PL 25 f.1.4 compared to Fuji 35mm f/1.4

[Vermont3133]

I've got a PL 25 coming in the mail and am really looking forward to trying it.
I also have Fuji gear and have long heard about the 'unique rendering' of the Fuji 35mm f/1.4 but never succumbed to buying one.
It would seem that these two lenses have a lot in common.....f/1.4, approx. similar FF equiv. focal length and that hard to define, 'extra something'.
So, just curious, anybody used both lenses and found similarities between them?

 

[pdk42]

I've owned both. But I think the Fuji was something special, despite its slow and noisy AF. The PL 25? - it was OK.

 

[mike3996]

Very interesting to hear about people's thoughts on this.

But I think the Fuji was something special,----- The PL 25? - it was OK.

I had the Fujinon 35/1.4 for a moment in 2017. Indeed, very interesting and special lens. This reflects pretty much anyone else's opinion about the lens.

On the other hand, many say they ultimately choose to go with the newer 35/2 lens because of its enhanced properties (sharpness, AF, WR, smoother bokeh(?!)) but I didn't care for its rendering at all. Should I go back to Fuji, I'd much rather have the older f/1.4 all day any day.

PL 25, I have also heard, is merely "okay" from many people. If Panasonic Leica lenses are magical in general, PL25 must be the least magical of the bunch?

 

[Fuzzdog]

I've had both, the Panasonic was a decent enough lens which had nothing particularly special about it. Nothing wrong with it, but I'd not go out of my way to buy another. The Fuji 35mm was (very!) slow to focus, but it ended up being my favourite Fuji lens by far. It wasn't even super sharp, there was just something really 'nice' about the images when shot wide open which I liked a lot.

 

[Vermont3133]

Hmmm, thanks guys....maybe I should lower my expectations just a tad.
It won't be long, hopefully, until I can try it myself. I have done a fair bit of research on this lens....and I got it for a reasonable price.
But I have to admit I'm totally subjective when it comes to liking lenses. I had the Fuji 35mm f/2 and found it pretty average....similarly the Sony Zeiss 24 f/1.8 [which was reputedly sprinkled with fairy dust..or something], and at the moment the Pana 14 is just about my favourite lens.

 

[frankmulder]

I have never tried the Fuji 35mm f/1.4, but I think my PL25 is pretty magical. But what do I know...

@fransglans also seems to be enjoying his copy of the PL25 (after having switched from Fuji).

 

[WT21]

I liked the PL25. I just am not shooting that FOV at present. I liked to put an ND filter on it and shoot wide open in the daytime.

Never cared for the Fuji 35 1.4, mainly due to it's focus mechanism.

 

[damianmkv]

Never owned the Fuji but I had the PL25 briefly. I’d read amazing things about it and had to buy it

just didn’t get the “wow” and sold it soon after. Neither impressed or unimpressed. IMO, not one of those that you regret having sold and hanker for another despite its quirks ( such as the p20 or x100 series where you always seem to buy another )

 

[bigboysdad]

I’ve owned both lenses and to be fair they are both very nice, but there are similar lenses within their respective lineups. With m43, the similar lens is the 20/f1.7. A very nice lens in how it renders and thus a bit too similar to the 25. May as well get the 20, it probably has more character too. With Fuji, that similar lens is the 35/f2 which is way more bland and sterile compared to the 35/f1.4.

 

[demiro]

I thought both lenses were great when I owned them, the Fuji a bit more clunky to use.

Seems to me the 25/1.4 used to get a lot more love around here. Is it somehow less "special" on newer bodies? I probably last used it on a GX7 or E-M5.

 

[bargainguy]

I'm fortunate enough to own both the 25/1.2 Pro and the 25/1.4 PL. Got the Pro first and then lucked into the 1.4 on a group buy.

I much prefer the Pro, despite the size difference. Better microcontrast overall and better corner sharpness at full aperture. The speed difference between f/1.2 and f/1.4 makes little difference in how I use either lens.

As far as size, I wish that Panasonic had designed the lens hood to be reversible. It takes up almost as much length as the Pro in my bag with the lens hood mounted.

 

[fransglans]

@fransglans also seems to be enjoying his copy of the PL25 (after having switched from Fuji).

I had fujinon 35 f2...

And yes I switched to PL25, which gives me more what I want, which is very subtly small differences in iq, which Noone but us nerds would see anyway

But I've had 6 copies of PL25, could be more, I have stopped to count and it's a marvelous lens. But a tight fov. A neat trick is to shoot 3:2 for a more wide angle feeling

 

[Robstar1963]

My memory of the PL 25mm F1.4 is that it was very good - even exceptional ? but this was a few years ago and would have been on a 16mp M43 Camera but the focal length didn’t really appeal I much preferred 45mm

 

[Vermont3133]

I had fujinon 35 f2...

And yes I switched to PL25, which gives me more what I want, which is very subtly small differences in iq, which Noone but us nerds would see anyway

But I've had 6 copies of PL25, could be more, I have stopped to count and it's a marvelous lens. But a tight fov. A neat trick is to shoot 3:2 for a more wide angle feeling

Six!! copies?
Yeah, I tried the Fuji 35 f/2 and was unimpressed. The f/1.4 version is another story though, but as mentioned, have never used it. I guess I was hoping that the PL25 might be somewhat similar in character.

 

[Vermont3133]

My copy arrived.
Seems pretty good so far, quite sharp. I have yet to take it outside in natural light.
One thing surprised me though......I'm getting a shutter noise on my EM5 ii when I'm using the electronic shutter. Curiously, not a f/1.4 but at all other apertures. {Not the rattlesnake noise...I've got the flicker reduction turned off]
This noise is not something I have noticed with other lenses....anybody else experience this?

EDIT: After a bit of research I answered my own question re. the noise.....apparently normal!

 

[RevBob]

I have an older copy of the PL25 and it's hands down my favorite lens. I can't afford Pro lenses so I have no basis for comparison but I've been extremely happy with this fast, sharp lens. I love it for shooting indoors without a flash.

 

[Macroramphosis]

One thing surprised me though......I'm getting a shutter noise on my EM5 ii when I'm using the electronic shutter. Curiously, not a f/1.4 but at all other apertures. {Not the rattlesnake noise...I've got the flicker reduction turned off]
This noise is not something I have noticed with other lenses....anybody else experience this?

This is something I noted when I first got my GX8 last year. Every lens I put on it made some sort of shutter noise when using the electronic shutter. I posted about it a couple of times but no one seemed to have any answers, and indeed I was worried I had a duff camera. However, I got used to it and didn't think much more about it until I recently bought a P45-175, and started using it on my wife's old G6 (as the OIS seemed to work much better on that body than on the GX8). And thus I came to remember just how silent the electronic shutter is on the G6 and just how noisy it is on the GX8. After playing around I also now remember how each lens would make a DIFFERENT sound on the GX8 in electronic mode.

But hey, it is what it is, and it's now time to get this thread back on track! Sorry for the divergent comment

 

[Vermont3133]

No problems....it's all interesting.
It seems the PL25 and the Fuji 35 1.4 are both regarded as pretty noisy so they share something else in common...along with their age.

 

[Markb]

Had both, slightly preferred the Fuji. But it was very close.