Last Updated on 05/10/2018 by Mark Beckenbach
Small, light, weather sealed – there isn’t much to not like about the XF 23mm f2
Fujifilm’s 23mm f2 R WR is a popular choice for many Fujifilm photographers looking to have a small, compact, and weather sealed 35mm field of view (equivalent) lens with fast and quiet autofocus. Many of these photographers are also likely portrait photographers, who have, as a community, really embraced the 35mm field of view for a variety of looks.
Today we are going to talk about the Fujifilm 23mm f2 R WR and some things to think about with this lens in order to get the best looking portrait results. Some of these tips can be applied to other 35mm lenses and some of these are specific to this lens. But before we get into it, make sure to check out our full review of the XF 23mm f2 R WR if you have not already.
Don’t get too close
One known issue with the [amazon_textlink asin=’B01KNXOCO8′ text=’Fujifilm 23mm F2′ template=’ProductLink’ store=’thephobl-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’7fdd0f64-f0da-11e7-90ea-89d236139fc9′] is that when you are shooting wide open, the lens can be really soft and somewhat hazy at close distances. The issue is due to the optical design of the lens, likely a side effect of deciding to keep the lens so small and compact, which is understandable. But the result is that owners of this lens need to remember this and think about how far away from their subject they are, and either stop down to reduce the effect (by f4 its not really noticeable anymore) or move farther away to get rid of the problem.
There is no set number of feet that you need to be away to alleviate the problem, but we would probably say to stay at least 6-10 feet away from your subject or start stopping the lens down.
Watch the edges of the frame
While this lens will give you the field of view similar to a 35mm full frame lens, the [amazon_textlink asin=’B01KNXAW6K’ text=’Fujifilm 23mm F2 R WR’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’thephobl-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’86eee828-f0da-11e7-b4e8-b956be84e265′] still acts more like a 23mm (24mm) lens would in terms of how it will render your subjects. The distortion on this lens is controlled both optically and through Fujifilm software in the camera, but the further out from the middle of the frame you go the more likely you are to run into things that you wouldn’t normally have problems with on a 35mm lens. Faces looking larger, background not being as compressed, things like that.
If you are shooting with the rule of thirds in mind we suggest keeping your subjects around the points where the lines intersect. This is most likely to give you a result that you will find pleasing, but to say you can’t get a pleasing result elsewhere in the frame. But the composition and the characteristics of the lens sticking to these points will give you better chances.
Pair it with one of Fujifilm’s Pro bodies
This one may seem obvious, but in order to get the best results out of this lens in terms of AF speed and tracking you should be pairing this lens with either the X-Pro2 or the X-T2. You can of course get great portraits with the X-E3 and X-T20 as well, but these cameras are not as full-featured as the Pro2 and T2. Additionally, neither the [amazon_textlink asin=’B0759G8F8N’ text=’X-E3′ template=’ProductLink’ store=’thephobl-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’96dc82e4-f0da-11e7-b40c-0f21c4eef032′] or the [amazon_textlink asin=’B01N10DO3R’ text=’X-T20′ template=’ProductLink’ store=’thephobl-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’a03257d4-f0da-11e7-9433-15535354273a’] aren’t weather sealed, so you need the [amazon_textlink asin=’B01I3LNMAM’ text=’X-T2′ template=’ProductLink’ store=’thephobl-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’8ba89f31-f0da-11e7-8fa2-53ef87390b4e’] or [amazon_textlink asin=’B01A8DUR74′ text=’X-Pro2′ template=’ProductLink’ store=’thephobl-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’91d28858-f0da-11e7-8487-bb60a367ee6d’] in order to truly have a weather resistant setup that you can take outside confidently.
Avoid the manual focusing ring
We don’t like focus by wire mechanisms, and we make no secret of that. To be fair, the implementation of it on the 23mm f2 is actually not horrible, but we do not recommend using it. It’s simply a pain in the butt to fine-tune your focus with this system. We suggest, instead, utilizing the smallest focusing point selector your Fujifilm camera supports and utilizing that to get tack sharp focus on your subject’s pupils. All our attempts to do this in a fluid, repeatable way with the [amazon_textlink asin=’B01KNXOCO8′ text=’23mm F2′ template=’ProductLink’ store=’thephobl-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’a729a387-f0da-11e7-b272-ad632015392c’] were more frustrating than successful – so use the AF.
Take your environment into account
One of the big reasons to shoot with a 35mm FoV is to include more of the environment in the shot with your subject. This helps you paint a better picture of the person in their surroundings – a hallmark trait of environmental portraiture and lifestyle portraiture. So if you are more used to shooting with say a 50mm or 85mm field of view then you will need to keep a much closer eye on what is in the room around your subject than you normally would.
So there you have it, some tips for getting the most out of your Fujifilm XF 23mm f2 R WR for portraits. These combined with the other general portrait tips that you will find on the site will be sure to help you get some incredible results on with your 23mm lens. Good luck!