Best XF Lens combinations ?

[Harry S.]

I have the 18mm and the 35mm. The 35mm is absolutely incredible, but most times I prefer something wider. I find the 18mm is decent but suffers from pretty significant chromatic aberration.

I'm hedging my bets and holding my breath for the 23mm.

 

[Herjulfr]

I find that both the 35 and the 18 are prone to Chromatic aberrations and flare. The 35 is still a very nice lens, while the 18 is just average (besides the flare and CA, it is soft in the corners). I will try to compare it to my old Canon kit zoom lens(18-55mm), but i can remember similar or even better results at 18mm from the Canon lens... I would rather have a slow lens, ex f4, and a little larger, but sharp from edge to edge...

 

[2WK]

I use the 18 & 35. The 35 is the best, but for me the 18 is fine as well. I really like how close the 18 focuses. Much closer than the 35.

i shot all these with the 18 & 35...
http://www.tsovet.com/chronicle/issue-1/tsovet-time-pieces-on-working-hands

http://www.tsovet.com/chronicle/issue-1/the-return-of-the-runman

 

[macjim]

The 18, 35 & 60 mm are my choice for my X-Pro1 as that gives me a tradition 28/50/90 mm range of lenses. A zoom would make life easier but I prefer prime lenses.

Cheers, Macjim

 

[lcpr]

I currently use the 18 and 35, will add the 56/1.2 when that's out and eventually switch to a 14/23/56 setup once the lens lineup has matured. Will probably keep the 18 and 35 since the 18 is compact and there are times where I just have to have a 50mm equivalent.

 

[romi.gilles]

i love the xf35 & xf14. i'm dying for the xf56. i'll be the first to pre-order.

 

[taemo]

i love the xf35 & xf14. i'm dying for the xf56. i'll be the first to pre-order.

same setup I'm going with.
14mm will be my landscape lens
35mm will be all-around/portrait
56mm will be my portrait lens

have the X100s to cover the 28mm and 35mm focal length

 

[daveleo]

Good thread as I contemplate the XE1, but I have a question about the 27mm lens.

Reading the XE1 users manual about setting aperture on this lens, it looks like you hit the Q button, look at the LCD (or viewfinder?) and scroll to "aperture", use the command dial to rotate to your aperture then click out.

Is that correct ?


(The XE1 users manual does not specifically mention this lens, but I inferred this procedure from this and that.)

 

[GaryLH]

U use the same button/wheel that u do for the manual focus mag button. It gets dual use now. Scroll the wheel to change aperture. Scroll past f16 to put it in A mode.

It is a fixture in my xe1. Some people don't think the 27 as as good but for how i use it it is perfectly fine.

Gary

 

[Frontman]

My X-Pro kit includes the 35/1.4, 28/2, and the 14/2.8. I love the 35, it is my most used lens, but the 28/2 is surprisingly useful. I haven't yet done much with the 14mm.

Unfortunately, I don't often shoot with my X-Pro, as I shoot mainly film. I don't think I have picked up the X-Pro in a couple of months...

 

[elshaneo]

I had the 18mm and 35mm before, I sold them both when I got the 18-55mm zoom lens which is really superb for what I shoot, if you had to go only for one lens for the Fuji X system, I strongly recommend the 18-55mm.

I also got the 60mm macro lens, and the 55-200mm is on its way, but I'm planning to get the 14mm ultrawide lens soon 🙂

Next lens afterwards would definitely be the 56mm f/1.2 😀

 

[jsrockit]

Some people don't think the 27 as as good but for how i use it it is perfectly fine.

The 27mm is a great pancake. I'm not sure how anyone, who knows the general characteristics of a pancake lens, would think this lens is inferior in any way.

 

[taemo]

I had the 18mm and 35mm before, I sold them both when I got the 18-55mm zoom lens which is really superb for what I shoot, if you had to go only for one lens for the Fuji X system, I strongly recommend the 18-55mm.

I also got the 60mm macro lens, and the 55-200mm is on its way, but I'm planning to get the 14mm ultrawide lens soon 🙂

Next lens afterwards would definitely be the 56mm f/1.2 😀

I was looking at my camera bag as I'm leaving for Asia tomorrow morning and in my bag are:
EOS3 w/ 70-200mm 4L
X100s
X-Pro1 w/ 14mm
Xpan w/ 45mm
QL17 III

I'm thinking that I can save a lot of weight and space by replacing the EOS with the 55-200, so I'm off to The Camera Store later today to pick one up.
I was debating on getting the 60 as well but it doesn't make sense for me to have both 60mm and 56mm so I'll just wait for the 56mm to come out next year.

