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Arguably the most legendary of all Fujifilm lenses, the Fujifilm 35mm f/1.4 has essentially been like my best friend for the past five years and deserves a post dedicated to everything that’s happened… until now!
It’s hard to believe I’ve never done a proper review of my favorite Fujifilm lens. In 2020, I found a great deal on a second-hand Fujifilm 35mm f/1.4 lens and pulled the trigger. It seems like yesterday, but I’ve used that lens almost every day for over five years. Although it seems like yesterday, we have been through the pandemic, I am now a father of two girls and I am quickly approaching 40. This lens has been by my side through all of this and I wanted to dedicate a post to it.
I don’t mind referring to this as a long-term review of the Fujifilm 35mm f/1.4 and will briefly mention whether it’s still a good buy in 2025 (of course it is), but the reality is that I simply want to share what I’ve been able to capture over the last five years for myself and I suppose others who may need a little inspiration. I’ll share some of my thoughts on the lens itself, in addition to my first impressions article back in 2020, and I’ll do my best not to go with the clichéd “it’s magical” description. However, I will try not to make it too long and let the photos speak for themselves.
Oh, I know the title is a bit cliché too, but it’s a nod to one of my favorite Mayday Parade songs (the acoustic version for anyone who knows what I’m talking about), so it sticks and fits quite well!
FUJIFILM 35MM F/1.4
It’s hard to call the Fujifilm 35mm f/1.4 a vintage lens at this point, but at 13 years old, already introduced in 2012, I think it’s okay to call it a classic at this point. It’s a lens that I honestly think should be in every Fujifilm photographer’s bag, and if you’ve met me in person, chances are you’ve had your photo taken with this lens, seen me use it, or talked to me about why I love it so much.
The main reason I love it so much is the images it produces. Simply put, the photos I take with this lens, in my opinion, are absolutely incredible. Obviously it helps with a great Fujifilm recipe like my ‘Summer Negative’, but the colors, the rendering, the bokeh, the contrast, it all comes together to create beautiful images. If I need an innovative image when I’m having a tough photography day, maybe with another lens, I take out this lens, slow down a little, and look for small details. Most of the time I capture something that blows my mind and then suddenly I get into the zone. Even if I later go back to another lens, I often carry that inspiration and “flow” throughout the hike or day. Don’t get me wrong though, I have many days where I don’t get anything special and other days I don’t even intend to get anything special just to document ordinary life.
Of course, the lens has disadvantages, but I honestly don’t think they are bad enough to overlook this lens. I wouldn’t necessarily use it in a professional setting where you need to rely on its focusing ability, like for a bride walking down a hallway, for example, but the slow autofocus, noise, and lack of weather resistance don’t make up for the beautiful photographs it helps create.
Admittedly, it doesn’t resolve the full 40MP of newer Fujifilm sensors, but the only time you’ll notice this is when you realize the file size is slightly smaller than others. I haven’t had any problems cropping and, thinking about it now, there’s a feature in Lightroom (not that I’m a fan of the new AI inclusions) called Super Resolution that uses AI to, I think, double the pixels, which really helps when it comes to prints.
35MM F/1.4 VS 33MM F/1.4
The good news for those who prefer much more modern specifications with a fast aperture is that Fujifilm now offers the 33mm f/1.4 lens. This lens offers ultra-fast, quiet autofocus as well as weather resistance, and is a notable improvement, although I still prefer the images from the older lens. As I explain here in my review of the Fujifilm 33mm f/1.4, I would also add that lens to my camera bag for professional shots, such as family or wedding photos, as it is much more reliable and the images, although sharp and clean, still have a bit of character.
If you had to choose between the two lenses (or even four if you count the other two Fujifilm 35mm f/2 XF and XC lenses), it really depends on your own usage intentions. If you care more about autofocus speed, silence and want to expose it to bad weather conditions, you can also go for the new 33mm f/1.4, but my money would always be on the original 35mm f/1.4 just because in my opinion the images have something extra despite it being a much older lens with its drawbacks.
PHOTOS FROM THE LAST FIVE YEARS
Anyway, enough about me, let’s look at some of my favorite images I’ve captured over the last five years with the Fujifilm 35mm f/1.4. It’s not all of them, as there are many family members that I keep private, but I went through the images and selected a few. Also, I couldn’t include too many, as you would almost certainly become overwhelmed and bored very quickly.
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Well, here we go! Five years of using the Fujifilm 35mm f/1.4 and it’s still going strong. It’s a lens that I’ve basically put on my X-T5 100% of the time; one that I can practically guarantee will bring my big shots. I have no plans to get rid of this lens and look forward to seeing what it helps me capture over the next five years and beyond.
If you have any ideas or questions, feel free to comment below or email me and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
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