The Fujifilm XF 18mm F/1.4 Review | Best Fujifilm Lens Ever Made?

Captures the Entire Scene Effortlessly And Sharply…

When I started photographing weddings, I realized that I gravitated toward the broader end of the focal length spectrum. Upon switching to Fujifilm, I tried to make the 18mm f/2.0 happen, knowing that I like that 28mm field of view, but I needed an f/1.4 lens to satisfy my low light and high ISO preferences.

Additionally, I appreciate camera lenses with unique optical characteristics: wide-angle, close focus, and magnification. I shoot a lot of Lego portraits with my Nikon 28mm f/1.8G, and my previously owned 16 mm f/1.4 was pretty mediocre at recreating this look. I always felt that the background was too warped for my liking. After trying the 18mm f/1.4 for these Lego portraits, I found that it led to more pleasing results as the compression smoothly smooths out the blanketed background. And contrary to what you might think, the 18mm f/1.4 does, in fact, focus closer than my previous 23mm f/1.4. For me? That's perfectly enough.

The 18mm f/1.4 autofocus blows every other wide-angle lens out of the water that I used before. From my many months of experience, I can confidently say that it handles various versatile situations. Additionally, I can feel comfortable not having to stop down as much, knowing that the autofocus will keep up. I appreciate its mild distortion compared to the 16mm f/1.4 and its overall ability to capture human portraits better. While experimental warping along the edges of a frame has its place, I find that the 18mm powerfully encapsulates a more refined shooting experience. Overall — I would describe the 18mm f/1.4 to have distortion closer to the 23mm f/1.4 but offers the feeling of the 16mm f/1.4. The perfect happy medium.

I want to caution that despite the 18mm f/1.4 having less distortion, that doesn't mean it's easier to compose any photos with its broader framing. You will have to correctly manage more elements in the frame to make the image pop within a lawful composition. Similar to my 18mm f/2.0 review, many people describe the 18mm focal length as a "snapshot" focal link, as most standard cameras on cell phones are of this equivalent 28mm focal length. Though, for me, the snapshot feels and looks more of a testament to the photographer's eye rather than the capability of the focal length itself. So, for me as a photographer, I like to be challenged because I get bored far too quickly. Anybody can bokeh the hell out of an image using a 50mm f/1.0 or the 90mm f/2.0 because of the blurred background, but the 18mm f/1.4 will keep your shooting honest.

This lens is wildly sharp. I'm talking next-level detail and crisp clarity (but in the best sense possible). I like to compare the 18mm f/1.4 with the 90mm f/2.0's wide-angle cousin. If Fujifilm's X-series lenses are already this perfect, I'm ecstatic to see what the future lineups will visually accomplish.

Comparisons

I wouldn't be a good reviewer if I didn't leave you with various comparisons to other lenses that exist in the Fujifilm lineup, now would I?

18mm f/1.4 vs. The 18mm f/2.0

The deciding factor is going to be size and price. Do you want a pocketable lens? Do you want a cheaper lens and prefer the 28mm field-of-view? I love the 18mm f/2.0 as a travel lens but immediately sold it when they announced the 18mm f/1.4. I travel with the 18mm f/1.4 as my go-anywhere lens, along with the X100VI being that 23mm equivalent. The 18mm f/1.4 is a bit larger than the f/2.0, but indeed not anything I can't stuff in a light bag or a stroller.

18mm f/1.4 vs. The 16mm f/1.4

Everybody wants to know this, like which f/1.4 wide lens should you buy? If you're shooting cityscapes and landscapes requiring a broader angled perspective, I'd only keep the 16mm f/1.4. However, once you start adding people into the mix, that's when the distortion will depend on how you'll document these human scenes. The 16mm f/1.4 certainly limits the photographer to the center of the frame, whereas the 18mm f/1.4 holds a more forgiving composition. And if you prefer the best sharpness — the 18mm hands down will be the winner.

In Detail

This new 27mm equivalent lens has three aspherical elements, translating to fantastic sharpness corner to corner, even at wide apertures. The XF 18mm is smaller, lighter, and inherits an aperture ring alongside a traditional focus ring. The 18mm has a linear focusing motor that translates to stupid-fast focusing speeds noticeably faster than the 16mm. It's a modern lens that can take advantage of current FujiFilm bodies. Though sharing the same price as the XF 16mm F1.4, this lens sometimes feels light years ahead. The 4mm gap in equivalent focal lengths may not feel like much; however, the difference is more in practice. While it most likely has to do with the higher angle of view, the 18mm feels less distorted in many situations and primarily when focusing at equal distances.

Be sure to follow me on Instagram and @reggiebphoto, as I post new tips, tricks, and tutorials every day. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for even more reviews and videos on everything photo and video.