Denae & Andrew i have been finally getting my portfolio ready...and..most of my best shots are Portraits (135mm with my trusty old Nikon 85mm f1.8D, and a cropped D800E... ; AND Spaces&Architecture.. I second you on that amazing 16mm lens....as it also takes the cake, for me. Hell...I do whole events with just the Fuji & 16, and the A7III + 85.
PS: i could never part from my 70-200 and 15-30 f2.8 (Tamrons) on my DSLR, though.. work horses, in deed. that’s why i get it when both you and Denae say that 50-140 is a keeper. :P btw, Andrew.. Being a wide guy.. Have you tried their 8-16mm UWA ?
Just re-watched this video for the first time in months. I love your videos. I find them so informative and you state your personal opinions without being preachy. Of course, trolls gonna troll - what can you do? For me, the 90mm is my go-to studio portrait lens. Love the compression, the tack-sharpness, that it gets all/most of the face in focus, the speed, and bokeh isn't as much of a worry, neither is low light. The 56mm 1.2 is my favourite outdoor/natural light portrait lens, hands down, no debate. When I have the outdoors as a background, I love what the wide aperture does to it. 50-140 & 16-55 (yes, grouping them together) are my two workhorse lenses, and I can't see ever parting with them. Not my first grab for a portrait session, but definitely what's on my camera when I don't quite know what to expect on the shoot. Pretty much always my go-to for shooting dance and theatre (the versatility is a lifesaver, and f2.8 almost always captures enough light with a faster shutter speed). Would have loved to have seen the 55-200 in here, but maybe in a future version. :) The 80mm - I got a great deal on so I picked it up. I do like it as a portrait lens, and once you get past f3.5 there's really no difference in quality. Was going to decide between the two and sell the other, but then my partner discovered macro and not it sits on her camera a lot! (Also, how I get to justify owning both!) My only comment in this video is that since it was a portrait lens review, I feel the focus settings on the 80mm should have been .5m-∞ instead of the full range, as you'd never hunt in the macro range for portrait work, and then it's a crapload faster. But just my $0.02 Keep up the awesome work!
The mighty 90mm! It is really great. I'm always tempted to buy the 56mm 1.2 but I took the 90mm for a walk and maaaaaan it delivers. Suprisingly versatile as well with its long reach and minimum focus distance.
@@TheRacerRich You're right. The shot with the WEIGHTS has the correct grams, but the ounces are switched on the 50-230mm and 56mm, and the 80mm and the 90mm cannot both weigh 26oz!
I got the 50-140 F2.8 and the 50 f2. I only use the 50f2 in lower light situations and for travel photography and I love it for its fast autofocus and it's pretty light. But other than that the 50-140 is probably my most use lens since it is the most versatile for what I shoot. Gotta save money and buy that 90mm F2 next.
Love this video, awesome effort to put this together. Funnily enough, I own the 56 and 90 and love them... but for portraits I also frequently use the 35mm f1.4. That lens has character!
First of all, thank you for putting the time together for this very informative vid. I also have the 56mm and 90mm for portrait. Not going to lie, the former is more versatile due to being able to work in smaller spaces and in lower light situations, but my all time favourite is also the 90mm due to the way it renders and how sharp it is with buttery bokeh. Both are superb lenses! 😁
Picking up the 56mm f/1.2 while it’s on sale today. I almost always rent this lens for weddings, time to finally just pick it up to keep. 👍🏻 Good video, man!
2 years ago when I started with Fuji I struggled with which to buy the 56 or the 90...I decided on the 90mm and it was the best decision I have made for portraits. Andrew great job, on doing this video...the fact you said those focal lengths and apertures for 30 minutes just makes my head hurt.
Randy Pollock today My situation is also same as like yours bro.....so I want to 90mm is this right? In my sense after watching your message I just confirmed thankyou
I have the 56 and 50-140. I use the 50-140 more than the 56 because of its flexibility and crazy compression. Thought about getting a 90 but the 50-140 suits my needs.
Great overview. Bought the 90 based on your previous video. It’s on my XT3 80% of ten time. Killer lens that a joy to use. If only it had IS because even at 250 I can get motion blur on it when on the go. The 50 f2 is also a great little travel portrait lens.
I used a 100mm on Canon and it would never come off my camera. Having switched to Fuji I was a little scared to use anything lower (like the 56) but found myself enjoying the 50mm and not wanting to pay extra for something of a similar focal length, I found myself gravitating towards the 90mm f/2 and it... is.... amazing. Reminds me of the 135mm f/2 from my wedding days using Canon :) I try to keep this on as much as possible and shooting outside is so fun. Totally agree with the two choices! I'm just too poor to push up to the 56 1.2 and I do enjoy the AF speed and WR of the 50 :) Thanks so much for this video!
Great comparison! Thank you so much for the time and work you spent on this project. Personally I own the 56mm 1.2 and the 50-140. Both great lenses. The 56mm is my favorite portrait lens. I like this focal length the most for portraits, I don't like to be further away from the model. The 50-140 is not used for common portraits very often, but as you said it's a workhorse and for concerts it is the one lens to have.
Andrew, nice job, very thorough. Thank you. I've settled on the 55-200, a wonderful (maybe under-appreciated) lens with OIS, and the 50 f2 (75mm field of view) for its discrete compact size, light weight, and weather resistance. Both these lenses are also very quiet and quick focusing. Happy shooting!
I wish everyone put this much effort and time into reviewing products. Thank you so much for this! I have the 23 1.4 and the 56 1.2, love them both and will be adding the 90mm to my collection one of these days based in this video. Will try to remember to purchase through your affiliate link haha. Keep up the good work.
Really useful video, Andrew. A ton of thanks for all the time and effort you put into it. On a personal note, I'd never be without my 56mm or 90mm lenses for all my work, mostly street and portrait. x
Very nice video, and though these lenses aren’t even on my radar, I enjoy watching your videos, and appreciate the effort you put into the quality, delivery, and articulation of your content. Always a pleasure watching.
For me, the 56mm fits the bill perfectly. Although, if i need a bit more Background in a image, i didn't hesitate to use my 32mm Touit, that lens is stunning and i love it as well.
