Laowa Argus 33mm f/0.95 CF APO Lens - Fuji x

After seeing a number of reviews of this lens, I ordered it the day it became available at B&H. The Fujifilm 50mm f/1.0 was on my wishlist, but I really didn't expect to ever buy it because while it's way cheaper than comparable glass by other camera brands, it's still more than I can justify. So for 1/3 the price I got this lens instead.The Fuji X system makes manual focusing a breeze so I knew I wouldn't really miss the AF. No WR wasn't a dealbreaker. Vignetting wide open, which this lens does do a bit, is not an issue because if I'm isolating a subject at f/0.95 I'm not going to care a lot about the corners. My primary concern was sharpness near the center and what the bokeh would actually look like. The verdict: while a pixel peeper might have something to ... MoreAfter seeing a number of reviews of this lens, I ordered it the day it became available at B&H. The Fujifilm 50mm f/1.0 was on my wishlist, but I really didn't expect to ever buy it because while it's way cheaper than comparable glass by other camera brands, it's still more than I can justify. So for 1/3 the price I got this lens instead.The Fuji X system makes manual focusing a breeze so I knew I wouldn't really miss the AF. No WR wasn't a dealbreaker. Vignetting wide open, which this lens does do a bit, is not an issue because if I'm isolating a subject at f/0.95 I'm not going to care a lot about the corners. My primary concern was sharpness near the center and what the bokeh would actually look like. The verdict: while a pixel peeper might have something to complain about, this lens is plenty sharp for me, and the bokeh is GORGEOUS. It just falls off really nicely without getting busy. I've uploaded a couple of images so you can see what I'm talking about.Another reason I wanted this lens is because some reviewers mentioned it has a really funky (in a good way) lens flare that only happens if you point it at the sun (or other light source) with the hood off, at exactly f/0.95 (it disappears at f/1.00). I have yet to experience it but I'm looking forward to playing around with it.By the way, some people complain about the abormally long focus throw. You know what, when I'm dealing with a MF lens with a razor-thin depth of field, I don't care about fast focusing, I want accuracy, so I love it. The stepless aperture ring takes a little getting used to, but it works fine and it's a boon for videographers.Finally, the build quality on this lens is great. It feels solid but not super heavy, and the rectangular lens hood is a nice touch. If you're familiar with the Fuji 16mm f/1.4's add-on hood, this is exactly the same, except the lid doesn't fall off by itself like the Fuji's does. The only (minor) annoyance for me is that the red dot indicating where to align it to the camera is on the mount bezel, not on the side, so it takes a little twisting back and forth to get it to catch.All in all, I'm very pleased with this lens. It's a lot of bang for the buck.

After using the Argus several times in very dark situations, I'm glad I went with it over the others. While just about twice the money, I think it is a solid lens for the money. Performance is much higher than the Mitakon 35mm 0.95 I had for my Canon EOS M5. Some reviewers did not like the long throw of the focus ring, but I think it really helps to zero in on the point of focus. I use Fujifilm X-T4, Pro3 & X-E4 and the focus peaking works well with it. Sharper than I expected wide open, which is where I will use it most of the time (why buy 0.95 if you won't use it?) Solid, well made lens, that came in nice packaging. Only real complaint is the non-click aperture ring. I won't use it for video EVER, but problem easily solved by a small piece of black gaffer tape. ... MoreAfter using the Argus several times in very dark situations, I'm glad I went with it over the others. While just about twice the money, I think it is a solid lens for the money. Performance is much higher than the Mitakon 35mm 0.95 I had for my Canon EOS M5. Some reviewers did not like the long throw of the focus ring, but I think it really helps to zero in on the point of focus. I use Fujifilm X-T4, Pro3 & X-E4 and the focus peaking works well with it. Sharper than I expected wide open, which is where I will use it most of the time (why buy 0.95 if you won't use it?) Solid, well made lens, that came in nice packaging. Only real complaint is the non-click aperture ring. I won't use it for video EVER, but problem easily solved by a small piece of black gaffer tape. Weight isn't extreme if you have and use 1.4 lenses, slightly more, but for more than a stop extra, I'll take that trade. Very cool (IMHO) lens flare that basically encircles the subject/light in a red circle. Bokeh is nice and smooth, close to a 50mm/1.4 FF, but won't come close to the same look as the Canon 50mm/1.2L, which (IMHO) has the prettiest bokeh of all.

I love this lens! I love the long slow focus - it makes it so much easier to get the exact focus I want. Sure, it's not fast, but that's not why I got a manual focus lens. So far, the images I'm getting from this lens are great and I look forward to getting more lenses from Venus Optics!