The Good Stuff.

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12.20.2018

I snuck in one more new lens before the end of the year.

Iceland. 2018
Panasonic G9. 
Olympus 12-100mm.

I've really been enjoying the Fuji X-H1. I like the way the shutter sounds and I'm pretty impressed with how quiet it is. I'm not using it in the silent mode either; it's just quiet. I am very satisfied with the EVF too. But the one thing that was missing for me was a good portrait lens. The 55mm lenses are really close but just a little short for a traditionalist like me. The 55-200mm zoom is fine for most of the commercial portraits I'll do; in fact, it's actually a very good lens; not just sharp but also capable of creating images that are, for want of a better phrase, likable. It's just that I was missing that fast, prime 90mm-100mm equivalent focal length and it was important to me. 

After a lot of reading, and a few times playing with lenses that my friends have for their Fuji cameras, I decided to buy the 60mm f2.4. Yes, it's not the fastest focusing lens in the system, and in poor light it can hunt just a bit, but my initial tests show the lens is capable of high resolution and sharpness, coupled with a high image likability quotient. 

I took it out for a spin this afternoon and it rides nicely on the X-H1. 

I've got the studio more or less organized now and I'm ready to start taking portraits on my home turf again so I'll have the opportunity to use the lens in a concentrated burst after next week. 

A word to anyone considering this lens for their Fuji cameras: Huge. The lens hood is huge. But unlike some reviewers I see this as a distinct plus. It's metal, robust, and does a great job blocking all non-image forming light. If you think it's too indiscreet you can always........remove it. I'll keep mine on. Mostly for the theoretical increase in contrast but also because I think it looks cool.

More adventures with the 60mm to come.
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3 comments:

  1. HenkDecember 20, 2018 at 11:27 PM

    Kirk,
    I think it will make a good studio portrait lens, I was disappointed with it as a close-up lens. But then I am used to the Panasonic 45mm F/2.8 Leica DG macro-elmarit. Here's a link if you want to improve the lens hood: https://www.prophotonut.com/2012/05/09/fuji-x-pro1-60mm-lens-hood-mask-and-filter-step-up-fix/
    Have fun.
    Henk

    ReplyDelete
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