Wow, thanks for such a comprehensive review! I recently just sold my 50f2 as well, as I have the 56 and 50-140. I found that I hardly ever used it. However, it would be irresponsible to sell of my Fuji gear without replacing it with something else, so I picked up a x100f :)
I've loved pairing the mitakon 35mm + the fuji 90mm recently. When things are too tight for the 90mm the 56 gets subbed in pronto. Killer content as always!
Actually amazed that you don't mentioned the 55-200. I once owned it, sold it when I bought the 50-140 and then rebought it a couple of weeks ago as travel lens.
I bought one of these early on and even adding other lenses (the 50-140 and the 100-400,) can't let it go! It is just perfect as part of an every day kit with the kit 18-55!
Definitely surprised as well that the 55-200 was not included, would have loved to see it compared to it´s big brother. Perhaps they wanted to give viewers a really low cost alternative with the xc lens.
I'd say its because this is not really a bokeh lens either, and with both the 50-230 and the 50 f/2 available its hard to put it in as the budget option.
What an excellent video! Nice and in-depth. I appreciate the hard work you have put into this. The 50-140 has been my favorite portrait lens with the lens compression that it offers, however the 90mm has my eye after watching this video... might have to get my hands on that one. I already have the rest of the f2 lineup. Love the fujicrons!
Thank you Andrew, you just help me choose a lens that is not included in this video: the 55-200 f3,5-4,8. It’s not too big or too heavy for such a wide range, it’s relatively affordable, the aperture is better than many Canon or Nikon, the results are very good and the stabilization is great. Sadly it’s not WR, it’s protruding quite a lot and not the fastest one. But a great compromise anyway.
Thanks for the review, I’m back with Fuji with the arrival of the X-T30, and I’ve owned the 56 and loved the IQ but the AF was really slow and inconsistent. Good to hear about other options.
Dude, I’m in the same boat with the 80mm f/2.8, I actually bought it after watching your previous videos with it, but I just don’t shoot enough macro and I have the 56mm and 50-140mm! To be fair, it did capture one of my favorite portraits of my 2 year old daughter last summer, but I’ll be selling my 80mm f/2.8 too.
Great video! I do a lot of low light church work where I am limited in where I can stand and the 50-140 is my workhorse lens. For portraits I shoot it around 90 and it gets the job done.
Completely agree with u on the 50-230... output quality surprisingly good if u have plenty of light. I recently sold it together with my old X-M1 and kit lens... most likely going for 90mm f2 :)
Wow. Great video. Thanks for the time you dedicated to it. I recently sold the 56 because I looked at lightroom metadata and I just never used it. Turns out most of the portraits I take are with the 35mm f1.4 and the Voigtlander 40mm SC. The voigtlander just has something special about it that I cant put my finger on. The joy of not being a pro photographer is that It only has to make me happy 😀😀😀
Peter Abbott Voigtländer has a signature look in all of their lenses that make them special, and the Voigtländer colors are nice, and punchy. I've owned several Voigtländer lenses and I love using them on my Fuji cameras.
the 80mm macro is RIDICULOUSLY sharp so hearing that it is in a 2nd tier for sharpness is very surprising. jonas raskl has also stated that he believes it to be the sharpest XF lens. appreciate the review though.
Very awesome review. I happened to pick up the 90mm due to the sale ending this weekend and I just love it. ...but not for portraiture but rather tele for landscape as it is a good and light option for long hikes and also for the type of macro-ish shooting I do with flowers and other stuff in nature. Extension tubes get me enough magnefication and it focuses close enough. I think my 80 will be going for sale soon. Also I picked up 56mm again, sale price temptations, as I missed the one I sold last year. And to my surprise this one I just got has a much nicer aperture ring. Seems tighter with better detents.
I love Fuji, but I think from copy to copy Fuji lenses can vary on the aperture ring. I'm sure they want to be consistent, but since you are tightening screws to set the tension, I don't think it's consistent. I bought a used 18mm 2 months ago, with a stiff aperture ring, and others tell me theirs is very loose. @@AndrewGoodCamera
That 90 thooo!! I found a used one on Adorama and decided to go for it. It seems like exactly what I want. Thanks for this! Always love your work. And that little lens beat at the beginning...nice touch. Bet it took a lot of work.
Fabulousness! The 90 is my go to lens, believe it or not. I use it for portraits, family sessions, landscape, ICM and events. I just wish it had a little brother for the times when I need the 90 feel but the 90 is just too long. I’m torn between the 56 and the 50 for this and I’ll be watching out for your next video comparing AF with XT2 vs XT3. I currently have 2 XT2s for work and tbh it’s plenty enough camera for me but I’ve heard the speed of the 56 is a limiting factor on the T2 that is much much better on the T3. The 50 makes sense for most things but I just don’t know. Here in Austria it’s not possible to rent one, so try before you buy isn’t an option 🤔
Excellent review. Frankly I didn't think I needed this and watched when on holiday out of boredom, however I have to say I was pleasantly surprised both by the content and the the delivery. Thumbs up for sure. :) Thanks. Gonna subscribe too.
Wow! What a great review ! Very impressive! Very helpful. I have a little bit different take. I think about light weight easy kit versus quality all costs. Or hand held vs tripod, etc. so the 50 is part of my XE-3 kit. And the 40-150 part of the T-3 kit. Diff tools for diff jobs. Thanks again. Thoughtful interesting review. !!
Thanks for the thorough video! I've been thinking about getting the 90F2 to supplement my 23 and 50 F2 lenses for outdoorsy portraits. Your review sealed the decision for me!
I absolutely love you for bringing levity to this. So many lens reviews are just spec sheet reads followed by test images and zooming in on corners. “35 elements in 264 groups” No one cares, Sebastian; moreover, no one even knows what that means.
