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Fuji XF 35mm f/1.4 ASPH
XF35mmF1.4 R (50mm equivalent)
© 2012 KenRockwell.com. This page best with Corporate S regular and bold activated.

Intro   Specs   Performance   Recommendations   More

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Fuji 35mm f/1.4 X-mount

Fuji X-mount Fujinon XF 35mm f/1.4 for X-Pro1 and X-E1 (52mm filters, 6.6 oz./186g, 0.9'/0.28m close focus, about $600). enlarge. This free website's biggest source of support is when you use these links, especially these directly to it at Adorama, at Amazon, or at eBay (see How to Win at eBay) when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken.

 

September 2012     Fuji Reviews   Fuji Lenses   LEICA Reviews   All Reviews

Why fixed lenses take better pictures

Fuji X-Pro1 35mm f/1.4 Sample Images 20 April 2012

 

Introduction       top

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Intro   Specs   Performance   Recommendations   More

This Fuji XF 35mm f/1.4 is an aspherical 50mm-equivalent lens with performance better than LEICA's equivalent LEICA SUMMILUX-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH.

This all-metal lens has no visible distortion, focuses super-close, is super-sharp right out to the edges at f/1.4, has no lateral color fringes, has no visible light falloff even at f/1.4 and has superb bokeh.

This Fuji lens has the superior sharpness and lack of distortion of the LEICA SUMMICRON-M 50mm f/2, with the speed and superior bokeh of the LEICA SUMMILUX-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH, and focuses faster, focuses closer and has less light falloff than any of them. Bravo, Fujinon!

This Fujinon 35/1.4 has all engraved markings and electronic auto and manual focus controlled by the camera. The manual-focus ring works poorly, but who cares: the camera provides immediate manual focus, complete with magnification, with one tap of a button.

It also has an electronic diaphragm, set with the 1/3-stop clicks of the real aperture ring.

 

Compatibility       intro      top

This is a Fuji X-mount lens, and as of April 2012, only works on the Fuji X-Pro1.

 

Fuji 35mm f/1.4 X-mount

Fuji X-mount 35mm f/1.4 for X-Pro1. enlarge.

 

Specifications        top

Intro   Specs   Performance   Recommendations   More

 

Name

Fuji calls this the XF35mmF1.4 R.

 

Optics

Fuji 35mm f/1.4 diagram

Fuji 35/1.4 internal diagram.

8 elements in 6 groups.

1 glass-molded aspheric element (5th element.)

 

Focal length

35mm

When used on the X-Pro1 with its 1.52x sensor, it sees the same angle of view as a 50mm lens sees when used on a 35mm camera.

 

Angle of view

44.2°

 

Diaphragm

Fuji 35mm f/1.4 X-mount

Fuji 35mm f/1.4 at f/1.4. enlarge.

7 blades.

Somewhat rounded.

Stops down to f/16 in 1/3-stop clicks.

 

Close Focus

0.9 feet (0.28 meters).

 

Maximum Reproduction Ratio

1:5.9 (0.17x).

 

Hood

Metal hood with plastic bayonet, included.

 

Size

2.56" diameter x 2.16" long.

65.0 mm diameter x 54.9 mm long.

 

Weight

6.565 oz. (186.15g), measured.

Fuji rates it as 6.6 oz. (187g).

 

Announced

January 2012.

 

Shipping

As of April 2012.

 

Included

Lens.

Front and rear caps.

"Lens wrapping cloth."

Hood.

Cap for front of hood.

Paperwork.

 

Packaging

Fuji 35mm f/1.4 X-mount

Box, Fuji XF 35mm f/1.4.

Inside the box are two boxes: one large black one with the lens, and a black cardboard sleeve with the "lens wrapping cloth" and the paperwork.

The lens box is marvelous: it's got a magnetic closure. Inside are custom-cut foam holding your lens, hood and all three caps.

Fuji 35mm f/1.4 X-mount

Box insert, Fuji XF 35mm f/1.4.

 

Fuji 18mm f/2 box insert

Insides of box insert.

 

Price

$600, Jan-April 2012.

 

MTF Curves (rated)

Fuji 35mm f/1.4 MTF
Fuji 35mm f/1.4 MTF

at 15 cyc/mm

(= 10 cyc/mm on full-frame)

at 45 cyc/mm

(= 30 cyc/mm on full-frame)

Performance       top

Intro   Specs   Performance   Recommendations   More

Overall   Auto and Manual Focus    Bokeh    Coma    Distortion

Ergonomics   Falloff    Filters   Ghosts   Color Fringes    Macro

Mechanics    Sharpness   Spherochromatism   Sunstars

 

Overall      performance      top

The Fuji XF 35mm f/1.4 ASPH is among the best lenses I've ever tested, excelling at both the technical aspects of sharpness, falloff and distortion, as well as the artistic aspects of ergonomics and bokeh.

 

Auto and Manual Focus      performance      top

Auto and manual focus is closed-loop, read directly from the image sensor. Therefore there are none of the mechanical errors present in rangefinder (LEICA) or SLR cameras.

