This lens is on sale (15% off) until Nov 10th: bit.ly/GeraldUndone-135 You'll see the price change at checkout. 👍 After Nov 10th, you can still save 8% by using the code UNDONE.
Both your review and this review has me thirsting for a Nikon Z mount copy. I had a Viltrox 13mm 1.4 lens for FUJIFILM and the 16mm 1.8 for My Z8. I wonder how this renders vs the 135mm 1.8 plena from Nikon. Regardless I will buy this in its place.
i owned their 27mm and 75mm 1.2 for Fuji, and sharpness was outstanding on my 40MP X-H2. That camera has an even higher pixel density than an A7RV - if that doesnt tell they know how to build sharp lenses - what does?
If you don't mind the lack of aperture ring or screen, the Samyang 135 1.8 is a great alternative. It's also like half the weight of this Viltrox and just as good optically as the GM.
People need to know that this lens probably caps at 15fps too, whereas the 135mm GM goes to 120fps with the A9III. Still impressive, but keep in mind that the Sony lens was released almost 6 years ago...
The AF-C fps cap for third party lenses is eternal (my camera can't do 15fps though and I wouldn't need it with a 135mm lens). Anyway, for critical AF applications I would lean toward the GM, they can sometimes be bought used for less than retail.. in addition the Samyang 135/1,8 is probably the cheapest option
@@Vantrakter I'll take this for a Z mount please. Sony has nerve to limit 3rd party lens functionality after you pay for the camera it should work and not be crippled to boost sales of your products. That's why I go Samsung not Apple no crippling or lookouts for what you buy. 9:29
the samyang 135 1.8 is also pretty great. af isnt that fast but for the price the rendering is great. would also have been interesting how the 35-150 at 135 compared with all lenses at 2.8
Yowza! That is one hell of a lens. So optically it's a clear winner, with all the "deficiencies" being handling-, compatibility- or ergonomics-related. That is pretty impressive. One thing I noticed with the playing cards at 10:19 is that on the Viltrox the white "bleeds" more into darker areas in high-contrast areas, while overall it's clearly a bit sharper.
Your choice of subject for the vortex ending was hilarious! Thanks again for your excellent review. While I have switched back to LUMIX, I always watch and appreciate all of your reviews because you are so thorough about demonstrating the most important aspects of the product. Whatever features come with a particular camera or lens (or product), the functionality is more important to me. And for that, you produce the best reviews. Thank you.
That extra 400gram in weight is significant, though the price to performance ratio is very tempting. That’s almost the weight of an additional camera body. And that really affects it’s practicality.
The Viltrox 1335mm finally came in today and out the box there was something I had to know... YES, it is shorter and heavier than the 70-200mm GMII. Looking forward to see how it shoots.
It's interesting to hear you use the word "performant" to describe the Viltrox. I am an Englishman living in France and have long thought that this word should exist in my mother tongue too. Thanks for the review and the useful "new" word!
The TTArtisan 75mm f/2 has become my favourite lens lately for how small and light it is, any FE options for a compact 135mm? - maybe an f/2.8 one or something? - This Viltrox is great but it's sooooo huge.
i would still love to see some more AF testing with tracking comparisons. I have noticed a lot of differences between native and third party lenses when using AF-C in the dark for example.
Thanks for the review! Super helpful! Just waiting to see if/when Viltrox releases this lens for the Fuji X-Mount. Also, delightful work with the sheep’s ... eh ... iris?
Viltrox really should have made a purple filter for Gerald. Then he can just film in a white room. If he looks like Grimace, so be it. I'd be more interested in a review for the new 28mm pancake lens they made.
Really hoping this new lineup includes a 50mm 1.4 at a good price. So far both of my prime lenses are Viltrox (their 85mm and 24mm 1.8 lenses) and they never fail to impress
I hope that now the third party lens manufacturers compete with Zeiss lineup and get their competitive lenses at sony budget price for the zeiss quality :) that would be awesome
In other test they noted that bokeh is not great and flaring causes drop in contrast more than they'd wish for. Thesy're subjective things, but I think it's worth noting. I wonder how it compares to Samyang, which is cheaper, smaller and lighter, but also sharp on the edge of the frame.
