I've just picked up the 23mm, 27mm and 35mm lens in X-mount and paired them with my X-Pro3. I went out with the 23 and 35mm lenses in less than ideal conditions (high winds, freezing cold) and the 35mm images were sharp, but the 23mm images were fuzz. I use focus peaking set to white - high, yet I still missed focus with the 23mm for some reason. At first I thought perhaps I had a skunky lens, but it turned out to be just a focusing precision issue. The 35mm and 23mm appear to have the same outer lens body with different optics, obviously. I suspect they're using the same helicoid (the throw is the same at about 120º) and this is probably the reason for why the 23mm seems to be more touchy when focusing compared to the 35mm. If we look at the distance scale we can see a significant difference in throw from infinity to 2m between the two lenses. The 35mm has a bit more than twice the throw of the 23mm for the same distance. Very slight movements on the 23mm will put it out of focus vs. the 35mm. At closer ranges I can nail the focus on the 23mm with ease, but the 2m to infinity range is definitely touchy. I've read complaints in the comments sections of videos about the softness of the 23mm and it makes me wonder if it's just a case of these photographers having trouble with the need for a precise touch when focusing the 23mm.
I was on the fence about buying this lens because a lot of people have issues with it, but man im SO glad i did. I have created several of my best photos with this lens and i'll never part with it.
A tip that may help with your manual focus when using Peaking. In case you haven't already, set the peaking to Low. That will narrow down the depth of field required for the camera to register something as in-focus. This change cleared up issues I used to have with very narrow DOF lenses like the Mitakon 35mm f0.95
Thank you for sharing. I own the 35mm Nokton for Fuji, and yes - focusing can be a challenge. Usually I use the peaking assist, as when using manual mode with my AF lenses. The optical properties vary across the aperture range, but knowing them, I actually like what f/1.4 and f/1.2 can give me in certain situations. So, I like this lens, it's one of my favourites. (Would have liked it more with a focus ring lever, though.)
Hi Christine - I did like it but the focusing was a challenge in certain circumstances. I probably should have given it more time and different circumstances but I know what I get with the old Fuji 23 f 1.4 so I am going to pick that up when I find one for a good price. Yes a focus lever would have been a great addition.
Thank you for the review and the real examples (that look almost straight out of the camera and not oversharpened/over processed as some young TH-camrs do-and which defeats the point of any lens review). Now your so-so review seems to take into account as "not so much" points factors that may be the result of issues with the camera more than issues with the lens: the sudden shift from "split-image to microprism" when focusing, the red in the photograph of the sumac. I understand that from a user's point of view it is the result that matters. Addressing the real cause (Fuji software or sensor might be fairer ;o) I also wish you had look at in focus details in the corners as with some lenses that is were the rub is. I saw horrible swirling things happen in a Nokton 40 mm Classic (which some would say now "has character" but in fact is just a flaw of an old design and can be problematic and lead to cropping one's images (and content)). Another thing that might have been interesting is comparing the amount of vignetting in the Voigtlander f 1.2 @ f2 and the Fuji f 2 @ f 2 (you seem to own one) and why not the Fuji f 1.4 @ f 2. And again, thanks for your time and photography.
Thanks Bruno you make some good points. If I have some Tim I’ll see if I can duplicate things with the other two lenses. I don’t own the Voigtlander anymore so I’ll have to depend on what I made before.
I got their Nokton 35mm f/1.2 in July and so far it has been fun! I also own the Fuji 35mm f/1.4 so there was no reason to buy the Voigtländer to be honest. It is a premium manual focus lens and sometimes I need a break from standard AF and let's be honest: manual focus with Fuji lenses is not fun, not even on the lenses with the manual focus clutch like the 23mm f/1.4. During the summer it was super easy to focus by setting the aperture to f/11, focus from about three Meters and you were good to go! Unfortunately my lens has been acting up lately and I can see the aperture value slowly going up when I have it at f/1.2. I set my focus and suddenly my aperture goes to f/1.4, then f/2 and so on. This of course messes with my iso and shutter speed, but if I slightly move the aperture ring it readjusts. Really annoying! I'd consider their new 50mm f/1.2 but I love the Fuji 50mm f/2 way too much and my x pro3 doesnt have ibis unfortunately. This makes a short telelens a bit harder to focus IMO
I really liked the feel of the little 23 1.2 but I had some problems with the Fuji and the lens talking to each other. When I had it set to split image it would be fine for a bit then go to micro prism. I also was having my own issues with peaking and the accuracy of focus. Might be my issue not sure. I was kind of sad when I sent it back. But I have always wanted the old Fuji 23 1.4 and one is showing up today.
