Conclusion
Pros
- Extremely well constructed with excellent haptics
- Very compact and lightweight lens
- Fast and accurate autofocus
- Very good image sharpness
- Good bokeh
- Pleasing color and contrast
- Good flare performance
- Affordable
Cons
- Distortion is strong optically and relies on software correction
- High vignetting without software correction
- Some chromatic aberration
- Yet another filter thread size
In all, I’m extremely pleased with the Fujifilm XF 16mm f/2.8. It’s a high quality, extremely compact lens that helps complete the small moderate aperture prime lineup for the X-System. I was impressed with the sharpness, the good bokeh, color and contrast, and I love having these tiny primes that can fit in a small bag and yet pack a punch when it comes to quality image making.
The fact that all this comes in at a low price of just $399 makes the whole package even more attractive. I love this little lens.
Image Samples
Click on an image to enlarge.
Great review Jordan, as always. I don’t know if you plan to do this, but I’d love to know your thoughts about how this lens compares to the 16mm f1.4 and perhaps more interestingly the 14mm f2.8 for your uses. All three lenses are different of course and each has it’s unique appeal. I’ve seen plenty of articles already comparing the two 16mm lenses with the inevitable trade offs for size and cost. What I haven’t seen is a comparison with the 14mm f2.8 which seems to be a bit overlooked these days but remains a great lens. Any thoughts you have would be much appreciated.
Thanks again and great to see the new content on the site.
I probably won’t do a direct comparison, but here are my thoughts: I think the 14/2.8 is a bit better optically, with much better native optical distortion control, and a bit better sharpness in the corners, though it’s not a major difference there. Both focus fast, both are very good optically. The 14/2.8 is bigger, but it’s also not huge, so whether that size makes a difference to you is personal. I am probably going to be selling my 14/2.8 (and all my Fuji lenses save for the four Fujicrons), as I am turning my Fuji kit into my small prime kit.
Thanks for this Review Jordan! I was waiting for something like this since the release of this lens. But unfortunatly, it seems most people use it for street fotography, rather than anything else and compare it to the 16 f1.4 only. I’m happy to notice you use it as I do, part of a small prime Kit. And that for city- and landscapes, travel as well as architecture. Your example pictures show exactl what I was looking for in my use cases.
My X-Pro2 newer knew anything other than the 3 Fujicrons and the 90 f2. So before this lens I had to rely on the 14 f2.8 and was very happy with it , really. But as you stated: it’s just not the same shape and feel as the Fujicrons. I was especially bothered with the focus clutch mechanism, being used to the Fujicrons I’m always stumbling over that when using the 14mm. But the optical quality was beyond any complains for the price, so I really wondered if the compactness of the 16 f2.8 would carry a lot of drawbacks. According to you, it doesn’t, they are not too far from each other optically. That’s good news, thanks for that! Shame though it’s not an f2, this still seems to be beyond our current engineering capabilities at tis prize & size.
I will now go on testing a 16 f2.8 and then replace my 14mm with the new 16mm, more or less completing my perfect X-Pro2 Prime/Travel Kit. Thanks again for the review! Please continue this platform, I like your style. 🙂
Happy shooting!
Jordan, it’s funny you mention you’re turning your fuji kit into a lighter prime kit. That’s exactly what I’m doing now (actually taking delivery of my x-t3 tomorrow) – and will set it up w/ the 16/23/35 crons. And maybe the 50 later… I plan to use it mostly for video and I have my Sony set up alongside for everything else and main use. Btw, I’m also a Cornell Engineer 🙂 I don’t chime in often, but I read a lot of your content and hope you continue to keep up it. Please look me up for a coffee or beer if you ever visit Singapore.
I’m sorry to hear that you’re selling off most of your Fujifilm lenses. I have enjoyed your reviews of Fujifilm products, so I hope that you continue to write reviews of their cameras and lenses. Are you going all-in on Sony full frame?
I am just transitioning my Fuji gear to be a small prime kit. It’s really hard given how ad monetization has been so reduced over the past few years, to the point where I really make nothing from the site any more, and as such, it’s impossible to justify having three full fledged camera kits from different makers. I still plan on doing continued Fuji reviews in the future, and I still really like the system.
Makes a lot of sense, thanks Jordan. I can understand the focus on the Fujicrons: they really seem to deliver on the promise of small size and big image quality. Personally I couldn’t part with my 35mm f1.4, but to each their own!
Nice images. I have the Fujicron 35/2 and 50/2. (and am heavily invested in Nikon and Nikon glass- 18-200, 17-55/2.8, 85/1.8, 80-200/2.8, 300/4, and 1.4 extender).
My question- X16/2.8 or X23/2 on my XPro2?
It’s definitely a personal choice based on focal length. Both are good lenses. From a purely optical standpoint, I think the 16/2.8 is a bit better, but the deciding factor should be whether you want a moderate wide lens for things like environmental portraiture, or whether you want a fairly wide lens to take in that wider view.
Thank you, for the reply. I could not decide and ended up picking up both.
This 24 mm is absolute winner when I walk about in the autumn forest !