Fujinon XF35mm F2 R WR, Black
Fujinon XF35mm F2 R WR, Black
FUJINON XF35mmF2 R WR
Standard Prime Lens
This lens offers a focal length equivalent to 53mm with the angle of view similar to that of the human eye and a maximum aperture of F2.0 – It delivers sharp images with rich bokeh.
Compact and Discrete
The slim stylish design allows comfortable operation and draws minimum attention to the photographer, making it the perfect lens for portrait, street or reportage photography.
Optical Construction
The optical construction of 9 elements in 6 groups (including two aspherical elements) achieves the perfect balance of high image quality and compact size.
Autofocus of 0.08 sec
An inner focus system is combined with a stepping motor to produce quiet, accurate and fast autofocus – a must for all snap shooters that need to capture a spontaneous moment.
Weather and Dust Resistant
The exterior of the lens is weather and dust-resistant and can work in temperatures as low as -10°C.
Sharp high image quality
Lens construction of 9 elements in 6 groups delivers sharp, rich image quality even at the widest aperture of F2.0.
| Type | FUJINON XF35mmF2 R WR |
| Lens configuration | 9 elements 6 groups (includes two aspherical elements) |
| Focal length | f=35mm (53mm in 35mm format equivalent) |
| Angle of view | 44.2° |
| Max. aperture | F2 |
| Min. aperture | F16 |
| Aperture control | 9 diaphragm blades – 1/3EV (19 steps) |
| Focus range | 35cm to infinity |
| Max. magnification | 0.135x |
| External dimensions | ø60.0mm x 45.9mm |
| Weight | Approx. 170g |
| Filter size | 43mm |
| Accessories included | Lens cap FLCP-43, Lens rear cap RLCP-001, Lens hood, Wrapping cloth |
| Dimensions: | 6 x 6 x 4.59 cm; 170 Grams |
| Model: | 16481878 |
| Batteries Included: | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. |
| Manufacture: | FUJIFILM |
| Dimensions: | 6 x 6 x 4.59 cm; 170 Grams |
| Origin: | Philippines |
Focal Length:
A 35mm focal length on a crop sensor is optimal for capturing everyday life. It covers the field of view of the human eye and is not too wide, nor too narrow in most use cases.
Optics:
This lens offers good colours, decent contrast and excellent centre sharpness even at its widest aperture of f2. The lens’ sharpness improves even further if stopped down to f5.6. Its great optical quality wide open makes it also an appealing option for portraiture. In my non-scientific test, the XF 35mm F2 had the best centre sharpness among competitors such as the XF 18-55mm, XF 23mm F2, XF 70-300mm and the Sigma 56mm f1.4. When it comes to corner sharpness, the sharpness is slightly reduced compared to the middle of the frame. This is due to the lens’ suffering of barrel distortion which is corrected in camera. When stopped down, corner sharpness improves and vignetting is reduced. Overally, this lens is a very good optical performer. Especially in the centre of the image my copy produces perfect sharpness on my 26MP and 24MP X-Mount cameras. Related to image quality is it worth mentioning that this lens as most other Fujifilm primes does not feature optical image stabilisation. While this is less of a concern if you own a camera with in-body image stabilisation, for hand-held video shooters this might cause problems.
Bokeh:
The XF 35mm F2 offers very smooth out-of-focus backgrounds due to compression and its fast aperture of F2. Its bokeh performance is surprisingly similar to the more expensive 35mm f1.4 which is a full stop brighter. The 9-bladed diaphragm contributes to an even smoother bokeh performance. In combination with a good close focus distance and smooth bokeh, the lens produces very pleasing results in regards to subject isolation.
Autofocus:
In terms of autofocus, this lens offers a quick, precise and silent autofocus. The built in stepping motor makes it reliable for photography as well as for video work. Another benefit is that it focuses internally, unlike its older brother, the 35mm f1.4. You will notice no significant difference to the slightly faster linear motor autofocus (LM) built into the more expensive Fujifilm lenses. The lens offers some focus breathing which is no concern if you are mostly a stills shooter but is worth considering if you plan on using this lens for video.
