The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Fujifilm 23mm F2 WR and the Fujifilm XC 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OIS for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Fujifilm XC 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OIS is the longer of the two lenses at 65mm. The Fujifilm 23mm F2 WR with a length of 52mm, is 13mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Fujifilm XC 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OIS also has a larger diameter of 63mm compared to the Fujifilm 23mm F2 WR's 60mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Fujifilm 23mm F2 WR weighs 180g, which means it is 15g (7%) lighter than the Fujifilm XC 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OIS which has a weight of 195g.
Filter Threads
The Fujifilm 23mm F2 WR has a filter size of 43mm whereas the Fujifilm XC 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OIS has a 58mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 43mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Fujifilm 23mm F2 WR:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Fujifilm XC 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OIS:
Lens Mounts
Both the Fujifilm 23mm F2 WR and the Fujifilm XC 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OIS has the same Fujifilm X lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Fujifilm X lenses are Fujifilm X-T30 III, Fujifilm X-E5 and Fujifilm X-M5.
Focal Range
Fujifilm 23mm F2 WR is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 23mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
34.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Fujifilm XC 16-50mm F3.5-5.6 OIS has a focal range of 16-50mm and 3.1X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 24-75mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
