Superb lens. It makes my Fuji XT-1 compact and easy to carry for those ad-hoc and family shots. Adding the very quiet shutter with this lense makes the XT-1 very easy to use without being a distraction to those around you. Update: 3 August 2015 Ive come to find this lens annoyingly slow to focus. Especially with the 4.00 firmware- all the other lenses got faster, this one **always hunts** as if something inside is always in the wrong position. It works and provides great pictures, but it is not as fast to focus as the kit lens 18-55. Removing 2 stars because it just doesnt rise to what one should expect from this price lens.
Jason Wood
4
Faster than the 35mm prime and a lot more compact. I immediately bought a small Fotasy 39mm UV protective filter for it so I dont scratch the lens. Took it to a food truck event and got some good shots. You do have to be a bit patient & hold the camera steady in low light, because this has no image stabilization.
Sparky
4
I bought this lens a few months ago for my xe-1. I had been shooting with the f1.4, 35mm and wanted a slightly wider field of view. This lens has provided me with a great field of view and very good sharpness. Is it as sharp as my 35mm, probably not, but who cares. A real pleasure to use.
Paul Castone
4
I originally purchased this lens because of its focal length and its size. It is good for family functions and taking pictures of people moving around its also great for street photography. This lenses small enough that it can almost make a Fuji X-E1 pocketable. With dress slacks and nothing else in my pocket Ive been able to fit this camera in comfortably. The focus is pretty fast while not the fastest Aperture it gets the job done. I dont have any complaints about softness in the corners with this lens that others have had. However the one drawback with this lens is because of its size I find myself shooting like I have a point-and-shoot which can sometimes lead to bad photos that couldve easily been corrected had I took my time, and checked my settings.
Matthew G Smith
4
This is a great little lens. As other have stated dont pay MSRP. The autofocus is not what I would call graceful, but it punches out reliably focused sharp/contrasty photos rather quickly. I suspect the people who are complaining about the autofocus have mostly pro gear. Make sure your body has the latest firmware! No its not up to Ultrasonic Canon EF lens auto focusing specs (or Olym m4/3 Ive heard), but its pretty darn good. Its certainly better than my canon 50mm f1.8 (aka the grinder, non-ultrasonic) Others have said dont take pictures of the kids with this lens, but I dont agree. Coupled with Fujis low sensor noise the F2.8 aperture is adequate. I loved setting my canon EF primes almost fully open, but frequently I paid the price with out of focus shots (moving subjects, action) due to the narrow depth of field F1.8 gives you. This lens sort of cured me of that problem comparing recent outings with the contrasting set ups. Point being is dont shy away because this is not an f2.0 or 1.8 because for a lot of shooting scenarios you wont shoot that wide open anyway and the fuji lens is sharp fully open. The glass is plenty sharp at this price too. If you are looking for an awesome single focal length walk about camera on a budget I can recommend the X-E1 (fall 2014 price are dropping) and this lens. End up having an amazingly cheap and sharp setup with low sensor noise at higher ISOs and a great jpg engine. Im taking tons of pictures and enjoying the results without feeling like I have to tweak every photo (canon). Im new enough to the Xtrans sensor and this lens that Im still giddy when the camera makes a good photo out of low cruddy light. Its not a miracle worker, but Im certainly having fun.
Marc
4
Small, compact, very very light with a fairly fast autofocus. The focusing ring on mine is very stiff, not sure if that is normal but the image quality is also great. I use mine with a fuji xe2 and the whole setup is extremely light and compact. Must have.
