Your review is very helpful. I am a newbie in photography and I owned Fuji XT-20. Currently looking for a new lens and interested in Fuji XF 35mm f/1.4. My only concern is, this lens was released in 2011. Is it still compatible to the current technology? Or should I wait for the next lens release which I don’t know when.
Looking for your reply.
Thank you.
Tom
January 17, 2017 3:36 pm
MTF is dissapointing. Corners never really get sharp. I’m not complaining, but I’m just saying that even wide open the center sharpness isn’t exactly excellent. Color accuracy is more important anyway. What I am saying is IMO it doesn’t matter the format you use. 1.4’s almost always take a hit in overall performance over F2’s throughout their range. There are exceptions, but they are either big or expensive…or both. I don’t see this lens as an exception to that rule. The new 25mm 1.2 Olympus even takes a slight hit at 1.2 and that’s with 19 elements- but it does perform quite well. Still, i think it’s best to steer away from the big boy lenses and stick with F2’s no matter the format.
Dominic
October 19, 2015 5:52 am
Hi Nasim,
If I already own a 23mm 1.4, will getting a 35mm a little redundant? I like the 56mm too, but it just doesn’t seem to be a “everyday” kind of lens. I’m thinking of shooting with 23mm for indoor and environmental portraiture, while 35mm for tighter shots for better subject separations on the street and documentary photography. Do you think 23+35 will work for my kind of genre? Thanks.
Cass
October 29, 2014 3:10 am
Hi there,
Thanks for the review. I have this lens, plus quite a few of the others. One lens I love the IQ of is the 56mm F1.2. However, as a photographer who loves to whip a camera up to my eye to catch a certain expression or fleeting glance of a person, I am quite frustrated. I use the X-T1 in manual focus mode, and use the AF-L button to focus and the manual focus ring to fine-tune as necessary. Ruling out AF, I had hoped the response time to snap a shot would be fast. However, while it is almost instant when wide open at F1.2, as one progressively uses smaller apertures, I am finding there is some slight delay, which seems to be more than 0.5 sec at F16, before the shutter is actually fired. If I listen to the lens, by half pressing, I can actually hear the sound of the aperture blades closing down, and yes, it does appear the duration of the sound increases from nothing wide-open, to about 0.5 secs at F16. Visually, whilst the aperture blades are being stepped down, the LCD/VF image freezes. This also occurs with my X-E1, so is not camera-dependent.
So, I am wondering if anyone else has this issue described above.
One can test this further: –
1. Set camera to MF, shutter speed to manual 1/60th, ISO to 800, lens cap on. 2. Test 1 at F1.2: quickly fully press and release the shutter relaese button as fast as possible over and over for 15 seconds – I get about 30 presses. 3. Test 2 at F16: quickly fully press and release the shutter relaese button as fast as possible over and over for 15 seconds – I get about 15 presses.
The only change is the aperture size.
Can anyone else confirm the same?
Many thanks, Cass.
Alf
September 22, 2014 7:45 pm
Hi Nasim! I recently purchased Fuji XT-1 with Fujinon 23mm f1.4 lens. So far, so great….With one exception: the lens is noisy & appears “running” or “hunting” constantly! I’ve read some of the comments above & it does appear that it is a noisy lens, but I’m also wondering if the constant “hunting” is normal as well for this particular lens. Thanks in advance for your help! Anna
Hi Nasim, In my case, i turn the Pre-AF off, the continuous hunting stop, the noise is there when you focus but just once.
Robert Picard
July 26, 2014 10:20 am
Hello Nasim,
In your review you stated that Lightroom automatically applies optical corrections to Fuji RAW files. Did Adobe collaborate with Fuji to develop these corrections and are the Lightroom corrections as effective as those applied by the Fuji LMO to their Jpegs, regarding lens sharpness etc.?
Many thanks. There is such a wealth of information here at Photography Life.
Robert
Michael Thornton
June 21, 2014 2:32 pm
Dear Nasim,
Can you give me any idea when your review of the Fuji XT and its lenses will be available. I want to buy into this system but would prefer to read your honest and informative report first
Thats fabulous service, thanks a lot. Looking forward to what I hope will be a positive review. I am looking at this system for when I don’t wish to carry a heavy case of Nikon gear.
Michael, just to let you know, I am still working on the review. My weekend was ruined by work I had to do at home and I am having a hard time catching up! So please be patient for a day or two until I finish it :)
Hi Nasim, Any ideas how long it will be before we see a review of the Fuji lenses, there’s a vast range since the 35mm one you reviewed some time ago. Of particular interesr are the 14mm, 23mm, 56mm and the new pair of zooms
Regards Michael
Michael Thornton
June 21, 2014 2:28 pm
Hi Nasim,
Can you give me any idea when your test review of the Fuji XT camera and lenses will be available?
I want to buy into this system but would much prefer to read your honest and invaluable review first.
Regards Michael
Bart
January 4, 2014 7:44 pm
Hi Nasim, Are you using adobe standard color profile with all your camera’s or are you using those specific lightroom profiles for nikon? For Fuji there is no other then adobe standard, but what do you do with nikon? Greetings
deng
December 8, 2013 4:45 pm
Great review :)
Just one error – the last mark “A” is not an “Aperture Priority” mode, in fact it’s anything but that and means “Auto” :)
Hi Nasim,
Your review is very helpful. I am a newbie in photography and I owned Fuji XT-20. Currently looking for a new lens and interested in Fuji XF 35mm f/1.4. My only concern is, this lens was released in 2011. Is it still compatible to the current technology? Or should I wait for the next lens release which I don’t know when.
