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Archive 2022 · Any users and opinions 18/1.4 vs 16/1.4

  
 
Abouna
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Any users and opinions 18/1.4 vs 16/1.4


Well after several weeks of not having a wide since my X-Pro2 was stolen I've decided i need to pick one up.

Having a hard time, after several reviews, deciding between these two. I loved the 16, except for the weight. The 18 is tempting but not sure which way to go.

Hoping some of you have used both?



Apr 14, 2022 at 05:26 PM
martini_shooter
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Any users and opinions 18/1.4 vs 16/1.4


I just picked up an 18mm f/1.4 used from BH, I’m using it with my X-T3. It’s an incredible lens. Wide open it’s wicked sharp with pretty much no CA, stands up great to pixel peeping. Nice bokeh too. Lightning quick and silent autofocus, minimum focus distance of 20cm is really nice too. Great build quality.

I had a 16mm f/1.4 a couple years ago when I was using an X-H1, I loved that lens too. It wasn’t dead silent like the 18mm, and it wasn’t quite as quick to autofocus, but it seemed very quick at the time. It can focus another 5cm closer than the 18mm, so you can get super close if you want. It was an excellent lens optically, maybe not as “perfect” wide open as the 18mm, but still impressive.

Most folks would probably say to just go with the focal length you prefer. I’m using it more for people shots. The 18mm is perhaps a bit kinder to faces, and the extra bit of subject isolation is nice too. If you want a wider lens for scenery, the 18mm might sometimes frustrate you since it’s really not all that wide.

If you want to do video, the silent motors of the 18mm might be a big deal. If you’re a fan of the clutch focus on the 16mm, that could be a tiebreaker too. Rumors point to a 40MP sensor in coming Fuji cameras, I’d expect the 18mm to take slightly better advantage of such a sensor. The 16mm can be found pretty cheap in nice condition on the used market, that’s certainly a plus.

Honestly I feel like you can’t go wrong either way. Both are sharp and quick, they’re similar sized, both weather sealed, both focus very close.



Apr 14, 2022 at 06:08 PM
esanchez
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Any users and opinions 18/1.4 vs 16/1.4


I haven't used the 18mm but have bought and sold the 16mm twice. I was never impressed by the 16mm shot at 1.4. Stopped down the lens got sharp but why buy a 1.4 if it's not sharp from the start. I rather buy the 18mm F2 or 16mm 2.8 if I'm going to stop down the 16mm 1.4. Now I'm on the look for an 18mm 1.4 to try it and see if it impresses me.


Apr 14, 2022 at 10:59 PM
zConcept
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Any users and opinions 18/1.4 vs 16/1.4


The 16mm is an excellent lens and so is the 18mm so it really just comes down to personal preference.

I personally like the 21mm and 28mm full frame field of view. So my 2 favorite fuji lenses are the 14/2.8 and the 18/1.4. These two lenses are glued on my xt4 most of the time. I hope to get the 33/1.4 soon and that will round out my all time favorite primes.



Apr 18, 2022 at 10:17 PM
Sauseschritt
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Any users and opinions 18/1.4 vs 16/1.4


AFAIK they're both excellent, so pick what focal length you like better ?



Apr 19, 2022 at 01:48 AM
gdanmitchell
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Any users and opinions 18/1.4 vs 16/1.4


I don't use either. (I use the 14mm f/2.8.)

But generally, I don't think there is a "right" answer to this question in a general sense. These are both, like almost all Fujifilm lenses, fine lenses that just have different sets of pluses and minuses. Rather than asking "which lens is better?" I'd be asking "which lens fits my needs better?"

You don't mention what other lenses you have (or will have), and that is also an important consideration — it is almost always important to not only regard lenses individually but also as to how they fit into the system that you are buidling.

