratches on the hood and nothing else on the lens and the camera (with protective skin on the camera). The hood and lens still functions ok and it didn't come off when I dropped it too despite looking kinda fragile. A month later I dropped my Sigma 18-50 with lens hood on and the hood broke though this time only the lens as I dropped it while reaching for it from my jacket .... I can't even put it on now lol.
Just got my 27 1.2. It is a monster of sharpness and built-quality but the vignetting is a bit annoying. However there are still no another lenses as good as this one to choose.
Witrh the Viltrox 27 1.2 almost every photo you take is apppealing in some way. Super sharp areas in focus, allowing you to zoom in for more detail without losing quality, and super smooth backgrounds to place your subject perfectly. Definitely feels like a photograpic cheat code!
Hi, your videos are awesome, I wonder if you can compare Canon R8 with budget lenses to Sony a6700 with best possible glass, sharpness, image quality, low light, performance, heating, battery, etc. Because these two cameras are comparable by price. Sony has best glass for apsc but canon don't. But Canon has R8 with APSC price and sony don't.
I have both now and still can't decide which to keep. I prefer the handling (much lighter/smaller, no buttons/rings to accidentally press) of the Sigma... but I think I prefer 40mm and the image quality ever so slightly of the Viltrox. Although sometimes you need a bit wider.... Hmm..
I´m thinking that the comparison with the Sigma 30 1.4 woud lead to a result of nearly the same bokeh. And these lenses would only differ by 3 mm. A used Sigma you can buy for a third of a new viltrox and it´s a lot lighter. So I don´t undertand the hype about the Viltrox not really.
I’m loving Viltrox lenses lately. The issue I’m facing is the budget as I always want to buy every lens you review 😂 Thank you so much for taking the time to do all these reviews ❤️
As long as Sony treats APSc as a second class citizen, I don't know if spending so much money on APSc lenses makes sense. Especially when Sigma 24mm f/2 is an option for similar money
I took the 27 Viltrox for a spin for the first time yesterday, and it’s incredible. I’ve loved their 75mm for a while now, so splurging for the 27 was ‘justified’ 😅 In any event, those lenses are soooo good. To the point where it feels like cheating because you feel like you just can do no wrong with them. I couldn’t be happier with both.
The Viltrox looked more contrasty to me. The blacks in her dress are blacker and the trees in the background are greener. I've got the Viltrox on my 'to buy' list. Thank you for the work you've put in to make this and all of your excellent videos!
I don't own any of these lenses, but in 6:17 it's actually the Viltrox that seems to have the chromatic aberration problems (the ladder on the roof is teal). In 5:14 you show the background saying there's fringing in Sigma, but omit the fact that Viltrox rendered eggs instead of balls .
the Sigma 23mm 1.4 is the reason I switched to FF lol. ok that and the a6700. the Sigma is way too big and heavy (compared to their sisters like the 30mm) I was on my a6000 for 8 years and watnes to upgrade. not only is the A7C significantly cheaper than the a6700 (in my area), but then I had options like the 35mm samyang 1.8 for less money too. also something like a 40mm 2.5. also 2.8 zooms, which would need to be 1.8 zooms on apsc
if all you care about is photography - it makes sense, I would do the same (I mean switch to FF), but now look at the video specs - a6700 can do 10bit 4:2:2 4k 60fps with no crop.
@@JJARCHIE true! forgot to add that I only cared about the photography aspect but even then. the a6700 is 1700 in my area, and the a7c ii is 2000, would have probably pushed for it
@@DDHDTV fair , but assuming we go even furtjer into the hybrid part The a7cii/a6iv has 30ms of rollinf shutter in 4k30p and a 1.5x crop in 4k60 , the a6700 has 15ms ( a7s3 has 9 ) in 4k60p with no crop and a 4k120 with a slight crop. The reach with a cheap 70-350g is also insane , 525mm for cheap , that on an ff is hard to get. And to make matters worse , sirui's 16,23,33,56,75 f1.2 primes are 300 each and kinda nullifies the ff situation. But yeah ff still has a place
Please make Sigma 30mm f1.4 vs 27mm f1.2 Viltrox I don't why everyone is just comparing it with 23mm sigma 🤷it should be compared with 30mm sigma as it is close to 30mm focal length
Viltrox made some cheap and poor quality lenses before. My Viltrox 23mm was a piece of junk. It was great while it worked but something broke internally and there was absolutely no support for it. However, I have tried the 27mm at a camera store and I'd love to have one, they really stepped up the quality.
Same here. My 23mm broke after only five or six weeks. No support. A big loss. No more Viltrox for me. My 13mm is optically amazing, but the lens hood is already falling apart. I treat all my lenses very carefully. Sigma inspires confidence.
