Practical Review of $140.00 Viltrox 56mm f1.7 DX lens

donaldejose

This is my normal set up for a practical use check of a lens. The subject is in midframe to check how far off center a subject can be composed at f1.7 and yet remain sharp enough for a nice portrait. This DX lens is mounted on the Nikon Z6II body so 24mp is reduced to about 16mp. ISO is 100. Clicking on the image will take you to flckr where you can examine the file in more detail. In my opinion it is remarkable what we can now get for $140.00. I think we are going to see more cheap, but very good, lenses come out of China over the next few years. I have shot a lot of older MF cheap used OEM and third part lenses but I am thinking the new cheap Chinese AF lenses will be much more convenient to work with. It seems to me that if you don't want to "play with" or "need" or cannot afford the ultra-sharp "high end" Nikon glass this new wave of cheap Chinese AF lenses might just be the way to go for some change and "character." Of course, It would be nice if Nikon produced a high megapixel DX body, say something like a 42mp DX sensor body. Maybe if Nikon produces a very high megapixel full frame sensor Z7II it will then have the ability to put that same technology into a DX sensor body and we will finally have a replacement for the D500. However, I am not sure there is an advantage in producing a high mp DX body when the same resolution can be achieved by simply shooting a high mp FX body in DX mode. Speed, size and weigh could be an advantage but a high mp FX mirrorless body with a fast processor and big buffer may be sufficient to equal the beloved D500's speed, size and weight performance.

donaldejose

This is a crop of the mid frame bust so you can evaluate the ability to use this lens in an off center portrait composition.

donaldejose

This is a crop of the upper right corner mirror frame which happens to be in the same plane of focus as the bust of David.

donaldejose

This is a crop of vases 4 to 6 feet behind the plane of focus on the bust of David so bokeh at that distance can be checked.

donaldejose

This is the rear wall and flowers at 10 to 11 feet behind the plane of focus to bokeh at that distance can be judged.

Pistnbroke

nice to see you live in a palace...I would buy one but some bastard took my £300 winter allowance away.

donaldejose

Good to see you still active on NR. You always had good advice to share. I hope you are enjoying your retirement. I am still working part time at age 77. The house is not a "palace." just carefully designed and furnished. You would be surprised how inexpensively the items were. For example, those "paintings" were about $150.00 each. I do not have, and cannot afford, the Nikon 50mm f1.2 lens. But, after more than 50 years working hard as a lawyer, I can afford to experiment with some inexpensive Chinese lenses. It is my experience, and opinion, that Chinese manufactures are starting to close the gap with OEM, or at least Japanese third party, lenses. Others may disagree but I post some examples to make my point. In a few years the gap will be even smaller and that will be a benefit to all of us. Here is another example, the $200.00 Meike 85mm f1.8 STM AF lens.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/76080384@N03/53121021596/in/dateposted/

And a crop from that lens.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/76080384@N03/53121506463/in/dateposted/

Another crop from that cheap lens.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/76080384@N03/53121433725/in/photostream/