Very good review! I bought the 18mm f2 knowing full well that it isn't a perfect lens. But doing a lot of street photography, I don't really need a perfect lens. I need a small and light lens which is fun to walk around with. And the truth is: either you have a good image or you don't. If you capture a beautiful scene nobody cares about degrees of sharpness (as long as it is not blurry) - aside from us gearheads (not in print and not on Social Media - where everything gets compressed anyway). I really love sharp lenses and maybe I will get the 18mm f1.4 for my event work but for my private project the 18mm f2 and 27mm f2.8 make a great team.

Amazing content. I used to own an X-T2 and eagerly awaiting what they'll do with the X-T5. Your images and content are stunning, and your informative presentational style is exactly what I'm after from a channel. Glad I found you today 👍🏻

Thanks 4 your interessting video! Your street photographies are great! 🙏

Thanks Dylan for a “detailed” and straight-forward comparison…although now tempted to get the 18 f/1.4 sooner rather than later. Love the pictures of the bridge with the sun stars….very tempting. Cheers,

Since I didn’t have either lens, I bought that 18 1.4. I don’t regret it for a minute, as this lens is incredible! It’s fast, Sharp & bokeh is second to none! I love the close focusing that gives me more creativity to the outcome. And for those that are into Leica’s, this ends up as a 27 mm. This lens does its best work in urban areas, where I mix together people and architecture.

Thanks, needed to see like 20 videos before I got an answer about the autofocus, this video did it all!

28mm FF is my favourite wide angle FOV (18 on Fuji). The 18 f2 gets a lot of hate, but I've been very pleased with images produced with it, sure you might need to remove some CA but that is very quickly fixed in PS. Sharpness is not always required, unless you're shooting pictures of doors close up...Some of the old masters had far less capable lenses and cameras, yet produced amazing work. The major selling point is it's size - so small and discreet! I just wish Fujifilm would update it! The 18 f1.4 is what I will be using for professional work, it's incredible. No question it's better in everyway, so I thank them for producing it...It would be nice to also have a small f2 version for travel and everyday use too.

I’m an F8 walk around photographer so light weight, compact size, and the chance to use things such as flaring matter more to me than always excellently sharp. While the Gen 5 Fujifilm 40mp cameras and new 1.4 series lenses are spectacular, they’re outside of my current requirements. It’s great to have choices isn’t it!

Another excellent video. I really like your unpretentious style. You clearly know what you are talking about and present the information in a clear, well-organized way. 18mm is a good field of view for people shots -- not too wide.

Thanks for all those beautiful and informative reviews! I just bought myself a X-E4 with XF18 F2 as I wanted a yet portable but much better camera than my iPhone that I used so far for everything. So yes, we're talking personal stuff like holiday pictures (many landscape, a bit street photography, portraits and also taking photos indoors and at night like on a candle light dinner). So I don't wanna carry around a big bag all the time nor do I want to interchange lenses. So far I love the results with the XF18 F2 but the AF is so wobbly and loud and feels oldschool compared to taking photos on the iPhone. On videos I can hear the sounds of the AF so that's a bit annoying. So now I think about exchanging the XF18 F2 for the XF18 F1.4 LM or the XF23 F1.4 LM. I'm just unsure in what focal length I should invest in. I was able to compare the XF18 F2 with the XF23 F1.4 LM and I love the more natural look of the 23mm. I'm afraid the 23mm won't be wide enough as my only one-for-everything lens. I'm even thinking about the XF18-55 but F2.8-4 seems not good enough for lowlight photography and I love the bokeh from this new F1.4 LM WR lenses. What would you take if you could only choose one single lens?

You made fantastic use of the old lens and thank you for this excellent comparison, which proves beyond reasonable doubt that you tend to get what you pay for, with Fuji lenses in particular. I would never have even considered the creative use of flare when I owned the 18mm f/2! Hopefully everyone will now grudgingly accept that you did not get a "bad copy" of the f/2 first time around and the lens itself is simply bad for all the reasons you gave. Personally I thought the edges of my own images at f/5.6 were unacceptable, partly due to the distortion adjustment smearing effects and of course you are absolutely right - if there just isn't enough in the way of glass, this can't be resolved before we begin any post processing. In contrast, the f/1.4 doesn't need any such assistance and for me, these are the two extremes in the Fuji lens line-up.

I'm a bit overloaded on my 18mm options with the f2, an xf10, x70 and wcl on the 100f. I use them primarily as light and portable street options so it rules out the 1.4 upgrade for me. Low light and higher quality will remain the 16mm 1.4. I don't have the 23 1.4 so the new iteration of that focal length is the only one I may consider in the future. Thanks for the comparison and your always on-point reviews and content. Excellent and helpful videos Dylan.

I was actually thinking about selling off my xf18f1.4 to get the xf18f2 just to save a lot of money. I bought my 18f1.4 used at a reasonable price and can make all of my money back. That being said, I did not realize how badly the barrel distortion needed to be corrected in the f2. I’ll keep my f1.4. Thanks for the very informative video!! Great shots btw!

I find my copy of the f2 is pretty decent in the center and like other people have said…a good shot is a good shot. I also have the Fuji 8-16mm f2.8 so I know what a good lens can produce…..but I do find the f2 charming.

Interesting and useful overview, Dylan and thanks. I have the 18mm f2 on my XE4 during most 'street expeditions', shooting RAW only then processing in Photoshop (beta). An invitation to use 'Super Resolution' with your RAW files then compare the results with any other camera...

