The Fujifilm XF 23mm f2 in 2023..

How I color grade my videos👇
Use my discount code "tongue" for an additional 15% off your phantom luts!

Like the music? Find my playlist with the music I've used here👇
And, if you sign up to Epidemic Sound through the playlist link, you'll get 1 month for free!

Follow me on my socials!👇

GEAR THAT I USE👇

If you wish to support the channel, you can use my PayPal here👇
all the donations will help fund these videos 🫶🥰

If you're a brand and you want to work with me, please get my contact information on the "ABOUT" page of my channel. Thank you.

* Some links are affiliate links, you do not pay any extra, but I may get a small commissions. Using these links allows me to make more videos like this one.

[grzechumarley]

I do 80% of my work on it, I shoot commercials and weddings, I love this lens

[simon]

I agree with you that if you already have the F2 lens, you might, as will just keep it. But being I didn’t have it, I went for the 1.4 version. The main reason I’m going for the linear motors is the auto focus, which I find lacking on the older lenses. It’s the same whether it’s the 23, the 33 or the 50 f2. The 1.4 linear motors are all faster and it really does make a difference when you’re doing street photography. Just my opinion.

[AnthonyJGianotti]

I love shooting this lens wide open, has a very vintage lens look with pleasing bokeh. It really excels at f2 when blurring foreground objects infront of a mid range subject. At f4 and up it is very very sharp while still retaining some good character. Overall it’s probably my second favorite Fuji lens behind the 35 1.4 R

[hanns]

I purchased the 23mm f/2 and LOVED the size and how nice it was to use. Unfortunately for my shooting situation - shooting people in close quarters and low-light - it was a fail due to the softness issue. Stopping down was a no-go - I needed the aperture. So I sent it back and went with the 23mm f/1.4 instead. MUCH happier... but I'd be lying if I said I don't miss the smaller size and 1/3 price of the f/2. I'd love to see Fuji refresh their f/2 line.

[brian.javier]

It is my favorite walk around lenses as well. I have a small bag with this lens and the 35mm f/2, X-T3 body. 23mm is always the primary one. I also want the 50mm f/2 but need to convince myself that I need it, when I already have the old 56mm f/1.2.

[ffprior]

I've owned three copies of this lens at different times. I can tell for experience that image quality at F2 can vary a lot. The current copy that I currently own it is very sharp at F2 at close distances compared to the previous ones, so I won't sell this one :)

[colinhoward]

It is actually the lens I have on most of the time. I also use it for video on (I am on an X-T5), and it is way fast enough at focusing. I have seen reviews of the 35mm F2 that say it is no where near as quick at focusing. It is a shame - as it would be nice to have the full F2 range set to their dinky size. But I put on the 18-55 (which is also quite compact) if I need any other focal lengths. But in general - I am more than happy with the 23 F2 - I have also seen no real issues at F2 at normal distances (ie not close ups).

[jb-elxs]

Have you compared the 23 f2 to the 27mm 2.8?

[torb-no]

It is *not* the same optical design as the X100F, it renders quite differently from this. For starters: you need to get closer to get the soft-wide open problem (psuedo macro distances honestly) compared to the X100F where that issue happens way earlier. And the X100F lens just… renders differently in general. Also, when taking photos that close… do you even want to shoot wide open? Your depth of field will be so razor thing most will be kinda soft based on that alone!

To me this is my work horse lens. It's extremely flexible and works for a variety of types of photography. For several years it was the only lens I owned. And the color rendition and tonality is just brilliant (and again: quite different from the X100F, it's much clearer and crisper, though, in my older years I've actually come to appreciate the vintage quirks of the X100F lens).

I disagree that everything that defines the Fujicrons (including the 16mm f2.8 in that, and excluding the 18mm f2) is only the small size. They are also defined by really high build quality (some think they feel better than the higher end lenses), really rich rendering in color and tonality, WR of course and fast reliable autofocus. Not to mention that many (all?) also come in a silver finish.

[shaelui]

Just bought this lens today for my xt2 and I fell in love.

[bLaffix]

This is the best 23mm lens. The way the highlights glow softly...

[RyanH]

Just wanted to say that I've followed your channel from its inception and you, as a speaker and presenter, have come a long way! I'm not saying that I i ever had anything against your earlier videos, I'm jusy saying that I can see a lot of growth. You're doing well! Keep it up!

[ve]

May i ask you what changes did you make to Reggie’s Portra Recipe and why?

[SyedNizamudeen]

If Shooting in f5.6 and over, then the image quality of 23 mm f2 = 23mm f1.4.

Putting the subject in the center makes the f2 lens sharpest when wide apertures are used.

[neilr]

I've definitely had my eye on this lens for a while. It seems from other reviews that it's only soft near minimum focus distance wide open (and I see absolutely no reason to shoot wide open at extremely close distance anyway).

That being said, I have the 23mm f1.4 Viltrox lens and it's actually very good. A bit more compact than the Fuji 1.4 lens and has a bit of magic in its rendering.

The manual focus 23mm f/1.4 lens by TTartisan is also really good. Crazy field curvature (which I love) but also quite contrasty and sharp.

[Jgheiler]

I have 3 23mm lenses. The xf23mmf2 i use on hikes, when i also have to carry my daughter on my back. The viltrox 23mm f1.4 i use as my everyday lens which is plenty sharp, has really cool vintage rendering, and CA is acceptable at f1.8 for personal users. And xf23mmlmwr which i use for porrait only or filming.

[ediwitdaheat]

I have that lens in silver and I love it. The F2s are incredible lenses for size and price, even for professional work. I’ve filmed a wedding with the 23f2 and 50f2 and I love the results. I’ve thought about replacing it with the new sigma 23 but I’m still not entirely sure. I have the Sigma 16 and 56, I love them both for photography work but the f2s I love for video

[briankavo]

Great lens, I use it a lot when walking about with my XT5, so light and compact!

[sclogse]

Make sure your lens firmware is up to date. It might improve the 2.0 performance. My shots at a distance of 3 feet at f 5.6 and f8 are insanely sharp. Edge to edge it beats my 16mm 1.4. I just sold my 90mm 2.0 to a friend, who after getting it home heard a whirring noise...a tiny scraping sound when he rotated the focus with the lens off the camera. But not when the lens is facing straight up. I think it's part of the 90 design. This isn't the motor clunking. Any thoughts?

[benejpocock]

I love this lens, simply because of size, but screwed on to an X-H2 it almost feels too small. Loved it on an X-T5. My copy seems pretty decent towards the wide open end too, but then I’m by no means a professional so maybe I can’t see what others can.

This lens, plus the 18-50 2.8 Sigma, are what are really pushing me to swap the X-H2 for an X-T5. All of a sudden the former seems way too bulky (especially with ‘big red’, the Fuji 16-55 2.8 on the front).