In this review Chris and Jordan explain why they're pretty impressed with Fujifilm's new XF 33mm F1.4 prime lens. They also provide a head-to-head comparison against Fujifilm's older 35mm F1.4 lens to see how they differ.
Now not sure if I got it. So this lens has same sharpness as old 35 1.4, same rendering, same autofocus speed. But bigger, heavier and more expensive. That's all just for WR, or? Or this review missing a point? Why Fuji than made it?
Kind of 35 1.2 than was maybe more logical to be made, no?
Love the photos of Canada’s East Coast, I was in Halifax for three years (pre-digital photography), and it’s easily the most picturesque place I’ve ever lived.
Wondering as well. Are they telling us they are already maxing out the resolution on the current sensor? Otherwise, I don't see any reason to sell my 35 for the 33. I'd rather go for more compact in this case. Buying new might be a tougher call.
Also a comment on the videos: I know that people love watching videos. I for one would so much more appreciate a simple and short written summary to the point. Impatient people like me always need to do fast forward, as there is so much talking between the fact. Videos are so much about people presenting themselves over focusing on the subject... just my 2 cents
I remember from the other review, the 35F2 was shown to be focusing faster than the 35F1.4. So if the 33F1.4 and 35F1.4 have the same focusing speed, does it mean that the 35F2 is also faster than the 33F1.4?
i was hoping the new 33 would mean the old 35 is dropped and thus the prices would dive. Seeing they're keeping both, I may not get any discounts, so maybe i'll just have some fun with a third party lens.
The differences in IQ between the old 35 and the new 33 seem marginal to me; and the weight and price differences mean I'll be sticking with my trusty old 35. Best lens in my bag.
The new lens solves many problems. Chromatic aberration, softness in the corners, weather sealing, focus breathing, fast AF and probably others. Center sharpness wide open is not the only characteristic of an lens. The older 35mm f1.4 is probably one of Fuji’s most liked lenses so the bar is already very height. I would like to see at what aperture the new 33mm reaches its peek sharpness as compared to the older 35m model.
In the review, they never said that the lens was slow to focus. They say that it’s as fast but smoother. If I look at the video the autofocus looks really snappy. Moreover, it’s a preproduction lens. Fuji has a tendency to improve the autofocus speed and accuracy through subsequent firmwares.
You wrote fast AF. I have the 35mm, and to my standards it’s not fast. Therefore as fast as is also not fast. Unconfirmed future improvement is not ticking a box for me either. I am definitely a fan of my Fuji gear, not exactly a hater at all! But while some are dooming this lens they never did hold, others seem to wear their pink glasses. Looking forward to see it on the upcoming higher mpix APSC Fuji. I’ll decide then if it’s a worthy upgrade for me.
Chris, I like your strategy. I agree Fuji should drop the price of the 35mm f/1.4. I will then purchase both lenses, or will they produce the GFX I want? Heck just get them all and don't tell the wife. ;-)
Good review but the conclusion is obviously subjective based on your specific needs and priorities. Considering that the review does not find any significant difference in image quality and AF speed, you could flip the argument around and ask whether the new lens is really worth the additional $200 cost and significantly larger size and weight. Apart from weather sealing you don't seem to be getting much more.
1. I guess the difference is important especially for video shooters. The clutch and AF sound are not really good for video.
2. I guess when we'll see next year the next generation sensor the difference between 33mm and 35mm will be more pronounced. The lens is intended for new cameras that will be released during the next decade. In case one plans to buy next year X-H2 or X-T5 camera—or whatever the new cameras will be—it's better to invest in the new generation lenses too.
Considering that the main use-case of the glass is the new upcoming sensor with a bigger resolution and better specs for video shooters the real question is whether future-proofing and better video specs are worth that extra $200.
@Mikho Good points. However, the advantage of new lens for higher resolution sensors is hypothetical at this point. Once we actually have those cameras and testing is repeated with those sensors then we will know what the difference is if any. Until then it is a bit early to jump to this lens based on that assumption.
Agreed on the AF noise for video. I am not at all a big video shooter so I can't say too much on this topic. Personally if I use a fast prime, it is generally in manual focus with fixed distance subjects. Using and managing AF in video with an f1.4 lens is rather tricky to me. But I could see that if someone uses this lens for video with AF then it can be good motivation to go for the new lens
@random78 Focus on the upcoming higher resolution sensor was on the key points in the official 18, 23, and 33 lenses presentations. Fuji engineers particularly mentioned that one of the main objectives in the design of the lenses was to guarantee the highest sharpness for the upcoming higher resolution sensor.