I now have the Voiglander 35mm 1.2, and the 50mm 1.2 used on the X-T5. Love them both but the 50mm FOV is more my style. My focus tip for both lenses is to use focus peaking along with Focus Check turned on. I have it zoomed in quite a bit.
@@KirkWilliamsonphotography Make sure your firmware is up to date. On my X-T5, f1.2 shows in the metadata as F/16 while the display in the viewfinder is correct. While it isn't a showstopper for me, I would like to find an answer to that. I think it's the camera because it reports correctly on the X-T2. Voigtländer states on the website there are limitations with the lens/camera communications. Maybe your copy is ok?
I keep going back and forth on getting this lens, which would be totally redundant since I have both the f/2 and f/1.4 versions of the Fujifilm XF 23mm lenses. I just want one quality manual focus lens with accurate DOF scales and an accurate hard stop at true infinity. My reason is simply that I love to use zone focusing for street photography at a moderate aperture with a lens that stays where you set it. The focus-by-wire Fujis can be set via the scale in the finder, but the focus will drift just from the oscillations from walking, so they might not be where you thought they were when you do a grab shot. I would not need the fast f/1.2 for this use and my 23mm f/1.4 is terrific with the advantage of accurate autofocus if I need extreme selective focus. I'm still trying to decide if this Voightlander would meet my needs or maybe the slower and more compact 27mm f/2 with the focusing tab which would give better ergonomics for street shooting. Decisions, decisions...
Albert - That’s a tough one! I found the depth of field scale pretty useful even though I did not use it much. I sent it back so I can get the older 23 f1.4 which I love the look of.
It would be nice if you could record the viewfinder so we could see the focusing issues better to understand them better. I don't think my Fuji offers the same kind of focus you refer to as I have earlier versions of the x cameras. Best wishes!
I know my X-T3 has the same options for manual focus assist. No assist, split image/micro prism color or B&W, straight micro prism and several colors and intensity for peaking. I would have to spend more money to be able to record the screen out of the studio. It was very strange. I had it set on split/micro color and it went straight to micro. Went back to my studio and it was fine. Then I tried it again outside in poor lighting and it went back to micro again. Very strange.
I love this lens. I use focus peaking which works better for me. I use it all several Fuji bodies but it does work best with the X-T5 and the big and bright EVF. I have nearly 30 lenses but this is my main go to 23mm(35mm) on Fuji
Hi David - thanks for the response. I used peaking and it worked well for the most part and I really did like using the lens except when the split/micro did not work. I sent it back and will pick up a used 23 f 1.4.
Dear Kirk, I love your videos. Could you review the Voiglander 35mm 1.2 or the most recent 35 0.9? I was considering getting one of them. But the 35 0.9 is quite pricey !
Thanks a lot Kirk :) you are great. Keep up with the amazing work. All the Voigtlander lenses for Fuji seem like a great investment for me. I love the experience of a real manual lens ( I guess they use linear focus ) since I usually shoot with film! Of course autofocus makes life much easier but to stop for a moment and carefully focus is a great experience :)
The 23 1.2 lens is really nice and fun to focus with once you get the hang of it. However, the focus check can be annoying, so I turned it off. Instead, I use focus peaking and punch in with the rear control wheel when I need to focus more accurately. The images produced by the lens are beautiful, and the manual focusing experience is great. But, it does take some practice. One thing to keep in mind is that the DOF scale on the 23 1.2 may not be very accurate, so it's important to experiment with it and learn how to use it properly. Everyone should at least have one Voigtlander in their bag.
