Fuji System

[Bill Pierce]

[QUOTE The Fuji 23 1.4 is huge... the CV 25mm is perfect sized, but f4... I don't know of anyone who makes a small fast 24/25 for less than the cost of my car.

I want them to take the one off the X100t and make it available for XF mount... then I'll be totally happy. [/QUOTE]

My understanding is that they will release an f/2 35mm equivalent (23mm) in 2015.

http://www.fujifilm.com/products/digital_cameras/xf_lens/roadmap/

 

[rogue_designer]

Based on how their chart is set up, I think that's a 35/2 (53mm equivalent), unfortunately.

 

[willie_901]

[QUOTE The Fuji 23 1.4 is huge... the CV 25mm is perfect sized, but f4... I don't know of anyone who makes a small fast 24/25 for less than the cost of my car.

...]

The X100 lens is smaller. However it may be larger than you realize. Approximately 2/3 of the lens is recessed into the body.

I'm planning to sell my 35/1.4 XF lens and replace it with the new, smaller 35/2 Fujinon.

I could have ended up with an X100S instead of my 23/1.4 XF lens. But XF performs so well, I tolerate it's size (but I do use a third-party vented hood).

 

[mdwsta4]

A little late to the party, but I've been doing this since the X100T was released last November. I don't use it day to day, but during my travels it's a fantastic way to connect with people and an awesome conversation starter. It came in handy during recent trips to Fiji and Peru.

As others have said, the quality isn't great, but I wouldn't expect them to be much different than traditional polaroids. Plus the majority of people I seem to give prints to likely do not have many, if any, photos of themselves so a print regardless of quality makes their eyes light up. I do find it handy to reduce exposure and increase contrast slightly for a better print. That or transfer the image to your phone and edit it there then send it to the printer. I do wish the Instax printer was offered in the mini and wide versions though. I would pick up a wide printer in a heartbeat if Fuji made one.

Wandering a bit from the Fuji articles, I ran into his description of using Fuji's Instax tiny wireless printer to hand a "Polaroid" to someone he just shot on the street or in a cafe. Has anyone else tried this? Fuji's cameras do it in one step, but any upload to your phone app makes it possible in two steps. Anyway it seems like a great thing to have.

scott

 

[Jamie Pillers]

I've been shooting the XPro1 as my primary street/walkaround camera since selling my last Leica. It's fantastic. The only thing I don't like is the lack of a small, fast 24mm lens (to get a 35 equivalent - summicron's and Canon LTM 35/s spoiled me).

The Fuji 23 1.4 is huge... the CV 25mm is perfect sized, but f4... I don't know of anyone who makes a small fast 24/25 for less than the cost of my car.

I want them to take the one off the X100t and make it available for XF mount... then I'll be totally happy.

Regardless, it's been great - I carry one extra battery, and one extra card in a small pouch in my pocket most days - or at most a small domke bag with two more lenses. That plus using an eye-fi card to make wireless transfers when I want them...makes it a great daily carry.

I'll probably track down an XPro2 when it comes out. Even if they never give me my tiny 24/2

I'm hoping that if Fuji's upcoming small-ish 35mm f/2 sells a lot, they'll see that there's demand for smaller, somewhat slower lenses. I too would love something like a slow-ish 35-e lens. I'm definitely going to give the 35/2 a try.

 

[goamules]

...I don't like is the lack of a small, fast 24mm lens...The Fuji 23 1.4 is huge... the CV 25mm is perfect sized, but f4... I don't know of anyone who makes a small fast 24/25 ...

I'm sure you know you cannot get "small and fast" lenses. It's an oxymoron. To be fast, you need big glass, the forumula is focal length divided by entrance pupil. Think about a 50mm F3.5 Elmar's size, compared to a 50mm Canon F1.2. Some mounts are bigger, and autofocus gears and such add a lot of size. The reason Canon LTM lenses are small is they are manual focus.

 

[GoodPhotos]

If the new 35/2 is indeed WR (weather resistant) as some rumors have suggested it will be, it will be most welcome on my X-T1.

 

[willie_901]

I can't wait to get my hands on the new 35/2 Fujinon.

The 35/1.4 lens is not too big and has excellent optics for the price.

The more compact 35/2 with faster AF motors so the 35/1.4 must go!

 

[daveleo]

the 35/2 is definitely my lens (in silver) but its release is a long way off !!
I assume it will be 2/3 the price of the 35/1.4.

 

[Dante_Stella]

The Fuji system has some fantastic optics. I mean, really fantastic. The 14mm in particular is the best 90 degree lens I have ever seen. The 35mm delivers more punch than the Leica 35/1.4 ASPH.

That said, I have not liked the direction things have been going since the X-Pro1 - the lenses are getting big and bulky like SLR lenses, the bodies (all based on one basic sensor) are multiplying like rabbits, and the flash system has progressed not one bit.

The real sleeper in the line is the X100T - which due to its super-fast face detection gets more sharpness out of the X100 lens than you would get focusing and recomposing wide-open and close. Its focusing tab mode - which undoubtedly will make it into the next X-Pro - is also the reason why the Konost will never survive.

Dante

 

[willie_901]

The Fujinon optics are somewhat under appreciated. I am very pleased with the six primes and 10-24/4 zoom lenses I use. I think Fujinon lens coatings are competitive with Zeiss'.

I hope Fujifilm continues to augment their lens offerings with slower, smaller versions of the current prime offerings. Although I do not mind using the somewhat long 56/1.2 one bit as soon as the images pop up on my computer monitor.

Most of the OEM lens hood/caps are a completely different and odd, disappointing story.

 

[daveleo]

.......................
Most of the OEM lens hood/caps are a completely different and odd, disappointing story.

It IS so weird.
I thought my X100 hood / cap design was awkward.
Yesterday I picked up the 18/2.0 and that design is just as weird in a different way. PLUS, the clip cap is ridiculously loose.
Can't figure why that is. Designed for people who enjoy fidgeting with things, I suppose.

 

[Jamie Pillers]

I hope Fujifilm continues to augment their lens offerings with slower, smaller versions of the current prime offerings.

And wouldn't it be cool if they came out with a few MANUAL-focus primes? They'd be smaller, less expensive. And how about something similar to the triple FL Leica lenses... like a 24-35-50/2.8. (One can always dream of these things!) 🙂

 

[jsrockit]

In my experience two batteries with the X-100 would give me approximately 700 shots. If we have to believe the author's need of 5 batts a day, he'd be shooting 1,750 pictures a day - 145 pictures an hour for 12 hours straight? I don't think so.

I think it depends on how you use your camera... if you are the type to turn it off in between shots, you get better battery life. Some just leave it on and rely on sleep mode which, in my experience, drains the battery much quicker. I could routinely shoot 400 photos on one battery using the former method (which I recognize could not be used in certain situations).

 

[jsrockit]

And wouldn't it be cool if they came out with a few MANUAL-focus primes? They'd be smaller, less expensive.

It would be... but I doubt they'd be cheaper.