I think you're spot on in your take on depth of field and bokeh obsession. To me anything below 1.6 should be reserved for low light conditions. Anything below that and you run the risk of one side of someones face being out of focus. Sharpness, contrast, and composition are what average people notice more and they almost never pixel peep to notice those subtle differences in background blur. 1.8-2.2 is more of the sweet spot imo
Hi Andrew, thanks for the video - I am looking to buy a portrait lens and am tossing up between the 56 and the 90. I currently have a 23 f2 for my XT3. Considering I have this lens already and am looking for a portrait for family stuff, what lens out of the 56 or 90 would you recommend. Thanks
Hi, I'm struggling on my final camera decision, I own d610 and Lumix G80: D610 mainly for portraits and artistic side, G80 almost with adapted Nikon 300mm to get a 600 equivalent (but is really bad in sharpness at last), and I use it with an old G7 for my videos. On d610 autofocus is really bad, and I mean really bad, not confident with shallow dof and af-c, good iso performance but I have to edit a lot the pictures out of the card, which is bad. Good potential but too much work for a simple and satisfying result for me, and Fuji colors seems to be better from scratch. I was looking at x-h1 but ISO is not really comparable because it is underexposed in comparison to other brands, sometimes I shoot 3200-6400 iso with d610. Internet images seem good most of the time at this value but it's not comparable to me, you need different shutter speed to compensate different ISO exposure, so even close at given iso you need higher iso than Nikon. I like the ibis and good lenses selection btw. This camera with grip seems to be great and I like a standard grip, video is good, and I think the lens I need is just 16-55 2.8 and 100-400. A huge final price to cover my overall usage. My lumix G80 is great for the ibis and the longer focal lenght equivalent, not too heavy, but bad with low light. I got different scenario available_ buy Tamrom/Sigma150-600 for my d610 (huge lense and slow camera af, bad combo), buy a Lumix 12-35 2-8 and 100-300 for my g85 or just sell everything and get the fuji x-h1 gear selection written above. Also don't know if the x-h1 will improve more the af like on the x-t3 3.0 firmware. Don't want to invest on a camera that will not be upgraded in the future. What's you thinking about? Thanks :)
Thanks for the really great video, especially the part with the pros and cons for every lens! Good point also on how much the bokeh characteristics depend on personal taste. I especially love the 56 f/1.2 for the thin and well defined edges on the bokeh balls. I know it can make the background nervous in some situations, but those soap bubble like balls make more than up for it in my opinion. Then again, when i bought the 56, the 90mm wasn't out yet (and neither were the 50, 80 and 50-140), so no idea how i'd decide today.
Speaking of the league of F2, you missed the 200mmF2 dude. How do you like that one? Just joking ;) This is indeed the most honest and rational review on portrait lenses I've seen. Thank you!
Thanks so much for your comparison. Can I conclude that if a little bit sharpness and some cat eye bokeh are acceptable trade offs for price, weight, focusing speed and weather resistance, the 50F2 is the winner?
I’m on the couch with a dreadful cold so this level of geekery is ideal. For some time I’ve been trying to choose between the 56mm & the 90mm. I already own the 16-55mm f2.8, which does an ok job at the long end. So Denae only narrowing it down to the two I’d already chosen, was great it validates my decision, but it would have been even better if she’d have picked just one!
Just get them both! For me the 50-140mm is invaluable if you do weddings. Although I picked up the 90mm used for cheap two weeks ago, and I LOVE it! But without OIS it will be used mostly for outdoor portraiture.
Whoa!!! What a comprehensive review! I am so impressed! I couldn't agree with your conclusions more. Except I am keeping my 80mm macro no matter what! (LOL!) It's just too good at being a great macro lens. But I love my 90, 56, and 50-140 for people photography! I am still on the fence about the 16-55... It may have to go but I got it in a bundle with an X-Pro2 body at a great price... Great work, Andrew!
I sold all of my Fuji gear with many lenses about a year ago and switched over to a Sony A7iii with the Sony 55mm f1.8, Tamron 28-75mm f2.8, Sony 70-200mm f4, and a Loxia 21mm f2.8. These are all great lenses and exceptional image quality. However I sure miss my Fuji and wish I didn't switch but to switch back would cost me about $1500 in losses so I will have to stick with my Sony for another year. I love the FF sensor for portraits and the Battery life of the Sony is unreal. Nice not having to travel with two or more batteries. But the Build quality and menu system of Fuji is far better. Cheers.
Both are great cameras. Full frame will have better depth of field, but it's barely noticeable. Xing Liu has done some good comparison videos. What swayed it for me was that Fuji lenses are also lighter.
Just received my X-T30 yesterday evening and trying to get to know it. Coming from EOS this was very tiny.. but since I thought size matters when traveling I’d thought I give it a shot. Now - there was a promotion when ordering it that gave you a f2 lens for about 50% off. So I ordered the 50 f2. I also got the kit lens 18-55. I am torn between choosing the 50 for portraits (I’m on a budget) or if the difference to the kit lens is too minute to justify it, or to go for a go-around lens like the 23 or 35mm for street photography. Those tree were the option. Some say the 50 is hands down the best for black and white. The aperture of the kit lens is closer to the wider primes (2.8-4) I have to chose today.. please advice.
If you prioritize portraiture pretty high, 50, no contest. But if you mostly want shoot around, travel, street, and.only occasional portrature, I'd go 35f2 or the 18-55. The good news is that all these lenses are awesome.
I must have scored an “Artists Proof” 50-230. It is incredibly sharp. And was on sale in Australia for $199 AUD! As for the the 50mm F2 and the 56 f1.2. If you look at the MTF data on the specifications chart from Fuji the 50mm is sharper at all apertures and centre to edge. For a real bargain the Samyang 85mm 1.4 for portraits. Manual focus? How did we manage for about 100 years? Sell lenses? Are you mad 😂
Ha! I moved to XT3 recently, because of the 90MM. I have no regrets coming from a FF Nikon system. I also purchased the 50MM F2, and the 35MM F2, and the 23MM F1.4, and the 16MM F1.4... phew... lol, yes coming from expensive ass glass to APSC more than capable glass was fun. Oh and to boot, I purchased a Voigtlander 58MM F1.4 which is amazing! Not sure if you ever dabble in manual focus lenses, but it’s fun as piss on this system. Thanks for your work!
You did the focus speed test with X-T2 and X-T3, I would really really like to see the non-averaged numbers to see how the X-T3 improves the speed with different lenses. Many older reviews for Fuji lenses talk about slow focus speed and it's hard to get data on how they behave on the X-T3 (while thinking about switching to Fuji). Overall thanks for the great video! EDIT: Should have watched it all first, found the link now, thanks!
