FUJIFILM XF 18mm f/2 R Lens Review

Intro

The Fujifilm Xf 18mm F2 is one of the oldest lenses to come out of the XF range, along with the Xf 35mm f1.4 and the Xf 60mm F2.4 Macro, released in 2012. Those who have taken the time to make their own research on the net will quickly see that this is the Fujifilm lens with the worst reputation. Some even talk about the worst lens ever for the brand, so many people go their way without really considering this pancake lens. However, these tests are often out of reality because they are based on scientific criteria, admittedly objective, but which do not take into account use “in the field”.

On paper, however, this lens has many advantages, particularly related to its size and weight, which is an undeniable asset for photographers wishing to travel light. So I decided to get this lens in order to get my own idea, and I am going to give you my opinion here after several months of use. The stake for me being to know if it could replace my xf 16mm 1.4 which is considered to be one of the best wide-angle lenses in the fuji range. Lately, the 16mm has been put in the background by the 18mm F1.4 which I have not yet had the opportunity to try but which, for reasons which I will explain, is not intended for the same type of photographer. For the more impatient, spoiler alert: I keep the XF 18mm F2, it is certainly, to date and for my use, my favorite lens …. here is why…

Specs:

Manufacturing quality and ergonomics

The XF 18mm F2 is small, really small. It is for this reason that it constitutes, in my opinion, the perfect lens for those who want to travel light. It fits in a pocket. Mounted on my Xpro3, this is the perfect aesthetic combo. If I remove the lens hood, I can easily slip it into my work bag without having any protrusion from the lens. It is light, not felt at all in everyday use. It’s so small it’s the only lens, along with the 27mm F2.8 WR (which I’ll be testing very soon) for which I never mind attaching the lens hood. I even find that it gives it even more style, on a rangefinder (of the Xpro or XE series) it gives the impression of having a Leica lens in the hands.

The lens is supplied with a small rubber cap which is easily slipped on the lens hood (be careful, it is very easy to lose it). The Xf 18mm with the lens hood is about the same size as the xf 35mm F2 without the lens hood. It is, therefore, an ideal size for street photography for example.

Best lenses for Street Photography

Regarding the build quality, it is really good even if it does not come close to modern lenses, especially at Fujifilm. The materials are plastic, which has the advantage of being very light, and unfortunately, the lens is not WR.

With a little care, however, it is possible to use this lens in wet conditions, including attaching a UV filter and the lens hood. The absence of WR is a small downside for me which makes me hope for the second version of this lens, with a seal. The focus ring is soft, the diaphragm ring is a bit “loose”, it takes little to change the aperture, even inadvertently … I regret the lack of focus distance indication on this lens, but its thinness leaves little room for this kind of information.

Autofocus/Zone Focusing

Of course, this first generation of lens suffers from somewhat dated autofocus … does that limit me in my use in street photography/reportage? Not at all! The autofocus speed, except in conditions where it must be done very quickly (sports photography for example) is in my opinion a marketing criterion. Is there really a significant difference between a focus that acquires 0.5 seconds instead of 0.25 seconds, in everyday use?

I don’t think so … In reality, and compared to other lenses in other systems and/or older, the 18mm F2 autofocus is pretty fast! Especially when mounted on a latest-generation camera like an XT4 or Xpro3. Except in low light, I have absolutely never deplored a lack of autofocus speed on this lens …. Negative point, however, for my use: the autofocus is noisy! Not excessively loud, but enough to get spotted in fairly quiet conditions where you want to go incognito! But to tell you the truth, I hardly ever use autofocus. This lens shines when using zone focusing in my opinion.

This is the advantage of having a wide-angle lens mounted on an APS-C sensor: with a closed diaphragm, you have a depth of field that can be used in street photography. For my part, and in normal conditions (outdoor, sunny) I close my diaphragm to F5.6 (not by chance, you will see it later in the image quality section) and I manually adjust my focus to 3 meters. So my focus area is approximately between 1.5m and 165m …. so it’s perfect for doing complex compositions and layering (which I particularly like). Exit the noisy autofocus, I no longer need you …

Image Quality

All the photos presented in this review are straight out of the camera, without any retouching. It is often around this element that opinions are unleashed on the internet. To tell you the truth, after my own tries and cropping, I myself was amazed at the lack of sharpness of this lens. After months of use, I never realized how bad it was. What do I take away from this? It’s that this lack of sharpness never bothered me until I cropped 100%. Again, a great photo is not at all characterized by its sharpness. Once again, this is a marketing element which, in my opinion, has no interest.

