Fujifilm Fujinon XF 23mm 2.0 R WR

The Fujinon XF 23 f/2 R WR is a nice little prime with lots of strengths but some weaknesses as well. The build quality is exceptional, except for the included plastic hood. Apart from that, the lens just feels sturdy while remaining compact and light-weight. AF is very fast and virtually silent. Sharpness is generally high. Image distortion and lateral CAs are well controlled. The vignetting is a bit steep at f/2, though. Autocorrection takes care of that to a good part. Bokeh is ok, but not great. However many wide-angle lenses struggle in this regard. In summary, the lens still delivers a solid performance. However, watch out for sample variations.

The Fujifilm XF 23mm F2 R WR is a very compact wide-angle lens for Fujifilm X-mount cameras, delivering a 35mm full-frame equivalent field of view. With an F2 maximum aperture, it's a bit slower than other X-mount prime options at the same focal length, but in exchange, it's much smaller and lighter than the competition, making it a great walkaround or travel option. The lens captures a lot of detail and has virtually no distortion, though shooting subjects close up and wide open can produce slightly soft images. Bokeh is generally pleasing, albeit with some cat's eye effects. Some vignetting is visible at larger apertures, as well as some longitudinal chromatic aberration wide open.

Fujifilm's XF 23mm f2 is mild wide-angle prime lens for Fujifilm's mirrorless X-series. It's smaller, lighter and more affordable than the earlier XF 23mm f1.4, while also boasting quicker, quieter and closer focusing, not to mention weather sealing and a narrower tapered barrel that presents less of an obstruction to the optical viewfinder on X-Pro bodies. The XF 23mm f2 exhibits some softness at very close range and or at the largest apertures, so is best-suited to subjects over a meter away, ideally shot around its optimal aperture of f5.6. The older XF 23mm f1.4 delivers a shallower depth-of-field and smoother rendering, and while it won't focus as close, it remains sharper at all distances and apertures. But if you're after a good general-purpose lens that's perfect for street photography, the XF 23mm f2 will serve you well. Its short-comings mean it misses out on my highest rating, but it remains recommended none-the-less.