All if what you say is correct! I needed more time with it to get better at the focusing. I loved the look - not to clinical but very nice just the same. I did like the way all the meta data worked over into post processing. Normally I would have to keep notes. I am going to start using my Leica 21 3.4 more which gives me a 32mm. Probably should have kept it but I really loved the Fuji 23 f1.4 the old one so I’ll be looking for one of those.
I totally understand how you feel. I also have the Sigma 23 1.4 and enjoy using it as well. I like the Voigtlander for its size and rendering. Thanks for your videos. @@KirkWilliamsonphotography
Glad it exists, we need more manual focus lenses with contacts for exif data. But honestly would rather use that money for a fuji 23mm 1.4 WR mkii, given how good the new primes are
This lens is for expert only! I had few issues with Fuji focus peaking, they are not so perfect. Instead I zoom in for detailed focusing which most of time works great!
Well at this point I think I’m an expert. The issues I had with the lens had to do with the lens and the camera not talking to each other. It was used so I would say it was a lens issue not me. I did get some nice Images with it.
Nice review. I liked the shots, except for the Santa figurine at the beginning, which was not sharp (at low apertures) and, to my eyes, the bokeh was nervous and fairly unpleasant. No reason, all in all, to switch from the Fuji 23mm f/1,4. Thanks!
You might be confusing the soft focus with the fairly bad filed curvature that this lens suffers from. For me it's a one trick pony, great for those subject isolation shots (f1.2-1.4), but once stopping down to f5.6-f8 where you expect uniformed sharpness corner to corner across the entire frame, unfortunately no, this lens is not good for that (likely the mushy you're seeing is this rather than your focus skills). A real shame otherwise it would have been an excellent walk around lens.
@@KirkWilliamsonphotography I was very interested in this lens and did a lot of research. Unfortunately it's not variant/copy problem (there are too many users reporting on this issue and demonstrating with images showing the problem). The field curvature might actually even be assisting in the pop at those wider apertures, but at this price I really want a good f5.6-8 uniformed sharpness across the frame. I'll keep my eye out on a second hand one but unfortunately I bet the price will be still be high due to the brand name. This is a TTartisan lens in Voitglander clothing.
@@SummersSnapscorrect, the field curvature on this lens is absolutely nuts. I even call this lens an insult to customers. Its horrendous… you get your focus point „sharp“ and thats it… just shows that you can sell any kind of crap to people nowadays and they will talk about some „character“ of the optical super fail. And dont get me wrong, nothing against some field curvature, any lens has it, but the 23 Nokton takes it to an unacceptably extreme level
I don’t know man. Yes the Voigtlaenders are compact, well build and high aperture. But for the price I feel like they are lacking. Why no weather sealing? Why not an electronically controlled aperture, so that the evf view is always showing an image of the highest aperture, which makes it easier to manually focus because a shallower depth of field allows you to more easily assess critical focus? When I’m stopped down on this lens the evf view gets dark and it gets difficult to assess critical focus.
I've just picked up the 23mm, 27mm and 35mm lens in X-mount and paired them with my X-Pro3. I went out with the 23 and 35mm lenses in less than ideal conditions (high winds, freezing cold) and the 35mm images were sharp, but the 23mm images were fuzz. I use focus peaking set to white - high, yet I still missed focus with the 23mm for some reason. At first I thought perhaps I had a skunky lens, but it turned out to be just a focusing precision issue.
The 35mm and 23mm appear to have the same outer lens body with different optics, obviously. I suspect they're using the same helicoid (the throw is the same at about 120º) and this is probably the reason for why the 23mm seems to be more touchy when focusing compared to the 35mm. If we look at the distance scale we can see a significant difference in throw from infinity to 2m between the two lenses. The 35mm has a bit more than twice the throw of the 23mm for the same distance. Very slight movements on the 23mm will put it out of focus vs. the 35mm. At closer ranges I can nail the focus on the 23mm with ease, but the 2m to infinity range is definitely touchy.
