Is the Viltrox 35mm F1.2 LAB Lens Worth It? A Real-World Take

I have always been a fan of the 35mm focal length. It perfectly balances wide and tight, particularly for environmental or street portraiture. UK photographer Curtis Padley released his review of the new Viltrox 35mm F1.2 LAB lens, and I could not help but watch.

It is the second lens in Viltrox’s new LAB series. Moreover, it comes with an eye-opening spec sheet at a price significantly lower than most of its competition. Compare that to the Sony 35mm F1.4 GM or Sigma 35mm F1.2, which is almost half the price.

Right from the beginning, Curtis indicates that it is not some budget lens masquerading as expensive. It actually feels premium. We are considering its full metal construction, USB-C firmware update port, weather-sealed gasket, and two-way function buttons. It even comes with a digital aperture screen and a de-clickable aperture ring.

While that aperture ring does receive some flak. There is no hard stop; therefore, it is too easy to accidentally knock out of auto. In his words, it is somewhat annoying. I can understand how that would be irritating mid-shoot.

Performance Impressions with the Viltrox 35mm F1.2 LAB Lens

But on to the meat of the review: performance.

Curtis calls it “razor sharp”, even wide open at F1.2. That surprised me. He says center sharpness at F1.2 feels like F8. Even the corners hold up better than expected. Yes, some vignetting at F1.2, but it quickly improves by F1.8.

Other wins? Very minimal chromatic aberration. Excellent flare control. And bokeh that is soft, dreamy, and beautifully rendered, despite some slight cat-eye shapes in the edges.

Here are some other important specs from the review:

• Aperture: f/1.2–f/16
• Weight: 920g (roughly 2 lbs)
• Autofocus: VCM motors, quick and responsive for both photos and video
• Extra Features: Custom buttons, USB-C port, weather resistance, aperture display
• Flaw: Visible focus breathing, which can annoy video shooters

Curtis tried autofocus with moving subjects and reported it kept pace beautifully, even wide open. For anyone doing wedding shooting or high-speed scenes, that is a big plus. It performs fine with video autofocus, though that focus breathing problem might be a dealbreaker if you shoot like that.

Ultimately, Curtis is impressed. But he does offer a truthful assessment: he likes this focal length immensely, but he would not carry this lens daily. At almost a kilo, it is simply too heavy for the type of photography that he does.

He also makes a very good argument about the F1.2 aperture. Do you need it? For him, F1.4 is more than sufficient 99% of the time. The additional stop can be stunning, but sparingly. You must genuinely need that creamy separation or additional light to justify the bulk.

I admire how Curtis dissects it. There is no drama, no hype. It is just a good-quality lens with transparent strengths, some quirks, and usefulness in the real world. The Viltrox 35mm F1.2 LAB lens might not suit everybody, but if you are looking for dreamy bokeh, sharpness wide open, and pro features without G Master prices, it may be worth taking a look.

Pricing

The Viltrox 35mm F1.2 LAB lens costs $999 and has high-end features at almost half the price of the high-end competition. 

Truthfully, I am drawn in, but I also know how I photograph. For me, it is less about the aperture and more about the weight. Nonetheless, it is great to see third-party lenses such as this challenging the high-end competition.

[Viltrox 35mm F1.2 LAB is INSANE for the Price! I Curtis Padley; Image credits: Viltrox]

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