@Mikho - yes but neither you nor I have looked at what that new generation sensor is, when will it be released and how these lenses perform on that and how much is the difference etc. I can't base a purchase decision today based on something which will come at some unspecified time in the future and for which the extent of gains are as yet unknown.
Under the annals of "because they can" it would be cool if Fuji's engineers created an adapter for the X series cameras that would allow that line to use Fuji's medium format lenses.
Is it beyond me why photographers nowadays want to adapt everything to everything.
Especially in Fuji’s ecosystem, where there are ready made lenses for just about any application, the only thing you would get by adapting medium format lenses are terribly off balance ergonomics and a smaller max aperture.
@Relaxed There's only about a 9mm difference between X and G mount flange distances, so tilt almost surely wouldn't fit. Even just shift would probably be hard, maybe impossible.
Interesting review as always, but I do think the autofocus test should have tried out C-AF on moving subjects. The old 35 f1.4 was fine (if loud) in S-AF, but it seemed to particularly struggle in C-AF.
Is X mount only a system for lenses from " 14 to 90mm"! There is a large crowd of lenses in this range and there is a repetition of lenses in the same range as well. Go further, please, to a further range than that.
Fuji also makes a 200mm prime and their longest current zoom is 100-400mm with a 150-600mm zoom being released next year I think.. For ultra-wides there are a decent number of 3rd party lenses, they are MF, but the depth of field at 9mm, for example, is so deep that AF is largely irrelevant. You can also adapt Canon EF lenses with autofocus.
Dpreview's reviews always come shot of good methodology. That's the way they are. May be they are under pressure to deliver the assignment without much a do.
The limitation applies to primes, not zooms, in my opinion. I’d like to see primes wider than 14, and in the tele range a ~135/2, and at least a 300/2.8-4 or 400/4-5.6 ideally fresnel (and maybe a 200/2.8), are needed to make the system reasonably complete. I’d also like a native shift lens around 18 mm, and both shorter (~40/2.8, M=2) and longer (~150/4, M = ½) macro lenses. Any of these seem more useful *to me* than having a 35/1.4, XF 35/2 WR, XC 35/2, and 33/1.4 WR LM…or 16/1.4, 16/2.8, 18/2 and 18/1.4 WR LM…or 23/1.4, 23/2, 23/1.4 WR LM, 27/2.8, and 27/2.8 WR R. And that’s not even addressing the cornucopia of overlapping, differently labeled zooms. But that’s just my opinion, man.
zakaria: That's the range that matters! Fuji also does lots of primes, all good decisions. I wish my brand of choice would be more like that, it used to.
@ Lessiter But it is doubled . What is the point of all these " 16mm 2.8 16mm 1.4 18mm f2 18mm 1.4 ..23mm f 1.4 23mm f2 .27mm wr 27mm non wr 50mm 56mm 60mm 80mm 90 mm 35mm 33mm.it is only 2mm to 10mm the difference!!
@ random 79 Yes I realize that but it is very huge and expensive. I think saving the effort for more tele would be better like a good lens for birding 150-500 mm at reasonable price.
Zakaria they have different performance, size or other features. Just look at the vintage lineup for any brand. Take vintage Pentax lenses around ~28mm or ~50mm . A lot of primes with similar but different spec.
There's a pretty clear reason that Fijifilm have kept both lenses available.
A sizeable chunk of buyers will choose the lens that is about half the weight and a whole lot smaller, if the optical performance is not too much worse - as seems to be the case here. The $200 savings on price will only cause them to make that decision more quickly.
Conversely, Fuij-togs who care more about absolute max image quality than they do about size and weight may well be eyeing a move to a larger format instead.
Maybe I’m being too simple, but is there also any possibility Fujifilm simply have plenty of the 35 1.4’s in the factory stocks kicking about they may wish to still sell?
@Ad12 Lenses are in planning and development for a good while before they reach the market - typically years. More than enough time for Fujifilm to let stocks of the 35 dwindle, unless they mismanaged badly (unlikely).
Besides which, as JustAnotherTog says, they've explicitly stated that the 35 will be ongoing.
When we'll see next year the next generation sensor the difference between 33mm and 35mm will be more pronounced. The lens is intended for new cameras that will be released during the next decade. In case one plans to buy next year X-H2 or X-T5 camera—or whatever the new cameras will be—it's better to invest in the new generation lenses too. Older 35mm will still be a great option for <2022 cameras.
Considering that the main use-case of the glass is the new upcoming sensor with a bigger resolution the real question is whether future-proofing is worth that extra $200.
Imho al, the latest Fujifilm XF designs all go against to what Fujifilm stood for: compact lightweight design.
With the latest lens additions it makes more sense to go full frame if you think you need this glass. The larger pixels per square mm, better iso and deeper DR, faster glass, and more lenses to choose from all then being a bonus.