I don't remember Gerald mention Sigma 135 1.8 in his review, I think it is one lens to throw into comparison box with these two. Well that and Samyang (Rokinon) 135 1.8 AF
Hey Gerald! Long time viewer and as someone who is mainly video focused I would love to see you add a section to your lens reviews that tests video AF performance. Maybe a talking head and then a moving subject.
The extra weight is significant and some drawbacks would be the lack of compatibility with Sony bodies to reduce focus breathing and that it is capped at 10 or 15fps on the A9III. The price is great though.
I guess the A1II will come with the new eye, face AND booty tracking! Great review. Used to have a Canon 135 years ago. Would love to add one back to my arsenal for Sony, looks like this Viltrox would def be the way to go.
I hope Viltrox makes a 135mm dedicated to aps-c. I’ve been wanting a fast 200mm equivalent for my X-T5 for a while now, they’re so fun! I have an old Canon 135mm lens that works, but it’s not sharp and has no af or weather sealing. I know that if they make a x-mount version of this, then I can just use it, but I’d love it if they made one for aps-c specifically so the size was smaller. They did such an incredible job with the 27mm and the 75mm, so a 135mm would be the perfect next lens imo.
Agreed. that would be a great addition. Also, the 27mm and 75mm are the two lenses and reason why I still have not moved to FF because they are great and I like them a lot. I doubt I can get similar lenses for my Sony FF that perform equally well (sharpness and 0 optical flaws) for the same price.
Excellent review as usual! I owned the Sony 135mm GM but sold it because I wasn't using it much after buying the Tamron 35-150 and Sony 70-200 GM II. So, I'm not interested in buying this Viltrox but would be very interested in buying the UNDONE version if you ever decide to sell it! Cheers
I wish these 3rd party lens companies would release lenses in sets. And while they are at it Build more Unique Lenses. Yes, Viltrox has a 27mm & 56mm, but imagine there is a Video Set of lenses & a Photo set of lenses in the same line. exple: 25, 35, 45, 55, 85, 105 T1.4 -then- 25, 35, 45, 55, 85, 105F1.2 with a uniform design in a bundle or singles. I Hope @Viltrox sees this & can implement in the future. The traditional focal lengths have been done to death, more unique focal lengths Max Aperture 1.2 is always a guaranteed win.
Hey Gerald.. I actually got to test this lens early from a friend. and one odd thing about this Viltrox lens, and a lot of Chinese third party lenses, the auto focus tracks ok in video as subject goes far to near... However, for photography, the Viltrox 135 (and other Chinese lenses) cannot keep up with auto focus tracking whereas Sony lens hits almost 100%. Did you ever get to test this for yourself? Lmk
If the live focusing data was saved with the video like gyro data is then third party plugins could be made to automatically add breathing compensation in post no matter what lens you use. One day 😊 Looks like a great lens thanks for sharing 👍
Samyang did the same crazy surprise? "long ago", with their GM 135mm clone-alternative, too. I think that it really owed to be clearly mentioned in this review. I also find limit ... to not remind the Sony"s third brand speed limitation. as however well mentioned is the indeed focus breathing compensation option is withhold. "Funny" that for a videographer this limitation by Sony is not put forward even more.)
I have 2 concerns to be honest, 1- where is the intro, are you done undone-ing ?😂 2- given that the lens is almost custom made made me think that this one in particular might be specifically chosen and tested to be sent to you other than sending another one out of a normal batch that might not perform as well in your tests. What do you think?🤔
Impressive lens. Not sure about the display though, could be more of a gimmic. Would love to see a more unique design on new lenses, alot of them are pretty hard to tell apart. A gun metal grey lens would look rly good I think. A coloured text that contrasts well from the black/grey would be nice aswell.
