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The Viltrox 50mm f2 is a lens that we’ve reviewed previously and loved — especially for the very low price that it carries. We were pleasantly surprised by how fast it focuses, but didn’t like the fact that it doesn’t have any sort of weather resistance. Still, its lightweight and fast autofocus performance make it something very desirable to bring around. After the latest firmware update, we figured that we’d update our review accordingly. So how is it now?
Below is the updated text from our review, but you can find the full text here at this link.
Focusing Update August 2025
Via the Viltrox website, you can update the Viltrox 50mm f2 Z mount lens. Updating the firmware for this is much different compared to the Lab and higher end lenses that we’ve still got in house. You have to connect it to the computer, then put the file onto the lens (recognized as a USB drive) then it will automatically disconnect and reconnect after installing the firmware. This is different where the other lenses otherwise can be connected to a specific USB-C power cable and then found via the app on your phone. We tried to do the firmware update the other way, but it just never worked. Specifically, the lens wasn’t even recognized by the app or found by it.
After the firmware was done, we tested it on the Nikon Zf. The lens focuses fast — just as it always did. However, firmware 1.0.2 says that it will focus even faster. I didn’t notice a major difference that I think most photographers who buy this lens will notice all that much. But once low light becomes a factor, it slows down and sometimes doesn’t even know what to focus on if what you’re shooting isn’t part of the scene detection modes. I thought that this was an issue with the Nikon Zf, but I’ve never had that problem with the Zf and native Nikon lenses.
I wondered if my Kolari Clip-in filter was causing the slow down. For background, the Nikon Zf doesn’t have sensor protection when you power the camera down. So what I’ve been doing is using Kolari Clip-in filters instead to protect the sensor from dust. It hasn’t negatively affected the autofocus of any lenses that I’ve used, thankfully. To that end, I reasoned that it’s impossible for the filter to cause the issue because it’s simply a clear protection filter that isn’t smudged at all. And in any other lighting situation, it did a great job.
Basically, if you’re using the Viltrox 50mm f2 and trying to focus on something that isn’t a person, animal, or vehicle, it might have a tougher time. I tried it with my plants, and sometimes, it couldn’t find focus.