Elisa 20
5
Ive wanted this lens for a long time, but just wasnt sure about it because I already have the 35mm Fujinon XF 35mm F1.4 R . Would this really be worth it? I kept looking for one of Fujis semi-annual sales and when it dropped to $250 last week, I took the plunge. Very very glad that I did. First, no, it doesnt lie near-flat on the camera as Id hoped for but for $250 this is a nice alternative, The XF27 makes it a very light, very inconspicuous, snapshot-looking camera, taking much better photos than people actually expect.. The XF35 is a great lens, too. Beautiful quality to the photos, wonderful in low light, beautiful bokeh. But the XF27 really -does- feel like a different lens and makes the camera feel different. It is sharp and light and because you can boost the ISO so high with Fuji, even low light shots at f2.8 often are turning out, though of course the 35mm is better. The glass itself is a little over 1/2" in diameter, so when youre taking someones photo it really doesnt look like youre taking "A Serious Picture". Perfect for street photography. I was very surprised that the 27mm (41mm equivalent) field of view really -does- make a big difference to me compared with the 35mm. I like the 35mm--and it is lovely for portraits--but I have to admit that it is often a pretty tight shot in some places where you cant back up. The 27mm felt like a much more comfortable, more natural framing (supposedly the closest to what our eye sees)--I really did notice a significant difference--and it gives more context for people when you -want- to see the background. Again, nice for street photography. The lens cap is tiny, with pinch edges, and I use a tether. It takes 39mm filters which are generally pretty expensive. But I got this one from Fotasy Fotasy MRC 39mm Pro 1-D Multi-Resistant Coating Super Slim MC UV HD Filter for under $10 and its working well I put a comparison up to show the different FOV between the 35 and 27 (both at f5.6 for comparison). Really glad to have this, perfect addition to any kit I think (at the sale price). Note: The photos below show two different comparisons. (1) Yard shot, the left is 35mm FOV v. 27mm and (2) the brick wall shows without filter and with filter (dim lighting, but showing the comparisons).
Ray
5
This is a great addition to a Fuji X lens set. Its tiny, light, and, when on sale, very reasonably priced. It has no image stabilization (of course, if you are using the newly-released Fuji X-H1, that doesnt matter at all), and although it is an "XF" model (the higher-end lenses in the Fuji lineup) it is made in the Philippines, not Japan, like the other "XF" lenses are. Its a bit noisy during autofocus, too, with an older focusing mechanism that is nowheres near as nice as Fujis newest piezo-electric focus motor models. But, cutting to the chase, if you are looking for a prime in this range, youll likely not be disappointed. Images are sharp as can be, color is very good (I would say, "natural"), and youll likely be pointing this thing at everything in sight due to its lightness and diminutive size. When its put on sale, as Fuji does every half-year or so, its a bargain, and its the type of lens that youll likely be happy about once you start looking over your photos. In spite of its very minor shortcomings, its a wonderful addition to the Fuji line. At 78 grams, this is one of the lightest lenses youll ever use. Its pancake style also adds to its ease of use. So, lets say you are shooting with the X-H1 camera, which is a bit on the heavy side. Putting this lens on that body brings the overall weight back in line with what we would more typically see in a mirrorless camera. Its kind of a strange field of view (27mm) for a prime lens, a field of view that is neither wide nor telephoto. So, in some ways, it is a strange creature. On the other hand, it boasts a fairly wide aperture of F/2.8, so its good for random street shooting or even interior shots where you are not trying to gulp in big, wide vistas. Its neither fish nor fowl, but it IS fun, and it takes great shots. The color richness is not quite up to the best of Fujis offerings, but its close, and its sharpness more than makes up for it (and, you can always shoot in "Velvia" mode, if you wish, or simply post-process to add some saturation if you wish it). I think most people agree it is overpriced at its retail level, but if you can get it on sale, its a great lens to have. There are just times you dont want to be lugging around heavy lenses and just want to concentrate on having fun while shooting, and if the field of view can handle what you are wishing to shoot, this lens cant be beaten. Compare it, though, with the Fuji XF 18mm prime, which is a little heavier (116g), but not much, has a MUCH wider field of view, and has a wider aperture of F/2, a fairly significant difference. I think the XF 18mm is great, and I use it quite a bit, but I might have to say that the 27mm is actually a tad sharper. The 18mm is $150 more expensive at retail level, and is made in Japan. So, its a series of tradeoffs, like all lenses, and