The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Viltrox AF 56mm f1.7 XF and the Samyang 135mm F2.0 ED UMC for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Samyang 135mm F2.0 ED UMC is the longer of the two lenses at 122mm. The Viltrox AF 56mm f1.7 XF with a length of 55mm, is 67mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Samyang 135mm F2.0 ED UMC also has a larger diameter of 82mm compared to the Viltrox AF 56mm f1.7 XF's 65mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Viltrox AF 56mm f1.7 XF weighs 171g, which means it is 659g (79%) lighter than the Samyang 135mm F2.0 ED UMC which has a weight of 830g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Prime Lenses in Fujifilm X Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Lenses in Fujifilm X Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Viltrox AF 56mm f1.7 XF has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Samyang 135mm F2.0 ED UMC has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Viltrox AF 56mm f1.7 XF:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Samyang 135mm F2.0 ED UMC:
Lens Mounts
Both the Viltrox AF 56mm f1.7 XF and the Samyang 135mm F2.0 ED UMC has the same Fujifilm X lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Fujifilm X lenses are Fujifilm X-T30 III, Fujifilm X-E5 and Fujifilm X-M5.
Samyang 135mm F2.0 ED UMC is also available in Canon EF , Canon EF-M, Four Thirds, Micro Four Thirds, Nikon F (FX), Pentax KAF, Samsung NX, Sony Alpha and Sony E mounts.
Focal Range
Viltrox AF 56mm f1.7 XF is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 56mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
84mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Samyang 135mm F2.0 ED UMC is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 135mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.5x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 202.5mm.
