@@benjhaisch i think that doesnt work that way. If you want faster af then youll need a bigger motor. Also if you want to increase corner sharpness youll need more elements which also increases size and ruines inner tonal detail (aka microcontrast)
@@gerben4875 Well, the 18mm f2 was released in 2011. Certainly if Fuji decided to make the same lens today (pancake style) it would be incrementally better in every way. But I'm sure you're right that in order to make it truly sharp it would need to get bigger, which I also would mind.
@@thehotdoglover thx agreed. I might be alone but i wish fuji would go back to small, light low element count lenses which are built well and no to expensive. I dont like the general direction of fuji atm being: more mp and many element lenses
@@benjhaisch honestly if they could even keep the size the same as the other f2 primes I'd be happy. If they could somehow get similar performance to the excellent 50mm f2 it would be a perfect lens imo
This lens render image so differently , unlike modern fuji lenses which are sharper and render more contrast than 18mm , but this lens give really unique look. Pairing it with xe1 or xpro1 really gives vintage vibe look
This lens glued on one of my X-Pro3 and go with me anywhere everyday in the past 2+ years. They are the perfect match,,, handsome and light weight. No blockage to the OVF. I have nothing but good thing to say about this lens. AF is fast enough. combined the small size, wide FL and the crop sensor of the body, the lens is actually ideal for street and travel snap at f5.6. I don't pixel peek the corners or the edges so I don't complaint about the so called softness off the center that many people complained about. Sharpness is more than fine to me indeed. Stop it down, my copy was very acceptable across the frame. With that said I would not recommend using it for professional landscape.But as mentioned, it is very capable for travel and everyday walk-around. The lens can produce pleasing 3D pop and very cinematic rendering. CA is the only bigger issue of the lens but it is not very hard to eliminate most of it in PP. Buy an open box or used like new recent copy for $300-350. I think it is worth it if you have a range finder style Fuji body and appreciate small lenses.
I like that you make vids about lenses that aren't the newest and sexiest out there. I've been intrigued about this one on my X-E4 but I have the WCL for the x100v so I'm definitely going to roll with that one instead, but it was good to see your experience with this one.
How do you like the handling of the WCL on the x100v? I've been eyeing this 18mm f2 on my Xe4 vs. the WCL on the x100. I'm just worried the WCL + x100V makes it a bit bigger compared to the 18mm... Anyway! Thanks!
@@davedowe6821 I really like it. It definitely protrudes a fair amount more with it on the x100v but I'm willing to deal with that for the better autofocus and image quality. I shoot it wide open all the time and get great results for what I want. If you want the smaller form factor than the 18mm f2 is the way to go but as it does look better on a camera body, but personally overall I would pick the WCL any day because the x100v lens is so good you're basically getting the same quality just at a wider focal length. I'd be disappointed if I shot things at F 5.6 and saw fuzzyness like Ben did on the 18mm. His images remind me of when I tried to put the WCL X-70 adaptor on the x100v and I knew i had to sell it straight away to someone with an x-70 instead. Ben has a good vid on that WCL too if you haven't seen it.
I use this for professional work all the time! Pair this bad boy with a tiffen bpm and uv filter and shoot almost exclusively at f4 and you'll love it. Embrace the character!
i had the 16 2.8 but returned it and got the 18f2, the 16 2.8 has quite some distortion and is quite prone to flare in my opinion also the 18f2 has nicer intertonal detail
I am still figuring out why people need corner sharpness. Of all the pictures i see i alsmosy never look in the corners/edges. Because most of the time: that is not where your subject is. Also the soft corners is mostly due to field curvature in this lens i believe (as does the 35 1.4) the benefit of this is that the bokeh in the center is different from the rest of the frame which gives an illusion of extra depth. I suggest people look up the review of alik griffin on the 35 1.4. This lens sort of has the same effect which i realy like
disregarding your corners could just mean wasted space in your frame. if you have something specific you want to have in the corner, then yeah corner sharpness is important.