Built quality
In terms of built quality this lens is on par with the other “XF” Fujifilm lenses. It offers a full metal construction, an aperture ring and a smooth manual focus ring. Latter is slightly smaller than the one on its “fujicron” brothers such as the 50mm f2 or the 23mm f2. I am very pleased about the haptic feedback of the aperture ring when changing the aperture. Nevertheless it is worth mentioning that the clickiness cannot be disabled and could be of concern for video shooters. The lens’ weather resistance is also a nice plus when shooting in tougher circumstances. Combined with my weather sealed X-T2 it survived a weekend trip to Amsterdam in pouring rain and I feel confident about using it in harsher weather conditions. The lens comes with a little plastic lens hood which does not feel as premium as the lens itself. It does not seem very effective to me. Optically it is not very pleasing either. Therefore, I replaced it with a third party Haoge LH-X35 lens hood which is out of metal and way nicer. I can also recommend a “squarehood” lens hood, despite its considerable price tag of 60 EUR.
Comparison to similar lenses
There are quite a few lenses on the market that offer a similar focal length, namely the XC 35mm F2, the XF 33mm F1.4 R LM WR and the older 35mm F1.4 R.
While the XC 35mm F2 offers the exact same optics, it comes in a cheaper plastic chassis and neither features an aperture ring, nor weather resistance. Given the very good optical performance and the very attractive price tag of around 200 EUR it might be worth a look.
The XF 33mm F1.4 R LM WR is worth considering if you are looking for the best nifty fifty in the Fujifilm lineup. It is a full stop brighter and offers perfect sharpness from corner to corner already wide open at f1.4. In terms of centre sharpness both lenses are very similar. You might still consider the 35mm F2 because of its lower price point and its compactness which cannot be matched by the 33mm F1.4 which has approximately the same size as the XF 18-55mm kit lens. (watch picture below)
The 35mm F1.4 R is the oldie in the lineup being one of the first lenses Fujifilm released. It features superior corner sharpness and one stop of light more but its lack of weather resistance and the noisy and slower external autofocus make it the inferior lens in my subjective point of view.
There are also some very appealing third party lenses to consider at a similar or even lower price point as the 35mm F2. You might have a look at the newly released Sigma 30mm F1.4 for Fuji X-Mount and the Viltrox 33mm F1.4. Both have the advantage of additional stop of light which is convenient for low light purposes. Both come at a similar price point of around 320 EUR. Although they both offer good image quality they have drawbacks. While the Viltrox lens is lacking weather resistance, the Sigma does not come with an aperture ring. If you are on a budget and not willing to make any of these compromises I would recommend the decent 35mm F2 R WR.
If you are looking for your first prime lens and have to decide between the 23mm F2, 35mm F2 and the 50mm F2, I would still recommend the 35mm F2. It gives you the middle ground between 23mm and 50mm. The 23mm is a very popular focal length among street photographers but my F2 copy is a little soft wide open. The XF 50mm F2 is optically impressive and very nice as a little portrait lens but its field of view might be a little too tight for the first prime lens.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the 35mm F2 R WR lens is a very sharp, compact and fast focusing lens. It offers great built quality, good bokeh and a very polyvalent focal length. It has got the best centre sharpness of all my fuji lenses and my go to pick for street photography. Its combination of good optics, a fast aperture and weather resistance makes it the best value for money lens in the Fujifilm line up. My copy does not have any significant weaknesses. If you need a full stop of light more and you are not willing to make any compromises, you should buy the 33mm F1.4. Bear in mind that you are not getting double the performance despite paying double the price. If you are on a budget you might also consider the Viltrox and the Sigma lenses. In any case, you cannot go wrong with the XF 35mm F2 R WR and I can only recommend it. I hope this review is useful!
Must-have prime if you have a fuji – lightweight, weather sealed and awesome quality (both built wise and image)
Having read reviews and seen photos taken with this lens I was very keen on getting one myself.
I have paired it with an X-T3 and so far my initial shots have been very good.
I like the small size, the price and the fact it is Weather resistant also.
