dilemma

[mholtsberg]

ok here goes... been lurking in the background a bit..last year I purchased an XT1 and fell on it and destroyed the 18- 55 lens.. the camera survived for a short period and recently went to the big junkyard in the sky...I have an X100t which I enjoy...

GAS hit.. I purchased an X-E2 w/ 18-55 and 55-200.. so far I have not destroyed it. just getting the feel of it.. However, I am pondering a prime... ?? input would be appreciated...35. 56...60(macro)?????

Thanks for any advice.

[Patrick FR]

I'd go for the 35... a lot cheaper than the 56, more versatile than the 56, terrific IQ, fast.

 

or wait for the 35mmF2 WR later this year

[darknj]

Depends on what you shoot honestly.

 

I would advise you either the 35mm F1.4 or the F2 version that is supposed to arrive later this year, it "should" be smaller than the F1.4 version. But if you want to go small, nothing currently beats the 27mm. Albeit it's a bit weird focal length a first but once you get used to it, I find it rather pleasant and kind of refreshing to use.

Not as tight at the 35mm but not as wide as the 23mm either and still packing while being a large body cap.

 

I have been considering macro shots too lately, but instead of the Fuji, I wanted to test out the Super Takumar 50mm F4 from Pentax with a mount converter.

[milandro]

I love  and own both.

 

When I bought my first fuji ( X-E1) I owned for quite some time the 35mm alone and I was very happy with it.

 

If I had one lens alone on these cameras it will be the 35mm.

 

Having said this, my second lens would be the 60mm.

 

I simply love it for portraits and close up photography.

 

When I bought it I had the cash in my pocket and two lenses in front of me ( the 56mm and the 60 ) and decided to go for the 60.

 

Having said this, both lenses are probably among the weakest in terms of autofocus performance within the system.

 

If this is very important to you then wait. Usque tandem? Until when? This is a different matter!

 

One can wait and wait and wait for the “ better” product to come ( or for the discounts of the old products when the new products will come) or decide to bite the bullet right now and buy the lens and produce pictures with it while others wait, wait and wait.

[bambam]

The main thing I did that worked fine was to review the thousands of pictures I'd taken with the 18-55 to see what my most common focal length actually was, and it was close to 18mm so I bought the 18mmF2.

 

Obviously there are many other considerations but the exercise was worthwhile for me. I wanted a compact travel lens and the 18mm was cheap on ebay, compact, and has a manual aperture ring which I like.

[milandro]

well, that only means that you chose the widest of the focal range that you have been experimenting with. 

 

It doesn’t mean to say that the 18 is, per se, the lens par excellence. What would have happened if you had the 16-50? You don’t know what 16mm would have been for you because you never had it to your avail.

[bambam]

It doesn’t mean to say that the 18 is, per se, the lens par excellence.

Yup, true.

It was just a quick post to an interweb forum that said I found it helpful to look at my existing images.

[mholtsberg]

Thank you for all your input.. I think I am leaning towards the 60macro... I am going to pull the trigger and order it and see how it feels...(thanks to Amazons return policy, I will have a chance to try it and make the final decision)

[tom burke]

I see everyone seems to be focusing on image quality, but a key point in your original statement was your propensity to destroy cameras and lenses.

Maybe the selection criteria for the prime you choose should be most difficult to break.

In that case you decision is easy. The shorter the physical length of the lens the harder it will be to damage it.

So you should by the 27mm pancake!

[Aswald]

Depends on what you shoot.

 

For the only one lens to buy, XF35 F1.4. It's easily the most versatile lens with a fantastic IQ.

[papedo]

i would take the xf23, but you have this on your x100, so next choice would be the 56mm

[mholtsberg]

thank you all for the input...I have decided to try the 60, mostly for the fact the it can do "double duty" portrait and macro... I hope I have cured myself of the ability to ruin a perfectly new piece of equiptment.....

I am going to take advantage of the Amazon/Adorama's liberal return policy and try the lens for a bit to be sure ....

