I recently bought the Fuji 23 1.4 r and 35 1.4 r and these are incredible lenses. Image quality is outstanding, colours are A1 and I like their more vintage look to the newer Fuji WR LM 23/35 primes. The fact they have a slight noise with the motors is not an issue for me as it adds to the character. I also like their more compact size, although not as compact as the F2 Fujicrons which I also have.
As usual, a great review. Your reviews of these new Fuji primes with comparisons to the older lenses are not only very useful but are much appreciated.
For those of you considering purchasing the 23mm F2, don't be put off by Gordon's excellent comparison. The limitations of this F2 lens are well known and if you don't need to regularly shoot at low apertures its a lovely little lens that still commands a strong second hand price. It also makes much more sense for many on an APSC system especially those with the XE and X pro line.
The new xf 23mm f/1.4 wr with weahter sealing and fast focusing is a great value for events everywhere and if you need to be fast to get the photo! The xf 23mm f/2 is very good for travelling! If you don't need nothing that I said before the xf 23mm f/1.4 r is excellent for all our needs!
Your findings re: the 23/2 and the 35/2 mirror mine - each has their pros and cons. The 35 is noticeably sharper and I prefer the image output. But it breathes like a dragon. The 23 has no focus breathing but is softer. I still contend that you can't beat the size/quality/value proposition (especially used) of the f2 primes. But I think if I were going to get one of the new 1.4's, it would likely be this 23.
Thanks for another great review. Your 23/2 was most likely not a bad copy. I recognize it’s quite a bit softer compared to the 35/2. In fact, when you close focus it, it almost becomes ‘useless’ when IQ is paramount. The fact that your old 23/1.4 was a bad copy is worrying. Over the past decade I’ve had 15+ XF lenses and 5 of them I had to return. Ranging from mechanical faults to off-centered lens elements. I’ve never had that many issues with another brand (in my case mostly Canon and Nikon). To me it’s clear that Fuji has some QA issues that apparently got worse when moving lens manufactoring to the Philippines. In the meanwhile I’ve picked up a new 23/1.4 for my remaining X-Pro2 and I must say, it’s clearly the best XF prime to date. Nevertheless, it’s rather expensive as well esp. when comparing to e.g. the Nikkor Z 35/1.8 which is even better, full-frame and costs less. Fuji started as a less costly, smaller and lighter alternative to full-frame cameras while maintaining good image quality. Over the years it has grown in size and costs, to a level where the gap is almost closed. I’m not sure if that’s a good sign…
The QA on their cameras seem to be better than their lenses. Bear in mind a f1.4 is more expensive and complex to make than a f1.8. The f1.8 will produce a shallower depth of field when used on a full frame sensor than f1.4 on crop but the f1.4 will still allow for lower ISO/faster shutter speeds
My goal with the Fuji X-Pro3 is 'compact'; most of my images are of people; the f2 suits these parameters better for me... I have had all the 'fast' Fuji lenses but they are so large compared to the camera body & the rest of my kit, I consider them impractical.
Yet again a well structured and informative review of the lens, in particular as a comparison against the f2 version. The latter I use along with the 35mm f2 for street photography, in this respect although clearly the 1.4 version is better, the compact nature of the f2 models suits my needs better for that style of photography. It would be interesting to compare the 23 and 33mm f1.4 lens against the 16 -55mm f2.8 lens, although being a zoom lens it will not perform as well, how much it differs I wonder?
So I was gonna get the 70-300 first, but I found a very decent deal for this lens and I won't say it's cheap, because it's not, but OMG it sure is worth every penny. Crazy sharp even in the X-H2 40MP sensor, contrast if off the charts and it's built like a tank. The linear motor for AF is so quick and quiet sometimes you just can't tell for sure if the camera has actually focused unless you toggle on the AF sound alert, but rest assured it has. Also, the manual focus ring is a joy to use. Probably the best lens I've ever owned.
Coming from viltrox 23, the viltrox is sharper, and i tend to miss focus with this new lens compared to the viltrox. Having regrets but i will keep it, maybe future firmware update will improve my experience.