Looking for your reply.
Thank you.
MTF is dissapointing. Corners never really get sharp. I’m not complaining, but I’m just saying that even wide open the center sharpness isn’t exactly excellent. Color accuracy is more important anyway. What I am saying is IMO it doesn’t matter the format you use. 1.4’s almost always take a hit in overall performance over F2’s throughout their range. There are exceptions, but they are either big or expensive…or both. I don’t see this lens as an exception to that rule. The new 25mm 1.2 Olympus even takes a slight hit at 1.2 and that’s with 19 elements- but it does perform quite well. Still, i think it’s best to steer away from the big boy lenses and stick with F2’s no matter the format.
Hi Nasim,
If I already own a 23mm 1.4, will getting a 35mm a little redundant? I like the 56mm too, but it just doesn’t seem to be a “everyday” kind of lens. I’m thinking of shooting with 23mm for indoor and environmental portraiture, while 35mm for tighter shots for better subject separations on the street and documentary photography. Do you think 23+35 will work for my kind of genre? Thanks.
Hi there,
Thanks for the review. I have this lens, plus quite a few of the others. One lens I love the IQ of is the 56mm F1.2. However, as a photographer who loves to whip a camera up to my eye to catch a certain expression or fleeting glance of a person, I am quite frustrated. I use the X-T1 in manual focus mode, and use the AF-L button to focus and the manual focus ring to fine-tune as necessary. Ruling out AF, I had hoped the response time to snap a shot would be fast. However, while it is almost instant when wide open at F1.2, as one progressively uses smaller apertures, I am finding there is some slight delay, which seems to be more than 0.5 sec at F16, before the shutter is actually fired. If I listen to the lens, by half pressing, I can actually hear the sound of the aperture blades closing down, and yes, it does appear the duration of the sound increases from nothing wide-open, to about 0.5 secs at F16. Visually, whilst the aperture blades are being stepped down, the LCD/VF image freezes. This also occurs with my X-E1, so is not camera-dependent.
So, I am wondering if anyone else has this issue described above.
One can test this further: –
1. Set camera to MF, shutter speed to manual 1/60th, ISO to 800, lens cap on.
2. Test 1 at F1.2: quickly fully press and release the shutter relaese button as fast as possible over and over for 15 seconds – I get about 30 presses.
3. Test 2 at F16: quickly fully press and release the shutter relaese button as fast as possible over and over for 15 seconds – I get about 15 presses.
The only change is the aperture size.
Can anyone else confirm the same?
Many thanks,
Cass.
Hi Nasim!
I recently purchased Fuji XT-1 with Fujinon 23mm f1.4 lens. So far, so great….With one exception: the lens is noisy & appears “running” or “hunting” constantly! I’ve read some of the comments above & it does appear that it is a noisy lens, but I’m also wondering if the constant “hunting” is normal as well for this particular lens. Thanks in advance for your help!
Anna
Hi. The constant hunting means you have it in continuous mode. Good luck!
Hi Nasim, In my case, i turn the Pre-AF off, the continuous hunting stop, the noise is there when you focus but just once.
Hello Nasim,
In your review you stated that Lightroom automatically applies optical corrections to Fuji RAW files. Did Adobe collaborate with Fuji to develop these corrections and are the Lightroom corrections as effective as those applied by the Fuji LMO to their Jpegs, regarding lens sharpness etc.?
Many thanks. There is such a wealth of information here at Photography Life.
Robert
Dear Nasim,
Can you give me any idea when your review of the Fuji XT and its lenses will be available.
I want to buy into this system but would prefer to read your honest and informative report first
Regards
Michael
Michael, it will be posted tomorrow evening hopefully. Monday at the latest!
Hi Nasim,
Thats fabulous service, thanks a lot.
Looking forward to what I hope will be a positive review.
I am looking at this system for when I don’t wish to carry a heavy case of Nikon gear.
Regards
Michael
Michael, just to let you know, I am still working on the review. My weekend was ruined by work I had to do at home and I am having a hard time catching up! So please be patient for a day or two until I finish it :)
Hi Nasim,
Any ideas how long it will be before we see a review of the Fuji lenses, there’s a vast range since the 35mm one you reviewed some time ago.
Of particular interesr are the 14mm, 23mm, 56mm and the new pair of zooms
Regards
Michael
Hi Nasim,
Can you give me any idea when your test review of the Fuji XT camera and lenses will be available?
I want to buy into this system but would much prefer to read your honest and invaluable review first.
Regards
Michael
Hi Nasim,
Are you using adobe standard color profile with all your camera’s or are you using those specific lightroom profiles for nikon? For Fuji there is no other then adobe standard, but what do you do with nikon?
Greetings
Great review :)
Just one error – the last mark “A” is not an “Aperture Priority” mode, in fact it’s anything but that and means “Auto” :)
Deng, thanks for letting me know! You are right, so I fixed the error :)