@@pilesan8423 thx for your reply. Though I dont agree. Not having sharp corners is not the same as disregarding it. It is just less important for the shot imho. Some items can be just filler. I agree that if you want to have something special in the corner then it would be import. But that is the problem I havent seen any decent photo yet in which that is the case. but that could just be me.
@@gerben4875 forsure, its all situational, i meant having the mindset of - eh subject is not in the corner so it doesnt matter what corners looks like might not always be the best. but again its all situational, and to each their own. i just think these are both 2 ways that people can look at this topic.
I'm also a loyal user of E4+18f2+35f1.4. I agree with you and the others here: The combo makes the perfect portable setup with baked in character and covers essentially all ordinary/casual focal length needs. My T3 is collecting dust, as are my other lenses. I even like the reduced functionality of the E4 as I have found my habitual way of shooting and don't need all that many functions all the time. The extended Q menu really makes up for it to me. Click less, anticipate more!
I bought this lens about half a year ago for 300$CAN. It fits so perfectly with the XE4 kit and it's flaws have not bothered me yet. I love the images I get with this lens
Got this lens and the 35/1.4 with my X-E1 back in 2012, stil have both lenses. This is by far one of my favourite lenses of all time. Love it on my X-Pro 3.
The XF18mm f/2 R was the first lens that I ordered for my X-E4 when I had it. I really enjoyed the 28mm focal length on 35mm film and this lens paired with some fun film recipes is a great match. I swapped out the X-E4 early this year for an X-T30II and this lens is always packed in that small kit with the XF35mm. That pair of lenses are great at convincingly pulling off the film recipe looks with their imperfections.
How come you went from the XE4 to the XT30ii? I have the XT1 and often think of “upgrading”/downsizing to something smaller as I’m just obsessed with lightness and minimalism. I love the sleek silver top of the XE cams that reminds me of my beloved X100S and T which I sold but loved. But I also love the functionality of the XT cam - everything just a dial or button away.
@@stefan33uk the X-E4 had a pretty annoying problem that I ran into nearly every time I used the camera. If you tilt the screen to use as waist level viewfinder and it’s close to your shirt or you have a color the EVF sensor doesn’t like, the entire screen flips upside down. It never got addressed or fixed. So I got rid of the camera. Plus I didn’t lack the lack of controls and buttons. It was truly a gorgeous camera though. But so is the X-T30II in a different way. I also bought a used X-100V shortly after I sold it.
@@kevindiossi so the XT30ii has the same flip screen but doesn’t have the problem? I’ve thought about adding an X100 camera but I know having two cams one would get neglected and I don’t want to have to decide which to take on trips. What concerns me about the XT-XX series is the build quality. In pics it looks like a cheap XT-X but is the difference in real life that stark?
@@stefan33uk the new X-T30II has the same screen, EVF, and film simulations available as the X-E4. As far as flipping the interface upside down, only the X-E4 ever had this feature because it has a “selfie mode” where the screen hinge contorts in a way that allows the screen to face completely up/forward. It uses the EVF sensor to determine when this happens. The only problem is that if you have the screen tilted at ANY DISTANCE away from the back of the camera and the EVF sensor detects your shirt or leg, etc., everything goes upside down. Trust me, this is incredibly annoying and was the ultimate deal breaker for me with how I regularly shoot a tilt screen camera. That said, the hinge mechanism for the screen isn’t as nice on the T30II. It feels a little worse and looks a little worse than the beautiful flush mount on the E4. But the buttons on the T30II destroy the feeling of the buttons on the E4. The X-E4 Menu and Display buttons aren’t even mushy they’re worse than that - they’re nearly flush with the camera and then don’t make any click or press down far enough to give you any tactile feedback. Only the buttons along back of the top panel have any good feeling to them. By contrast, the T30II’s buttons all feel excellent and provide awesome feedback. The dials (you get 2 on the T30II) feel nicer and the exposure compensation dial is harder to move - which is a very good thing IMO. So overall the X-E4 may be handsome and the minimalist design are a strength for achieving a clean looking camera, in the 10 months I owned it, it didn’t really work for me personally. About 4-5 months into owning the X-E4 (my first Fuji camera) I picked up a used X-T4 and it really spoiled me. When the X-T30II was announced the X-E4 screen issue still hadn’t been addressed so I preordered the T30II and sold the E4 immediately after it came. I don’t regret it at all. I do, however, miss looking at it! LOL
I love the 18mm. First lens i got with my xpro 1. Great lens in tight spaces like small street and alleyways. It is a slow lens but you make it work. As i say life is fast enough why rush.
