Good video Gareth. I haven't taken the plunge into prime lenses yet, and it's always good to hear the opinion of someone that knows.

Nice one mate. As a recent convert to the Fuji system this was really useful. Currently using the 35mm f2 and 50mm f2 for street and very happy with them.

Fantastic video! Just picked up a 23mm f/2 secondhand. Would love to see a video about concert photography in future!

Thanks Gareth, that info has helped loads, I shoot with an XT30 with a 35mm 1.4 xf prime (50mm full frame) and I love it for street stuff and for the price I think its a great camera to start with but I think the X100v has to be on my list soon if I want to upgrade......... ps f/8 streetmagazine is such a great idea. Great stuff Gareth. Really enjoy your vlogs 👍

Excellent detailed reviews and I'm sure it will help many 🙂

I would like to thank you for inspiring me to get my camera out again I used to love Street photography

16mm F1.4 is definitely sharp wide open, sharper than the 35 but not quite up to the 50 F2. Stays sharp at minimum focus too, only minor drawback is some ca at wider apertures and high contrast.

This is a very helpful video. Thank you!

Love the 23mm F2 for street Photography.

Great informative video, Thanks. I have also loves 23mm f1.4 in general and Samyang 12mm for astro. But I never tried viltron lens yet. Only complaint is fujifilm lens does not have infinity mark..

You should defo try the 16mm 1.4 Gareth. I brought a used one from Carmarthen Cameras around a year ago based on some of the positive reviews it received, but was not sure if I would use that much as my favourite lens is still my Fuji 35mm 1.4 which just works for me. Would never sell that lens. I have to say the 16mm 1.4 is amazing. To my surprise I am finding this on my xpro more and more often. Its not the most versatile focal length for my type of photography, but with some imaginationI have had many images am really happy with. Tack sharp at every aperture and focuses really close. Another Fuji I will never sell .

Use the 23f2 for urban landscape and street. A great lens. No problem with soft focus at f2 as long as you're more than 1 meter from the subject...not an issue on the street.

Love the Magazine Sir ❤❤❤

16mm 1.4 very sharp, fast autofocus 👍🏼 The 90mm f2 also tag sharp

The 18 f/1.4 is coming out. So put it on your radar. Back in April, I had it down to a new Viltrox 85 and a used Fuji 90. I chose the latter. What a great lens!

@GarethDanks

3 жыл бұрын

I'll check it out! but itll be too expensive i bet :-(

My favorite ILC Fuji primes are the 16mm f/1.4 and the 50mm f/2. Those rounds out my kit nicely on each side of the X100V, which has my absolute favorite Fuji prime lens. In my old Canon-days, my favorite prime lens was the fantastic 135mm f/2L. Some of my most favorite pre-Fuji pictures was made with that lens. I tried the Fuji 90mm f/2, but it didn’t give me the same goosebumps. Most likely because I had grown from that focal length in the meantime. I like to see it that way :D. It was kind of an easy lens to get wow-results from, even if you aren’t that great photographer :-P Nowadays the 16mm f/1.4 plays the role as my webcam lens. It’s fantastic and, together with Eterna, it gives me a lot of wows during video conferences at work :-D

Great video. Are you still doing the magazine?

Hi Gareth, enjoyed your video as I normally do, keep up the good work. I've got a X100f and I noticed that you had a grip fitted to your X100v, how do you find it? I love my X100f but, there's not much to hold on to and I would be interested to know which grip you've got and does it make a real difference to the feel of the canera.

@GarethDanks

3 жыл бұрын

100% must purchase mate. That things amazing and too cheap. Jjc off amazon. £20 I think. I can’t hold the camera without it and it protects it too. Also the added weight is nice.

I love the 50mm f2!

Amazing review mate nice one

@GarethDanks

3 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it mate.. that just get suggested for you?

Thank You sir For the video ❤😙😍

@GarethDanks

3 жыл бұрын

Most welcome 😊

fully agree on your opinion on the 56-1.2 mho the 16 - 1.4 is Fuji's sharpest.. so

ever tried the 27 f2.8 or the 16 f1.4?

Totally agree on the 50mm f2 and the 85mm Viltrox. Love those and don't know why they dont get more fans.

@fellowcitizen

3 жыл бұрын

That 50 is an extraordinary bargain, and very versatile.

@jeroenmeijer19

3 жыл бұрын

I love my 50mm to !! A secred weapon on my xt2 !