The 40mm puts more megapixels on the face, hence there is a sharpness difference if any. The Sigma is very sharp considering its focal length. Also, if you shoot streets, the front heavy lenses are especially difficult to lug around all day. Stopping down the Sigma just a third of a stop could have helped the fringing!! The 23 is more useful on streets if it is busy where you live and you find yourself in tight spaces often. The colour rendering on the 27 looks more organic and the Sigma looks more clinical.
Thank you. I ended up getting the Viltrox 27mm because I bought the 75/1.2 Pro and liked it so much. Normally would have gotten the Sigma 23mm but I’m going to hold off even though I have the 30mm and 56mm. As most I just wish the Viltrox were lighter. Heck they are heavier than equivalent full frame GM primes I use on my full frame bodies. Kind of distorts the use of APS-C body and lenses. I hope the 3rd lens is a 28mm equivalent so maybe 18mm. We will see. Take care.
The viltrox 27mm f1.2 is my favorite lens. I had the sigma 30mm but sold it. I have vignetting on mine but it doesn't bother me. It adds an artistic touch and if I want it gone, I just need to stop down.
Thanks for the video! I bought the Viltrox 27 two months ago for my a6700 and a6600 and absolutely love it. It has such a beautiful image rendering with so appealing bokeh and "3D pop" like no other APS-C lens I have used yet - and it's just awesome for night photography thanks to f/1.2. But on the other hand, it's really big and heavy for an APS-C lens and somewhat negates the APS-C size advantage over full frame. An a6700 coupled with the Viltrox 27 weighs around 1.1 kilograms while an a7cii coupled with a Sony 35mm/1.8 (Which gives you roughly the same field of view and equivalent aperture) weighs less than 800g. That's why I also kept my Sigma 30mm/1.4 for situations where I want to have a lightweight setup. And also my Zeiss 24mm/1.8 which has the big advantage of working perfectly well with Active Steadyshot, contrary to every single third party lens I ever used. Yeah, I know I've got too many lenses in this focal range 😬
The vignetting on the Viltrox is horrendous. It's fine if you want it for portraits but on many of the architecture shots, it's ugly. I prefer the cooler (and I think more neutral) tones of the Sigma. I do think it is good that we have more options for APS-C lenses.
@@rsat9526 I understand that vignetting is straight forward to correct in post (for photo). I do lots of video work and with lenses like these people notice bad VG before they notice slightly off CA.
I'm honestly not too impressed with the Viltrox. I like the Focal length, i like the Aperture, bokeh looks good and the sharpness, While worse than the sigma in the center, is extremely consistent up to the edges. However, The vignetting is terrible. Thats basically an MFT lens at that point. Even stepped down to 1.4 it doesn't significally change. Sadly, the same goes for the colors. They look alright in some scenes, horrible in others. Just has a very fake look. So if i were to use the Viltrox, i would absolutely habe to edit every single picture i take to correct for it's weaknesses while also having a worse time lugging the thing around. The Sigma is not without it's problems and the mild fringing won't be easy to correct, but at least it takes pictures that you can just be happy with and do so with a smaller lens to boot.
I think that looking at the vignette results that it is down to the lens not automatically correcting it. Uncorrected there are a number of Sony lenses that have literally black corners . Lenses like the Sony 20-70mm has huge distortion uncorrected. Saving a correction profile in your favorite editing software is a simple thing and a one click fix . There are no shoratge of excellent reviews of the Viltrox both Christopher Frost and Dustin Abbot have detailed reviews on YT
i have sigma for a year and had viltrox for 1 month, sold it. even if we disregard weight diff and fov, the vignette on viltrox is terribly brutal until 1.6-1.8, shot aren't even usable at 1.2-1.4, you cannot do simple wideshot to not look like a pinhole camera). for the colors viltrox is off too, too yellow, it does not match nor sigma line nor sony's lenses. AF is slightly worse on Viltrox too. my cameras are sony a6700 and fx30
Bro is flexing his beautiful wife while pretending to talk about lenses. Pro TH-cam move.
😂
I would love to see your sigma 23mm f1.4 vs viltrox 23mm f1.4
In the past few years i always chose the technical and optical better alternative if there were two comparable lenses. That also meant to get the bigger, heavier and often more expensive lens. And while the pictures was great, i always had a hard time carrying all those big heavy lenses with me. Within the last 12 months i sold almost all my bigger and better lenses (some of them were fullframe even if i am shooting with APS-C) and switched for the smaller and cheaper alternatives if available. Last switch was from Tamron 50-400 to 50-300. Is the 50-400 better in terms of image quality? Yes, absolutely. But i don't take it with me very often or if i do, it is a pain in the ass.
I also tested the Viltrox 27 because it was so hyped up. It produces amazing pictures. But it is so heavy and bulky, i really don't like that. So i went for the Sigma 23 in the end. I love the pictures it produces as well and i take it with me more often. Of course, i am no professional photographer, so i do not need perfection. But i don't think i would shoot on APS-C at all if i was a professional.
