Honestly I am so fed up with my current kit. I spent a fortune on the X-H2S thinking it would be the ultimate setup for my portrait work but my old 56mm f1.2 is just not cutting it anymore. The autofocus is hunting constantly and even when it hits the eyes look kinda soft when I zoom in to check detail. I dont know if its the glass aging or if I just have a bad copy but im just ready to throw the whole thing out the window at this point. I have a big high-end engagement shoot coming up in three weeks in the Cotswolds and I need something that is tack sharp edge to edge right from wide open. I cant be spending hours in post-processing trying to fix blurry eyelashes its just exhausting and making me hate my workflow.
My budget is hovering around 1100 quid and I really need the sharpest possible thing available for Fuji right now. Is the new 56mm WR actually that much of an improvement or is the 90mm f2 the way to go for that clinical look? I have heard people talk about the Viltrox 75mm too but I am nervous about third party stuff failing on me during a gig. What are you guys actually using when you need that absolute wow factor sharpness...
I totally get where youre coming from... I remember shooting a bridal session with that original 56mm and honestly, I wanted to cry when I got home. Half the shots were just soft enough to be unusable. Unfortunately, I found that even the newer Fujifilm XF 56mm f1.2 R WR had some issues with AF speed that I wasnt expecting for a modern lens. It is way sharper, but it still feels a bit clunky on the X-H2S compared to their other glass. If you want that clinical, biting sharpness you're after, here is what I have learned from my own gear struggles:
- The Fujifilm XF 90mm f2 R LM WR is basically the only lens that has never let me down. It uses a quad linear motor so it just snaps onto the eye instantly. No hunting, no nonsense. Honestly, it is probably the sharpest lens in the entire X-mount catalog right now.
- The compression you get at 90mm (which is like 135mm on full frame) is just gorgeous. It makes those Cotswolds backdrops look like a dream while keeping the subject tack sharp.
- I actually tried the Viltrox 75mm f1.2 AF Fuji X for a bit because of the hype, but I had some issues with it not being as good as expected in backlit situations. The flare was pretty messy and it just felt a bit budget during a professional shoot. I wouldnt trust it for an engagement gig where you only get one shot at the moment. I ended up selling my old 56mm and never looked back once I moved to the 90mm. It just works every single time.
