Fujifilms 23MM 1.4 WR - A Love Letter

Dear Fujinon 23mm 1.4,

You’ve taught me the beauty of the 35mm focal length. You’ve documented life with me. My family, my friends, the places I’ve traveled too. The beautiful landscapes of CA, and the smiles of the people I’ve met. We are only 3000 shots in, but it feels like I’ve known you a lifetime. For the first time ever, I’m seeing the world through your focal length now, and going out into the world with you by my side simply feels like an extension of myself. As a father, as a husband, as an adventurer… you give me enough vision to capture everything in view, but enough focus when I want to see just my subjects only. I couldn’t ask for anything more from a friend. One day I may venture out into other focal ranges, but I’ll never forget the memories we are making today. Thank you for the clarity, sharpness, reliability, and overall beautifully rendered images of the way I see the world. I love you. ❤️

________

Does anyone out there keep this prime lens on their camera all the time? Most of my photos revolve around travel and family moments. As a proud father of two, we absolutely love exploring new places. Surprisingly, this lens has been a constant companion on my camera for a whole year now, with over 3000 shots taken, and I must say, I am absolutely enamored by it. My other lenses, like the Sigma 56 and Viltrox 13, seem to gather dust in comparison.

In the past, when I used a Canon R5, my go-to lens was the 15-35, and I primarily shot within the 15-24 range. However, there's something about this Fuji lens that is truly remarkable. It has opened my eyes to the beauty of the 35mm focal length. With it, I can effortlessly capture expansive landscapes without feeling too confined, and at the same time, it allows me to take stunning family portraits without losing too much context. Whenever we travel, I make sure to capture environmental portraits, as they help immortalize unique memories that I will cherish forever.

I have never had this much fun with photography before, and it's all thanks to this amazing focal length. Despite the common emphasis on 24, 28, and 50mm focal lengths in my three years of photography research, the 35mm has a special place in my heart. It's like the feeling of going to Disneyland – there's something magical about it. While some may argue that it's a jack of all trades but a master of none, I see it as the master of all trades. Anything beyond its capabilities falls into niche territory, like super wide landscapes or super long telephotos that require specific lenses like the 70-300 or 100-400. Occasionally, I do have to bring out my 13mm lens for certain breathtaking landscapes or use the 100-400 for close-ups of waterfalls and mountains. However, I can confidently say that I have never fallen in love with a focal length as deeply as I have with the 35mm.

I always believed I needed a zoom lens, but little did I know the invaluable lessons a prime lens could teach me.✌️