I recommend both. Before closing, and not to muddy the waters, but another very light and unexpectedly good new (2018) entry into the Fuji lineup is their absolute CHEAPEST lens, the Fujinon XC15-45mmF3.5-5.6 OIS PZ Lens - Black . That lens, too, is made in the Philippines and is not an XF lens, but an XC lens, where I suppose the "C" stands for "Cheapo." But let me tell you: that little lens with all its plastic and its super lightness (136g) is an overperformer in every way. I am certain that many Fuji shooters will ignore it, bypassing it in their mind as a "kit lens" (which it is), and not worthy of a look. In fact, that little puppy really turns out some great shots, and, to boot, has on-board OIS. No, it doesnt have the feel of those luscious "XF" Fuji lenses like the XF 56mm or the XF 90mm (or the XF 23mm or the XF 16mm), and its never going to match what you can do with those much more expensive XF lenses, but if you can get past that, it knocks out pictures that are really quite good. Plus, it gives you some zoom, and if you are shooting with ANY Fuji camera without onboard image stabilization, this lens magically adds it to the package. So, give it a thought when making a purchasing decision. But back to this XF 27mm. I cant but give it a Five-Star rating, particularly when on sale. Sharp, good color, light, pretty fast focus, and physically small. A great lens. One More Note... If you have not yet looked into the Fuji X system (be it the entry X-A5 all the way to the new X-T3 and X-H1) the system is worth your time to investigate. Its one of the most remarkable systems with which Ive worked, and the quality of the images are so good that it is almost shocking at times. This really does include the entry camera X-A5, which knocks out superb images even with the plasticky XC 16-50mm kit lens (I use that lens all the time, along with the XF lenses), and when you consider the price reductions that repeatedly occur (the X-A1 with the kit lens has been at $450 for some time now), the system can really be cost competitive. Some of the "XF" lenses get quite pricey, but the reviews on them are almost uniformly excellent, and they can produce images that compete with the best of the biggest brands. These lenses are routinely compared with Zeiss, Schnieder, and Leica lenses, and my own experience lets me see why. The Fuji X-H1 has built-in image stabilization and is simply a delight with which to shoot. Image quality when paired with the XF lenses (and, as I say, even the XC lenses) can be stunning. The platform is worth looking into if you have not yet done so.
Johannes
5
The 23mm was my dream for a long time, but Im on a budget, so I began giving this one more and more consideration. Im glad I did. Its really turning my X-T1 into my walk-around-camera. With this lens, the camera fits into my coat pocket and is more unobtrusive than ever. While it certainly doesnt look cheap, somehow I seem to get noticed less while taking pictures in the street. I leave it wide open all the time, theres no point in getting fidgety with depth of field here. Its a great lens to use with the autofocus assigned to the back button: You pull up the camera, you hit that button on what you want to focus on, after that the AF stops hunting, and you get to snap away, and you always come away with a sharp and lively image. (The AF is super quick, btw.) Im shooting huge RAW files, and this way I really make more cropping decisions after the fact in Lightroom than ever before. This morning, I found a crazy interesting looking dude with face tattoos way in the corner of one of my frames, far from the subject I had originally focused on. I had literally not even noticed him when I snapped the picture. I cropped the picture to make him the new center subject. I also love taking this lens off, turning it around and "freelensing" around (see attached dog picture). Its so light and tiny that playing with it in that way is easy and rewarding. Very happy with my choice, and if the budget should grow to allow for the 23mm, I think Ill still hold on to this one for spontaneous shooting.
D. B. WALTON
5
Bought this to use on my silver X-E1. What a great combination for street work! If youre not real familiar with APS-C cameras and lenses, this is about a 40mm equivalent which puts it in the "normal" range. You can get a decent bokeh at f2.8 if youre close enough to your subject. My observation is it appears to be sharpest at f5.6 to f8. The f-stop is set on your camera, not the lens. (Which is the biggest drawback it has if youre use to using the R lenses. But, with a little use you get used to it.) There is a lens hood available, however it is sold separately and screws on. Also, the lens cap doesnt always grip well, so be forewarned it is easy for it to fall off and get lost. (I found aftermarket ones work better.) Even with the couple of negative things Ive said about this lens, it deserves 5 stars. Most lenses for other cameras in this price range would be junk, but thats not the case here.
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