I bought the 50mm f/2 Fujicron about 4 years ago as an intermediate step towards the ultimate goal of the 56mm f/1.2 fujifilm lens. After using it, I never bought the 56mm. It's small, light and sharp, and by all accounts focuses faster than the longer lens. It's nice to have options like the Viltrox and for seldom used focal lengths going cheap makes sense. The Fujifilm 50mm is so good and not astronomically priced that I would not buy the cheaper alternative.
I like when you compare two lenses - it helps make clear what the differences are i.e. what you perhaps give up when you choose a less expensive option or a slightly different spec. Contrary to what so many other sites say when they talk about one single specific lens ... "It feels solid." "It's a good lens." "Excellent image quality." Compared to what? So thank you very much for your comparisons. Helpful. (Btw ... 50mm f2 Fuji for me for a handful of years. Small, fast, IQ.)
I'm so glad when I saw this comparison. All other reviewers compare the Viltrox to the TTArtisan, but not the Fujicron. I think the photos stopped down revealed more depth of field, especially at the furthest distance, than the Viltrox 1.7. There is also the Sigma 56 1.4 which competes well against the 56 1.2 WR, at less than half the price, even 1/3 of the Fuji when on sale.
I appreciate you doing these videos. I think I often see more of a stark difference between the lenses as I'm looking around the images. For instance when they're both f8, the viltrox should be a lot closer if it weren't for the wild field curvature. This where TTartisan and Viltrox, etc often struggle, and the one's I've compared (even with their wide primes), shooting scenes and landscapes where some parts of the composition that should be in focus aren't.
Yes some strange things going on from time to time although I did not feel there were any curvature issues with these two issues or if they were there they were not noticeable to me
Nowadays with everything is overly clinical where we strive for optical perfection I find myself looking for character in my lenses and in my professional work. The 50 f2 is a workhorse of a lens couple that with the 35mm 1.4 Fuji or even the 32mm ziess 1.8 are beautiful I’m just looking for a 24mm (35 full frame) with character. Keep up the good work Kirk you swung my decision on getting the 16-80 f4 I love it also and I can’t stop using it!
Great review.. couldn’t notice the boat windows until it was enlarged to 100%, . Great quality, but it doesn’t seem it would handle a lot of use or abuse.
wow thanks for that! clearly, fujinon is better. colours, clarity, contrast, optics on another level. I consider the 50f2 a boring lens compared to the fuji 56f1.2. I purchased the 50f2, new, 6 years ago. It's a lens I don't use very often, but for being so great, I've never sold it.
To me, the OOF areas and transition to OOF looked much better on the Fuji. I'm biased since I have the 50 and love it. Its and engineering masterpiece and IMO, a great used lens bargain.
I own both, using them on the XE4 and the XT5. I prefer the "lighter one", even though the size is larger, I find the Viltrox quite amazing in street photography
@@KirkWilliamsonphotographyI have both the lenses and I don't agree with your built quality argument. You are not going to toss the lens around or bump it here and there while taking photos. Unless any part falls off on its own or starts squeaking, I don't see any issues with the built quality of the viltrox. I will be as careful with the viltrox as any other lens while using. The built quality discussion seems irrelevant. If you need weather resistance, I would say that's a feature and you have to pay more for that and that's when the fujicron is relevant. If your camera is not weather sealed, there's no point in getting the fujicron for three times the price in my opinion. I have an x-s20 which is not weather sealed, so I am getting rid of the fujicron to get something else. The built quality of the viltrox is absolutely fine and I don't see any difference in image quality as you already mentioned in the review.
I bought the 50mm f/2 Fujicron about 4 years ago as an intermediate step towards the ultimate goal of the 56mm f/1.2 fujifilm lens. After using it, I never bought the 56mm. It's small, light and sharp, and by all accounts focuses faster than the longer lens.
It's nice to have options like the Viltrox and for seldom used focal lengths going cheap makes sense. The Fujifilm 50mm is so good and not astronomically priced that I would not buy the cheaper alternative.
Yes I agree. The newer Fuji 56 f1.2 is pretty awesome though.
I like when you compare two lenses - it helps make clear what the differences are i.e. what you perhaps give up when you choose a less expensive option or a slightly different spec.
Contrary to what so many other sites say when they talk about one single specific lens ... "It feels solid." "It's a good lens." "Excellent image quality." Compared to what?
So thank you very much for your comparisons. Helpful. (Btw ... 50mm f2 Fuji for me for a handful of years. Small, fast, IQ.)
