Wide lens recommendation for X-T2

SuperSirLink · Joined: 07 Oct 2017 Posts: 17

Looking for some insight as to what lens I should get to add something wider to my collection. I am shooting on a Fuji X-T2...

Here is what I have so far:
Helios 44M 58/2
Nikon Series E 100/2.8
Minolta MD 28/2.8
Minolta MD 50/1.7

So I purchased one of those cheap focal reducers for MD from China for about $80, but was not happy with the performance paired with either of the Minolta lenses... The aperture pin hits the internal element of the reducer and causes the aperture to lock wide open. The edges were very soft and this might be due to the fact that I can't stop them down, but I would like to use the 50 wide open and have a similar experience to having it on the x700...

My hope was to have the 28 give me the close to 30mm equivalent, which is where I am looking to get to. I would like a vintage lens, all manual of course, that would give me 35mm equivalent in the 24-30mm range. I want to shoot landscapes with it and some indoors shots, so I would like to have something that is sharp and fairly consistent across the frame...

My budget would be around $200 and I am not apposed to a focal reducer combination if I know it will perform before I buy it...

blotafton · Joined: 08 Aug 2013 Posts: 1617 Location: Sweden

Canon FDn 20mm 2.8 with standard adapter.
FD/FDn 24mm 2.8

sergun · Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2017 4:06 pm Post subject:

Anyone do not want to offend but Fuji better to use native lenses. Additionally, the sensor x-TRANS gives a "watercolor" and it's bad for landscape. I say this because he used the Fuji for three years (first E2 then T10). I'm not saying that the Fuji system is bad (quite the contrary very well) but for landscapes I would take something else.

blotafton · Joined: 08 Aug 2013 Posts: 1617 Location: Sweden

sergun · Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2017 4:19 pm Post subject:

Sjak · Joined: 29 Sep 2017 Posts: 696

A good vintage wide is not necessarily (much) cheaper than a Fuji FX-lens, although the 16 and 10-24 are really quite expensive. Also, significant progress has been made over the years in mostly wides and zooms. So the idea to also look into the FX-lenses is not bad.

As for these alleged sensor-issues, meanwhile there have been plenty of people showing that you can make great landscape shots with Fuji-cams.

This bing said, for city-walks, I like the Voigtlander 15mm f/4.5. I have version I, which is tiny and extremely discrete. Version III is allegedly much improved, but a bit heavier. The Voigtlander 10mm is apparently very good too, but did not use it myself.

Samyang makes a series of ultra-wide MF-lenses in X-mount, with pretty friendly prices. I have the 12mm and am quite happy with it. There seems to be quite some sample variation though, so best to check your copy immediately upon receipt for potential issues. Also branded as Rokinon, BOwer and Walimex.

Oldhand · Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2017 10:03 pm Post subject:

Yes, you will need to go wide on this crop sensor to get a true wide field effect.
Canon FD 20mm is probably the most economical and the Samyang 12mm can be very good.
Any 24mm lens will be around 35mm equivalent, which can be OK but not always wide enough
On the matter of the Fujifilm sensor and landscape, I have never had a problem with X-E1 and X-E2 and my RAW converter is LR6
Tom

stingOM · Expire: 2012-12-27

Hi,

If you are not looking for classic lenses, then I highly recommend to get the Samyang 12mm f2. This lens really shines on the Fuji X bodies. I went from X-E1 to X-Pro followed by X-T10 and now the X-T2, so I have experience using the lens on various bodies.

In terms of RAW processing. I find the worming effect very irritating. This can't be avoided even after you convert to DNG using the X-Transformer followed by processing in LR (even with the Detail left at zero when sharpening in LR).

However, I recently discovered that ACDSee Photo Studio handles Fuji RAW (non-compressed) very well.
Give it a go and see what you think.
https://www.acdsee.com/en/products/photo-studio-ultimate

Rigel · Joined: 26 Nov 2015 Posts: 121 Location: Belgium

Sjak · Joined: 29 Sep 2017 Posts: 696

There are people who can perfectly render fine detail, landscapes, etc with Fuji-files, and also with (newer) versions of Lightroom.

It is also interesting that all these so-called "X-trans-problems" do only show up with some users and only with Lightroom, and not with most other converting and editing software. So is blaming the sensor is an accurate diagnosis?

In this thread ( https://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/4208901 ) where OP is a LR-teacher, the issue is more precisely worded as:

Adobe has poor rendering of fine detail when demosaicing X-Trans RAF files

However, I fear we got carried away a little, as we are drifting away from the question regarding the WA-lenses Embarassed

SuperSirLink · Joined: 07 Oct 2017 Posts: 17

great insights thanks all! I will take a look at Canon 20mm, don't have any FD lens yet... I also saw there is a Nikkor 20mm (2.8,3.5,4)... I have been really enjoying using vintage glass with my X-T2, the helios is amazing... I don't pixel peep, but I have not noticed this worming effect in Lightroom... I am shooting RAW, so maybe it's there but don't no what I am looking for... I haven't seen any shots that looked odd...

I do have the Samyang 12/2 on my list of to buys, as well as the XF 18/2... Part of the joy of shooting with the X-T2 for me has been the manual nature of shooting and when paired with primes, it just feels like I am making a more physical connection to my photography and not just pushing buttons... I switched from Canon, were most of my glass was zooms. So my plan is to limit my number of zooms for the Fuji... I have a 100-400 for when I want to shoot sports/wildlife and I plan to pick up an 18-135 for travel/vacation/family life shots at some point...

I know there will be a line where modern (super) wides will out perform any older glass. Just looking for that prime I can use that while not as sharp and perfect as a modern equivalent, will give me a decently sharp landscape...

Sjak · Joined: 29 Sep 2017 Posts: 696

The XF18/2.0 is also a great choice; you can find it new for around 300 euro online; I would consider the retail-price of above 500 too high probably.

The 18mm is the only XF-lens that I use on a regular basis. As a walkaround/storytelling lens it is well suited, usually combined with either my Summicron-C 40mm or my Jupiter-3. For friends&family (dinner stuff and the like), I also use the XF23/1.4, which I find amazing, but it is expensive and there seems to be some sample-variation. For anything else, old glass Very Happy

I have the 18-135 as kit-lens, but rarely use it, although I have no issues with it (again there seems to be huge sample variation on this one, seeing the many negative reviews it gets)

Like you, I am not a pixel-peeper. What matters is whether the image can convey what you want it to show, or simply save the memory of the moment. I have no experience with the 20mm Nikons and Canons, but looking forward to your findings!

sergun · Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2017 2:04 pm Post subject:

I had XF 14mm (21mm equivalent) and it was my favorite focal length (as however and now).

coase · Joined: 08 Aug 2016 Posts: 99

An alternative to the Canon 20mm is the older Kiron made Vivitar 20mm f3.8 available in many different mounts (not the later Cosina.) It has the advantage of being able to shoot very closely allowing for some nice wide angle, not quite macro effects.