Fuji Fuji x 60mm Macro 2.4 . Will this work well for portraits and landscapes?

[cherrywood]

Hello , those of you who have this lens, While it was designed for the macro settings. i love the 85-90mm EFL that this 60mm is. Does this lens work well for Portraits and will it shoot sharp at infinity for landscapes, or is it somewhat soft at infinity like most macro lens.?

Also how do you like the focus dampening on the barrel, any creep shooting with the lens pointing downward, and what is the approx. degree's of focus rotation from close to infinity, ie 270 degrees etc.

Also what are your impressions overall for the 60mm.
Thanks in advance of your replies.
Dennis

 

[CapoDave]

I have the 14 and 18-55.
I plan to add the 35.
I have been pleasantly surprised by the results I get using the 18-55 for portraits.
It is a very versatile lens.
I just posted an example in w/nw portraits.
I'm just a casual shooter, so ymmv.

 

[cherrywood]

Thanks Dave, on the 18-55 report, and happy that you like it, but I am looking at the 60mm because I like to shoot macros and close flower shots also, so thats why I am looking at the 60mm and wanted some first hand experience about the versatility or lack of it in the fuji 60mm as an all round lens, portraits, close ups and landscapes.
Dennis.

 

[christilou]

I find it very tricky to get the focus exactly where I want it and it hunts a lot, even in bright light. I take lots of dog pictures and about 50% are misses, even when he's sitting still just looking out of the window. If I take the camera to bright light and try to focus on a flower centre, the lens hunts, it tracks back and forth, sometimes not far but sometimes a lot and after all that, it will not lock on! It also gives a false green focus indicator even when it's clear that it's not in focus at all by any stretch of the imagination. When it locks, it locks fast. If you are prepared to be patient with it, when it hits the spot it's magical but truthfully, it's enough to try the patience of a saint. Bear in mind that I'm in the grey UK and it you live somewhere where the light is bright most of the time you will no doubt have less of a problem Never used mine at infinity so I can't help you there I'm afraid.

 

[cherrywood]

60mm XR focus hunt and false focus indication.

I find it very tricky to get the focus exactly where I want it and it hunts a lot, even in bright light. I take lots of dog pictures and about 50% are misses, even when he's sitting still just looking out of the window. If I take the camera to bright light and try to focus on a flower centre, the lens hunts, it tracks back and forth, sometimes not far but sometimes a lot and after all that, it will not lock on! It also gives a false green focus indicator even when it's clear that it's not in focus at all by any stretch of the imagination. When it locks, it locks fast. If you are prepared to be patient with it, when it hits the spot it's magical but truthfully, it's enough to try the patience of a saint. Bear in mind that I'm in the grey UK and it you live somewhere where the light is bright most of the time you will no doubt have less of a problem Never used mine at infinity so I can't help you there I'm afraid.

Thanks Christilou, Is this focus hunt and false focus indication peculiiar to just the 60mm or or the other lens like the slower 18-55 etc also exhibiting the same behavior.?

 

[Armanius]

My experience with the 60 is the same as Christina's.

 

[Pelao]

Thanks Dave, on the 18-55 report, and happy that you like it, but I am looking at the 60mm because I like to shoot macros and close flower shots also, so thats why I am looking at the 60mm and wanted some first hand experience about the versatility or lack of it in the fuji 60mm as an all round lens, portraits, close ups and landscapes.
Dennis.

In my experience it is by no means a fast focusing lens. On the other hand, I have not had the hunting to the extent described by Christilou - but bear in mind my comparison to her comments is hardly scientific. I use it mainly for outdoor work, often landscape type shots. It's my least used lens, but that is due to the focal length, not it's capabilities.

All that said, it certainly is not speedy, and it may or may not work for you. I strongly suggest you rent one: Lensrentals has them for 5 days for about $40. Worth it I think.

 

[PeterPrism]

Here attached You can see some SOOC file (RESIZED at 400/500 Kb) done with my XPro-1 and the 90mm set at infinity focus.
I love this lens. In low light it hunts and sometimes, frustrated, i skip to Manual focusing mode so i solve the problem with the "old" method.

 

[PeterPrism]

And here some other shot (RESIZED SOOC 60 mm)

 

[PeterPrism]

For portraits it is P E R F E C T. (See attachment RESIZED)

 

[Steve B.]

I haven't had any issues focusing the lens. My guess is that focuses a little slower than the 35 because it is macro lens. However I would also add that unless you are moving from a focus point of say 2 ft to a focus point of say 8 feet it doesn't focus any slower than the 35. My Nikon 100 F2.8G macro focuses slower than my non Nikon macros too. The lens is incredibly sharp. I don't own a sharper lens. The lens produces beautiful bokeh too. That said I mostly take pictures of my dogs hiking so I'm probably not the best person to rate/review a camera lens.

 

[Steve B.]

For portraits it is P E R F E C T. (See attachment RESIZED)

Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Pelao]

These, and the others, are so good. Thanks for sharing.

 

[cherrywood]

Armanius, did yours also show focus confirmation and then miss focus?, like Christi's, Also I have read that the firmware up date for the 60mm helped the focus moderately, and did you see this in your experience?
Do not mind the slower focus of a macro as it is expected, but showing focus Confirm and then not making it is another story.
Dennis.

 

[cherrywood]

Thanks Steve, did you update your firmware for the 60mm and if you did, did you see a modest improvement in focus confirmation accuracy and somewhat faster AF?
Thanks
Dennia.

 

[Steve B.]

Thanks Steve, did you update your firmware for the 60mm and if you did, did you see a modest improvement in focus confirmation accuracy and somewhat faster AF?
Thanks
Dennia.

I have the most current firmware. I'm not a real technical, wall chart, kind of person. It seems a little better I suppose. I think it helps to sort of use the camera and understand how the focus system works. I primarily use that lens for macro and have used it for some portraits I've done for people. I have also taken some photos of my dogs with it. I probably use less for the dogs than the wider lenses. My dogs are either out of sight looking for trouble or right next to me when we go hiking. When I have used it I have been very pleased with it. I end up doing a lot of macro photography when I'm hiking because the dogs are busy. For that it really good. It's just incredibly sharp. For portraits, I don't find focus speed to be an issue. I got some really nice shots for this one family using the 60. They were very pleased with the photos. I used the X Pro, a D700 and S5 Pro. The photos they picked were all by X Pro or the S5. I think it was the skin tones.

 

[cherrywood]

Thanks again Steve, Looks like I will end up getting this lens as it is my fav FL. I use my 45mm Oly a lot in mu43, had an 85mm nikon in the old days and had a 90mm Elmarit on my M6ttl. So yes I guess I have a thing for 85-90mm EFL lenses.
Thanks to all who have helped me with the 60mm Q&A.
Dennis.

 

[800ISO]

Hi,

the 60mm macro is an excellent lens for portrait shots. However it's not a fast focusing lens. Firmware 2.00 improved things a bit but the lens architecture will probably limit improvements in the future. That being said, I love it: 500px (shot with the 60mm).

For landscape, I guess it should be fine as well but it is quite a long lens for that type of photography.

 

[cherrywood]

Thanks 800iso, Sounds like you are happy to have it and that it is working well for you, I am now looking for a nice used 60mm.
All the best to you in France

Dennis.

 

[cherrywood]

Thanks to all who have replied to this thread, helping me decide on this lens. I found a nice 60mm Fuji and its on its way to me, should be here next week, so can then mate the XE to lens and see what happens.

Christilou, it was all your doing, posting such great shots with your nifty 60!!!.

Thanks
Dennis