35/2...what a sweet lens

[back alley]

went to a photo trade show this past weekend and got to play at the fuji table!!!
first thing i reached for was the 35/2 lens...it looks like a rf lens...very much in the image of a cv or leica lens...well made, small with crisp aperture ring changes...as much as i like the 27 this 35 is so very tempting just on looks/feel alone....on the xpro1 or the xe2 it transports one to a fine rf experience...
the 90 was a handful...much bigger than i'd imagined...bigger than the 56 which looked petite beside it...as much as i love the images seen from the 90, i think i'll be sticking to the 56...
bad news though...according to the fuji rep...the new firmware for the xe2 is coming in the new fiscal year...not the new year, new fiscal year meaning around march...i was really hoping for something sooner.

 

[goamules]

I only shoot legacy lenses on my X camera, but have wanted at least one autofocus, Fuji over the years. I keep toying with the idea of the vaunted 35/1.4. I also don't normally look at "specs" on lenses, but since I didn't even know about this new 35/2, I decided to look at the review here: http://www.lenstip.com/456.11-Lens_review-Fujifilm_Fujinon_XF_35_mm_f_2_R_WR_Summary.html Which says the following:
Cons:
too high level of chromatic aberration,
huge coma,
high vignetting,
noticeable distortion.

Man, that's pretty much every optical problem in the book. Edges have severe problems. Why would anyone want this lens again? Because it's silver and looks "Leica-y?" Pixel peepers are always saying old Pen-F, Cannon LTM, and Leica M lenses "don't work well on the APS-C sensor..." But I've never found that to be the case. Ever.

 

[back alley]

the first reviews that i read were pretty good...

 

[back alley]

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

 

[back alley]

Summary

Pros
handy but solid and weather resistant casing,
sensational image quality in the frame centre,
sensible image quality on the edge of the frame,
moderate lateral chromatic aberration,
lack of problems with spherical aberration,
negligible astigmatism,
good performance against bright light,
silent and accurate autofocus.

Cons:

too high level of chromatic aberration,
huge coma,
high vignetting,
noticeable distortion.

It is true that the Fujinon XF 35 mm f/2 R WR didn’t avoid slip-ups. Still, even before you tested it, you could expect most of these flaws by just looking at its parameters. It would be difficult to be very demanding when you deal with a tiny f/2.0 lens because it will never correct the vignetting well. Small physical dimensions of standard lenses also mean bad coma correction and the distortion slip-up is caused by the approach adapted by the Fujifilm company – they more often than not let the software deal with that aberration.

If you decide to buy the small, handy Fujinon XF 35 mm f/2 R WR you have to agree to compromises. Still you get a lot in return. The lens will enchant you with its sensational image quality beginning already from the maximum relative aperture. It is a very solid argument, making the tested lens completely recommendable.

 

[back alley]

Yummy, looks sweet, compact and sharp !
I WONDER how much ?

$399. usd

.

 

[MCTuomey]

I only shoot legacy lenses on my X camera, but have wanted at least one autofocus, Fuji over the years. I keep toying with the idea of the vaunted 35/1.4. I also don't normally look at "specs" on lenses, but since I didn't even know about this new 35/2, I decided to look at the review here: http://www.lenstip.com/456.11-Lens_review-Fujifilm_Fujinon_XF_35_mm_f_2_R_WR_Summary.html Which says the following:
Cons:
too high level of chromatic aberration,
huge coma,
high vignetting,
noticeable distortion.

Man, that's pretty much every optical problem in the book. Edges have severe problems. Why would anyone want this lens again? Because it's silver and looks "Leica-y?" Pixel peepers are always saying old Pen-F, Cannon LTM, and Leica M lenses "don't work well on the APS-C sensor..." But I've never found that to be the case. Ever.

lenstip has this to say about the xf 35/1.4:

Cons:
■image quality near the maximum relative aperture on the edge of the frame should have been better,
■noticeable longitudinal chromatic aberration,
■distinct coma,
■huge vignetting,
■not very accurate autofocus.

I have a 35/1.4 and think it's pretty special. Guess I'm the fool for ignoring lenstip. Re the xf 35/2, well, it's pretty tiny, and you don't get tiny without some compromises/faults. You can always hang a ZM 35 f/1.4 on the end of an x-body and revel in perfection.

 

[kbb]

I only shoot legacy lenses on my X camera, but have wanted at least one autofocus, Fuji over the years. I keep toying with the idea of the vaunted 35/1.4. I also don't normally look at "specs" on lenses, but since I didn't even know about this new 35/2, I decided to look at the review here: http://www.lenstip.com/456.11-Lens_review-Fujifilm_Fujinon_XF_35_mm_f_2_R_WR_Summary.html Which says the following:
Cons:
too high level of chromatic aberration,
huge coma,
high vignetting,
noticeable distortion.

Man, that's pretty much every optical problem in the book. Edges have severe problems. Why would anyone want this lens again? Because it's silver and looks "Leica-y?" Pixel peepers are always saying old Pen-F, Cannon LTM, and Leica M lenses "don't work well on the APS-C sensor..." But I've never found that to be the case. Ever.

1. Lenstip looked at one unit.
2. Their "test" is taking pictures of a printed chart, and then having a computer analyze it.
3. It is the flaws that make the lens' 'look'. Some of the best lenses in history wouldn't score sh*t on Lenstip.

 

[ruby.monkey]

Man, that's pretty much every optical problem in the book. Edges have severe problems. Why would anyone want this lens again? Because it's silver and looks "Leica-y?" Pixel peepers are always saying old Pen-F, Cannon LTM, and Leica M lenses "don't work well on the APS-C sensor..." But I've never found that to be the case. Ever.

It's compact, it's weather-sealed, it offers autofocus, and it'll make my X-T1 an all-weather go-anywhere camera without my having to carry it in a bag or pouch.

 

[seajak]

Sample images in this review at DSLR Magazine.

cheers,
clay

 

[goamules]

I guess I never knew about Lenstip reviews....never looked at one. I acknowledge many lenses have flaws (most), and I still like them. I shoot a few very flawed antique lenses.

 

[jsrockit]

When's the release date for this lens?

 

[fenixv8]

All I could find was November 2015 for release date.

 

[back alley]

the trade show said their 2 copies were pre-production samples and release would be next month...meaning november...

 

[splitimageview]

November 14.

Fuji has not made any lens that isn't stellar, I wouldn't expect anything less with the 35/2

 

[willie_901]

When's the release date for this lens?

In agreement with splitimageview's report, Amazon says November 14.

 

[majid]

In agreement with splitimageview's report, Amazon says November 14.

I received mine today from B&H. On the X-T1, quiet and fast AF. On the X-Pro1, no so fast AF, but that is to be expected.

 

[willie_901]

I received mine today from B&H. On the X-T1, quiet and fast AF. On the X-Pro1, no so fast AF, but that is to be expected.

Lucky you!

I'll be using mine on the X-T1. How is the lens focus barrel?

Do you get a lens hood? I think there are/will be two. It's been said Fujifilm will soon offer rectangular hoods for some of their existing primes (besides those that came with rectangular hoods in the first place).

 

[jsrockit]

Mine came yesterday too... only problem is that I haven't obtained a body yet. 🙁

 

[lynnb]

Mine came yesterday too... only problem is that I haven't obtained a body yet. 🙁

sounds like an unfortunate oversight 🙂