Fujifilm XC 35mm f2 Review
In this blog I will share my thoughts on Fujifilm’s cheapest lens, the XC35mm f2. It’s the smaller and cheaper brother of the XF35mm f2 that everyone loves. I’ve personally owned the XF35 for many years and was curious to see just how much of it carries over into the cheaper package. The key point I want you to keep in mind is that this is a native Fujifilm lens that costs £160 brand new.
Build Quality
Let’s not beat about the bush, this lens is built to a tight budget. The entire body including the mount is made from plastic. The glass is still glass thankfully. Matter of fact most of the internals are the same. The plastic build means that you will experience more wear and tear especially around the mount. The plastic body is more susceptible to cracking if dropped or knocked. Of course the focus dial feels plasticky to turn but nothing unsurprising. Finally there is no weather sealing at all, which is to be expected. Overall for the price it’s not bad at all.
Ergonomics
There are two key takeaways. The first is that there is no aperture ring. I guess it was the first thing to go during the cost save. For some people it’s a big deal while for others it’s actually a bonus. The second takeaway is that this lens is insanely light. It might be the lightest lens I’ve ever used. On a small body like an XT5 it feels incredible. The focus ring works the same as any other focus ring, just a bit more plasticky and not as smooth. Not a deal breaker at all though. Finally you don’t get a proper rear lens cap or a lens hood.
Image Quality
This is where I was very surprised. The image quality seems identical to the more expensive XF35mm. The image is clean, sharp and the colours are great. Honestly comparing this lens to similar priced third party lenses, there is a huge difference in image quality and this lens is way ahead.
Autofocus
The autofocus system is meant to be identical and honestly I couldn’t tell the difference. Matter of fact it’s not much slower than the 33mm f1.4 which costs around 4 times as much. The autofocus is quick, sticky and accurate. No major hunting issues or missed shots. I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t be happy with it.
Summary
This is one of the best value for money lenses out there. If you don’t shoot in the rain or dirty environments and if you’re not fussed about having an aperture ring, this lens is a no brainer. Also if you’re not the type to switch lenses every 10 minutes, this is a good choice. If you are, then maybe a metal mount of the XF version might be better. Finally if you’re happy with a plastic body as opposed to the metal one, this will be a good choice. The image quality and autofocus are the same, you just need to figure out if you need a metal body, aperture ring, rear lens cap and weather sealing. Finally if you mostly shoot on a zoom and just want a light cheap prime to chuck in your bag, this is it.
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