Auto and manual focus is fast and exact. Here's a casual example shot at f/1.4 in very dim light:

Harbor Hut, 13 April 2012

Nautical Bar. Autofocus on top of taps, f/1.4 at 1/52, X-Pro1 at AUTO ISO 1,250. original © file.

 

Harbor Hut, 13 April 2012

Crop from above image at 50 x 33" (1.5 x 1 meter or 100% pixel-to-pixel). Autofocus on top of taps, f/1.4 at 1/52, X-Pro1 at AUTO ISO 1,250. original © file.

AF is fast and exact, and covers a broad range right up to macro. I can't focus my LEICA this fast, much less this precisely, repeatably and accurately in low light.

 

Bokeh      performance      top

Bokeh is the character of out of focus areas, not simply how far out of focus they are, is wonderful.

Here it is focused a few feet away at f/5.6:

Fuji XF 35mm f/1.4 macro performance

A few feet away at f/5.6 on X-Pro1. original file, hand-held.

The only thing in focus and not blowing in the wind is the dingus on the left. Look and you'll probably see bees buzzing around.

At f/1.4, backgrounds are far softer.

 

Coma      performance      top

Coma, also called sagittal coma flare, is weird smeared blobs that appear around bright points of light in the corners. They happen with fast and wide lenses at large apertures. Coma goes away as stopped down, and tends not to be seen in slower and tele lenses. Coma is an artifact of spherical aberration.

I see very little coma, even at f/1.4. This is excellent performance, especially in light of the lack of mechanical vignetting, which other lenses use to hide their coma.

 

Distortion      performance      top

Distortion is completely invisible at normal distances, whoo hoo!

Door at Linn's Farm Stand, SLO,

Garage Door in Shade.

This XF35/1.4 is less distorted than cheap lumber or my ability to hold it square. Nikon's 50mm f/1.4 G looks awful doing this for comparison. The comparable LEICA 50mm f/1.4 ASPH has very slightly more distortion, too.

There's a little barrel distortion only in the macro range:

Fuji XF 35mm f/1.4 macro performance

At closest focus distance at f/2.2 on X-Pro1. original file, hand-held.

This can be corrected for critical use by plugging these figures into Photoshop's lens distortion filter. These aren't facts or specifications, they are the results of my research that requires hours of photography and calculations on the resulting data.

Distance
Factor
+0.30
10' (3m)
+0.40*
0.9' (0.28m)
+2.00

© 2012 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.

* The comparable LEICA 50mm f/1.4 ASPH measures +0.50 here.

 

Ergonomics      performance      top

Fuji 35mm f/1.4 X-mount

Fuji X-mount 35mm f/1.4 for X-Pro1. enlarge.

It feels like any other real metal bayonet lens.

The ribbing of the metal focus ring doesn't grip very well, but since it doesn't really do anything, who cares.

The aperture ring flips with a fingertip, even as you're shooting with one hand, bravo!

 

Falloff (darkened corners)      performance      top

Light falloff is completely invisible, even at f/1.4.

I've greatly exaggerated it here by shooting a gray field and presenting it against another gray field.

 

Fujinon XF 35mm f/1.4 ASPH light falloff on X-Pro1 at infinity:

f/1.4
f/2

f/2.8

f/4

© 2012 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.

 

Compare this to the falloff of the LEICA SUMMICRON-M 50mm f/2 and LEICA SUMMILUX-M 50mm f/1.4 ASPH; this Fuji's much better.

 

Filters, Use with      performance      top

There's no problem with vignetting, even with combinations of thick filters.

The filter ring doesn't rotate, but does move in and out with focus.

 

Ghosts      performance      top

I never saw any ghosts when used without a filter.

There can be slight dots of light opposite the center of the image caused by reflections from the X-Pro1's image sensor if you use a filter.

No problem, take off the filter if you need to, and use a multicoated one.

 

Lateral Color Fringes      performance      top

There are no lateral color fringes on the X-Pro1 (sample).

Spherochromatism is a different aberration.

 

Macro      performance      top

As you'll see in the image and original file above, there is a tiny bit of distortion and it's a little softer at the sides at f/1.4, but LEICA lenses don't focus anywhere near this close.

Cup

Root Beer. f/4 at 1/160 on X-Pro1 at AUTO ISO 800.

Great bokeh, and look how sharp it is at 100%:

Cup

Crop from above image in 50 x 33" (1.5 x 1m) print (100% pixel-to-pixel).

The XF 35/1.4 is so sharp, and depth-of-field is so thin at macro distances, that the ice just a few millimeters closer is obviously out of focus.

 

Mechanics      performance      top

Fuji 35mm f/1.4 X-mount

Rear, Fuji X-mount 35mm f/1.4 for X-Pro1. enlarge.

The Fuji 35 1.4 is built much better than anything from Nikon or Canon. It's built as well as LEICA lenses, with much newer technology to boot.

 

Hood

Anodized aluminum with plastic bayonet.

 

Filter Threads

Anodized aluminum.

 

Hood Bayonet

Anodized aluminum.

