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The nice thing about the 23mm (35mm or so in reality) gives you a little bit more width for tight scenarios. You can always crop in post if you need the photo to be ‘closer’. You can’t take the 35mm and then move out the frame in post. They’re so close but I’d rather take the slightly wider just for the usability
If you can only buy 1 prime lens, most people will need 23mm more than 35mm due to the fact we take more landscape pictures than close up portraits. With my 5 years experience as an casual photographer, I feel 23mm is a must for taking wider pictures... Hell right now I'm actually considering buying Viltrox 13mm f1.4 and sell the 23mm f2 just for this reason.
The first lens I purchased for my 35mm SLR film camera was a 50mm normal focal length lens. I used it for over a year before I decided that its angle-of-view was too narrow or too "telephoto" for my style and taste. I exchanged the 50mm for a slightly-wide 35mm. The 35 became my favorite focal length for everyday subjects. For my Nikon SLRs, I used it in a 35/85/180mm lens kit. For my Leica M6 rangefinder, I used it in a 21/35/90mm lens kit. When I bought my first Fuji X-Pro1, the first lens I purchased for it was the 23mm f/1.4 (35mm equivalent). Later, the Fuji X-Pro2 I purchased came with a 23mm f/2. I had planned on selling the 23mm f/2 because I felt that I did not need it. However, I decided to try it before selling it. After trying it, I decided to keep it because I fell in love with the smaller size, lighter weight, and weather sealing. I now own and use two 23mm Fuji X lenses. The f/2 I use for street, landscape, and vacation/travel. The f/1.4 I use for photojournalism, documentary, and dim light with no flash.
In the end, i looked at my photos... since i was taking mostly landscape pictures, i needed 23mm. I wasnt missing anything until i had to take close up portraits. 23mm added a bit of distortion that can turn the subjects more plump.
I have the 16mm 2.8, 23mm, 35, and 50mm f2 lenses. They are all great for their size, wr, and autofocus. I love them for pro and personal work. Size is a huge factor. Wanting to take them makes a difference vs larger 1.4 lenses. My favorite is the 23 for the overall versatility.
The 23 F2 was my first Fuji lens, I picked it for it’s versatility as it was my only lens for some time. I think had I picked the 35 F2 instead I would have felt the need for an additional wide lens soon.
I got the 35mm first and overall been very happy, I love the image quality. But it's a bit tight indoors when you want to capture a group of people or a very active kid. Or if you want to capture more of the environment and there is no room to take a step back. I additionally bought the 18-55 for versatility, but I don't enjoy shooting with it too much, somehow it takes away from the experience. Truth be told, a zoom lens does help with not having to swap lenses and risk damaging the sensor or getting dust inside.
Good to hear! both lenses are great, and you can do multipurpose work with both, but there is a certain convenience with the 23mm, the focal length feels natural and easier to adapt. Thanks for watching and for sharing a comment as well! Keep me posted about your experience with the lens after you've used it for a while. Good luck! 🙌🏼✨
I got 4 primes. 13, 23, 35 and 50. Wider, Wide, Semi portrait and Potrait. And I decided to get two kit lenses. 18-55 and 16-80. These I feel are sufficient for my style of photography. I alternate through them every now and then.
Best solution (for me): I bought the XF 23 f2 used and a new XC 35mm f2. The XC 35 has the same image quality as the XF 35, but costs half. Unfortunately, there is no XC 23.
I had both the 23mmf2 and the 35mmf2 at one point. Before doing a stroll around the neighborhood or an outing, I found myself picking up the 35mm more. However, after shooting with the 35mm more than the 23mm there are times where I wished I had the 23mm on. Both are great lenses. BUT, id say the images on the 35mm are much cleaner.
Interesting to hear your thoughts! I like them both, I started my photography journey with the X100 series so I feel right at home with the 23mm, but that being said, I think it's important to consider your relation between character and environment. When you favour the environment, you go wider, when you favour characters, you go tighter. I think both of these lenses do well for street photography and both can easily be the main lens. The great thing about the 35mm is that you can also get very pleasant portrait shots with it, So is very versatile as well. Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! I appreciate it 🙏🏼✨
That's funny, my own 23 f2 came through the mail yesterday ! I've always had a bias towards the 50/55mm equivalent, as I started my photography journey with only the few lenses my dad kept from his film days, and the most usable was a Nikkor 35mm f2. I litterally learned photography with that lens and I still regularly use it when having a giant lens on my camera is not a problem (not kidding, I have a 18-135 XF for hiking photography, and the combo of the 35 f2 + the adapter weights more and is just as big). Got myselft the XC 35mm f2 (using and X-T1, I can use the front dial as aperture control, dial that is otherwise not used at all, so no biggie) to get AF and a smaller package. I was reluctant about going to the 35mm equiv, as to me back then, it was both too wide and not wide enough (the problem of standing in the middle of 28mm equiv and 50mm equiv), and instead of going for a 23mm f2 that would cost me 300€ used, I went for the 7artisans f1.8 that cost me about 70€ brand new. I could take picture with it, but since I had the option to, the 35 would generally stay on. What made me change my mind is when I got an X100. I needed a small camera to carry around as an everyday carry, and the X-T1 wasn't it. Sadly there is no compact cameras like this that have a 50mm equiv lens, so I'd have to deal with it, and I really got hooked on that focal lenght I guess, started to use the 25 more and more, until the need for autofocus was there. But if you're asking me what lens do I prefer, I'd say both. I can't choose. Both are good for different things and I don't see myself going for one rather than the other. The 23 is more versatile when you're shooting run'n gun, but the 35 allows me to get compression in the shot. When I'm going out to shoot in my town, I have a little pouch able to carry the extra lens. If there was a small 23-35 with a constant f2 aperture I would buy it in a heartbeat haha
like a non-powerzoom version of the 15-45mm f2 instead of the f3.5-5.6 would be killer, I wouldn't need another lens. it doesn't even need to have OIS. could even be 18-35 or 23-35 like you say.
Yeah, I hear you, like everything in life, the answer is: It depends. I started my journey with the x100 series, in urban environments, so primes really are the bread and butter for me. But I recognize there are situations where a zoom makes sense, like you mentioned in hiking photography, you can't just get closer to a mountain or peak, a zoom makes complete sense. But with street photography primes are a learning tool. You need to physically get closer, or move away from subjects, it helps you gauge distance as well. However, if we were able to conjure a 23-33 zoom, constant f2, identical quality of the primes, or no bigger than the 23mm lens (which is the bigger lens of the 2 primes) then I would be on board for sure. 🙋🏻♂️ Most great films I've worked on use primes only. The lesser films, like hallmark movies and MOW (movies of the week), are shot with zooms, the films are not good and a zoom lens makes it faster and easier to shoot. So I would advocate for primes always. Your mind thinks a bit differently with a prime, and as I said, you ARE the camera, Want a closer shot? walk. Want a wider shot? walk. But looking forward to the day we get that 23-33mm zoom 😂. Thanks for watching! and for taking the time to share your thoughts as well! I appreciate it 😁🙌🏼
Hi, thanks for that genuine thought. Have seen some reviewers talk about less sharpness on the 23 vs 35. That's what I wanted to clarify, otherwise even I prefer the 23 final length just as you out it - influenced by cinema' to get into the scene more environment even while doing family tour photos. Also, my search started from the X100V but after seeing the price tag, I am working out to go interchangeable lens body only because of the price tag to 100V and getting stuck with one focal length.
Glad it was helpful! The lenses are great, but I do lean towards the 23mm f2, even more so than the f1.4 versions. Especially with older cameras where the focusing speed is less than ideal. If you don't want to focus on testing different lenses or owning multiple lenses, then an older x100 camera might be the right choice, something like the x100t or x100f is still great. Even the original x100 is still an amazing camera, I have a full review of it in case you want to learn more. Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share your thoughts as well! I appreciate it 🙏🏼✨
I did the almost opposite, I went for the 35mm f1.4 and also bought the 16mm f1.4 to accompany it when I want to go wide. Although the f2 lens are small lighter, cheaper I’d rather have that extra stop of light if need be!
I'm glad it was helpful! What camera did you end up going with? the good thing about transitioning from shooting film is that every camera will be a faster shooting experience in general, even if the camera is "slow" by today's standards. Thanks for watching and for sharing a comment as well! Cheers 🙌🏼😁
Your video presentations always fill me with enthusiasm Jorge. I bought the 23/2 about 2 months ago and use it on both my X-Pro 1 and X-T3. I particularly love the X-Pro and 23/2 combination as I like to use the optical viewfinder as well as it being a lightweight set-up. Thank you as always for sharing your knowledge. :)
Glad you like them! Thank you very much for taking the time to share a kind comment, means a lot! ✨ How's the 23mm f2 treating you? I'm curious about what other people's experiences are with that lens. Thanks for watching and for being a member of this very small community! I appreciate it, Sean! 🙏🏼😁
@@Jorge-Perez Thanks for the reply Jorge. I love the 23/2 as it has the 35mm coverage the same as a full frame DSLR or film SLR. It is the same view as my Nikkor 35mm F2 lens and for the photography I do, that angle of view is perfect. All the best and looking forward to your next video.
