image courtesy of Little Big Traveling CameraI picked up the Fujinon XF 16mm F1.4 R WR during the most recent sale because of the reputation it earned among photographers and enthusiasts. Little Big Traveling Camera’s recent review sums up how most should feel about the lens but, unlike others, I don’t feel that the Fujinon XF 16mm is heavy or big for what it does. It feels just about right to me, and it is a great lens for photographing family and friends because you rarely have to back up to take well composed pictures quickly. On the other hand, the Fujinon XF 10-24mm F4 R OIS provides similar functionality, but adds the ability to go wide for architecture or tight for street shooting. If I had to pick just one it would probably be the Fujinon XF 10-24mm, but I own both because I like having a weather resistant setup I can shoot at night.
I think this is an important distinction to make because the Fujinon XF 16mm is an exceptional lens, but the Fujinon XF 10-24mm is also exceptional, and seems to be neglected by many enthusiasts since it is F4. I have been involved in many discussions with enthusiasts about whether to purchase the Fujinon XF 14mm F2.8 R, Fujinon XF 16mm F1.4 R WR, or Fujinon XF 10-24mm F4 R OIS. For my purposes, the Fujinon XF 14mm isn’t fast enough or wide enough to be attractive, and if you’re a professional you probably know what will do the job for you already, but enthusiasts seem to have a hard time deciding which of these 3 great lenses to buy before the sale ends. I could go into a lot of detail about how each functions, and it is my hope that I’ll eventually write non biased/detailed reviews for all of the XF lenses available that will help readers make the right choice for them. For now, I want to say that I do not think anyone will be disappointed with their purchase if they decided to buy the Fujinon XF 16mm F1.4 R WR, but I also recommend that you consider the Fujinon XF 10-24mm F4 R OIS.
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