Has your experience with the Fuji improved? I have the Viltrox but want the Fuji eventually which I think should be better all around. There are lots of reasons I miss focus, the question is whether or no the Fuji is actually capable of making good use of AF-C modes as well. The Viltrox is definitely a fast-to-focus lens for the most part but can start to drag in lower light indoor shooting I try to do.
3rd time lucky ; this is the best XF23 by far ; it's fantastic. I have all 3 XF23 mm and always thought, like you, that I had a bad copy old XF23 f/1.4 and sent it in for Fujifilm to check out... they returned it saying it performs within specs. but I still thought it was a bad copy. The new XF23 is a different story. It is very very good, and money well spent. I should get rid of my old XF23 f/1.4 I wonder how much I'd get for it. Pristine condition, always had a protective filter on.
Is it just me, or is the bokeh on the older f1.4 lens better than the new one? I think so. Seeing that this lens would only be used in portraits for my purposes, the older f1.4 model gets the nod from me. Plus, in my experience, people have an aversion to seeing things that are TOO sharp in regards to "details" in their facial features (pimples, wrinkles, etc.)
I have the newish 18 f1.4, 23 f1.4 and 33 f1.4 (and others). I do wish they’d come up with a new line of f2 lenses, particularly a replacement 18 f2. These would be perfect if they deliver an X-Pro4. The smaller f2 lenses do look a little weird on the XT and XH bodies, though.
Thank you Gordon!! i recently purchased the 23 f2 and I am not as excited as I thought I was going to be. This test is really nice but I wish It had come out sooner lol. Oh well at least the lens is small enough to balance on my E-3 better than a larger one.
I think I am almost the only person wanting small high quality lenses anymore. F2.8 is good especially with wide angle lenses. And high iso performance in modern cameras is a given.
Today lenses are absurdly huge. Everybody wants small lenses and they do exact opposite. What's the point of having mirrorless body with such a big lenses?
F2.8 you’re getting into slower than 1/60 shutter speeds at ISO 6400 in low light indoors. So for me I like f2 as a minimum. Maybe I just need to upgrade from my XT1 for better high ISO performance
@@Ttjam1 that depends on the aesthetic you're going for. If you're shooting for no shadows then yeah, but if you can embrace the shadows like they do in movies with a good lighting aesthetic I can shoot f4 1/125 and iso 3200 at night. Embrace the shadows and compose for the available light and you don't need high isos and bright apertures. Plus, it trains your eye to be selective, and look for good scenes rather that just whatever and push it.
Thats for such a comprehensive review. No its not a bad copy! I sold both those older 23mm lenses due to lack of sharpness! Now settled with the 18mmf1.4 which is much better. Not sure if i will get the latest 23f1.4 R wr? As I am quite happy with a slightly wider view and used to it now.
Yes it´s a bad copy. My first XF 23mm F1.4 R was a little bit soft wide open (nothing really objectionable), but having read many people sing praises about it, i ordered a new copy and it was sharp. Had the same happen with the XF 35mm F1.4 R - went through 4 or 5 copies to get a good one.
hey gordon, sry to bother you with this question but does all fuji lenses mount on gfx cameras and x cameras as well? or is it a completely different mount?
Hello, great review! I currently own this lens paired with the XT5 and I’m having a very difficult time with AF-C. It sometimes will loose focus entirely. Do you have any suggestions for AF-C custom settings for video? Thank you!
First things first, the Fujifilm video AF isn't the best out there, so don't expect perfection from it! I'd experiment with different AF areas, to try and dial it down and help it concentrate on the area the subject is in, like a zone or even a large square.
@@cameralabs Thanks for the reply! I agree regarding Fuji AF, I was a longtime wedding videographer with my XT3. However I would say that the XT5 has shocked me. So specifically for video would you have any recommendations for AF-C custom settings? Tracking sensitivity etc? In terms of the focus box size, larger is better for video? I know we can’t say an exact amount on size but say a scroll or two larger than default square size? Again thank you so much for the help! It’s doing my head in, sorry to be a bother!