Why do i shoot on APS-C? Because i love the good enough quality with the advantage of being cheaper, smaller, more compact. I can live with the compromises in image quality.
The Viltrox 27mm and 75mm are really GM quality lenses for APSC
how are they if I were to go full frame?
@@xopasstheaux6617 meaningless, because you can just buy f1.8 FF lenses instead.
@@fotografalexandernikolis only in terms of depth of field. f/1.2 is still f/1.2 in terms of light. As long as the lens covers the entire FF sensor
@@dimitris470 We don't need this discussion for the millionth time. I don't know how much of the FF circle the Viltrox 1.2 lenses cover. If they only cover APS-C then there's no reason to use them instead of an FF 1.8 lens. You get f1.2 in terms of exposure settings (correct) but by cropping to APS-C the better noise performance of FF is lost.
I am using 27 and 75 with X-T3 and they are perfect, even-thought quite heavy. It really brought the system closer to Full-frame for me. Looking forward to any new Viltrox lens. Even the cheapo 56F1.7 looks great for traveling
Sigma VS Viltrox! What a great day! I was so excited wanted to see video comparison but I was disappointed.... It turned into a sad day. 😢
Nice review!
Wish it was sigma 30mm vs viltrox 27mm, wondering what the bokeh difference between these.
idk why he wouldnt compare those two lol
This what I actually search since the focal length close around 30. Wonder if the price difference is worthed to get viltrox or is the 30mm sigma close enough in term of quality.
I'm selling my 30mm sigma to get the 27 mm viltrox.
@@Levy.AlecPhotography do you regret or satisfied?
I have viltrox 13mm f1.2
It's quite heavy..and the focus motor quite annoying..
The quality is superb tho..
Lately im planning to buy lens 30s mm ..and i hv no doubt on sigma 30mm f1.4 .. since the quality, price and weight are good
@@SamuelSutanto no regrets, apart from being a bit heavy but I have a SmallRig Cage on my camera which makes it ballance perfectly.
I just purchased both the Viltrox 27mm/1.2 and the 75mm/1.2 and can they are outstanding premium lenses. However, they are HEAVY and BULKY compared to the other APSC lenses I have. Either one on my a6700 makes the set up feel like a holding heavy dumbbell in my hands. But again, super fine quality on all levels.
Totally agree. A7c + 55 f1.8 will be much more compact. It's kinda losing the ultimate purpose of APS-C: Compactness
We need to see a review abbout sigma 30mm 1.4 vs viltrox 27mm 1.2 ! ❤
I agree, I have the 30 but I’m tempted to swap up for the 27
I bought Viltrox 27/1.2 a week ago and also encountered this strange vignette, which does not always appear. The lens firmware is 1.1.3, but there is already a new 1.1.7 on the website, I will update it later. And yet, in the A6700, correction with this lens does not work, no matter what you turn on, no matter what you turn off, the result is the same.
correction only works for sony lenses?
@@baku153 Sony has not yet released a new camera firmware update where the correction will work. So far, turning it on or off does not change anything.
@@Ribkakeenamateur the lens correction are only for sony nativ lenses not for third party lenses
@@baku153 You are wrong about this, using the example of my video about the Tamron 17-70 lens, which was posted 3 years ago, you can clearly see how the correction works in the camera.
i have viltrox 27mm f1.2 also in a6400 the vignette will appear in ss 1/4000 and i just update in latest firmware but nothing change the vignette still appear for some reason i try ttartisan 50mm f1.2 lens with a64 there is no vignette on ss 1/4000, i dont know viltrox 27mm is big trouble for some people or no but my deal is always use 1/2000 ss max for save my shoot
which one do you recommend Viltrox AF 27mm f/1.2 or Sonnar T* E24 mm F1,8 ZA
Interesting comparison. 2 of my lens collection are Viltrox lenses (23mm f1.4 for apsc and 85mm f1.8 V2 for full frame) and I like them very much, they offer very good quality for the price. I think I will buy more Viltrox lenses, but for full frame cameras.
I’ve been wondering how an 11m would go with the a6700 ai tracking.
I used the Sony 11mm f1.8 on my FX recently and the AF worked as good as ever imho. Can’t say what the A6700 and its AI tracking would look like with that lense but judging by by the overall Sony eye Autofocus performance I’d say pretty dang good 👍🏻
@@Moredrums the ai tracking makes the camera track you at a certain mm 30 50 etc. I just wonder if it’ll always be a clear picture with the zoom. It’s kinda like moving clear image zoom maybe. I haven’t used it yet.
@@blackparabellum gotcha 👍🏻
Also, I think this just goes to show that a 40mm FOV is more striking to look at than a 35mm FOV
it gets that portraitness but it's not a wide angle.
