My 60mm just came in today. On my XH2, while image quality was superb, AF focus was... abysmal. The worst I've ever used from any brand ever... until I flashed the firmware. It shipped with 2.01, and I updated to 3.13: completely transformed it and it's just as good as any other non-LM Fuji lens.
I bought this lens used. During the spring time I like taking pictures of all the vibrant colors. I find that the auto focus is not just slow but it misses a lot and it's hard to tell a shot was out of focus until after I upload the photos on a big screen. Sometimes I find myself wishing I brought the hood but it's so dang huge. It's all worth it for that beautiful bokeh -- I've captured some magical shots with this lens!
The 60mm is a true classic lens. It is more than just a close up optic. It's a more than serviceable portrait and short telephoto lens. The AF is fine for portraits and still subjects. The IQ is great and it's nice and compact. Combined with a small wide angle and standard prime it makes a great three lens travel kit.
My preferred portrait lens on the X-T3. Absolute killer trifecta of image quality, size/weight, and useability after upgrading the firmware. The AF speed is comically slow on older firmware , and at the very least triples in speed after updating.
Thanks Adrian!!! The 16-55 you sold me is an absolute workhorse, it's used for most of these videos, usually the top down section and the "in studio" sections
I own the XF 60mm f/2.4 and the image quality and sharpness are still top notch. The focus ring is the nicest and smoothest I've ever experienced with any Fujinon lens. That being said, just like mentioned in the video, the AF is well 12 years old technology now and you can tell right away. It does slow you down when shooting with this lens. Also, don't forget it still uses now somewhat forgotten external focus.
Mine often gets used as a general purpose lens. I like the little bit of compression it gives to a scene. Then you can get close with the same lens, and there’s plenty of detail though colours remain natural and lush rather than eyeball scratching . The AF is ok with the update, similar to the 18-55 I’d say. Don’t know why people ignore it really. Oh, and the box lid is of course magnetic, just marvellous.
I'm really tempted by this lens. I think the key to thinking about it is that it's like a 90mm f/3.5 for a rangefinder, that just happens to be able to focus really close. Compact (barely bigger than the 50/2), great image quality, sufficient subject separation, nice rendering to the OOF areas. While it lacks the speed and WR of the 50/2, mathematically speaking the depth of field will be nearly identical (the longer focal length claws back the half-stop of aperture!), and the close focus capabilities and slightly higher telephoto compression should be worthwhile. I might change my mind, but this seems likely to be the next Fuji lens I buy. While not 1:1 macro, I think that's fine. First, tonnes of old film lenses weren't either. A lot of famous Nikkor, Pentax Screw/K/M/A, Canon FD macro lenses were 0.5x magnification. Second, being only half-macro has advantages in what it lets the lens designers do. It's smaller and lighter than most 1:1 macros, and f/2.4 instead of f/2.8 like most 1.0x magnification lenses. Third, the crop factor matters. On an APS-C sensor, reproducing a 24mm object at 12mm on the sensor fills a lot more of the frame than on a full-frame sensor. Fourth, extension tubes are easy to use, and will work great on a lens like this--the better the close-up capabilities, the more a lens gets out of extension tubes.
If you are used to modern Fujinon lenses, then the first thing you'll notice the moment you pick up the XF 60mm f/2.4 is the difference in the build quality. The old XF 60mm f/2.4 is just built better. That being said, the second thing you'll notice, the moment you turn your camera on, how old the desing is, especially the external focus, that needs a bit of time and guess work to get in focus. The manual focus on the other hand is very nice, the focus ring is the perfect size and does have the perfect resistance to it as well. Unlike the modern f/2 lenses that have tiny focus rings.
