XF 35mm f/2 review

[JonasRask]

HI Guys.

 

I tested the XF35mm f/2 R WR for the last month or so. Check out my thoughts on this very cool lens below!

 

http://jonasraskphotography.com/2015/10/21/xf35mm/

 

Take care.

 

/J

[flysurfer]

Very nice!

 

Here's mine: http://www.fujirumors.com/first-look-fujifilm-xf35mmf2-r-wr/

[mdm]

Yes please, I'll take two!

[FreakPhoto]

It seems the review by Jonas is incorrect in stating the close focus distance of the 35mm 1.4. It is 28cm, not 80.

[Marc G.]

It seems the review by Jonas is incorrect in stating the close focus distance of the 35mm 1.4. It is 28cm, not 80.

flysurfer got that wrong, too.

[milandro]

Obviously very interesting review and better pictures than any other taken with this lens that I’ve seen before on line ( although it would have been nicer to have at least some comparative shots and larger pictures to see better what this lens can do).

 

The two points of improvement: operating noise and focussing speed seem to have been addressed although the second still has some hunting in low light and low contrast but my educated guess is that this is more a feature of the camera rather than the lens.

 

There are limits to what this senso can do and they seem to be the bottleneck which both hardware and software have found, at least, so far.

 

Possibly this is as far as the current top camera autofocus features can be taken and my guess is that we won’t see any improvement before the next generation of X cameras will hit the market.

 

The review doesn’t linger on too much the WR qualities of this lens.

 

 

It is nice to have as a feature but only if coupled to a WR camera and even there the definition of what kind of resistance and against what exactly it resists varies from a very cautious “ dampness “ to resisting tropical forest rains.

 

Most of us will never need to find out which is which.

[Dis]

One more http://ivanjoshualoh.com/2015/10/21/xf-35mm-f2-wr/

[JonasRask]

It seems the review by Jonas is incorrect in stating the close focus distance of the 35mm 1.4. It is 28cm, not 80.

 

I don't think I wrote about the close focussing of the XF 35mm f/1.4 in my review. I only stated that the near limit of the f/2 was at 35cm

[milandro]

but they read you mind   you wanted to!

 

One more http://ivanjoshualoh.com/2015/10/21/xf-35mm-f2-wr/

 

 

Very nice and larger pics.

[Antony]

My only gripe with th 35mmf/1.4 is the colour balance, which is completely different to the other Fuji lenses. When I shoot 23, 35, and 56 side by side, and then try to run the same white balance through the files, the files from the 35mm are very different. Can you please confirm whether this has been corrected with the new lens?

[Bjorn Moerman PHOTOGRAPHY]

Fully agree with the review! Shot the lens as well for over two week...

What a great little lens. Fell in love straight away when I held it for the first time. Definitively a lens with caracter! 

 

My review on the 35mm f2 is here: http://bjornmoerman.blogspot.ae/2015/10/first-look-fujifilm-xf35mm-f2-r-wr.html

 

Happy to answer any questions here or at my blog above.

BJORN

[FreakPhoto]

I don't think I wrote about the close focussing of the XF 35mm f/1.4 in my review. I only stated that the near limit of the f/2 was at 35cm

 

It has been mysteriously fixed! 

[CRAusmus]

The more I see, and read, of this lens the more I like it.

[Max_Elmar]

Review with actual measurements at Lenstip is out: http://www.lenstip.com/456.1-Lens_review-Fujifilm_Fujinon_XF_35_mm_f_2_R_WR_Introduction.html

 

VERY impressive on the edges @ 2.0 - best @ 2.0, as a matter of fact! Very "Summicron" like to the 35/1.4 "Summilux" - as I had hoped. Shoot the 2.0 for resolution and clinical accuracy and shoot the 1.4 for "character" - well done, Fuji!

[CRAusmus]

This is what I was hoping for from this lens too as well.  And the price is really sweet...

[milandro]

Nice test.

 

there is a definite loss of resolution at the edges

(very visible in the test shots here http://www.lenstip.com/456.12-Lens_review-Fujifilm_Fujinon_XF_35_mm_f_2_R_WR_Sample_shots.html)

[skipper66]

I just received my lens here in Germany yesterday. Did some first shots on this beautiful day If you like, please view them at my flickr album. All JPEGs sooc with Astia film simulation.

 

Ohne Titel by trp_player, auf Flickr

 

I got the silver finish and like the look and feel

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Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

 

[milandro]

it really looks very nice on the X-E2! As I said it really reminds me of the Werra look.

