Along with the X-A3, Fujifilm announced the long-awaited XF 23mm f/2, a more affordable alternative to the 23mm f/1.4. It is part of a new family of f/2 prime lenses that will include a 50mm portrait lens next year.
The XF 23mm gives you an angle of view of 63.4° which is similar to the field of view of a 35mm lens designed for full-frame cameras (35mm format).
The lens is very light and weighs only 180g. It is made of metal and is dust, splash and freeze proof down to -10°C. It features an aperture ring that moves in 1/3 steps and a fly-by-wire focus ring. Its design and dimensions resemble those of the XF 35mm f/2 and because it is so small, it won’t block the optical viewfinder of the X-Pro1 or X-Pro2. The filter thread is 43mm.
The optical design includes 10 elements in six groups with two aspherical elements. The aperture iris is made up of 9 rounded blades. The internal stepping AF motor should provide fast and silent focusing like the 35mm f/2. The minimum focus distance is of 22cm (max. magnification is 0.13x).
The XF 23mm f/2 will be available in September at the suggested retail price of $449 / £419 and a silver version will be released in January 2017. Though the lens comes with a standard hood, an optional vented metal hood (LH-XF35-2 in black or silver) will be available for purchase as well.
You can check out the following hand-on reviews for more information (found via Fujirumors):
- A small look at the Fuji 23mm f/2 by Jonas Rask
- 23mm vs 23mm by Ivan Joshua Loh