Depends. Obviously you get a bit more compression which helps for bokeh but you will never get the 4mm back in tighter spaces or when you want to show more of the environment in a portrait.
@@drchtct most people forget you can always crop into , but you can never expand back out
@@JJARCHIEyou can "expand" now with AI. Not to say that I would prefer that.
I don't believe this is a true statement, it's very subjective and it depends a lot on composition.
I am more curious about the comparison between the Viltrox 27mm on an APSC vs the Batis 40mm on full frame.
This was very helpful. I'm not planning to buy either at the moment, but I was biased toward the Sigma because of size and weight. After seeing this, I would need to see a significant price drop on the Sigma to go that way. At the same price, the extra optical performance of the Viltrox makes it worth lugging around. Well done, Viltrox!
Hello! Can you compare Viltrox 27mm F1.2 vs Sigma 30mm 1.4? I think these lenses are closer to each other. Thanks!
The Viltrox 27mm looks more appealing than the Sigma 30 to complete the "trio" nowadays. Especially since the price of the Sigma 30 went up by $120 in Canada for some reason 🤷
I own the Sigma 23mm 1.4 since the release and tested the Viltrox 27mm 1.2. Both are the top of the line APS-C lenses by the respective brands, so it is fair to compare them. Sigma stated that the 23mm 1.4 is the best lens they ever made for aps-c, if I remember correctly. Given that, I was really disappointed about the first 23 mm 1.4 I received. The images were blurry for the entire horizontal left 15%. I was really disappointed, sent it back and received a slightly better lens. The Viltrox I received for testing was flawless despite the vignetting. However, the Viltrox with all its glory is really heavy especially for an every day lens (considering the 40mm equivalent focal length). For a special purpose lens like portrait (e.g. Viltrox 75mm 1.2) the size would be more acceptable. Therefore I stick to the Sigma.
Blurry on one side feels like mis-aligned lenses axle to me. Try get a replacement lens.
In the video, I could not see the fringing associated with the Sigma lens. The Viltrox is a great optic, but it's not a 35mm equivalent, and it's quite large. In his review of the Viltrox, Christopher Frost found only a small amount of distortion. Nice. Would I buy the Viltrox? Well, I'm thinking about it.
@@chesslover8829 I just bought both because I could'nt decide.
@riffbear3254 Outstanding!
@@chesslover8829 The 23 mm Stayed. Viltrox is good but the Sigma is better for my needs.
Why not compare with Viltrox AF 23mm f1.4...??
That's what I was thinking
The Viltrox 23 is a great lens that is significantly less expensive. I think the sigma 23 and Viltrox 27 are in the “premium” category in this regard both in terms of optics and price.
Yes, makes no sense. I have the Vitrox 23 as well.
Vitrox 23 is an average lens
@@ArthurRcompletely agree with you here - I own the 23mm f1.4 and while it’s an okay lense especially for the price point below 300€ it’s not even close in any other category - wether it’s build, AF performance, sharpness…!
Did you do any video testing with the 27mm 1.2 one by any chance chance? I’m a solo shooter and rely on AF a lot so that would be my main concern.
I'm obviously late here but recently picked up the Viltrox. Optically, probably the best lens I've ever used. I've never used the Sigma being compared here. If the focal length works for you, it's a winner. With the build quality, optical quality, and fast aperture it's not surprising it's pretty hefty. Current physics necessitates that lens designers choose some set of compromises. That said, it is pretty big and heavy on a small APS-C body. I'm kind of hoping Viltrox eventually releases a few smaller lighter f/2 ish lenses with the same optical quality.
Can anyone tell me if this lens has a linear focus ring? So does the focus throw depend on the speed with that you rotate the ring or on the rotation angle?
Although I mainly shoot full frame these days, whenever I need APS-C content I make sure to cone here
Thank you for the review, Arthur! I wonder why no one's comparing this Viltrox 27mm to Sigma 30mm, because I thought these two were actually closer in range... kinda?
You are right, but the Sigma 30mm is so old now that the less-advanced optics are showing. Some budget AF lenses coming out perform better than the Sigma 30mm nowadays. Thats why you can pick up the Sigma 30 for $200 all the time.
@@ArthurR yeah that totally makes sense. I think it's just still weird for me to consider Sigma 30mm the "so old" lens :D
m.th-cam.com/video/HvXDpXX15UI/w-d-xo.html. This is in spanish but I used english closed caption. I am quite surprised how many reviewers are not making the comparison. The Viltrox will win optically but as an enthusiasts, who have done limited professional work in the past, the sigma wins on price and size for a similar "look" to the average person.