Dan



Apr 19, 2022 at 09:19 AM
Abouna
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Any users and opinions 18/1.4 vs 16/1.4


I guess I should have been clearer. I'm not asking for overall lens advice, I know what I like and use. In my mind, coming from 40+ years shooting, 18 and 16 are too close together to really consider the focal length an issue.....I'm really just interested in anyone who has used them both and what they prefer and why.


Apr 19, 2022 at 09:23 AM
JF89
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Any users and opinions 18/1.4 vs 16/1.4


I own the 18mm, had the 16mm. The 18mm is a stunning lens. Color, contrast and sharpness is fantastic. Its quite an impressive lens, one of the best I've shot over the last 20 years. I like the "28mm" focal length for my "style" of shooting so it was a win win for me. Nothing wrong with the 16, its a great lens, but the 18 is just an amazing piece of glass. Due to mininmal difference in focal lenght, I stayed with 18mm as it just had more pop, amazing AF speed, a bit smaller and a less distortion when shooting people. Its all indivudal preference, but I found the 18mm was just a better lens for my needs.


Apr 19, 2022 at 11:27 AM
gdanmitchell
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Any users and opinions 18/1.4 vs 16/1.4


JF89 wrote:
... I found the 18mm was just a better lens for my needs.


:-)

That ("for my needs") was my point earlier.



Apr 19, 2022 at 12:29 PM
peter.d.huang
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Any users and opinions 18/1.4 vs 16/1.4


18mm is superior from optical point of view, while16mm has severe purple fringing when shooting wide open.



Apr 20, 2022 at 08:09 PM
gdanmitchell
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Any users and opinions 18/1.4 vs 16/1.4


peter.d.huang wrote:
18mm is superior from optical point of view, while16mm has severe purple fringing when shooting wide open.


I do not own the lens, so I cannot test this myself. But when I read something like that ("severe purple fringing when shooting wide open"), it catches my attention and I do a bit of checking to see what various tests and reviews say about the subject.

While my check couldn't be described as "comprehensive," each of the reviews/tests I looked at lauded the excellent performance of this lens wide open, and none mentioned this issue.

One possibility: Virtually all lenses will produce the so-called purple fringing in specific circumstances. One common situation is when very dark branches appear against very bright sky (so bright that it is white or nearly so) in the far corners of the frame. I wonder if this is your issue? If so, it happens with many (all?) lenses, from Fujifilm and from other manufacturers.

Dan

Edited on Apr 21, 2022 at 11:49 AM · View previous versions



Apr 21, 2022 at 09:47 AM
mdude85
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Any users and opinions 18/1.4 vs 16/1.4


When both lenses are used properly, I don't think there's really any significant difference between them in terms of image quality. So it all comes down to what focal length you prefer.

Not to throw another wrench in your plans but you might want to check out the 18 f2. It's a pancake style lens, thus far shorter and lighter than the 18 f1.4.



Apr 21, 2022 at 10:00 AM
gdanmitchell
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Any users and opinions 18/1.4 vs 16/1.4


There is one other functional thing about the 16mm that might influence someone who isn't sure what focal length they want and is trying to differentiate between the lenses in other ways.

If I understand correctly, the 16mm f/1.4 has the same mechanism to switch between a fully manual mode and AF mode that is used on the 23mm f/1.4. With this you slide the lens barrel forward/backward to make the switch. This is one of those plus/minus features that might strike some as being a good thing but might seem like a negative to others.

I have the 23mm f/1.4, a lens that I like quite a bit. I use it mostly for night street photography on the XPro2 and also for some event photography. It is a good performer in optical terms. But that mechanism seems kind of redundant to me, as you can simply turn AF off on the camera and MF with other lenses — the mechanism isn't the most efficient way to do this. In addition, on a few occasions I've lost AF, checked the focus mode switch on the camera, found it in the right position... only to realize that the lens barrel was in the wrong position.

Some like this option since it makes the lens feel more like a fully manual lens.

