Fuji’s older f1.4 lenses focus with a telescoping front element that is much louder and less accurate according to the many reviews I’ve read. The XF 35mm f/2 has a silent inner focus system that uses a stepping motor to achieve these great results. This was a big deal for me coming from Sony’s fantastic autofocus, as I didn’t feel like I was sacrificing performance with the smaller setup. The combination of the XF 35mm f/2 with my X-T3 hit the intended target nearly every time I hit the shutter. I spent hours in Thailand shooting moving subjects in the street, and was astonished at my keeper rate. I’m not sure how fast the autofocusing is in reality, but do know that it is not just fast, but quiet and very accurate. Fujifilm clocks the autofocus lock at speeds up to 0.08 sec. The autofocusing on the Fujifilm XF 35mm f/2 is ultimately what pushed me to purchase it over the Fuji 35 f/1.4 and Zeiss Touit 32mm f/1.8. ![]() This is in stark contrast to similarly priced lenses I’ve reviewed for the Sony FE system, namely the Samyang 24mm and 35mm. From front to back, the 35mm f2 leaves very little to be desired, and gives me a lot of confidence that it will last a very long time. ![]() The Fujifilm XF 35mm f/2 has a metal bayonet that is just as solid and sturdy as the rest of the all metal lens. It does offer protection to the front element though, so it’s nice to have in crowds or while hiking. I’ve shot with and without it and haven’t noticed much of a difference in harsh lighting situations with directional sunlight. The lens hood for the XF 35mm f/2 is so small that it almost seems useless. I was a little spoiled by the IBIS in my Sony A7rii and A7riii, but I’m still very happy with my handheld and low light shots using this lens and system. The Fujifilm XF 35mm f/2 has no image stabilization and neither does my Fuji X-T3. Combine that with a 0.135x magnification ratio, and you won’t be doing much macro, but it is a very capable lens for detail shots of objects close to the front element. The minimum focusing distance is around 14 inches or 35cm. The 35mm focal length of the XF 35mm f/2 provides a 44.2° field of view, and a full frame equivalent 53mm field of view. The speed of the Fuji 35mm f1.4 in certain shooting situations would be much nicer. The maximum aperture of the lens is f/2 which is fast, but not quite as fast as I’d like. The weather sealed metal body of the Fujifilm XF 35mm f/2 houses 9 optical elements in 6 groups, and has 9 rounded diaphragm blades that produce a very pleasing bokeh. This can cause condensation to build up on cameras, but I never had any issues. I also shot with this lens on some very humid days in Thailand, where I was going from a dry air conditioned room to a humid and muggy outdoor setting. I’ve used this lens with the X-T3 down to 28☏, and have had no issues at all. ![]() The weather sealing of this lens combined with the sealing on my X-T3 make for a very resilient outdoor combination.įujifilm rates this lens down to 14☏ which is another great feature for travel. I can’t even begin to count the time I spent cleaning my Sony sensor and removing dust spots in post. Living is Southern California, I don’t have to worry about too much rain or humidity, but dust in the deserts and mountains can be a nightmare. As an outdoor and travel photographer that takes 99% of my photos outdoors, the weather and dust sealing is critical. The Fujifilm XF 35mm f/2 is weather sealed which is one of the major selling points of this lens over the Fuji XF 35mm f1.4 and Zeiss Touit 32mm. The aperture ring clicks nicely and doesn’t budge unexpectedly like my Zeiss Touit 12mm and Fuji XF 14mm. The metal manual focus ring is butter smooth with just the right amount of resistance. This is a stark departure from the chintzy plastic Sony and Samyang FE lenses I’ve used at the same price point. The solid metal lens is incredibly well balanced and just feels premium in my hands. ![]() The first thing I noticed when taking the Fuji XF 35mm f/2 out of the box was the premium feel and solid construction.
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