This beautemous thing, as you can see with your own two peepers, is the Fuji Super EBC XF 23mm ƒ/1.4, the [drumroll] long-promised fast lens for the Fuji X cameras that has a 35mm-equivalent angle of view. Super tasty. Finally. To call this "long-awaited" is an understatement.
Only available for pre-order at B&H (which is closed until the end of the day) and at Amazon, expected to ship in mid-October. I know a lot of people who have been waiting for this.
Some samples here (all the blown highlights appear to be the photographer's style, not evidence of some technical problem). Funny how much of a Fujinon this is; looks just like film Fujinons of yore.
(Remember, TOP won't be updating for a few days, while I take care of some necessary business. Don't forget our Archives....)
Mike
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Featured Comments from:
Stephen Scharf: "Count me as one those who have been waiting a looonnng time for this baby. And it's bloody weil time, too. The 23mm has a design that is very similar to the absolutely fabulous XF 14mm ƒ/2.8, which I recently used to shoot Pro NHRA Drag Racing, of all things. With fully optical correction for distortion (the 14mm's design is the same, and has no, and I mean NO, barrel or pincushion distortion), so I have high expectations for this. Yowza!"
On the day of the announcement, the first secondhand Fuji X100s that I've seen hereabouts, appeared for sale on my local camera shop's website. Maybe a coincidence...
Posted by: Dave Stewart | Saturday, 07 September 2013 at 03:45 AM
Well, I cannot tell anything about the lens from those photos, but it appears to work. As soon as I realized the photos were of Tokyo, I was curious to see if we could get through set without yet another photo of Shibuya's Hachiko crossing. The answer is no. The lens, the camera, none of it improved the typical yet-another-photo-of-Shibuya-crossing.
Sorry, I hate all photos of Shibuya crossing as a matter of principle. I hate all photos of Japanese Snow Monkeys in a hot spring too, regardless of the lens used, the camera, or the creamy boke.
End of pointless rant. Thank you.
Posted by: D. Hufford. | Saturday, 07 September 2013 at 06:03 AM
Somehow it's frustrating that Fuji brings out all these cool lenses while other mirrorless manufacturers don't and I'm not a Fuji user. Still, there's nothing particularly appealing in Fuji bodies to me.
What's distinguishing for a Fujinon? I don't think I've ever used one.
Posted by: Oskar Ojala | Saturday, 07 September 2013 at 06:22 AM
I think we're at a point where Fuji, m4/3 and NEX (particularly through Zeiss/Touit) all have pretty tremendous lenses to offer. Of course, as far as sensors go, m4/3 gives up a bit in size, and Fuji's X-Trans is a matter of taste, so I'd probably still go NEX with the Zeiss lenses, but it is really a tough call as to what to pick, these days.
Posted by: GH | Saturday, 07 September 2013 at 01:34 PM
I liked looking at Kevin Mullin's photos made with this new lens. I thought he did a great job of showing what the lens can do in a wide range of conditions. (I get tired of the dpreview approach which is to show only images from a vary narrow range of conditions, usually unchallenging ones.)
Unfortunately, I think the lens will likely not feel at home on the X-E1... too heavy. I'm probably going to go for the 27/2.8 for my X-E1, or possibly the 35/1.4 for the X-Pro1.
Posted by: Jamie Pillers | Saturday, 07 September 2013 at 02:41 PM
Excellent. Love that they're including focus scales on the high-end lenses. It'll really make these cameras perfect street shooters. Once they update the X-Pro1 I'm all in on this system. Clenching my X100 tight until then.
Posted by: BH | Saturday, 07 September 2013 at 02:56 PM
Just pre-ordered one (from the link above, 'course).
A few years ago, I thought about what would be my perfect small, travel system (when I'm not using my d700). Here's what I came up with: something that had a viewfinder, a nice wide-angle, a fast 35mm-e, a better than kit normal zoom and a decent telephoto zoom.
Along with the 14mm, 18-55 and 55-200, this lens completes that dream set for me. I still use my d700 professionally, but the X-e1 for most of my family/personal stuff. Right now, tracking autofocus speed is the only thing holding me back from using the fuji for everything.
Posted by: Aaron | Saturday, 07 September 2013 at 10:56 PM
Do you mean that it looks just like old Fujinons optically? If so, how? I'm curious. I'd also like to see how this compares to the X100 23/2.
Posted by: James W. | Saturday, 07 September 2013 at 11:27 PM
Mine's on preorder at Amazon. And now I start saving up for the 53mm f/1.2.
Posted by: Roger | Sunday, 08 September 2013 at 12:05 AM
This lens is uber tempting. I might have to buy a camera to mount it on. Rats!
Posted by: Bob Rosinsky | Sunday, 08 September 2013 at 01:05 PM
Nice to see Fuji bringing out the digital equivalent of the Contax G2.
Posted by: Jim | Tuesday, 10 September 2013 at 11:45 PM
"Another bites the ...wallet"... I have been slowly adding to my Fuji X system, which now comprises two XE-1, one 18-55 lens, and one 14 lens. This one I will probably buy about one year from now; seems like another winner.
Posted by: Paulo Bizarro | Thursday, 12 September 2013 at 03:51 AM