The Fujinon XF 8 mm f/3.5 R WR has practically no direct rivals, only the Laowa 9 mm f/2.8 ZERO-D is similar when it comes to parameters. That's why our chart features just these two lenses. As you can notice Laowa is a bit faster but also it provides a bit narrower angle of view; still both lenses can be called small, shapely and lightweight.
In the photo below the Fujinon XF 8 mm f/3.5 R WR is positioned between two other Fujinon models: the XF 56 mm f/1.2 R and the XF 18-55 mm f/2.8-4.0 R LM OIS.
The tested lens starts with a metal mount surrounding contacts and a rear element, about 21 mm in diameter. The element is convex, immobile, it sticks out a bit over the mount as it is positioned additionally in a blackened tube. All the area close to the mount and the rear element are properly blackened and matted, without any slits. From this side everything looks very well and the lens remains completely sealed.
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The proper body of the lens is made of metal; it starts with an immoblie, smooth ring with a red rectangle, making an alignment with a camera easier, the focal length marking, its serial number, and information that the lens is weather-sealed and produced in the Philippines.
An aperture ring, 13 mm wide, most of its surface covered by metal ribs, is the next part of the lens. It moves properly well, allowing you to change the settings every 1/3 EV step. Apart from different aperture values you also get A position providing full auto aperture control. After choosing this position the ring is blocked and in order to remove the block you have to press a button situated nearby.
Then you see a black,metal part of the barrel, just 4 mm wide, that doesn't move. Behind you find a manual focus ring, 18 mm wide, completely covered by fine ribbing. It is a focus-by-wire construction that allows you quite precise settings (which, by the way, can be completely ruined by idiotic software of the body as it can change sharpness during preview even if you've chosen the manual MF mode). The lens doesn't feature any depth of field scale. The focus throw amounts to just about 40 degrees, a surprisingly low value.
Behind the focus ring you see another immobile part of the casing made of metal and it turns smoothly into a hood mount.
The front element, slightly convex in shape, doesn't move and is 32 mm in diameter; it is surrounded by an inscription with the name, and parameters of the lens along with a non-rotating filter thread, 62 mm in diameter.
When it comes to optical construction you deal here with 12 elements positioned in 9 groups. Three elements among them are aspherical and two others are made of low dispersion ED glass. Inside you can also find a round aperture with nine blades which can be closed down to a value of f/22 at the maximum.
Buyers get in the box with the lens: both caps, a hood and a soft pouch of inferior quality, something that wouldn't be able to provide any kind of protection. Small wonder, it is just a tad thicker than your ordinary optics cleaning cloth...
