WHICH FUJI LENSES TO BUY FIRST (Read Description) 

When the 18-55 costs only €200 when in a kit it makes absolutely no sense to not pick it - it costs €600 when bought separately. Also, you should first try a zoom lens and find out which focal lenghts do you use the most - then you buy the primes, assuming they are an advantage for the type of photography you do.

To all those who are not pros and not making money of photography, this is what I ended up with. I have a XT20 and have tried almost all fuji primes (18, 23, 27, 35, 50, 56, 55-200, Rok 12/2). I was mostly using the 18-55 & 35/2 because of it versatility and IQ and the rest were just sitting in the bag. So I kept the 18-55 & 35/2 and I use them all the time. I sold everything else and deposited $$ in my account ;). I also bought the cheaper 50-230 ($180) for occasional outdoor use, which is excellent. This is really all i needed. If you have less stuff, you kinda find a way to make it work.

Your video is the only video that answered correctly and clearly the size difference between a cropped frame (on Fuji) and full frame. Especially your points on street photography, EXCELLENT, THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Great video, really helpful. I completely agree with you. I have the 35mm, f1.4, and because I will be doing more (specifically) portraits, I am going for the 50 and the 23mm. I am glad your opinion confirm mine (peace of mind!)

I was having a really hard time deciding which lenses to start off with. This vlog gave me a lot of insight. Wish I could afford to have them all in my collection but I’m going to start with two and see where is takes me.Thanks for sharing again !

Dude. Brilliant video., Very honest and very revealing. Especially shots of your daughter. Thank you. With much appreciation.

Thank you for your advise! I had to watch this video 3 times! I got my XT20 as a Xmas gift along with the 50mm F2 and I love it for portraits as you said. I need something that can be used at a family gathering or a small birthday party and you’ve helped me made my decision! I am going with the 23 mm.

10:28 I think it's worth mentioning that if you do a lot of photography with your mobile phone, you're actually going to be most accustomed to the 18mm lens (27mm equivalent), seeing as the lenses on a lot of phones have a 27/28mm equivalent focal length. That's worth taking into consideration.

The couple is so beautiful and their photos are gorgeous

Very glad you still make video for Fuji user. I am very happy to get the xe-3 with 23mm , and a 35mm last year December, Very enjoy this combo when I outing with my family.

I've been a beginner for too long. You've answered all the questions I had in mind. Thanks!

Excellent video. Easy to understand which makes it fun to learn. I now understand the compression concept. Thank you! Greetings from Idaho 😊

Great videos thx 😊 well after shooting with my dads nikon d5000 i wanted my first own camera and i did chose the fuji x100f with the 23 f2 fix lens and i need to say it was the perfect choice because the hole camera forces me to concentrate on my subject and my settings so that now after 1 year with it i learned so much and my pictures are getting better and better 😁

Great video! My first two XF lenses were the 35mm 1.4 and the 18mm f2. Got them for my X-E1 back in 2012. Still use them regularly :)

**UPDATE** I have a new version of this video that is much more comprehensive. I'd encourage you to watch it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-bujOw8KlawA.html

Awesome video! I picked up a X-T20 2 months ago and definitely needed to see this.

This is the best lens comparison video I've seen to be honest. Super helpful, found all the info that I was looking for. I recently switched to Fuji and I own a 23 mm lens right now (and I absolutely love it) but I used to take a lot more portraits with my previous camera and lens so I think I'll get the 35 mm next. Subscribed:) Thank you!

Really like your comment about Prime lenses, I’ve just moved over to Fuji from Canon and I’ve switched from zoom to prime at the same time: 60 2.4 (for portraits/macro), 35 1.4 and 16 1.4 (inspired by how much you love that lens!). An X100T already covers a very loved 23 mm length!

Nice video. Loved the fact that you actually showed samples, rather than just talking theoretically.

Loved the vid! Really helped me to decide what lenses i should begin with. Keep up the good work.

Thanks for the upload. Really enjoyed this vid. I don't even shoot Fuji, but still alot of valuable information about photography in general.

Extremely useful: appreciate you stayed focused on the f.2 as these are more affordable and, as in the case of the 35 f.2, it is weatherproof increasing durability. I have the 35 and the 23 f.2 and I am thinking of a zoom lens to travel lighter. Maybe the 16-55 2.8. Thanks and looking forward to your next videos.

Agree 100%. I just had a little bit higher budget so I got the 56 f1.2 (amazing) and am getting ready to order the 23 f1.4 in a few days. I have a Nikon 35 f1.8 that I adapted to my Fuji but haven't really had a chance to use it much yet. I actually went with the kit zoom when I bought my XT2 since it was so cheap to do so. I also bought the 55-200 to complement it but it is gonna pretty much be all primes from here on out.

