Fujifilm Fujinon XF 33MM F/1.4 R LM WR long term review
I have now had the Fujifilm 33mm f1.4 for about 2 years and I feel comfortable sharing my thoughts on this premium 50mm full frame equivalent.
Size & Weight
This lens clocks in at 360g which is roughly twice the weight of the excellent XF 35mm F2 lens (170g) it is also noticeably more chunky but in my own experience i don't mind using it on both the X-pro2 and X-T4
Build Quality
Both of the newer F1.4 primes and their smaller counterparts the F2’s have excellent build quality, personally i’ve not had any issues bringing both the xf 33mm nor the xf 35mm f2 into the typical danish weather, aka rain and even light to heavy snow, these lenses have not given me any issues. I have yet to see any scratches on the front element, despite me not using a filter most of the time.
The focus and aperture ring turn smoothly, this is a nice step up from the F2 primes, they can often feel quite stiff in comparison, this lens feels a lot more confident, while it is more smooth and loose, it’s a nice middle ground where you don’t feel like you’ll accidentally set it to the wrong aperture.
In terms of wear and tear of the lens, I’ve only just now started to notice a few tiny chips in the paint but even then it’s barely noticeable unless you really try and find it.
Image Quality & Autofocus
This is probably my favorite fuji lens currently, the images are crisp and pleasing to the eye, even though the XF 35MM F2 is a nice and sharp lens the 33MM takes the cake for sharpness and character, there's just something about shooting this lens even when its not below F2 that just renders images beautifully.
Focusing with fujis linear motor is also fast and snappy and last but not least pretty silent! I sometimes found the 35 F2 version to be hunting under less than ideal light, the autofocus is truly a step up from the stepping motor, if any shots were not in focus it was purely the fault of my own and the not lens itself.
Be sure to check out the sample images below to see the image quality with your own eyes.
Should you buy it?
Main negative i have about this lens is the price, if you need the 1.4 aperture, silent and fast focusing and have the money to spend then by all means go for it! Otherwise the XF 35mm is an excellent choice as well in terms of quality and price. Now there is also the XF 35mm F/1.4 and XC 35mm as well as third party lenses but I’ve not had the chance to play with any of them as of yet.
You can purchase the lens here: