X100T Sharpness of 23mm Lens

[rgk]

I bought a gently used X100T a few months ago, and I began to notice that the center of the image was deadly sharp, but the left and right sides of the image were quite soft. The left was worse than the right. This was easily still seen at ƒ5.6, which is 3 stops down from maximum aperture. In my opinion, the lens should be performing well at that ƒ stop.

 

The fellow that I bought the camera from gave me the original purchase receipt, and the camera was still under warranty. I called Fuji, and to their credit, they said they would still honor the warranty. I sent it in with some test prints and example images on a disk.

 

I received the camera back, and the repair department wrote that they had replaced the lens. 

 

When I test any lens for sharpness, I have a routine where I carefully put the camera on a tripod, level it out, and shoot outdoors at a local university campus with very detailed masonry and brickwork architecture. I haven't had a chance yet - due to unbelievable rains in our area - to do a complete test on the repaired camera, but I had a chance to at least shoot the side of a very weathered barn. The lens is much sharper than before repairs, but the left side is still a bit soft at 5.6 and really doesn't clean up until ƒ11.

 

If I can get a decent day I'll try and post an example image from my test routine. 

 

Just wondering if X100 owners have seen good overall sharpness in their cameras and whether my camera might have a another problem. I'm wondering if a digital sensor could have shifted so that it is not perpendicular to the lens axis, or something like that.

 

 

[immo_p]

My X100T has never shown anything like that...it's just a bit "dreamy" wide open and for macro under F4? But nothing like that asymmetrical sharpness issue...will you send it in again?

[plaidshirts]

Just wondering if X100 owners have seen good overall sharpness in their cameras and whether my camera might have a another problem. I'm wondering if a digital sensor could have shifted so that it is not perpendicular to the lens axis, or something like that.

 

I haven't seen anything as noticeable or uneven as you've described. Mine is generally soft wide open but quite sharp after F2.8.

[mjcmt]

Having had a x100t for 1-1/2 months I've noticed that the lens is sharpest at the midrange distances making it a great street/candid lens. I find it a bit softer in macro and at infinity for nature.

[andrew brown]

Blimey - this is well beyond what I do with any camera.

 

The pictures always seem to achieve what I want within the confines of a 23mm lens. I hope the tests provide results you're happy with.

 

The Fuji glass has always been the best I've ever used, including a range of Canon L stuff and Macro lenses.