The 16mm focal length for Fuji-X is the equivalent of a 24mm full-frame lens (if these things matter to you ). It’s the start of ultra-wide focal lengths, providing wide-wide without those fish-eye effects. It does give a more exaggerated sense of perspective, with subjects close to the camera appearing quite large, and the relative size of more distant subjects reducing with distance. If you are choosing a 16mm lens, what are the options? Well, just a few, two from Fuji, and another two from 3rd party companies. Three of these lenses sit around the same price point, while the fourth is more than double.
This is a good example of why choosing lenses can be tricky. Which one is best? Read any number of reviews, and you will get any number of differing opinions. Is more expensive better? I think it depends largely on what you want to get out of the lens. If this 16mm lens (24mm equivalent) is to be used extensively for travel, then the Fuji 16mm f/2.8 might be one of the best choices – it is compact and super-light (at 40% the weight of its f/1.4 sibling), it is weather-sealed, and inexpensive. It also gets an impressive amount of positive reviews. Its much pricier sibling, the wider aperture f/1.4 is heavier, but with the added bonus of having the closest shooting distance, and better performance in low-light.
| Fujifilm 16mm f/1.4 R WR | Fujifilm 16mm f/2.8 R WR | Samyang 16mm f/2 ED AS UMC CS | Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aperture range | 1.4 – 16 | 2.8 – 22 | 2 – 22 | 1.4 – 16 |
| Minimum distance | 15cm | 17cm | 20cm | 25cm |
| Optical design elements / groups | 13 / 11 | 10 / 8 | 13 / 11 | 16 / 13 |
| Lens design length, ∅ | 73mm, 73.4mm | 45.4mm, 60mm | 115.8mm, 86.11mm | 92.6mm, 72.2mm |
| Weight | 375g | 155g | 615g | 405g |
| Weather sealing | Yes | Yes | No | dust, splash proof |
| Focusing | auto | auto | manual | auto |
| Made? | Japan | Japan | South Korea | Japan |
| Cost | US$999 | US$399 | US$359 | US$449 |
The Sigma 16mm offers the same wide aperture as the Fuji f/1.4, at half the cost. So for the cost-conscious it might be a good choice, but it is 20mm longer, and is built mostly from a Thermally Stable Composite” (TSC) polycarbonate material (both Fuji lenses have metal bodies). It also does not have an aperture ring, so the aperture needs to be controlled by the camera. Neither f/1.4 lens is compact, which makes sense – a larger aperture means more glass, and hence a larger lens. My final choice? The Fujifilm 16mm f/2.8. Why? I doubt I’ll need the speed of the f/1.4, and I like the lens’s light weight, and reasonable minimal distance focusing. And the price is nice.
What about 13mm or 14mm lenses? Well, that’s really a personal choice. They are equivalent to 19.5mm and 21mm respectively. It really is a matter of preference. A 13mm will provide 85° (hor) AOV, and the 14mm 81° (hor). If we compare this against the 16mm at 74° (hor) it provides marginally more angle. And there aren’t many options out there. Fujifilm has a 14mm f/2.8 which sells for US$900, and Viltrox has a 13mm f/1.4 for US$459.
Further reading:
- Review: Fujifilm Fujinon XF 16mm f/2.8 R WR – Jordan Steele (2019)
- Gear Review: Fujifilm XF 16mm f/2.8 R WR – Drew Robinson (2020)
- Fujifilm XF 16mm f/2.8 R WR Review – 5050 Travelog (2021)
- Compact Impact – The Fujinon XF16mm f2.8 review – Jonasrask (2019)
- Fujifilm XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR Review – 5050 Travelog (2020)
- REVIEW: Fuji 16mm f1.4 WR (Pros, Cons, & Sample Images) – Not a Nomad Blog (2020)
- Fujifilm XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR Review — My New Favorite Fuji Lens? – The Broketographers (2019)
- Sigma 16mm f1.4 – A Good Alternative to XF16mm f1.4? – Alwin Kok (2022)
- Putting the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens Through its Paces: We Review – Ivor Rackham (2023)
- Review: Sigma 16mm f1.4 DC DN Contemporary (Sony E Mount) – The Phoblographer (2018)
Crafting Pixels 