XF 35mm f2 - is it my problem?

I have used the XF35 f2 with both X-T3 and X-T30.For sure it's a nice lens, it's sharp and the AF is quick.

Everybody seems so in love with this lens, and I can't just undestand why I don't seem to like it. Maybe it's the focal lenght that is not good for me? I use the 23 and 27 with much more enthusiasm, and I never felt like selling them.

I can't decide if I should sell it or not...

Hi,

People 'see' potential images differently and nobody likes every lens. If it doesn't work for you - if it's not the technical quality at fault - but your images from it that you're not enjoying, perhaps it's just not for you.....

You could try it a bit longer and experiment. Perhaps you'll find it's niche for you. If you don't, trade it on something other FL you might like to try.

Cheers, Rod

Obviously, you're the only one who can tell if the focal length is for you (or not) If you are not sure, and want to find out, try keeping just this lens on the camera for e.g. 2-3 months.

I keep my 35 2.0 mostly as my bad-weather lens for my X-T1. I'd say the lens is capable, although I often find the focusing frustrating.

You are not alone...:-D
I always go for the 23 f1.4 or the 56 f1.2; never the 35 f2.0. I kept it for almost 2 years and only used it 2-3 times, so I sold it last week.

shadowplay84 wrote:

I have used the XF35 f2 with both X-T3 and X-T30.For sure it's a nice lens, it's sharp and the AF is quick.

Everybody seems so in love with this lens, and I can't just undestand why I don't seem to like it. Maybe it's the focal lenght that is not good for me? I use the 23 and 27 with much more enthusiasm, and I never felt like selling them.

I can't decide if I should sell it or not...

Why base your likes and dislikes on the thoughts and opinions of others?  Always make the decision you want..."Group Think" is pure nonsense!

It will be the field of view.  I always found "standard" too narrow for general use and not narrow enough to pick out things.

Use it more, see how you get on.  A lot of images benefit from more, ahem, focus.

Could be the lens, could be the field of view. Have there been other 35mm lenses on crop / 50mm on FF or film that you have liked? If so, it may be the lens. If not, maybe you just naturally like a wider prime.

I have the 35 mm/2 and frankly am not in love with it. I keep it on my X-Pro1 where it's good AF is very welcome. This combination suits the f/2's dryer, more objective rendering. Bluntly, I use it to play photojournalist when I am in the mood. The 35mm I love on Fuji is the f/1.4.

There is nothing in photography as personal as focal length. You can't ask for advice, you can't be talked into anything. For me 50mm equiv. rules so you better damn well like it too.

Yes, it is your problem. Inasmuch as you need to decide whether the focal length works for you.

I was the opposite. Got many more keepers from the 35mm f2 than I did with 23mm. I struggled to get anything with shallow depth of field on the 23mm unless I went very close, and then I had to stop down anyway as at f2 subjects werent very sharp but otherwise a very sharp lens for landscape etc.

I think 23mm was too wide for me, with not enough subject isolation and busy scenes in my shots so I'm one of the people that prefer the 50mm equivalent as the one focal length to use if I had to choose.

brokenhat wrote:

There is nothing in photography as personal as focal length.

Unless it is rendering.

I would not give 2 cents (US) for the 35 f2 but could could not pry my 35 f1.4 out of my cold dead hands!  

Where the rubber meets the road is the image and if a lens renders an image that pleases the person using the lens.  Sometimes it is focal length.  Sometimes it is how it renders the out of focus areas combined with how it renders the focal plane.  More often than not it comes down to a complex combination of all the optical properties that dictates the final rendering.

If the OP doesn't find the lens floats his/her boat - time to move on and try something else. Who knows he/she might circle back at some point in the future.  Back in the days when the normal kit lens was the "nifty 50" many people swore that it wasn't for them - mostly out of stubbornness I suspect.  But after they sold the kit lens or bought "body only" many often circled back to the focal length.  It gets down to experimentation and finding what appeals to the aesthetic sense and the rendering they find pleasing.  Not everyone sees the world the same or has the same story to tell.

shadowplay84 wrote:

I have used the XF35 f2 with both X-T3 and X-T30.For sure it's a nice lens, it's sharp and the AF is quick.

Everybody seems so in love with this lens, and I can't just undestand why I don't seem to like it. Maybe it's the focal lenght that is not good for me? I use the 23 and 27 with much more enthusiasm, and I never felt like selling them.

I can't decide if I should sell it or not...

I generally prefer using 35 equiv or 40 equiv (for most things) just how I see things... but I like the images coming out of a 50mm lens better usually... especially if people are in the scene, tighter composed, less dof when you need it, still normal without a telephoto look, so I've grown into the 35 1.4 and it's now one of my favorites. I use it more for artistic shots, really focusing on composure, and "does this image" work, trying to fill the frame with only key elements type shooting.

A 35mm/40mm is more of a daily driver/casual lens/get the shot/walking around on the street/travel lens for me.

I think many people started shooting film or primes with a 50mm lens, I started with a 35mm, so 50mm took some getting used to.

Maybe try shooting a FASTER 35? The 1.4 or Mitakon .095... might give more meaning to the lens.

jjz2 wrote:

shadowplay84 wrote:

I have used the XF35 f2 with both X-T3 and X-T30.For sure it's a nice lens, it's sharp and the AF is quick.

Everybody seems so in love with this lens, and I can't just undestand why I don't seem to like it. Maybe it's the focal lenght that is not good for me? I use the 23 and 27 with much more enthusiasm, and I never felt like selling them.

I can't decide if I should sell it or not...

Maybe try shooting a FASTER 35? The 1.4 or Mitakon .095... might give more meaning to the lens.

I tried the 35mm 1.4 and I like it a bit more, but anyway I'm always tending to shoot with 18mm/23mm.

I think  I'm more of a wideangle shooter with some incursion of telephoto (56mm). I have used 35mm eqv in Film Cameras, I started shooting with the classic reflex 50mm 1.7, I liked it of course, but at the time I did not have a lot of experience and had no basis for comparison.

shadowplay84 wrote:

jjz2 wrote:

shadowplay84 wrote:

I have used the XF35 f2 with both X-T3 and X-T30.For sure it's a nice lens, it's sharp and the AF is quick.

Everybody seems so in love with this lens, and I can't just undestand why I don't seem to like it. Maybe it's the focal lenght that is not good for me? I use the 23 and 27 with much more enthusiasm, and I never felt like selling them.

I can't decide if I should sell it or not...

Maybe try shooting a FASTER 35? The 1.4 or Mitakon .095... might give more meaning to the lens.

I tried the 35mm 1.4 and I like it a bit more, but anyway I'm always tending to shoot with 18mm/23mm.

I think I'm more of a wideangle shooter with some incursion of telephoto (56mm). I have used 35mm eqv in Film Cameras, I started shooting with the classic reflex 50mm 1.7, I liked it of course, but at the time I did not have a lot of experience and had no basis for comparison.

Yeah I totally get It. I used to be anti 50mm and would roll with 35/85 for years. 
I didn’t like always changing lenses so often keep the 50mm equiv on as I shoot more people, photos of my wife, and friends when walking around.

I know some people like 35mm equiv for people but I definitely don’t, at least if I want to flatter them, it’s ok for randos on the street though.