In this guide to choosing the right Fujifilm lens for the job, we’ll explore everything you need to know to make the best choice for you and your photography pursuits.
Good photography requires two essential pieces of equipment – a camera and a lens.
Great photography requires a Fujifilm camera and a Fujifilm lens! (I couldn’t help myself.)
As a Fujifilm photographer or videographer, you’re spoiled for choice.
The Fujifilm X Series and Fujifilm GFX series boast a fantastic range of digital mirrorless cameras and stunning lenses.
As for lens choices, the X Series alone has almost 40 lenses.
However, when it’s time to choose the best Fujifilm lens for the job, which do you pick?
Let’s take a look at some considerations.
Common Features Of All Fujifilm Lenses
Build Quality
Much like Fujifilm camera bodies, Fujifilm lenses are built tough to enhance the joy of photography.
Fujifilm lenses deliver a tactile experience through clever design elements. They also offer excellent performance and image quality.
For the most part, Fujifilm lenses feature durable, rigid, and high-quality materials.
The external body of Fujifilm lenses is made of metal, including the lens barrel, aperture, focus rings, and zoom rings.
Furthermore, most Fujifilm lenses are weather-resistant against dust, rain, and freezing conditions.
The Fujifilm XF 23mm f/2 lens features a sturdy metal build, aperture and manual focus ring.
Despite using metal, Fujifilm lenses are relatively lightweight and compact compared to other brands.
Where appropriate, surfaces are ridged, allowing for quick location and adjustment without taking your eyes off the subject.
Rigid plastics and rubber grips are used sparingly to maximise durability in all conditions.
Aperture stops are marked, as are the lens specifications around the front lens element.
Performance
In terms of performance, the aperture rings feature a noticeable click for each 1/3 stop, and the focus and zoom rings offer buttery smooth glides.
Their manual controls allow for a purer photography experience where you can control each exposure.
Crazy kids! Shot with the Fujifilm XF 23mm f/2 prime lens.
Of course, Fujifilm lenses also offer a conveniently marked toggle to switch from Manual to Autofocus.
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The lenses fit smoothly and without fault to the Fujifilm X Mount lens mount at the front of Fujifilm cameras. Lens contact points are precision-engineered.
The Glass
It’s well known that Fujifilm makes exceptional glass for its lenses.
The high quality of external and internal lens elements equates to sharper images, faster autofocus performance, and better subject separation.
The elements also enable outcomes in all lighting conditions.
Fujifilm cameras and lenses deliver continuous improvement (Kaizen) in autofocus features and performance.
Front elements of the Fujifilm XF 16mm f/2.8 prime lens.
The lenses utilise the camera’s X Processor (chip) to drive the lens’s autofocus motors.
These motors shift the direction and location of the lens elements within the barrel to achieve quick and precise focus.
This technology allows Fujifilm photographers to shoot everything from motorsports to birds in flight.
(By the way, don’t worry if some of the terms are confusing – I’ve added a Glossary of Terms at the end.)
Fujifilm Zoom Lenses
Fujifilm offers a wide range of zoom lenses that suit many applications.
A zoom lens is ideal when you want a single all-purpose lens or when you wish to photograph a specific subject with changing conditions and distances.
A zoom lets you quickly cover a distance by rotating the zoom ring on the lens body. Subjects can be brought closer to you or further away.
Choosing a zoom lens for your Fujifilm X Series camera requires a little thought about the intended use.
For example, if you’re shooting landscape or architecture photography, you’ll want a wide field of view in order to optimise the composition.
Melbourne city scene shot with the Fujifilm XF 8-16mm f/2.8
A wide-angle zoom lens, such as the Fujifilm XF 8-16mm f/2.8 WR, gives greater control over the amount of landscape you want in the shot.
A standard zoom lens is ideal for everyday carry. It performs perfectly in most situations and readily allows for flexibility in changing focal distance or field of view.
An example is the highly sought-after Fujifilm XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 kit lens.
Unless otherwise specified, it’s typically packed in the box with most Fujifilm X Series camera bodies.
It also features Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), which ensures that camera shake and motion blur are minimized.
Kyoto street scene shot from across the road with the Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8
As for telephoto zoom lenses, they allow for greater distances to be covered without walking an inch.
Typically, telephoto zoom lenses work best in sporting, wildlife, wedding, and bird photography.
Remember, the longer the zoom, the narrower the field of view.
Capturing a hawk in flight is not easy. However, a telephoto zoom lens such as the Fujifilm XF 150-600mm f/5.6-8, which also features OIS, captures image clarity and sharpness like the hawk is a few feet away.