Thanks! Yes the Fuji 50 f2 is outstanding for me as well.
Nice review! Have you try the TTArtisan 56/f1.8? wondering which one is sharper🤒
Have not tried that one
I'm so glad when I saw this comparison. All other reviewers compare the Viltrox to the TTArtisan, but not the Fujicron. I think the photos stopped down revealed more depth of field, especially at the furthest distance, than the Viltrox 1.7. There is also the Sigma 56 1.4 which competes well against the 56 1.2 WR, at less than half the price, even 1/3 of the Fuji when on sale.
The Fujicron 50 will always show more DOF because of its shorter focal length. I felt that comparing Viltrox vs Fuji was a logical choice.
I appreciate you doing these videos. I think I often see more of a stark difference between the lenses as I'm looking around the images. For instance when they're both f8, the viltrox should be a lot closer if it weren't for the wild field curvature. This where TTartisan and Viltrox, etc often struggle, and the one's I've compared (even with their wide primes), shooting scenes and landscapes where some parts of the composition that should be in focus aren't.
Yes some strange things going on from time to time although I did not feel there were any curvature issues with these two issues or if they were there they were not noticeable to me
Nowadays with everything is overly clinical where we strive for optical perfection I find myself looking for character in my lenses and in my professional work. The 50 f2 is a workhorse of a lens couple that with the 35mm 1.4 Fuji or even the 32mm ziess 1.8 are beautiful I’m just looking for a 24mm (35 full frame) with character.
Keep up the good work Kirk you swung my decision on getting the 16-80 f4 I love it also and I can’t stop using it!
I’m using the old Fuji 23 1.4 for that character look and it’s been great.
16 1.4 is quite close to 35 1.4 characters. I’m using both.
Found the viltron on sale for $120 brand new on eBay! That made the choice way easier
I think you will like it. Especially for $120
Great review.. couldn’t notice the boat windows until it was enlarged to 100%, . Great quality, but it doesn’t seem it would handle a lot of use or abuse.
Mark its pretty much all plastic. You drop it or get it real wet I think it’s done. Other than that it’s actually really good.
I also like to use two Cameras, one with a prime wide angle Lens and an other with a prime short tele Lens, nothing can beat that !
Works for me too!
wow thanks for that! clearly, fujinon is better.
colours, clarity, contrast, optics on another level.
I consider the 50f2 a boring lens compared to the fuji 56f1.2.
I purchased the 50f2, new, 6 years ago.
It's a lens I don't use very often, but for being so great, I've never sold it.
The old 56 f1.2 was so slow focusing I never used it. The new one looks really good though
To me, the OOF areas and transition to OOF looked much better on the Fuji. I'm biased since I have the 50 and love it. Its and engineering masterpiece and IMO, a great used lens bargain.
I agree as well although I find they still look similar. But the Fuji lens is built way better.
Encantado con tu reseña, tu video realmente me ha ayudado mucho a elegir uno de estos dos objetivos.
Gracias y saludos
Glad I could help thanks.
I own both, using them on the XE4 and the XT5. I prefer the "lighter one", even though the size is larger, I find the Viltrox quite amazing in street photography
I like having an 85 more than a 75 which makes me want to use the Viltrox more. Just that extra 10mm of length.
Fuji had better contrast.
Just a bit yes.
That Viltrox is so more better than fuji!😊👍🏻👍🏻💪💪 so sharp. And rich colours.
The build quality is terrible! The results are equal or less so. The Fujifilm products are far superior in every way.
@@KirkWilliamsonphotographyI have both the lenses and I don't agree with your built quality argument. You are not going to toss the lens around or bump it here and there while taking photos. Unless any part falls off on its own or starts squeaking, I don't see any issues with the built quality of the viltrox. I will be as careful with the viltrox as any other lens while using. The built quality discussion seems irrelevant. If you need weather resistance, I would say that's a feature and you have to pay more for that and that's when the fujicron is relevant. If your camera is not weather sealed, there's no point in getting the fujicron for three times the price in my opinion. I have an x-s20 which is not weather sealed, so I am getting rid of the fujicron to get something else. The built quality of the viltrox is absolutely fine and I don't see any difference in image quality as you already mentioned in the review.
For the price this lens do better af and 93% quality compare to 56 wr 1.2 , so surprised why fuji lately have bad overpriced products
I agree with the over priced products!
Not as sharp. 50-56, at some distance, the difference in sharpness should not be as noticeable. But for the price is more than OK.
Yes true!