I have the 23mm F2. Fabulous prime. I've also completed my Street photography lenses with the 30mm F2.8 and the 56mm F1.2. Rarely do I use the 16-80 kit lens. I am heading to Tokyo in a month and is thinking about bringing two prime lenses, leaning on the 33mm and the 56mm.
Hi! Currently I own 23mm f1,4 and 56mm1,4 lenses as well as kit lens 16-80, which is mostly used as travel lens. Considering of having 35mm f2 lens, but I'm not sure, does I really need it, taking in mind, than I already have 23mm. What is Your experience - does you use both lenses in same capacity, or some of them is more preferable?
@@kasparsm7964 Without knowing what types of photography you usually take, I can perhaps share one lens that might be worth checking out. It is the XF30mm F2.8 Macro. The size was what attracted me. I have a similar set up with the 23mm F2.0, 56mm F1.4, and the 16-80. I also have a 70-300 for some candid shots. Recently purchased the 30mm and find that it's a great lens for street photography and the occasional foodie shots when taking coffee and food break. Hope this helps.
Well done video. I started with the 18to55 and then got the 23f2 as my first, and so far only, prime lens. I use the 23f2 on an Xpro2 for all my street photography and love it!
Great to hear that! How's the 23mm treating you? and are you considering other options for a second lens as well? I hope the video was useful or informative! Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! I appreciate it! 🙌🏼✨
Hi pal! I had both 23/35mm f2 and sold them. Tested them at night, in all kind of weather, they were ok... but too sterille for me and boring in a way. I prefer 35mm 1.4 way more and 18mm f2 combo. Both are fun, more useful in my opinion(16mm too wide 23 a bit narrow sometimes - 18mm is sweet spot) and bonus is that both have 52mm filters so one tiffen mist pro for night photos or one nd filter for videos etc. Got 15-45mm zoom for that reason too instead of 18-55mm(selling it tomorrow). All with one camera and its so good ;) Cheers
the kit 15-45 lens? that one came with my x-t30. the electronic zoom on that thing was driving me crazy, esp. how it extends when you turn on the camera. and it's only 3.5f at the lowest I think. I was so disappointed with the picture quality and low-light performance of my camera because of that lens (even compared to my mid-tier smartphone), until I got the 35 f2 prime. I wish they had a 15-45 that was built the same as 18-55, where you manually turn it to zoom, but it kept the weight and size, cause 18-55 is rather heavy and large.
@@dsego84 I dont have a problem with 15-45 mine is sharp, prefer wider 15mm for outdoor pictures then 18 and pictures are fine. Obviously not a night lens like most zooms so I got 18f2 or 35 1.4 for that. I think you expect way too much and maybe one day you will learn you cannot have everything in one lens. For size, weight, price and more this zoom is awesome in my opinion.
Hey no harm no foul, It's okay to have different preferences. As long as we keep it civil, then all is good 😁 Zooms have a place in people's kits, the convenience factor seems to be the key recurring element. But I would trade that convenience for quality. Thanks for watching guys, and for sharing your thoughts as well, I appreciate it. 🙏🏼✨
I have the 18mm and the 50mm. Huge change in perspective that forces a decision before I go. I'm starting to look for a 23 or 35 next, so thank you for your observations
Thank you kindly! I hope it was useful or entertaining! Do you have any of these? or which one do you prefer? Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! I really appreciate it 🙏🏼✨
Interesting thoughts. I’m picking up the xf27 this week(ordered it a while back). It’s not either of these,but I’ll take the advice you gave for the 23 and stick with it and learn the ins and outs of the lens then go from there. Now I’m tempted to try the 23 😅🥲 but I’ll refrain. Anyways,it’s nice to see pics of my hometown (Calgary 🤩)
How's the 27mm treating you so far? Curious to hear your thoughts on it. The 23mm is great for street photography or documentary photography, but the 27mm is probably the best middle ground there is between the 23mm and 35mm. Calgary says hi, it's cold as heck now haha. Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! Cheers 😂🙌🏼
@@Jorge-Perez Hi,yeah I heard you got a bit of snow there 😅. I’m in Vancouver and I do miss the snow this time of year. Anyways the 27 is good. I love the form factor and with the wr and aperture ring, I can’t complain too much. Autofocus sounds are a bit loud, and I don’t think it does as well at night as the 23 and 35 but because of how small it is,I’m ok to make a compromise. I still have to figure out how to compose in a 40mm equivalent focal length but overall I’m extremely happy with it ☺️
Good to hear! How's the X-E4 treating you? I might give that camera a test in the future. I hope the video was useful, thanks for watching and for sharing a comment as well! I appreciate it 😁🙌🏼
I have both for years and it is still hard to choose one whenever I'm going out. I find the colors on the 23mm are better, but the 35mm delivers a more clean image. It's hard to explain.
Agreed! These are both great lenses, I think they serve different purposes, but overall you can't go wrong by picking one of these. If I didn't start my photography journey with the x100 cameras, then I would be choosing the 35mm as my main street photography lens! Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share your thoughts as well! I really appreciate it, Dan. 🙌🏼✨
I have an Xpro1 with both 23 and 35 lenses (but F1.4). Unable to make up my mind. The only advantage I find on the 23mm is the override manual focus, but it’s bigger and heavier.
I have xf16-80 and use this lens for several month, I found that many photo was 23 - 35mm range. I bought second hand xc35mm F2 in very reasonable price. Now I waited to buy xf23mm. Hope can get it in future.
My first Fujifilm prime is the 16mm F2.8 that I purchased to go along with my X-T5 along with the 18-55mm kit lens. Though I have yet to put the kit lens on the body.
Great video, I loved my fuji x100, like you it let me fall in love with photography, one camara and lens to commit to and understand and get the best out off. However, like any relationship with a camera found I needed it to evolve. I needed my creative mind to be allowed to expand. I learned my individual frustrations and found an xt5 and a choice of lenes much more for filling. You need to learn what makes you happy looking through the view finder.
Great video. I've been shooting Fuji XE-2 and now an X-Pro 2 for a while. I've had two legacy primes with a Metabones SpeedBooster for it. The Zuiko OM 28mm f2 and the Zuiko OM 50mm f1.4 With the speedbooster they equal to a 30mm and 52mm roughly. And I love that they are fully manual. I've got some great shots over the years. However, last year I picked up the Fuji 35mm f2, to have one auto focus lens in my kit bag. I've been using it more and more recently, as it's just so compact and weatherproof. I'm now debating whether I should also pick up a 23 f2, to complement the 35, or get the 50 f2 instead. It's a tricky decision... 😁
Agreed! I love how small the 35mm is, it's really nimble and that is such an underrated feature, that's the reason why we use and love fuji cameras. I would say that If you really liked The Zuiko OM 28mm f2 (30mm equivalent) then the 23mm f2 lens is a great choice. Great all-around lens for street photography and for more occasions on the wider end. The 50mm f2 is a great lens, with beautiful bokeh and results, but you're narrowing yourself quite a bit. If you don't like wide lenses or don't care much for the 23mm, then yes the 50 is a great choice. You might also want to consider a compromise, the 27mm f2.8 lens is a 40mm equivalent, so that might be a great (all-rounder) lens for you. Hope that helps! Thank you very much for watching this and for taking the time to share your thoughts as well! Keep me posted on what lens you decide to get! 😁🙌🏼
Good video. Just got a XT1 and 16-50 and was thinking about a prime, but I think I will find it too restricting and would need a bunch and have to change all the time when out.
Great video 👌 for the Fuji 16megapixel sensors I recommend the f2 Fuji Ron lenses as they help with the faster focusing and a bit more punchier contrast and for Fuji 24 megapixel sensors the Fuji 1.4 lenses are great as they give you that lovely muted cinematic look and the focusing is great on the newer cameras
Thanks for the tip! I'd like to try some of the newer 1.4 lenses in the future, but the F2 really helps with the focusing speed of the X-Pro1, that camera is a lot slower, but a joy to use! Which lenses do you have or enjoy using? Thanks for watching and taking the time to share a comment as well! Cheers 😁🙌🏼
I have both. I keep thinking I should sell one as they’re so similar… except they’re also not 😁 I’m looking at things differently with each lens - and looking for different kind of shots.
@@kasparsm7964 to me, the 23mm is absolutely the one I’d keep - but only for my focal length preference. They handle very similar, purely a focal length choice I’d say. I keep the 35mm as I shoot indoor sports sometimes so having similar primes works instead of a very expensive and bulky zoom. Both are solid lenses choices in my opinion 👍🏻
@@delbert850 I already have 23mm lens and just considering buying additionally 35mm lens, but, as I'm a bit afraid of falling in that " lens buying loop", I'm just thinking - should I do it or try to keep calm myself. Mostly I'm shooting landscapes ( where 23 mm is perfect) and street photography...where 35 mm could, probably, be better.....
@@kasparsm7964 haha - the lens buying trap 😁 For me, I’d say the 35mm is just a bit too close to the 23mm - but that’s purely my opinion. You could equally argue that they’re different enough to have both. Maybe a used 35mm f1.4 so there’s more difference? Or a manual such as the TTartisans etc?
