First images from the Fuji XF14 and a bonus from the 35

[photohiker]

I ordered this lens when it was announced sometime in the first half of 2012. Unfortunately everyone has been buying the 18-55 zoom so much that Fuji had to delay the 14mm. Thanks guys (you know who you are)

Anyway, it arrived today and I popped it on the camera and took a couple of quick snaps.





And while I'm at it, a shot of my SIL's whippet in BW with the XF35



The 14mm has the push-pull arrangement for manual/auto focus. It even has limit stops on each end of the focus range! It's a much happier arrangement than the continuous twirling on the other lenses (which, to be fair has improved a lot since release) Focus motor is NOT the new linear motor used in the 18-55, but the 14 focuses pretty quick (about the same speed as the 18) and probably doesn't need it. Field of view on the XPro1's optical VF is slightly smaller than the actual FOV of the lens, and yes, you can see the lens in the OVF. This was expected and acceptable to me.

So far, based on half a dozen images, pretty happy with the 14. Doesn't seem to have much distortion. Lens hood is the same as the 18-55 and is a lot easier to handle than the other hoods, attaches backwards for transport which is good. There have been complaints in the echo chamber about loose aperture rings, not a problem for me.

I think I'll keep it.

[aim54x]

Looking very good, congrats on the new addition!

[Matt. K]

Impressive. Great colours and looks snappy. Love the shot of the dog but feel it needs a little more processing to really make it pop. The dog is a little over exposed .I think it's worth the effort because the image is potentially a POTW in my opinion.

[photohiker]

Interesting comments about the whippet photo, Matt.

I originally processed the image and emailed it to SIL. Looked good on screen, but when printed, the dog looked dull and grey, so I lightened it. Print looks good but its only a small print. That's the image I posted above.

Not expert BW PPer by any means, but happy to be schooled. Pulled back the exposure a bit here, any suggestions?:

[chrisk]

Interesting comments about the whippet photo, Matt.

I originally processed the image and emailed it to SIL. Looked good on screen, but when printed, the dog looked dull and grey, so I lightened it. Print looks good but its only a small print. That's the image I posted above.

Not expert BW PPer by any means, but happy to be schooled. Pulled back the exposure a bit here, any suggestions?:

That's better but to me it's lacking contrast.

[photohiker]

Thanks Rooz

Added contrast and a touch of vignetting. Enough contrast now?



Not really sure what I'm aiming for here, will have to have another look at some of your BW shots.

[Murray Foote]

I think I prefer it the way it was. For me the original contrast range was fine.

[CraigVTR]

My 2 cents.
I think the contrast is better but the highlights need to be pulled back a little.

[PiroStitch]

I prefer the original as well as there was more range. There's enough contrast in the rework though not as much range.

[zafra52]

Yeap, the first image of the dog looks fine on y screen.

[photohiker]

haha Spoiled for choices here.

Thanks for all the opinions. I agree with Matt that in the first image the dog did look overexposed. LR wasn't complaining though, and if I bump the highlights up it definitely does.

Another go at getting somewhere in between. The dog definitely looks 'harder' as soon as the contrast is bumped, the coat and features look less smooth as a result.