Great job! I had a hard time deciding between the 56 & 90. I finally decided on the 56 (which I've owned now for the 2nd time). I have the 50-140 and felt that it covered the 90 already (btw - I picked up the 50-140 for $800 "demo cond"). I know you didn't cover the 23/2 or 16-55, but these are also good lens in their own right for portraits. You've sold me on looking at the 90 again though...can I use your credit card?
This is one heck of a good comparison👍. You’re right about the 90mm being the sharpest and the most pleasing bokeh. It’s also is fast in focusing. But I still went to 56 for the low light situation and the much softer rendering of the skin. It’s sharp also but not crazy sharp as the 90mm. If I’m doing mostly headshot and half body I would definitely get the 90mm but most of my shoot is full body so its 56mm for me. My next lens would be the 16mm f1.4 and yeah can you make some in depth review and actual usage on it.
As usual, your video was fantastic! Thank you! I am very curious why you didn’t include the 55-200mm option? It is right between the 50-230 and the 40-150 options.
hey i am dont know what to do, i have 56 viltrox and i think to buy the 90mm/50-140 and sell the viltrox/ buy the 56mm fuji and viltrox 85 and sell the viltrox, what do you think should i do? i like portraits streets and some landscape (also i have 23mm 1.4 fuji and 12mm samyang)
I've been thinking of a kiy consisting of the 2.8-4 kit lens, 50-140, and 56mm... but you really have me thinking maybe get the 90mm, and maybe the 50 instead of the 56... Also considering the 10-24mm someday... and the 27mm "pancake" later to make a "pocket camera" out of an X-T30... I'm a hobbyist, and have a wide range of uses. Also I'm a single parent raising 3 kiddos on modest income... hope to start my Fuji journey soon with an X-T30 with 2.8-4 kit lens...then add one at a time, and an X-T4 ... If you were adding to an 18-55 , making a versatile kit, for all purposes... would 56mm, 90mm, and 50-140, be the key ones to snag as I'm able to...? Have you tried the 10-24 or have any recomendation for any wide lens for landscape, street, walkabout use... or is the kit lens and maybe 27mm all I may need...kinda worried with the crop factor that I may want SOMETHING wider than the 18mm of the kit zoom...but that would be one more lens, for rare occasions... Kinda think a kit lens, 50-140, 56, and 90, would be a well rounded and versatile kit... gives 2 versatile zooms, 56mm for some cases and when light is real low... and 90 for the best portraits when I know I will be shooting portraits...or for macro-ish fun stuff.... Any help would be awesome, hope to order at least a new camera to get into the Fuji system before Memorial Day weekend. ..my Pentax DSLR is dying...aperture block failed and I have fixed it, but don't trust it and am not buying into their ecosystem any deeper right now... THANKS for your channel...take care in this crazy world...
Thanks for your video. I really curious about the portraits lens. But unfortunately, my pocket can't afford the price of these lenses although I really love the XF 90mm f2. Just one question, I a high school student and I want to shoot portrait (my crush is the main reason). And I want to shoot her in secret so I need to stand far away from her, about 160 meter. I'm considering these two lenses. Should I buy the XF 50-200 or the Viltrox 75mm f1.2?
Very nice, thanks, this is timely and helps. I dunno why everybody craps on the 80mm's bokeh. I like it. And bokeh isn't really the primary thing for me, it's just nice when it's nice. Oh how I wish the XF55-200 was included though.
56mmf1.2 is my favourite lens of all time from any camera system :) Great vid Andrew.
I think I'd feel the same if I liked shooting that focal length. But I'm a wide guy, so 16 1.4 takes the cake. :)
Thought that a long time aswell, but the xf90 has grown on me hard. Coupled with the xh1 its the winner for me, now.
Agreed! 56mm the best lens on earth for any system!
Denae & Andrew i have been finally getting my portfolio ready...and..most of my best shots are Portraits (135mm with my trusty old Nikon 85mm f1.8D, and a cropped D800E... ; AND Spaces&Architecture..
I second you on that amazing 16mm lens....as it also takes the cake, for me.
Hell...I do whole events with just the Fuji & 16, and the A7III + 85.
PS: i could never part from my 70-200 and 15-30 f2.8 (Tamrons) on my DSLR, though..
work horses, in deed.
that’s why i get it when both you and Denae say that 50-140 is a keeper. :P
btw, Andrew.. Being a wide guy.. Have you tried their 8-16mm UWA ?
Thanks for covering the 50-230! Although it's not the finest Fuji have to offer it is so underrated, especially for the price.
Just re-watched this video for the first time in months. I love your videos. I find them so informative and you state your personal opinions without being preachy. Of course, trolls gonna troll - what can you do?
For me, the 90mm is my go-to studio portrait lens. Love the compression, the tack-sharpness, that it gets all/most of the face in focus, the speed, and bokeh isn't as much of a worry, neither is low light.
The 56mm 1.2 is my favourite outdoor/natural light portrait lens, hands down, no debate. When I have the outdoors as a background, I love what the wide aperture does to it.
50-140 & 16-55 (yes, grouping them together) are my two workhorse lenses, and I can't see ever parting with them. Not my first grab for a portrait session, but definitely what's on my camera when I don't quite know what to expect on the shoot. Pretty much always my go-to for shooting dance and theatre (the versatility is a lifesaver, and f2.8 almost always captures enough light with a faster shutter speed).
Would have loved to have seen the 55-200 in here, but maybe in a future version. :)
The 80mm - I got a great deal on so I picked it up. I do like it as a portrait lens, and once you get past f3.5 there's really no difference in quality. Was going to decide between the two and sell the other, but then my partner discovered macro and not it sits on her camera a lot! (Also, how I get to justify owning both!) My only comment in this video is that since it was a portrait lens review, I feel the focus settings on the 80mm should have been .5m-∞ instead of the full range, as you'd never hunt in the macro range for portrait work, and then it's a crapload faster. But just my $0.02
Keep up the awesome work!
The mighty 90mm! It is really great. I'm always tempted to buy the 56mm 1.2 but I took the 90mm for a walk and maaaaaan it delivers. Suprisingly versatile as well with its long reach and minimum focus distance.
I made an error. 🤦♂️ The 50mm is weather resistant. I incorrectly labeled it as being non-WR.
One more the - the 90 is 19oz not 26oz.