Great video. Previously I tried to join the group of 23mm and bought it with some high expectations. But somehow I didn't find the "click" with the result. Somehow something is not quite right. Then I get the 16mm f2.8 and the 27mm pancake and omg they are very great and finally I found the "click". Anyway, the 23mm is still a great lens :)
Sorry to hear that haha, but yeah it's completely fine if the lens does not vibe with you. I think the 27mm is a really good understated lens, I wish they made an f1.4 version of it! I think in my case, I got used to the 23mm just because I started with the X100 series, so that was the only real option in terms of lenses (outside of the focal length adapters). So it became second nature to me, but I can easily see myself doing the same type of photography with a 27mm or 33mm lens! Which one is your main lens? your go-to lens for everything? thank you so much for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! I appreciate it! 😁🙌🏼
Hi Alvonsius. Why do you say that the 27/2.8 is a better lense compared with the 23/2.0? Because I'm on the fence of which to purchase? I'm also thinking of selling my 16/1.4 for a combo of the 16/2.8 and the 27/2.8 (the very lenses you own). I'm just quite hesitant in losing the low light and semi-macro features of the 16/1.4 as well as IQ for portability and size. Your thoughts? Thank you.
i am just getting started with the 23mm f2. for the moment i am struggling a bit with it... i have the feeling that it is quite hard to compose with the focal length... often there is just too much in the picture. i really wondering wether i should have gone for the 35mm.
Glad you liked it! I hope it was useful or helpful! Which lens have you decided to go with? Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! I appreciate it 😁🙏🏼
@@Jorge-Perez Of course man, I love your style of review. Not just looking at charts and numbers but actually looking at the application, real life uses and strengths vs weaknesses of the lenses. I already have the 35mm but I'm planning to get a 23mm very soon as sometimes 35mm is a bit too tight for what I need and the 23mm can basically live on my smaller fuji cameras when I'm not doing paid work.
I'm glad I was able to help! which one did you end up going with? Thanks for watching! I appreciate you taking the time to share a comment, friend. Cheers 😁🙌🏼
I recently switched from Sony to Fuji and the first lens I tried was the New 33mm f1.4. Love that lens but it was to tight for the type of pictures I take, so I returned it and got the 18mm f1.4. And to complement it I got the 35mm f2, still thinking if I should get the 50mm
@@liv0003 what I meant was, I got the more expensive lens for the more Focal length I most use and the cheaper ones to complement it if I need it. Update I got rid of the 33f2 and got the 16-55mm f2.8,
I'm still looking at Fuji primes, but haven't gotten to the point where I'm ready to spend that much money as an amateur. So far, the only Fuji lens I have is the 18-55 that came with my X-T3. I often try to set it at one focal length and only shoot there. I've also been using an old Canon FD 50mm F1.8 and an FD 135mm F3.5. Those FD lenses were pretty cheap. I figured that my first Fuji prime would have to be an F2 lens because of price. However, that new 33mm really sounds good. Maybe I will sell one of my guitars!! :-) Have a great weekend.......
Interesting to hear, primes are definitively an investment, they maintain the value very well. In terms of which prime, it depends on the budget and speed, the F2 lenses are a bit faster to focus on, so with older cameras like the X-Pro1, these are a must. The older f1.4 lenses are too slow, and the new f1.4 lenses are too expensive for some. But you can't go wrong with any of the fuji primes, amazing quality lenses. Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share your thoughts as well! I appreciate it man 😁🙌🏼
@@Jorge-Perez You're welcome and thanks for the info in the video. I have been thinking that I would start with either the 23 or the 35. Since I shoot a lot of landscape I was leaning toward the 23mm f2. Just need to save a few dollars first. Have a great week.
I'm thinking to buy first 23mm f2 and than get 18mm f2 and than look for faster lens maybe for 35mm f1.4 or 56mm f1.2. I have heard that 35mm f1.4 as well as 23mm f1.4 is much softer than f2 so its kind of a dilemma :D
If you want an affordable solution with great quality, then the Fujicrons (f2 lenses) are the way to go. I really like the bokeh of the first-gen F1.4 lenses, but the speed and sharpness are lacking, If you do want to invest in 1.4, then I would get the new V2 lenses. Either the new 23mm F1.4 or the new 33mm F1.4, are very fast, sharp and new options as well, but those are the most expensive ones. So it really depends on your plans for the future, Do you intend to stay with Fujifilm for years to come? Then investing in the new f1.4 V2 lenses may be the way to go. Are you on a budget and just want to get something that is good enough to go out there and start practicing your craft? Then the fujicrons are the way to go. Do you want to creamy, quirky bokeh of the older F1.4 lenses? then the older 1.4 are the way to go, but you might have to take it slow and try to compensate for the sharpness in post. I hope that helps! and I hope the video was useful or valuable, thank you very much for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! I appreciate it 🙏🏼✨
@@Jorge-Perez Thank you for your awesome comment. I have decided that I will stick to fujicrones because I found out that 23mm f1.4 and 35mm f1.4 are not weather sealed and that is quite important for me. Right now I'm between three different systems: Sony, Fuji and MFT where fuji is for my street photography and Sony and MFT is for videos. I will stay with fuji and get better and newer fuji camera in nearest year.
Hello Jorge 👋.... I'm from India and professionally a Pharmacologist but I'm in love with Streetphotography, and for that I bought FUJIFILM XT30 II with XC15-45mm F3.5-5.6 kit lens yesterday. I'm having very little knowledge about Lenses. Should I go with the Kit lens initially or , Should I buy a 23 mm F2 ?!... Need your guidance very badly 🙏
I have the x100v and xt5 with a 56mm. The 35 will be to close to the 56 im afraid so. Better to take the 23 mm. Anyway, I have the X100v already For wedding I would have a backup camera. Maybe an extra xt5 or X pro. I still don't know which camera it will be as my backup camera.
Hi, i dont have experience with those lenses but I am moving from very old nikon d7000 plus 35 1.8 to fuji and wonder what lense will be the way to go. 80-90% the 35mm is all i needed (10y). Now i have a big family and very often i feel like 35 mm is just not enough to capture the image and i would use it only for 1-2 people portrets. As xt30 ii is sold with zoom kit lense i am considering to go with zoom for convenience and later to grav another 35mm. To be honest the thought to change to zoom or 23mm makes me nervous after to manu years using just 35mm.
The 35mm is a great lens, I enjoyed using it and being able to get decent shots without having to get as close to subjects compared to the 23mm lens. Keep me posted after you've used it for a bit, would be interesting to hear your thoughts about that lens. I hope the video was useful or interesting, thank you very much for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! I appreciate it! 🙏🏼✨
Hello Jorge, thank you for making this video. I am a new X Pro 3 owner. My first lens I purchased for the camera was the 23mm f2, it certainly gives me opportunities of great photos but lacked on a recent trip to Sydney, Australia. I live in rural Australia where we have no tall buildings and I found the 23mm was really frustrating when trying to capture the city. Whilst there I managed to grab the 16mm f2.8 which solved my dilemma. I am now considering the 35mm f2 or the 50mm f2 as my 3rd and last lens. I want primes so wont even talk about zooms. For travel and daily use, would the 50mm be far too restrictive for travel?
Hey walkingman, I've recently been on the same dilemma. I'm curious what lens you bought for your 3rd, if you have already? I've heard great things about the 50 f/2! From what I've been reading, it seems like a versatile, compact lens that would not be too restrictive for travel. I might pick one up tomorrow, but maybe not.. :)
@@ChrisHillhouse Hi, I ended up with the 23mmf2, 16mmf2.8 and 35mmf2 primes. I opted out in getting the 50mm. I purchased my XPro 3 for personal photography so I wanted lenses I could use when travelling and exploring. In the city, I needed the 16mm as I like wide shots the 23mm I use for wandering around once I have obtained my wide shots and the 35mm I have not yet really made use of.I think its just too tight for my photography and the 50mm therefore would really restrict my work.
Excellent video. Worth the discussion. Very nice images! The 23 is way more interesting. I agree that the 35 can feel generic. But when you’re far away you’re just swimming with the 23, there’s too much there . Or there’s not enough space with the 35. I guess that will remain a source of frustration for all time lol.
This was a great video. Congratulations. I have a xt30 and I always loved the 85mm focal leght so I got a 56mm f1.4 (viktrox) that I love. Looking for a wider lens I went all the way to the other side to 16mm f1.4. Talking about not doing incremental steps! It was a hard move and I'm still getting to know this focal length. But the challenge is great and the minimum focus distance gets me some amazing perspectives. I was now looking for a smal compact lens for steet fotography and so I arrived at your brilliant video. It's still a hard choice because I think the 35mm would be easier for me. Focusing on a subject and getting the seen closer. But I keep hearing great things about the 23mm focal length for street photography and I do think is great to capture more of the seen. In the end I'm going to have to commit and try it out because I will never know until I try it. Small note. I have used my 18-55 locked in 23mm or 35mm to try to minic using a prime but obviously it's not the same thing.