Awesome video! This is all you needed to know if you're getting into the fuji system. I watched this before i bought my xt3 and now i watched again before buying my next lens!

Love the lens choices. I have actually been shooting some environmental portraits at around 90mm equivalent and I love the look the compression provides.

Just saw your video pop-up in my suggestion and after watching it, brilliant even though I'm using Canon EOS M6 but I can use your very useful information. Thank You for make an neat effort to the video I'm very appreciate it.

Fantastic overview. Wish I'd had something like this to refer to when buying my first lenses. I particularly appreciated the discussion around compression and the impact of longer focal lengths on faces. I always learn something new from your videos - thanks! (But no 16mm? That's top of my wish-list thanks to your reviews.)

Superb video explaining what the jargon means in terms of results. Extremely helpful to me in deciding what to buy when starting out with Fuji's X system. Bought an XT-1 for peanuts and eventually decided on the 35mm 2.0 and the 16mm 2.8. I really agree with the emphasis you put on composition and your comments about prime as opposed to zoom lenses. I initially bought the Fujifilm 16 - 55 zoom, then returned it and swopped it for the 35 and 16mm, it being much too bulky and heavy for my purposes. I'm now considering which tele to get, and that one possibly will be a zoom.

Best video i've watched. Exellent work explaining !

this well made video! thanks for your explanation every each of the lens. i know it's time consuming but i know what im getting next. cheers!

Have seen some of your vids and they are pretty good. Awesome content, keep going!!

Great practical explanation of different focal lengths - thank you!

I agree with you, fixed focal lenses are the best, and not only for beginners. For years I've been a music photographers and I mostly used 3 lenses, 35mm, 50mm and 135mm, but probably 80% of those where done with the 35mm (Canon EF 35mm f/1.4 L to be precise) on full frame, by far my favourite focal length.

man, love your advice here, great video. I let out a big "WOOOP" when you got the the 35. I couldn't possibly agree more. Favorite. Stuck to one of my two cameras all the time. I have to add though, I'd throw the Rokinon 12mm F2 in there as a cheap, easy to use and learn lens. I know it's manual focus, I know it's crazy wide. Just stop it down, focus out a couple of feet and forget about the focus entirely. It is incredibly sharp and the depth of field on a 12mm is just huge at F11 or more. Or, shoot wide open and close to your subject (minimum focus of 8 inches!) and enter the often unknown world of wide angle bokeh. Did I mention how cheap it is? Thanks again Andrew, can't wait for the next one

Very well done: clear, complete, informative.

Very thorough review, great sample shots very impressive.

So right. Been an amateur for a long time but my learning took off when I glued a Nikon 35 1.8 to Nikon body.

Hell of a good video! Invaluable for photographers learning portraiture..esp with these Fuji lenses.

Your videos on Fuji lenses are the BEST!

This is amazing Andrew!

Years ago I switched from Canon to an X-T10 because I found myself not taking my camera on trips due to size. I picked the 27mm pancake lens and started to enjoy taking pictures again. I got some great vacation pictures with that first setup. But I think the 23mm would have been a better choice. I started to enjoy going full manual and I can't do that with the 27. But good review of these lenses.

Thanks, I enjoy your videos. I recently purchased the XT 2 with 18-135.

This was so helpful and approachable. Thank you so much for this!

Wonderful video. I own the 35 and was on the sidelines about the 23 but after this I'm quite clear that that's the next one!

Fujifilm 35mm f1.4 is a fantastic lens, I haven't really used my other lenses after getting it.

Very good explanation. Now I'm convinced to get the 35mm F2 for my first prime lense. 😊

This is a good rundown on the Fuji lineup. On a whim I unloaded my Canon full frame kit and ordered an X-T3 and the equivalent XF lenses. There are definitely fewer Fuji options (not necessarily a bad thing). I picked up the 23mm and 35mm f/2, the 10-24mm, and I'm debating the 50mm f/2 or the 56mm. Weight and speed will likely be more important to me than 2/3 stops of light.

That is VERY comprehensive. It definitely helped me to choose my next lens :)

Great review with gorgeous examples! Thanks a lot

A little late to the party here but I really like this video as it does show the field of view for each lens. Very helpful. I did purchase the 23mm f2 and it is sharp but I don't find it sharper than the 18-55mm kit lens that came with my XT-2 which is crazy but perhaps it's the copy I have. Anyway, I returned the 23mm. I didn't like how close I had to get to my subject. Sometimes you can't get close and sometimes you don't want to. Contrast that with the Olympus 17mm lens on a Panasonic GX85 with no anti-aliasing filter and the jpg pictures are sharper. Without research, I don't know how much sharpening each camera is applying. I don't have a suitable photo application on this PC so I didn't compare raw but I will be doing that and there will probably different results. PS, I really love your channel.

