Fuji XF 16mm f/1.4 Available for Pre-Order

Other APS-C systems—even the well-established Canikon DSLR systems—are frequently criticized for lack of wide-angle primes (Pentax excepted). Not so Fuji. The well-regarded Zeiss Touit 12mm is available in X-mount, and Fuji's own XF 14mm is already praised as one of the best lenses in the Fuji system. But it's an ƒ/2.8 lens—hardly a hardship for a 21mm-e, as photographers are well used to lenses becoming slower as the angles of view widen.

But if you do want something two stops faster, Fuji has made good on it roadmapped promise for a superfast 24mm-e (a lens with the same angle of view on APS-C as a 24mm lens on full frame). The XF 16mm ƒ/1.4 R WR ("R" means is has an aperture ring and "WR" means weather-sealed) is available for pre-order.

In the 35mm era, wide-angles of 24mm and wider were known as "ultrawides" and were usually the third lens to purchase in a classic kit, after a normal and a short tele. My "cheapskate" problem was always that I would plan a kit consisting of a ~35mm "near-normal," a ~85mm short tele, an ultrawide prime, and a ~80–200mm telephoto zoom...and then I'd get by with the first two lenses and go without the latter two.

But if you're looking for a fast lens in the old ultrawide category for your Fuji, this 16mm should be very tempting. It would make an ideal top-class kit with the 23mm ƒ/1.4 and the 56mm ƒ/1.2. And it's not as if you don't have other good options.

Mike

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(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:

Rob L.: "I'm not sure which spectrum that I'm more excited about for this lens—not certain if it's intentional, or just a side effect of a well-designed lens, but Fuji's high end primes are wonderful in IR. So just for that, I'd be salivating, but a fast wide would be so nice for the available dark, close-in photography that 50% of my travel photos seem to be."

Stephen Scharf: "The embargo on this lens was raised by Fuji late last week, and all the X-photographers who were testing late version prototypes are already singing its praises, some saying it's the sharpest Fuji X-series lens to date. That's saying something given the performance of the 56mm ƒ/1.2 and the 55–140mm ƒ/2.8 zoom. Personally, I'll be sticking to my 14mm ƒ/2.8, which is a spectacular lens. My local brick and mortar camera store guys says the XF 14mm R is worth buying in to the X-system for this lens alone, and I agree. Moreover, it appears Fuji lenses are getting better and better, which is really saying something."

Comments

[Dan]

Don't know about this new Fuji lens but the 14mm and the 35mm both work well for InfraRed with just the IR filter on them. No hot spots. The 18-55 zooms gave hot spots but the primes were excellent.

[Roger]

Must. Stop. Buying lenses for my Fuji... In addition to the 12mm Touit I have the 18mm, 23mm, 27mm, 35mm, and 56mm. My favorites? The 18 and 27mm. Alas the upcoming 90mm has my attention.

[sneye]

Yes, they are all very nice lenses, but they are also quite large. Why not make them f/2 and more compact is beyond me. Nobody would complain they are too slow.

[D.W]

Another good option would be hold on to my wallet with my dear life and never visit anything Fuji gear related websites and articles.

[Bill Mitchell]

Totally useless DOF scale.

[Kevin Schoenmakers]

I do hope Fuji is selling a lot of cameras and lenses. I don't have any skin in the game but I hope their strategy pays off for the good of the industry.

[sporobolus]

unless you limit the criticism specifically to apertures larger than f/2.8, i don't think Pentax can criticized for lack of wide angle primes; it has 14, 15 and 21mm lenses designed for their DSLRs, plus numerous mount-compatible legacy lenses at or below 24mm; third party wides specifically marketed for Pentax digital (that is, excluding legacy lenses and the universe of lenses that can be adapted) include Sigma 4.5, 10, 15, 20 and 24mm; Rokinon/Samyang 8 and 12mm; LensBaby 5.8mm; and Bower 24mm

[Rod Thompson]

The lesson Sony can learn from Fuji/Olympus/Panasonic is, as has been said before, lenses first, the rest will follow.
How reassuring to have brand reliably kicking the sorts of goals Leica and Contax have, with a modern twist, at a quarter the price (and on time Sony!).

[Steve Jacob]

With a 14 and 23 its very hard to justify a 16. Arrrrgggghhh.

Interested in the 35F2 though. Should be very compact - almost a pancake. I love the 27 on the XE2.

[Godfrey]

Looks like a nice lens. Personally, I have no need for such a fast ultra-wide. That's a lot of glass to carry around if you don't need it.

[Kefyn Moss]

I'm only mildly tempted I'm glad to say. I already have the 14mm and f2.8 is fine for most purposes so, although my favourite focal lengths have always been 24/50/90 (e) the 21 (e) of the 14mm works fine and most of these fast primes are too big for my taste. I'm really looking forward to the upcoming 35 Fujicron though and just maybe the 90/2 as well.

[Alan Fairley]

Like snye said, nice lenses, but they are large. I surely would like f2.8 lenses in the usual primes, the size of the 27mm (a tad too long for my taste) or 18mm f2 (unfortunately not a good performer), a size which mates well with the X-E2. Pity none of the manufacturers seem to be interested in making sharp across the frame primes of modest aperture and size.

[Stan B.]

Gotta hand it to Fuji, they've cranked out some impressive, innovative cameras, bodies and technology, then backed it all up with a stellar array of glass.

Canon is left standing in the headlights, Nikon puts out a bloated garbage barge called a Df, and while everyone talks up the impressive array of lenses available for micro 4/3- there's only one (1!) native, prime the equivalent of under 28mm in that particular format- and a mediocre one at best (as Ctein himself has testified).

Had I the money: an XT-1 along with a 14, 18 and 27mm... Mañana!

[Michael T.]

And if you are on a budget and want wide and fast don't forget the Rokinon 12mm f/2.0. You give up auto-focus but gain an extra stop compared to the Touit.