Below you’ll find a lot of images in the sample gallery. I tried to use this lens as much as I could these past two months during summer, so the sample gallery ended up quite big (again!! – so sorry). However, this probably gives a good indication of just how versatile the XF23mm f/1.4R WR is in day-to-day use. It’s just ok for me. The 7 blade aperture likely has a lot to do with that. I have a tough time getting decent sunstars with this lens, but I’ve seen good examples of it. Aberrations In my opinion, the right lens for you between the will come down to two factors: weight and aperture. You really have to decide for yourself whether you need the f/1.4 or not, and are willing to pay in terms of price and weight. The provisos mentioned in the introduction are compounded for me by the fact I don’t really get on all that well with 35mm. This is 100% a preference while shooting, as opposed to the output. I love 35mm photography as captured by other photographers, and I appreciate the focal length for environmental portraits, intimacy when used up close, etc. It’s just something I personally struggle with. It’s a focal length I do a lot of cropping in, or wishing was a little wider.

The 23mm is one of those rare lenses that will satisfy both the enthusiast and professionals alike. Offering up a lot of versatility, the 35mm equivalent is often found in the bags of wedding, landscape, street and even environmental portrait photographers. I wouldn’t use this lens for headshots, but it would be right at home in an environmental portrait situation.When used on the X-mount cameras with their 1.52x sensors, it sees the same angle of view as a 35mm lens sees when used on a 35mm camera.

The focus ring is smooth in action without being loose, although it has no “hard stops” at either end of the focus range, making it more difficult to focus on infinity. I’ve always been a fan of Fuji’s 35mm f1.4 lens, and still consider it my favorite lens that Fujifilm makes. As with most Fuji lenses, the XF 23mm F1.4 R LM WR lens has a traditional aperture ring on the lens barrel, which allows you to set the aperture in 1/3 steps, complete with full aperture markings running from f/1.4 to f/16.

Fujifilm 23mm f2 vs. Fujifilm 23mm f1.4

This is predominantly because it features a more complicated optical construction than the original XF 23mm, plus it offers built-in weather resistance and a more sophisticated and faster auto-focus system.

Like other models in the series, the only control on the Sigma 23 is a smooth and well-damped manual focusing ring. Likewise for the Sony lens, neither of which has any switches mounted on their barrels.

Autofocus speed and accuracy

And exactly like the XF33mm f/1.4 the bokeh reminds me a lot of that of the XF35mm f/1.4R which is widely regarded as some of the best bokeh from any lens of the XF system. I would actually say that it has better OOF quality than it’s predecessor. So again, well done Fujifilm! The Fuji XF 23 1.4 is built much better than anything from Nikon or Canon today. It's built as well as LEICA lenses, with much newer technology to boot.