Actually, I received this lens before the XF56 Mark II, but I didn’t use it much and didn’t take many sample photos. I always felt that this lens had greater potential, so I took it out last weekend and took some shots. However, I realized that it was just the same as before, and I ended up with only a few photos for this article.

I may have different preferences compared to some Fuji users when it comes to lenses. Here are a few requirements I have:

• It must have an aperture ring.
• The lens body must be made of metal.
• I prefer a large aperture with image stabilization, so it should have decent low-light capabilities.
• The acceptable weight should be around one pound.
• I don’t have high demands for focusing speed and image quality. As long as it is good enough to share on my blog, it’s sufficient.

I’m not a gearhead, so I won’t go into analyzing the technical specifications. This lens is said to have the best image quality among the f/1.4 lineup and is also the most expensive. It is made in Japan and has a great build quality.

This lens comes with a metal square lens hood, but it’s a bit expensive at over $400, so I haven’t purchased it yet. Despite being a wide-angle lens, it still has good bokeh capabilities due to its large aperture.

Pros

• Solid metal construction with excellent build quality.
• Large aperture for outstanding image quality.

Cons

• The included plastic lens hood is unattractive, and the metal square lens hood is expensive.
• The 18mm focal length may not be wide enough for some users.
• The aperture ring may feel a bit loose.

Sample photos

Conclusion

For now, it’s working pretty well.