Excellent review of this great little lens....although I do agree about the 3rd party lenses being a very tempting option at their price structure. Loved the POV shots by the way. Looks like a great place to shoot
I own and use both the Fuji 23 LM WR and Viltrox 23mm. It’s true that the Fuji ultimately bests the Viltrox is every way, but the main differentiation IMO really happens more or less below f/2, where the Viltrox is a little less sharp and prone to some distortion in certain high contrast conditions (I’ve never actually tossed a photo because of them however). Purple fringing is easy to remove in post however, as is vignetting, and overall I love the majority of images I got with mine. Indoors or in genuine low light situations the distortion has rarely, if ever been a big issue. Plus the AF performance is smoking fast. I consider it similar to Fujis original 23mm but with better AF. The lower contrast/sharpness is sometimes desirable for portraits, so I haven’t parted with mine yet. Lightroom has profiles for it, captureone does not (no profile for the new Fuji lens either!). What caused me to upgrade was the closer focusing distance, which is great to have, and in camera corrections for JPEG generation. I do more edits in-camera than I used to, whereas with the Viltrox I do need the fringing slider and RAW tweaks sometimes for best results and I’m getting lazier. The Fuji is also razor sharp wide open with great bokeh and AF speed, making it a joy to shoot wide open. Otherwise I’m happy to say that the Fuji is pretty overpriced and the Viltrox a smashing deal in comparison. If Viltrox improves this lens and keeps the price down around $300-$400 with a future generation it would be epic.
Just a quick correction while I return to watch the rest of the video. This lens is actually constructed of 15 elements in 10 groups with 2 aspherical and 3 ED elements with 9 rounded aperture blades. It weighs 375g and closest focus distance is 19cm. I think you’ve quoted the older XF 23mm f1.4 R spec.
Hi there, well if this is your first introduction into photography then maybe you can get the kit lens however if you have done some photography before this then do get the 33mm if you’d like, btw do check out the affiliate links , if you’d like to in the description to help this channel 😊😊
I actually skipped the 23 mm and got both the 18 1.4 & 33 1.4. I saw no reason to fill the gap with the 23, as these did fine to cover both my wide and medium range focal length.
Yeah i feel it’s one or the other, because between the two 18 and 23 I would probably opt for the slightly wider 18 😀 , but that been said looking back now , the 23 is an ok focal length too 👍
I wonder if anyone knows what is the latest firmware for this lens, just received this lens and it came with 1.0 but there is no info on Fuji website if this indeed is the latest one.
Well usually if it is native lenses the software within the camera firmware update will automatically update it every time you update the camera firmware
Oh yeah I particularly like to shoot the older part of the city as there seems to be more character there in my opinion and there are loafs of textures and murals and stuff like that . There is also the modern skycrappers side to the cith too with Petronas Twin Towers and several others record breaking structurea but this spot draws me more towards it everytime somehow despite that 😆
Because I like the size and practicality of seeing the actual exposure through an evf, also not forgeting it’s also something that we have no real choice since everything has shited to mirrorless tech if you want to get the latest camera tech thesedays ,but that been said you can still adapt lenses that are non focus by wire if you really want to get non focus by wire lenses . So there’s best of both worlds I guess 😊
Yes in my opinion, if budget is not a constraint for you and you are looking for a new lens, however if you already have one and maybe you want to upgrade then maybe less so, as you might not enjoy that much difference in general that u can immediately notice, except for the weather sealing and of course the closest focusing distanceI think. But if it was me i would get this one just for that peace of mind knowing it has better optics and weather sealing
@@QippysChannel thank you mate and yes I am leaning for it. I don’t have any other version so it’s between $400 for old version or $800 for the new version. I think I’m going for the new version God wiling. Thanks for the advice
@@michaelb9940 no worries, btw do check out the links in the description too if you’d like to make any purchases , It doesn’t affect the price don’t worry, amazon will just give me a small kick back 😊
I don't think 23mm from Viltrox is on par with this lens, It's much worse optically (CA, flare resistance, ghosting, etc). The only Viltrox that could compete with Fujinon so far is the 13mm. Viltrox lenses are great value tho I am not gonna argue with that, but generally not comparable optically speaking. Tamron and Sigma could compete with Fujinon optically, but the build quality is not in the same league, especially with a recent release like the 23mm here. Sigma trio prime, for example, was marketed as budget lenses with great IQ, not really competing with XF primes that were planned to be pro-lens from the start. The 23mm has fantastic build quality, and complete WR (unlike Sigma's splashproof), when you hold it, you know it could take a beating. So while XF lenses are typically pricier, they are not too expensive, because 3rd party manufacturers still don't make something that's in the same league, not just optically, but everything. So, if Sigma brings their ART line to the XF mount, then we could compare them.