And indeed, it was my next lens. I really like it. I’ve been thinking a lot about how all optics are tradeoffs. There’s all sorts of short tele portrait lenses for Fuji, and most of them have merit, depending on what set of tradeoffs you want. This lens has small size and impressive close focus and image quality, but trades off maximum aperture (or 1:1 macro, depending on your perspective) and the user has to sacrifice fast AF from the age of the lens. And that’s the right set for me. I greatly value a small and comfortable lens. I prefer the aperture ring. I don’t actually shoot many people or in fast situations, so the slow AF isn’t a critical problem like it might be for someone else. I shoot lots of flowers when out walking, and the close focus of the 60 is perfect. And if I ever need full macro, extension tubes and a lens designed for close-up image quality is a great place to start. The other lenses in the approximate focal length which seem like the distinctive sets of tradeoffs: the Fuji 50/2 WR, mostly for the WR. Not as dramatic as any of the others for bokeh, but it’s small, affordable, and has that WR. The new Viltrox 56/1.7, which seems like it’s ahead of the other ultra-budget options in terms of sharpness and rendering, as the best very cheap option. And lastly the Fuji 56/1.2 WR, for folks who don’t care about price or size and want that shallow DOF above all.
Great review :-) The 80mm macro is on my shopping list for this year, and while this hasn't changed my mind to the 60mm, I might pick up a 60mm secondhand to play with.
I’d dearly love an 80mm macro but $1500 dollarydoos is too much to spend. I’ve found a good compromise for macro photography with the 60mm and an MCEX-16 extension which increases the magnification to 0.76x. Keeps things lightweight too, which is important for me. The 60mm and extension on an X-T20 with a Godox TT350 weighs 957g.
I bought this lens when I got my X-T2 in 2018. Loved it. But then the aperture collar stopped working and even though it was repaired by Fuji free of charge I lost confidence in it and moved it on. Great IQ though, shame about the build on my copy at least.
Hello; I`ve seen your Vid`s about all the new 55 & 56 Lenses for Fuji; like Viltrox, TT Artisan and Meike . If i can get a used 60mm Fuji I`ll take the Fuji lens and NO experiments about around 100 Euro less. You did with this Video what I was looking for, and used it on the streets and not like lot of the others who tried to use it as a "Makro". So; well done. Thanks.
Did you miss a trick here but not mentionng seting the focus limiter on 3rd gen bodies or newer? I owned it on an Xpro 1, but I'd love to know if setting the focus limitier to say 1m-infinity helps speed things up regarding Autofocus...
I prefer the bokeh on the 60mm over the Fuji 56mm. The 60 has 9 blades and is very uniform across the entire image. Everyone complains about the poor AF, but it's as good as the 35 1.4 which doesn't get nearly so much hate. I got my 60 used for about 250 USD, just insane value for such great IQ
i had this lens years ago for my x-t20. never got really warm with it. AF too slow and i never used it for macro. i sold it and use now the viltrox 56 1.4 instead.
I really love this lens! Got something special to it! It's also great for portraits. Hopefully Fujifilm will give it blazing fast AF in a future update. That would be great!
Some lenses are just classics that need no improvement. As I often say to people, "Fuji don't know how to build a bad lens!". I'd have one if I didn't already own the 80mmf2.8 macro, which like this lens I'll probably still own and shoot with in 12 years time.
Thank you, and a fascinating insight. I had always discounted it as a prime for me, but having seen your images shot @ 2.4 I do wonder if it would work for me, as a prime. Whats it like on F8 and F11 as I also shoot landscapes
My 60mm just came in today. On my XH2, while image quality was superb, AF focus was... abysmal. The worst I've ever used from any brand ever... until I flashed the firmware. It shipped with 2.01, and I updated to 3.13: completely transformed it and it's just as good as any other non-LM Fuji lens.
I can't remember it being quite that bad but love how Fujifilm didn't leave it in the past
I bought this lens used. During the spring time I like taking pictures of all the vibrant colors. I find that the auto focus is not just slow but it misses a lot and it's hard to tell a shot was out of focus until after I upload the photos on a big screen. Sometimes I find myself wishing I brought the hood but it's so dang huge. It's all worth it for that beautiful bokeh -- I've captured some magical shots with this lens!
