Viltrox AF 50 mm f/1.4 Pro review

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Viltrox AF 50 mm f/1.4 Pro

20 April 2026

Maciej Latałło

4. Image resolution

Tests of Nikon Z system devices we conduct with the help of a 45.7 Mpix sensor. At first we used the Nikon Z7 but at the end of 2025 we replaced it with the Nikon Z8. RAW files are developed by neutral software such as dcraw. In case of this detector the decency level is set at 40-42 lpmm and the best fixed-focal lenses can reach above 80 lpmm. The record-breaking instruments can exceed 85 lpmm and so far the Nikkor Z 35 mm f/1.2 S (92.2 lpmm) and the Nikkor Z 135 mm f/1.8 S Plena (93.5 lpmm), are, currently, our record holders.

Let's check how the performance of the Viltrox AF 50 mm f/1.4 Pro compares – its results in the frame centre, on the edge of the APS-C/DX sensor, and on the edge of full frame are presented in a graph below.

Viltrox AF 50 mm f/1.4 Pro - Image resolution

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You can say at once that the tested lens didn't disappoint us – the results are simply splendid. In the frame centre, already at the maximum relative aperture, you get a very high result of over 60 lpmm. As if it wasn't enough, stopping down of the aperture is very effective; as a result by f/2.0 you get a value of almost 73 lpmm, by f/2.8 and f/4.0 the lens can exceed a value of 91.9 lpmm. Officially, the highest result we registered was by f/4.0 and it amounts to 91.9 lpm so, within the error boundaries, it is in accordance with resolution levels of the Nikkor 1.2/35 and the Nikkor 1.8/135.

A graph below presents an even better-detailed picture of the situation as it compares the performance of the Viltrox and other 1.4/50 class models.

The Viltrox can slightly overperform even the Sony FE 50 mm f/1.4 GM, a record-breaker of the Sony detector, but the difference here can stem from the fact that the sensor of the Nikon Z8 is a bit more densely packed. It's safer to say that both lenses represent a very similar level of resolution, which is, of course, outstanding. What about the Sigma? Well, if its producers aren't already working on the successor of their 50 mm device, they should start such a process immediately.

We liked very much the Viltrox performance in the frame centre and it made us doubly curious about the frame edge. The first graph, presented in this chapter, shows clearly that the tested lens fares very well – on the edge of the APS-C/DX sensor, even at the maximum relative aperture, it achieves a very high level of almost 60 lpmm and on stopping down, it can even exceed 80 lpmm.

When it comes to the edge of full frame, you won't find any weak points either. By f/1.4 the results are good, reaching over 51 lpmm, and on stopping down the aperture, the MTFs are able to get to an excellent level of about 70 lpmm.

As you see the summary of this chapter can be only positive. For a sum of $466 you get a lens that is outstanding in the frame centre and very good on the edge. It would be foolish to expect more.

At the end of this chapter, traditionally, we present crops taken from photos of our resolution chart; they were taken from JPEG files saved along with RAW files we used for the analysis above.

Nikon Z8, JPEG, 50 mm, f/1.4