@@isaacmaxpaul it really is a case of experimenting, and if it's people, trying out the face detect on and off. It really varies with situations and subjects. I mostly test with the defaults.
Gordon, can you compare the 16mm f/1.4, 33mm f/1.4 and 56mm f/1.2 to these lenses from Sigma for the X-mount? Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN I am going to be buying a Fujifilm X-H2 when it comes out and I'm wondering if the Sigma lenses are as good as Fujifilm's.
When shooting video with this lens, I sometimes have the problem that the focus motor is too loud. does anyone have a similar problem or have any suggestions?
Moving front element for the prime lens of this price, size and weight is a joke. Also af is loud and not the best performing, Sharpness and rendering quality is beautiful, but for me it's not worth it. 23f2 will do job as well and without backpain and more money in pocket for traveling.
Agreed. I bought it new and returned it a day later. Too many issues to work around so not worth the price. It shines in video and when shooting between f5.6-8.
I suspect there’s also worse quality control with it too, or was when I bought mine, which has some kind of weird haziness, and significant softness on the far left edge but not the right. It’s tolerable considering the small size and weather resistance, but if I’m prioritising image quality I’ll definitely reach for my old 23/1.4, which doesn’t suffer from any of the problems Gordon mentioned here, and is in fact an excellent performer at any aperture.
Or LM. If I did, RUclips search would have become too specific and no one would find it. But I did include it in key words and as soon as I speak, plus I also talk about the old one. So no thumbs down
I recently bought the Fuji 23 1.4 r and 35 1.4 r and these are incredible lenses. Image quality is outstanding, colours are A1 and I like their more vintage look to the newer Fuji WR LM 23/35 primes. The fact they have a slight noise with the motors is not an issue for me as it adds to the character. I also like their more compact size, although not as compact as the F2 Fujicrons which I also have.
As usual, a great review. Your reviews of these new Fuji primes with comparisons to the older lenses are not only very useful but are much appreciated.
Thanks, it requires a lot of effort!
I think your viewers appreciate your detailed efforts.
For those of you considering purchasing the 23mm F2, don't be put off by Gordon's excellent comparison. The limitations of this F2 lens are well known and if you don't need to regularly shoot at low apertures its a lovely little lens that still commands a strong second hand price. It also makes much more sense for many on an APSC system especially those with the XE and X pro line.
I consider that lens supremely disappointing and can’t believe they released such a poor rendering lens that’s just as bad with close subjects.
Thanks for the comparisons! I own the 23mm f2, but have been eyeing up the new 23mm f1.4 WR. I owned the earlier 23mm 1.4 and it was magic!
The new xf 23mm f/1.4 wr with weahter sealing and fast focusing is a great value for events everywhere and if you need to be fast to get the photo! The xf 23mm f/2 is very good for travelling! If you don't need nothing that I said before the xf 23mm f/1.4 r is excellent for all our needs!
Your findings re: the 23/2 and the 35/2 mirror mine - each has their pros and cons. The 35 is noticeably sharper and I prefer the image output. But it breathes like a dragon. The 23 has no focus breathing but is softer. I still contend that you can't beat the size/quality/value proposition (especially used) of the f2 primes. But I think if I were going to get one of the new 1.4's, it would likely be this 23.
Yep, the 35 is by far the best of the f2 models.
Thanks for another great review. Your 23/2 was most likely not a bad copy. I recognize it’s quite a bit softer compared to the 35/2. In fact, when you close focus it, it almost becomes ‘useless’ when IQ is paramount.
The fact that your old 23/1.4 was a bad copy is worrying. Over the past decade I’ve had 15+ XF lenses and 5 of them I had to return. Ranging from mechanical faults to off-centered lens elements. I’ve never had that many issues with another brand (in my case mostly Canon and Nikon). To me it’s clear that Fuji has some QA issues that apparently got worse when moving lens manufactoring to the Philippines.
