Fujifilm XF 23mm F2 Review

Intro

The Fujifilm XF 23mm F2 has long been a reference when it comes to acquiring a prime lens. It was also recommended to me the first time I bought a Fujifilm camera, a few years ago. At the time, I refused this lens, finding the focal length too classic, boring…etc. My choice was rather oriented towards a wider focal length (the XF 18mm F2) and a more standard and more compact focal length (the XF 27mm F2.8), you will also find the reviews of these two lenses here.

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These lenses had their own advantages that were hard to beat, but also major problems: the lack of WR and sharpness that was starting to show its age for the 18mm, and noisy and slow autofocus for the 27mm… My acquisition of the X100V confirmed my desire not to acquire this 23mm F2: the focal length was, for my use in street photography, neither wide enough nor too narrow in certain situations. So I parted with this camera. A few years later, I let myself be tempted by this mythical lens, in addition to my Fujifilm Xpro3, and I was really surprised: since the beginning of my photographic journey with Fujifilm, had I been completely wrong? What if this lens was the holy grail, the only one you had to have? The chosen…

All images in this test are straight out of the camera.

Specs

Manufacturing quality and ergonomics

The XF 23mm F2 is part of the so-called “fujicron” range, along with the XF 35mm F2, the XF 50mm F2, and the XF 16mm F2.8. They all feature the same design and build quality. In very few words: it’s solid: compact, and qualitative, and it feels like a little gem in the hand. The materials used are noble, there is a seal that reinforces our impression of being able to use this lens in absolutely all conditions with the right camera.

It was also designed for this: it is the lens of the adventurer, the one you never hesitate to take with you. Mounted on an Xpro3 or equivalent, the lens has a rendering of the most beautiful effect, reminiscent of the Leica lenses of the great photo reporters. Discreet and light, it will not attract attention. However, it has a good focus ring and diaphragm aperture which is, for me who has big hands, a significant advantage over more compact lenses like the 27mm F2.8 or the X100V lens.

Ergonomics is also one of the main reasons why I parted with this camera: changing settings on the lens was too tedious for me, and this is no longer the case with this 23mm F2. I personally reinforced the protection of this lens because I am very careful with my equipment: I added a UV filter to protect the lens as well as a metal hood (I find that the original one is of poor quality ). So my lens can survive any cataclysm. Also, I no longer need to put on a lens cap, so I save a lot of time when it comes to quickly drawing my camera to capture a decisive moment.

Autofocus/Zone Focusing

If I had to compare the autofocus of the 23mm F2 to the 27mm, 18mm, and even the X100V, I would say that the 23mm is clearly above the others, closely followed by the X100V. To tell the truth, I use autofocus very little when doing street photography.

I mainly use zone focusing which is particularly advantageous with this lens, I will explain later why. However, focusing in low light or for action scenes with a wide opened diaphragm to separate the layers is no longer a problem with this lens which has a very efficient linear motor, even better with the latest Fujifilm cameras and firmware.

Focusing is done extremely quickly, but it is also extremely silent, which is an undeniable advantage for those who want to be discreet or for videographers. Regarding zone focusing, I personally like to do street photography sessions shooting only at F8 or F16. By focusing at 3.5m and opening at F8, the area of ​​sharpness will be extended from 1.8m to infinity.

From 0.9m to infinity for an aperture at F16 and focusing at 2m. This is a significant advantage for those who compose with different planes (layering). This lens, therefore, ticks all the boxes of perfection in terms of autofocus and focusing zone.

Image Quality

First of all, I usually say in my reviews that I am not a lab test professional. It’s even quite the opposite, I hate it because it puts forward criteria that are absolutely useless, in my opinion, in the practice of photography. All modern lenses are sharp enough for any purpose, whether amateur or professional. Image quality is never about sharpness or purple fringing, believe me…

For pixel peepers, you will find that the 23mm F2 is very sharp at full aperture. it is a little soft on the corners before F4 but nothing too bad!

The image may appear soft at full aperture and close focus distance. You have to close the diaphragm by 2 stops to get good results. But it should be noted that this lens was not designed for this use. It should also be noted that at the largest apertures, there is fairly substantial purple fringing on the corners which disappears completely from F4.

On the other hand, this is not really a problem as it is easy to get rid of it in post-processing, in a few clicks. This lens, therefore, has a very good optical quality, and distortion is almost non-existent. It will be necessary to correct the vignetting which can be quite present in raw (similar, it can be corrected in a few clicks).

Finally, for a wide-angle lens, the bokeh is quite appreciable at the largest apertures. It is therefore useful for making beautiful portraits.

Lens Personality

I was able to explain how this lens surpassed, in my opinion, the other lenses that were similar in the Fujifilm range, in terms of ergonomics and focusing, but also in terms of sharpness. There is, however, one aspect that the test charts are not able to measure, and that is the personality of the lens.

To get an idea of ​​it, you have to use it. In the lab, the 23mm F2 and the X100V lens are very close, if not similar. But on the ground, in real conditions, the Xf 23MM f2 has this “je ne sais quoi” which is difficult to explain. Some say that the 23mm has more micro contrasts which gives relief and character to the image. It’s possible.

What I particularly like is that this lens benefits, like all the other fujicrons, from a general contrast and a color rendering that I particularly like. The photos are punchy straight out of the camera and require almost no editing, which is a huge time saver for any photographer who will therefore spend more time taking photos than editing them…

But there is something else with this lens that I haven’t taken the time to explain to you yet. Why would I have turned to this 23mm when I don’t like this focal length? Well…I didn’t believe it but it’s true…this lens isn’t really a 23mm (35mm full frame equivalent).

When you compare the Field Of View with the other 23mm, you will realize that this one is a bit wider. Not hugely wider but enough to give your image a bit more breathing space than a real 35mm. And that completely won me over.

I would compare this lens to a 21mm equivalent (about 30mm in FF), which is by far my favorite focal length!! So it’s an incredible surprise for me that made me definitely adopt this lens.

Pros and Cons: For which Use?

Pros:

• Size and weight
• Build Quality and Weather Resistance
• Image quality
• Fast and quiet autofocus
• F2 Max Aperture
• Inexpensive on the second-hand market
• FOV wider than 23mm

Cons:

• which might displease some uninformed people
• Fairly weak sharpness at wide aperture and close focus

Best for: The photographer who is looking for a bright, efficient, compact, and quality focal length to accompany him in all his adventures. It’s hard to find a situation where you wouldn’t need this lens… It’s a real Swiss army knife!

Final Words

It was while writing this review that I realized that I had never given so many positive points to a lens, and so few negative points. This lens was a real thunderbolt for me. I separated from all my other lenses in favor of this one as it meets all my needs. In my opinion, this lens deserves to be considered as a first acquisition, even before an X100V or the latest 23mm 1.4 MkII, which are more expensive and which do not offer as many advantages in terms of investment.

Its compactness, quality, its versatility makes it a lens that will delight all photographers, whatever the genre of photography, except those who plan to take close-up photographs (it is then better to acquire a macro lens, of course). So watch the second-hand market, you might get a deal you’ll never regret.