Got this lens with an xpro 1 for 300€ as a gift for my sister to start taking photography more seriously. Threw in my old 35 1.4 and I think that’s one hell of a combo. My problem is that I am looking for a wide angle lens for my kit. This f2 is a bit too lofi but I‘m afraid the 18 1.4 is too big for my xpro 3. Not too impressed by the 23 f2 since I have a X100S. I might get the 16 2.8 but I like 18 alot better.
I hope at some point they refresh the 18mm f2 and release something like a 13mm f2. And yeah the 23mm f2 sucks and need a refresh as well. The X100V is way sharper.
I love this little lens, I tend to keep the new Voigtlander manual lenses on my xpro 3 these days. If I need something wider than 35mm though this is my go to. It has tons of character.
Sadly, the current trend seems to be for Fuji to make giant generic cylinders (see the 1.4 WR trinity) and other manufacturers of compact lenses to spam already crowded focal lengths (how many 27mms out there?). Fuji elegance and style is dead AFAIC :(
I don’t know what the bad wrap on this lens is. I’ve read it’s noisy, not well built, autofocus is ok, etc. I had to see it for myself so I walked into a store and asked to test it. I was blown away by how exaggerated the noise reviews are. This lens was slightly noisier than other lenses that I tried but I really had to focus to hear it. Someone next to you may not hear it at all. The build quality wasn’t as plastic as I thought. It wasn’t certainly as metallic as others, but it wasn’t bad. The autofocus seemed just as good as others that I tried, but again, I wasn’t in low light. I can’t speak for sharpness because I didn’t look at the image quality on a large screen. My guess is there was a bad batch out there. The lens really looks like an old 50mm FF Nikon lens. It’s small by today’s standards. I certainly would buy it. In fact, it’s now on my list
Lovely and small set up! I would enjoy it for everyday b&w (missed samples in b&w) since chromatic aberration and softness don’t bother me, put I little bit of noise grain and I’m more happy :D
I still can't understand where's our updated OG 18/2 from Fuji... I've been wanting to get a pancake forever now, love the new 27/2.8, but prefer 18/2 field of view. Hope they will come up with an update together with not-so-distant X-Pro4😁
Most of what you're looking for was done nicely here ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-tGubZybYAz8.html, aside from the 18mm 1.4. I can tell you though that comparing either of these to the 1.4 is like comparing 2k and 4k resolution; i've done side by side tests between the 18 1.4 and Sony GMaster lenses and it's just as good, to my eye.
I replaced my E-X2s with a X-Pro2 and bought this lens used ... its my default walk-around Street Shooter, light and discreet. Don't pixel peek. I also own the 16mm1.4 and the 23 1.4, they don't see as much action lately. When I Shoot Street I only bring 1 lens, and this is it. If I travel I'll ad the 16mm 1.4 and the my 35mm f2. it suits me fine. Nice review!
Wow, was just thinking about checking this lens out for my x-e4 and this was so helpful! I thoroughly appreciate and enjoy all of your videos and the way you deliver your opinions and general information. I would truly love and appreciate a future video on the topic of how you went about practicing wide open focus on your Leicas. It is just so impressive how you nail focus wide open in such a fast paced environment like a wedding and any tips, recommendations, advice, etc. on how to practice that would truly be appreciated!