@@Upnorth_overland, I guess the Nikon Z 135mm Plena will win in every aspect except the price. Plena is sharp, doesn't have vignetting, focus breathing, and cats-eye bokeh around the ages. Also, is 240 grams lighter
wow! Viltrox! this made me buy this one for sure.. i was plannign to buy 135 sony but because of this review i will buy this one.... crazy they are really competing over sigma and tamron.. im excited in the future of their 70 - 200 lol! or 24 - 70! this is sharper than GM lol! i can save money! haha! thank you G U!
If I were being INSANELY picky, the Sony had better micro contrast when shooting into the sun. But the Viltrox is crushing it in terms of optical performance. The big issue is whether you need the most lightweight kit, and if so, are you willing to spend more than double the price for it. Personally, aid want the Sony because I have the strength of an 8 year old girl and my shoulders hurt after carrying a bag full of lenses over the course of a day/event. But I would prefer to save my money, given how good the Viltrox performs. Good job, Viltrox!
This lens is on sale (15% off) until Nov 10th: bit.ly/GeraldUndone-135
You'll see the price change at checkout. 👍
After Nov 10th, you can still save 8% by using the code UNDONE.
Hi Gerald, Undone coupon code is not working
You were great in Guardians of the Galaxy.
Star-Lord is the best
I knew I had seen him somewhere before...
@@montazownianr1wkwk 😅
Reacher isnt Star-Lord
The sheep section literally made me laugh out loud. Your findings were very similar to mine. I love the lens! Great job, as always, Gerald.
Had me rolling 😂😂😂
i wonder how he can by pass from youtube scan xD
Best PhotoTube bromance ever...
Both your review and this review has me thirsting for a Nikon Z mount copy. I had a Viltrox 13mm 1.4 lens for FUJIFILM and the 16mm 1.8 for My Z8.
I wonder how this renders vs the 135mm 1.8 plena from Nikon. Regardless I will buy this in its place.
@@technodronesogxl9783 I really hope to be able to source a Plena if I get a Z-mount of the LAB so that I can do a head to head.
That's crazy. It sounds lik3 Viltrox has quickly reached at least Sigma and Tamron level in just a few years.
i owned their 27mm and 75mm 1.2 for Fuji, and sharpness was outstanding on my 40MP X-H2. That camera has an even higher pixel density than an A7RV - if that doesnt tell they know how to build sharp lenses - what does?
😂😂😂
They got some sigma engineers
Now I want my lenses to have a turquoise layer
The only thing more legendary than the opening disclaimer, it’s that personalized lens and packaging! Nice touch, Viltrox.
Viltrox is not just sharper overall, but it also renders out of focus areas quite nicer than Sony, which is absolutely remarkable.
I'm NEVER watching your lens reviews during breakfast ever again! 🤢
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I think your autofocus was set to Brown Eye priority.
Offering this suggestion, sheepishly.
Viltrox has been making some stunning lenses on the Fuji system. It’s good to see that carrying over to the Sony system.
If I needed a 135 lens the very last photo before the video ended, it'd be enough to convince me to buy the lens.
Viltrox have come out with some pretty solid lenses lately.
Some of my New Zealand mates would really like that last shot.
If you don't mind the lack of aperture ring or screen, the Samyang 135 1.8 is a great alternative. It's also like half the weight of this Viltrox and just as good optically as the GM.
I love that they did a purple lens for you! I love the lens, and I've been using it for the past few weeks.
For landscape photography this is a winner. Dustin Abbott shows that it is also excellent for astrophotography
Thanks for the video. 135 is my favorite focal length. Its often impractical but the results are just amazing
I like the rendering of the Viltrox slightly more, wish it was a bit lighter though
People need to know that this lens probably caps at 15fps too, whereas the 135mm GM goes to 120fps with the A9III.
Still impressive, but keep in mind that the Sony lens was released almost 6 years ago...
