At just over $1,000, Viltrox’s EVO series provides a trio of matched prime lenses, a cost comparable to a single first-party prime, offering a uniform size, weight, and filter thread that can be a significant time-saver for gimbal users and travelers.
Curren Sheldon typically uses Zeiss lenses for documentary and commercial work, but he spent the last two months testing the budget EVO series to evaluate its performance.
What’s in the Viltrox EVO Set?
The core set includes the Viltrox 35mm f/1.8 II EVO, the Viltrox 55mm f/1.8 EVO, and the Viltrox AF 85mm f/2 EVO. All three are full frame and priced under $400 each.
Each lens weighs around 370 g and accepts 58mm filters, ensuring no rebalancing is needed when swapping lenses on a DJI Ronin 4D or similar gimbal. The 85mm lens has a maximum aperture of f/2, which Sheldon interprets as a deliberate choice to maintain consistency in size across the set. He values this uniformity over a faster 85mm that would disrupt it.
A compact 26mm pancake lens also bears the EVO name, though Sheldon considers it separate from the filmmaking set due to its 43mm filter thread.
Features and Build Quality
Each lens features an aperture ring on the barrel, which operates electronically and can be de-clicked for seamless exposure adjustments during filming. Additionally, there’s an AF/MF switch and a customizable function button, rare features at this price point.
The optical design is apochromatic, reducing color fringing in high-contrast scenes—a feature typically found on much more expensive lenses. While Sheldon notes the lenses lack the all-metal construction of a Zeiss Otus, they still feel solid and well-built.
The EVO lenses are available in Sony E and Nikon Z mounts. Sheldon recommends the E-mount version, as it can be adapted to Z bodies, whereas Z-mount lenses are limited to Nikon cameras.
How Do They Compare?
While the Viltrox focus ring is smaller, it remains smooth and well-damped, making manual focusing practical. Sheldon considers the Viltrox lenses better constructed, and notes that the wider Lumix primes cost between $800 and $900 each.
During a recent commercial shoot, Sheldon paired a rented Sony FX3 B camera with the Ronin 4D, using the EVO lenses exclusively on the FX3 B throughout the production.
Sheldon’s wide-open footage from the shoot is featured in the video above.