My copy of the 16mm f1.4 is very sharp at 1.4.

"It's built like a bomb" 8:52 let's hope it never explodes :D

That was good 👍🏻👍🏻 I love the small form factor of my f2 "Fujicrons" and the 50mm f2 has to be one of the sharpest lenses I have ever used, but there is something special about the 16mm and 23mm f1.4 lenses. I recently picked up the 35mm f1.4 to see if all the comments on image quality were justified. It chatters non-stop and hunts constantly for focus, but the images are nothing short of magical. It is now permanently attached to my X Pro 2, a perfect combination.

They should make a 33mm f1.2. I can't use the 35mm f1.4 because I use an old camera it focuses slow on. And I prefer 45 to 50mm rather than the tighter 53mm from the 35mm. Otherwise my fingers are crossed for the Sigma 30mm f1.4 and 56. I love the 50mm f2, but f1.4 at 56 would be great, plus its pretty compact. Not interested in the Viltrox lenses as they don't play well with my Fuji and have too much CA. Even the 50mm f2 has more CA than I would like, the 23mm had far too much so I upgraded to the 27mm. Nobody else seems as picky as me with CA so I should look into filters that may help.

i have exactly the same problem with the lens hood on the 55-200 hahahaha

I’m glad someone else said 1.2 isn’t always sharp on the 56. I thought I was the only one lol. Glad it’s not just me. Lol

@cerealkiller4248

3 жыл бұрын

Take it back, I had my Canon 100-400 serviced/calibrated years ago, big difference afterwards. Also my old a Sigma 10-20 was soft on one side, took it back and turns out it was de-centered and I had a new one. My 56/1.2 is great, get yours sorted 👍

The Fuji guys said the 14mm has the least coma for astro so I bought and love it, plus I prefer the 20mm field of view I had on my canon camera, it's a great lens 👍

@martintolley9234

3 жыл бұрын

14mm my favourite lens for a variety of things - pairing with XT3 body appears to reduce edge curvature in architectural interiors exceptionally well.

@craigwilson1604

3 жыл бұрын

@@martintolley9234 that's interesting I'm still using the xt2 and was thinking if it's with upgrading to the 3 or 4.

@martintolley9234

3 жыл бұрын

@@craigwilson1604 Only bought the 3 last year, still working out how to use all of the bits of it. I'm not (yet) much of a video person, so I don't think I need the 4. And a lot of my stuff is on a tripod, so IBIS again not an outstanding need. The 3 is a superb piece of kit, and will probably out-last me! 3s are going down in price .... whatever suits your needs. I moved over from Nikon, and the XT3 is certainly the best camera I've used.

My XF 35mm f2 is tack sharp and as sharp as my XF 50mm F2. It's my favourite general purpose prime. Love it! Maybe you had a bad copy?

@GarethDanks

3 жыл бұрын

Possibly mate. A few have said that. Ah well. F2 isn’t fast enough for events really so the 1.4 is still the only option 😊

@PhotoTubeUK

3 жыл бұрын

@@GarethDanks Fair enough mate. I generally don't do events and the 35mm f2 is a perfect lens for me with it's light weight, compact size, fast & quiet AF, weather sealing and excellent image quality (on my copy at least) 😊

@kevrosas1

3 жыл бұрын

There’s are two versions of the 35 f2. One is made in Japan, the other in I think the Philippines. The latter is considered the ‘worst’ of the two.

@PhotoTubeUK

3 жыл бұрын

@@kevrosas1 No, that is not the case. There is only one version of the 35 f2. It was initially made in Japan and then they transferred production to a Fujifilm factory in the Philippines. It is the same lens. There is no difference whatsoever between the Japan made lens and the Philippine made lens. They are both manufactured by Fujifilm themselves to the same standard.

I see a Nikon film body that could use some fresh air and star in a video :-)

Have you tried the 60mm f2.4? It's the old 'macro' lens. I do love it somehow.

@GarethDanks

3 жыл бұрын

No I haven’t mate. And I’d love to pick one up for a play. Doubt I’d keep it but I’ve never owned a macro lens.

@eatsimplefood

3 жыл бұрын

@@GarethDanks haha sorry then I already know you will keep it. It's fun for macro but also great for portraits.