The AF-C fps cap for third party lenses is eternal (my camera can't do 15fps though and I wouldn't need it with a 135mm lens). Anyway, for critical AF applications I would lean toward the GM, they can sometimes be bought used for less than retail.. in addition the Samyang 135/1,8 is probably the cheapest option
@@Vantrakter I'll take this for a Z mount please. Sony has nerve to limit 3rd party lens functionality after you pay for the camera it should work and not be crippled to boost sales of your products. That's why I go Samsung not Apple no crippling or lookouts for what you buy. 9:29
People who can afford an a9III or an a1 can likely also afford G Master lenses.
cool. literally couldnt care less.
If you’re using this lens on an A9 then I think you need to get your priorities straight
the samyang 135 1.8 is also pretty great. af isnt that fast but for the price the rendering is great. would also have been interesting how the 35-150 at 135 compared with all lenses at 2.8
I just submitted 11:39 to the Pulitzer people. Let me know when the ceremony happens.
Viltrox is stepping up the game with this lens. I’ve been using TTArtisan lenses for portraits, and it’s exciting to see more variety.
Amazing lens for detail work! It’s cool how brands like Viltrox and TTArtisan are offering so much for photographers on a budget.
That 🟣 colour is 🙏
Yowza! That is one hell of a lens. So optically it's a clear winner, with all the "deficiencies" being handling-, compatibility- or ergonomics-related. That is pretty impressive.
One thing I noticed with the playing cards at 10:19 is that on the Viltrox the white "bleeds" more into darker areas in high-contrast areas, while overall it's clearly a bit sharper.
It is great to see more and more competition in the lens market, thanks for the review!
Your choice of subject for the vortex ending was hilarious!
Thanks again for your excellent review. While I have switched back to LUMIX, I always watch and appreciate all of your reviews because you are so thorough about demonstrating the most important aspects of the product. Whatever features come with a particular camera or lens (or product), the functionality is more important to me. And for that, you produce the best reviews. Thank you.
That extra 400gram in weight is significant, though the price to performance ratio is very tempting. That’s almost the weight of an additional camera body. And that really affects it’s practicality.
1 have the Z mount 180 600mm for me this lens will be fine.
135 is my favorite focal length. This lens is gorgeous. Love the content.
The Viltrox 1335mm finally came in today and out the box there was something I had to know... YES, it is shorter and heavier than the 70-200mm GMII. Looking forward to see how it shoots.
i want the the gerald purple version - we should start a petition
I just bought the Samyang 135mm f1.8 AF E mount for 340€ yesterday... used of course
gonna stick with mine haha
Thank you. That customization is incredible.
Amazing results Gerald ! Great test thank you !
Viltrox has come quite a long way since their first lenses.
Can't wait to see what will come next.
Love the rendering on this lens! Between Viltrox and TTArtisan, third-party lens makers are really pushing boundaries these days.
The ending pic is priceless!!
It's interesting to hear you use the word "performant" to describe the Viltrox. I am an Englishman living in France and have long thought that this word should exist in my mother tongue too. Thanks for the review and the useful "new" word!
Well, that's not how I expected a lens review to end...
Gerald Undone... he’s crazy!
135mm is my absolute favorite focal length for wedding portraits
I Love when the embargo lifts before 9 am. Awesome work as per usual Gerald! Definitely goin to pu this one on the list.
Love that paper on the table.
Brilliant video Gerald! Also,
You were fantastic in Jack Reacher.
A used 135 1.8 Sony GM is about 1300-1400, still worth the money for lighter lens and absolutely razor sharp autofocus motor in the Sony Variant
Darn that purple looks good on that lens.
The TTArtisan 75mm f/2 has become my favourite lens lately for how small and light it is, any FE options for a compact 135mm? - maybe an f/2.8 one or something? - This Viltrox is great but it's sooooo huge.
Would love to see you compare Viltrox vs Samyang 135mm F1.8
much better than Samyang.
You may have missed it, but most recent Sony firmware added brown eye tracking.
i would still love to see some more AF testing with tracking comparisons. I have noticed a lot of differences between native and third party lenses when using AF-C in the dark for example.
Damn, Viltrox has done a pretty darn good job!!!
Gerald, I noticed you looked more pumped carrying the heavier lens. wow! look at the savings. Consumers really benefit when there is competition.
