Viltrox Broadens LAB Series with Screenless Prime
Viltrox has introduced the AF 35mm f/1.2 LAB N FE, a revised iteration of its AF 35mm f/1.2 LAB lens released the previous year. The new model is currently available exclusively in Sony E-mount and sits alongside the original in the company’s lineup rather than replacing it.
The LAB series represents Viltrox’s highest product tier, sitting above the Air, Evo, and Pro lines in terms of specification and positioning. So far, only two lenses have been released under this designation: the AF 135mm f/1.8 LAB and the AF 35mm f/1.2 LAB, both available in Sony E-mount and Nikon Z-mount. The new N variant adds a third entry to the series, though it is more accurately described as an alternative configuration of an existing product than a genuinely new lens.
The principal difference between the N version and the original is the removal of the OLED information display mounted on the top of the lens barrel. That screen, present on several Viltrox lenses, was capable of showing aperture settings, focus distance, and additional shooting data. Its physical footprint gave the original lens a somewhat angular profile. The “N” in the product name explicitly denotes this omission, with Viltrox describing the change as producing a cleaner and more unified external appearance. The move has a precedent in the broader industry: Nikon similarly removed displays from the second-generation versions of its 24-70mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses, though in those cases the redesigns also brought meaningful weight reductions. In the case of the Viltrox, eliminating the screen accounts for a reduction of roughly ten grams, leaving the overall weight at 910 grams — essentially the same as before.
Alongside the removal of the display, the original’s customizable multi-function control ring has been replaced by a dedicated aperture control ring. On the first-generation lens, that ring could be assigned to various functions through camera menus. The new ring operates solely as an aperture control, with both clicked and de-clicked modes available to accommodate still and video use respectively.
Everything else remains as it was: the optical construction consists of 15 elements arranged in 10 groups, incorporating three high-refractive elements, five extra-low dispersion elements, and two aspherical elements; the diaphragm uses 11 blades; the autofocus system is Viltrox’s Quad HyperVCM, a voice coil motor arrangement the Chinese company positions as faster and quieter than conventional STM-based systems, with support for face detection, eye detection, and subject tracking; two customizable function buttons are retained, as is the AF/MF switch; the body is constructed from metal with a brass mount and incorporates a weather-sealed structure; the front element carries a water- and smudge-resistant coating; the minimum focusing distance is 34 cm and the front filter thread measures 77 mm.
The AF 35mm f/1.2 LAB N FE carries a retail price of $999, identical to the original model. A Nikon Z-mount version of the N variant has not been announced: Viltrox and Nikon are currently involved in legal proceedings in China, the outcome of which may have bearing on the company’s future Z-mount releases. It has also not been confirmed whether the AF 135mm f/1.8 LAB will eventually receive a comparable non-display variant.
