XF 1.4 16mm first pics and impression (Penang Streets)

Hi,

last Friday I was able to catch the new 16mm from Fuji.

Not much to say about the build quality. As expected on a very high standard, and meanwhile they also have the aperture ring perfectly under control. Nice and smooth clicks.

Size is between the 23mm and the 56mm, so it's not small but not big either.

One for me really positive change: Finally they have been able to design the lens hood in a way that the lens will stands stable on the hood, as now the front of the tulip is not slightly curved anymore but just straight. GREAT! That is something really helpful in daily life and was and is still annoying for the older tulip-designs by Fuji, I might cut them all ...

But how does it perform? In one word, and even when I tend to praise the Fuji lenses that's something I say on very seldom occasions: Stunning! Yes, stunning is the right word. Optical the lens is from 1.4 onwards very sharp, contrasty and colorful.

The out of focus areas render for such a wide angle lens extremely smooth and pleasing.

AF is of course also quiet and very fast, maybe the fastest so far (but hey, it's an wide angle, it shouldn't be a problem to be fast..) and the MF-clutch design is a nice add on, even if I am not that fond of it.

Flare resistant and contrast: Lamps and sun in the area of view are no problem for the lens, the flare resistance is very high and even in strong backlit situations the lens is able to keep the contrast high.

Distortion: I have not recognized any so far (but I am a lightroom user, so maybe some correction kicks in)

When people say the 2.8 16-55 (and I have it) say this lens brings prime quality into a zoom, they should not compare it with the 1.4 16mm .

But as said, the most important discipline is the optical quality and there this lens really shines. If you ask me, it's an absolute gem.

Attached you find some pictures I took on Saturday evening in Georgetown, capital of Penang Island in Malaysia.

Take care,

Daniel

If you go close, the background is really melting away, buttery smooth

Flare resistant and keeping contrast in backlight situations is also no problem...

This is the only one from Jpeg - the out of focus highlights rendered nicer compared to the RAW-conversion. All the others are from RAW