Reader Comment: Thumbs down on the Fuji 80 f/1.7 GF and Donkey Lenses
Related: Fujifilm, Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR, Fujifilm GFX100 II, Fujifilm Lenses, Fujifilm medium format, Fujifilm mirrorless, Jason W, medium format, reader comment, Roy P
I have a bunch of stuff coming on the Fujifilm GFX100 II and the Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7, but having been gone for a month I’m playing catchup before I get rolling on that.
Roy’s summaries are always most entertaining and spot-on.
Roy P writes:
FWIW, I am declaring the Fuji 80mm f/1.7 as a dog, and I’m finally giving up on this lens. I tested this lens for the third time, this time with the GFX 100 II, and quite extensively too, after which I am raising the white flag, and sending it back to B&H.
The autofocusing on the GFX 100 II is noticeably improved, but that is relative to the low bar set by GFX 100S. It is barely adequate to freeze adults in engaged in normal conversations in a social setting, and the lens can’t chase kids like my 2-year old grandson running around. The contrast wide open is quite weak. By f/2.8 it becomes acceptably good in the central area, although some tweaks in post-processing helps. But as you move towards the sides, you can see increasing lateral CA creep in. You see LACA even at f/4. I didn’t test it for focus shift, field curvature, etc.
I think the only good GF lenses worth owning are:
- 20-35 f/4
- 35-70 f/4.5-5.6
- 50 f/3.5
- 55 f/1.7
- 110 f/2
- 250 f/4
If you have either the 35-70 or 55/1.7 or both, then the 50/3.5 becomes redundant. But the 50/3.5 still has its charm as a compact, walkaround lens for street photography, although the max f/3.5 is a bit slow. Still, it is the closest thing to a pancake lens in the medium format / semi-medium format universe, and it’s great value if you bought it at $500.
All the other GF lenses are desperately in need of next generation redesigns, IMO. The two most hideous GF lenses I have tested were the 45 f/2.8 (Prime Donkey) and the 32-64 f/4 (Zoom Donkey).
DIGLLOYD: I concur, no disagreement.
The 55/1.7 is a gem. Together with the 20-35/4 and 35-70, the kit is outstanding. The 110/2 is nice, but has some drawbacks, the 250/4 is great but bulky and awkward. Your baseline kit should be 20-35mm + 35-70mm + 55/1.7.
The tilt-shift lenses are specialty and we have to wait until December arrival to asses .
Jason W writes:
This post is spot on.
I bought and sold the 45/2.8 and it's funny, because I don't know what it was that made this lens suck, but it certainly did. I loved the 50/3.5 but every image for the 45/2.8 felt clinical and lacking in charm. I like the aberrations and distortion on the 50/3.5 and I don't on the 45/2.8 is best I can sum it up. And perhaps the minor difference in focal length is somehow relevant.
The 35-70 has a lot of the 50/3.5 draw style, although that lens does it a bit better. The 80/1.7 is a horror with all the monstrous CA that does nothing good.
DIGLLOYD: the Fujifilm GF 45/2.8 has plenty of focus shift and field curvature. It’s actually quite good (as good as the 50/3.5), but much harder to get optimal results because of those things.
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