@@TheRacerRich You're right.
The shot with the WEIGHTS has the correct grams, but the ounces are switched on the 50-230mm and 56mm, and the 80mm and the 90mm cannot both weigh 26oz!
@@Nathansmithphotography @TheRacerRich Thanks for catching that guys
I got the 50-140 F2.8 and the 50 f2. I only use the 50f2 in lower light situations and for travel photography and I love it for its fast autofocus and it's pretty light. But other than that the 50-140 is probably my most use lens since it is the most versatile for what I shoot. Gotta save money and buy that 90mm F2 next.
Love this video, awesome effort to put this together. Funnily enough, I own the 56 and 90 and love them... but for portraits I also frequently use the 35mm f1.4. That lens has character!
First of all, thank you for putting the time together for this very informative vid. I also have the 56mm and 90mm for portrait.
Not going to lie, the former is more versatile due to being able to work in smaller spaces and in lower light situations, but my all time favourite is also the 90mm due to the way it renders and how sharp it is with buttery bokeh. Both are superb lenses! 😁
i love the "love" you put into your videos, especially that one. I enjoyed it like a good red wine! great work
Thanks!
Picking up the 56mm f/1.2 while it’s on sale today. I almost always rent this lens for weddings, time to finally just pick it up to keep. 👍🏻 Good video, man!
Nice! Really looking forward to what you can get with that.
Funny how quickly youtubers change their equipment. Sean Tucker, Matt Day etc. Only a few months and then an overhaul.
2 years ago when I started with Fuji I struggled with which to buy the 56 or the 90...I decided on the 90mm and it was the best decision I have made for portraits. Andrew great job, on doing this video...the fact you said those focal lengths and apertures for 30 minutes just makes my head hurt.
Randy Pollock today My situation is also same as like yours bro.....so I want to 90mm is this right? In my sense after watching your message I just confirmed thankyou
I have the 56 and 50-140. I use the 50-140 more than the 56 because of its flexibility and crazy compression. Thought about getting a 90 but the 50-140 suits my needs.
yeah, the 50-230 rocks as a travel lens, and pairs so nice with the 18-55.
and even with the 15-45!
Not an easy video to make. Great job Andrew. Thanks for your thorough research and comparison!
Thanks Seth. I know you can appreciate the amount of work involved! :)
Vow, I appreciate the colossal amount of work you had to do for this review! I do hope that the TH-cam rewards can compensate you for this! Thank you.
Great overview. Bought the 90 based on your previous video. It’s on my XT3 80% of ten time. Killer lens that a joy to use. If only it had IS because even at 250 I can get motion blur on it when on the go. The 50 f2 is also a great little travel portrait lens.
I used a 100mm on Canon and it would never come off my camera. Having switched to Fuji I was a little scared to use anything lower (like the 56) but found myself enjoying the 50mm and not wanting to pay extra for something of a similar focal length, I found myself gravitating towards the 90mm f/2 and it... is.... amazing. Reminds me of the 135mm f/2 from my wedding days using Canon :)
I try to keep this on as much as possible and shooting outside is so fun. Totally agree with the two choices! I'm just too poor to push up to the 56 1.2 and I do enjoy the AF speed and WR of the 50 :)
Thanks so much for this video!
The 55-200 starts at f3.5 and image quality is close to the the 50-140.. Enjoy your videos!
Great comparison! Thank you so much for the time and work you spent on this project.
Personally I own the 56mm 1.2 and the 50-140. Both great lenses. The 56mm is my favorite portrait lens. I like this focal length the most for portraits, I don't like to be further away from the model. The 50-140 is not used for common portraits very often, but as you said it's a workhorse and for concerts it is the one lens to have.
Andrew, nice job, very thorough. Thank you. I've settled on the 55-200, a wonderful (maybe under-appreciated) lens with OIS, and the 50 f2 (75mm field of view) for its discrete compact size, light weight, and weather resistance. Both these lenses are also very quiet and quick focusing. Happy shooting!
I wish everyone put this much effort and time into reviewing products. Thank you so much for this! I have the 23 1.4 and the 56 1.2, love them both and will be adding the 90mm to my collection one of these days based in this video. Will try to remember to purchase through your affiliate link haha. Keep up the good work.
Really useful video, Andrew. A ton of thanks for all the time and effort you put into it. On a personal note, I'd never be without my 56mm or 90mm lenses for all my work, mostly street and portrait. x
Very nice video, and though these lenses aren’t even on my radar, I enjoy watching your videos, and appreciate the effort you put into the quality, delivery, and articulation of your content. Always a pleasure watching.
Great video. I really appreciate your approach on testing and deciding which lens to keep.
Glad you found it helpful Eric!
For me, the 56mm fits the bill perfectly. Although, if i need a bit more Background in a image, i didn't hesitate to use my 32mm Touit, that lens is stunning and i love it as well.
Wow, thanks for such a comprehensive review! I recently just sold my 50f2 as well, as I have the 56 and 50-140. I found that I hardly ever used it. However, it would be irresponsible to sell of my Fuji gear without replacing it with something else, so I picked up a x100f :)
Terrific review! Very balanced with lots of context. Thank you for putting in the time to do this.
Appreciate all the time and effort you have put into this comparison. It's really helpful. Thank you.
You're welcome!
I've loved pairing the mitakon 35mm + the fuji 90mm recently. When things are too tight for the 90mm the 56 gets subbed in pronto. Killer content as always!
Actually amazed that you don't mentioned the 55-200. I once owned it, sold it when I bought the 50-140 and then rebought it a couple of weeks ago as travel lens.
I bought one of these early on and even adding other lenses (the 50-140 and the 100-400,) can't let it go! It is just perfect as part of an every day kit with the kit 18-55!
Me too, very surprised it wasn't even mentioned, I think it would be better then the 50-230.
Definitely surprised as well that the 55-200 was not included, would have loved to see it compared to it´s big brother. Perhaps they wanted to give viewers a really low cost alternative with the xc lens.
I'd say its because this is not really a bokeh lens either, and with both the 50-230 and the 50 f/2 available its hard to put it in as the budget option.
What an excellent video! Nice and in-depth. I appreciate the hard work you have put into this. The 50-140 has been my favorite portrait lens with the lens compression that it offers, however the 90mm has my eye after watching this video... might have to get my hands on that one. I already have the rest of the f2 lineup. Love the fujicrons!
