For too many years since stills photography and video production flipped from analog over to digital, some of the most useful and popular focal lengths of the previous era have been forgotten by lens makers some of whom have only woken up to their necessity in recent years.
In 35mm sensor terms, those almost forgotten focal lengths include 21mm, 28mm, 40mm, 75mm and 105mm or, in their APS-C and Super 35 equivalents, 14mm, 18mm, 27mm, 50mm and 70mm.
I love Fujifilm’s Fujinon XF 50mm f/2.0 R WR by the way: I carry one every day, it’s an excellent documentary and documentary portrait lens, and it proves the value of the “Fujicron” narrow-fronted compact prime concept especially when attached to an X-Pro series camera.
Fujifilm came to the party reasonably early on the 14mm, 18mm and 27mm focal lengths but has apparently forgotten about 70mm despite many pleas from customers over the years.
Those early focal length designs – 14mm, 18mm and 27mm – contained some optical or mechanical compromises and, thankfully, Fujifilm took heed from some of its customers and updated the near-pancake Fujinon XF 18mm f/2.0 R with the fast aperture “Fujilux” Fujinon XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR.
Fujifilm has yet to produce a direct update of the 18mm pancake lens via a “Fujicron” 18mm f/2.0 that is better suited to its X-Pro digital rangefinder line or its more entry-level cameras such as the X-S20 and the X-E series.
Inversely, Fujifilm updated its flawed pancake-style Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8 R with the slightly less flawed XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR. The former was noisy and slow-focusing in autofocus mode with suboptimal manual focusing, both are prone to their focusing units suddenly failing with the lens becoming unusable and costly to repair, and neither is recommended for serious video work especially needing to attach more than a protection filter on the front.
Both lenses’ 27mm focal length, equivalent to perfect normal 40.5mm in the 35mm sensor format, is an excellent choice as daily carry and can accommodate a range of subjects, genres and approaches in photography and video but for the latter a “Fujilux” design-style with larger, sturdier body and focusing unit large enough attach several screw-on filters or a matte box is more appropriate.
I loved my XF 27mm f/2.8 R for its versatile focal length and used it for many immersive and up-close documentary projects when needing to rely on one prime lens on one camera instead of carrying several lenses and cameras, or, indeed, one larger variable focal length aka zoom lens on a single camera.
Can you guess which projects were entirely shot with my now sadly retired (due to ill health) XF 27mm f/2.8 R?:
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Even if its focusing unit had not failed, I’ve long been itching for a more video-appropriate alternative, a modernized version of the legendary Hollywood 28 that was used to photograph many great feature films with a focal length that still features in contemporary moviemaking.
Modernized because if I want a lens with the classic “9 elements in 8 groups with one floating element for close focusing” of Zeiss’ Dr Glatzel’s original Hollywood 28 for narrative movies then I would choose one made by companies that licensed his design such as Contax/Yashica, Nikon, Pentax or Rollei and consider having it rehoused.
For documentary work, quirky is not so useful and thus a modern optical and mechanical design is called for and that is where the Viltrox AF 27mm f/1.2 XF Pro comes in.
Over to Klaus Schroiff of OpticalLimits who appears to be currently living here in Sydney if his photographs with the lens attached to a Fujifilm X-H2 are anything to go by.
- OpticalLimits – Viltrox AF 27mm f/1.2 XF PRO – Review / Test Report
“As mentioned in the introduction, the Viltrox AF 27mm f/1.2 XF Pro occupies a spot that hasn’t been taken by Fujifilm or Sigma yet….
Verdict
Viltrox has delivered an impressive piece of equipment – again. The Viltrox AF 27mm f/1.2 XF Pro is sharp at f/1.2 and great at medium aperture settings. As expected, the RAW vignetting is on the high side at f/1.2, but auto-correction reduces the issue to a more manageable level. Image distortions, as well as CAs, are negligible in their original form already. The quality of the bokeh is good but not flawless. The general out-of-focus rendering is very smooth in the background. However, the “cat eye” effect sets in quite early, and there’s some bokeh fringing at very large aperture settings. Flare is quite well controlled for such a fast lens. The Viltrox lens isn’t a king when it comes to sun stars, but given the 11 aperture blades, the designers simply focused on bokeh quality instead.
The mechanical quality of the Viltrox Pro lens is outstanding and easily on par with Fujifilm’s own prime lenses. It’s a tightly assembled, all-metal body with smooth, high-quality controls and fast AF (on the X-H2, at least). Internal focusing, weather-sealing, and a water-resistant coating on the front element provide protection against tough outdoor conditions.
