The lens is key to getting the retro look. A 14-year-old Fujifilm lens is currently leading prime lens sales trends in Japan as nifty fifties dominate the list

Photographers are often tempted to have the latest gear in their bags, but data from a used camera and lens marketplace in Japan hints that photographers aren’t dissuaded from a lens by age alone.

Minna Camera is a Japanese app that allows users to sell and buy camera gear, and the company just compiled an interesting list of data from transactions: The most popular prime lenses. With Japan being home to several major camera brands, the region is often viewed as a key indicator of trends in the industry.

The list of the most sold prime lenses over the last six months has an unusual leader in a 14-year-old prime lens: The Fujifilm XF 35mm f/1.4 R. Minna Camera says that the lens had more than 3.5 times the sales of the second-place Sony 50mm f/1.4 GM, indicating that the two weren’t even close.

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The camera resale app proposed a few different theories for why a 14-year-old lens is topping sales, including the lens’ legendary soft bokeh, film-like colors, and the versatile focal length – which is about 53mm in full frame equivalent.

Fujfilm XF33mmF1.4

The Fujifilm XF 33mm f/1.4 R WR (Image credit: Digital Camera World)

The XF 33mm f/1.4 LM WR – which tops DCW’s list of the best Fujifilm lenses – is largely considered to be a modern alternative to the 35mm f/1.4, though when the 33mm launched in 2022, Fujifilm said the two lenses would co-exist. The newer 33mm has updated autofocus and a more sophisticated lens design made for modern sharpness.

But I think there’s likely another key reason why the older lens is selling so well. Fujifilm is known for its retro look and film simulations, and softer lenses tend to look more film-like – so if that’s the look that you’re after, an older, softer lens may make more sense. Of course, as a 14-year-old lens that hasn’t been discontinued, there’s also likely plenty of stock available for a used camera marketplace app, so that could be another factor.

The Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S (Image credit: James Paterson)

The first place isn’t the only lens that’s a nifty fifty on the list – in fact, lenses that are equivalent to 50mm, give or take a few mm, are the most popular type of prime on the Japanese camera app over the last six months.

The Sony FE 50mm f/1.4 GM slides into second place, followed by the Nikon Z 50mm f/1.8 S. Canon’s 35mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM slightly outsold its DSLR 50mm, which slotted in fifth place for the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM. Canon’s RF 50mm f/1.8 STM doesn’t pop onto the list until 12th place.

The nifty fifty is one of the lenses most often recommended for photographers moving beyond a kit lens. The 50mm focal length is long enough to be flattering for portraits, but not so long that it can’t dabble in other genres like street photography and landscapes too.

Nifty fiftys also tend to be budget-friendly – or at least the f/1.8 options tend to be, while brighter f/1.2 and f/1.4 options tend to sit at a more pro-grade price level.

Sony is the most popular mount on Minna Camera