Fujifilm zoom lenses are of the highest quality, feature precision engineering, and deliver exceptional outcomes in situations where your subject is on the move.
Zooming in and out on a subject allows you to stand still and compose the best shot.
Fujifilm Prime Lenses
If Fujifilm zoom lenses are so great, why consider a prime lens? Aren’t prime lenses limited in their flexibility? These are fair questions to ask.
First and foremost, personal choice plays a big part in choosing a Fujifilm zoom over a prime lens.
Some Fujifilm photographers prefer and enjoy using prime lenses due to the nature of their chosen genre.
Or, they prefer the challenge of zooming with their feet to create the right composition.
Melbourne streets shot with the Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8
Yes, zoom lenses offer a great deal of flexibility. However, prime lenses have their strengths, too.
Prime lenses don’t feature motors to move the lens elements that zoom lenses require to maintain a clear field of view. As a result, prime lenses tend to be lighter and more compact.
The glass elements inside a prime lens are typically less complex, resulting in faster autofocus performance and less glass to shift.
You’ll also find that prime lenses tend to have wider and faster apertures – allowing more light through the lens to hit the image sensor.
As a result, many portrait photographers opt for a prime lens to maximise subject separation and achieve smoother background blur – bokeh!
As found with Fujifilm zoom lenses, the available prime lens options are vast.
A wide-angle prime Fujifilm lens, including the Fujifilm XF 16mm f/1.2, delivers a wide field of view with exceptional image sharpness.
The wide f/1.2 aperture allows for landscape, street, or architectural photography in almost any lighting conditions – especially at night.
The old Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo shot with the Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4
Standard prime lenses are great all-rounders!
Fujifilm offers a great range of standard prime lenses ideal for street photography, portraits, weddings, or capturing precious family moments.
What’s more, the range caters to varying skill levels and budgets.
One of the best Fujifilm standard prime lenses is the XF 23mm f/1.4. The weather-sealed fast prime delivers impressive image quality in any lighting.
While it’s not the fastest autofocus Fujifilm lens, it more than makes up for it with output.
It grants a natural 63.4-degree field of view to capture subjects and enough surroundings for context.
The Fujifilm XF 90mm f/2 is a fast telephoto prime lens ideal for portraiture.
Telephoto prime lenses are a bit more of a specialty in nature, yet they’re still easy to learn and master, as are all Fujifilm lenses.
The coveted Fujifilm XF 90mm f/2 lens is a great example. It’s ideal for portraiture and product photography. It’s fast and silent and takes gorgeous portraits with delicious bokeh.
Or, if you have a ridiculous amount of money to spend, look at the monster Fujifilm XF 200mm f/2.
It boasts OIS, linear motors, weather resistance and a hefty 2.265kg weight.
However, paired with a Fujifilm X-T5, it purrs and delivers some of the sharpest images I’ve ever seen!
(Find out more about the best lenses for the Fujifilm X-T5 here.)
What About GFX, Macro, and Teleconvertors?
Fujifilm GFX
Fujifilm offers other lenses to suit photographers shooting with X Series cameras.
They also have a growing range of dramatically sharp lenses for the Fujifilm GFX medium format camera range.
The GFX lineup includes wide, standard, and telephoto zoom and prime lenses built to the same high standards as the X Series range we’ve discussed.
Much like the GFX range of cameras, GFX lenses are typically larger and heavier than the X Series equivalents.
A medium format image sensor found on the Fujifilm GFX 100 II is larger and more densely packed with pixels than a typical X-Mount camera.
To optimize the megapixel count, you need enough glass to match.
Macro Lenses
Other lens options available for Fujifilm X cameras include macro lenses, which are among the most popular choices.
A macro lens is similar to a standard or telephoto prime in build quality and image clarity.
Macro lenses are engineered to take close-up images of tiny subjects, including flora, jewellery, and insects.
Handheld shot with the Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 1:1 macro lens.
The lens elements are configured so that the minimum focus distance is far closer than a typical prime.
Furthermore, Fujifilm macro lenses feature a 1:1 or 2:1 subject ratio, which indicates how large the subject appears on the sensor compared to real life.
The Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2 features a 1:1 ratio, fast focus motors, weather resistance, and enough reach so that you don’t disturb your creepy crawlies.
Teleconverters
Magnification teleconverters, which magnify the focal distance of compatible X Series lenses, are another addition to the Fujifilm lens range.
The Fujifilm XF 1.4X Teleconverter optimises focal distance with a 1.4 magnification – bringing subjects closer to you.