Will post a few trial shots next week....

[frod]

I would suggest getting gear insurance, I use Glover & Howe, there are other good alternatives too.

[mholtsberg]

thanks for all the input and comments. i did try the 60mm.. i must admit i was not happy with the "feel" of the lens. a bit too slow to focus and did not feel "right".

I returned it. I am waiting for backorders to come in at Amazon or Adorama or B&H to try the 35mm.

[gordonrussell76]

The 35mm is not a million miles faster than the 60 in all fairness. Both are older gen lens and to that extent not as snappy as some of the newer lenses.

Sadly both lens would have been a lot better on the X-T1 you broke.

 

I had a X-E2 and since moving to the X-T1 I have noticed a significant improvment in focus accuracy. Interestingly more so with Zone focus mode than single. In ZF mode its very very snappy as it the 60mm. Ironically the 60mm is now one of my favourite lenses. It does not quite get you Bokeh Pron like the 56mm but it has that beautiful rendering that the 35mm has it just has a vibe. Lets put it this way it forces taste on you. The 56mm at 2.8 and above is gorgeous, but I just know I would be using it at 1.2 for the first 6 months till someone slapped me

 

Be aware that the 60 is a better portrait lens that it is a macro to my mind. however by one of the macro rings and it gets a lot closer to being a really good macro lens.

 

The other option is the 27mm a criminally underated lens. I love it, I don't use it that much anymore but I got it for a very good price and like having it around for those one lens smaller camera days it turns my X-T1 almost into an X100T however it is my second favourite lens with the Macro tube (the 35mm is the favourite funnily enough)

 

What is my conclusion in all of this, if you can get 1 lens get the 35mm

 

2 lens get the 35 and 60 or 27 and 60 (which is a good option as they share the same filter diameter)

 

To be honest you could probably pick up all 3 second hand for the cost of the 56 brand new, i know what I would do.

G

[CRAusmus]

35 ƒ1.4 rarely if ever leaves my X-T1.  Then again I love the 50mm focal length.  Have it on almost everyone of my film cameras, and in many cases the only lens I own for many of my film bodies.

 

If you like a wider angle, I think the 18 is really handy on bodies like the X-E's and X-Pro.  Its small, light, good quality and still get the aperture ring; which is the only thing that has kept me away from the 27...

[mholtsberg]

I missed the "sale" on the fuji lenses.... I went to amazon...b&h...adorama... they were sold out... now that they are getting back in stock they are at full price... 

I will be patient and wait for another "sale"

 

Until then, I do have my 18 - 55 

[justandyphoto]

Between the three lenses that you started out considering, I would narrow it down to the 35mm and 56mm. The 60mm is far too slow to focus, limiting its usefulness. I believe that you already discovered this with your trial. The 35mm is a more flexible focal length. I bought it at the same time as the 56mm and have been surprised by how much I use the 35 instead. The 56mm f/1.2 is the best lens of the bunch though and extremely sharp. Working in low light with this lens was a revelation for me. If you enjoy closeups and especially portraits or candid shots, I would recommend the 56mm as a supplement to your 18-55 since the zoom gives you f/4 at the long end. If you are looking to leave the zoom at home and work exclusively with a single prime lens, I would go for the 35mm. The good news is that both of these lenses are incredible!

[milandro]

if it were  “ far to slow to focus” those who use then would have noticed. I didn’t.

[Max_Elmar]

Most primes have somewhat specific uses that really make it impossible for us to answer that question for you. What do you want to do with the prime? The 18mm makes a very nice, compact fast travel lens. The 60 does beautiful portraits, flowers, and architectural details. The 35 is the classic "50mm on film" field of view and bokeh - probably the most versatile. I have a few other lenses for my Fuji, but I really could be happy with just these three. (I use the Fuji as a lightweight travel camera system. Still a DSLR "dinosaur" for professional architecture and landscape work and sports.)