Yeah I have to agree with u on that , however unless u really need to have the absolute best quality optically and u don't pixel peep then I think a lot of people will feel pleased with the Vltrox in my opinion. For me I think if I had the means to get this lens it would be mainly for two reasons and it won't be about it's optical performance, it's more about the better closest focusing distance Fuji offers (because of the style of shoots I do) and also the build quality with the WR of Fuji ..thanks so much for sharing your views ...really appreciate it :)
@@QippysChannel Yeah, that's why I'm not gonna argue about the value for money on the Viltrox, fast aperture primes with AF at that price was not common. It was designed to be a budget lens tho, that's why there are compromises, unlike the Fujinon. With XF, IQ is guaranteed, but you do get more than that, therefore you will have to pay more. Viltrox 13mm is really interesting tho. If they could redesigned their previous primes to the same standard as the 13mm (optic, build quality, and that clicky aperture), they could really give the other 3rd party manufacturers a run for their money. The other manufacturers like Sigma, Tamron, Samyang, etc are really hesitant to embrace the "Fuji way" of lens design. Fuji shooters want aperture ring, a clicked one, plain and simple.
@@QippysChannel I'll take a look once it's up! It's my favorite from them as well. Planning to add one to my collection actually, when I found a decent used copy.
Thanks , but the term focus by wire specifically means that there are no physical connections that connect the lens focusing mechanisms to the actual lens, like traditional older af and manual focusing lenses, in terms of motors of course it is a linear motor 😊
Well of course it wont be an apple to apples comparison , however for those on a tight budget the differences are negligable in terms of image quality unless you really pixel peep , as for weather sealing and overall build quality it really can’t compare, but if you are on a tight budget I think those things aren’t too bad as a compromise 😊
Excellent review of this great little lens....although I do agree about the 3rd party lenses being a very tempting option at their price structure. Loved the POV shots by the way. Looks like a great place to shoot
Awww thanks so much, really appreciate the great feedback 👍👍😊
Oh wow, a Malaysian! Subscribed!
Haha! Malaysia Boleh hehe, thanks bro
I own and use both the Fuji 23 LM WR and Viltrox 23mm. It’s true that the Fuji ultimately bests the Viltrox is every way, but the main differentiation IMO really happens more or less below f/2, where the Viltrox is a little less sharp and prone to some distortion in certain high contrast conditions (I’ve never actually tossed a photo because of them however). Purple fringing is easy to remove in post however, as is vignetting, and overall I love the majority of images I got with mine. Indoors or in genuine low light situations the distortion has rarely, if ever been a big issue. Plus the AF performance is smoking fast. I consider it similar to Fujis original 23mm but with better AF. The lower contrast/sharpness is sometimes desirable for portraits, so I haven’t parted with mine yet. Lightroom has profiles for it, captureone does not (no profile for the new Fuji lens either!).
What caused me to upgrade was the closer focusing distance, which is great to have, and in camera corrections for JPEG generation. I do more edits in-camera than I used to, whereas with the Viltrox I do need the fringing slider and RAW tweaks sometimes for best results and I’m getting lazier. The Fuji is also razor sharp wide open with great bokeh and AF speed, making it a joy to shoot wide open. Otherwise I’m happy to say that the Fuji is pretty overpriced and the Viltrox a smashing deal in comparison. If Viltrox improves this lens and keeps the price down around $300-$400 with a future generation it would be epic.
Your right thanks so much for your detail explanation, really appreciate all the input 👍😊
Full frame lenses are way more expensive than this lens. Love your shots 🙌🏼
Thankos so much for tunung in 😊
After listening to your video, it makes me more sure in my being glad that I bought the 18 1.4 instead of the 23, 1.4.
Thta's great to hear..glad to know my video helped in an way :)
Just a quick correction while I return to watch the rest of the video. This lens is actually constructed of 15 elements in 10 groups with 2 aspherical and 3 ED elements with 9 rounded aperture blades. It weighs 375g and closest focus distance is 19cm.
I think you’ve quoted the older XF 23mm f1.4 R spec.
Thanks for pointing it out, yes I think after closer inspection that should be the older specs on the glass elements , 👍
I’m looking to get into Fuji and looking to pick up a XT-5. Would you recommend this lens, the 33mm 1.4, or get the kit lens first?
Hi there, well if this is your first introduction into photography then maybe you can get the kit lens however if you have done some photography before this then do get the 33mm if you’d like, btw do check out the affiliate links , if you’d like to in the description to help this channel 😊😊
I actually skipped the 23 mm and got both the 18 1.4 & 33 1.4. I saw no reason to fill the gap with the 23, as these did fine to cover both my wide and medium range focal length.
Yeah i feel it’s one or the other, because between the two 18 and 23 I would probably opt for the slightly wider 18 😀 , but that been said looking back now , the 23 is an ok focal length too 👍
I wonder if anyone knows what is the latest firmware for this lens, just received this lens and it came with 1.0 but there is no info on Fuji website if this indeed is the latest one.
Well usually if it is native lenses the software within the camera firmware update will automatically update it every time you update the camera firmware
@@QippysChannel no, you update the camera and lenses separately, had done it before with other Fuji lenses, Fuji website describes how to proceed
@@olasek7972 oh really , oh thks for sharing 😊
I thought the minimum focus distance was closer than 28cm?