The Fujifilm XF 2X Teleconverter effectively doubles the focal distance of some lenses.
Pairing it with the Fujifilm XF 150-600mm f/5.6-8 doubles the reach to 300-1200mm.
You could stalk anyone with that combo! (Shotkit doesn’t endorse any form of stalking.)
Does Genre Matter When Choosing A Fujifilm Lens?
The answer to this question is simple – absolutely and not at all!
If that’s as clear as mud, let me explain.
Choosing a lens to suit your genre is essential in setting up your photography kit. You don’t want to waste hundreds on a lens you won’t use.
Serious hobbyists and professional photographers require the right tools for the trade.
Hiroshima, Japan, on International Day of Peace. Shot with the Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8
A wedding photographer showing up to their first paid gig with a wide Fujifilm XF 16mm f/2 won’t be doing many more weddings after the day is done.
The wide angle will miss all the intimate details and private moments that a telephoto prime or zoom will capture.
A street photographer walking around a busy metropolis with a Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 won’t be discreet.
However, a Fujifilm XF 23mm f/2 is ideal for capturing people, street scenes, and background context.
If you’re new to Fujiiflm or photography, make the most of the kit lens that came with your camera.
Use it day and night to get to know your camera, style, approach, and enjoyment of photography.
The Cromie’s portrait shot with the Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2
Likewise, if all you have is a Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 prime lens, work that exceptional piece of glass to capture everything you can.
Review your results, processes, comfort level, skills, and enjoyment before making further lens purchase decisions.
Shoot with what you have and become a master of that lens and camera combination first and foremost.
The next step is critical – do your homework and research your next lens choice.
Strive for the best lens to optimise your joy of photography.
Glossary Of Terms
AF/MF – Autofocus/Manual Focus
OIS – Optical Image Stabilisation
LM – Linear Focus Motor
WR – Weather Resistance
Focal Distance – the minimum distance from the front lens element to the subject.
Prime – single focal distance.
Zoom – variable focal distance.
Telephoto – greater focal distance with a narrower field of view.
Wide Angle – a shorter focal distance with a wide field of view.
Elements – the glass discs located inside the lens barrel.
Aperture Blades – aperture blades contract and restrict to control the angle and amount of light entering the lens.
Macro – close-up photography using a specialised lens.
Field Of View – how much of the view is seen through the lens typically represented in degrees.
Max Aperture – maximum aperture is the widest the aperture blades contract to increase the amount of light.
Min Aperture – minimum aperture is the narrowest the aperture blades restrict to reduce the amount of light.
Bokeh – a desirable background blur that enhances subject separation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best general-purpose Fuji lens?
The best general-purpose Fujifilm prime lens is the XF 35mm f/2, and the best Fujifilm zoom lens is the XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 kit lens. Both are lightweight, affordable, and deliver excellent image quality and performance.
What is the best Fujifilm lens for wedding photography?
Wedding photographers require telephoto lenses to reach their subjects without disrupting the proceedings. The Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 is the best lens for weddings, parties, and anything else!
Sometimes, the best Fujifilm lens is the one you already have!
What is the best Fujifilm lens for street photography?
Ah, now this is my cup of tea! The best street photography lens is the Fujifilm XF 23mm f/2. It’s lightweight, compact, weather-resistant, cost-effective, and features fast autofocus and outstanding image clarity.
Do professionals use Fujifilm?
Absolutely! Fujifilm cameras and lenses are in the hands of countless professional photographers in every industry genre. The Fujifilm range of lenses offers choices for amateurs and professionals alike.
Final Thoughts
Fujifilm photographers have an excellent and always-growing range of lens choices.
Deciding which lens best suits you, your style, approach, budget, and preferred genre is overwhelming.
Fortunately, the Fujifilm X Series range of lenses caters to all skill levels, needs, and genres.
If you’ve done your homework and have a good idea of what Fujifilm lens you want next, don’t rush out to buy it.
Consider borrowing from a fellow photographer, loaning it from a camera store, or utilising a photography equipment rental service for a short duration.
Get a feel for it and determine if it’s exactly what you need.
Biscuit admiring the Fujifilm XF 23mm f/2 prime lens while Papa tried to work!
My other advice is to start small and build to meet your growing skills and demands. Use the kit zoom or prime lens you already have to make it work.
I’d also recommend that if you have the choice to upgrade your X-T4 to an X-T5 or buy a new lens, you always invest in the glass first.
Fujifilm lenses are built tough and capture exceptional images. If cared for, they’ll last a lifetime.
