Fujifilm X-T30 Review - Lenses Review
Lenses
How good are the Fujifilm X-Series’ lenses? The X-Series has an excellent range of lenses covering focal lengths from 8mm to 400mm, a collection that’s only really rivalled in APS-C cameras by Sony Its lens collection currently contains 16 prime lenses and 11 zoom lenses In 2020 Fujifilm will be adding an XF33mm F1 prime […]
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- Page 1 Fujifilm X-T30 Review
- Page 2 Performance Review
- Page 3 Image and video quality Review
- Page 4 Lenses Review
How good are the Fujifilm X-Series’ lenses?
- The X-Series has an excellent range of lenses covering focal lengths from 8mm to 400mm, a collection that’s only really rivalled in APS-C cameras by Sony
- Its lens collection currently contains 16 prime lenses and 11 zoom lenses
- In 2020 Fujifilm will be adding an XF33mm F1 prime lens to the X-Series range
Sony E-Mount cameras like the A6400 have a greater choice of lenses in terms of sheer volume, but the Fujifilm X-Series arguably has the better all-round range of APS-C lenses for consistent quality – particularly if you like primes.
There are some excellent (and not too painfully priced) prime lenses available for X-Series cameras, like the ones below. These generally balance just as nicely with smaller cameras like X-T30 as they do on bigger bodies like the X-T3.
Here are some of our picks of the current crop of X-Series lenses for the Fujifilm X-T30:
Fujifilm XF50mm f/2
If you’re looking for a relatively affordable lens for shooting portraits, travel photos and low-light shots, then the XF50mm f/2 is a great choice.
A mid-telephoto prime that’s equivalent to a 76mm focal length on a full-frame camera, it’s weather-resistant and has a 39cm minimum focus distance, which is handy for shooting close portraits and is better than the more expensive XF56mm f/1.2 R.
It’s very quick to acquire focus and does so quietly (if not completely silently). When you consider that you can buy it with the XF35mm f/2 for only £30 more than the XF56mm f/1.2 R alone, then it becomes a very tempting addition to your X-T30, despite not producing bokeh that’s quite as dreamy as its pricier sibling.
Read our Fujifilm XF50mm f/2 review
Fujifilm XF16mm f/2.8
Wide-angle lenses are very handy allies for shooting architecture and dramatic landscapes, and the XF16mm f/2.8 is an excellent new affordable option for X-Series owners.
Considerably smaller than the superb XF16mm f/1.4 R WR, it’s a great fit for the X-T30 and, like Fujifilm’s other primes, feels very well built indeed.
The weatherproofing makes it more resistant to the elements than the X-T30 itself and it produces very good image quality, with the only minor issue being minor fringes of purple and green along high-contrast edges.
The XF16mm f/1.4 R WR naturally produces sharper results, but at £480 less this lens is good value and a better option if you’re looking to travel light.
Fujifilm XF50-140mm f/2.8
One slight disadvantage of the X-T30’s smaller body is that it doesn’t feel quite as balanced with longer zoom lenses. The XF50-140mm f/2.8 weighs about 1kg and feels pretty large on an X-T3, but it positively dwarfs the X-T30.
That said, this lens’ telephoto range (equivalent to the classic 70-200mm lenses that are so popular on full-frame cameras) makes it incredibly useful to have in your arsenal for wildlife, sports or long-range concert snapping, particularly with that relatively bright aperture.
And it performs perfectly well with the X-T30, producing very sharp photos and pleasing bokeh with fast autofocus (if not super-fast in low light). The OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation) is also useful for hand-holding shots or shooting at lower ISOs in gloomier conditions.
The XF50-200mm f3.5-4.8 is a more affordable alternative for telephoto reach, but this is a fine investment that’ll be a mainstay for years if you can stretch to it.
Fujifilm X Series lens roadmap