The 35mm f2 not sharp? I used to have that lens and loved it. I moved over to Sony 2.5 years ago but hoping to slowly go back to Fuji. I have a X100V now but hoping to get the XS-10 and maybe a few of the f2 primes again debating on the 35mm f1.4. Cheers.

@GarethDanks

3 жыл бұрын

Heck no. Well mine was terrible. 2.8 again was fine but you need a faster 50 than 2.8. I can’t decide if I like the xs10 lol. Bargain tho

@skipper4114

3 жыл бұрын

@@GarethDanks decisions decisions.

When I shot 35mm film, I used the following 3-lens combination: 85mm f/1.4 35mm f/1.4 24mm f/4 When I started shooting Fuji digital, the first three lenses I purchased were: 56mm f/1.2 Fujinon 23mm f/1.4 Fujinon 16mm f/1.4 Fujinon Other prime lenses I use with my Fuji digital include: 1000mm f/11 Nikon mirror (adapted) 500mm f/4 Nikon (adapted) 400mm f/5.6 Nikkor (adapted) 135mm f/2 Zeiss Sonnar (adapted) 105mm f/2.8 Nikon macro (adapted) 55mm f/3.5 Nikon macro (adapted) 28mm f/4 Nikon perspective control (adapted) 23mm f/2 Fujinon 12mm f/2.8 Zeiss Touit 12mm f/2 Rokinon 8mm f/2.8 Rokinon fisheye I use my Fuji cameras and lenses for shooting landscapes, portraits, architecture, street, reportage, theatre, general subjects, still life, portraits, travel, vacation, wildlife, sports, astronomy, weddings, and other social events.

Would you go with viltrox 56 or Fuji 50 f2

@GarethDanks

3 жыл бұрын

Oooo. Good question. The fuji unless it’s sharp wide open on the viltrox

You didn’t mention the 27 f/2.8 pancake. It’s not my favourite lens but optically is great, it’s tiny and you can get them new for about £100 on the grey import market. I’ve also got the 23 f/1.4 and the 35 f/2. Sometimes I wish I’d purchased them the other way round, I do need a weather sealed lens and people eulogise about that 35 f/1.4. I’m happy with what I’ve got though.

@GarethDanks

3 жыл бұрын

Ahhhhhh!!!! I knew I’d missed one!!!! How annoying! And no I’ve never owned that lens. I’m told it’s sharper than the 23 too! 40mm is a weird one. I had that lens on the canon. Never took to it.. tempting tho at that price. 😊

@GarethDanks

3 жыл бұрын

Good to know! I’ll look that up

@Nayson

3 жыл бұрын

@@GarethDanks It pops up on Hot UK Deals periodically. I'll be buggered if I can remember the name of the website I got mine from but they ship them new from Hong Kong.

Why did you move to Fuji mate? I'm just at the start of the video and thinking carefully about my next choice!

@GarethDanks

3 жыл бұрын

Needed silent shooting for photographing concerts. Was 5d before then. 😊

I’ve seen cap issues elsewhere from non-Fuji. Possibly Fuji patent??? Must be annoying.

You would think Fuji would get their quality control sorted there is no excuse for one of their lens to be soft at a given aperture and another to be super sharp no one buys a lens to have a soft image. Personally, if it happens to me I will return and replace it until I get one that is.

Get on with it

I agree with you 100% on the need of a new, updated version of the 35mm f1.4. My only other comment is that you did not pass any judgement/comment on the 14mm f2.8, 27mm f2.8, 60mm f2.4, or the 80mm f2.8. Now I recognize that none of these likely fit the needs of your work environment, and perhaps are of no interest to you..

@GarethDanks

3 жыл бұрын

Doh..!! No your right I didn’t mention any macro!! Silly mistake. And yes I did forget the 27 which lots really love. I’d love to try a macro. Would have made the thumbnail easier haha

@keithsandercock1412

3 жыл бұрын

@@GarethDanks If you were closer at hand I would lend you the 60 and the 80 mm.

The 16 1.4 is the best lens in the Fuji range ... mine is sharper on 1.4 than 23, 35 56 (1.4-1.2) .... :D

@GarethDanks

3 жыл бұрын

isnt it odd how varied lenses are!! some say the same as you.. others the opposite!

@timeandtides8701

3 жыл бұрын

I agree with vince

When you keep saying built like a bomb, I assume you mean they're 'bomb-proof' ;)

@dan_s_higginson

3 жыл бұрын

Designed to break in to tiny pieces