In the meanwhile I’ve picked up a new 23/1.4 for my remaining X-Pro2 and I must say, it’s clearly the best XF prime to date. Nevertheless, it’s rather expensive as well esp. when comparing to e.g. the Nikkor Z 35/1.8 which is even better, full-frame and costs less. Fuji started as a less costly, smaller and lighter alternative to full-frame cameras while maintaining good image quality. Over the years it has grown in size and costs, to a level where the gap is almost closed. I’m not sure if that’s a good sign…
I'm hearing from lots of people here saying their 23 f2 wasn't great either
The QA on their cameras seem to be better than their lenses. Bear in mind a f1.4 is more expensive and complex to make than a f1.8. The f1.8 will produce a shallower depth of field when used on a full frame sensor than f1.4 on crop but the f1.4 will still allow for lower ISO/faster shutter speeds
My goal with the Fuji X-Pro3 is 'compact'; most of my images are of people; the f2 suits these parameters better for me... I have had all the 'fast' Fuji lenses but they are so large compared to the camera body & the rest of my kit, I consider them impractical.
Totally agree . May as well carry a large dslr if you use the big Fuji glass
Yet again a well structured and informative review of the lens, in particular as a comparison against the f2 version. The latter I use along with the 35mm f2 for street photography, in this respect although clearly the 1.4 version is better, the compact nature of the f2 models suits my needs better for that style of photography. It would be interesting to compare the 23 and 33mm f1.4 lens against the 16 -55mm f2.8 lens, although being a zoom lens it will not perform as well, how much it differs I wonder?
So I was gonna get the 70-300 first, but I found a very decent deal for this lens and I won't say it's cheap, because it's not, but OMG it sure is worth every penny. Crazy sharp even in the X-H2 40MP sensor, contrast if off the charts and it's built like a tank. The linear motor for AF is so quick and quiet sometimes you just can't tell for sure if the camera has actually focused unless you toggle on the AF sound alert, but rest assured it has. Also, the manual focus ring is a joy to use. Probably the best lens I've ever owned.
It's still my favourite Fujifilm lens
Coming from viltrox 23, the viltrox is sharper, and i tend to miss focus with this new lens compared to the viltrox. Having regrets but i will keep it, maybe future firmware update will improve my experience.
Has your experience with the Fuji improved? I have the Viltrox but want the Fuji eventually which I think should be better all around. There are lots of reasons I miss focus, the question is whether or no the Fuji is actually capable of making good use of AF-C modes as well. The Viltrox is definitely a fast-to-focus lens for the most part but can start to drag in lower light indoor shooting I try to do.
Viltrox on wide open less sharp
Glad I chose the 23mm f/1..4 LM WR - very helpful video.
still my favourite lens in that system!
3rd time lucky ; this is the best XF23 by far ; it's fantastic. I have all 3 XF23 mm and always thought, like you, that I had a bad copy old XF23 f/1.4 and sent it in for Fujifilm to check out... they returned it saying it performs within specs. but I still thought it was a bad copy. The new XF23 is a different story. It is very very good, and money well spent. I should get rid of my old XF23 f/1.4 I wonder how much I'd get for it. Pristine condition, always had a protective filter on.
I have the latest 23 in again to test the XH2S - it really is very good.
This is good news. I like the 23mm focal lengt on aps-c but the 23/2 has always been my least favourite Fuji lens. I hated it. Time for a 24/1.4!
Love the Bowie mural at 13:46. Very thorough great review Mr. Laing.
You're welcome! Yep, it's a nice piece of artwork
Is it just me, or is the bokeh on the older f1.4 lens better than the new one? I think so. Seeing that this lens would only be used in portraits for my purposes, the older f1.4 model gets the nod from me. Plus, in my experience, people have an aversion to seeing things that are TOO sharp in regards to "details" in their facial features (pimples, wrinkles, etc.)
When it comes to bokeh, there's no 'better', just personal preference.
May I ask which would you prefer between 18mm and 23 mm. which one is shaper and has less chromatic aberration or distortion？ thank you.
