Fujifilm GF 20 35mm F 4 R WR Review | 54 Data compared

The ePHOTOzine review of the Fujifilm Fujinon GF 20-35mm f/4 R WR lens highly recommends it for its exceptional performance, particularly when tested on a 102MP GFX100S. It delivers outstanding sharpness, low chromatic aberration, and remarkably low rectilinear distortion (-0.36% at 20mm), while featuring excellent weather resistance, a constant f/4 aperture, and a keenly priced position within the large-format system. However, the lens is noted for having a somewhat bulky physical footprint and a focus distance that could be closer. Additionally, some modest vignetting is visible at wide-open apertures, and the bayonet-fit lens hood features a soft, easily disengaged release catch.

The Fujifilm Fujinon GF 20-35mm F4 R WR is a highly capable ultra-wide-angle zoom lens designed for medium format GFX cameras, offering an effective focal length of 16-28mm in full-frame terms. Despite its medium format designation, the lens is praised for being surprisingly compact and lightweight, weighing only 725g and featuring an internal zoom and focus mechanism. Its robust build quality includes 12 weather seals to handle harsh outdoor environments down to -10°C. Optically, the lens delivers stellar sharpness from the center to the extreme corners of the frame, easily resolving the massive 102-megapixel sensor of bodies like the GFX100 II. Additionally, it features an aperture control ring with lockable Auto and Camera positions, a stepping motor for fast and quiet autofocus, and a 82mm filter attachment thread. In terms of performance, the review highlights outstanding pros such as overall fabulous image quality, a rock-solid build, and highly refined handling. Color fringing and chromatic aberrations are also exceptionally well-managed, showing up as virtually non-existent in lab tests. On the downside, the lens comes with a few notable cons: it is...

The Fujifilm GF 20-35mm f/4 R WR is a highly anticipated ultra-wide-angle zoom lens designed for the GFX medium format system, providing a full-frame equivalent focal length range of 16-28mm. Tested on a GFX 50R camera, the lens delivers stunning, clinically sharp image quality across the frame from center to corners, complete with exceptional clarity and color rendition. It stands out for its robust build quality, featuring a smooth zoom ring, a secure lens hood, and a weather-sealed construction capable of enduring harsh environmental conditions. Furthermore, its physical handling is outstandingly comfortable for outdoor activities like hiking or cycling due to its compact 25.6-ounce (725 g) frame and an internal focusing mechanism that ensures the barrel does not protrude during zooming. The lens features distinct advantages and a few drawbacks depending on user needs: Pro: Stellar optical performance that rivals prime lenses like the GF 23mm f/4. Pro: Versatile ultra-wide zoom range highly suitable for landscape, architecture, and real estate photography. Pro: Weather-sealed construction alongside an internal focusing design that limits physical bulk. Con: A retail price of $2,499.00 makes...

The Fujinon GF 20-35mm f/4 R WR is a highly capable ultra-wide-angle zoom lens designed for Fujifilm’s medium-format GFX system, offering a 16-28mm full-frame equivalent focal length. It is especially prized by landscape, architectural, and travel photographers for its outstanding center sharpness, even when shooting wide open at f/4. The lens provides professional-grade build quality with 12 weather-sealed points, a dedicated physical aperture control ring, and an internal zoom mechanism that ensures the barrel length remains constant. Furthermore, it demonstrates impressive optical control over comatic aberrations, ensuring that stars remain circular for astrophotography, and handles distortion effectively when paired with its built-in digital lens profiles. Despite its stellar performance, the lens does have a few drawbacks to consider. While the center sharpness is superb, there is a noticeable drop-off in the extreme corners when shooting at the widest 20mm focal length at f/4, along with visible vignetting that requires stopping down to f/8 to fully resolve. Furthermore, its maximum f/4 aperture forces photographers to use high ISO levels for night sky imaging without a tracking platform, making it less than...

The Fujinon GF 20-35mm F4 WR is an exceptionally sharp wide-angle zoom lens designed for Fujifilm's GFX medium-format system, offering an equivalent focal length of 16-28mm on full-frame cameras. In terms of build, it features a robust, weather-sealed design with 12 seal points, an internal zooming mechanism, a dedicated manual aperture ring, and a highly practical 82mm front filter thread that allows the use of traditional screw-in filters. Optically, the lens pairs beautifully with ultra-high-resolution sensors like the 102MP GFX100S, delivering incredible sharpness across the center and mid-frame even when shot wide open, alongside excellent flare resistance, minimal lateral chromatic aberrations, and strong coma performance for astrophotography. At $2499 USD, it represents solid value within the premium medium-format market. However, the reviewer notes several drawbacks, particularly regarding the lens's autofocus performance, which relies on a stepping motor (STM) rather than Fuji's premium Linear Motor system. This choice results in autofocus hunting and lack of confidence when trying to isolate close subjects, back-focusing issues with moving subjects, and some visible stepping artifacts during video recording. On the optical side, the corners...

The Beau Photo Supplies review of the Fujinon GF 20-35mm f/4 R WR lens, tested on a 102-megapixel Fujifilm GFX 100S, highlights its compact, lightweight design, excellent build quality, and exceptional edge-to-edge sharpness with minimal chromatic aberration. Key advantages include impressive optical performance, minimal vignetting, and a versatile 35cm close-focus distance. However, the lens requires software correction for notable distortion and can produce nervous, distracting bokeh when shot wide-open at f/4. Despite these issues, the reviewer concludes that for typical landscape use, where the lens is stopped down, the drawbacks are negligible.