The Fujifilm 35mm f1.4 lens

I had this lens a few years back, and I have to admit, I sold it. But It wasn’t because I didn’t like it I just wanted something wider, because at the time I was doing more landscape / seascape photography. I would mostly head to the coast here in Norfolk and make images of boats washed up on the sand at low tide, and as every photographer knows, you need to be up early to get the best light and well, that’s not really my thing, I hate getting up early, so that’s why myself and landscape photography don’t happen very often. When it did happen I really enjoyed it, being the only person out at one of the small tidal inlets around the Norfolk coast, the only sounds being the wetland birds and the ropes of the many boats tapping against the masts in the coastal breeze.

So yes, I’ve changed a lens or two over the years, once I realized that early mornings were not for me and I wasn’t using that wider lens, I knew it had to go, and yes I wanted my 35mm back. But wait, a new kid was on the block, a 35mm f2 and it was weather sealed, it also had great reviews and was pretty cheap. That’s where my money went and I have to say, what a great lens, I’ve made many photographs with the f2 lens and I’m more than happy with the results.

As you can see with the two images above, the wider lens did get some use, when I could be bothered to get up early, but in the end I sold it and put the money towards the 35mm f2, and I made very good use of that lens, it never came off my camera for at least a year, and I still have it, here’s a few images made with it below.

We’ve heard all the stories about the 35mm f1.4

“It’s got a kind of magic to it”

“The pictures it produces just have a certain look to them”

“The way it renders an image”

I think there is something in what people say about it, but to be honest I can’t put my finger on it. The images it makes look different in a way I can’t explain, maybe it’s the bokeh when shot at f1.4, what ever it is I like it and it’s definitely taken over from my f2 version. This next image was taken with the 1.4 wide open and it does look different from the two pictures above, which were shot on the f2 version. What do you think? Does it have that magic people talk about?

Well it’s definitely a lens I won’t be selling this time, and I think it’s becoming a bit of a collectors lens, there doesn’t seem to be to many of them around second hand, you can pick up a new one for around £530, the price is reflecting it’s popularity as when it first came out it was a £299 lens. In time it will be known as the “Old school fujifilm look” lens, I’m glad I’ve got my copy and it’s not for sale.

More images from the 1.4

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