Sirui Sniper 23mm f/1.2 23mm

A f/1.2 autofocus prime for under $300 that actually delivers the cinematic goods. Soft wide open, but stop down a touch and this thing punches way above its price.

The f/1.2 aperture is the headline act here, and it delivers. Low-light shooting is genuinely impressive, and the 11-blade diaphragm produces bokeh that's soft and creamy without looking like a blurry mess. Autofocus is quick and quiet thanks to the STM motor, and eye tracking works well for both stills and video. But here's the catch: wide open at f/1.2, sharpness takes a noticeable dip. Stop down to f/2 or f/2.8 and it cleans up nicely, but if you're buying this specifically to shoot everything at f/1.2, you'll see some softness and chromatic aberration in high-contrast scenes.

The obvious competitor is the Viltrox AF 13mm F1.4 XF, which is wider and slightly sharper wide open, but it's also more expensive and doesn't have the same bokeh character. The Sigma Contemporary 18-50mm f/2.8 DC DN is a zoom, so it's more versatile, but you're giving up two full stops of light and that f/1.2 look. If you want a fast prime for street and travel, the Sirui wins on price and character. If you need flexibility, get the Sigma.

At USD 279 in the US, this is a steal. European buyers should shop around though, prices swing from EUR 311 to EUR 346 depending on the store. The best deal we're seeing is at the lower end of that range, so don't just grab the first listing you see. For what you're getting, a fast f/1.2 prime with autofocus and solid build quality, this is one of the best value lenses on the market right now.

The Sirui Sniper 23mm f/1.2 is the lens that makes you question why you'd ever pay three times more for a first-party Fuji prime. It's a 35mm full-frame equivalent with a genuinely fast f/1.2 aperture, autofocus that actually works, and a build that feels way more premium than the price suggests. The one thing to know? You're getting 90% of the cinematic look for about 30% of the cost.

If you need razor-sharp images wide open or you shoot a lot of high-contrast backlit scenes, this isn't your lens. The chromatic aberration at f/1.2 will drive you nuts. Go grab the Viltrox AF 13mm F1.4 XF instead, or save up for a first-party Fuji prime if you can't live with the compromises.

Buy it. The Sirui Sniper 23mm f/1.2 is the best budget fast prime for Fuji X-mount right now. Yes, it's soft wide open and the chromatic aberration can be annoying, but those are compromises you can work around. The value proposition is just too strong to ignore.