Interesting to hear about your experiences with the lens transition. Lenses are just a tool to help you achieve what you want to achieve. So I would say start with the "why", what type of images you want to capture, and what style suits you best, and that might help with the decision of what lens to get. Using the zoom lens might give you a rough reference of what the focal length looks like, but you are adding spherical elements and also less light. If the 56mm is your initial or favourite lens, then the 35mm might be a better way to do small incremental changes and get used to other focal lengths. I hope that was helpful, Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well, I appreciate it! 🙏🏼✨
I would personally go with manual lenses for video or a stabilized lens as well, but If I had to choose I would go with the 23mm lens, a bit more stable when handheld and more versatile focal length. Hope that helps, thanks for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! Cheers ✨🙌🏼
Hey Jorge, I wonder what's your opinion about the fuji 18mm f2? I really wanted to buy that lense as my first Fuji Prime on my X-Pro 1 because from what I see from youtube reviews I really like the type of pictures that focal length could offer me, the environmental kind of photography. But there also many reviews that said the lens is not good a fuji lens. Right now I am using 7artisans 25mm f1.8 and I think if I buy the Fuji 23mm F2, the focal length would kinda similar with my 7artisans. I really curious about your opinion about the 18mm and what your advise for me regarding my situation, it would really helpful me if you answer this. But please don't take a burden either and feel free to let this slide. By the way, great video as always👌 Thank you Jorge, you're my X-Pro 1 guru🙏
Hey thanks for the kind words, man. I appreciate it! The 18mm in general can be a good focal length for street photography, landscape photography, architectural photography and wide overall lens. If you try to use this for street photography, you will notice that you need to get closer to subjects and objects, which may cause some concerns in terms of how comfortable are you doing that. The 18mm f2 is decent enough for what it costs, similar to the 27mm lens, the 18mm f1.4 is the highest quality one, but almost double the price. At the end of the day, the answer is: It depends. It depends on what type of images you want to capture, and what type of photographer you want to be, If you're on a budget get the 18mm f2. If you already have the 25mm artisans and want something similar but with autofocus, then get the 23mm f2. If you have enough money and you already know that Fujifilm is the right brand for you and that you will use it for many years to come, then invest in the high-quality f1.4 lenses. With older cameras like the X-Pro1, it does not matter if you have the fastest f1.4 lens, the camera is still slow in comparison to newer cameras, a faster lens will help, but not as much as people think. Regardless, I would stay away from the older f1.4 lenses, these are quite slow and paired with a slow camera, it's not fun to use. Hope that helps, thanks for watching and for taking the time to share a comment! I appreciate it 🙏🏼😁
Thank you so much for your suggestion! I'm sorry I really thought I have replied to your comment. By the way, I choose to go with 18mm F2 and it is so much fun to use for street photography and really help me to be more intentional in my craft. Recently I have tried using the 35mm F2 and it made me realized how fantastic my 18mm is for street photography. Once again, thank you so much for taking your time, energy and suggestions to answer my question. It really help me🙏(your video is also one of the reason why I bought my X-Pro 1 on the first place)
Good to hear! How's the 35mm treating you? are you considering also getting the 23mm? I hope the video was useful or interesting! Thank you very much for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! I appreciate it 😁🙌🏼
Yeah, perhaps it feels that way for some people that shoot specific things like macro, wedding portraits, or very wide shots, perhaps for them, the 23mm feels generic or non-specific. But for me, it feels like a very natural fit to documenting everyday life and street photography as well! Which one do you prefer? or which are you using currently? Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! I appreciate it! 🙌🏼✨
@@Jorge-Perez you're very welcome. You have a good feel for the lens... indeed XF23 is my favourite focal length... the storytelling lens. I like XF16 the big one very much, also the Touit 32, the small XF50, the 56 the 90 all great... I even like the XF18... I have only 1 zoom "my wedding" lens XF16-55 f/2.8 I sold the kit zoom... it was poor zommed in. Anyway their lenses are all stellar...the strength behind the x series. ciao, and good luck
I would try to use them both and compare them If possible just so you get a sense of the actual focal length difference, and then sell whichever you prefer. But if you're already set on it, the 23mm is the more versatile one, could work for portraits as well as wide situations. Thanks for watching man, and for sharing a comment as well! I appreciate & keep me posted about your experiences after you've used them for a while! Cheers ✨🙏🏼
Good choice, Ulf! I want to give it a try as well in the near future. 40mm-ish seems like a great in-between focal length for street photography. What are your experiences with this lens? Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share your thoughts as well! I really appreciate it! 😁🙏🏼
@@Jorge-Perez With this lens? None! With 40 mm lenses, since 1984. First for Leica M4P andf Minolta CLE and from2009 with Mft. Will never part with the focal length! / Regards Ulf
I bought way too many Fuji lenses. I agree if this were your only lens, the 23mm f2 is probably it. However, if it's not your only lens, I would actually argue against the 23mm, it's just... unspectacular for the most part - it's not the best for landscape, it's not the best for architecture, it's not the best for portraits, it's too narrow for selfies, it's largely unusable for wildlife, it's too wide for sports/concerts, it's a bit too bulky to be an ultra portable travel lens (like say the pancake lenses) - the photos obviously look better than a phone, but they often look somewhat similar (sometimes even worse if you want a lot of depth of field) with the focal length and what modern phones can do. I usually gravitate to the 12mm F2 Samyang and 35mm F2 when I go out. 12mm to capture the scene and maybe get some closer group shots / selfies - LOVE this lens - and then the 35mm for the dramatic portraits with background compression. I may also grab my 50-230mm if I'm going to a game or concert or the 27mm pancake if I want to travel super light. With this lens combo the photos look dramatically different/better than those coming from mobile phones as their wide/tele lenses are garbage. I also own the Viltrox 23/33/50mm (all 3) and 18-55mm kit lens and a few other more "fun" lenses like the 10mm f5.6 pergear but 80% of the time it's the above 3 lenses I use. The Viltrox 23mm F1.4 is fantastic for talking heads video as it has much faster autofocus than the Fuji F2.
it is a very subjective matter to choose which lens to use rather than what I want to achieve with those images I want to capture. If a creative photographer is given any focal lens he or she can still create amazing images too. That is a great lesson for every photographer should know. We can walk nearer or go further from the subjective we want to shot at.
Thanks for the video. I already have the 23 mm f.2 the only lens I have for my camera ( and I love it so much) but I'm thinking of buying also the 35 mm f.2. With both and maybe in the future adding a 16 or 18 mm would be perfect for my Fujifilm xe3 ✌️.
Have you had any issues with the haziness at minimum focus distance on the 23mm f2? I really like the focal length but all of those reviews showcasing that are making me hesitant
The 23mm handles the minimum focusing distance a lot better than the 35mm, however, both are not ideal at the MFD, at the very least when they are wide open at F2. I would always add a couple inches extra to the MFD just to be safe, and perhaps stop down to f4 or f5.6 like I the examples I showed on this video. if you're looking to get macro like images, then get a macro lens. Other than than, the 23mm is a great lens and I've used it with the x100 series for years, definitively worth it. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! I appreciate it 🙏🏼✨
The only one lens you need for APS-c is 26/1,4 AF, but as for now there isn't such a lens; I use MF Kamlan 28/1,4 which is great when the light isn't too strong.
Hey everyone! thank you so much for watching! If you enjoy these types of videos and you find them useful or valuable, then please consider joining the UA-cam channel memberships, or my website memberships as well! It helps with independent publishing and content creation! - www.jperez.ca/subscribe/
The nice thing about the 23mm (35mm or so in reality) gives you a little bit more width for tight scenarios. You can always crop in post if you need the photo to be ‘closer’. You can’t take the 35mm and then move out the frame in post. They’re so close but I’d rather take the slightly wider just for the usability
Agree. I have 35mm f2 for years (50mm equivalent), and sometimes I feel it’s not wide enough I ended up picking my kit 18-55 for travel.
If you can only buy 1 prime lens, most people will need 23mm more than 35mm due to the fact we take more landscape pictures than close up portraits.
With my 5 years experience as an casual photographer, I feel 23mm is a must for taking wider pictures... Hell right now I'm actually considering buying Viltrox 13mm f1.4 and sell the 23mm f2 just for this reason.
The first lens I purchased for my 35mm SLR film camera was a 50mm normal focal length lens. I used it for over a year before I decided that its angle-of-view was too narrow or too "telephoto" for my style and taste. I exchanged the 50mm for a slightly-wide 35mm.
The 35 became my favorite focal length for everyday subjects. For my Nikon SLRs, I used it in a 35/85/180mm lens kit. For my Leica M6 rangefinder, I used it in a 21/35/90mm lens kit.
When I bought my first Fuji X-Pro1, the first lens I purchased for it was the 23mm f/1.4 (35mm equivalent). Later, the Fuji X-Pro2 I purchased came with a 23mm f/2. I had planned on selling the 23mm f/2 because I felt that I did not need it. However, I decided to try it before selling it. After trying it, I decided to keep it because I fell in love with the smaller size, lighter weight, and weather sealing.
I now own and use two 23mm Fuji X lenses. The f/2 I use for street, landscape, and vacation/travel. The f/1.4 I use for photojournalism, documentary, and dim light with no flash.