The 60mm is a true classic lens. It is more than just a close up optic. It's a more than serviceable portrait and short telephoto lens. The AF is fine for portraits and still subjects. The IQ is great and it's nice and compact. Combined with a small wide angle and standard prime it makes a great three lens travel kit.
Agreed!!
Still love this lens, sharp as a tack. It’s a keeper, as is my 35/1.4.
Agreed!!
My preferred portrait lens on the X-T3. Absolute killer trifecta of image quality, size/weight, and useability after upgrading the firmware. The AF speed is comically slow on older firmware , and at the very least triples in speed after updating.
Lovely lens Damian, nice video too. Love your down to earth real world style of reviews.
Thanks Adrian!!!
The 16-55 you sold me is an absolute workhorse, it's used for most of these videos, usually the top down section and the "in studio" sections
I own the XF 60mm f/2.4 and the image quality and sharpness are still top notch. The focus ring is the nicest and smoothest I've ever experienced with any Fujinon lens. That being said, just like mentioned in the video, the AF is well 12 years old technology now and you can tell right away. It does slow you down when shooting with this lens. Also, don't forget it still uses now somewhat forgotten external focus.
Good point!
Mine often gets used as a general purpose lens. I like the little bit of compression it gives to a scene. Then you can get close with the same lens, and there’s plenty of detail though colours remain natural and lush rather than eyeball scratching . The AF is ok with the update, similar to the 18-55 I’d say. Don’t know why people ignore it really. Oh, and the box lid is of course magnetic, just marvellous.
Agreed 💯
I'm really tempted by this lens. I think the key to thinking about it is that it's like a 90mm f/3.5 for a rangefinder, that just happens to be able to focus really close. Compact (barely bigger than the 50/2), great image quality, sufficient subject separation, nice rendering to the OOF areas. While it lacks the speed and WR of the 50/2, mathematically speaking the depth of field will be nearly identical (the longer focal length claws back the half-stop of aperture!), and the close focus capabilities and slightly higher telephoto compression should be worthwhile. I might change my mind, but this seems likely to be the next Fuji lens I buy.
While not 1:1 macro, I think that's fine. First, tonnes of old film lenses weren't either. A lot of famous Nikkor, Pentax Screw/K/M/A, Canon FD macro lenses were 0.5x magnification. Second, being only half-macro has advantages in what it lets the lens designers do. It's smaller and lighter than most 1:1 macros, and f/2.4 instead of f/2.8 like most 1.0x magnification lenses. Third, the crop factor matters. On an APS-C sensor, reproducing a 24mm object at 12mm on the sensor fills a lot more of the frame than on a full-frame sensor. Fourth, extension tubes are easy to use, and will work great on a lens like this--the better the close-up capabilities, the more a lens gets out of extension tubes.
If you are used to modern Fujinon lenses, then the first thing you'll notice the moment you pick up the XF 60mm f/2.4 is the difference in the build quality. The old XF 60mm f/2.4 is just built better. That being said, the second thing you'll notice, the moment you turn your camera on, how old the desing is, especially the external focus, that needs a bit of time and guess work to get in focus. The manual focus on the other hand is very nice, the focus ring is the perfect size and does have the perfect resistance to it as well. Unlike the modern f/2 lenses that have tiny focus rings.
Great set of points!!!
Thanks for this Philip!
And indeed, it was my next lens. I really like it.
I’ve been thinking a lot about how all optics are tradeoffs. There’s all sorts of short tele portrait lenses for Fuji, and most of them have merit, depending on what set of tradeoffs you want. This lens has small size and impressive close focus and image quality, but trades off maximum aperture (or 1:1 macro, depending on your perspective) and the user has to sacrifice fast AF from the age of the lens.