So sorry the closest focusing spec quoted was mixed up with the older model
What settings you have set in your xt 4?
I’m sure about your question, do u mean for video ?
Where did you take all the shots? It seems quite an intriguing city for street...
😊 there were all shot in my home town Kuala Lumpur 😊
@@QippysChannel Wow it seems to be such a beautiful city. Very colorful and people seem to be very nice to photographers
Oh yeah I particularly like to shoot the older part of the city as there seems to be more character there in my opinion and there are loafs of textures and murals and stuff like that . There is also the modern skycrappers side to the cith too with Petronas Twin Towers and several others record breaking structurea but this spot draws me more towards it everytime somehow despite that 😆
1:20 you don't like focus by wire? Then why are you using mirrorless cameras??
Because I like the size and practicality of seeing the actual exposure through an evf, also not forgeting it’s also something that we have no real choice since everything has shited to mirrorless tech if you want to get the latest camera tech thesedays ,but that been said you can still adapt lenses that are non focus by wire if you really want to get non focus by wire lenses . So there’s best of both worlds I guess 😊
what you show here is raw image or JPEG? thanks
The first images before I swipe are the SOOC (Straight out of camera) shots and those that don’t have a swipe to another pic is edited shots
Thank you very much. May I ask if you ever checked the raw image? did you see some abnormal distortion？
@@rayking2696 you’re most welcome, so far seems ok 👍😊
This is about twice the price of the older 23mm f1.4
Do you think it’s worth the upgrade?
Yes in my opinion, if budget is not a constraint for you and you are looking for a new lens, however if you already have one and maybe you want to upgrade then maybe less so, as you might not enjoy that much difference in general that u can immediately notice, except for the weather sealing and of course the closest focusing distanceI think. But if it was me i would get this one just for that peace of mind knowing it has better optics and weather sealing
@@QippysChannel thank you mate and yes I am leaning for it. I don’t have any other version so it’s between $400 for old version or $800 for the new version. I think I’m going for the new version God wiling. Thanks for the advice
@@michaelb9940 no worries, btw do check out the links in the description too if you’d like to make any purchases , It doesn’t affect the price don’t worry, amazon will just give me a small kick back 😊
I don't think 23mm from Viltrox is on par with this lens, It's much worse optically (CA, flare resistance, ghosting, etc). The only Viltrox that could compete with Fujinon so far is the 13mm. Viltrox lenses are great value tho I am not gonna argue with that, but generally not comparable optically speaking.
Tamron and Sigma could compete with Fujinon optically, but the build quality is not in the same league, especially with a recent release like the 23mm here. Sigma trio prime, for example, was marketed as budget lenses with great IQ, not really competing with XF primes that were planned to be pro-lens from the start. The 23mm has fantastic build quality, and complete WR (unlike Sigma's splashproof), when you hold it, you know it could take a beating.
So while XF lenses are typically pricier, they are not too expensive, because 3rd party manufacturers still don't make something that's in the same league, not just optically, but everything. So, if Sigma brings their ART line to the XF mount, then we could compare them.
Yeah I have to agree with u on that , however unless u really need to have the absolute best quality optically and u don't pixel peep then I think a lot of people will feel pleased with the Vltrox in my opinion. For me I think if I had the means to get this lens it would be mainly for two reasons and it won't be about it's optical performance, it's more about the better closest focusing distance Fuji offers (because of the style of shoots I do) and also the build quality with the WR of Fuji ..thanks so much for sharing your views ...really appreciate it :)
@@QippysChannel Yeah, that's why I'm not gonna argue about the value for money on the Viltrox, fast aperture primes with AF at that price was not common. It was designed to be a budget lens tho, that's why there are compromises, unlike the Fujinon.
With XF, IQ is guaranteed, but you do get more than that, therefore you will have to pay more.
Viltrox 13mm is really interesting tho. If they could redesigned their previous primes to the same standard as the 13mm (optic, build quality, and that clicky aperture), they could really give the other 3rd party manufacturers a run for their money. The other manufacturers like Sigma, Tamron, Samyang, etc are really hesitant to embrace the "Fuji way" of lens design. Fuji shooters want aperture ring, a clicked one, plain and simple.
@@paceyombex yeah i love the 13mm and actually i am working on the review too, will start on it only when i have enough material for it 😊👍
@@paceyombex can’t wait till we have more sigma stuff for Fuji 🙏🙏
@@QippysChannel I'll take a look once it's up! It's my favorite from them as well. Planning to add one to my collection actually, when I found a decent used copy.
It is NOT focusing by wire. The LM means Linear Motor, which is the means of focusing.
Thanks , but the term focus by wire specifically means that there are no physical connections that connect the lens focusing mechanisms to the actual lens, like traditional older af and manual focusing lenses, in terms of motors of course it is a linear motor 😊
Comparing with Viltrox is a joke
Well of course it wont be an apple to apples comparison , however for those on a tight budget the differences are negligable in terms of image quality unless you really pixel peep , as for weather sealing and overall build quality it really can’t compare, but if you are on a tight budget I think those things aren’t too bad as a compromise 😊