There are lenses that I find utterly boring. And I know I’m not alone because our staff says the same thing. They’re the kind of lenses that, when you attempt to write about them, you dread the experience because it isn’t a fun lens to write about. That’s the case of the Funleader 18mm f8 II. It’s limiting, overpriced, and monotonous, and I’d never buy one.
The Big Picture
The Funleader 18mm f8 II lens is a minor update from its previous version. It lets you focus it a bit, but it’s really just a novelty. I tested the previous version on Sony’s system and tested this one on Fujifilm hoping that I’d get a fun lofi effect, but I was disappointed. I’m too advanced and savvy a photographer to spend money on this. It’s lackluster compared to many of the other cool things Funleader does.
The Funleader 18mm f8 II gets two out of five stars. Want one? We’re sure you can find it on Amazon.
Pros
- Compact
- It now focuses
- Metal build
Cons
- It’s really boring
Gear Used
We tested the Funleader 18mm f8 II with our Fujifilm X Pro 3. The lens was provided to us for keeps from Funleader.
Innovations
There are lots of lens cap style lenses out there. And with that said, the Funleader 18mm f8 II isn’t really innovative except that it’s metal.
Ergonomics
Here’s a look at the front of the Funleader 18mm f8 II lens. It appears to be much like the previous version.
From the top down, here’s what you’ll see. This variant of the Funleader 18mm f8 lens focuses via the front ring. As you focus, the lens clicks to give you some confirmation of where you’re focusing.
I mean, look at it. It truly is super thin!
Build Quality
The Funleader 18mm f8 II has a fully metal body, which is really nice. It’s not weather resistant, so if you’re using Sony APS-C cameras, then I’d be careful. The build quality means your sensor is going to get dirty. On Fujifilm, I didn’t have that problem.
Keep in mind that this is pretty damn thin when it comes to lenses. And one can easily say they took the idea of a pancake lens very seriously. It also means the focusing ring is very small too.
Ease of Use
The Funleader 18mm f8 II works manually. That means you’ll be setting the focus manually while it also has a fixed aperture. This is the only control that the lens offers to photographers. So while it’s very simple to use, this also adds to just how monotonous it can be.
Focusing
This lens has manual focus. However, if you’re focusing out to infinity, you technically don’t need to focus if you’re photographing stuff like landscapes, cityscapes, or anything that far away. I wouldn’t use it to focus on stuff like street photography, however.
Image Quality
Here’s the thing: the original Funleader 18mm f8 was a fun and very saturated optic. But the new one more or less does the same thing while not adding much benefit. Sure, you can focus with it, but I would’ve been much happier with this lens instead having an aperture that can be manipulated. With that said, the image quality isn’t anything worth discussing.
Bokeh
This is an 18mm f8 lens. You’re not getting bokeh with this, so don’t even really try.
Color Rendition
The colors from this lens are partially dependent on Fujifilm. I’d strongly recommend using either Velvia or Acros settings and having fun with it. But as it is, they colors are just as vivid as they were with the original.
Lens Character and Sharpness
Well, this lens is filled with character. It’s not sharp; it’s a bit airy and soft. You’ll sometimes see things glow. It’s essentially just a step above using a plastic lens. Sharpness would not even be the point of using it anyway.
Extra Image Samples
From day one, The Phoblographer has been huge on transparency with our audience. Nothing from this review is sponsored. Further, lots of folks will post reviews and show lots of editing in the photos. The problem then becomes that anyone and everyone can do the same thing. They’re not showing what the lens can do. So we have a section in our Extra Image Samples area to show edited and unedited photos. From this, you can make a decision for yourself.
Truly, it won’t really matter anyway.
Who Should Get It?
I think most photographers will be better off skipping the Funleader 18mm f8 II. It’s not worth $139.
Tech Specs
Taken from the product page.
- Focus Distance: Featuring the focus dial to control focusing distance, we shortened the minimum focus distance to 0.3m, which helps to capture smaller details with closer focusing distance.
- Full-frame Lens: This full-frame lens offers excellent performance, and is easy to operate and smooth to use.
- Slim Shape: It doesn’t include any electronic components so that it’s only 17mm thick and weighs only 71g. The lens barrel is completely made of aluminum alloy, which makes the lens solid and durable. The one-piece structure highlights its slim shape and excellent quality.
- Hyperfocal Distance: The focus range goes from 0.3m to infinity. Therefore, there is no need to focus and you can get images with enough details as well.
- Ultra-wide Angle Lens: The 18mm powerful ultra-wide angle lens gets everything in the picture with enough details and high contrast. When shooting street photography, humanities, landscapes or architectures, Funleader CAPLENS 18mm f/8.0 0.3m-∞ Pro will enable you to capture it all, not missing important parts of the scene.
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