I have the newish 18 f1.4, 23 f1.4 and 33 f1.4 (and others). I do wish they’d come up with a new line of f2 lenses, particularly a replacement 18 f2. These would be perfect if they deliver an X-Pro4. The smaller f2 lenses do look a little weird on the XT and XH bodies, though.
I just reviewed the Sigma 23 1.4 which is another option for Fujifilm owners...
Thank you Gordon!! i recently purchased the 23 f2 and I am not as excited as I thought I was going to be. This test is really nice but I wish It had come out sooner lol. Oh well at least the lens is small enough to balance on my E-3 better than a larger one.
I guess it's still the best small 23!
Same here. Pretty disappointed with 23 f2, specially low light performance. Now considering Viltrox or Fuji, only wish the price gap wasn't so wide.
Great balanced and informative review, thank you. I’ve just affected the new lens to my kit, amateur use only for me of course.
It's still my favourite lens in the system
Yes, I think I’m going to like it very much. The “affected” in my first response should have been ‘added’. Thanks again for a great review.
I think I am almost the only person wanting small high quality lenses anymore. F2.8 is good especially with wide angle lenses. And high iso performance in modern cameras is a given.
I'm a big fan of small lenses too.
Compact 18f2.8 WR next, hopefully. 🤞
Today lenses are absurdly huge. Everybody wants small lenses and they do exact opposite. What's the point of having mirrorless body with such a big lenses?
F2.8 you’re getting into slower than 1/60 shutter speeds at ISO 6400 in low light indoors. So for me I like f2 as a minimum. Maybe I just need to upgrade from my XT1 for better high ISO performance
@@Ttjam1 that depends on the aesthetic you're going for. If you're shooting for no shadows then yeah, but if you can embrace the shadows like they do in movies with a good lighting aesthetic I can shoot f4 1/125 and iso 3200 at night.
Embrace the shadows and compose for the available light and you don't need high isos and bright apertures. Plus, it trains your eye to be selective, and look for good scenes rather that just whatever and push it.
Thats for such a comprehensive review. No its not a bad copy! I sold both those older 23mm lenses due to lack of sharpness! Now settled with the 18mmf1.4 which is much better. Not sure if i will get the latest 23f1.4 R wr? As I am quite happy with a slightly wider view and used to it now.
I'm reassured by the number of people commenting about poor to average old 23s. This paints a picture of the old ones not being great...
Yes it´s a bad copy. My first XF 23mm F1.4 R was a little bit soft wide open (nothing really objectionable), but having read many people sing praises about it, i ordered a new copy and it was sharp. Had the same happen with the XF 35mm F1.4 R - went through 4 or 5 copies to get a good one.
An excellent review. It moved me to subscribe. You might consider bringing in the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 as it is priced similarly to the Fujifilm 23mm f/2.
Thanks! I've made a separate review of the three Sigma lenses for X-mount, but the optical design of the 30 is getting on now.
Hey Gordon, try manual focusing on the old 23 f1.4. My copy miss quite often focus when auto is on. Maybe it worth a try. Thanks for the review :)
Believe me, I tried manual, various AF points, everything.
hey gordon, sry to bother you with this question but does all fuji lenses mount on gfx cameras and x cameras as well? or is it a completely different mount?
It's a different mount, so no!
Thanks for comparing all three 23mm lenses 👍
Go light and cheap with APSC, these are on par with Full frame in size and price
Nice review. I hope that Fuji will produce a new improved f2 version.
It's a terrific lens. Much better than the smaller, lighter, 23/2.
Yes in my tests the 23 f2 wasn't very impressive.
I am in the process of selling my 23mm f1.4 r and 16mm f1.4 r because 18mm f1.4 appeals to me this lens is way too expensive.
Hi Gordon , I love your each and every review . Can you help me out ! which one should I choose in terms of image quality 33 mm or this one ?!
I felt the 33 was a little sharper, but they are similar in performance. The choice should be down to which focal length is more useful to you.
@@cameralabs Thank for replying ❤️
Would you prefer this over the 18 for street/city photograpy/filming?