Arthur. I disagree. The 30mm is the first of the series and it is not optically perfect but if you want a 40-50mm look, it is a much better comparison. I own the sigma 23mm and tried and bought the 30mm a few months ago (a good while after buying the 23mm). I was surprised how great it was as so many people comment about it's dated optics. You see the optical issues if you pixel peep, but it's great if you don't pixel peep. It's focal length gives a completely different look when compared to the 23 in my opinion and close to the viltrox. It is also half the price and half the size of the viltrox. I have tried the viltrox 27mm at a camera shop, and I own and love the viltrox 75mm. I know these two are great lenses.
I forgot to say thanks for the reviews. I enjoy them.
I have been looking at the Viltrox 27 not to replace the 23 but to replace my main walk around Sigma 30mm f1.4 being a bit wider seems to be a benefit
If it is only for photos , will sony 6100 would be able to produce same image as of 6700
It will be very close, but the colors and dynamic range of the A6700 are better.
No...they're close but not the same. A6700 is slightly better for sure.
Given that 6100 is half the price of 6700 and having one of these lenses would it be more value for money since you said it is very close?I am using Sony slt a57 since 2014 which is a mount , I am looking for an upgrade primary for photos on a budget .Any suggestions.Thank you .
@@krishnavatsvayi I agree that for “photo” great lens is going be more noticeable and bigger upgrade than a camera upgrade.
Great comparison, I have been wondering how the sigma 23 stacks up to the sigma 30, as I own that lens and was looking for something a bit wider
can you do video portarit comparaison too? both horizontal and vertical
I own the 27 mm and 75mm f/1.2 for Fujifilm. They are my favorite lenses and want to get them for Sony but I have full frame only. I know I can still use them but considering getting a 6700 just for these lenses.
I sold the Viltrox 27mm, nice lens but too heavy for apsc, and the worse is the lens hood, Viltrox should’ve gave us a metal hood, not that cheap hood that the locks break easily, Viltrox replaced the hood sending me a new one, but still too flimsy. I am looking to get the Sigma 30mm instead
Interesting....dropped my Viltrox 27mm with the hood on and came out with scratches on the hood and nothing else on the lens. The hood and lens still functions ok and it didn't come off despite looking kinda fragile. A month later I dropped my Sigma 18-50 with lens hood on and the hood broke .... I can't even put it on now lol.
@@rsat9526wow! Mine broke from the thin plastics, and never actually locked on place, unless they updated the hood, I tried the Viltrox 13mm, that one had a metal lens, pretty solid. Regards
@@joaquin730 Yea I guess every accident is different lol Anyway, I feel the viltrox hood is not the best but I guess at least they try to keep the weight down. My copy is ok and stay tight on the lens though.
pls compare meike 33mm f 1.4 vs sirui 33mm f 1.2 vs viltrox 33mm f1.4 vs sigma 30mm f 1.4
Wouldn't it be better to compare the Viltrox 27mm to the Sigma 30mm since those are closer in focal length?
We compare the new generation lens with a similar price of arround $550, the new 23mm sigma is claimed to have better optical quality, therefore the price is higher than the old lens.
I have the FF Samyang 24 f1.8. Seems pretty good to me. Light, sharp, well-built, relatively inexpensive.
I’ve been eyeing the viltrox 27 for a while. I wonder if I should replace my sigma 30 but, sometimes the video looks so cinematic.
I had Sigma30mm F1.4 before and once I got Viltrox 27mm F.2 I did some test comparing the two and I saw no reason at all to keep the Sigma. The only reasons I believe one would keep it is the size and weight which is not that important to me for what I could get out of The viltrox. Viltrox 27mm is manageable and is not that heavy to me.
I did the same thing recently, sold Sigma and bought Viltrox. So far the feelings are ambivalent. Size and weight are not a big problem, as long as there is one big drawback, vignette and there were some minor glitches with autofocus. Therefore, do not rush to change it yet.
@@Ribkakeenamateur Vignette can be corrected easily these days while Sigma 30mm CA is hard to fix in post and requires some effort. Viltrox sharpness beats Sigma 30mm by around a mile ahead but ,again, at the cost of the size and weight and many may not like that.
For AF I got that issue too and I guess you refer to focus haunting issue? If yes, the new firmware kinda fix it. I already forgot about the issue until I read this haha but to be honest I feel overall Sigma AF is slightly better overall but Viltrox is not bad at all. May be its the A6700 that do pretty much most of the work. I just had a 1 hour portraits session. Shot around 250-300pictures with Viltrox 75mm and 27mm and I got around 10 miss focus shot.
@@rsat9526 While there was still little time to test Viltrox, I took it to the sea a couple of times, and that’s where this problem with the vignette appeared. I had Sigma for more than 6 years and its disadvantages were easily corrected in Photoshop. Now I updated Photoshop and it has become easier with processing. It’s still annoying that the lens correction does not work in the A6700 camera, maybe it will be added with an update. And with autofocus, there was a moment when the Viltrox lens did not focus at all for 10-15 seconds, then everything became ok, which was also a little annoying.
