Fujifilm XF 33mm F1.4 Hands-on Review: A refreshed and refined 50mm-eq prime offers excellent upgrades to image quality and performance
posted Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at 11:30 AM EDT
Click here to read our Fujifilm XF 33mm F1.4 Hands-on Review
Fujifilm added yet another fast prime lens to its already-extensive arsenal of X Series lenses with the debut of the XF 33mm F1.4 R LM WR. However, those familiar with Fuji's X-mount lineup will notice there are already two similar lenses, the XF 35mm F1.4 R and XF 35mm F2 R WR. So why this new 33mm F1.4 lens? At first glance, the new 33mm lens is indeed similar, offering a nearly-identical focal length -- which translates to an approximate 50mm-equivalent field of view -- and a bright, fast aperture. But, when you look at the details, the new XF 33mm lens features several pleasing upgrades and refinements that make it an altogether new lens.
After shooting with this new lens for a while, I've come away impressed. The XF 33mm F1.4 is very sharp, even wide open and across the entire frame -- quite a feat for such a fast lens. Thanks to its two aspherical elements and three extra-low dispersion (ED) elements, the XF 33mm captures very crisp, detailed images even at its wider apertures. Images, too, show minimal chromatic aberration, which is fantastic. I did see some strong purple fringing in certain situations, though it's not an all-that-uncommon phenomenon for a lens such as this -- and stopping down some clears that up.
Additionally, the lens features weather-sealed construction and a revamped autofocusing system that uses a Linear Motor design -- two upgrades that the older XF 35mm F1.4 lens from 2012 did not offer. Overall, the new Fuji XF 33mm F1.4 is the new top-of-the-line "nifty fifty" for Fujifilm X Series photographers, and it offers excellent imaging performance and pleasing usability.
Check out my in-depth Fujifilm XF 33mm F1.4 Hands-on Review for all of my thoughts and findings. Also, be sure to check out the updated Image Gallery for more real-world sample images!