Contents
Conclusion
Pros
- Excellent image sharpness right from f/1.4 and across the entire image frame
- Smooth, even bokeh for pleasing out of focus areas
- Beautiful color and contrast at all apertures
- Very low distortion
- Works well against bright light with good resistance to flare
- Very low vignetting wide open
- Excellent build quality of metal and high-grade plastics
- Manual focus ring utilizes convenient clutch mechanism and is well damped and smooth
- Autofocus is decently fast in CDAF mode and extremely fast in PDAF mode
Cons
- Lens is a little large, though it balances well
- Autofocus would sometimes give up in certain situations
- Some longitudinal CA present in high contrast images
- Aperture ring is a little too easy to accidentally move
The wait has been long for the 23mm f/1.4. It’s one of the most anticipated lenses for the system, and Fuji did not disappoint. The XF 23mm f/1.4 is extremely sharp, and even provides high image sharpness at f/1.4 across the frame. Bokeh is excellent and the lens has surprisingly few flaws in any category, with only a bit of chromatic aberration worth noting. Autofocus is generally fast and accurate, though capable of hiccuping under the right circumstances.
All in all, the Fujinon XF 23mm f/1.4 R is a winner. Fuji continues to craft outstanding lenses for the X-System, and this lens is a standout among that group of top performers. In my opinion, it is worth every penny of the $899 asking price. If you own an X-Series camera and like the moderate wide-angle the lens provides, you owe it to yourself to pick one up. Simply top notch.
Image Samples
Click on an image to enlarge
Hi, there was a firmware update released when the X-e2 was launched which was intended to improve AF performance of some lenses. Was your camera using the latest firmware?
Sincerely,
Ed.
The firmware updates you speak of were for the older XF lenses to enable PDAF capabilities. The 23mm came with that out of the box, and the X-E2 has no firmware beyond the launch 1.0 firmware. So, yes, all firmware was up to date.
That gavel photo is awesome!
Hey Jordan
May I ask what you used to post-process the courthouse photo? And what parameters?
Love the colors and overall impression of that photo!
Cheers
Michel
Thanks! That was a pretty minor edit. I did some minor exposure and saturation tweaks, and then did some selective clarity in Lightroom – increasing it on the tree and decreasing it a little on the background to help the tree pop a bit more. I also added a bit of a vignette.
Hello, Jordan
I wonder if you have tried taking infrared images with the 23mm, and if so, how did you find it? Were there any hot spots?
Many thanks
Peter
Hi Jordan,
absolutely love the sunset bench photo! It has depth, color and lots of mood, can almost imagine sitting on that bench watching the sun go down.
Well done! Wish they had such a lens on the Sonys 🙂
Best regards,
Chris
Hi,I’m looking at getting a setup using the XT-1 for travel writing and tourism in New Zealand, also on an 800 km walk through parts of Europe and a trip to west Africa, trying to keep weight down and be as minimal as I can, I would really like to get some advice regarding lense choices, there will be a lot of street shots and landscapes etc, not interested in animals just people and surroundings. Thanks in advance.
Dear Jordan Steele,
Thanks for this great review,
I’m thinking to buy Digital Camera APSC,
Nikon D5500 or Fuji X-E2S, but the problem with APSC sensor there is no real 35mm lens, the only option is to use either Nikon 24mm F1.8 or Sigma 24mm F1.4 both in the same price range also Fuji 23mm f1.4 in the same price range,
I don’t care about the View finder or the camera size or weight,
If I Buy X-E2S with 23mm f1.4 with it produce sharper image than D5500 with Sigma 24mm 1.4 Art lens
Can I rent these lens with the camera
Nikon D5500
Sigma 20mm f/1.4 DG HSM
Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM
Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM
and send it to you then you make the compare between them and X-E2 with 23mm
to see the difference in sharpness in the center and corner like the compare between FE35mm F1.4 and 23mm
If you don’t mind is there any way to contact you about that, I’m interesting about Digital Camera and I like to share info about that or give some help to share info for people as like what you do.
Kind Regards,
Haider from IRAQ
Very useful, thank you. I am a newcomer to the Fuji system who has just bought a second-hand x-pro1 to fool around with my Nikon glass. So far, I am delighted, although I do not see this system as being capable, so far, of replacing my Nikon stuff but merely as a joyful complement. I plan on getting some fuji lenses and the 23mm and 35mm are on my shortlist but I keep questioning my self whether to get the 1.4 or 2.0 versions. Your review reinforces my belief that the 1.4 versions are more suitable to what I look for when I shoot. Thank you. BTW, there are nice photos in your portfolio, I’ve just checked out your instagram as well.
Many years later…
Thanks for your extensive review of the Fujinon XF 23mm f/1.4 lens. I’m in the market for a 23mm lens. I have the XF 27mm f/2.8 and although I think it’s a very good lens, a 23mm will probably be more suitable for me. Also, both 23’s feel a bit better in use. The question is; which one is best for me? After reading a lot of test and reviews, including yours, I decided to give the older f/1.4 model a try. The older XF lenses are not as refined and sometimes even a little quirky, but the image quality is very good. I like the fact that the 23mm is optically corrected for distortion and that images taken at wide apertures are useable. This makes it a very good low light moderate wide angle. Thanks again and have a great day.