Home  Donate  New  Search  Gallery  Reviews  How-To  Books  Links  Workshops  About  Contact

Fuji XF 18mm f/2 ASPH
XF18mmF2 R (28mm equivalent)
© 2012 KenRockwell.com. This page best with Corporate S regular and bold activated.

Intro   Specs   Performance   Recommendations   More

Please help KenRockwell..com

Fuji 18mm f/2 X-mount

Fuji X-mount Fujinon XF 18mm f/2 for X-Pro1 and X-E1 (52mm filters, 4.2 oz./118g, 0.6'/0.18m close focus, about $600). enlarge. This free website's biggest source of support is when you use these links, especially these directly to it at Adorama, at Amazon, or at eBay (see How to Win at eBay) when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken.

 

September 2012    Fuji Reviews   LEICA Reviews   All Reviews

Fuji X-Pro1   Fuji X-E1

XF 14mm f/2.8   XF 18mm f/2   XF 35mm f/1.4   XF 60mm f/2.4 Macro

XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4

 

Introduction       top

B&H Photo - Video - Pro Audio

Intro   Specs   Performance   Recommendations   More

This Fuji 18mm f/2 is an aspherical 28mm-equivalent lens for use on the Fuji X-Pro1. I'll be making constant comparisons to 28mm lenses, because 28mm lenses on full-frame and 35mm cameras do the same thing as this lens does on the X-Pro1.

While this fast all-metal lens isn't quite as optically spectacular as the extraordinary Fuji 35mm f/1.4, it's very sharp, has far less distortion than SLR lenses, focuses super-close, and has no visible light falloff.

This Fuji lens is an attempt to copy the LEICA SUMMICRON-M 28mm f/2 for the Fuji X-Pro1 system. The LEICA lens is a bit better, but costs almost ten times as much — and the LEICA lens is never in stock.

This Fujinon 18/2 has all engraved markings and electronic focus driven by the camera. The manual-focus ring works poorly, but who cares: the camera provides immediate manual focus, complete with magnification, with one tap of a button, as well as complete autofocus.

It also has an electronic diaphragm, set with the 1/3-stop clicks of the real aperture ring.

 

Compatibility       intro      top

This is a Fuji X-mount lens, and as of April 2012, only works on the Fuji X-Pro1.

 

Fuji 18mm f/2 X-mount

Fuji X-mount XF 18 f2 for X-Pro1. enlarge.

 

Specifications        top

Intro   Specs   Performance   Recommendations   More

 

Name

Fuji calls this the XF18mmF2 R.

 

Optics

Fuji 18mm f/2 diagram

Fuji 18/2 internal diagram.

8 elements in 7 groups.

2 glass-molded aspheric elements: 5th and 7th elements. Fuji claims to increase the maximum aperture (5th element) and reduce the overall lens thickness (7th element).

It has a concave front element, as does its LEICA equivalent, the LEICA SUMMICRON-M 28mm f/2.

 

Focal length

18mm

When used on the X-Pro1 with its 1.52x sensor, it sees the same angle of view as a 28mm lens sees when used on a 35mm camera.

 

Angle of view

76.5°

 

Diaphragm

Fuji 18mm f/2 X-mount

Fuji 18mm f/2 at f/2. enlarge.

7 blades.

Somewhat rounded.

Stops down to f/16 in 1/3-stop clicks.

 

Close Focus

0.6 feet (0.18 meters).

 

Maximum Reproduction Ratio

1:7.1 (0.14x).

 

Hood

Included.

 

Size

2.54" diameter x 1.60" long.

64.5 mm diameter x 40.6 mm long.

 

Weight

4.160 oz. (117.9g), measured.

Fuji rates it as 4.0oz. (116g).

 

Announced

January 2012.

 

Shipping

As of April 2012.

 

Included

Lens.

Front and rear caps.

"Lens wrapping cloth."

Hood.

Cap for front of hood.

Paperwork.

 

Packaging

Fuji 18mm f/2 X-mount

Box, Fuji XF 18mm f/2.

Inside the box are two boxes: one large black one with the lens, and a smaller black cardboard sleeve with the "lens wrapping cloth" and paperwork.

The lens box is marvelous: it's got a magnetic closure. Inside is custom-cut foam to hold your lens, hood and all three caps.

Fuji 18mm f/2 box insert

Box insert, Fuji XF 18mm f/2.

 

Fuji 18mm f/2 box insert

Insides of box insert, Fuji XF 18mm f/2.