I love the Sigma 23mm 1.4, got it right at release but I would still kill to have a 23 F2 for a more compact size. Sony APS-C is always hurting for quality, small prime lenses.
I think a comparison of Sigma 30mm 1.4 with the viltrox would make more sense. But thanks for the review anyway!
Totally agree.
@@geopapa80 There is no comparison really. Sigma is much smaller and has soft borders of the frame
56mm F1.4 Sigma vs 75mm F1.2 viltrox
Please review
Already done! I did that a few months ago.
Hye . Thanks for good content .. just wanna ask which one is more sharper ?
I just want Sony to make a 27mm f1.4 G and a 55mm f1.4 G, similar to their 15mm f1.4 G lol. Thanks for the comparison video Arthur!
Honestly Sony needs to get off their butts but I doubt they will. It took them how long to come out with that 15mm G lol. If it wasn't for the fact I've been looking for something in that 10-20mm area I'd probably go and trade in both my sigma's now for the Viltrox Pro APS-C line. The more videos and samples I see of the 27 & 75 they more I want them. Pretty much the only reason stopping me is I need a 50-140/150 2.8 Zoom (Sigma I'm waiting), the 10-20mm Prime of some type as mentioned earlier, and I have car mods i need to spend money on.
Haha thats how I think. Lenses versus car mods. All the time.
@@ArthurR it's rough out here for us car enthusiasts who are also photographers 🤣🤣🤣
Very unlikely. They already have the GM lineup that can also be used on apsc. I think leaving apsc to third parties is a good move.
it doesnt make business sense i think. the third party enjoys lesser r&d budgets and quality standards, keeping the price low. i am sure Sony is already struggling to sale their expensive apsc g lenses.
I would actually love to hear your impressions on the X100VI. I am a professional portrait and wedding photographer on full frame Sony, and I find the X100VI such an enjoyable camera to shoot for personal stuff.
Stay tuned. Not an x100vi, but ive taken a little dive into Fuji lately....
@@ArthurR that autofocus… really not that great, huh? Nice cameras though.
I bought the Viltrox 27mm f1.2 as soon as it released on Sony E-mount. It's just a perfect lens to me.
There are a few minor cons to consider though :
1) It is big and heavy for an APS-C prime
2) The plastic lens hood build quality is horrible
3) Minimum focus distance isn't great
If the above cons don't bother you, I highly recommend this lens
Great summary. 100% spot on.
On the lens hood I did not like it either However, this is my story about it...I dropped my Viltrox 27mm with the hood on and came out with scratches on the hood and nothing else on the lens and the camera (with protective skin on the camera). The hood and lens still functions ok and it didn't come off when I dropped it too despite looking kinda fragile. A month later I dropped my Sigma 18-50 with lens hood on and the hood broke though this time only the lens as I dropped it while reaching for it from my jacket .... I can't even put it on now lol.
It's not a "PRO" lens, but have you compared the Sigma 23 to the Viltrox 23? At least there, you would be comparing the same focal lengths.
Just got my 27 1.2. It is a monster of sharpness and built-quality but the vignetting is a bit annoying. However there are still no another lenses as good as this one to choose.
how do you handle viltrox 27mm with that vignette?i got 27mm in sony a6400 and the vignette will appear in ss 1/4000
@@dizzmediaastop it down. If I remember correctly, 1.8 or even 1.4 is good.
Witrh the Viltrox 27 1.2 almost every photo you take is apppealing in some way. Super sharp areas in focus, allowing you to zoom in for more detail without losing quality, and super smooth backgrounds to place your subject perfectly. Definitely feels like a photograpic cheat code!
This. there is something about it.
Hi, your videos are awesome, I wonder if you can compare Canon R8 with budget lenses to Sony a6700 with best possible glass, sharpness, image quality, low light, performance, heating, battery, etc. Because these two cameras are comparable by price. Sony has best glass for apsc but canon don't. But Canon has R8 with APSC price and sony don't.
I have both now and still can't decide which to keep. I prefer the handling (much lighter/smaller, no buttons/rings to accidentally press) of the Sigma... but I think I prefer 40mm and the image quality ever so slightly of the Viltrox. Although sometimes you need a bit wider.... Hmm..
the Viltrox 75mm f/1.2 is one of the best APS-C lenses for Sony, hands down!
I´m thinking that the comparison with the Sigma 30 1.4 woud lead to a result of nearly the same bokeh. And these lenses would only differ by 3 mm. A used Sigma you can buy for a third of a new viltrox and it´s a lot lighter. So I don´t undertand the hype about the Viltrox not really.
The hype is that it's the best lens for image quality for apsc hands down.