Dan



Apr 21, 2022 at 11:54 AM
wsheldon
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Any users and opinions 18/1.4 vs 16/1.4


Yes, the 16mm f1.4 has the focus clutch mechanism like the 23mm f1.4 (mark I) and 14mm f2.8. I agree it's a love it/hate it feature that can cause confusion due to the way it interacts with the focus selector on the body. But personally I like (and occasionally use) the manual focus scale it provides, and I particularly like the hard stops at minimum and maximum focusing distance. It's *so* much easier to pre-set the focus mechanically to near infinity for night/astro photography in the dark without using the viewfinder, like a traditional MF lens.


Apr 21, 2022 at 01:57 PM
mfoto
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Any users and opinions 18/1.4 vs 16/1.4


I have never owned the XF 16mm f/1.4 but have tried it on a few occasions.

Money in hand, if I had to pick just one out of the two it would be for the XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR. I did a review of it here if you are interested:

Fujifilm XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR Review at 5050 Travelog



Apr 21, 2022 at 02:35 PM
Rand47
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Any users and opinions 18/1.4 vs 16/1.4


I’ve owned both. Back in the day (I’m old and have been shooting for over 50 years) 28 was “WIDE.” Today, it’s not considered all that wide. The 16 is a 24mm equivalent on miniature film format and for my taste is “too wide” - it’s the beginning of “bend everything” or with landscapes has tons of foreground and sky and a thin line of “everything else” in the middle. Today’s penchant for a super-wide angle of view, spell that with some “placed” thing in the lower immediate foreground writ large, with everything else receding into an infinitely small background (preferably with too much saturation and contrast) is cliché in the extreme and boring. (You did ask for opinions! :-) )

The 16’s clutch mechanism for true mechanical manual focus was nice. But less than essential on a wide lens IMO.

So, for me the 18 fits perfectly my vision when I want something wider than normal (I consider 35mm and 50mm equivalent as normal). The lens’ performance, wide open, is excellent. I enjoy the close focusing distance. For both street type work and landscape work it is an ideal focal length. I enjoy shooting it wide open for subject isolation so much that I carry a 3 stop ND with me so that I can do so “at high noon” (so to speak).

Rand



May 15, 2022 at 11:41 AM
Abouna
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Any users and opinions 18/1.4 vs 16/1.4


I'm probably going the 18mm route.

Rand, I'm 53 and have been shooting since I was a kid in my dads darkroom.....the widest he could ever afford was a 28mm so I concur, back them 28 was indeed considered very wise. I also echo your other sentiments. Super wide and DOF have become overly ubiquitous.

Probably the reason I keep the 35 (50) on my camera 90% of the time, I like the restriction and if one lens was good enough for most of the masters then it's good enough for me. Not that there's anything wrong with variety, but if I could produce just a smattering of what Steichen/Stieglitz, Weston, Adams etc did with minimal gear....



May 15, 2022 at 01:11 PM
gdanmitchell
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Any users and opinions 18/1.4 vs 16/1.4


Abouna wrote:
I'm probably going the 18mm route.

Rand, I'm 53 and have been shooting since I was a kid in my dads darkroom.....the widest he could ever afford was a 28mm so I concur, back them 28 was indeed considered very wise. I also echo your other sentiments. Super wide and DOF have become overly ubiquitous.

Probably the reason I keep the 35 (50) on my camera 90% of the time, I like the restriction and if one lens was good enough for most of the masters then it's good enough for me. Not that there's anything wrong with variety, but if I
...Show more

Their gear was not necessarily quite as minimal as you imagine. For example, regarding Ansel, see: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/ansel-photo-gear/



May 15, 2022 at 04:26 PM
Abouna
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Any users and opinions 18/1.4 vs 16/1.4


OK Ansel was a bad example.....


May 15, 2022 at 04:37 PM
brewerj
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Any users and opinions 18/1.4 vs 16/1.4


This video helped me decide between the 2 lenses. I picked the 18mm because of the better bokeh and newer AF. It's a great lens.




May 17, 2022 at 02:20 PM
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