I've read complaints in the comments sections of videos about the softness of the 23mm and it makes me wonder if it's just a case of these photographers having trouble with the need for a precise touch when focusing the 23mm.
I agree it was a very touchy focusing lens to use. When you got it right there were some nice images.
Exactly this
I was on the fence about buying this lens because a lot of people have issues with it, but man im SO glad i did. I have created several of my best photos with this lens and i'll never part with it.
I have to say that if it were not for the problems I had with the lens and the camera not talking to each other well I would still have it.
A tip that may help with your manual focus when using Peaking. In case you haven't already, set the peaking to Low. That will narrow down the depth of field required for the camera to register something as in-focus. This change cleared up issues I used to have with very narrow DOF lenses like the Mitakon 35mm f0.95
Thanks Robin that may help
Thank you for sharing. I own the 35mm Nokton for Fuji, and yes - focusing can be a challenge. Usually I use the peaking assist, as when using manual mode with my AF lenses. The optical properties vary across the aperture range, but knowing them, I actually like what f/1.4 and f/1.2 can give me in certain situations. So, I like this lens, it's one of my favourites. (Would have liked it more with a focus ring lever, though.)
Hi Christine - I did like it but the focusing was a challenge in certain circumstances. I probably should have given it more time and different circumstances but I know what I get with the old Fuji 23 f 1.4 so I am going to pick that up when I find one for a good price. Yes a focus lever would have been a great addition.
Thank you for the review and the real examples (that look almost straight out of the camera and not oversharpened/over processed as some young TH-camrs do-and which defeats the point of any lens review).
Now your so-so review seems to take into account as "not so much" points factors that may be the result of issues with the camera more than issues with the lens: the sudden shift from "split-image to microprism" when focusing, the red in the photograph of the sumac.
I understand that from a user's point of view it is the result that matters. Addressing the real cause (Fuji software or sensor might be fairer ;o)
I also wish you had look at in focus details in the corners as with some lenses that is were the rub is. I saw horrible swirling things happen in a Nokton 40 mm Classic (which some would say now "has character" but in fact is just a flaw of an old design and can be problematic and lead to cropping one's images (and content)).
Another thing that might have been interesting is comparing the amount of vignetting in the Voigtlander f 1.2 @ f2 and the Fuji f 2 @ f 2 (you seem to own one) and why not the Fuji f 1.4 @ f 2.
And again, thanks for your time and photography.
Thanks Bruno you make some good points. If I have some Tim I’ll see if I can duplicate things with the other two lenses. I don’t own the Voigtlander anymore so I’ll have to depend on what I made before.
I got their Nokton 35mm f/1.2 in July and so far it has been fun! I also own the Fuji 35mm f/1.4 so there was no reason to buy the Voigtländer to be honest. It is a premium manual focus lens and sometimes I need a break from standard AF and let's be honest: manual focus with Fuji lenses is not fun, not even on the lenses with the manual focus clutch like the 23mm f/1.4. During the summer it was super easy to focus by setting the aperture to f/11, focus from about three Meters and you were good to go! Unfortunately my lens has been acting up lately and I can see the aperture value slowly going up when I have it at f/1.2. I set my focus and suddenly my aperture goes to f/1.4, then f/2 and so on. This of course messes with my iso and shutter speed, but if I slightly move the aperture ring it readjusts. Really annoying! I'd consider their new 50mm f/1.2 but I love the Fuji 50mm f/2 way too much and my x pro3 doesnt have ibis unfortunately. This makes a short telelens a bit harder to focus IMO
I really liked the feel of the little 23 1.2 but I had some problems with the Fuji and the lens talking to each other. When I had it set to split image it would be fine for a bit then go to micro prism. I also was having my own issues with peaking and the accuracy of focus. Might be my issue not sure. I was kind of sad when I sent it back. But I have always wanted the old Fuji 23 1.4 and one is showing up today.
