I just got an X-S20 and I have a gallery show coming up in Seattle this November. I'm honestly panicking because I need to make some really huge prints and my kit zoom just isnt cutting it for fine detail.
I'm torn between the XF 33mm f1.4 R LM WR and the 90mm f2. I've got a hard budget of $900 so I can really only afford one of these. I'm leaning toward the 33mm but will I lose that biting sharpness I need for 30-inch prints? Which one is actually the sharpest prime for this body?
Honestly, the Fujifilm XF 33mm f1.4 R LM WR was a letdown for me. It just doesnt have the surgical bite for 30-inch prints.
- Fujifilm XF 90mm f2 R LM WR: Fujis sharpest lens, hands down. No contest for detail.
- Fujifilm XF 33mm f1.4 R LM WR: Good, but corners are kinda soft wide open. Grab the 90mm. The 33mm is okay but disappointed me when I started printing large.
Just catching up... I learned the hard way at a show last year that screen sharpness isnt print sharpness. Using a fast prime left the edges muddy on my large prints.
- Be careful with the Fujifilm XF 33mm f1.4 R LM WR for edge detail.
- The Fujifilm XF 90mm f2 R LM WR is safer for tack-sharp prints. I would suggest buying used to save cash, tho watch out for lens dust.
Tbh I had issues with the Fujifilm XF 33mm f1.4 R LM WR when making large prints. It was not as good as expected for fine textures and unfortunately lacked that surgical bite in the corners. For your gallery show:
- Fujifilm XF 90mm f2 R LM WR: This is easily the sharpest prime in the lineup.
- Fujifilm XF 18mm f1.4 R LM WR: Better corner-to-corner detail than the 33mm if you need wide. Dont worry tho, the 90mm will handle those 30-inch prints easily.
> Re: "Just catching up... I learned the hard way..."
- Everyone's right about the 90mm, but for total reliability in big prints, the Fujifilm XF 18mm f1.4 R LM WR has better edge-to-edge detail than the 33mm.
