Viltrox 85mm f/1.8 AF for Nikon Z Mount - Review with Real World Concert/Gig Photographs

And Now for Something Completely Different

Last year I picked up two Viltrox lenses, a 23mm f/1.4 and a 24mm f/1.8. As you can see from my review of those lenses I was rather impressed by the quality and features given their relatively low price point.

So, when Viltrox reached out to me and asked if I wanted to try their Viltrox 85mm f/1.8 for Nikon Z mount I said no. Well, initially anyway. After all, 85mm isn’t exactly the go to focal length for landscape photography. Then I had a rethink.

Perhaps this lens would be a good option for me for when I’m shooting live music and gigs. I’ve been shooting concerts and gigs for many years now, but I don’t often talk about it here or on my YouTube channel. You can, however, see my work in this area of photography here.

The global pandemic had prevented me from capturing images of live music and gigs for the last year or two, but with the restrictions on concerts gradually lifting, I was starting to get back into this dynamic area of photography.

My kit bag for this type of photography is dominated by fixed aperture zoom lenses, but I’ve been missing a fast prime since I moved to the Nikon Z system. The opportunity to Viltrox’s fast 85mm prime came just at the right time.

In the video below I’ll share with you my thoughts on this lens, how it’s performed while photographing concerts and of course, I will share some of the photographs I’ve been capturing with this lens.

Live Music Photographs Shot with the Viltrox 85mm

Other Photographs Shot with the Viltrox 85mm