Sigma 105mm f1.4 art + aps-c x1.5 = 157mm f2 very beautiful .. test 🙏🏼
My favorite portrait lens
Thanks for the review! Super helpful! Just waiting to see if/when Viltrox releases this lens for the Fuji X-Mount. Also, delightful work with the sheep’s ... eh ... iris?
a custom lens!! dude thats sweet. I am loving viltrox
Viltrox really should have made a purple filter for Gerald. Then he can just film in a white room. If he looks like Grimace, so be it.
I'd be more interested in a review for the new 28mm pancake lens they made.
Really hoping this new lineup includes a 50mm 1.4 at a good price. So far both of my prime lenses are Viltrox (their 85mm and 24mm 1.8 lenses) and they never fail to impress
That's actually so cool they made you a customized Gerald Undone Lens, that's crazy!
I hope that now the third party lens manufacturers compete with Zeiss lineup and get their competitive lenses at sony budget price for the zeiss quality :) that would be awesome
In other test they noted that bokeh is not great and flaring causes drop in contrast more than they'd wish for. Thesy're subjective things, but I think it's worth noting. I wonder how it compares to Samyang, which is cheaper, smaller and lighter, but also sharp on the edge of the frame.
never thought I was gonna sheep-flashed in a Gerald undone video 😂😂
If they released it in Z mount I would buy it instantly. Hope they bring it to the mount soon
Now that is impressive, I’ve used the 16mm 1.4 and was blown away by it. Wonder if they will be bring this to other mounts.
I don't remember Gerald mention Sigma 135 1.8 in his review, I think it is one lens to throw into comparison box with these two. Well that and Samyang (Rokinon) 135 1.8 AF
Hey Gerald! Long time viewer and as someone who is mainly video focused I would love to see you add a section to your lens reviews that tests video AF performance. Maybe a talking head and then a moving subject.
The extra weight is significant and some drawbacks would be the lack of compatibility with Sony bodies to reduce focus breathing and that it is capped at 10 or 15fps on the A9III. The price is great though.
Great review as always!! If Vitrox is listening, they should consider add 28mm 1.2 to Lab series for the wide end
Thanks for sharing it. ✌️
You just controlled my linearity.
I guess the A1II will come with the new eye, face AND booty tracking!
Great review. Used to have a Canon 135 years ago. Would love to add one back to my arsenal for Sony, looks like this Viltrox would def be the way to go.
I have 85mm Vitrox f1.8 and it is great
I am eager for a nikon version and comparison with the plena.
Gerald undone? no, perry the platypus 5:03
I hope Viltrox makes a 135mm dedicated to aps-c. I’ve been wanting a fast 200mm equivalent for my X-T5 for a while now, they’re so fun! I have an old Canon 135mm lens that works, but it’s not sharp and has no af or weather sealing.
I know that if they make a x-mount version of this, then I can just use it, but I’d love it if they made one for aps-c specifically so the size was smaller. They did such an incredible job with the 27mm and the 75mm, so a 135mm would be the perfect next lens imo.
Agreed. that would be a great addition. Also, the 27mm and 75mm are the two lenses and reason why I still have not moved to FF because they are great and I like them a lot. I doubt I can get similar lenses for my Sony FF that perform equally well (sharpness and 0 optical flaws) for the same price.
Viltrox really upped their game...
Well damn, great job Viltrox!
Excellent review as usual! I owned the Sony 135mm GM but sold it because I wasn't using it much after buying the Tamron 35-150 and Sony 70-200 GM II. So, I'm not interested in buying this Viltrox but would be very interested in buying the UNDONE version if you ever decide to sell it! Cheers
The Samyang 135mm is another top contender.
I look forward to a Viltrox Lab 85mm f/1.4
I wish these 3rd party lens companies would release lenses in sets. And while they are at it Build more Unique Lenses. Yes, Viltrox has a 27mm & 56mm, but imagine there is a Video Set of lenses & a Photo set of lenses in the same line. exple: 25, 35, 45, 55, 85, 105 T1.4 -then- 25, 35, 45, 55, 85, 105F1.2 with a uniform design in a bundle or singles.