 

Fore Barrel

Anodized aluminum.

 

Barrel Exterior

Anodized aluminum.

 

Focus Ring

Anodized aluminum.

 

Depth-of-Field Scale

Yes, in camera.

 

Internals

Metal.

 

Aperture Ring

Anodized aluminum.

Markings engraved and filled with paint.

Third-stop clicks.

 

Mount

Dull-chromed metal.

 

Markings

All engraved.

All engraved and filled with paint, except for laser-engraved certifications on bottom of lens.

 

Identity Ring

Ring between front element and filter ring.

Engraved and filled with paint.

 

Serial Number

Laser engraved onto bottom rear of lens.

 

Rain seal at mount

No.

 

Noises When Shaken

Mild clunking.

 

Made in

Japan.

 

Sharpness      performance      top

Warning 1: Image sharpness depends more on you than your lens.

Warning 2: Lens sharpness doesn't mean much to good photographers.

With those caveats, the Fuji XF 35/1.4 is super-sharp.

Here's how sharp it is a few feet away at f/6.4:

San Luis Obispo Vinyard,15 April 2012

Guadalupe. f/6.4 at 1/400, X-Pro1 at AUTO ISO 200. original hand-held © file.

 

Fuji XF 35mm f/1.4 macro performance

A few feet away at f/6.4, ISO 200 on X-Pro1. original file, hand-held.

 

San Luis Obispo Vinyard,15 April 2012

San Luis Obispo vineyard (focus at about 10 feet; not everything is in focus). f/16 at 1/110, X-Pro1 at AUTO ISO 400. original © file.

 

Pea Soup Kitchen, 11 April 2012

Pea Soup Kitchen, 11 April 2012. X-Pro1, f/1.4 at 1/90 at AUTO ISO 200. original hand-held © file.

Pretty sharp all over for f/1.4, eh?

 

SLO Pub 12 April 2012

Pub, 12 April 2012. X-Pro1, f/1.4 at 1/105 at AUTO ISO 800. original hand-held © file.

Pretty sharp all over for f/1.4, eh? It's amazing that anything's even in focus.

 

SLO hail storm 12 April 2012

Chorro of Hail, 12 April 2012. X-Pro1, f/1.4 at 1/52 at AUTO ISO 1,250. original hand-held © file.

 

Big Sky, San Luis Obispo,12 April 2012

Big Sky. XF 35mm f/1.4 at f/1.4 at 1/52 at AUTO ISO 2,500. original hand-held © file.

 

San Luis Obispo Vinyard,15 April 2012

Solvang. X-Pro1, f/5.6 at 1/150 at AUTO ISO 400. original hand-held © file.

Sharp enough? I've never shot a sharper normal lens, much less one this sharp at f/1.4.

 

Spherochromatism       performance     top

As expected for a superfast lens, there is a tiny bit of spherochromatism, called color bokeh by hobbyists. This means that out-of-focus highlights can taker on slight color fringes, green in the background and magenta in the foreground. This helps bokeh with foliage backgrounds, and if it bothers you, keep your subject in focus.

Here's a worst-case sample image:

Fuji XF 35mm f/1.4 Spherochromatism

Full image, f/1.4 at 1/52, X-Pro1 at ISO 2,000.

 

Fuji XF 35mm f/1.4 Spherochromatism

Crop from above image at 100%: note green and magenta color fringes.

Note how the X-Pro1's autofocus so perfectly nailed the center of my Mazda 6's emblem.

 

Sunstars      performance      top

The rounded 7-blade diaphragm rarely makes sunstars.

They usually only appear at f/11 and smaller, and are relatively muted:

Fuji XF 35mm f/1.4 sunstars

Avila Beach Pier, 13 April 2012. Full image, f/11 at 1/1,300, Fuji X-Pro1 at ISO 800.

 

Recommendations       top

Intro   Specs   Performance   Recommendations   More

The Fuji XF 35mm f/1.4 ASPH is an extraordinary lens.

If you have an X-Pro1, you need one. It's much better than any of the LEICA 35mm and 50mm SUMMILUX-M ASPH lenses for use on the Fuji.

 

Deployment

I'd pitch the Fuji cap and get a new Nikon "pinch" type cap. I'm not kidding: these fatter Nikon caps are much easier to use.

Honestly, I don't use lens caps. I use a filter, forget about a cap, and never miss a shot.

I'd leave either a 52mm Nikon Clear (NC - UV) filter, or a 52mm Hoya Super HMC UV on the lens at all times. I would leave the hood at home.

If I was working in nasty, dirty areas, I'd forget the cap, and use an uncoated 52mm Tiffen UV filter instead. Uncoated filters are much easier to clean, but more prone to ghosting.

 

More Information        top

Intro   Specs   Performance   Recommendations   More

Fujinon's page on the 35/1.4.

Fuji X-Pro1    XF 18mm f/2   XF 35mm f/1.4   XF 60mm f/2.4 Macro

 

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Thanks for reading!

 

 

Mr. & Mrs. Ken Rockwell, Ryan and Katie.

 

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