In the end, i looked at my photos... since i was taking mostly landscape pictures, i needed 23mm. I wasnt missing anything until i had to take close up portraits. 23mm added a bit of distortion that can turn the subjects more plump.
I have the 16mm 2.8, 23mm, 35, and 50mm f2 lenses. They are all great for their size, wr, and autofocus. I love them for pro and personal work. Size is a huge factor. Wanting to take them makes a difference vs larger 1.4 lenses. My favorite is the 23 for the overall versatility.
The 23 F2 was my first Fuji lens, I picked it for it’s versatility as it was my only lens for some time. I think had I picked the 35 F2 instead I would have felt the need for an additional wide lens soon.
I got the 35mm first and overall been very happy, I love the image quality. But it's a bit tight indoors when you want to capture a group of people or a very active kid. Or if you want to capture more of the environment and there is no room to take a step back. I additionally bought the 18-55 for versatility, but I don't enjoy shooting with it too much, somehow it takes away from the experience. Truth be told, a zoom lens does help with not having to swap lenses and risk damaging the sensor or getting dust inside.
Good to hear! both lenses are great, and you can do multipurpose work with both, but there is a certain convenience with the 23mm, the focal length feels natural and easier to adapt.
Thanks for watching and for sharing a comment as well! Keep me posted about your experience with the lens after you've used it for a while. Good luck! 🙌🏼✨
I got 4 primes. 13, 23, 35 and 50. Wider, Wide, Semi portrait and Potrait. And I decided to get two kit lenses. 18-55 and 16-80. These I feel are sufficient for my style of photography. I alternate through them every now and then.
bro you got the whole 9 yards., what else do you need? lol
Best solution (for me): I bought the XF 23 f2 used and a new XC 35mm f2. The XC 35 has the same image quality as the XF 35, but costs half. Unfortunately, there is no XC 23.
I had both the 23mmf2 and the 35mmf2 at one point. Before doing a stroll around the neighborhood or an outing, I found myself picking up the 35mm more. However, after shooting with the 35mm more than the 23mm there are times where I wished I had the 23mm on. Both are great lenses. BUT, id say the images on the 35mm are much cleaner.
Interesting to hear your thoughts! I like them both, I started my photography journey with the X100 series so I feel right at home with the 23mm, but that being said, I think it's important to consider your relation between character and environment.
When you favour the environment, you go wider, when you favour characters, you go tighter. I think both of these lenses do well for street photography and both can easily be the main lens. The great thing about the 35mm is that you can also get very pleasant portrait shots with it, So is very versatile as well.
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! I appreciate it 🙏🏼✨
That's funny, my own 23 f2 came through the mail yesterday !
I've always had a bias towards the 50/55mm equivalent, as I started my photography journey with only the few lenses my dad kept from his film days, and the most usable was a Nikkor 35mm f2. I litterally learned photography with that lens and I still regularly use it when having a giant lens on my camera is not a problem (not kidding, I have a 18-135 XF for hiking photography, and the combo of the 35 f2 + the adapter weights more and is just as big). Got myselft the XC 35mm f2 (using and X-T1, I can use the front dial as aperture control, dial that is otherwise not used at all, so no biggie) to get AF and a smaller package.
I was reluctant about going to the 35mm equiv, as to me back then, it was both too wide and not wide enough (the problem of standing in the middle of 28mm equiv and 50mm equiv), and instead of going for a 23mm f2 that would cost me 300€ used, I went for the 7artisans f1.8 that cost me about 70€ brand new. I could take picture with it, but since I had the option to, the 35 would generally stay on.
What made me change my mind is when I got an X100. I needed a small camera to carry around as an everyday carry, and the X-T1 wasn't it. Sadly there is no compact cameras like this that have a 50mm equiv lens, so I'd have to deal with it, and I really got hooked on that focal lenght I guess, started to use the 25 more and more, until the need for autofocus was there.
But if you're asking me what lens do I prefer, I'd say both. I can't choose. Both are good for different things and I don't see myself going for one rather than the other. The 23 is more versatile when you're shooting run'n gun, but the 35 allows me to get compression in the shot. When I'm going out to shoot in my town, I have a little pouch able to carry the extra lens. If there was a small 23-35 with a constant f2 aperture I would buy it in a heartbeat haha
like a non-powerzoom version of the 15-45mm f2 instead of the f3.5-5.6 would be killer, I wouldn't need another lens. it doesn't even need to have OIS. could even be 18-35 or 23-35 like you say.
Yeah, I hear you, like everything in life, the answer is: It depends.
I started my journey with the x100 series, in urban environments, so primes really are the bread and butter for me. But I recognize there are situations where a zoom makes sense, like you mentioned in hiking photography, you can't just get closer to a mountain or peak, a zoom makes complete sense.
But with street photography primes are a learning tool. You need to physically get closer, or move away from subjects, it helps you gauge distance as well. However, if we were able to conjure a 23-33 zoom, constant f2, identical quality of the primes, or no bigger than the 23mm lens (which is the bigger lens of the 2 primes) then I would be on board for sure. 🙋🏻♂️
Most great films I've worked on use primes only. The lesser films, like hallmark movies and MOW (movies of the week), are shot with zooms, the films are not good and a zoom lens makes it faster and easier to shoot. So I would advocate for primes always. Your mind thinks a bit differently with a prime, and as I said, you ARE the camera, Want a closer shot? walk. Want a wider shot? walk.
But looking forward to the day we get that 23-33mm zoom 😂. Thanks for watching! and for taking the time to share your thoughts as well! I appreciate it 😁🙌🏼
@@dsego84 I agree I love my 15-45 ... easily my most used lens.
Hi, thanks for that genuine thought. Have seen some reviewers talk about less sharpness on the 23 vs 35. That's what I wanted to clarify, otherwise even I prefer the 23 final length just as you out it - influenced by cinema' to get into the scene more environment even while doing family tour photos.
Also, my search started from the X100V but after seeing the price tag, I am working out to go interchangeable lens body only because of the price tag to 100V and getting stuck with one focal length.
Glad it was helpful! The lenses are great, but I do lean towards the 23mm f2, even more so than the f1.4 versions. Especially with older cameras where the focusing speed is less than ideal.
If you don't want to focus on testing different lenses or owning multiple lenses, then an older x100 camera might be the right choice, something like the x100t or x100f is still great. Even the original x100 is still an amazing camera, I have a full review of it in case you want to learn more.
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share your thoughts as well! I appreciate it 🙏🏼✨
What do you think about the xt30 ii?
I did the almost opposite, I went for the 35mm f1.4 and also bought the 16mm f1.4 to accompany it when I want to go wide. Although the f2 lens are small lighter, cheaper I’d rather have that extra stop of light if need be!
This was great help. I finally purchased my first digital camera after shooting film only. It’s a big change so thank you for this video. Big help.
I'm glad it was helpful! What camera did you end up going with? the good thing about transitioning from shooting film is that every camera will be a faster shooting experience in general, even if the camera is "slow" by today's standards.
Thanks for watching and for sharing a comment as well! Cheers 🙌🏼😁
Your video presentations always fill me with enthusiasm Jorge. I bought the 23/2 about 2 months ago and use it on both my X-Pro 1 and X-T3. I particularly love the X-Pro and 23/2 combination as I like to use the optical viewfinder as well as it being a lightweight set-up. Thank you as always for sharing your knowledge. :)
Glad you like them! Thank you very much for taking the time to share a kind comment, means a lot! ✨
How's the 23mm f2 treating you? I'm curious about what other people's experiences are with that lens. Thanks for watching and for being a member of this very small community! I appreciate it, Sean! 🙏🏼😁
@@Jorge-Perez Thanks for the reply Jorge. I love the 23/2 as it has the 35mm coverage the same as a full frame DSLR or film SLR. It is the same view as my Nikkor 35mm F2 lens and for the photography I do, that angle of view is perfect. All the best and looking forward to your next video.
I use 23 f2 and 35 f2 in Xe3 camera. Compact lens in compact camera.
I use 18-55 kit lens in Xt1
and 27 f 2,8 in the jacket.
I have the 23mm F2. Fabulous prime. I've also completed my Street photography lenses with the 30mm F2.8 and the 56mm F1.2. Rarely do I use the 16-80 kit lens. I am heading to Tokyo in a month and is thinking about bringing two prime lenses, leaning on the 33mm and the 56mm.
Hi! Currently I own 23mm f1,4 and 56mm1,4 lenses as well as kit lens 16-80, which is mostly used as travel lens. Considering of having 35mm f2 lens, but I'm not sure, does I really need it, taking in mind, than I already have 23mm. What is Your experience - does you use both lenses in same capacity, or some of them is more preferable?
@@kasparsm7964 Without knowing what types of photography you usually take, I can perhaps share one lens that might be worth checking out. It is the XF30mm F2.8 Macro. The size was what attracted me. I have a similar set up with the 23mm F2.0, 56mm F1.4, and the 16-80. I also have a 70-300 for some candid shots. Recently purchased the 30mm and find that it's a great lens for street photography and the occasional foodie shots when taking coffee and food break. Hope this helps.