I keep trying to brainstorm how I could properly show that, but still can’t figure it out. I’ll probably rig up an iPhone and then do it that way, but tough to really show.
I didn't get on with this lens but would love it if Fuji released a mkii, or at least some more pancake options besides the 27mm. For that matter, there's not many pancakes available from 1st or 3rd parties, in any mirrorless mount... what's up with that
Yeah pancakes are too hard to find nowadays. Lumix has the 14 and 20mm lenses, Sony the 16 and 20mm. Honestly can't think of much more. Luckily we do have some compact kit lenses (14-42 for mft, 16-50 for Sony). Those are smaller then most primes and do offer reasonable performance for almost no money. And bodycap lenses :P
Why do people complain about the af ‘noise’? For photography purposes it is not realy important as the shutter sound most of the time is louder then the af sound. Furthermore in regards to video: don’t professional use external audio? Just saying…
The little electronic sounds are more typical of much cheaper lenses and I’m very quiet environments like a church wedding ceremony, I wouldn’t want that noise distracting.
@@benjhaisch thx for your reply: so by your reasoning the 35 1.4, the first 23 1.4, the 56 1.2, the 60 2.4, 16 1.4 and 14 2.8 are also cheap lenses? I can sort of see your point in a quiet church, but during a ceremony in the church it most of the time isnt that quiet 😁
Haha fwiw, I’m not saying they’re cheap, but I generally just equate that noise to a canon rebel 18-55 kit lens sound which I think is the sound most people are familiar with. Maybe I’m just too judgmental with my lenses ;)
Great video!! Does it have a lot of focus breathing? More than the 18-55?? I think the f2 has more character but I'm thinking more of using it for video and not a problem to focus manually. The problem is more to get a natural shift of the images
I've used this lens a lot for event stuff, like an art exhibit opening. Really great for capturing moments :) Have even zone focused with it. I use it on my XE-2, hoping to upgrade to Xpro-4 whenever that releases :)
Having recently moved to Fuji after 7 years of shooting Olympus Pen-f's (3 of them) along with the Olympus compact primes, I debated whether to go with the "Fujicron" or the faster "Fujilux" lenses. I sat on the fence about the f/2 lenses and opted for the optically faster, heavier and more expensive lenses due to one of the issues you raise with the 18 f/2... it's just not sharp at the edges and I tend to shoot in marginal lighting conditions in my documentary and street photography work both professionally and in my personal work. I can't afford to have a lens fall apart IQ wise at the edges like this 18mm f/2 lens does although the size and angle of view appeals to me. I opted to go with the 16 and 23 f/1.4 lenses for my wide angles along with the 35 f/1.4, 56 f/1.2 and the 90 f/2 lenses. My mainstays are the 23, 35 and 56 lenses (the same angle of coverage I shot with in equivalent Olympus compact primes). I hope at some point Fuji decides to update the optical formula and build quality of the 18mm f/2 lens - that might convince me to replace my Fujilux lenses with the smaller and lighter Fujicrons.
@@tjkrueger2655 no not realy as it has annother formfactor and a different kind of rendering. It belongs in the original trio. And in what sense does it ‘lag behind’?
@@tjkrueger2655 i agree that faster and silent focusing is a boonas is the wr (note it is nog sealed against the elements just resistant). What do you understand by IQ as its quite a broad term. In regards of color reproduction and tonal transition i think the 18 is better then alle the small fuji crons (16, 23, 35 and 50)
@@benjhaisch if you get a chance to double check please let me know. It’s slightly deceiving cuz I’m thinking u shot the video with the camera and lens as well. Just wanna make sure. It also looks like you shot it with the Fuji just based of the color grading of the video footage.
@@Kneedeepinstock i can tell you for sure it’s not with the X-E4. I don’t believe I’m talking about the video usage of this lens at all on this video and specifically in the “photos” section, the extra video is simply to provide context to the photos. Checking the focal length it seems much wider than the 28mm FOV that the 18/2 gives as well.