 

[GaryLH]

I was looking at my camera bag as I'm leaving for Asia tomorrow morning and in my bag are:
EOS3 w/ 70-200mm 4L
X100s
X-Pro1 w/ 14mm
Xpan w/ 45mm
QL17 III

I'm thinking that I can save a lot of weight and space by replacing the EOS with the 55-200, so I'm off to The Camera Store later today to pick one up.
I was debating on getting the 60 as well but it doesn't make sense for me to have both 60mm and 56mm so I'll just wait for the 56mm to come out next year.

That is a lot of gear. Two film cameras and three digital ones. Btw the 45 on the xpan is about 23-25 fov when in Pano mode.. As much as I like my xpan, I would leave it behind and use the 14 to do crop Pano.

Why not something like 14-35-and the zoom?

Gary

 

[elshaneo]

I was debating on getting the 60 as well but it doesn't make sense for me to have both 60mm and 56mm so I'll just wait for the 56mm to come out next year.

I'll definitely sell the 60mm macro lens when I get the 56mm f/1.2 prime lens especially if I shoot a lot of portraits later on 😀

 

[taemo]

That is a lot of gear. Two film cameras and three digital ones. Btw the 45 on the xpan is about 23-25 fov when in Pano mode.. As much as I like my xpan, I would leave it behind and use the 14 to do crop Pano.

Why not something like 14-35-and the zoom?

Gary

I still like shooting pano film along digital so I'll bring the xpan.
got me the 55-200 so the EOS3 is staying home, now I only have X-Pro1, x100s and Xpan (was planning on brining the QL17 and 500cm too lol)
My 35 unfortunately still hasn't arrived so I'm left on bringing the x100s with me. When I get it though, I'm thinking of selling the x100s

 

[Trius]

Old thread, but ... over the last few days I have browsed through a lot of the he "official Fuji-X photographers" site and a lot of them have done really good work with the 18/2. Many, many of the photos have impact regardless of any edge issues or chromatic aberration.

Don't get me wrong, I think my 18-55 is a superb lens, but it presents too many choices. And as well balanced as it is on the X-Pro1, I'd rather have a prime 28mm equivalent for the street and close people work. If someone made a well-priced 27/1.4 or 1.8 that would be a good kit along with the 35/2.

 

[willie_901]

The 18/2 is an excellent reportage lens. As far as I can tell the most recent on-board lens firmware reduced the initial problems caused by automated barrel distortion correction. It would not be my first choice for architectural work. Yet I would not hesitate to take it on trips where I intended to photograph architecture for my own pleasure. For me, the convenience of the lens outweighs the edge issues.

Initially the 81/2 XF edge issues looked similar to lateral CA artifacts. But in LR the CA correction tools in post-production just made things worse (or had very little impact). I assumed the actual problem was uncorrected high-order barrel distortion components that produced artifacts that resembled lateral CA.

At any rate, more recent images from the 18/2 rendered with LR CC have respectable edge performance for a lens in this price range. The global color temperature parameters and practiced application of the Defringing Panel parameters minimize frame-edge issues. I never made an in-camera JPEG with this lens so I can't comment on their rendering.

I will say the 10-24/4 XF zoom lens raw rendering edge performance is clearly better at 18 mm.

 

[Kent]

For prime fans:

1.4/16 (or 2.8/14, if you need the extra angle)
1.4/23
1.4/35
1.2/56
2.0/90

All you need.

 

[Jdi]

Last week I sold my E1 and replaced it with an E2. Some comments based on my native lens pool:

14/2.8, replaced with the 16 for more versatility with my shooting. Superb lens, quick AF, small enough to not think about it.

16/1.4, awesome. Fast AF, lovely draw, close focus, versitile if you shoot wide. Balances surprisingly well with just a thumb grip. My second favorite lens.

18/2, my favorite lens. Lovely draw, focuses quick on the E1, not subject to hunting as in will lock focus on near anything even when the light gets low. Nice size for the body. Good indoor and close up lens. If specs are important take a pass. If photography is important and the FL is desirable, don't think twice, just get it. Spotty build quality.

23/1.4, a great lens. If that focal is important to you, a must have.

27/2.8, nice and compact. Can't focus close, ok AF, some hunting in low light, often too tight for indoors, a good compact carry for walking around without a mission. My wife's lens, I'd rather have an 18/35 combo even if it's more money and a second lens in my pocket.

35/1.4, I'd take a pass with an E1. AF in good light is fine. When the light gets the least bit dim it hunts, a lot. I've read the new 35/2 is much faster and quieter. Noisy, spotty build quality. I use mine only on the XT1, I've found its picky on the E2 as well. Unfortunate as its a superb lens.

xf18-55, solid general purpose zoom.

xc16-55, solid general purpose zoom. Slower than the above, a bit more delicate draw, cheap and light.