And that’s the right set for me. I greatly value a small and comfortable lens. I prefer the aperture ring. I don’t actually shoot many people or in fast situations, so the slow AF isn’t a critical problem like it might be for someone else. I shoot lots of flowers when out walking, and the close focus of the 60 is perfect. And if I ever need full macro, extension tubes and a lens designed for close-up image quality is a great place to start.
The other lenses in the approximate focal length which seem like the distinctive sets of tradeoffs: the Fuji 50/2 WR, mostly for the WR. Not as dramatic as any of the others for bokeh, but it’s small, affordable, and has that WR. The new Viltrox 56/1.7, which seems like it’s ahead of the other ultra-budget options in terms of sharpness and rendering, as the best very cheap option. And lastly the Fuji 56/1.2 WR, for folks who don’t care about price or size and want that shallow DOF above all.
Great review :-) The 80mm macro is on my shopping list for this year, and while this hasn't changed my mind to the 60mm, I might pick up a 60mm secondhand to play with.
The 80mm is top quality and in fairness better for macro work!
Beautiful lens great for portraits
Definitely!
I’d dearly love an 80mm macro but $1500 dollarydoos is too much to spend. I’ve found a good compromise for macro photography with the 60mm and an MCEX-16 extension which increases the magnification to 0.76x. Keeps things lightweight too, which is important for me. The 60mm and extension on an X-T20 with a Godox TT350 weighs 957g.
Great tip.
Yeah, first-gen Fuji gear had some outstanding packaging, very impressed.
Glad someone agrees 😀
It's an oldie but a good one. I'll stick with the 30mm and 80mm macros though, they're on a different level
They're both quality!!
I bought this lens when I got my X-T2 in 2018. Loved it. But then the aperture collar stopped working and even though it was repaired by Fuji free of charge I lost confidence in it and moved it on. Great IQ though, shame about the build on my copy at least.
Not good at all 😢
Hello; I`ve seen your Vid`s about all the new 55 & 56 Lenses for Fuji; like Viltrox, TT Artisan and Meike . If i can get a used 60mm Fuji I`ll take the Fuji lens and NO experiments about around 100 Euro less. You did with this Video what I was looking for, and used it on the streets and not like lot of the others who tried to use it as a "Makro". So; well done. Thanks.
Did you miss a trick here but not mentionng seting the focus limiter on 3rd gen bodies or newer? I owned it on an Xpro 1, but I'd love to know if setting the focus limitier to say 1m-infinity helps speed things up regarding Autofocus...
Watching on a Saturday evening after a pint or many I'm thinking, cracking lens, and true Brummie. Dude!
Haha, me too! Cheers, mate. We need to get Damian on a live stream, and he can join us for a pint!
Yes mate!! Brummie to the core 😀
Love it!!!
I prefer the bokeh on the 60mm over the Fuji 56mm. The 60 has 9 blades and is very uniform across the entire image. Everyone complains about the poor AF, but it's as good as the 35 1.4 which doesn't get nearly so much hate. I got my 60 used for about 250 USD, just insane value for such great IQ
Bargain!!
i had this lens years ago for my x-t20. never got really warm with it. AF too slow and i never used it for macro. i sold it and use now the viltrox 56 1.4 instead.
I hear that :) I have both, for different uses.
I really love this lens! Got something special to it! It's also great for portraits. Hopefully Fujifilm will give it blazing fast AF in a future update. That would be great!
Agreed, though I'm happy for them to prioritise other lenses
wow the price is insanely good
Yes!!
Some lenses are just classics that need no improvement. As I often say to people, "Fuji don't know how to build a bad lens!". I'd have one if I didn't already own the 80mmf2.8 macro, which like this lens I'll probably still own and shoot with in 12 years time.
The 80mm is brilliant!!
Hello do you think this would work well for food videography ?
Yes!
Thank you, and a fascinating insight. I had always discounted it as a prime for me, but having seen your images shot @ 2.4 I do wonder if it would work for me, as a prime. Whats it like on F8 and F11 as I also shoot landscapes
Very very nice!