Well done video. I started with the 18to55 and then got the 23f2 as my first, and so far only, prime lens. I use the 23f2 on an Xpro2 for all my street photography and love it!
Great to hear that! How's the 23mm treating you? and are you considering other options for a second lens as well?
I hope the video was useful or informative! Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! I appreciate it! 🙌🏼✨
Yes, I am thinking about the 50mm f2.
Hi pal!
I had both 23/35mm f2 and sold them. Tested them at night, in all kind of weather, they were ok... but too sterille for me and boring in a way. I prefer 35mm 1.4 way more and 18mm f2 combo.
Both are fun, more useful in my opinion(16mm too wide 23 a bit narrow sometimes - 18mm is sweet spot) and bonus is that both have 52mm filters so one tiffen mist pro for night photos or one nd filter for videos etc. Got 15-45mm zoom for that reason too instead of 18-55mm(selling it tomorrow).
All with one camera and its so good ;)
Cheers
the kit 15-45 lens? that one came with my x-t30. the electronic zoom on that thing was driving me crazy, esp. how it extends when you turn on the camera. and it's only 3.5f at the lowest I think. I was so disappointed with the picture quality and low-light performance of my camera because of that lens (even compared to my mid-tier smartphone), until I got the 35 f2 prime. I wish they had a 15-45 that was built the same as 18-55, where you manually turn it to zoom, but it kept the weight and size, cause 18-55 is rather heavy and large.
@@dsego84 I dont have a problem with 15-45 mine is sharp, prefer wider 15mm for outdoor pictures then 18 and pictures are fine. Obviously not a night lens like most zooms so I got 18f2 or 35 1.4 for that. I think you expect way too much and maybe one day you will learn you cannot have everything in one lens. For size, weight, price and more this zoom is awesome in my opinion.
@@gregoryoutdoors no need to be condescending abou it.
@@dsego84 ye no problem hope you get to where you haopy with your kit, I'm happy with mine, all the best.
Hey no harm no foul, It's okay to have different preferences. As long as we keep it civil, then all is good 😁
Zooms have a place in people's kits, the convenience factor seems to be the key recurring element. But I would trade that convenience for quality.
Thanks for watching guys, and for sharing your thoughts as well, I appreciate it. 🙏🏼✨
I have the 18mm and the 50mm. Huge change in perspective that forces a decision before I go. I'm starting to look for a 23 or 35 next, so thank you for your observations
Another Amazing unbiased review well done.
Thank you kindly! I hope it was useful or entertaining! Do you have any of these? or which one do you prefer?
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! I really appreciate it 🙏🏼✨
Interesting thoughts. I’m picking up the xf27 this week(ordered it a while back). It’s not either of these,but I’ll take the advice you gave for the 23 and stick with it and learn the ins and outs of the lens then go from there. Now I’m tempted to try the 23 😅🥲 but I’ll refrain. Anyways,it’s nice to see pics of my hometown (Calgary 🤩)
How's the 27mm treating you so far? Curious to hear your thoughts on it. The 23mm is great for street photography or documentary photography, but the 27mm is probably the best middle ground there is between the 23mm and 35mm.
Calgary says hi, it's cold as heck now haha. Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! Cheers 😂🙌🏼
@@Jorge-Perez Hi,yeah I heard you got a bit of snow there 😅. I’m in Vancouver and I do miss the snow this time of year. Anyways the 27 is good. I love the form factor and with the wr and aperture ring, I can’t complain too much. Autofocus sounds are a bit loud, and I don’t think it does as well at night as the 23 and 35 but because of how small it is,I’m ok to make a compromise. I still have to figure out how to compose in a 40mm equivalent focal length but overall I’m extremely happy with it ☺️
Thank you .... gradual adjustment.... mine is xe 4 a fujicron 23mm f2 a zoom 16-80mm
Good to hear! How's the X-E4 treating you? I might give that camera a test in the future.
I hope the video was useful, thanks for watching and for sharing a comment as well! I appreciate it 😁🙌🏼
Thank you so much for a great video - Its been extremely helpful
Hi thanks for your video, i thinking buy the X-T30II, i not sure what lens buy. if XF 18-55 Kit or the 23mm F2, what do you recommend?
I have both for years and it is still hard to choose one whenever I'm going out. I find the colors on the 23mm are better, but the 35mm delivers a more clean image. It's hard to explain.
Agreed! These are both great lenses, I think they serve different purposes, but overall you can't go wrong by picking one of these. If I didn't start my photography journey with the x100 cameras, then I would be choosing the 35mm as my main street photography lens!
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share your thoughts as well! I really appreciate it, Dan. 🙌🏼✨
I have an Xpro1 with both 23 and 35 lenses (but F1.4). Unable to make up my mind. The only advantage I find on the 23mm is the override manual focus, but it’s bigger and heavier.
Very informative and nicely explained Jorge!!!
Many thanks! Hope it was useful or entertaining, thanks for dropping by 🙏🏼
I have xf16-80 and use this lens for several month, I found that many photo was 23 - 35mm range. I bought second hand xc35mm F2 in very reasonable price. Now I waited to buy xf23mm. Hope can get it in future.
My first Fujifilm prime is the 16mm F2.8 that I purchased to go along with my X-T5 along with the 18-55mm kit lens. Though I have yet to put the kit lens on the body.
Great video, I loved my fuji x100, like you it let me fall in love with photography, one camara and lens to commit to and understand and get the best out off. However, like any relationship with a camera found I needed it to evolve. I needed my creative mind to be allowed to expand. I learned my individual frustrations and found an xt5 and a choice of lenes much more for filling. You need to learn what makes you happy looking through the view finder.
XC 35mm F2 is a gift from Fuji
You are so well spoken. Great video! Subbed.
Great video. I've been shooting Fuji XE-2 and now an X-Pro 2 for a while. I've had two legacy primes with a Metabones SpeedBooster for it. The Zuiko OM 28mm f2 and the Zuiko OM 50mm f1.4 With the speedbooster they equal to a 30mm and 52mm roughly. And I love that they are fully manual. I've got some great shots over the years. However, last year I picked up the Fuji 35mm f2, to have one auto focus lens in my kit bag. I've been using it more and more recently, as it's just so compact and weatherproof. I'm now debating whether I should also pick up a 23 f2, to complement the 35, or get the 50 f2 instead. It's a tricky decision... 😁
Agreed! I love how small the 35mm is, it's really nimble and that is such an underrated feature, that's the reason why we use and love fuji cameras.
I would say that If you really liked The Zuiko OM 28mm f2 (30mm equivalent) then the 23mm f2 lens is a great choice. Great all-around lens for street photography and for more occasions on the wider end. The 50mm f2 is a great lens, with beautiful bokeh and results, but you're narrowing yourself quite a bit. If you don't like wide lenses or don't care much for the 23mm, then yes the 50 is a great choice.
You might also want to consider a compromise, the 27mm f2.8 lens is a 40mm equivalent, so that might be a great (all-rounder) lens for you.
Hope that helps! Thank you very much for watching this and for taking the time to share your thoughts as well! Keep me posted on what lens you decide to get! 😁🙌🏼
Neither imo - the 27mm (41 effective) f2.8 WR pancake is phenomenal, and a normal lens is the best place to start learning I’ve found
Good video. Just got a XT1 and 16-50 and was thinking about a prime, but I think I will find it too restricting and would need a bunch and have to change all the time when out.
Great video 👌 for the Fuji 16megapixel sensors I recommend the f2 Fuji Ron lenses as they help with the faster focusing and a bit more punchier contrast and for Fuji 24 megapixel sensors the Fuji 1.4 lenses are great as they give you that lovely muted cinematic look and the focusing is great on the newer cameras
Thanks for the tip! I'd like to try some of the newer 1.4 lenses in the future, but the F2 really helps with the focusing speed of the X-Pro1, that camera is a lot slower, but a joy to use! Which lenses do you have or enjoy using?
Thanks for watching and taking the time to share a comment as well! Cheers 😁🙌🏼
I have both. I keep thinking I should sell one as they’re so similar… except they’re also not 😁
I’m looking at things differently with each lens - and looking for different kind of shots.
Which one You are more considering to sell, which - prefer to handle?
@@kasparsm7964 to me, the 23mm is absolutely the one I’d keep - but only for my focal length preference.
They handle very similar, purely a focal length choice I’d say.
I keep the 35mm as I shoot indoor sports sometimes so having similar primes works instead of a very expensive and bulky zoom.
Both are solid lenses choices in my opinion 👍🏻
@@delbert850 I already have 23mm lens and just considering buying additionally 35mm lens, but, as I'm a bit afraid of falling in that " lens buying loop", I'm just thinking - should I do it or try to keep calm myself. Mostly I'm shooting landscapes ( where 23 mm is perfect) and street photography...where 35 mm could, probably, be better.....
@@kasparsm7964 haha - the lens buying trap 😁
For me, I’d say the 35mm is just a bit too close to the 23mm - but that’s purely my opinion. You could equally argue that they’re different enough to have both.
Maybe a used 35mm f1.4 so there’s more difference? Or a manual such as the TTartisans etc?