They used to make mugs that look like lenses. Now they make lenses that look like mugs 🤣
I would lose my mind if the lens maker put a grip with a few holes 1/4 or Arri locating pin on the lens
Do a comparison video on this Viltrox 27mm f1.2 and Sigma 30mm f1.4
I’m loving Viltrox lenses lately. The issue I’m facing is the budget as I always want to buy every lens you review 😂 Thank you so much for taking the time to do all these reviews ❤️
As long as Sony treats APSc as a second class citizen, I don't know if spending so much money on APSc lenses makes sense. Especially when Sigma 24mm f/2 is an option for similar money
Purple fringing is common in sharp lenses.
I took the 27 Viltrox for a spin for the first time yesterday, and it’s incredible. I’ve loved their 75mm for a while now, so splurging for the 27 was ‘justified’ 😅 In any event, those lenses are soooo good. To the point where it feels like cheating because you feel like you just can do no wrong with them. I couldn’t be happier with both.
The Viltrox is just too large for me, yes, you can't expect a 1.2 lensto have a pancake form factor.
The Viltrox looked more contrasty to me. The blacks in her dress are blacker and the trees in the background are greener. I've got the Viltrox on my 'to buy' list. Thank you for the work you've put in to make this and all of your excellent videos!
Green tones are much better on Viltrox.
I don't own any of these lenses, but in 6:17 it's actually the Viltrox that seems to have the chromatic aberration problems (the ladder on the roof is teal).
In 5:14 you show the background saying there's fringing in Sigma, but omit the fact that Viltrox rendered eggs instead of balls .
The skin tone looks nicer on the Viltrox
I'm waiting for your review of Laowa CF 12-24 F5.6 zoom shift
the Sigma 23mm 1.4 is the reason I switched to FF lol.
ok that and the a6700.
the Sigma is way too big and heavy (compared to their sisters like the 30mm)
I was on my a6000 for 8 years and watnes to upgrade. not only is the A7C significantly cheaper than the a6700 (in my area), but then I had options like the 35mm samyang 1.8 for less money too. also something like a 40mm 2.5. also 2.8 zooms, which would need to be 1.8 zooms on apsc
if all you care about is photography - it makes sense, I would do the same (I mean switch to FF), but now look at the video specs - a6700 can do 10bit 4:2:2 4k 60fps with no crop.
Yeah but the a7c cant do what the a67 can . . Moot point
@@JJARCHIE true! forgot to add that I only cared about the photography aspect
but even then. the a6700 is 1700 in my area, and the a7c ii is 2000, would have probably pushed for it
@@DDHDTV fair , but assuming we go even furtjer into the hybrid part
The a7cii/a6iv has 30ms of rollinf shutter in 4k30p and a 1.5x crop in 4k60 , the a6700 has 15ms ( a7s3 has 9 ) in 4k60p with no crop and a 4k120 with a slight crop.
The reach with a cheap 70-350g is also insane , 525mm for cheap , that on an ff is hard to get.
And to make matters worse , sirui's 16,23,33,56,75 f1.2 primes are 300 each and kinda nullifies the ff situation.
But yeah ff still has a place
Please make Sigma 30mm f1.4 vs 27mm f1.2 Viltrox I don't why everyone is just comparing it with 23mm sigma 🤷it should be compared with 30mm sigma as it is close to 30mm focal length
Not to offend anyone but these lenses look as big as full frame lenses. Not so compact for apsc cameras i guess.
Viltrox made some cheap and poor quality lenses before. My Viltrox 23mm was a piece of junk. It was great while it worked but something broke internally and there was absolutely no support for it. However, I have tried the 27mm at a camera store and I'd love to have one, they really stepped up the quality.
Same here. My 23mm broke after only five or six weeks. No support. A big loss. No more Viltrox for me. My 13mm is optically amazing, but the lens hood is already falling apart. I treat all my lenses very carefully. Sigma inspires confidence.
Imagine if Viltrox sold a 5 lens bundle like Siuri.
......Still waiting for sigma 30mm f1.4 vs viltrox 27mm f1.2, if anyone can do it its you Arthur
I like to see a video like sigma 30mm f.14 vs viltrox 27 1.2😅
Mark Wiemels sent me here.
Are you sure Viltrox distorts so badly?
I am, this is with all of the built in lens corrections turned on in camera.
Weird indeed, other review show very little distortions with no correction.
The 40mm puts more megapixels on the face, hence there is a sharpness difference if any. The Sigma is very sharp considering its focal length.
Also, if you shoot streets, the front heavy lenses are especially difficult to lug around all day.
Stopping down the Sigma just a third of a stop could have helped the fringing!!
The 23 is more useful on streets if it is busy where you live and you find yourself in tight spaces often.