35mm all the way. I just switched from nikon to fuji and I'm saving for the 35mm f2 wr. Great comparison.

Very helpful video -- thank you! I have the 23 f2 (which I love) and I want to get really nice portrait lens for my X-E3. Watching this video & your comparison between the f2 Fuji lineup vs the faster lens lineup has me convinced the 50 f2 will be a good buy.

Love your videos. Praying for your health.

I have watched this video more times than I would ever admit- it’s that good. Just entered the world of Fuji with an xt2, I love the camera and I’m looking for a good first lens. I think the 35mm is going to be it.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you so much! Great overview and buy guide for my soon to be Fujifilm debute

Very informative! Thanks for sharing the science of lens

very very helpful if you are getting into the fuji x system and want to buy a lense. after watching this video i went for the 23mm f2 and did not regret it.

very cool, I have the 23 f/2 and this the one I use a lot of everyday streets, landscape end portrait - It´s the boing 737 of Fuji.

Beautiful pictures!! Thx for the great review!!

I was extremely pleased to have stumbled across your video, having recently purchased an X-T20, . It came with the half way decent 18-55 f2.8-4, but I wanted to buy a good prime lens for street shooting. I sold all my M4/3 gear to move up to the larger sensor, so there are still funds available to allow me to buy probably two lenses (if I can find good used items). I think that the 18mm and 35mm focal lengths are the way forward for me. I would just like to complement you on your English language skills. With today's reluctance to use good vocabulary and diction, it is a pleasure to listen to someone who makes the effort to use the language as it is meant to be used. Btw, I am a 65 year old Scotsman (living in Wales) so, as you can see, I am a real globetrotter. Keep up the great work!!

This is so helpful. Thank you for sharing!

Here's mine. For street: I do 35mm f2 (It's the closest to what I see without having to recompose the shot, and it's valuable for street photog). For indoor, especially events: I do 16-55 (although I hate zoom lens because I find myself being lazy, it can't be beat for the flexibility as it covers all the focal lengths). For intimate shots: 90mm (Also great for commercial shots). For niche: 80mm macro (So good for detail shots). Money makers: 16-55mm, 50-140mm (You need to camera bodies for this). All of these are Fuji X Mount lenses. For FF equivalent, just multiply them by 1.52 😁 And yes, I'm a prime guy. Zoom lenses make me lazy. Also, zoom lenses make me feel guilty as I feel like I'm spying on people. Lol!

My 3 fuji XT3 lenses are the 56mm F1.2, 23mm F2.0 and the 50-140mm F2.8. That's honestly all you need to shoot anything with this camera. Good lens choices tho

great explanation after all comparison lens video ,your one best out of all , thank you for all samples .

My last acquired prime Fuji lens is the 23mmf2. I bought it after 90mmf2, 56mmf1.2, 16mmf1.4, Zeiss 12mmf2.8 and Samyang 8mm fish-eye. The first moment when I took it and used it, I knew that it should have had it as first prime.

Interesting recommendations! I´m a Sony shooter, I use the SEL16-50 & SEL55-210. My favorite is the 55-210mm cause its so much more versatile, from streetphotography (I hate wide angle) to planespotting.

this was very useful to me, thank you very much!

Wow you helped me a lot.. i love your videos man really helpful thank you

Great comparison! 35 f2 for the win:)!

well done, thank you ! it was a very good way to learn for me , best regards

I purchased the X-T20 in January with the 18-55mm kit lens. I love the camera and lens combo. I was thinking about the 35mm or 56mm as my next lens. Excellent info from your video and commenters. Gives me more to think about.

very helpful for me, thanks for the video!

I recently had to sell my old Fuji system because of financial reasons, but later this year I'm thinking of getting into the photography game again, specifically these focal lenghts. So the XF23 and XF50 will probably be the ones I'm most interested in, doing most of my shots of the family, especially the kids. Thank you, you're an excellent "companion" in the lens-jungle!

Yep the best and the most informative video on youtube

35 f2 for street and people ( good bokeh) rokinon 12mm f2 for wide 18-55 if you do mostly video ( image stabilisation )

Wow thank you for such an informational video. Even for a more Veteran Fuji shooter like me, this was very interesting!

