The new Fujifilm XF33mm f/1.4 is a new ‘nifty fifty’ for X-series cameras, but do its modern conveniences come at the expense of classic charm?
The Fujifilm XF35mm f/1.4 is, in the camera lens world, a modern classic. As if to prove the point, last year Fuji released a promo video extolling its virtues – a full eight years after it launched. But it’s also a lens that prioritizes character over optical perfection. And with limitations like loud autofocus and a lack of weather-proofing, the calls for a XF35mm f/1.4 Mark II have grown louder over those years since its release. Is the new Fujifilm XF33mm f/1.4 (available from late September for $799 / £699 / AU$1,429) that lens? No, but it’s surely aiming to follow in the same traditions – namely, being an addictive walkabout lens for street photography and environmental portraits. We took one for a quick spin in our hands-on Fujifilm XF33mm f/1.4 review to find out if it’s got the makings of another Fujifilm classic – or if the move towards modern conveniences has come at the expense of the charm that’s made the XF35mm f/1.4 a must-own for Fuji fans. Get the XF33mm f/1.4 in your hands and it’s immediately clear why it isn’t being considered as an XF35mm f/1.4 Mark II. These are two lenses with similar focal lengths but very different characters. The XF33mm f/1.4 is by no means in the same weight category as Fujifilm’s 50mm f/1.0, which tips the scales at 849g. Instead, it’s a very reasonable 360g, which balances nicely with larger Fujifilm cameras like the Fujifilm X-T4. The problem compared to the XF35mm f/1.4, though, is that this size pushes just slightly beyond the sweet spot for smaller bodies like the new Fujifilm X-T30 Mark II. In fact, the lens weighs almost the same as that camera. So while it’s still pretty small for an f/1.4 lens, it is around twice the weight of XF35mm f/2.0 and XF35mm f/1.4 and considerably longer than both, too.