 

Price

$600, Jan-April 2012.

 

MTF Curves (rated)

Fuji 18mm f/2 MTF
Fuji 18mm f/2 MTF

at 15 cyc/mm

(= 10 cyc/mm on full-frame)

at 45 cyc/mm

(= 30 cyc/mm on full-frame)

Performance       top

Intro   Specs   Performance   Recommendations   More

Overall   Auto and Manual Focus    Bokeh    Coma    Distortion

Ergonomics   Falloff    Filters   Ghosts   Color Fringes    Macro

Mechanics    Sharpness   Sunstars

 

Overall      performance      top

The Fuji XF 18mm f/2 ASPH is an extremely well made, sharp, low distortion wide-angle lens for the Fuji X-Pro1. Used properly, it can create extraordinary images.

 

Auto and Manual Focus      performance      top

Auto and manual focus is closed-loop, read directly from the image sensor. Therefore there are none of the mechanical errors present in rangefinder (LEICA) and SLR cameras. Focus shift doesn't exist on the X-Pro1.

Autofocus is fast and exact, and covers a broad range right up to macro. I can't focus my LEICA this fast, much less this precisely, repeatably and accurately in low light.

If it's pitch black, it will take longer to focus, but so will you with a LEICA.

 

Bokeh      performance      top

Bokeh is the character of out of focus areas, not simply how far out of focus they are, is pretty good.

It's not important with wide-angle lenses, since nothing much is that far out of focus unless your subject is very close.

 

Coma      performance      top

Coma, also called sagittal coma flare, is weird smeared blobs that appear around bright points of light in the corners. They happen with fast and wide lenses at large apertures. Coma goes away as stopped down, and tends not to be seen in slower and tele lenses. Coma is an artifact of spherical aberration.

I don't see any coma, even at f/2. This is excellent performance, especially in light of the lack of mechanical vignetting, which other lenses use to hide their coma.

 

Distortion      performance      top

Distortion is invisible, except at around three feet (1 meter). SLR lenses have far more distortion.

What little there is can be corrected completely for critical use by plugging these figures into Photoshop's lens distortion filter. These aren't facts or specifications, they are the results of my research that requires hours of photography and calculations on the resulting data.

Distance
Factor
10' (3m)
+0.50
3' (1m)
+1.0
1' (0.3m)
+0.50
close-focus limit
0.0

© 2012 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.

 

Ergonomics      performance      top

Fuji 18mm f/2 X-mount

Fuji X-mount 18mm f/2 for X-Pro1. enlarge.

It feels like any other real metal bayonet lens.

It's as wide as most SLR lenses, but shorter.

The ribbing of the metal focus ring doesn't grip very well, but since it doesn't really do anything, who cares.

The aperture ring flips with a fingertip, even as you're shooting with one hand, bravo!

 

Falloff (darkened corners)      performance      top

Light falloff is completely invisible, even at f/2.

I've greatly exaggerated it here by shooting a gray field and presenting it against another gray field.

 

Fujinon XF 18mm f/2 ASPH light falloff on X-Pro1 at infinity:

f/2
f/2.8

f/4

f/5.6

© 2012 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved.

 

 

Filters, Use with      performance      top

There's no problem with vignetting, even with combinations of thick filters.

Fuji used a 52mm filter thread to make the lens look more like a larger full-frame lens, and therefore 52mm is oversized and makes vignetting a non-issue.

The filter ring doesn't rotate, but does move in and out with focus.

 

Ghosts      performance      top

I don't see any ghosts, but I didn't shoot with a filter which can conjure them on digital cameras with other lenses.

 

Lateral Color Fringes      performance      top

Lateral color fringes are this otherwise spectacular lens' biggest problem.

If you look for them, blue-yellow fringes are often visible at the sides of large print color prints, and the X-Pro1 has no ability to correct them. Software can, and of course they go away in black-and-white.

This is why the Fujinon 35mm f/1.4 is so much better; it has no lateral color fringes.

 

Macro      performance      top

All distortion vanishes in the macro range.

Fuji XF 18mm f/2 macro performance

At closest focus distance at f/2.8 on X-Pro1.

It's a little softer at the sides at large apertures, but LEICA lenses don't focus anywhere near this close, so no big deal. For better macro, use the 60mm f/2.4 Macro lens.

Perspective is weird this close. Look how the flat keys at the side appear to fly out of the keyboard; being this close with a lens this wide exaggerates perspective.