[Stonehorn]

I just received my 35 F2.0 today in Germany as well. Here is my comparison to my 35 F1.4

 

Build:

The new one is very well build and feels solid like my other Fuji lenses like the 56 or 16. The aperture and manual focus ring feels well damped. My 1.4 is a bit less damped and I often find myself changing the aperture ring by accident. And on the 1.4 manual focusing feels a bit unnatural. On the 2.0 on the otherside everything feels a bit better. I like the new lenshood. Its tiny and screwed onto the lens. The new lenscap fits nicely. I prefer the looks of the squared metal one but the rubber cap is fiddley and falls of quickly.

 

2 points for the new one.

 

IQ:

To be honest both if both lenses are set to F2.0 the difference is marginal. The bokeh is a bit better on the 2.0 but you have to look closely. The same is to say about sharpness. But have in mind that the 2.0 is shot wide open! The 1.4 tend to be a bit softer wide open but it gives you that special touch a lot of people like about that beautiful lens.

 

In my opinion there is no clear winner here.

 

AF:

The new one is pretty fast and accurate. There is no focus hunting at all. The autofocus system works nearly silent by the way. But to be honest with all the firmware updates for the 1.4 the old one is not that sluggish at all. Yeah, it's a bit noisier but for the average situation it will be fast enough.

 

1 point for the new one.

 

Overall:

If you haven't bought a 35 yet here are some things you should think about. The new one is not that expensive and there are some great deals for the old one so the price difference is marginal.

 

If you have the X-T1 and need the weather resistance then the new one is a no brainer. The build quality is a bit better and don't forget that quick autofocus. You will lose 1 stop but hey F2.0 is still not that bad. IQ overall is en par.

 

If you don't have the X-T1 and weather resistance is not important to you take a look at the 1.4. Yeah the autofocus is a bit slower and noisier but for portraits that doesn't count at all. And you will fall in love with this creamy look of the 1.4 shoot wide open.

 

If you already have the 35 F1.4 well it depends how you use ist. You shot wide open often? Than the extra stop will make those shots a bit more beautiful.

I love adventure riding with my motorbike so the weather resistance feature is perfect for my kind of photography. I do have the 16 F1.4 as well so in very low light situations I still have a great wide angle low light beast. In case of short journey without my motorbike I always carry the X100T and for family reunions my X-T1 is paired with the portrait wonder 56 F1.2.

 

 

 

Hope this little review helps all those deciding wether to buy the new one or not.

[cug]

I have to say, that I disagree slightly. I haven't done extensive testing here just yet, but so far I think that the two lenses are only comparable up to f/2.8. Beyond that, the old f/1.4 is plain better across the frame. It might not have the exact same high center sharpness but it stomps the new f/2 in the corners and along the edges from f/4 (or even slightly more open) on.

 

The new one beats the hell out of the old one mechanically though. It feels nearly as good as my M-Rokkor lens. Very solid, compact and just plain "lovely". The old one always felt loose and a bit rattly. 

 

From my perspective after a week of using the new one: if you mostly shoot at f/2 to f/2.8 the new one is great. Mechanically it is far superior to the old in my personal opinion. But overall the old one is optically at least one class above the new.

[Lobstertje]

I'm in love with this lens. Sold my 35 1.4.

[milandro]

the funny thing is that this lens has made me feel like buying a X-E2, metal version, to complement one of these in metal.

 

I have convinced myself ( see my thread on this) that the X-E2 will see a revamp following the release of the X Pro 2  since we are a very long way I think from the X-E3.

 

If we will see that they are, indeed, bringing the old XE-2 as close as possible to the X-T1 or T10 then it would be a great camera to go with this lens.

 

For the time being the  35 1.4 is still offered at way more than this lens available in the NL at €399 so I wonder how the release of the new lens will affect the sales of the old one.

 

I was very fond of the 35 1.4, my first X lens and the one which made me want to enter the system but I don’t regret selling it.

[CRAusmus]

Got to play with the 35mm ƒ2 at the expo over the weekend, and I was very impressed.

 

Extremely light, very small, dead silent, incredibly fast and sharp.  Definitely going to be one in my future.  This lens will be excellent on the X-Pro2...

[davidmold]

I got one for my XT10, and it really looks good and feels well balanced on that little camera. It is a beautifully constructed lens. Even the hood is an extremely convenient and tiny addition that you can easily leave attached all the time.

[Snzkgb]

Very nice pictures, Jonas.

But I still think that 1.4 is better, because, well, it is 1.4 and not 2.0.