I prefer this over every xf lens!
Hello, great review! I currently own this lens paired with the XT5 and I’m having a very difficult time with AF-C. It sometimes will loose focus entirely. Do you have any suggestions for AF-C custom settings for video? Thank you!
First things first, the Fujifilm video AF isn't the best out there, so don't expect perfection from it! I'd experiment with different AF areas, to try and dial it down and help it concentrate on the area the subject is in, like a zone or even a large square.
@@cameralabs Thanks for the reply! I agree regarding Fuji AF, I was a longtime wedding videographer with my XT3. However I would say that the XT5 has shocked me. So specifically for video would you have any recommendations for AF-C custom settings? Tracking sensitivity etc? In terms of the focus box size, larger is better for video? I know we can’t say an exact amount on size but say a scroll or two larger than default square size? Again thank you so much for the help! It’s doing my head in, sorry to be a bother!
@@isaacmaxpaul it really is a case of experimenting, and if it's people, trying out the face detect on and off. It really varies with situations and subjects. I mostly test with the defaults.
Gordon, can you compare the 16mm f/1.4, 33mm f/1.4 and 56mm f/1.2 to these lenses from Sigma for the X-mount?
Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN
Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN
Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN
I am going to be buying a Fujifilm X-H2 when it comes out and I'm wondering if the Sigma lenses are as good as Fujifilm's.
I've made reviews about them on my channel, hope you find them
Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R LM WR is better than the old Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM?
Thankns for review, Is just sharp as 33mm f1.4 or the 33mm is sharper
The 33 was sharper in my tests, at least with my test samples
@@cameralabs Thank you :) That helps a lot.
is there any Distortion of the raw image?
What about comparing to the new 18mm F1.4 ?
I made a separate review of the 18 1.4 earlier with similar test shots, so you can compare them side-by-side.
Awesome review. Thanks Gordon
You're welcome!
All the best, my friend
Great review
Brilliant video, cheers!
Thanks!
Sayende aldım abi haftaya başlıyorum çekimlere
Mine is coming. Your review confirmed that its a good buy.
When shooting video with this lens, I sometimes have the problem that the focus motor is too loud. does anyone have a similar problem or have any suggestions?
Use,an external mic?
Gordon, have you tried the 18/1.4?
Now, that really is the best wide lens for the Fuji X-mount system.
I reviewed it last year!
Stop the focus shift from bottle to bottle after 2-3! Switch to something else if you must!
Ah but it's not always consistent!
Great review!
Thanks!
Is it really better than 18/1.4? :)
in this cae, focal length preference is more important than lens quality. I prefer the 18mm f1.4.
Nice! :)
Have a good week!
Moving front element for the prime lens of this price, size and weight is a joke. Also af is loud and not the best performing, Sharpness and rendering quality is beautiful, but for me it's not worth it. 23f2 will do job as well and without backpain and more money in pocket for traveling.
better than the 18mm?
Both great but I prefer the 23
23f2 mark ii is due
That 23 f/2 is pretty rough
Agreed. I bought it new and returned it a day later. Too many issues to work around so not worth the price. It shines in video and when shooting between f5.6-8.
I suspect there’s also worse quality control with it too, or was when I bought mine, which has some kind of weird haziness, and significant softness on the far left edge but not the right. It’s tolerable considering the small size and weather resistance, but if I’m prioritising image quality I’ll definitely reach for my old 23/1.4, which doesn’t suffer from any of the problems Gordon mentioned here, and is in fact an excellent performer at any aperture.
I was really hoping for better from both of the older 23s, but neither of my copies were great
@@cameralabs It's a shame you got a dud 24/1.4, mine's a really great lens!
video anda sangat bagus dan mempunyai mesej yang luas terima kasih
thanks!
I covet this lens!
Still my favourite x mount lens!
nice
you didn't put WR in the title 👎
Or LM. If I did, RUclips search would have become too specific and no one would find it. But I did include it in key words and as soon as I speak, plus I also talk about the old one. So no thumbs down