 

Mechanics      performance      top

Fuji 18mm f/2 X-mount

Rear, Fuji X-mount 18mm f/2 for X-Pro1. enlarge.

The Fuji 18 2 is built much better than anything from Nikon or Canon. It's built as well as LEICA lenses, with much newer technology to boot.

 

Hood

Anodized aluminum with plastic bayonet.

 

Filter Threads

Anodized aluminum.

 

Hood Bayonet

Anodized aluminum.

 

Fore Barrel

Anodized aluminum.

 

Barrel Exterior

Anodized aluminum.

 

Focus Ring

Anodized aluminum.

 

Depth-of-Field Scale

Yes, in camera.

 

Internals

Metal.

 

Aperture Ring

Anodized aluminum.

Markings engraved and filled with paint.

Third-stop clicks.

 

Mount

Dull-chromed metal.

 

Markings

All engraved.

All engraved and filled with paint, except for laser-engraved certifications on bottom of lens.

 

Identity Ring

Ring between front element and filter ring.

Engraved and filled with paint.

 

Serial Number

Laser engraved onto bottom rear of lens.

 

Rain seal at mount

No.

 

Noises When Shaken

Mild clunking.

 

Made in

Japan.

 

Sharpness      performance      top

Warning 1: Image sharpness depends more on you than your lens.

Warning 2: Lens sharpness doesn't mean much to good photographers.

With those caveats, the Fuji XF 18/2 is super-sharp.

It's slightly less sharp in the corners, mostly limited by lateral color fringes

Star Plant 24 April 2012

Star Plant. CAMERA-ORIGINAL © 8MB JPG FILE. X-Pro1, AUTO ISO 400, AUTO DR 200%, f/5.6 at 1/220.

In this snap, only the center is in focus. The sides are further away and therefore out of focus; that's not lens softness.

 

Sunstars      performance      top

The rounded 7-blade diaphragm rarely makes sunstars.

They usually only appear at f/11 and smaller, and are relatively muted.

 

Recommendations       top

Intro   Specs   Performance   Recommendations   More

The Fuji XF 18mm f/2 ASPH is an excellent and exquisitely well made lens, and as of April 2012, the only autofocus wide-angle lens available for the Fuji X-Pro1.

If you need a wide lens for your X-Pro1, get one. Easy.

If you've found the time, effort and expense I've spent to research and share this information on this free website, this website's biggest source of support is when you use these links, especially these directly to it at Adorama, at Amazon, or at eBay (see How to Win at eBay) when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live.

Thanks!

Ken.

 

Deployment

I'd pitch the Fuji cap and get a new Nikon "pinch" type cap. I'm not kidding: these fatter Nikon caps are much easier to use.

Honestly, I don't use lens caps. I use a filter, forget about a cap, and never miss a shot.

I'd leave either a 52mm Nikon Clear (NC - UV) filter, or a 52mm Hoya Super HMC UV on the lens at all times. I would leave the hood at home.

If I was working in nasty, dirty areas, I'd forget the cap, and use an uncoated 52mm Tiffen UV filter instead. Uncoated filters are much easier to clean, but more prone to ghosting.

 

More Information        top

Intro   Specs   Performance   Recommendations   More

Fujinon's page on the 18/2.

Fuji X-Pro1    XF 18mm f/2   XF 35mm f/1.4   XF 60mm f/2.4 Macro

 

Help me help you         top

I support my growing family through this website, as crazy as it might seem.

The biggest help is when you use any of these links to Adorama, Amazon, eBay, B&H when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. It costs you nothing, and is this site's, and thus my family's, biggest source of support. These places have the best prices and service, which is why I've used them since before this website existed. I recommend them all personally.

If you find this page as helpful as a book you might have had to buy or a workshop you may have had to take, feel free to help me continue helping everyone.

If you've gotten your gear through one of my links or helped otherwise, you're family. It's great people like you who allow me to keep adding to this site full-time. Thanks!

If you haven't helped yet, please do, and consider helping me with a gift of $5.00.

As this page is copyrighted and formally registered, it is unlawful to make copies, especially in the form of printouts for personal use. If you wish to make a printout for personal use, you are granted one-time permission only if you PayPal me $5.00 per printout or part thereof. Thank you!

 

Thanks for reading!

 

 

Mr. & Mrs. Ken Rockwell, Ryan and Katie.

 

Home  Donate  New  Search  Gallery  Reviews  How-To  Books  Links  Workshops  About  Contact