The colour rendering on the 27 looks more organic and the Sigma looks more clinical.
for photo quality 271.2 absolutely W the weight problem let’s give to 1770vs1850😂
Thank you. I ended up getting the Viltrox 27mm because I bought the 75/1.2 Pro and liked it so much. Normally would have gotten the Sigma 23mm but I’m going to hold off even though I have the 30mm and 56mm. As most I just wish the Viltrox were lighter. Heck they are heavier than equivalent full frame GM primes I use on my full frame bodies. Kind of distorts the use of APS-C body and lenses. I hope the 3rd lens is a 28mm equivalent so maybe 18mm. We will see. Take care.
Well you get all metal build and F1.2 from Viltrox. GM lenses are great for sure but they are still plastic.
The viltrox 27mm f1.2 is my favorite lens. I had the sigma 30mm but sold it. I have vignetting on mine but it doesn't bother me. It adds an artistic touch and if I want it gone, I just need to stop down.
Thanks for the video! I bought the Viltrox 27 two months ago for my a6700 and a6600 and absolutely love it. It has such a beautiful image rendering with so appealing bokeh and "3D pop" like no other APS-C lens I have used yet - and it's just awesome for night photography thanks to f/1.2. But on the other hand, it's really big and heavy for an APS-C lens and somewhat negates the APS-C size advantage over full frame. An a6700 coupled with the Viltrox 27 weighs around 1.1 kilograms while an a7cii coupled with a Sony 35mm/1.8 (Which gives you roughly the same field of view and equivalent aperture) weighs less than 800g. That's why I also kept my Sigma 30mm/1.4 for situations where I want to have a lightweight setup. And also my Zeiss 24mm/1.8 which has the big advantage of working perfectly well with Active Steadyshot, contrary to every single third party lens I ever used. Yeah, I know I've got too many lenses in this focal range 😬
If Viltrox makes a 1.0 35mm equivalent it’s gonna be over for my wallet
And the winner is... the sony 24G
And the loser is… my wallet
@@brentmac7994 SONY 24mm 2.5 G $548, Sigma 23mm 1.4 $551, Viltrox 27mm 1.2 $578. Only the SONY 24mm covers both APSC and full frame !
Or the sigma 24mm f/2
The vignetting on the Viltrox is horrendous. It's fine if you want it for portraits but on many of the architecture shots, it's ugly. I prefer the cooler (and I think more neutral) tones of the Sigma. I do think it is good that we have more options for APS-C lenses.
that can easily be fixed in post. Fringing, not quite so
Would rather have vignetting than that terrible ca/fringing 🤮
You must not do post processing a lot lol Try to fix CA vs Vignette.
@@rsat9526 I understand that vignetting is straight forward to correct in post (for photo). I do lots of video work and with lenses like these people notice bad VG before they notice slightly off CA.
@@epicdream then that’s another story. I agree then that could be kinda annoying to fix.
Sigma is more reliable lens than viltrox , auto focus is also more correct.
viltrox is brutal
Viltrox on top, great line that f1.2!!
Just purchased the Viltrox but the contrast and colors look better in Sigma. Either way, the focal length and bokeh make the Viltrox a clear winner.
It's not apples to apples
I'm honestly not too impressed with the Viltrox.
I like the Focal length, i like the Aperture, bokeh looks good and the sharpness, While worse than the sigma in the center, is extremely consistent up to the edges.
However,
The vignetting is terrible. Thats basically an MFT lens at that point. Even stepped down to 1.4 it doesn't significally change. Sadly, the same goes for the colors. They look alright in some scenes, horrible in others. Just has a very fake look.
So if i were to use the Viltrox, i would absolutely habe to edit every single picture i take to correct for it's weaknesses while also having a worse time lugging the thing around.
The Sigma is not without it's problems and the mild fringing won't be easy to correct, but at least it takes pictures that you can just be happy with and do so with a smaller lens to boot.
I think that looking at the vignette results that it is down to the lens not automatically correcting it. Uncorrected there are a number of Sony lenses that have literally black corners . Lenses like the Sony 20-70mm has huge distortion uncorrected. Saving a correction profile in your favorite editing software is a simple thing and a one click fix . There are no shoratge of excellent reviews of the Viltrox both Christopher Frost and Dustin Abbot have detailed reviews on YT
i have sigma for a year and had viltrox for 1 month, sold it. even if we disregard weight diff and fov, the vignette on viltrox is terribly brutal until 1.6-1.8, shot aren't even usable at 1.2-1.4, you cannot do simple wideshot to not look like a pinhole camera). for the colors viltrox is off too, too yellow, it does not match nor sigma line nor sony's lenses. AF is slightly worse on Viltrox too. my cameras are sony a6700 and fx30
The Viltrox is tempting me to trade my Sigma 30mm against it... Decision, decisions... Great video again, thanks Arthur.
Needless to say, the winner is Viltrox 27mm F1.2.