An incredible lens. I was hesitant to get this because it was my first prime and I wasn’t sure it was worth the money. But all I can say is that I wish I’d got it sooner – it amazing. The photos are so beautiful.
Fantastic lens. Sharp, compact, well built, accurate and fast focusing. Colour rendition from this 35mm lens is very impressive
he pics speak for themselfs . all taken with the fuji 35mm f2 wr.
amazing quality proper product as expected. used in the rain fast to focus – my favourite prime
So, I had a real problem chosing the 35mm f/2 over the f/1.4 version. What tipped the balance in favour of the f/2 was not the price (they were quite similar in early 2020) but that is has weather resistance, faster and quieter focusing and according to many reviews is just about as sharp from f/2 onwards.
When it arrived it looked so small and was so lightweight. The build quality, however, cannot be faulted. The aperture ring clicks perfectly and it appears to have a lot of metal in its construction.
In use, it focuses fast and quiet and I have no problem using it wide open at f/2 – it is so sharp – almost perfect.
Unless you absolutley need the option of f/1.4, then I believe this is the Fujifilm 35mm to go for and perhaps the best Fujifilm prime lens to start with.
I’ve spent a while buying and selling Fuji lenses because I’ve found the autofocus too slow and unreliable on some of them. The best I’ve found are the 35mm f2 and 50mm f2 – they are fantastic and the autofocus is great. As a comparison, I also have a Nikon D5 with various zooms/prime lenses, but I use the Fujifilm for personal use because of the size/weight. I never miss the Nikon on these occasions, the 35mm and 50mm are a joy to use.
I am totally and utterly in love with this lens. The quality of the photos are fantastic. It’s lightweight and doesn’t take up a lot of room in my bag when attached to my Fujifilm X-E2. Focus is quick and the images are sharp.
This is a good prime lens to use on my XT2 and XT20 cameras. Well built with good clean images. I have give only four stars for value as there was a 50 cash back offer a week after I bought the lens. If only I had known!
If you’re debating whether to get this or the 35mm f1.4 unless you absolutely need that bigger aperture the 35mm f/2 is going to be ideal. The only real difference being that wide open the f1.4 is a hair sharper in the very center of the frame. The 35mm f/2 is lighter, quieter, weather sealed and the auto-focus far quicker. The detail, micro contrast and sharpness really are top tier. I can’t overstate that enough. This really is a fantastic lens and presents outstanding value of money.
The pictures included are all unedited jpgs straight out of camera.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B016XNJ2JM/ref=cm_cr_ryp_prd_ttl_sol_0
The optical quality is absolutely amazing, and never ceases to amaze me.
It’s also very fast too, and gives such a beautiful bokeh. I’ve taken many of my best family shots with this lens, partnered with a Fujifilm XT-2.
I read a lot of reviews prior to buying this lens so would suggest you read other reviews which are more detailed if you are looking for specific technical details to make your decision on, however if you purchase it i really don’t think you will be disappointed.
I wanted a fast prime to take photos of my son around the house and in dim lighting and the f2 makes all the difference. The 35mm focal length (50 mm equivalent) is very useful.Compared to the 18-55mm, this is much faster and (a bit) sharper. It also works well with the MCEX-11 as a make shift, but very good, macro.
With an equivalent focal length of 53mm it’s perfect for street style photography. Fast to autofocus, light (but built really well completely of metal), small and optically superb.
The focus ring has a really nice weight to it and the aperture ring is super tactile. The aperture ring goes from f/2 to f/16 in 1/3rd stops but has a slightly different audible ‘click’ at the main aperture stops – so nice…
Very little noticeable vignetting (only wide open – but as I say, practically none) and no distortion whatsoever.
It’s not the quietest lens ever but I couldn’t care less when I’m outside, it’s not noticeable. The lens hood isn’t amazing but works fine and offers a decent amount of protection.
Excellent lens, very sharp and perfect for anyone who likes portraits and street photography. It’s the only one I have and it caters to all my needs.