I Hope @Viltrox sees this & can implement in the future. The traditional focal lengths have been done to death, more unique focal lengths Max Aperture 1.2 is always a guaranteed win.
105 f1.2 woudl be…… quite a bazooka in therms of size
Hoping they offer a version in L-mount.
Hey Gerald.. I actually got to test this lens early from a friend. and one odd thing about this Viltrox lens, and a lot of Chinese third party lenses, the auto focus tracks ok in video as subject goes far to near... However, for photography, the Viltrox 135 (and other Chinese lenses) cannot keep up with auto focus tracking whereas Sony lens hits almost 100%. Did you ever get to test this for yourself? Lmk
Ugh, if they had this lens for L-mount I'd buy it this week
If the live focusing data was saved with the video like gyro data is then third party plugins could be made to automatically add breathing compensation in post no matter what lens you use. One day 😊
Looks like a great lens thanks for sharing 👍
Samyang did the same crazy surprise? "long ago", with their GM 135mm clone-alternative, too.
I think that it really owed to be clearly mentioned in this review.
I also find limit ... to not remind the Sony"s third brand speed limitation. as however well mentioned is the indeed focus breathing compensation option is withhold. "Funny" that for a videographer this limitation by Sony is not put forward even more.)
your purple ribbon on lens where to buy ?
Sharpness differences are mere sample variations.
Loving the performance of this 135mm, but the price feels steep. I wonder if TTArtisan could bring us a budget-friendly alternative.
A thing I'm missing in these tests is the performance in very edgy situations. like how does the autofocus perform in low light / night situations?
Thoughts on this vs the sigma 105 1.4? I have that currently love the look but only complaint is the slower autofocus vs my other lenses.
I have 2 concerns to be honest,
1- where is the intro, are you done undone-ing ?😂
2- given that the lens is almost custom made made me think that this one in particular might be specifically chosen and tested to be sent to you other than sending another one out of a normal batch that might not perform as well in your tests.
What do you think?🤔
Awesome!
I mean, now I don't want the normal version. I want the iconic purple accent color version.
I think that viltrox will be next sigma - where Sigma did outperform some of the native lenses for much reasonable price. Great lens!
HI. YOU ARE SPONSOR? YES?
Impressive lens. Not sure about the display though, could be more of a gimmic. Would love to see a more unique design on new lenses, alot of them are pretty hard to tell apart. A gun metal grey lens would look rly good I think. A coloured text that contrasts well from the black/grey would be nice aswell.
you should compare to sayang 135mm, this is probably the best choice
Now bring it to the Z mount!
Interesting how Viltrox compares to Plena
@ how does it compare?
@@Upnorth_overland, I guess the Nikon Z 135mm Plena will win in every aspect except the price. Plena is sharp, doesn't have vignetting, focus breathing, and cats-eye bokeh around the ages. Also, is 240 grams lighter
wow! Viltrox! this made me buy this one for sure.. i was plannign to buy 135 sony but because of this review i will buy this one.... crazy they are really competing over sigma and tamron.. im excited in the future of their 70 - 200 lol! or 24 - 70! this is sharper than GM lol! i can save money! haha! thank you G U!
If I were being INSANELY picky, the Sony had better micro contrast when shooting into the sun. But the Viltrox is crushing it in terms of optical performance. The big issue is whether you need the most lightweight kit, and if so, are you willing to spend more than double the price for it. Personally, aid want the Sony because I have the strength of an 8 year old girl and my shoulders hurt after carrying a bag full of lenses over the course of a day/event. But I would prefer to save my money, given how good the Viltrox performs. Good job, Viltrox!
exactly, AR coating is just better in Sony, much less contrast loss in shadows, but optical performance is clearly better, Sony must catch.
Well the Samyang 135mm is sharper, lighter, and can be had for under $500. I like shooting at 135mm but don’t use it enough to warrant the Sony glass
Damnit... if the lens actually was purple I totally would have bought it.