I picked up the Fujifilm 23mm f1.4 a couple months ago and been putting it through its paces here in Japan. I was initially sceptical about this lens because I already have the 23 f2 and recently took delivery of an X100 which is 23mm. However neither of these items were with me and I found myself shooting a lot at night. The tax free shopping and advantageous exchange rate was the last straw needed to pick this lens up.

Build

The build quality is great and I’ve never had any issues. The lens has so far performed flawlessly however the worst conditions it has seen is a bit of drizzle. With that said this seems to be identical to the 18mm and 33mm f1.4 primes so I would assume all the great build attributes will carry over. All the dials still have solid clicks and overall this feels like a very high quality lens. If there is one criticism it’s regarding the f1.4 line up as a whole. On some lenses like the 18mm f1.4, the aperture dial is very light while on the 33 and this 23 it’s a bit heavier. Although this isn’t a specific issue, it’s surprising nonetheless given the premium positioning of these lenses.

Ergonomics

This lens is bigger and heavier than some of the alternatives however if you’re using an XT or an XH body, you will not face any issues. I will say that it feels more at home on the XH due to the larger grip as on the XT it can be a little front heavy. If you plan on using it with smaller bodies such as an XT30 or an XE, keep in mind that the camera will feel front heavy and probably not very comfortable to use. The aperture dial is solid and has defined clicks while the focus dial is as good as you can get for a fly by wire system.

Image Quality

This is where the 23mm really shines because the image quality is outstanding. Even at f1.4 the photos are sharp throughout and have a pleasing contrast too. When stopped down to f4 the image gets even sharper. The colour rendering is great and all in all there is nothing bad to say about the image quality. It’s some of the best that Fuji has to offer. I personally don’t mess around with technicals, charts or taking photos of brick walls while examining them at 500%. Instead I let the photos do the talking so below is a selection of images taken with this lens. I’ve owned and used the 23mm f2 and the 23mm lens on the X100V for a long time. This lens blows those two out of the water. No competition.

Autofocus

The second standout quality is the linear motor AF system. It’s quiet, reliable, smooth and without external moving parts. Compared to older systems, this is a game changer for action, video and general speed. In video the focus racking is smooth and reliable without hunting or any other weird behaviour. When it comes to photography, the focusing is instant and accurate even if shooting a still life subject in AF-C. There is nothing bad to say about the AF. When it comes to manual focusing, as expected the experience leaves a lot to be desired given there is no actual manual focusing. Instead you’re simply moving the focus motors with the dial which results in a very bland experience. If you plan to mostly use manual focus, this lens is not for you.

Summary

To summarise this is a great lens however it comes at a cost. It’s bigger, heavier and more expensive than the other 23mm options which means it’s not for everyone. If you shoot a lot of video, rely on AF, need f1.4 and want the best image quality possible, then this lens is for you. Otherwise consider looking at the 23mm f2.

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