Redseele
Established
Hi all,
I know this might sound strange to some. I just bought an excellent lens (a Fuji 35mm f1.4 for use with the Fuji X-E1) but I just cannot get into it and therefore I am in the strange predicament of asking for manual lens recommendations.
Here's my story: I started getting seriously into photography by buying an amateur-level DSLR a few years ago, I did not shoot it much as I found it big and clanky. My interest in serious photography came, though, when I bought a Fuji X100. I loved it and got used to zone-focus it for street photography. Since my photography technique changed a lot after shooting with the X100, I ended up selling my DSLR system and getting myself a Leica M3 with a Summicron Collapsible (which, after being CLA'd, is the most beautiful lens I've ever shot with).
Shooting film and shooting all manually (including learning to calculate exposure using the Sunny 16 rule for all sorts of light conditions) changed my photography once again. A few weeks ago, I realized that I didn't shoot the X100 so often anymore (not because I didn't like it, but I'm not very fond of the 35mm equivalent focal distance, 50mm is my thing) so I decided to sell it and get myself an X-E1 to use my manual lenses (at this point: the cron collapsible, a Canon 50mm 1.4 LTM and a Jupiter 8 that I inherited) with it. It's been a lovely ride so far, focusing everything manually with the Fuji peeking system. The only problem is that on the small sensor, all my 50mm lenses became 75mm equivalences 🙁
I want to shoot 50mm equivalence, so I read a ton of reviews about the Fuji 35mm 1.4. Sharp all over, beautiful bokeh, etc. etc. etc. So I got it today (relatively very little for it, used) but I noticed that I have become fond of manual focusing. Autofocusing just feels strange in my hands, almost as if I am cheating myself. It doesn't help that the manual focus on this particular lens is also quite bad and that the lens is so big. I get very little of that photographer's satisfaction that I get from shooting my old M3.
Hence, even if I know the Fuji X lens is "rationally" the best lens there is for this camera, I'd rather shoot something not so perfect (sharp?) to get the satisfaction of feeling that I'm working actively in my photography. As I said before, I know good 50mm lenses (both on M mount and ltm mount) but I want to get a 50mm equivalent (35mm) for my Fuji X-E1. I already have an LTM and M adapter for the Fuji and I love how those small lenses look and feel in the camera.
Can anyone recommend me something? I guess it doesn't necessarily have to be 1.4, an f2 would also do. And it doesn't have to have be the sharpest or have the most beautiful bokeh. as long as it is below around $500, used (I've always bought all my stuff used).
Sorry for the long write-up. Thank you for reading 🙂
I know this might sound strange to some. I just bought an excellent lens (a Fuji 35mm f1.4 for use with the Fuji X-E1) but I just cannot get into it and therefore I am in the strange predicament of asking for manual lens recommendations.
Here's my story: I started getting seriously into photography by buying an amateur-level DSLR a few years ago, I did not shoot it much as I found it big and clanky. My interest in serious photography came, though, when I bought a Fuji X100. I loved it and got used to zone-focus it for street photography. Since my photography technique changed a lot after shooting with the X100, I ended up selling my DSLR system and getting myself a Leica M3 with a Summicron Collapsible (which, after being CLA'd, is the most beautiful lens I've ever shot with).
Shooting film and shooting all manually (including learning to calculate exposure using the Sunny 16 rule for all sorts of light conditions) changed my photography once again. A few weeks ago, I realized that I didn't shoot the X100 so often anymore (not because I didn't like it, but I'm not very fond of the 35mm equivalent focal distance, 50mm is my thing) so I decided to sell it and get myself an X-E1 to use my manual lenses (at this point: the cron collapsible, a Canon 50mm 1.4 LTM and a Jupiter 8 that I inherited) with it. It's been a lovely ride so far, focusing everything manually with the Fuji peeking system. The only problem is that on the small sensor, all my 50mm lenses became 75mm equivalences 🙁
I want to shoot 50mm equivalence, so I read a ton of reviews about the Fuji 35mm 1.4. Sharp all over, beautiful bokeh, etc. etc. etc. So I got it today (relatively very little for it, used) but I noticed that I have become fond of manual focusing. Autofocusing just feels strange in my hands, almost as if I am cheating myself. It doesn't help that the manual focus on this particular lens is also quite bad and that the lens is so big. I get very little of that photographer's satisfaction that I get from shooting my old M3.
Hence, even if I know the Fuji X lens is "rationally" the best lens there is for this camera, I'd rather shoot something not so perfect (sharp?) to get the satisfaction of feeling that I'm working actively in my photography. As I said before, I know good 50mm lenses (both on M mount and ltm mount) but I want to get a 50mm equivalent (35mm) for my Fuji X-E1. I already have an LTM and M adapter for the Fuji and I love how those small lenses look and feel in the camera.
Can anyone recommend me something? I guess it doesn't necessarily have to be 1.4, an f2 would also do. And it doesn't have to have be the sharpest or have the most beautiful bokeh. as long as it is below around $500, used (I've always bought all my stuff used).
Sorry for the long write-up. Thank you for reading 🙂