The Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7 is not an unknown commidity to me. I reviewed in on Fuji X-mount earlier this year, which is, frankly, the most challenging platform that I review lenses on for two reasons: 1) Fuji’s 40MP APS-C sensor is extremely demanding due to having the highest resolution currently available on APS-C and 2) Fuji’s autofocus is well behind other companies, meaning that AF performance (particularly for video) of lenses often doesn’t look fantastic. The Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7 (which we’ll call the 56mm F1.7E for both brevity and to distinguish it from the X-mount version of the lens) will have an easier time all around on Sony. The 26MP resolution level currently available on Sony is much easier to resolve, and Sony’s autofocus system on their cameras is much, much better. I had the good fortunate to get this lens at the same time as having the Sony ZV-E10 II compact camera, and it was a great match for that compact body.

This new lightweight series began with the very useful AF 20mm F2.8 full frame lens (which I reviewed here), an extremely light, extremely inexpensive, but surprisingly strong optical instrument. That was followed (for full frame) with the 40mm F2.5 STM full frame lens, a lens that I’ve reviewed on Nikon Z and that will soon be released on Sony as well. That first APS-C lens in this particular series, however, is this Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7 STM. This Viltrox lens will retail for under $180 USD (buy from Viltrox and use the code DUSTINABBOTT to get 8% more off!). That makes it an attractive option for those who want this focal length but have a tight budget. Is it worth checking out? Find out my thoughts by watching the video review, reading the text review, or just by enjoying the photos in the galleries below.

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Thanks to Viltrox for sending me a review copy of this lens. As always, this is a completely independent review. *The tests and most of the photos that I share as a part of my review cycle have been done with the Sony a7RV in its 26MP APS-C mode along with the the Sony ZV-E10 II which I reviewed here.

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Viltrox already has an existing autofocusing 56mm F1.4 APS-C lens (my review here) that they released in 2020, but that lens is heavier (290g) and more expensive ($299 USD) relative to this new lens. The Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7E has a slightly slower aperture (one half stop), lacks an aperture ring, but compensates in part by being extremely sharp. In fact, if you look at this chart I’ve made comparing the MTF from the two lenses, you can see that I’ve put a line through the 80% level. None of the performance of the older lens (at least at 30LPmm) reaches that threshold, while there is only the tiniest part of the image of the 56mm F1.7 E-mount that fall below that.

There is 15% more image sharpness in the center of the frame and and more than 20% more in the midframe. The corners are more like 40% sharper! This is going to be a very sweet bargain portrait lens. 56mm on Sony’s 1.5x crop APS-C sensor translates to 84mm, a prime portrait focal length.

This tells us all we need to know about who this new lens is for: much like Samyang’s “Tiny series”, this lens is for those who don’t care about bells and whistles and just want a lightweight, high performing lens. And this lens is incredibly compact – look how compact it is when compared to the Fuji XF 56mm F1.2 WR and the TTArtisan AF 56mm F1.8 (another impressive little lens!)

I’ll foness that I end up reaching for these little Viltrox lenses more often than expected. Very often the idea of a throwing a small, light, tough, and high performing little prime into my bag is very, very attractive. Enjoy the photos below!

Image of the Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7 E-mount

Images taken with the Viltrox AF 57mm F1.7 E-mount

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GEAR USED:

Purchase the Viltrox AF 56mm F1.7 @ Viltrox (use code DUSTINABBOTT for 5% off) | B&H Photo | Adorama | Nuzira | Amazon | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Germany

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Purchase the Sony a7RV @ B&H Photo | Adorama | Amazon | Camera Canada | Sony Canada | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Germany 

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Purchase the Sony a7IV @ B&H Photo | Adorama | Amazon | Camera Canada | Sony Canada | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Germany 

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Purchase the Sony Alpha 1 @ Camera Canada | B&H Photo | Adorama | Amazon | Sony Canada | Amazon Canada |  Amazon UK | Amazon Germany | Ebay 

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