Great video as usual! I'm just wondering though: the 55-200 was a no-show.. how come?
indeed and it does produce awesome portraits till 150mm it is equally sharp and f4
I've never even touched a fuji camera, yet here I am watching a 30 min video because I want to hear a soothing voice
Haha. Careful. There are some subliminal messages in there. :)
Nice Video.
The 18-55 @ 55/4 is also a great contender! Really love its portraits at this focal length/aperture.
Or 16-55 2.8 at 55
Thank you Andrew, you just help me choose a lens that is not included in this video: the 55-200 f3,5-4,8.
It’s not too big or too heavy for such a wide range, it’s relatively affordable, the aperture is better than many Canon or Nikon, the results are very good and the stabilization is great. Sadly it’s not WR, it’s protruding quite a lot and not the fastest one. But a great compromise anyway.
it's a great lens....I shoot sports with it and the images are just great
Thanks for the review, I’m back with Fuji with the arrival of the X-T30, and I’ve owned the 56 and loved the IQ but the AF was really slow and inconsistent. Good to hear about other options.
Dude, I’m in the same boat with the 80mm f/2.8, I actually bought it after watching your previous videos with it, but I just don’t shoot enough macro and I have the 56mm and 50-140mm! To be fair, it did capture one of my favorite portraits of my 2 year old daughter last summer, but I’ll be selling my 80mm f/2.8 too.
holy moly talk about in depth - have a nice weekend man
Haha. You too!
Great video! I do a lot of low light church work where I am limited in where I can stand and the 50-140 is my workhorse lens. For portraits I shoot it around 90 and it gets the job done.
Completely agree with u on the 50-230... output quality surprisingly good if u have plenty of light. I recently sold it together with my old X-M1 and kit lens... most likely going for 90mm f2 :)
Wow. Great video. Thanks for the time you dedicated to it. I recently sold the 56 because I looked at lightroom metadata and I just never used it. Turns out most of the portraits I take are with the 35mm f1.4 and the Voigtlander 40mm SC. The voigtlander just has something special about it that I cant put my finger on. The joy of not being a pro photographer is that It only has to make me happy 😀😀😀
Peter Abbott Voigtländer has a signature look in all of their lenses that make them special, and the Voigtländer colors are nice, and punchy. I've owned several Voigtländer lenses and I love using them on my Fuji cameras.
you earned my like with the bokeh pre-ramble, I completely agree!
the 80mm macro is RIDICULOUSLY sharp so hearing that it is in a 2nd tier for sharpness is very surprising. jonas raskl has also stated that he believes it to be the sharpest XF lens. appreciate the review though.
Very awesome review. I happened to pick up the 90mm due to the sale ending this weekend and I just love it. ...but not for portraiture but rather tele for landscape as it is a good and light option for long hikes and also for the type of macro-ish shooting I do with flowers and other stuff in nature. Extension tubes get me enough magnefication and it focuses close enough. I think my 80 will be going for sale soon. Also I picked up 56mm again, sale price temptations, as I missed the one I sold last year. And to my surprise this one I just got has a much nicer aperture ring. Seems tighter with better detents.
Oh interesting. I wonder if they improved things on the aperture ring, or if mine has just been abused through the years.
I love Fuji, but I think from copy to copy Fuji lenses can vary on the aperture ring. I'm sure they want to be consistent, but since you are tightening screws to set the tension, I don't think it's consistent. I bought a used 18mm 2 months ago, with a stiff aperture ring, and others tell me theirs is very loose. @@AndrewGoodCamera
That 90 thooo!! I found a used one on Adorama and decided to go for it. It seems like exactly what I want. Thanks for this! Always love your work. And that little lens beat at the beginning...nice touch. Bet it took a lot of work.
Fabulousness! The 90 is my go to lens, believe it or not. I use it for portraits, family sessions, landscape, ICM and events. I just wish it had a little brother for the times when I need the 90 feel but the 90 is just too long. I’m torn between the 56 and the 50 for this and I’ll be watching out for your next video comparing AF with XT2 vs XT3. I currently have 2 XT2s for work and tbh it’s plenty enough camera for me but I’ve heard the speed of the 56 is a limiting factor on the T2 that is much much better on the T3. The 50 makes sense for most things but I just don’t know. Here in Austria it’s not possible to rent one, so try before you buy isn’t an option 🤔
also the 35mm f/1.4 is damn good for portraits...
Have it. Sold it. Bougth 50mm f2 and I love it!
@@PaprykowyMonarcha I love both those lenses but I think the 35mm 1.4 (and the 90mm) would be the last lens I ever sell!
I will never sell my 35mm f1.4
Excellent review. Frankly I didn't think I needed this and watched when on holiday out of boredom, however I have to say I was pleasantly surprised both by the content and the the delivery. Thumbs up for sure. :) Thanks. Gonna subscribe too.
Thank you so much for this video, it helped a lot! I just switched from the A7(r)iii to the XT-2 and XT-3 and I am in love with these cameras :)
Wow! What a great review ! Very impressive! Very helpful.
I have a little bit different take. I think about light weight easy kit versus quality all costs. Or hand held vs tripod, etc. so the 50 is part of my XE-3 kit. And the 40-150 part of the T-3 kit.
Diff tools for diff jobs.
Thanks again. Thoughtful interesting review. !!
I don't even own a Fuji (yet)...but as a photographer, I found this video quite good - well done.
Thanks for the thorough video! I've been thinking about getting the 90F2 to supplement my 23 and 50 F2 lenses for outdoorsy portraits. Your review sealed the decision for me!
Glad you found it helpful! I don't think you'll be disappointed.
I absolutely love you for bringing levity to this. So many lens reviews are just spec sheet reads followed by test images and zooming in on corners.
“35 elements in 264 groups”
No one cares, Sebastian; moreover, no one even knows what that means.
I think you're spot on in your take on depth of field and bokeh obsession. To me anything below 1.6 should be reserved for low light conditions. Anything below that and you run the risk of one side of someones face being out of focus. Sharpness, contrast, and composition are what average people notice more and they almost never pixel peep to notice those subtle differences in background blur. 1.8-2.2 is more of the sweet spot imo
Awesome comparison, with a free portraiture class included. Greetings from Brazil.
