10 Affordable Fujifilm Lenses That Are Still Capable As Heck

While it can be fun to always have the newest lens on the front of your camera, that option doesn’t always make the most sense. Using older lenses can usually nab you a pretty sweet discount when compared to the new stuff, without sacrificing too much when it comes to functionality.

Fujifilm has been making cameras and lenses for years with both the user experience and top-notch image quality at the top of their ‘must contain’ checklist. First, check out our list of 10 Affordable Fujifilm Cameras, then take a peek at some of our favorite lenses for the X-mount system below.

XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS

Utilizing an APS-C -sized sensor has its ups and downs. On one hand, you can easily keep your kit size and weight down. On the other hand, there aren’t often a lot of ultrawide options for these smaller-sensor cameras. This zoom lens takes that issue and throws it out the window with an excellent range and optical stabilization.

In 2020, Fuji released an upgraded, weather-sealed version of this lens. We won’t lie–it’s very nice, but if you don’t plan on taking your camera out in the rain, give the older version above a try.

XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS

Bright, crisp and contrasty images await you when shooting through this standard zoom lens. Like the majority of Fuji’s lenses, this versatile image-enabler is blessed with quality metal construction. The fact that this was bundled as Fuji’s version of a kit zoom with a number of camera bodies is shocking, as this lens gives the user a relatively wide variable aperture and a stellar shooting experience right out of the box. That’s more than some of the other kit zooms we’ve seen from Canon, Nikon or Sony.

XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS

With the same type of optical stabilization and metal build quality seen in the other two lenses above, it’s no surprise that the X-mount’s most affordable telephoto zoom is a favorite as well. This affordable option is a great entry into the world of nature, sport or other types of event photography. With surprisingly little distortion or light falloff even at the extreme ends of the zoom length, this lens is something of a sleeper hit.

XF 14mm f/2.8 R

For those who prefer prime lenses, the 14mm f/2.8 is a great choice for street photography or landscape. Keeping things reasonable at a full frame 21mm equivalent, this lens’s aperture goes wide enough to get a decently shallow depth of field, while still remaining compact enough to fit into a coat pocket. That’s not the only trick up the 14mm’s sleeve, though. It also sports a close focus distance of only 0.18 meters, giving it phenomenal close-up and even portrait capability.

XF 18mm f/2 R

The first of two pancake lenses on this list fits snugly to your Fuji X body in order to stay light, tight and discreet. Granted, some consider it to be on the larger side of pancake status, instead preferring to call it a ‘short stack’ lens. Sure, autofocus may be a little slower here than in some of the newer primes, but when using zone focus methods, the 18mm makes a lovely and capable street photography lens on the down-low.

XF 23mm f/1.4 R

Ultra-sharp and impeccably crafted (noticing a pattern here?), this 35mm equivalent opens extra wide in order to give you enough depth of field for portraits or low-light images. The newest version of this lens includes weather-sealing for an upcharge, but if you’re staying out of the rain and want optimum image quality, this is an incredibly versatile walkaround lens for you at a great price.

XF 27mm f/2.8

This pancake lens may never leave the front of your camera. Settling right in the sweet spot between a 35mm equivalent and a 50mm equivalent, this provides the same field of view as a 41mm lens on a 35mm camera. Truly just larger than a body cap, this slim standard keeps things simple, without a lot of frills or distractions to get between you and your image.

Fujifilm recently gave this lens an updated weather-sealed version as well, but for the price, it’s hard to beat the original. It’s even available in silver!

XF 35mm f/1.4 R

The original 35mm f/1.4 from Fujifilm adds a sort of magic to your images with sharp, clean subjects and buttery-smooth out-of-focus areas. Both Fuji’s optical expertise and love of design truly shine in this stellar 50mm equivalent. It’s true that there is a newer 35mm f/2 that packs a faster autofocus motor and weather sealing into a smaller shell, but many shooters who make the switch feel that the newer model doesn’t capture that something special as well as the OG.

XF 60mm f/2.4 R Macro

Being one of the first lenses produced for Fuji X-mount, the 60mm Macro has a few quirks. Autofocus isn’t as snappy as is it on the newer models, but shooting Macro subjects with AF is always tough, no matter the platform. That being said, when it’s utilized properly, the 60mm provides punchy, contrasty and clear images with sublime subject isolation thanks to its longer focal length and wide aperture.

XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR

Rounding out the end of our list, you’ll find a telephoto prime that’s perfect for a variety of applications, from flattering portraits to creatively-compressed landscape shots. Inside, you’ll find a quad-linear autofocus motor that zips your subject into view quickly and accurately. Most impressively, this lens delivers on all fronts while still keeping an impeccably-crafted metal frame that’s manageably light and compact.

SHOP ALL FUJIFILM X MOUNT LENSES

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