Here's another from the Panasonic 14-140 f3.5-5.6. Looks ok doesn't it? Maybe I should have tried the lens on a Panasonic body but the E-M1 was where it would have been used most of the time. I like the colours and the files sharpen up nicely (when the focus was good). Some might ask why I think it was the lens and not the body, well, I've used other lenses on the E-M1 and focus and sharpness has been spot on. I'm pretty much convinced that the lens was a lemon because I've read a lot of praise for this lens on the Internet or maybe Panasonic had a batch leave the factory. Either way, it's gone and my refund has been transferred, so I'm happy for the present.

I have three or so samples taken with the new Panasonic 14-140 f3.5-5.6 lens. This is the second version and not really optimized for video. I really wanted to like this lens because I like the zoom range and it has a better feel to it than the first version. It is also smaller and lighter than version 1. However I may have gotten hold of a dud or as I call it "a Monday morning lens". Now these images I'm posting suggests that the lens was fine but these are only a few of the ok ones I got after using the lens for over a week. What I was seeing was really soft images using this lens on the E-M1 and I just couldn't figure it out. One minute I got some sharp images then the next few images were really really soft, and not only at the long end.

I tried switching from IBIS to ILIS but that didn't help matters at all. There was no pattern as to when a sharp image would appear because most of them were soft. The fact that this lens must have come from a kit because it actually came in an envelope, which didn't really help my confidence in the lens to start with.

To cut a long story short, the lens got sent back for a refund but I really did like the lens as such. I just might try another one down the line because it would pair up with the GX7 nicely.

Last image from this combination for now. Whether this image works or not is questionable. For me personally no it doesn't. It's not quite symetrical and the horizon is not quite correct. Boy, do I have a lot to learn about how to photograph with a fisheye lens. Very very difficult.

And here is the second image, a totally different one just by turning where I stood. Working with a fisheye lens is one of the hardest thing I've attempted (I feel the same way about real portraiture photography). It's something you really have to work on and finding subjects that work is the hardest thing to find.

Another point about using one of these fisheye lenses is to take work your subject. I know this is true of all subjects but with a fisheye it's really important. All you have to do is turn slightly and everything changes. I'll show what I mean with the above image. The next post will show exactly what I mean. All I did was turn where I stood and a totally different image came out.

This is something new for me, using a fisheye lens that it. The lens gives an angle of view of a 15mm lens on FF but that doesn't mean a thing for me when using a fisheye lens. It's so different that I didn't really know what I was doing. Most of the images I took with this lens on this outing were binned immediately because they just didn't work. The first thing I learned when looking at the images on my screen was forget everything what's in the middle of the image. Whatever is there, just disappears into the far distance. What's important is what's at the edges of the image. This is the most single important point you have to watch when using a fisheye lens.

Ok ok, one last image from the 35 f1.4 since I love it so much. I think the rendition on this sensor is great and the colours are spot on. I have no negative points regarding this lens and, for me, it's a perfect lens combined with the X-T1. You might find a lot more posts with this combination as I'm certain I'm going to using a lot more in the future.

To tell you the truth, I just can't stop posting images from this lens as it's impressed me immensly. The shot above was taken at f4 and just look how sharp it is from corner to corner. No blown highlights either! The X-T1 and the XF 35 f1.4 certainly are a great combination.

You sometimes, well I do anyway, get attached to lens that makes you want to out and use it. The X-T1 mounting the 35 f1.4 certainly is one of these lenses. I'm not certain what the performance is on the X-E1 or X-E2 because I haven't had the time to try the combinations yet, but I can't see the 35 f1.4 performing any worse (except for a quick test on the X-E1). The Fujifilm X system is certainly growing and there's a lot of demand for their cameras right now, and after testing this conbination, I can see why. I like the files, metering is great and the system as a whole is a lot smaller than the DSLR systems. Being smaller is a major point for me personally these days as I'm not getting any younger and weight does become a factor if I'm going out all day or on holiday. This is the future as I see it and, although it might take some time, the DSLR is on the out. Just my opinion of course, and you may disagree with that.

Just another example regarding the X-T1 metering. There's even some detail in the shadows with the two people. And that's without blowing out the highlights on the walls. Quite remarkable. If I was shooting with my old Canon cameras, well lets just say I don't think I'd have bothered with this compostion.