Viltrox 35mm f1.7 Sony E Mount First Look
In this blog I will review the Viltrox 35mm f1.7 lens for Sony E mount after a couple weeks of use. For disclosure Viltrox sent me this lens however they have no say in this blog nor will they see it before publishing. All opinions are my own. Also it’s worth mentioning that this lens was sent to me before it was for sale so any quirks might have been ironed out with firmware by the time you read this. It’s also worth mentioning that I used this lens on a Sony A7RV and A7CII both of which are full frame cameras. However you can put them into APSC mode and use just like a native APSC camera.
I want to start this review with one important note, this lens retails for under $180. This is an insanely low price point and makes this one of the most affordable fast primes for the Fuji system. Straight away this gives Viltrox some serious points as it makes this lens accessible to more photographers who might have not been able to afford a fast prime before. Kudos.
35mm equates to around 50mm in full frame terms and this is a lens I would use for street photography. This is a fantastic all round focal length that can be used for portraits, products, street photography and everything in between. You might have heard of a term ‘nifty fifty’. It refers to a cheap, small and light 50mm prime. This lens is it.
Build & Ergonomics
The body is made from plastic but what did you expect at this price? With that said the plastic doesn’t feel too cheap or tacky. The lens mount also hides a USB C port which you can use for firmware updates. After 2 weeks of use and throwing it into my bag, the body hasn’t picked up any marks. The focus dial feels very well damped with smooth motion. Finally there is no weather sealing but at this price point I’m not surprised. With that said, during my test it was used on a rainy day in London with no issues. From my initial use, there is nothing bad to say about the build quality.
Moving to ergonomics and this lens is very small and light meaning it will not feel front heavy on even the smallest bodies. The lack of weight is really noticeable here and this has to be the lightest lens I ever used. On my A7CII it felt right at home. There is a lack of an aperture dial which for some people (including myself) is a deal breaker. I would have happily paid a little extra to have that dial.
Image Quality
This is another positive for this lens. The image quality is very good. I don’t mean $180 good, but actually good. Sure, at f1.7 you get some softness round the corners but nothing to shout about. Once stopped to around f4 or above, the image is tack sharp and renders well on the 26mp sensor of the A7RV in APSC mode. Colours are nice and accurate too. Nothing else to say. Below is a selection of images taken on a very gloomy day in London
Autofocus
This is another surprise. The AF works great. Is it as good a the Sony G lenses? Of course not, but it doesn’t feel much slower than my Sigma 50mm f2 which is much bigger, heavier and nearly 4 times the price. The lens worked well with all AF modes including tracking without any issues. It’s worth noting that when I tested the Fujifilm version of this lens on an XH2, the AF was pretty slow.
Summary
To summarise I recommend this lens to anyone on a tight budget or those wishing to test out this focal length before splurging on a more expensive option. The build is good, the image quality is good and the autofocus is great. Considering this lens is only $180, it’s great value.
Instead of telling you how these will change your life, I would rather be practical and answer the most common questions that people tend to have when buying presets.
What are presets?
They are editing settings that are saved in a file and can be applied to any image.
Why do people buy presets?
Sometimes because they like the work of the photographer and want that style for their own photos. Mostly because they would like to see how other people edit and learn by reverse engineering the presets. Other times it’s just to support their favourite photographers, thank you!
What’s the overall style of these presets?
- Filmic
- Minimal
- Soft
- Bright
What are these presets suitable for?
Street & Travel Photography
Some Nature (with further editing)
Some Portraits (with extensive editing)
What do these presets look like?
These presets 100% reflect my current editing style. Please see examples of work below.
Do these presets get updated?
Yes, as my style changes, these presets will also be updated. Any time a new update is available, you will get a free update via email. Of course you also keep all the old presets in case you prefer the older looks. Only presets purchased from 2025 onwards will receive the updates.
What file types are these presets for?
- All RAW files
- JPEGs & TIFFs (not recommended)
What camera brands are these presets for?
These were designed around Fujifilm, Sony, and Leica sensors. With that said, they will work with all camera brands. While there might be subtle colour changes due to individual camera colour science, the overall feel of the preset will carry over.
Will these work with JPEG files?
Yes, but you will need to reduce the intensity and make further edits. I strongly recommend editing RAW files.
Are these one click edits?
95% No. You would need to do some basic adjustments as each image is different. These adjustments can include exposure, colour balance etc. In 5% of cases you can just apply and leave it alone.
Do I need to know how to edit?
You need to have a basic understanding of adjusting exposure, highlights, shadows, etc. A more comprehensive editing skillset will let you get the most out of them.
How many presets are included?
15 in the main pack and 20 in the extras pack
Why two packs?
The main pack is what I use for 99% of my edits. The extras pack is random test presets, one-off looks, and looks I don’t use often.
What software do I need?
These presets will work with any of the following:
- Photoshop (adobe camera raw)
- Lightroom Classic
- Lightroom Desktop
- Lightroom Mobile
Will these presets work with free versions of the above software?
You need to research and double check before buying. These presets were designed for the full paid versions.
Will these presets work with very old versions of the above software?
You need to research and double check before buying. These presets were designed on and for the latest software.
What file type do I get?
XMP
What else do I get?
- Comprehensive PDF guide
- Short video of me editing using these presets
Can I modify these and turn them into my own?
Yes! In fact I encourage you to modify them and play around. Use these to help you get your own style.
I have more questions…. What do I do?
Make a cup of tea and drop me an email on hello@snapsbyfox.com
Please note that due to the nature of digital products, refunds are generally not accepted. However, if you experience any issues, feel free to contact me and I’ll review your situation individually. You are welcome to use this product for personal or commercial projects, but you may not copy, distribute, or resell the files in their original or modified form.
Finally I want to say a massive thank you for supporting me. Buying these presets is the most direct way you can support my work thus allowing me to make more videos / photos / tutorials for you.
Thank you for your support!