Thank your for this excellent comparison. So much information in such a compact form. Like it !
Went with the 50mm; opting for the 16mm f2.8 further down the road
You have some of the best vids. Much appreciated.
OMG this 90 f2, insane
Hugely informative and a real life comparison... thank you!
Hi Andrew, thanks for the video - I am looking to buy a portrait lens and am tossing up between the 56 and the 90. I currently have a 23 f2 for my XT3. Considering I have this lens already and am looking for a portrait for family stuff, what lens out of the 56 or 90 would you recommend. Thanks
Hi, I'm struggling on my final camera decision, I own d610 and Lumix G80:
D610 mainly for portraits and artistic side, G80 almost with adapted Nikon 300mm to get a 600 equivalent (but is really bad in sharpness at last), and I use it with an old G7 for my videos.
On d610 autofocus is really bad, and I mean really bad, not confident with shallow dof and af-c, good iso performance but I have to edit a lot the pictures out of the card, which is bad. Good potential but too much work for a simple and satisfying result for me, and Fuji colors seems to be better from scratch.
I was looking at x-h1 but ISO is not really comparable because it is underexposed in comparison to other brands, sometimes I shoot 3200-6400 iso with d610. Internet images seem good most of the time at this value but it's not comparable to me, you need different shutter speed to compensate different ISO exposure, so even close at given iso you need higher iso than Nikon.
I like the ibis and good lenses selection btw. This camera with grip seems to be great and I like a standard grip, video is good, and I think the lens I need is just 16-55 2.8 and 100-400. A huge final price to cover my overall usage. My lumix G80 is great for the ibis and the longer focal lenght equivalent, not too heavy, but bad with low light.
I got different scenario available_ buy Tamrom/Sigma150-600 for my d610 (huge lense and slow camera af, bad combo), buy a Lumix 12-35 2-8 and 100-300 for my g85 or just sell everything and get the fuji x-h1 gear selection written above. Also don't know if the x-h1 will improve more the af like on the x-t3 3.0 firmware. Don't want to invest on a camera that will not be upgraded in the future.
What's you thinking about? Thanks :)
What light and softbox did you use? Lighting looks so good! 🙏 great video
Thanks for the really great video, especially the part with the pros and cons for every lens!
Good point also on how much the bokeh characteristics depend on personal taste. I especially love the 56 f/1.2 for the thin and well defined edges on the bokeh balls. I know it can make the background nervous in some situations, but those soap bubble like balls make more than up for it in my opinion.
Then again, when i bought the 56, the 90mm wasn't out yet (and neither were the 50, 80 and 50-140), so no idea how i'd decide today.
This is absolutely brilliant stuff, so informative and great examples as well!
Speaking of the league of F2, you missed the 200mmF2 dude. How do you like that one?
Just joking ;) This is indeed the most honest and rational review on portrait lenses I've seen. Thank you!
Thanks so much for your comparison. Can I conclude that if a little bit sharpness and some cat eye bokeh are acceptable trade offs for price, weight, focusing speed and weather resistance, the 50F2 is the winner?
I’m on the couch with a dreadful cold so this level of geekery is ideal. For some time I’ve been trying to choose between the 56mm & the 90mm. I already own the 16-55mm f2.8, which does an ok job at the long end. So Denae only narrowing it down to the two I’d already chosen, was great it validates my decision, but it would have been even better if she’d have picked just one!
If we could only choose one it'd be the 56 as it's more practical. Bummer about the cold. Hoping you feel better.
Haha love it! Get better!
Brilliant, thanks a lot. Very much information, honestly reviewed, not too scientific. Great, best wishes from Germany
Excellent review. You just made my decision between the 90mm to 50-140 more difficult ;)
Just get them both! For me the 50-140mm is invaluable if you do weddings. Although I picked up the 90mm used for cheap two weeks ago, and I LOVE it! But without OIS it will be used mostly for outdoor portraiture.
Great work! Stunning review!
Whoa!!! What a comprehensive review! I am so impressed! I couldn't agree with your conclusions more. Except I am keeping my 80mm macro no matter what! (LOL!) It's just too good at being a great macro lens. But I love my 90, 56, and 50-140 for people photography! I am still on the fence about the 16-55... It may have to go but I got it in a bundle with an X-Pro2 body at a great price... Great work, Andrew!
Top review. I enjoy the compression of the 90mm over the 56
Just what I have been searching! Torn between Fuji XT3 system vs Sony a7iii for photo. First comment 😊👍🏻 Love you guys.
I sold all of my Fuji gear with many lenses about a year ago and switched over to a Sony A7iii with the Sony 55mm f1.8, Tamron 28-75mm f2.8, Sony 70-200mm f4, and a Loxia 21mm f2.8. These are all great lenses and exceptional image quality. However I sure miss my Fuji and wish I didn't switch but to switch back would cost me about $1500 in losses so I will have to stick with my Sony for another year. I love the FF sensor for portraits and the Battery life of the Sony is unreal. Nice not having to travel with two or more batteries. But the Build quality and menu system of Fuji is far better. Cheers.
Both are great cameras. Full frame will have better depth of field, but it's barely noticeable. Xing Liu has done some good comparison videos. What swayed it for me was that Fuji lenses are also lighter.
Just received my X-T30 yesterday evening and trying to get to know it. Coming from EOS this was very tiny.. but since I thought size matters when traveling I’d thought I give it a shot. Now - there was a promotion when ordering it that gave you a f2 lens for about 50% off. So I ordered the 50 f2. I also got the kit lens 18-55. I am torn between choosing the 50 for portraits (I’m on a budget) or if the difference to the kit lens is too minute to justify it, or to go for a go-around lens like the 23 or 35mm for street photography. Those tree were the option. Some say the 50 is hands down the best for black and white. The aperture of the kit lens is closer to the wider primes (2.8-4) I have to chose today.. please advice.
If you prioritize portraiture pretty high, 50, no contest. But if you mostly want shoot around, travel, street, and.only occasional portrature, I'd go 35f2 or the 18-55. The good news is that all these lenses are awesome.