Thanks! Would love it if you could get your hands on a GF 80mm 1.7 and provide your feedback on that too. They did not go with a liner motor on that one and I’m very curious how bad it is… I assume it will suffer the same as the f2? Cheers!

Have you done, or will you do a review on the WCL-X100 ii? Would be an interesting comparison with both of these lenses.

Cheers for that Dylan, the F2 looks good enough for street work on an XT5, it was the smaller size I was looking for.

Very useful, thank you!

nice pics especially that one with the triangle shaped light with guy walking. Impressive really

Dylan, any thoughts about the 23mm f/1.4 LM WR lens. I have the older model and debating whether to upgrade. THX

Both for me, 1.4 for pro work, f2 for family. The 27/28mm is one of my fave focal lengths

Is the 18mm 1.4 good as a landscape lens would you class it as wide angle

Thanks for your video. Would you rather have this 18mm F2? Or the WCL-X100 ii on the X100V instead?

Thanks for this content. Can the 18mm be hendheld for a vlogging? I want to choose which buy for hendheld walking footage facing the camera, without a tripod, is the 18mm too near? 18mm or necessarily 16mm? I have a Sony a6600 and I want to choose between a 16-55 and a 18-105 I would prfer the 18-105 if it could be used for a head talk while walking without a tripod, is the 18mm too near? do you know if there is some content about this around? How to you look shooting your self with a 18mm or with a 16mm holding it with the hand? Thanks, Max

Thank you- very good review: But it looks like that the older f2 version is wider than the new one? Maybe 17mm? best, t

how much does the ovf cover?

My 18f2 is so much sharper in the centre at f2 than the sample provided here. Maybe unit variation?

My f2 shots have never been that "unsharp" Thanks for the side by side anyway!!

Seems like an updated 18mm f2 with slightly better optical correction, modern AF, and weather sealing would make sense. I don’t think many would miss the old f2 getting retired, unlike the 35mm f1.4

Some fantastic images at the end of the video Dylan from both lenses. The older lens can still do a good job.

The worst fuji lens vs the best fuji lens, the outcome is bit too predictable :) Would be really cool if you could make 16mm/1.4 vs 18mm/1.4 comparison, that's much less obvious competition. I know you covered it in the previous vid, that 16mm/1.4 is too distorted for your work and AF too slow, but I wish there was some image comparison side by side... Anyway, thanks for your content!

your video has a really flat feel to it - is it shot in Eterna SOOC?

All the sharpness in the world can't make up for the portability and convenience of the trusty 18f2. I use it for video almost every night, now that there is ibis. I bought it for 200€ four or five years ago and I've got my money worth many times. Besides, I can't see the need for extra sharpness in video. The only thing I miss is OIS but the new -and expensive one, lacks equally in this domain. So even if the new one is optically perfect, the old one wins in my book for a fraction of the price. Lightness and unobtrusiveness trump every thing else.

I'm sure the new f/1.4 lens is fantastic. Use the f/2 lens on an older X-E2s and am happy with the rendering. The 16mp sensor and dated optical formula work together to give a very film-like look that does not need perfection. I guess that is that unquantifiable "character" thing that people mention. Maybe less than perfect, but the size of the X-E2s and 18mm f/2 can assure that you might actually have your camera with you and therefore make it viable.

What brought you over to Korea where I live?

Excellent objective review as usual. Hopefully Fuji will come out with a much improved version.

I sometimes forget that you live in Korea and when places in korea appear in sample images, I think what? isn't that Korea? haha awesome review and I hope you love your life in Korea!

You convinced me about the 18mm f1.4. Now, the question is if I should get that or the f/1.0 first...

Well, got the 18 f2 for 200$ aaand i am thinking for 1.4, but when used it on xpro 2 - its very noticeable difference, also front heavy. And i believe if you are pro, with latest gen Fuji - you go for 1.4, if not f2 is the way to go.

Maybe I have a good copy, but my 18 f2 is pretty sharp in the center. I'm sure if I compared the 2 I would have the same conclusion as you.

I hope Fuji decides to do an update to the 18 F2 .

Hi Dylan, I am also a Fuji shooter living in Seoul--can I say hello when I see you on the street =]

Actually, I would be sorrow every time I will have used the f/2 instead the f/1.4 because of the spoiled potential. The only real drawback is the size of the f/1.4 when attached to the X-Pro 3 because the optical viewfinder won't show the hole field of view. But that's more of a problem of the camera in general.

F2 force you to be creative due to limitation. F1.4 is a tool to combat whatever coming towards you.

Actually there is no comparison. The purposes of both are different.

Picked up the 18 f/1.4 over the 16 recently. Amazing lens, and it's my EDC right now. I just toss in the 35 f/2 in the bag in case I need a bit more reach. The 28mm equivalent is so underrated that there aren't many lenses in the mirrorless world that has the same sharpness. *Actually none at all*. Its only other competitor is the Leica APO-Summicron-SL 28mm f/2 (overpriced and not even worth comparing). The other Leicas are rangefinders apart from the L-mount version, and the 28mm f/2 on E-mount is a lot softer than the 18 f/1.4.

I'll be using the 18mmf2 as my One-camera-one-lens-one-year lens next year. Only shooting in black and white on my XE1. @xftales I use the 18mmf2 more than my 16mm1.4