During the X summit yesterday, Shin Udono (?) hinted to a higher resolution camera and the next gen lenses being rolled out (18, 23, 33mm f1.4) were designed to satisfy that resolution.
A 43mp APSC may look attractive to some mainstream FF cameras. But I totally agree, I chose Fujifilm due to its weight advantages which appear to disappear as FF manufacturers roll out different lens options.
Full frame offers those better image quality benefits at matched settings. To have the improved image quality new full frame 35mm 1.4’s from Sigma and Sony weigh 72% more and 40% more respectively compared to the 23mm 1.4. Sigma’s new 35mm 2.0 is 13% less weight but taking in half of the light counteracts much of the image quality benefit of the larger sensor since the sensors increase in noise and decrease in DR at higher ISO. Whichever appeals more just depends on which system hits your sweet spot of needs and budget. The more competition the better.
DarionC, You don't compare a 33mm F1.4 from Fuji APSC to a 35mm F1.4 on FF. You compare it to a 50mm F2.1, which is much smaller and cheaper. There is no free lunch, and you're losing a bit more than a stop of ISO performance on APSC.
Equivalence is putting Fuji in a pinch as they try and compete with FF but run into the challenges of physics.
then again, their f2.8 zooms were never really small and light. I think the idea here is that we have a choice between both, but small and light ultimately won't play nice with higher resolution.
@BrentSchumer: why do we not compare directly the two lenses? this is exactly why people keep struggling with this.
I say compare both, knowing that on FF you have the option (not like it's a fixed aperture at f1.4) to shoot with a slightly thinner DoF (do you always want to?) and you can crank up the ISO a lot more.
Because you're comparing price for a "look" not some random numbers on the side of the lens. So it's favorable to pretend that an APSC lens at 33mm F1.4 should be compared to a FF at 35mm F1.4, but really you're looking at a much cheaper 50mm F2.1. And then the question is "why would you spend $800 on a slightly slow nifty fifty?"
I did this exact kind of comparison last year when deciding on a system and found that Fuji wasn't price competitive with full frame offerings for a similar "look" if you were interested in low light and a shallow depth of field.
@BrentSchumer I was comparing the new 23mm to those new 35mm lenses as an example which offer similar angle of view. I agree that the new 33mm has a more similar angle of view to 50mm. Again it depends on what you’re looking for with which works better. For example, if you want to shoot 4K60 on full frame you will spend a lot more so a person may choose a crop kit even if the equivalent package is similar size to a full frame kit. If you want higher mp then you’ll go full-frame based on what’s available now.
I fully agree, I came to Fuji for compactness and good optics (and no the 2.8 primes are decent optics). Once Nikon launched the Z I still kept the Fuji for its feel and marginal smaller size. But at this point it it makes less sense.
Lenses are getting better and also bigger in all the systems. High performance cameras require better (and bigger) lenses with fast autofocus and weather sealing. Fuji is just following the trend. If you want smaller, you can get Fuji’s f2 lenses that are good and light.
Personally I think Fuji is trying to compete to FF with the latest lens offerings. They are under stress in this segment due to price drops in FF inflicted by their own GFX. In the end it all triples down.
The bigger question is how much stress can they endure before people are switching back to the systems they came from. I am one of them and some other Fujifilm friends I know are in the process of switching back or are thinking about it. Time will tell how strong the Fuji X-fortress actually is. They have a large and strong fanbase. But I also do start to see it slowly weakening.
@Samuel Lucifer - Fuji is also a system that works incredibly well with an older camera and cheap lenses. An used XE2 or XT20 or XT1, plus one or two compact primes, and you'll have the heart of the Fuji experience: a fun little system. Any X-E with one of the 27/2.8s is basically a pocket system. Hard to beat that for just having a good time playing around with some JPEGs and the joy of photography.
Few camera systems seem to lend themselves to that level of downsizing. Seems like there could be an 80/20 rule here--80% of the fun of Fuji can be had with 20% of the system.
@BrentSchumer: "why would you spend $800 on a slightly slow nifty fifty?"
that's because we're used to 50mm f1.8 costing close to nothing. But we had a fairly expensive Sony Zeiss 55mm and other lenses that justified their prices with their performance. But I would be more concerned about the kind of image I can get from the system rather than converting the aperture. Because I'm not using it fulltime at one aperture. In the end that's all that matters. I remember a November night shooting the Sony 28mm f2 and finding that the pictures I had taked a few months back with a Fuji 16mm f1.4 were much better. Now I'm happier with my Sony gear but it's because of the lenses, not the sensor.
"I did this exact kind of comparison last year when deciding on a system" what system did you switch from?
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