Great video. Previously I tried to join the group of 23mm and bought it with some high expectations. But somehow I didn't find the "click" with the result. Somehow something is not quite right. Then I get the 16mm f2.8 and the 27mm pancake and omg they are very great and finally I found the "click". Anyway, the 23mm is still a great lens :)
Sorry to hear that haha, but yeah it's completely fine if the lens does not vibe with you. I think the 27mm is a really good understated lens, I wish they made an f1.4 version of it!
I think in my case, I got used to the 23mm just because I started with the X100 series, so that was the only real option in terms of lenses (outside of the focal length adapters). So it became second nature to me, but I can easily see myself doing the same type of photography with a 27mm or 33mm lens!
Which one is your main lens? your go-to lens for everything? thank you so much for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! I appreciate it! 😁🙌🏼
Hi Alvonsius. Why do you say that the 27/2.8 is a better lense compared with the 23/2.0? Because I'm on the fence of which to purchase? I'm also thinking of selling my 16/1.4 for a combo of the 16/2.8 and the 27/2.8 (the very lenses you own). I'm just quite hesitant in losing the low light and semi-macro features of the 16/1.4 as well as IQ for portability and size. Your thoughts? Thank you.
Well this makes my decision making a whole lot easier :P
I've shot a lot of 35mm equivalent, so the 23mm is where I'll start with my X-Pro 3.
i am just getting started with the 23mm f2. for the moment i am struggling a bit with it... i have the feeling that it is quite hard to compose with the focal length... often there is just too much in the picture. i really wondering wether i should have gone for the 35mm.
What i love in work with 23mm - this lens is so sharp, you always can crop out better composition in postproduction...
Nice, concise and to the point - a great vid!
Glad you liked it! I hope it was useful or helpful! Which lens have you decided to go with? Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! I appreciate it 😁🙏🏼
@@Jorge-Perez Of course man, I love your style of review. Not just looking at charts and numbers but actually looking at the application, real life uses and strengths vs weaknesses of the lenses.
I already have the 35mm but I'm planning to get a 23mm very soon as sometimes 35mm is a bit too tight for what I need and the 23mm can basically live on my smaller fuji cameras when I'm not doing paid work.
Amazing video and topic discussed, thank you. Subbed!
Thank you so much for this video! Now I know what lens to get 👍🏼
I'm glad I was able to help! which one did you end up going with?
Thanks for watching! I appreciate you taking the time to share a comment, friend. Cheers 😁🙌🏼
I recently switched from Sony to Fuji and the first lens I tried was the New 33mm f1.4. Love that lens but it was to tight for the type of pictures I take, so I returned it and got the 18mm f1.4. And to complement it I got the 35mm f2, still thinking if I should get the 50mm
So the 33 mm was too tight for your style but 35mm and 50mm aren't ...Sorry but it makes no sense
@@liv0003 what I meant was, I got the more expensive lens for the more Focal length I most use and the cheaper ones to complement it if I need it. Update I got rid of the 33f2 and got the 16-55mm f2.8,
I'm still looking at Fuji primes, but haven't gotten to the point where I'm ready to spend that much money as an amateur. So far, the only Fuji lens I have is the 18-55 that came with my X-T3. I often try to set it at one focal length and only shoot there. I've also been using an old Canon FD 50mm F1.8 and an FD 135mm F3.5. Those FD lenses were pretty cheap. I figured that my first Fuji prime would have to be an F2 lens because of price. However, that new 33mm really sounds good. Maybe I will sell one of my guitars!! :-) Have a great weekend.......
Interesting to hear, primes are definitively an investment, they maintain the value very well.
In terms of which prime, it depends on the budget and speed, the F2 lenses are a bit faster to focus on, so with older cameras like the X-Pro1, these are a must. The older f1.4 lenses are too slow, and the new f1.4 lenses are too expensive for some. But you can't go wrong with any of the fuji primes, amazing quality lenses.
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share your thoughts as well! I appreciate it man 😁🙌🏼
@@Jorge-Perez You're welcome and thanks for the info in the video. I have been thinking that I would start with either the 23 or the 35. Since I shoot a lot of landscape I was leaning toward the 23mm f2. Just need to save a few dollars first. Have a great week.
I'm Happy with my 16mm 2.8. @+ 35mm 2.0. My feet fine tune the composition
What lenses do you recommend for products and food photography ????
I'm thinking to buy first 23mm f2 and than get 18mm f2 and than look for faster lens maybe for 35mm f1.4 or 56mm f1.2. I have heard that 35mm f1.4 as well as 23mm f1.4 is much softer than f2 so its kind of a dilemma :D
If you want an affordable solution with great quality, then the Fujicrons (f2 lenses) are the way to go. I really like the bokeh of the first-gen F1.4 lenses, but the speed and sharpness are lacking, If you do want to invest in 1.4, then I would get the new V2 lenses.
Either the new 23mm F1.4 or the new 33mm F1.4, are very fast, sharp and new options as well, but those are the most expensive ones. So it really depends on your plans for the future, Do you intend to stay with Fujifilm for years to come? Then investing in the new f1.4 V2 lenses may be the way to go.
Are you on a budget and just want to get something that is good enough to go out there and start practicing your craft? Then the fujicrons are the way to go.
Do you want to creamy, quirky bokeh of the older F1.4 lenses? then the older 1.4 are the way to go, but you might have to take it slow and try to compensate for the sharpness in post.
I hope that helps! and I hope the video was useful or valuable, thank you very much for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! I appreciate it 🙏🏼✨
@@Jorge-Perez Thank you for your awesome comment. I have decided that I will stick to fujicrones because I found out that 23mm f1.4 and 35mm f1.4 are not weather sealed and that is quite important for me. Right now I'm between three different systems: Sony, Fuji and MFT where fuji is for my street photography and Sony and MFT is for videos. I will stay with fuji and get better and newer fuji camera in nearest year.
Hello Jorge 👋.... I'm from India and professionally a Pharmacologist but I'm in love with Streetphotography, and for that I bought FUJIFILM XT30 II with XC15-45mm F3.5-5.6 kit lens yesterday. I'm having very little knowledge about Lenses. Should I go with the Kit lens initially or , Should I buy a 23 mm F2 ?!... Need your guidance very badly 🙏
I have the x100v and xt5 with a 56mm. The 35 will be to close to the 56 im afraid so. Better to take the 23 mm. Anyway, I have the X100v already
For wedding I would have a backup camera. Maybe an extra xt5 or X pro. I still don't know which camera it will be as my backup camera.
Hi, i dont have experience with those lenses but I am moving from very old nikon d7000 plus 35 1.8 to fuji and wonder what lense will be the way to go. 80-90% the 35mm is all i needed (10y). Now i have a big family and very often i feel like 35 mm is just not enough to capture the image and i would use it only for 1-2 people portrets. As xt30 ii is sold with zoom kit lense i am considering to go with zoom for convenience and later to grav another 35mm. To be honest the thought to change to zoom or 23mm makes me nervous after to manu years using just 35mm.
Thank you! How are these lenses with the current 40MP sensor?
Mi mirada es con la fuji x100f 23 mm o la xt3 con 16 f2.8 ,
Interesting! How's the 16mm f2.8 treating you? gracias por el commentario ✨🙌🏼
Does the standard lens hood of the XF35mm f2 fit in the XF23mm f2?
I am ordering 35 f2 since 23mm too generous. Not wide enough and not narrow enough
The 35mm is a great lens, I enjoyed using it and being able to get decent shots without having to get as close to subjects compared to the 23mm lens. Keep me posted after you've used it for a bit, would be interesting to hear your thoughts about that lens.
I hope the video was useful or interesting, thank you very much for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! I appreciate it! 🙏🏼✨
Hello Jorge, thank you for making this video. I am a new X Pro 3 owner. My first lens I purchased for the camera was the 23mm f2, it certainly gives me opportunities of great photos but lacked on a recent trip to Sydney, Australia. I live in rural Australia where we have no tall buildings and I found the 23mm was really frustrating when trying to capture the city. Whilst there I managed to grab the 16mm f2.8 which solved my dilemma. I am now considering the 35mm f2 or the 50mm f2 as my 3rd and last lens. I want primes so wont even talk about zooms. For travel and daily use, would the 50mm be far too restrictive for travel?
Hey walkingman, I've recently been on the same dilemma. I'm curious what lens you bought for your 3rd, if you have already?
I've heard great things about the 50 f/2! From what I've been reading, it seems like a versatile, compact lens that would not be too restrictive for travel. I might pick one up tomorrow, but maybe not.. :)
@@ChrisHillhouse Hi, I ended up with the 23mmf2, 16mmf2.8 and 35mmf2 primes. I opted out in getting the 50mm. I purchased my XPro 3 for personal photography so I wanted lenses I could use when travelling and exploring. In the city, I needed the 16mm as I like wide shots the 23mm I use for wandering around once I have obtained my wide shots and the 35mm I have not yet really made use of.I think its just too tight for my photography and the 50mm therefore would really restrict my work.
Excellent video. Worth the discussion. Very nice images! The 23 is way more interesting. I agree that the 35 can feel generic. But when you’re far away you’re just swimming with the 23, there’s too much there . Or there’s not enough space with the 35. I guess that will remain a source of frustration for all time lol.
