Is this the best sharpness I can get with the 35 F2 WR @ F2?

Just recently got an X-T1 and a 35 F2 WR, and I'm a bit disappointed in the sharpness of the lens and the contrast wide open. Some reviews said it was a bit soft wide open, yet others said it was very sharp. Images online did too seem pretty sharp at F2. Having used the XF35 1.4 extensively before I knew what to expect, and this is supposedly even sharper, so I'm confused. Looking through those old images the sharpness seems better even at F1.4.

I took this today:

XF35 F2 WR, 1/100, ISO 250, F2

I can't see any good sharpess at any point of the image, and it's got this ugly haze like the X100 used to do with close up shots. This is what I'd call soft, not sharp.

I see the same problem with the 35 F2 WR in several images, this is only one example. In some conditions it seems "ok" but I'm yet to be even nearly as impressed as most reviewers I've seen. Right now the image quality doesn't feel a lot better than the first X100.

Is this really the best I can expect? I can still return the lens if it's faulty and get another identical one or a different lens.

Any insights?

Thanks!

It's sharp but the dreaded spherical aberration strikes again! Basically you'll get this softness on the picture if you focus very close with big apertures. Close your aperture by a stop and/or back off few feet from the subject. It'll be much better by then.

Ken Rockwell demonstrates the same issue, other resources too. I don't think your copy is particularly bad in this regard.

I've not read that the 35 f2 is supposed to be sharper than the 35mm f1.4. F2 center sharpness doesn't catch up until f5.6 when they are even but by f11 the f1.4 is ahead again.

However, It looks to me that you have either mis-focused or have focused too close. The 23mm f2 is known to have issues if focused at closest distance wide open and maybe there is some of this in the 35mm f2 also. Step back a little or close the aperture by a stop or two and it should be fine.

The only reason to swap from the f1.4 is sound AF speed and shape/size. Likewise, the only reason to swap from the 35mm f2 is faster aperture and central sharpness wide open (at an aperture not available of the f2 model).

Click the link in this thread. https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/59066041

Vic Chapman wrote:

I've not read that the 35 f2 is supposed to be sharper than the 35mm f1.4. F2 center sharpness doesn't catch up until f5.6 when they are even but by f11 the f1.4 is ahead again.

However, It looks to me that you have either mis-focused or have focused too close. The 23mm f2 is known to have issues if focused at closest distance wide open and maybe there is some of this in the 35mm f2 also. Step back a little or close the aperture by a stop or two and it should be fine.

The only reason to swap from the f1.4 is sound AF speed and shape/size. Likewise, the only reason to swap from the 35mm f2 is faster aperture and central sharpness wide open (at an aperture not available of the f2 model).

Click the link in this thread. https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/59066041

I agree, it seems that both these f2 lenses show this characteristic when wide open / focussed close. If you plan to do a lot of close work you're probably better off with a lens optimised for that.

If you need close focus I would recommend the Zeiss Touit 32/1.8. Its focusing speed is somewhere in between the very fast XF 35/2.0 and the slow and noisy XF 35/1.4. It is very sharp at any distance with aperture almost fully wide open.

You can see a comparison by Rico Pfirstinger on his X-Pert Corner

http://www.fujirumors.com/zeiss-touit-vs-fujinon-xf/ .

Mirrorless Dan wrote:

If you need close focus I would recommend the Zeiss Touit 32/1.8. Its focusing speed is somewhere in between the very fast XF 35/2.0 and the slow and noisy XF 35/1.4. It is very sharp at any distance with aperture almost fully wide open.

You can see a comparison by Rico Pfirstinger on his X-Pert Corner

http://www.fujirumors.com/zeiss-touit-vs-fujinon-xf/ .

I agree. My buddy has the 35/2 and we've tested them against each other. Up close, the Touit is sharper.

BrettDR wrote:

Mirrorless Dan wrote:

If you need close focus I would recommend the Zeiss Touit 32/1.8. Its focusing speed is somewhere in between the very fast XF 35/2.0 and the slow and noisy XF 35/1.4. It is very sharp at any distance with aperture almost fully wide open.

You can see a comparison by Rico Pfirstinger on his X-Pert Corner

http://www.fujirumors.com/zeiss-touit-vs-fujinon-xf/ .

I agree. My buddy has the 35/2 and we've tested them against each other. Up close, the Touit is sharper.

Yep, this is consistent with my results too.

Birdmanfriday wrote:

Vic Chapman wrote:

I've not read that the 35 f2 is supposed to be sharper than the 35mm f1.4. F2 center sharpness doesn't catch up until f5.6 when they are even but by f11 the f1.4 is ahead again.

However, It looks to me that you have either mis-focused or have focused too close. The 23mm f2 is known to have issues if focused at closest distance wide open and maybe there is some of this in the 35mm f2 also. Step back a little or close the aperture by a stop or two and it should be fine.

The only reason to swap from the f1.4 is sound AF speed and shape/size. Likewise, the only reason to swap from the 35mm f2 is faster aperture and central sharpness wide open (at an aperture not available of the f2 model).

Click the link in this thread. https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/59066041

I agree, it seems that both these f2 lenses show this characteristic when wide open / focussed close. If you plan to do a lot of close work you're probably better off with a lens optimised for that.

This is a known issue with the 35 f/2 that I've been able to test out but others have documented it as well.

bob bacon wrote:

walie007 wrote:

get the 16/1.4 then

Yeah, brilliant idea, because a wide angle would substitute a normal field of view! Wait, in which bloody universe?

Please do note that you're commenting on a thread that is nearly 3 years old.  You should also know that someone listed as "(unknown member)" will not be in a position to respond to your post as that designation means that they have been banned.

walie007 wrote:

get the 16/1.4 then

Why would he need to do this? it's a completely different lens ... Just return the F2 and get another 35 1.4!  I don't know why Fuji messed up so much on these F2 variants, the 1.4 originals were stunning - apart from a little noise, which only bothers those into video.  Photographers shouldn't care - the lenses have also been updated that improved AF and along with, the 'chatter' noise.