We quite like this Viltrox lens – a lot. “Highly Recommended,” and we are already looking forward to the next one.”
Viltrox Official: VILTROX AF 27mm F.1.2 Pro XF Ultra Large Aperture Prime Lens Designed For FUJIFILM X-mount Cameras
“The AF 27mm F1.2 Pro lens is the second ultra-large aperture prime lens of the Pro flagship series launched by Viltrox after the AF 75mm F1.2 Pro. Continuing the amazing ultra-high resolution of the Pro series and F1.2 super large aperture for soft&beautiful bokeh. With optical structure of 15 elements in 11 groups, the aperture is fully open to present the overwhelmingly high image quality. Built-in HOYA aspherical lens, compact size and light weight, optical performance second-to-none, high-speed and precise autofocus, inspire unlimited potential. Dust-proof & splash-proof, waterproof and anti-fouling coating reliable structural design, all-round innovation of APS-C lens shooting experience, making Pro more Pro.”
Viltrox Official: Viltrox AF 27mm F1.2 Pro XF Behind The Scenes Video
“What Is The Main Features:
- 27mm focal length, F1.2 large aperture.
- 15/11 lens elements (2 ED, 5 refractive index lenses and 1 aspherical lens).
- Use Japanese HOYA material on aspherical lens.
- The closest focusing distance is 0.28m.
- STM motor design, high-speed and precise auto-focus.
- Dust-proof and Splash-proof.”
Viltrox AF 27mm f/1.2 Pro XF
Another Viltrox lens Klaus Schroiff reviewed for OpticalLimits earlier in the year is the Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.2 Pro XF and that is also worth a look given it is not far from the ever-in-demand 105mm-equivalent 70mm APS-C/Super 35 focal length.
- OpticalLimits – Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.2 PRO XF – Review / Test Report
Viltrox Official: Get A Closer Look On Every Design Detail Of VILTROX AF 75mm F1.2 Pro
“AF 75mm F1.2 Pro E/X/Z Mount
“Pro series Lenses”integrate the highest level of optical quality of all current Viltrox camera lenses, which is a milestone in the consistent research and pursuit of optical technology, aiming to go further than the expectations of users.”
Viltrox AF 75mm f/1.2 Pro XF
I first became aware of Viltrox some years ago after reading about Emily Skye of SheWolf Films using the company’s lens adapters with her Panasonic Lumix cameras and made a mental note to check up on what they may be doing in future.
With the release of the two Viltrox Pro series Fujifilm X-mount primes, the 27mm and 75mm, Viltrox has become an even more interesting company to watch out for.
The interview below, re-published by Photo Rumors, shows that Viltrox is becoming even more interesting with its move into cinema lenses with some primes to begin with and zooms to come.
I have yet to see any Viltrox products here in Sydney but I am hoping that the company will begin to find a market in Australia especially now that it’s producing lenses of this calibre with even better to come with its cine lenses and, reportedly, Lab series lenses that are apparently to be better quality again than its Pro series.
Right now Viltrox’ two XF Pro lenses look very attractive especially for photographing events like the free workshops at Fujifilm Australia’s Fujifilm House of Photography in Park Street, Sydney.
I’m hoping that more XF Pro lenses are in development especially those that fill some of the gaps in Fujifilm’s own XF lens roadmap.
An XF Pro lens trio consisting of 14mm, 27mm and 75mm would prove very useful for photographing these workshop events and for the sake of optical colour consistency a lens to sit in between 14mm and 27mm, and another in between 27mm and 75mm would be terrific for video projects.
Viltrox ciné anamorphic and spherical prime lenses
Links
- B&H Affiliate Link –Click here to research and purchase or pre-order your choice of cameras, lenses and accessories for stills photography and video production whatever your genre and subject matter.
- Fuji Rumors – Viltrox 27mm f/1.2 Review by Optical Limits: “an Impressive Piece of Equipment”
- Photo Rumors – Interesting interview with Viltrox
- Viltrox – VILTROX PRO Series AF 27mm F.1.2 Pro XF Ultra Large Aperture APS-C Prime Lens Designed For FUJIFILM X-mount Cameras
- Viltrox – VILTROX PRO Series 75mm F1.2 XF Auto Focus Large Aperture Prime Lens Designed for Fujifilm X-mount Cameras
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