Great as always
Very honest review same thought...
What about the 27mm pancake ? 😊
This was a great video. Congratulations.
I have a xt30 and I always loved the 85mm focal leght so I got a 56mm f1.4 (viktrox) that I love. Looking for a wider lens I went all the way to the other side to 16mm f1.4. Talking about not doing incremental steps! It was a hard move and I'm still getting to know this focal length. But the challenge is great and the minimum focus distance gets me some amazing perspectives.
I was now looking for a smal compact lens for steet fotography and so I arrived at your brilliant video. It's still a hard choice because I think the 35mm would be easier for me. Focusing on a subject and getting the seen closer. But I keep hearing great things about the 23mm focal length for street photography and I do think is great to capture more of the seen. In the end I'm going to have to commit and try it out because I will never know until I try it.
Small note. I have used my 18-55 locked in 23mm or 35mm to try to minic using a prime but obviously it's not the same thing.
Interesting to hear about your experiences with the lens transition. Lenses are just a tool to help you achieve what you want to achieve. So I would say start with the "why", what type of images you want to capture, and what style suits you best, and that might help with the decision of what lens to get.
Using the zoom lens might give you a rough reference of what the focal length looks like, but you are adding spherical elements and also less light. If the 56mm is your initial or favourite lens, then the 35mm might be a better way to do small incremental changes and get used to other focal lengths.
I hope that was helpful, Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well, I appreciate it! 🙏🏼✨
Which one is better for video?
I would personally go with manual lenses for video or a stabilized lens as well, but If I had to choose I would go with the 23mm lens, a bit more stable when handheld and more versatile focal length.
Hope that helps, thanks for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! Cheers ✨🙌🏼
Hey Jorge, I wonder what's your opinion about the fuji 18mm f2? I really wanted to buy that lense as my first Fuji Prime on my X-Pro 1 because from what I see from youtube reviews I really like the type of pictures that focal length could offer me, the environmental kind of photography. But there also many reviews that said the lens is not good a fuji lens. Right now I am using 7artisans 25mm f1.8 and I think if I buy the Fuji 23mm F2, the focal length would kinda similar with my 7artisans. I really curious about your opinion about the 18mm and what your advise for me regarding my situation, it would really helpful me if you answer this. But please don't take a burden either and feel free to let this slide.
By the way, great video as always👌
Thank you Jorge, you're my X-Pro 1 guru🙏
Hey thanks for the kind words, man. I appreciate it! The 18mm in general can be a good focal length for street photography, landscape photography, architectural photography and wide overall lens.
If you try to use this for street photography, you will notice that you need to get closer to subjects and objects, which may cause some concerns in terms of how comfortable are you doing that. The 18mm f2 is decent enough for what it costs, similar to the 27mm lens, the 18mm f1.4 is the highest quality one, but almost double the price.
At the end of the day, the answer is: It depends. It depends on what type of images you want to capture, and what type of photographer you want to be, If you're on a budget get the 18mm f2. If you already have the 25mm artisans and want something similar but with autofocus, then get the 23mm f2. If you have enough money and you already know that Fujifilm is the right brand for you and that you will use it for many years to come, then invest in the high-quality f1.4 lenses.
With older cameras like the X-Pro1, it does not matter if you have the fastest f1.4 lens, the camera is still slow in comparison to newer cameras, a faster lens will help, but not as much as people think. Regardless, I would stay away from the older f1.4 lenses, these are quite slow and paired with a slow camera, it's not fun to use.
Hope that helps, thanks for watching and for taking the time to share a comment! I appreciate it 🙏🏼😁
Thank you so much for your suggestion! I'm sorry I really thought I have replied to your comment. By the way, I choose to go with 18mm F2 and it is so much fun to use for street photography and really help me to be more intentional in my craft.
Recently I have tried using the 35mm F2 and it made me realized how fantastic my 18mm is for street photography.
Once again, thank you so much for taking your time, energy and suggestions to answer my question. It really help me🙏(your video is also one of the reason why I bought my X-Pro 1 on the first place)
Tengo el 16mm y 35mm y no estoy del todo convencido de adquirir el 23... tiempo al tiempo.
I own the 35mm.
Good to hear! How's the 35mm treating you? are you considering also getting the 23mm?
I hope the video was useful or interesting! Thank you very much for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! I appreciate it 😁🙌🏼
too multipurpose ? never heard that before, but I understand what you mean ! Thnaks for the clip
Yeah, perhaps it feels that way for some people that shoot specific things like macro, wedding portraits, or very wide shots, perhaps for them, the 23mm feels generic or non-specific.
But for me, it feels like a very natural fit to documenting everyday life and street photography as well! Which one do you prefer? or which are you using currently?
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! I appreciate it! 🙌🏼✨
@@Jorge-Perez you're very welcome. You have a good feel for the lens... indeed XF23 is my favourite focal length... the storytelling lens. I like XF16 the big one very much, also the Touit 32, the small XF50, the 56 the 90 all great... I even like the XF18... I have only 1 zoom "my wedding" lens XF16-55 f/2.8 I sold the kit zoom... it was poor zommed in. Anyway their lenses are all stellar...the strength behind the x series.
ciao, and good luck
Thanks for the vid. Just thinking about selling 35 f2 to get the 23 last night 😅
I would try to use them both and compare them If possible just so you get a sense of the actual focal length difference, and then sell whichever you prefer.
But if you're already set on it, the 23mm is the more versatile one, could work for portraits as well as wide situations. Thanks for watching man, and for sharing a comment as well! I appreciate & keep me posted about your experiences after you've used them for a while! Cheers ✨🙏🏼
I got the x100v because I found that 23mm lens terrible and downright horrible to my equivalent lens 1.2 from Olympus.
Nice video and thoughts! I would go for the 27/2,8! / Ulf
Good choice, Ulf! I want to give it a try as well in the near future. 40mm-ish seems like a great in-between focal length for street photography. What are your experiences with this lens?
Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share your thoughts as well! I really appreciate it! 😁🙏🏼
@@Jorge-Perez With this lens? None! With 40 mm lenses, since 1984. First for Leica M4P andf Minolta CLE and from2009 with Mft. Will never part with the focal length! / Regards Ulf
I bought way too many Fuji lenses. I agree if this were your only lens, the 23mm f2 is probably it. However, if it's not your only lens, I would actually argue against the 23mm, it's just... unspectacular for the most part - it's not the best for landscape, it's not the best for architecture, it's not the best for portraits, it's too narrow for selfies, it's largely unusable for wildlife, it's too wide for sports/concerts, it's a bit too bulky to be an ultra portable travel lens (like say the pancake lenses) - the photos obviously look better than a phone, but they often look somewhat similar (sometimes even worse if you want a lot of depth of field) with the focal length and what modern phones can do.
I usually gravitate to the 12mm F2 Samyang and 35mm F2 when I go out. 12mm to capture the scene and maybe get some closer group shots / selfies - LOVE this lens - and then the 35mm for the dramatic portraits with background compression. I may also grab my 50-230mm if I'm going to a game or concert or the 27mm pancake if I want to travel super light. With this lens combo the photos look dramatically different/better than those coming from mobile phones as their wide/tele lenses are garbage.
I also own the Viltrox 23/33/50mm (all 3) and 18-55mm kit lens and a few other more "fun" lenses like the 10mm f5.6 pergear but 80% of the time it's the above 3 lenses I use. The Viltrox 23mm F1.4 is fantastic for talking heads video as it has much faster autofocus than the Fuji F2.
I have both lenses the 23mm was my first choice.......
I had 35mm F2 and it was super boring: not too wide nor too narrow. Just plain nothing. I like a compressed look of 50mm as well as 23mm for street.
If only there was a budget XC version of the 23mm F2 lens...
it is a very subjective matter to choose which lens to use rather than what I want to achieve with those images I want to capture. If a creative photographer is given any focal lens he or she can still create amazing images too. That is a great lesson for every photographer should know. We can walk nearer or go further from the subjective we want to shot at.
Thanks for the video. I already have the 23 mm f.2 the only lens I have for my camera ( and I love it so much) but I'm thinking of buying also the 35 mm f.2. With both and maybe in the future adding a 16 or 18 mm would be perfect for my Fujifilm xe3 ✌️.
Have you had any issues with the haziness at minimum focus distance on the 23mm f2? I really like the focal length but all of those reviews showcasing that are making me hesitant
The 23mm handles the minimum focusing distance a lot better than the 35mm, however, both are not ideal at the MFD, at the very least when they are wide open at F2. I would always add a couple inches extra to the MFD just to be safe, and perhaps stop down to f4 or f5.6 like I the examples I showed on this video. if you're looking to get macro like images, then get a macro lens.
Other than than, the 23mm is a great lens and I've used it with the x100 series for years, definitively worth it. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching and for taking the time to share a comment as well! I appreciate it 🙏🏼✨
The only one lens you need for APS-c is 26/1,4 AF, but as for now there isn't such a lens; I use MF Kamlan 28/1,4 which is great when the light isn't too strong.