16mm 2.8 vs 23mm 2.0

[tiggyboo]

I was recently shipped a 16mm 2.8 lens mistakenly - I'd actually ordered the 23mm 2.0.   I'm the proud owner of a new XT-30.  For the moment, I have both lenses in hand.  I have 30 days to send one of the lenses back.  I confirmed what I saw in many reviews that the 23mm is soft when wide open at 2.0.  That does not seem to be the case with the 16mm  at it's maximum aperature (then again, it can't get that wide.)  I also noticed that the f-stop clicks were much more distinct on the 16mm than they were on the 23mm, although I doubt I would have noticed it had I not compared them side by side.  I will say the 23mm feels a little better balanced in my hands with the XT-30 than does the 16mm.

Now I'm struggling over which to return.  I think the 23mm is a better fit as a 'standard lens' - at least the way I shoot.  On the other hand, the other stuff I mentioned above sort of sticks in my craw.

Any opinions along these lines are appreciated.   Thanks in advance!

Al

[MonGoose]

I confirmed what I saw in many reviews that the 23mm is soft when wide open at 2.0. 

 

Nonsense. Mine is tack sharp. You must be using it wrong.

 

There s a big difference between 16 and 23. Sharpness is not the proper reason to choose between one or the other.

[tiggyboo]

And all the other reviewers must be using it wrong as well.  But you make a good point about sharpness - I agree that's just one of many criteria.  I'm thinking I'll keep the 23mm.

[tractorboyx]

I think you now know which lens you will buy next.

I use both on my X-E3, mostly the 23mm.

I personally think the softness on the 23mm is a little over exaggerated.

[tiggyboo]

Thanks, I tend to agree. Maybe I should be thinking of the softness more as a “characteristic” of the lens than a defect :-).

[MonGoose]

20 hours ago, tiggyboo said:

And all the other reviewers must be using it wrong as well.  But you make a good point about sharpness - I agree that's just one of many criteria.  I'm thinking I'll keep the 23mm.

Of course they use it wrong. They zoom in to 400%, post crappy images and call themselves 'experts'. Most have no credibility and are just repeating what every other noob is preaching.

 

You trust amateurs with less skill than yourself? I don't trust reviewers with crappy portfolios. I trust my own eyes and I'm telling you my lens is sharp.

 

If it's not sharp, you're either using it wide open at close range or are focusing on a tiny detail, which is wrong because it's not a macro lens, or are shooting landscaps at f2 and complaning not everything is sharp (it shoudln't be at f2!), or are pixel peeping which is also nonsensical, or have extreme expectations...

It's right in line with the other f2 lenses (35 and 50) :

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 3, 2019 by MonGoose

[tiggyboo]

I'll grant you my own 'testing' was anything but scientific.  It basically consisted of taking a picture of a textured brick wall about 3-4 feet away, outdoors in the sun.  I took several shots at 2.0 and several more at 4.0.  Shutter speed was obviously not a factor.  The 2.0 shots were consistently softer than 4.0 (which were very sharp.)  The dropoff is more than I would have anticipated (enlarging the image was not required to see the difference,) but then again, I've never conducted a test like this.  I was only motivated to try it given all the stuff I've read online.  Maybe I should try it again with another lens and see if the same thing happens.  At any rate, I'm satisfied it's not really going to amount to much if any of an issue with the type of shooting I do - and for what it's worth, that seems to be the prevailing attitude even among those that felt the lens was soft wide open.

[MonGoose]

Every lens will be sharper stopped down but saying it's not sharp at f2, is doing the lens injustice.

I cannot say my 23 is visibly softer than the 35 f2 and 50 f2. It's sharp enough. If you want even sharper, set it to f4-5.6.

Edited July 3, 2019 by MonGoose

[tiggyboo]

I can live with that.  Thanks for the advice!

Al

[tiggyboo]

Hey I didn't even notice those cool graphics you included in a previous message since I was reading on my phone for that.  Thanks for going to all that trouble - it makes me feel even better about holding on to the 23mm!

Thanks again,

Al