I must have scored an “Artists Proof” 50-230. It is incredibly sharp. And was on sale in Australia for $199 AUD! As for the the 50mm F2 and the 56 f1.2. If you look at the MTF data on the specifications chart from Fuji the 50mm is sharper at all apertures and centre to edge. For a real bargain the Samyang 85mm 1.4 for portraits. Manual focus? How did we manage for about 100 years? Sell lenses? Are you mad 😂
Thanks for a great video! By far the best lens review I’ve seen! And after seeing it I have to try the 90!
... and yet my favourite portrait lens is still the 35 f1.4... strange, I know.
Casa de Chrisso You are not alone. It is not the sharpest but the colour and contrast are magical.
I like it a lot too.
Ha! I moved to XT3 recently, because of the 90MM. I have no regrets coming from a FF Nikon system. I also purchased the 50MM F2, and the 35MM F2, and the 23MM F1.4, and the 16MM F1.4... phew... lol, yes coming from expensive ass glass to APSC more than capable glass was fun. Oh and to boot, I purchased a Voigtlander 58MM F1.4 which is amazing! Not sure if you ever dabble in manual focus lenses, but it’s fun as piss on this system. Thanks for your work!
Nice. I have the Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1.2 and really love it.
Just sending you a little heart ❤️ Keep it up mate
Thanks man. Btw, I love your Club Cuckoo shirt and wear it weekly. :)
One of the best lens analysis I've seen. Congratulations.
One a sidenote, for how much are you selling the 50 f2? I may be interested.
You did the focus speed test with X-T2 and X-T3, I would really really like to see the non-averaged numbers to see how the X-T3 improves the speed with different lenses. Many older reviews for Fuji lenses talk about slow focus speed and it's hard to get data on how they behave on the X-T3 (while thinking about switching to Fuji). Overall thanks for the great video!
EDIT: Should have watched it all first, found the link now, thanks!
Great job! I had a hard time deciding between the 56 & 90. I finally decided on the 56 (which I've owned now for the 2nd time). I have the 50-140 and felt that it covered the 90 already (btw - I picked up the 50-140 for $800 "demo cond"). I know you didn't cover the 23/2 or 16-55, but these are also good lens in their own right for portraits. You've sold me on looking at the 90 again though...can I use your credit card?
Denae has confiscated my credit card, otherwise, of course. ;)
Your‘re getting better 🧐🧐🧐
Thanks so much for such an in depth review. Can you do something similar for 16 to 56mm range of lenses ?
Dope. I wanna buy the 90 f2 and the 50f2
The 35mm 1.4 is my favourite portrait lens, I know it's not a typical focal length for portraits though!
Well, 50mm usually is (which this is FF eq to) :)
This is one heck of a good comparison👍. You’re right about the 90mm being the sharpest and the most pleasing bokeh. It’s also is fast in focusing. But I still went to 56 for the low light situation and the much softer rendering of the skin. It’s sharp also but not crazy sharp as the 90mm. If I’m doing mostly headshot and half body I would definitely get the 90mm but most of my shoot is full body so its 56mm for me. My next lens would be the 16mm f1.4 and yeah can you make some in depth review and actual usage on it.
Already did
Andrew I enjoyed every second of this video 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Thanks Craig
When showing the full screen samples, please show the type of lens + aperture you used, next time. That way it's easier to follow your video 👍
As usual, your video was fantastic! Thank you! I am very curious why you didn’t include the 55-200mm option? It is right between the 50-230 and the 40-150 options.
No access to that one, and no more money to spend on lenses. :)
Man that was deep! Nice work
The 80mm 2.8 is fantastic.
the most versatile of them all for sure
Can you comment on how the new XF 70-300mm compares (once you have a chance to play with one)? Thanks.
hey i am dont know what to do, i have 56 viltrox and i think to buy the 90mm/50-140 and sell the viltrox/ buy the 56mm fuji and viltrox 85 and sell the viltrox, what do you think should i do? i like portraits streets and some landscape (also i have 23mm 1.4 fuji and 12mm samyang)
I've been thinking of a kiy consisting of the 2.8-4 kit lens, 50-140, and 56mm... but you really have me thinking maybe get the 90mm, and maybe the 50 instead of the 56...
Also considering the 10-24mm someday... and the 27mm "pancake" later to make a "pocket camera" out of an X-T30...
I'm a hobbyist, and have a wide range of uses. Also I'm a single parent raising 3 kiddos on modest income... hope to start my Fuji journey soon with an X-T30 with 2.8-4 kit lens...then add one at a time, and an X-T4 ...
If you were adding to an 18-55 , making a versatile kit, for all purposes... would 56mm, 90mm, and 50-140, be the key ones to snag as I'm able to...? Have you tried the 10-24 or have any recomendation for any wide lens for landscape, street, walkabout use... or is the kit lens and maybe 27mm all I may need...kinda worried with the crop factor that I may want SOMETHING wider than the 18mm of the kit zoom...but that would be one more lens, for rare occasions...
Kinda think a kit lens, 50-140, 56, and 90, would be a well rounded and versatile kit... gives 2 versatile zooms, 56mm for some cases and when light is real low... and 90 for the best portraits when I know I will be shooting portraits...or for macro-ish fun stuff....
Any help would be awesome, hope to order at least a new camera to get into the Fuji system before Memorial Day weekend. ..my Pentax DSLR is dying...aperture block failed and I have fixed it, but don't trust it and am not buying into their ecosystem any deeper right now...
THANKS for your channel...take care in this crazy world...
I have the 50mm and love it outdoors but it is to tight in many of my indoor shots would like to see an update in 2022 including the 35 mm f2
Thanks for your video. I really curious about the portraits lens. But unfortunately, my pocket can't afford the price of these lenses although I really love the XF 90mm f2. Just one question, I a high school student and I want to shoot portrait (my crush is the main reason). And I want to shoot her in secret so I need to stand far away from her, about 160 meter. I'm considering these two lenses. Should I buy the XF 50-200 or the Viltrox 75mm f1.2?
Very nice, thanks, this is timely and helps. I dunno why everybody craps on the 80mm's bokeh. I like it. And bokeh isn't really the primary thing for me, it's just nice when it's nice. Oh how I wish the XF55-200 was included though.
I love the xf200 f2 for portrait. I know this sounds ridiculous but it's awesome