Lens ReviewMorten ByskovAugust 14, 2020Fujifilm X-Pro2, Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 R, Fujifilm X-H1, Fujifilm X-T1, Lens Review, Fuji XF 14mm, Zeiss Touit 12mm f/2.8, Sample Images, Fuji XF 14mm f2.8 Lens Review, Wide angle lens, Sample Photos, Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 Sample Photos, fuji 14mm f2.8, Fuji XF 14mm f2.8, Fujifilm XF 14mm f2.8, Fujinon XF 14mm, Fujinon XF 14mm f2.8, Fujifilm XF 14mm sample images, Fujifilm XF 14mm sample photos, Fuji XF 14mm sample images, Fuji XF 14mm sample photos, Fuji XF 14mm Review, Fujifilm XF 14mm review, Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 handling and specs, Fuji XF 14mm f/2.8 in action, Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 for travel, Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 R for Interior Photography, Fuji XF 14mm f/2.8 R vs. XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR, Fuji XF 14mm f/2.8 R vs. XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR, Fujifilm XF wide angle lenses, Fuji XF wide angle lenses12 Comments

Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 R Review

The Fujifilm X-Pro2 camera with an XF 14mm f/2.8 lens — The Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 mounted on a Fujifilm X-Pro2

Fuji XF 14mm f/2.8 Review

Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 R - Introduction

In 2015 my wife and I embarked on a life-changing experience. We had just sold our house and had plans to travel to 50 countries in the span of 50 months. I decided to sell my full-frame Canon DSLR system and start all over with a more compact kit from Fujifilm.

When the time came to choose a wide-angle lens for our travels I picked the Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 R. At the time I also deliberated about the XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR and will get into the differences and the reasoning behind my choice below.

Fujifilm X-Pro2 mirrorless camera with the Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 R lens — The XF 14mm f/2.8 R mounted on the Fujifilm X-Pro2 in Serralunga d’Alba, Italy

In the past, I used Canon ultra-wide-angle zoom lenses such as the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L and EF 16-35mm f/4L IS but wanted something more compact, something lighter, and didn’t necessarily need anything as wide as a 16mm full-frame equivalent field of view.

I settled on the XF 14mm f/2.8 R, a 21mm full-frame equivalent focal length, and to this day, I am still happy with this choice.

A young man flies his kite at sunset on Cannon Beach in Oregon, USA. Sample image from a Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 R — Cannon Beach, Oregon, Fujifilm X-Pro2, XF 14mm f/2.8 R @ f/3.6

Specs and Handling

I love the fact that this lens fits in your pocket. With a 58mm filter diameter and manageable weight of 8.3 oz / 235 g, the XF 14mm f/2.8 R has heft with its all-metal construction, and yet it is still very compact.

The optical design has 10 elements in 7 groups with 3 ED elements. The plastic petal-shaped lens hood is not unobtrusively big, does the job, and can also be used with the XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS.

The XF 14mm f/2.8 R feels excellent in the hand and I wish all lenses were this size. It never feels too big or bulky but has a solid feel that gives you a good grip on the camera and lens with an adequate-size focus ring and perfect aperture ring.

The minimum focus distance is 7.09" / 18 cm and the XF 14mm f/2.8 R has 7 rounded diaphragm blades.

At the time this article was last edited the XF 14mm f/2.8 R is priced at $899.00.

The Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 R shown on a Fujifilm X-E4

Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 R In Action

The clutch mechanism manual focusing ring is probably the most significant feature that sets this lens apart and while I like it I have to admit that I rarely use it. It is, however, handy when you want to nail infinity focus.

There is no linear motor for super-fast autofocus and it is not really needed in a lens of this type. With my Fujifilm X-Pro3, the focus is fast and locks in with no issues whatsoever. There is a quiet but noticeable audible sound when the autofocus engages.

An old woman wearing black is walking down the street is Paphos, Cyprus. Sample image from A fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 R — Paphos, Cyprus, Fujifilm X-Pro2, XF 14mm f/2.8 R @ f/8

Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 R for Travel

The Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 R was still with me when we landed in New Zealand in February of 2020, country number 50 in our travel quest.

Throughout the travel blog section on my site, you will see countless photos captured with the XF 14mm f/2.8 R. Please also see the sample images below with a good selection of travel photos.

I chose the XF 14mm f/2.8 R in addition to the XF 23mm f/1.4 R as I found the two would complement each other well. Both are wide-angle lenses but with enough of a gap between the two focal lengths to make a difference.

For a six-week period when we backpacked through Southeast Asia, I only brought two lenses, one being the XF 35mm f/1.4 R and the other the XF 14mm f/2.8 R for wide-angle photography.

Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 R lens mounted on a a Fujifilm X-T4 camera — The XF 14mm f/2.8 R mounted on the Fujifilm X-T4

Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 R for Interior Photography

I was worried when I brought my XF 14mm f/2.8 R as my only wide-angle lens to my first few gigs shooting interior real estate and vacation home properties. For a number of years, I used Canon's EF 16-35mm lenses for these jobs.

I was surprised that I was able to get by with the XF 14mm f/2.8 R as it is very well corrected for rectilinear distortion and renders very natural-looking wide-angle images. In many cases, I actually prefer this look to an ultra-wide angle.

I recently posted my review of the XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR and I mentioned you should consider this for interior photography.

This statement still holds true as I admit at times I do miss being able to go just a little bit wider for this application. The XF 10-24mm obviously has the advantage here.

Fuji XF 14mm f/2.8 R vs. XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR

When I first purchased the XF 14mm f/2.8 I was debating back and forth between the XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR and the XF 14mm f/2.8 R. I tried them side by side and could not see any difference in sharpness. In the end, it came down to the difference in focal length, weight, and price.

The XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR, $999.00, is weather-resistant, weighs 13.2 oz / 375 g, and is a couple of stops faster with its max f-stop of f/1.4. In comparison, the XF 14mm f/2.8 R weighs 8.3 oz / 235 g and is more compact.

Sunset at Cenningan Island near Bali in Indonesia. Sample photo from a Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 R — Ceningan Island, Indonesia, Fujifilm X-Pro2, XF 14mm f/2.8 R @ f/4.5

I mentioned above I already had the XF 23mm f/1.4 R at the time of purchase. The 14mm made more sense in my setup, giving me a nice gap in focal length from 23mm to 14mm. The 16mm felt too close to the 23mm and would have added more weight and cost.

The XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR is a stellar lens and may fit better in your lineup if you need a fast wide prime. I have tried it on a few occasions and have nothing bad to say about it. Check out the excellent XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR also if you can live with a more moderately wide option.

Update:

Here is my review of the XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR and I have now also had a chance to review the XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR.

Fujifilm XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR - Review
Fujifil XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR - Review

Fuji XF 14mm f/2.8 R vs. XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR

The XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR is a more versatile lens and appears to be an optically sound choice. It was not available in its current version when I purchased my XF 14mm f/2.8 R but I am not sure it would have mattered.

This should not take away from the fact that the XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR is a great choice for many but it often comes down to priorities and your current lineup of lenses.

Travel Bloggers, Diana and Morten Byskov with 5050 Travelog exploring Bagan in Myanmar. Sample image from a Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 R — Bagan, Myanmar, Fujifilm X-Pro2, XF 14mm f/2.8 R @ f/8

At the fear of repeating myself from my review of the XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS, I will mention the most important factors of why I will not make a switch from the XF 14mm f/2.8 R to an XF 10-24mm.

Most importantly my system is based on a set of primes and I have no plans to change this anytime soon. I do favor the compact nature of the XF 14mm f/2.8 R and optically it is well-corrected and gives me the option to shoot at f/2.8 in low-light situations.

For a comparison, please check my review of the XF 10-24mm:

Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR - Review

The metro in Copenhagen, Denmark. Sample photo from a Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 R — Copenhagen, Denmark, Fujifilm X-Pro2, XF 14mm f/2.8 R @ f/2.8

Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 R - Image Quality

The XF 14mm f/2.8 R renders sharp, colorful, and lifelike images free of some of the problems you often encounter with barrel distortion and excessive falling lines in wide-angle images when going ultra-wide.

The sample images in this review are captured over a number of years, on different cameras, and should give you a good idea of the quality output from this lens.

The iconic homes on the hillside of Berat in Albania. Sample image from a Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 R — Berat, Albania, Fujifilm X-Pro2, XF 14mm f/2.8 R @ f/13

Conclusion

I think the XF 14mm f/2.8 R is often overlooked when photographers research lenses. The lens does not cry out for attention with a super-fast f/stop, OIS image stabilization, or fast autofocus motors, and yet it delivers in so many other ways.

The XF 14mm f/2.8 R is easy to carry either on your camera or in a pocket if you chose to take a couple of lenses out for a street photography session or for travel photography, which I do all the time.

In my opinion, it strikes a good balance of being wide but not too wide and as you can see below the applications can be numerous.

Pros

Great rectilinear correction with minimal barrel distortion
Compact
The clutch mechanism with smooth manual focusing
Wonderfully sharp with a nice color rendition

Cons

Lack weather sealing

Please see more sample images below.

Price / Availability

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Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 R - B&H Photo

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Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 R - Sample Images

Below are a few of my favorite captures with the XF14mm f/2.8 R. In some of the images, I used Fujifilm film simulations, such as Velvia, Classic Chrome, and Pro Neg. Hi.

Please click to view larger images.