Test of the Fujinon XF 33mm f1.4 R LM WR lens on the Fujifilm X-PRO3 with Arcos +Red simulation
Fujifilm has organized another meeting and workshop at their cozy and exclusive X-DEN location in the „Alt Stadt“ of Düsseldorf.
This is a location that reminds to a stylish living room or a lounge with shelves full of photo art and technical books of famous photographer and they are providing even an analog turning table to play relaxing music. Additional Fujifilm is offering free cool soft drinks and hot coffee.
They also have a stock of all up to date Fujifilm products of the Instax, GFX and X Series, cameras and lenses to touch, feel and test their products.
Surprise, they have no cash register. This is not a shop. There is no salesman under pressure to sell you something while he is investing time in explaining you the gear and settings.
On top of this relaxed atmosphere, the experts of Fujifilm, are organizing presentations on topics as the magic of iconic lenses e.g. the magnifico Fujinon XF 50mm f1.4 R lens or how the dedicated Fujifilm film simulations have been developed, their characteristics and the optimal use. Additional to these lessons of theory they offer 1 hour photo walks where the learned things can be tested in real life condition. A highlight is the possibility to borrow any gear available to test on those photo walks.
The X-DEN has no regular opening hours (as said it´s not a shop) but the events and changing opening hours approx. twice a month, are communicated to all that have subscribed to the Fujifilm Newsletter. If you visit their Homepage, you can easily register to the Newsletter and become a member of the exclusive X-DEN Club. Be honest, what brand is offering such an outstanding service.
Let´s get to the topic of this article, the Fujifilm XF 33mm f1.4 R LM WR lens.
As I have already many times described in several articles of this blog, I am an old school photographer that feels most comfortable with a 50mm full frame prime lens on the camera, a relict to my young years as analog photographer.
33 – 35mm on an APSC camera like the Fujifilm X-PRO 3 is an angle of view of around 50mm FF. That´s why I also feel so comfortable with the Fujinon XF 35mm f1.4 R a iconic lens with a magic three-dimensional image rendering. Yes, the Fujinon XF 35mm f1.4 R is anything but not perfect. It´s the oldest lens of the Fujifilm X-Mount range, launched together with the Iconic X-PRO 1.
Two years ago, with the launch of the new 40-megapixel APSC sensor e.g. in the Fujifilm X-T 5, Fujifilm decided to launch also a series of new “modern” lenses that are perfectly corrected and are promising to support the higher resolution sensor.
The Fujinon XF 33mm f1.4 R LM WR is one of those lenses. The lens is longer and even more heavy but got a faster more precise autofocus, the Fujifilm WR weather and dust sealing and a fully new calculated optical system.
Reading many tests, reviews and watching many published test pictures on several online photo blogs, I got the impression this lens is rendering perfect images. But as in real life, perfect can be boring. What does attract us is imperfection we often call this character just as the “old” Fujinon XF 35mm f1.4 R is rendering images.
To be honest, I am not a believer. I love to build my own opinion. I took last weekend the opportunity, during the Fujifilm X-DEN Event, to test the Fujinon XF 33mm f1.4 R LM WR lens on my Fujifilm X-PRO3. I joined an Arcos photo walk. Arcos is one of the stunning film simulations of Fujifilm. Those simulations allow to produce pictures straight out of the camera without spending any time in front of the computer and play around for hours with Lightroom or Photoshop.
Arcos is a recent simulation for Iconic black and white pictures. I love to combine Arcos with a digital red filter in my Fujifilm X-PRO 3 and that gives extreme high contrast pictures.
During our Arcos Photo Walk, we have been shooting in the center of Düsseldorf close to the KÖ (Königsallee). I made a mix of landscape, street and people photography.
On the first and second view, at aperture f5.6 or f1.4, the images are perfect. No visible distortions, no vignetting or any other defects. The pictures are rendered, sharp, full of contrast and even wide-open till to the corners. Perfect.
If you are looking for perfect, STOP reading now!
I need more, or better said something different, then perfect. As mentioned, I am looking for something special in each image. A lens that is rendering e.g. three-dimensional objects or enhance color rendering. Even some exciting straylight effects can give the magic in the pictures. During the photowalk I have been experimenting to create the magic with the Fujinon XF 33mm f1.4 R LM WR lens. I have used the lens a lot at f1.4 to create selected sharpness in the image also to test the bokeh. Even the bokeh is perfect.
Boring. Yes, every professional photographer will tell me now: “Malte don´t be stupid, the Fujinon XF 33mm f1.4 R LM WR is one of the best Fujifilm lenses and will make our life much easier, and the industrial customers will be happy with just perfect images.”
I am mostly trying to produce photographical art or at least creative images. All in all, I preferer the “old” Fujinon 35mm f1.4 R. Please have a look to the images and judge yourself.
Please leave to me in the comments your opinion.