The advantages of this lens lie elsewhere. If you need impeccable image quality, for commercial, landscape, or studio use, for example, go your way and invest 1000 euros in the 18mm 1.4. For all other uses, this lens will do the trick! No one will judge your photos by their sharpness. For my use, the sharpness is more than sufficient. In my opinion, the best sharpness is around F5.6, both in the center and in the corners. It is for this reason that I use this lens primarily at this aperture, but I don’t mind opening it to F2 in low light if I feel the need.

It is even a very big advantage, on such a small lens, to have such a large maximum aperture. You will see in these photos that the flare is fairly well managed, and has never been a problem. It has an organic side that is very similar to that of the 35mm f1.4. The distortions are quite important on the raw files, as well as the chromatic aberrations, but they are corrected very easily in post-production software like capture one or lightroom for example.

Lens Personality

Unlike the previous section, it is when considering the overall rendering of my photos that I was very pleasantly surprised by this lens. Internet tests make very little mention of this aspect of this lens. Some say that the character of this 18mm is similar to the 35mm f1.4, and having owned both, I agree with them completely. The formula for this lens was designed to separate the subject from its background more effectively.

This results in photos that, when taken at F2, give a 3D effect, which is very rare on this type of focal length. The photos are organic, very similar to what can be acquired with a film camera, they have a soul, an identity that I do not find with the most recent lenses which, of course, are irreproachable at the optical level, but provide images with surgical precision, without imperfection, and therefore quite uninteresting in my opinion. You have to have it in your hand to realize that this is a little jewel that provides an intense joy of use!

Pros and Cons: For which use ?

Pros

• Compactness

• Weight

• Character

• Used price

• His style!

Cons

• Lack of WR

• Lack of sharpness, in certain uses

• Loud autofocus

Best for: The street photographer, the photo reporter, or the enthusiastic photographer, who wants a fast wide-angle to go with him everywhere. The one who is above all interested in the character of the image, who aims for complex compositions, and who likes to use zone focusing to fully concentrate on the balance of the image.

Price:

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Final Words

I did well to forge my own idea of ​​this lens because it is a favorite for me. I was looking for a wide-angle lens made for street photography. I quickly sold my 16mm 1.4 because it was excessively big and heavy for this purpose, so I was always reluctant to take it with me. You know, a good lens is one that you can take with you everywhere. Of course, the 16mm surpasses the 18mm in terms of sharpness, which is why it will be more advisable to you compared to this old 18mm, but these tests do not take into account the reality in the field at all.

The truth is that my images with this 18mm are much better than those taken with the 16mm for simple reasons: it is inconspicuous, no one notices it, so I have better quality candid photos. But above all, I can take it everywhere, which allows me to take more photos and therefore, statistically, to have a greater number of better quality photos. Another advantage, and not the least, is this lens is, used and in very good condition, less than 250 euros while the 16mm 1.4 or 18mm 1.4 are between 700 and 1000 euros …

This lens is, therefore, in my opinion, a golden opportunity that every street photographer should have in his bag. I will not discuss here the advantages of the 18mm focal length, this could be the subject of a future article, but it is my favorite focal length. Since the acquisition of this 18mm, it is 95% of the time fixed on my xpro3 and I will never part with it, even if my 18-55mm has a better dive at 18mm, which can be useful for landscapes for example, but this lens was not designed for that, so it should be considered for what it was intended for.

Mounted on a rangefinder it is more compact than the WCL conversion lens on a Fujifilm X100. While waiting for the second version of this lens, which could be WR, with a faster AF, and focusing distance indications, I can only advise you to get it as soon as possible! You will not be disappointed!