I’m just going to come right out and say it. I don’t love this lens. How honest is that? I’ve spent over two months with the Fujifilm 35mm f/2 and I’m finally ready to share my thoughts.
*if you’re looking for a proper, detailed review, you won’t find it here. Instead, I’ll just be rambling alongside some example shots that should help you make your mind up. For a better review and some unbelievable photos, Jonas Rask is your man.
MY REVIEW OF THE FUJIFILM 35MM F/2 LENS
Let’s start with the basics. As you probably know, Fujifilm offer two 35mm lenses; the older f/1.4 version and it’s more modern, younger f/2 brother (*2022 – there are four lenses on offer now!). The f/1.4 lens is said to be absolutely magical. From what I’ve seen (not that I’ve used it), the images it produces are fantastic. However, the most common complaints are that it’s slow at focusing, noisy and not weather resistant. Enter the Fujifilm 35mm f/2 lens; sleeker, faster, silent and weather resistant. It’s also much cheaper. Anyone in their right mind would then surely pick the newer lens.
A 35mm lens on Fujifilm’s crop sensor equates to 53mm. This is considered the standard focal length; not too wide, not too long, just right. It’s not called the nifty fifty for nothing. In the past, this was my favourite focal length. On my first trips to Budapest and Prague, all I had was a Nikon D5000 and a 35mm f/1.8 lens. I had no complaints. It was the perfect length for travel. When I made the switch over to Fujifilm, my travel kit consisted of nothing between 23mm and 55mm. This was the lens I’ve known I’ve always missed but seemingly never rushed to purchase. Until now.
Having had two months with the Fujifilm 35mm f/2, I can’t unfortunately say that I’ve fallen in love with the lens. Why? I have no idea. I don’t dislike it all. I like it of course. It does everything as expected, it’s light, super sharp, silent, quick to focus and you can shoot in all kinds of weather. It’s perfect for travelling, covers the streets nicely and great for portraits. But something’s missing.
All I can think is that I’ve read so much about the f/1.4 that I’m expecting every image to blow me away. It probably should blow me away but I find the lens far too ‘clinical’. Some won’t find this a bad thing at all but maybe I shouldn’t have bought this lens alongside the stellar 16mm f/1.4 or maybe I should have just bought it’s older brother.
I used the lens a little on a recent trip to Florida so most of the photos below will be from Disneyworld so I’m sorry about that. Looking back at the pictures as I write this post though I feel I might have been a little harsh on this lens. One thing I certainly have noticed, that is a huge plus point is how sharp it is wide open at f/2. If you own the 23mm f/2, you’ll know that it’s quite soft and doesn’t hit its sweet spot until you start stepping down.
Come back to me in another two months and I might have changed my mind. Let me know what you think in the comments below!
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UPDATE – I BOUGHT THE 35MM F/1.4 AND MY GOD IT’S EVERYTHING I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR
I’ve fallen so far in love with Fujifilm 35mm f/1.4, I don’t regret trading in the Fujifilm 35mm f/2 for it. My review is linked below and you should definitely read that too to help make up your mind. As I’m writing this, in July 2022, I was almost certainly too harsh on the poor Fujifilm 35mm f/2 and if I was made of money I could definitely see space in my camera bag for both – I have a little baby now and would appreciate much faster autofocus, something more reliable and just a lens that’s so inconspicuous when wandering the streets. Maybe, just maybe, this will end up back in my camera bag too.
SAMPLE PHOTOS FROM THE FUJIFILM 35MM F/2
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I have this lens. I don’t use it as much as I should, but it’s there in my camera pack when I need it, rather when I want to use it. Basically, I’m a ‘WA’ man, so the 23 and 18 do 95% of everything visually for me.
A few friends who have the 35/2.0 say they “sort of like it” for documentary photos and casual snaps- and then say it’s a tad too ‘clinical’ for their personal image-making, compared to the 23/2.0 ‘Fujicron’ which apparently has more ‘visual feel’.
Not sure if I agree or disagree with this statement – I’ve really not used mine enough to make up my mind about it, either way.
This said, now and then I sell images to publishers of architectural books, and some of those were made with the ’35’. Clinical or not, the buyers liked my pix, and one photo made a two-page spread without any visible deterioration in quality.
Which sums up this lens. Not perfect, but very much ‘good enough’…
Best from DANN in Melbourne/now in Indonesia