Nice lens
Small and compact easy to carry around and decent images
Fantastic fast lens – great results and quick focussing . Great to use with the Fuji X series cameras , I am currently using it on my X T2 and is my favourite carry around lens ( well until I get the 23mm WR!)
This lens is so fun to use. The autofocus is very fast and quiet and you will not notice it at all. That makes it ideal for streetshooting and i would say that it is fast enough to even be used to shoot sport (if you can get close enough).
The only reason i didnt give it 5 stars is because of the cheaplooking plastic lenshood. Fujis highquality lenses have great buildquality and to get this lens with a plastic lenshood is bad in my opinion.
But considering the price of the lens and the performance you can’t really have anything but good things to say about this lens. It is very good.
This (or the 23mm f/2) should be the first prime lens you buy.
A great lens, very sharp and at a good price…only criticism was Amazon advertised as ‘In-stock’ & ‘Prime’ and took FIVE days to deliver, which caused me a problem.
Pin-sharp. Very quick and accurate focussing.
Supposedly shower proof and dust proof.
Very sturdy and feels good in use.
Gives a focal length equivalent of 52mm on the X-pro.
No hesitation in recommending it.
Lovely lens. Very sharp and quick to focus in good light. In low light hunts a bit.
– Great build quality
– Small and light
– Extremely quick and accurate auto focus
Now looking forward to the 23mm f2 WR coming out in a few days/weeks!
It’s better than anything on the Canon inc the Sigma 18-35 1.8, which is also a fantastic lens
I’m enjoying not carrying around the weight anymore & getting stunning results 🙂
Beautifully designed and constructed. High quality feel and operation. I am still learning how to get the best out of it on my X-T1 but so far producing excellent results.
I like my cameras to look nice (it shouldn’t matter what camera you use if you get good photos; but it’s nice to pick up something that makes you happy. And the happier it makes you feel, the more you’ll use it, and the more you use it, the more likely you’ll get good photos… well, that’s my thinking!) I don’t like the tapered barrel at all, but finally felt that the other plus points out weighed the cosmetics. (And in the end I solved this with the expensive but decent lens hood).
Having had the wider lens as my walk-around lens for over 18 months, it’s taking some time to get used to the focal length, but that’s just a personal quibble. The actual lens itself is superb. It focuses well, feels sturdy and clicks reassuringly into place. Since getting it, I think it’s only been off the camera once – and that was for a specific portrait shoot.
People will say it’s not that quick to focus, but if Don McCullin, Larry Burrows, Henri Huet et al could manually focus and correctly expose a shot under fire, then my generation has no excuse for missing a shot and blaming the autofocus! 🙂 Maybe it’s not as quick as my DSLRs but you learn to work with the tools you have and it’s size, weight and capabilities more than make up for any millisecond delay in my opinion.
Unobtrusive, and very Sharp, and I mean sharp, used with Pro 2 it produces stunning results. Excellent contrast.
I own the 1.4 version that for me perform way better. i don’t like it when the filer is on.
Anyway it focus silent and quick
This lens is optical perfection. Stunning detail resolved at f2. A fantastic achievement way beyond anything I have used previously.
Sharpest lens, we are talking Leica quality and tone, amazing little investment.
This lens gives the full frame equivalent view of around 50mm – a typical standard lens. A nice length for general purpose use. The lens is compact and lightweight, without being too small or feeling flimsy. The focusing is quiet, fast and accurate.
When I took it out to use on a bit of wintery April day on the seafront, I can’t say that I felt inspired by the world around me, but I wanted to test the lens and shot off a few views of the hills across the sea and the day trippers rushing off the beach when the snow suddenly started.
The results were frankly astounding. Even on the distant hills, detail and tone were beautifully captured.
No doubts now. A great lens
Was debating between this and the 35mm 1.4. Did try the 1.4 version but found it slow to focus, even on my x-t1.
This one comparatively is lightning fast with great sharpness even at 2.0. Also is weather resistant which pairs well with the
Bokeh is very buttery . Highly recommended!
The lens selection from Fuji is the main reason I swapped systems. Their most recent releases 16mm f/1.4, 90mm f/2 and this little gem are amongst the very best lenses available on any system.