One point to consider is that when you need to be quick (kids shots, sports...) you do not have time to change lenses. So a second body is needed -- but thus adding weight and clumsiness. In general I used to prefer fixed focal lenses, _but_ the 18-55 with image stabilisation is a good compromise between focal length and lens speed, so you do not have to swap out the lenses most of the time. I understand and agree with your thoughts of learning to photograph with a fixed focal length. But on the other side one has to remember that as soon as you get that first one has to move to find the right angle / perspective and second one needs to decide which part of the reality to crop out by choosing the corresponding focal length. Interestingly for most shots there are many views which are quite good and not one really better / worse than the other, but just different. For some one really has to nail the crop. In that case that's easily done afterwards at the computer. So better to leave a bit of space and be able to cut out / fine-tune later. I also could live with 35 and 85 (full-frame equivalent) lenses alone most of the time. But sometimes a wider angle is needed to capture the sky, the room or whatever. For everyday photography a longer focal length than around 90 mm is not needed IMO. One can always crop the picture a bit afterwards -- which will be _exactly_ the same like using a longer focal length (just by the compromise of giving up some resolution -- which in most cases is fine). But If I would just use one lens I would choose a 30 or 32 mm (if available). A 35 mm was my favourite and most used lens for a long time. I found that 1.4 f-stop was not beneficial too often and I sold that and got a 2.0 instead (for that specific lens it gave me lighter weight, but also better colors).

This was very helpful. Thank you.

Nice overview, thanks. I started my Fuji "life" with 23mm f2

If choosing just one-The 35 f2 is hard to beat. So small, versatile focal length and great image quality too.

in this day I suggest starting with a 35mm equiv. People are used to shooting the 28mm on their phone. 35mm will give them a similar performance, but while still feeling different from using their phone.

I went with the 35mm F2, 50mm F2, and 90mm F2 for portraits. I've heard such great things about the 16mm F1.4, so I'll be picking that up for wide-angle shots.

The presets are amazing! You say something in this movie, but don't ask me what, couldn't pay attention. The skin tones shot inside are perfect! Those from outside are different but very much Ektar-like, in my opinion. Which I also like. I think many clients are for this punchy look for their photos (I'm sick of those faded-green pictures from weddings). Amazing work!

I'm thinking about a two lens setup. 16-55mm f/2.8 because everyone says it's as sharp or sharper than the primes, and a 56mm f/1.2 for portraits and bokeh. $2k but it's all I'd probably ever need for a nice travel setup. Primes force better photographers, but also make people lazy to change lenses and don't get the shot they could have for not wanting to swap lenses. A zoom I think would make a great lens to make the best use of the small sensor because the frame can get filled best with just a twist. 22 years semi-pro and a prime nut talking. On my last toddler shoot, with a Zeiss 135mm f/2 on a Nikon FX body, I realized something. All the best image quality in the world doesn't mean crap when you can't get your subject in razor sharp focus quickly. Function may just win over absolute quality here, but everyone says with the 16-55mm you don't have to give up anything except 1 stop of light...and a little padding in your wallet, haha.

Very good advices. Thanks.

well explained and gave me proper picture with examples. appreciated

Great video and very informative.

Fantastic video and learnt a lot about lenses. Total newbie here.

Always find it interesting seeing which lenses people went for first and their own little road map of lenses that they then pursued. My order of lenses went 35mmf2, Samyang 12mmf2, 50-230mm and then 60mm f2.4. My next acquisitions are hopefully going to be the 16mmf1.4 then the 90f2 and then hopefully I will be satiated....that 56f1.2 tho

Came for the Fuji and stayed because of the beautiful family pics ! Thanks for your videos I’m a hybrid Sony A6400 and a t 30 shooter

Good Video man! Thanks!

Very informative video! I have 35mmf2 and thinking of buying the 23mm next

great video. very useful information.

really good video, thanks a lot!!

Another great video 👍

Very clear and understandable. Good job. My regards.

I agree that 50mm (35 on crop) gives you a better head and shoulders / medium close up shots. Only difference I'd say is actual headshots as there's so little amount (if any) of the body in shot and wider lens will make the neck very skinny and nose bigger. So I'd use 90mm for those. If I can take bit more old school portraits with shoulders and tiny bit of head room then 50mm is much better as I find that 90mm compresses the neck from that distance. I guess it's all about the size you need and the distance you choose :) - Great video, thank you! (we use fuji on our vlog.)

I have 2 Fuji lenses. The 35/2 and the 16/2.8 as an everyday walk around kit. I sometimes add an adapted Minolta Rokkor PG 58mm f1.4 to make a 3 lens kit. If I need anything more than that, I use my Sony FF.

The decision for me was easy: first 23mm 1.4, second 56mm 1.2, third 16mm 1.2. That’s what I bought... in that same order 👍

I'm still loving the much maligned XF18mm f2.0 one of a pair of primes I purchased with my first X body the minimum focus ability is a bonus. I'm fortunate to own all the XF primes apart from the XF200mm f2.0 but maybe one day ?