Fujinon 35mm f/1.4 Review (In Progress)
The Fujifilm Fujinon 35mm f/1.4 is a must-own lens if you're shooting with the Fujifilm X system. It's compact, light and offers excellent image quality with both unique character and rendering. With its large f/1.4 maximum aperture, it's perfect for low light shooting and even though it's larger than the smallest Fujinon lenses, such as the 27mm f/2.8, it's still small enough to be a daily driver. With an angle of view equivalent to the classic 50mm, this is a perfect lens for street shooting and very naturally replicates the human eye.
For an overview of the Fujifilm X system, see my Fujifilm X System Guide. For other reviews of Fujifilm X System gear, click here to see my complete list of Fujifilm gear reviews.
Optically, this lens is excellent, as with most of Fuji's other lenses. Compared to the Zeiss 32mm f/1.8, the Fuji lens has much more character. The Zeiss lens is sharper, especially towards the corners, but in a mechanical way. This Fuji 35mm f/1.4 is very sharp in the centre (sharper than the Zeiss), but the sharpness falls of very nicely towards the edges and corners of the frame. For landscape shooters, this is a strong negative, as those corners never get sharp even stopped down. However, for portrait and documentary shooters, it generates better bokeh and subject separation compared to the Zeiss. Neither is ultimately better, it depends on your kind of shooting and your preference.
Like all other Fujinon lenses, construction quality is top notch, with plenty of metal and a tight, well put together feel. However, unlike more modern lenses which feature silent autofocus motors, this Fuji lens has a very loud motor which recoils quite strongly, similar to the in-body autofocus motors that Nikon uses for their AF series lenses. Compared to Fuji's LM designated lenses, such as the 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS, this 35mm f/1.4 is noticeably louder and clunkier.
For an overview of the Fujifilm X system, see my Fujifilm X System Guide. For other reviews of Fujifilm X System gear, click here to see my complete list of Fujifilm gear reviews.
Optically, this lens is excellent, as with most of Fuji's other lenses. Compared to the Zeiss 32mm f/1.8, the Fuji lens has much more character. The Zeiss lens is sharper, especially towards the corners, but in a mechanical way. This Fuji 35mm f/1.4 is very sharp in the centre (sharper than the Zeiss), but the sharpness falls of very nicely towards the edges and corners of the frame. For landscape shooters, this is a strong negative, as those corners never get sharp even stopped down. However, for portrait and documentary shooters, it generates better bokeh and subject separation compared to the Zeiss. Neither is ultimately better, it depends on your kind of shooting and your preference.
Like all other Fujinon lenses, construction quality is top notch, with plenty of metal and a tight, well put together feel. However, unlike more modern lenses which feature silent autofocus motors, this Fuji lens has a very loud motor which recoils quite strongly, similar to the in-body autofocus motors that Nikon uses for their AF series lenses. Compared to Fuji's LM designated lenses, such as the 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS, this 35mm f/1.4 is noticeably louder and clunkier.