I now have the Voiglander 35mm 1.2, and the 50mm 1.2 used on the X-T5. Love them both but the 50mm FOV is more my style. My focus tip for both lenses is to use focus peaking along with Focus Check turned on. I have it zoomed in quite a bit.
I must have had a bad copy. Loved the lens but at times it would not talk to the camera.
@@KirkWilliamsonphotography Make sure your firmware is up to date. On my X-T5, f1.2 shows in the metadata as F/16 while the display in the viewfinder is correct. While it isn't a showstopper for me, I would like to find an answer to that. I think it's the camera because it reports correctly on the X-T2. Voigtländer states on the website there are limitations with the lens/camera communications. Maybe your copy is ok?
I keep going back and forth on getting this lens, which would be totally redundant since I have both the f/2 and f/1.4 versions of the Fujifilm XF 23mm lenses. I just want one quality manual focus lens with accurate DOF scales and an accurate hard stop at true infinity.
My reason is simply that I love to use zone focusing for street photography at a moderate aperture with a lens that stays where you set it. The focus-by-wire Fujis can be set via the scale in the finder, but the focus will drift just from the oscillations from walking, so they might not be where you thought they were when you do a grab shot.
I would not need the fast f/1.2 for this use and my 23mm f/1.4 is terrific with the advantage of accurate autofocus if I need extreme selective focus.
I'm still trying to decide if this Voightlander would meet my needs or maybe the slower and more compact 27mm f/2 with the focusing tab which would give better ergonomics for street shooting. Decisions, decisions...
Albert - That’s a tough one! I found the depth of field scale pretty useful even though I did not use it much. I sent it back so I can get the older 23 f1.4 which I love the look of.
Depth of field scale and real manual focusing are a plus (as far as I am concerned for street photography). All the best,
It would be nice if you could record the viewfinder so we could see the focusing issues better to understand them better. I don't think my Fuji offers the same kind of focus you refer to as I have earlier versions of the x cameras.
Best wishes!
I know my X-T3 has the same options for manual focus assist. No assist, split image/micro prism color or B&W, straight micro prism and several colors and intensity for peaking. I would have to spend more money to be able to record the screen out of the studio. It was very strange. I had it set on split/micro color and it went straight to micro. Went back to my studio and it was fine. Then I tried it again outside in poor lighting and it went back to micro again. Very strange.
I love this lens. I use focus peaking which works better for me. I use it all several Fuji bodies but it does work best with the X-T5 and the big and bright EVF. I have nearly 30 lenses but this is my main go to 23mm(35mm) on Fuji
Hi David - thanks for the response. I used peaking and it worked well for the most part and I really did like using the lens except when the split/micro did not work. I sent it back and will pick up a used 23 f 1.4.
@@KirkWilliamsonphotographythe xf23mm lmwr, or just the R?
Dear Kirk, I love your videos. Could you review the Voiglander 35mm 1.2 or the most recent 35 0.9? I was considering getting one of them. But the 35 0.9 is quite pricey !
Thanks Daniel! I can see about reaching out to a retailer about borrowing one of those lenses. I’ll work on it.
Thanks a lot Kirk :) you are great. Keep up with the amazing work.
All the Voigtlander lenses for Fuji seem like a great investment for me. I love the experience of a real manual lens ( I guess they use linear focus ) since I usually shoot with film! Of course autofocus makes life much easier but to stop for a moment and carefully focus is a great experience :)
The 23 1.2 lens is really nice and fun to focus with once you get the hang of it. However, the focus check can be annoying, so I turned it off. Instead, I use focus peaking and punch in with the rear control wheel when I need to focus more accurately. The images produced by the lens are beautiful, and the manual focusing experience is great. But, it does take some practice. One thing to keep in mind is that the DOF scale on the 23 1.2 may not be very accurate, so it's important to experiment with it and learn how to use it properly. Everyone should at least have one Voigtlander in their bag.
