Fujinon XF 35mm F1.4 Review
Released in 2012, the Fujinon XF 35mm f/1.4 R is one of Fujifilm’s most beloved prime lenses, known for its exceptional image quality, beautiful rendering, and distinctive character. With a full-frame equivalent focal length of 53mm, it provides a classic normal perspective, making it ideal for portrait, street, and documentary photography. Despite its age, this lens remains a favourite among Fujifilm shooters for its unique combination of sharpness, contrast, and creamy bokeh.
Build and Design
The XF 35mm f/1.4 R features a solid metal construction, giving it a premium feel while remaining lightweight at just 187g. It is compact and well-balanced on all Fujifilm X-series cameras, making it an excellent choice for everyday use.
The aperture ring moves smoothly in one-third stop increments, providing precise control. However, unlike newer Fujifilm lenses, it lacks an aperture lock. The 52mm filter thread size is a common and practical choice for ND and polarising filters.
One significant omission is weather sealing. While the build quality is excellent, care must be taken when using this lens in dusty or wet conditions.
Optical Performance
The XF 35mm f/1.4 R is known for its stunning image quality. Sharpness is excellent in the center even at f/1.4, with slightly softer edges that improve when stopped down. The lens produces outstanding contrast and colour rendering, giving images a rich and natural look straight out of the camera.
One of its standout features is its bokeh. The f/1.4 aperture creates a shallow depth of field with smooth, creamy background blur, making it ideal for portraits and subject isolation. Compared to the XF 35mm f/2, the bokeh has a more organic and cinematic quality that many photographers love.
Chromatic aberrations and fringing can appear in high-contrast areas at wide apertures, though they are generally well controlled. Some minor distortion is present but not noticeable in most real-world use cases.
Autofocus Performance
Autofocus is one of the few weaknesses of the XF 35mm f/1.4 R. It uses an older focus motor that is slower and noisier compared to modern Fujifilm lenses. In good lighting, autofocus is reasonably accurate, but in low-light situations, it can hunt and struggle to lock onto subjects.
For video work, the autofocus is not as smooth or silent as newer XF lenses, making it less ideal for filmmaking. However, manual focus is easy to use, with a well-damped focus ring and Fujifilm’s focus peaking and digital split image features.
Handling and Versatility
With its small size and lightweight design, the XF 35mm f/1.4 R is an incredibly versatile lens. The 35mm focal length (53mm equivalent) makes it perfect for a wide range of applications, from environmental portraits to street and travel photography.
The minimum focusing distance of 28cm allows for relatively close-up shots, adding to its flexibility. While it lacks weather sealing, its optical quality and character make it a must-have for many Fujifilm shooters.
My main issue with Fuji lenses though is how they feel in the hand. The paint or coating they use has a slightly greasy or slippery texture, which I find unpleasant compared to for instance Canon.
Drawbacks
- Autofocus is slower and noisier compared to newer Fujifilm lenses
- No weather sealing, requiring extra care in harsh conditions
- Some chromatic aberration and fringing at wide apertures
- Lens hood design is outdated and can feel loose over time
Conclusion
The Fujinon XF 35mm f/1.4 R is a legendary lens in the Fujifilm lineup, offering a unique combination of sharpness, contrast, and beautiful bokeh that many photographers adore. Its image quality and rendering give photos a special character that is hard to replicate with other lenses.
While the autofocus is not the fastest, and the lack of weather sealing may be a concern for some, the artistic quality of the images it produces makes it well worth the trade-offs. For those who value image character and don’t mind a slightly slower focusing experience, the XF 35mm f/1.4 R remains one of the best standard primes available for Fujifilm’s X-series cameras.
Samples
Here are some recent photos I captured using the Fujinon XF 35mm f/1.4 R. These sample shots highlight the lens’s performance across different conditions, settings, and subjects. To view the complete collection of photos taken with this lens, the link.
