Sigma 23mm F1.4 vs Viltrox 27mm F1.2 | Fuji X-Mount Showdown

Photographer Dustin Abbott pits the new Viltrox AF 27mm F1.2 against the also new Sigma 23mm F1.4 DN for a Fuji showdown.

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Table of Contents:
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0:00​ - Intro and Concept
1:30 - Autofocus
2:14 - Video Focus Pulls
2:45 - Sigma Advantages
4:25 - Viltrox Advantages
6:25 - Conclusions
7:53 - In Depth Optical Breakdown

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My Cameras:

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[Brian]

Always glad to see a video by you pop in my feed. Thanks for the effort!

[vaughnlewis]

Thanks for the lovely comparison. Keep up the great work. The better background rendering is both a function of the lens characteristics and the focal length. I have the sigma 18-50 f2.8 and tested the bokeh at 23mm, 27mm and 30mm. Framing was similar. I was surprised by how much difference there was among focal lengths, all shot at f2.8. I guess that is why some reviewers say they love the 40mm focal length, because its rendering is closer to a 50mm while the field of view is almost as flexible as a 35mm.

[jambob]

I had no idea the Viltrox was coming, and after ~months~ of deliberation I settled on the Sigma 23mm for an upcoming trip. On the day I was going to order it, your first review for the Viltrox dropped. It was the perfect lens for me - 27mm, fast, weather sealed, and a strong vignette (I love a vignette!). I was unsure about the size/weight, but took the chance and ordered it.

It was definitely the right call. This thing is incredible, and I feel even better about my decision after this video!

Don't get me wrong, the Sigmas are great and I love my 56mm, but this Viltrox is just in a different league.

I hope we see more of this niche - It seems most lens manufacturers try to balance size, optics, AF vs MF, and price. They'll often compromise on one of them, like going MF only to keep price down (7artisans), or quirky optics with colour fringing (regular Viltrox), or top quality but high price (Fuji somewhat, Voigtlander). Until now though, it seems nobody has said "If size wasn't an issue, what could we do?". That's what this lens feels like. I appreciate not everyone will want a huge heavy lens, but at the same time not everyone want's a cheap lens with colour fringing, or a small lens that costs an arm and a leg. It's good to have the option.
One of the big things I keep hearing when this lens is mentioned is "It's the size of a full frame lens, why don't you just get a full frame setup?". Well, because it's an option. If I'm so inclined, I can take this off, attach a 35mm f2 and suddenly the setup fits in my pocket.

[parmanduke]

I have the Viltrox 27mm and I pretty much have or have had the best of the Fujifilm lenses. The Viltrox is at the top tier for bokeh and tack tack tack sharpness. Honestly it doesn't get better than this Viltrox. The same goes for the 75mm f1.2. No wonder Canon doesn't want companies like Viltrox to make lenses for their platform. I was blown away by the Viltrox 27mm. I've already sold my 16mm f2.8 23mm f2 and 35mm f2 because of this Viltrox. Never selling the 35mm f1.4 lol

[jeffwu]

Nice! Video that I've been waiting for!

[fellowcitizen]

Typo: Title should read Viltrox 27mm F1.2, not Viltrox 27mm F1.4

[tracyrobertson]

I love the sigma lenses and have the “trio”! Viltrox is making the distinction between full frame and APSC less dominant. The Bokeh on the viltrox is very nice! We are pretty spoiled indeed! You do a great job on these reviews, Rev!!

[brownbear]

A threeway between the new Fuji 23 1.4. and 33 1.4 with the Vilteox would be really good.

While they are more expensive new, they come in around the same price used amd should also be on the radar for anyone considering this focal length.

I have both and would consider the Viktrox to replace the 33 which I've never been fully sold on (FL, corner to corner rendering and ghosting). Don't think I could part with the 23... but it's bokeh and rendering for portraits hold it back (for me).

[ilyavarivchenko]

Very informative and useful. Thank you!

[knuckles]

Excellent and timely video for me. Would you more broadly apply your conclusions to the rest of the sigma contemporary trio (now quad) vs the 2 recent viltrox pro AF models? Or is it more lens by lens?

I'm looking at the sigma 56 and viltrox 75 for Sony e

[stevenwaldstein]

Thank you for the video. I’m hopping this comparison is applicable to the Sony E mount versions of these lenses whenever the Viltrox becomes available. Will see if the Viltrox has any additional features on Sony like the 75mm f/1.2 version di did.

[creativetom]

great ! what about the fuji 23 mk2 in this comparaison ? and the sigma 30 + fuji 33 ? especially fuji 23 vs viltrox 27, in terms of image quality (letting the price aside)

[leventebaumann]

Great review! Thank you! Please make video viltrox 27mm vs fuji wr lm 23mm!

[johnupper]

I think the comparison @12:21 shows a problem with comparing primes of different focal lengths: different FOV and DOF mean that two images taken from the same point (the same body on the same tripod) are very different. In this comparison image the Sigma resolves the dirt on the window but has the sofa arm out of focus, while the Viltrox shows the grain texture on the sofa but has the window dirt blurred.

Would it be a more useful real-usage comparison to try to take the "same image" -- or as close as is possible -- in the same conditions using each lens?
e.g. same camera body, same lighting, same SS, same f-stop, and moving the camera/lens combo forward or backward on a line to achieve the same FOV?

AFAIK achieving _exactly_ the same photographic composition using lenses with different focal lengths is technically impossible -- since moving the camera changes the ratios of distances between the camera to foreground object and camera to background object, causing the objects to appear in slightly different positions in the resulting images. OTOH, compensating for different focal lengths of prime lenses by moving your feet would more closely approximate the choices that photographers make in real-world usage. This would make more work for you when taking your sample images -- since you'd have to move the tripod each time you changed the lens -- but there ought to be a relatively easy way to do this for your Chart Tests.

It is _also_ possible that I just don't understand any of this, and need both more learning and more sleep.

[coldasiceunity]

Great review Dustin - thanks very much for this!! I'm really undecided as to which lens to get out of these 2. I've recently moved over to Fuji after carting a Canon 7dmk2 and Sigma 18-35 1.8, so the size difference doesn't bother me so much. The Viltrox going to 1.2 and how it renders out of focus areas is great but, the colours just seem to pop a little more on the Sigma. I hadn't really noticed it on any other review but, when you put the images side by side, the Viltrox looks almost dull. Tough choice, but I think I'm leaning a little more towards the Sigma at the mo.

[Suresh-rlzr]

for general people photography and colour richness, which one will be your choice ? viltrox 27 1. 2 or fujifilm 33mm f1.4 or fujifilm 35mm f1.4 ...thanks

[PatrickWithCamera]

Great review, thanks! This made me I will wait for viltrox on sony E mount, sigma 23mm feels a bit overpriced, at least in my country, it cost 50-60% more than sigma 30mm.

[matthewqin]

Great job! If I may offer a suggestion, could you please conduct additional testing for light transmission under the same parameters and lighting conditions? Through your tests, it seems I have discovered that Sigma's aperture is slightly smaller than the specified f/1.4, which might explain why the light spot is smaller. Additionally, it appears that Vil's light transmission is also smaller than its aperture value.

[JoelOman]

This is the one I've been waiting for! #GettingThePopcorn 🍿😁

[cynvs]

I used to have the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 and I absolutely hated it. Chromatic aberrations were so bad, you basically couldnt use it at f/1.4 if there was anything bright in the frame. Seems like the 23mm is doing better in that regard, but I'd get the viltrox od Fuji lens instead. I now have trust issues with Sigma. 😅