All if what you say is correct! I needed more time with it to get better at the focusing. I loved the look - not to clinical but very nice just the same. I did like the way all the meta data worked over into post processing. Normally I would have to keep notes. I am going to start using my Leica 21 3.4 more which gives me a 32mm. Probably should have kept it but I really loved the Fuji 23 f1.4 the old one so I’ll be looking for one of those.
I totally understand how you feel. I also have the Sigma 23 1.4 and enjoy using it as well. I like the Voigtlander for its size and rendering. Thanks for your videos. @@KirkWilliamsonphotography
Jeder sollte ein Voigtländer Objektiv in der Tasche haben. Der Satz ist großartig 😂 Ich habe das 27 f2.0 und bin begeistert. 😊
Hello, have you noticed the EXIF bug on Voigtlander lenses after the last firmware update?
I actually sent the lens right back after having issues with it communicating with the camera.
@@KirkWilliamsonphotography Interesting. Heve not had any issues with my V lenses sor far except for that firmware upgrade.
As the great nature shooter Rod Planck says, “Technique beats equipment every time!” Great review and images!
Absolutely Bill! Practicing technique makes better photographers. Practicing your process makes a mor complete photographer.
I always use focus peaking on my Fuji…I can’t really get the image in focus manually via the viewfinder or the screen without it.
Peaking is a good way but I like split image and the lens and the camera would not work together and give me that option often enough.
Glad it exists, we need more manual focus lenses with contacts for exif data. But honestly would rather use that money for a fuji 23mm 1.4 WR mkii, given how good the new primes are
I agree I wish Zeiss would get into the space.
This lens is for expert only! I had few issues with Fuji focus peaking, they are not so perfect. Instead I zoom in for detailed focusing which most of time works great!
Well at this point I think I’m an expert. The issues I had with the lens had to do with the lens and the camera not talking to each other. It was used so I would say it was a lens issue not me. I did get some nice Images with it.
Nice review. I liked the shots, except for the Santa figurine at the beginning, which was not sharp (at low apertures) and, to my eyes, the bokeh was nervous and fairly unpleasant. No reason, all in all, to switch from the Fuji 23mm f/1,4. Thanks!
Tough to tell with YT. The figurine images were sharp in a very small area. But yes that’s why I bought a good used 23 1.4
You might be confusing the soft focus with the fairly bad filed curvature that this lens suffers from. For me it's a one trick pony, great for those subject isolation shots (f1.2-1.4), but once stopping down to f5.6-f8 where you expect uniformed sharpness corner to corner across the entire frame, unfortunately no, this lens is not good for that (likely the mushy you're seeing is this rather than your focus skills). A real shame otherwise it would have been an excellent walk around lens.
Yes you could be right! I did have some that were nice at 5.6-8 but others that were not. It was an interesting lens but not worth keeping.
@@KirkWilliamsonphotography I was very interested in this lens and did a lot of research. Unfortunately it's not variant/copy problem (there are too many users reporting on this issue and demonstrating with images showing the problem). The field curvature might actually even be assisting in the pop at those wider apertures, but at this price I really want a good f5.6-8 uniformed sharpness across the frame. I'll keep my eye out on a second hand one but unfortunately I bet the price will be still be high due to the brand name. This is a TTartisan lens in Voitglander clothing.
@@SummersSnapscorrect, the field curvature on this lens is absolutely nuts. I even call this lens an insult to customers. Its horrendous… you get your focus point „sharp“ and thats it… just shows that you can sell any kind of crap to people nowadays and they will talk about some „character“ of the optical super fail.
And dont get me wrong, nothing against some field curvature, any lens has it, but the 23 Nokton takes it to an unacceptably extreme level
I don’t know man. Yes the Voigtlaenders are compact, well build and high aperture. But for the price I feel like they are lacking.
Why no weather sealing?
Why not an electronically controlled aperture, so that the evf view is always showing an image of the highest aperture, which makes it easier to manually focus because a shallower depth of field allows you to more easily assess critical focus? When I’m stopped down on this lens the evf view gets dark and it gets difficult to assess critical focus.
Yes I agree some very salient points!