The best Fujifilm lenses in 2021: the best Fujinon zoom lenses and primes right now

Choosing the best Fujifilm lenses to get becomes a lot easier when you think carefully about your style of photography and what you need. Fujifilm makes big, fast lenses for professionals, but it also makes compact and lightweight lenses for travel, street photography and all kinds of casual content creation. Our buying guide includes both!

This buying guide is for Fujifilm's X-series cameras. If it's the GFX medium format system you're interested in, we have guides for that too. They are included in our list of the best Fujifilm cameras and we also have a brand new guide to the best Fujifilm GF lenses.

Back to the X-series cameras, and Fujifilm makes some of the best mirrorless cameras in the business, and the launch of its latest model, the Fujifilm X-S10 really underlines that. This camera has in-body stabilisation, just like the Fujifilm X-T4, so that really opens up the choice of great lenses you can use, whether or not they are stabilized. 

We have just added two more lenses to our guide: the affordable Fujinon XF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 R LM OIS WR telephoto zoom and the super-sharp, super-fast Fujinon XF18mmF1.4 R LM WR.

Fujifilm has been steadily expanding the X-system lens catalog for almost a decade now. Whether you're looking for zooms or primes, wide-angles or telephotos, the system has you covered with multiple options for a range of budgets. It's really been pushing the envelope, too, with the launch of the stunning XF50mm f/1.0 R WR prime lens. This large and incredibly fast optic gives images a wonderful and evocative look – the only reason we haven't included it in this guide so far is that it's a bit pricey and the Fujinon XF56mm f/1.2 (either version) is already great for portraits.

The best Fujifilm lenses in 2021

Standard zooms

Very often you'll buy a Fujifilm camera with a lens included as a kit, but there are also some premium quality standard zooms you might want to buy separately or upgrade to. Here's our pick of both types.

The Fujinon XF 16-80mmF4 R OIS WR is not the fastest X-mount lens in the Fujinon line-up – that's the XF 16-55mm f2.8 R LM WR – but it's smaller, lighter, cheaper, has a 5x zoom range and optical stabilisation, so losing one f-stop in maximum aperture seems a small price to pay. We found it a consistently good performer in outdoor shooting (not so much at close range in the lab), and its build quality and handling are as good as it gets... and ALL lenses should have an aperture ring like this one! The XF 16-55mm f/2.8 might look like the best 'pro' standard zoom, but we think this is a much smaller, cheaper and more versatile all-rounder.

Read more: Fujinon XF16-80mm F4 R OIS WR review

This top-drawer ‘red badge’ lens is Fujifilm’s answer to pro-grade 24-70mm f/2.8 lenses for full-frame DSLRs. The Fujifilm XF16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR actually beats them for zoom range, with an ‘effective’ 24-84mm focal length, and has a similarly robust, weather-resistant construction. Performance is fabulous in all respects, with super-fast and highly accurate autofocus enabled by a twin linear motor, plus a feast of glassware that includes three aspherical elements and three ED (Extra-low Dispersion) elements. Sharpness and contrast are spectacular, bokeh is beautiful and there’s excellent resistance to ghosting and flare, thanks to dual conventional and nano-structure coatings. The only real minus points are that there’s no image stabilization, and the lens is relatively heavy for an X-mount standard zoom. 

Typical of Fujifilm’s ‘XC’ lenses, this one is very compact and lightweight. It features optical image stabilization but adds a dual-speed ‘power zoom’ feature which is great for movie capture. The 15mm minimum focal length makes this unusually 'wide' for a kit lens, which can be really useful indoors and in narrow streets. Handling can be a little fiddly, as you might expect from a lens so physically small, with no option for manual zoom. Lightness has clearly been the number-one priority throughout the lens's entire development, so it does end up feeling a little plasticky compared to Fujifilm's other offerings. If this doesn't bother you, you'll find the Fujifilm XC15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS PZ to be a rewarding and enjoyable lens to use and optically very good – it's certainly the best Fujifilm standard zoom for travelling light.

Even though most Fujifilm X-mount lenses are comparatively compact and lightweight, it can still be a chore if you need to carry multiple lenses around with you. Ideal for travel and walkabout photography, this ‘superzoom’ XF18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR takes you all the way from wide-angle coverage to serious telephoto reach, equivalent to 27-206mm on a full-frame camera. Naturally, if you like to travel light, you won’t want to be lugging a tripod around either, so the 5-stop optical stabilizer is another bonus. Not just versatile in terms of zoom range, the lens is great for everything from landscape and architectural shots to action sports and wildlife, thanks to a very fast linear motor autofocus system. You needn’t let rain stop play either, as the lens has comprehensive weather-seals applied to no fewer than 20 areas.

Telephoto zooms

A telephoto lens is often the first extra lens people buy once they have a new camera. Here's a selection, including a low-cost option for novices and some seriously powerful telephoto zooms for experts and pros.

Most professional and enthusiast photographers who use full-frame cameras grab a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens for telephoto shooting. The Fujifilm XF50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR is the equivalent X-mount lens with an effective 105-210mm zoom range and the same fast, constant f/2.8 aperture. It also happens to be full of ‘red badge’ finery. Like its sibling 16-55mm optic, this one has fully pro-grade build quality and high-grade glass including five ED elements and one Super ED element, plus dual conventional and nano-structure coatings. Super-fast autofocus is driven by a triple linear motor and, this time, you also get optical stabilisation with class-leading 5-stop performance. The focal length range and wide aperture result in a relatively heavy build but the lens is nevertheless only two-thirds of the weight of most 70-200mm f/2.8 full-frame zooms.

If your budget (and your biceps) can't stretch to the pro-level 70-200mm f/2.8, the Fujinon XF 70-300mm f4-5.6 R LM OIS WR will give both an easier time, and also offers much more reach for distant subjects like wildlife. While it is an enthusiast lens, this 70-300mm is far from a budget performer. It blends portability with excellent range and superior sharpness. When paired with the compatible XF 2x TC WR teleconverter you get a 914mm f/11 lens, which provides excellent value.

Read more: Fujinon XF 70-300mm f4-5.6 R LM OIS WR review

Fujifilm's XC lenses are designed for lightness and low cost, but they still perform remarkably well. Very compact and lightweight for a telephoto zoom, the Fujifilm XC50-230mm f/4.5-6.7 OIS II keeps things simple and affordable. Even so, it features an aspherical element and an ED element, and boasts an ‘effective’ zoom range of 75-345mm. A 3.5-stop optical stabilizer is also on hand to fend off camera-shake. Sharpness is decent across the frame, with minimal distortion or aberration, and the lens is constructed to a pleasing standard. This 'II' version is a pretty minimal upgrade over its predecessor.

The Fujifilm XF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR has all the usual pro-grade attractions and weather-sealed build quality. It’s typically heavy for a super-telephoto zoom, although many on the market are substantially heavier, weighing up to twice as much. Highlights include twin linear motors for super-fast and virtually silent autofocus, a class-leading 5-stop image stabilizer, and top quality optics that include five ED elements and one Super ED element. The lens comes complete with a tripod mounting ring and an Arca-Swiss compatible tripod plate is also available as an optional extra. And if 600mm of ‘effective’ telephoto reach isn’t enough for you, the lens is also compatible with Fujifilm’s 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverters, which boost the maximum focal length to 853mm and 1,219mm in full-frame terms.

Wide-angle zooms

If you like travel photography, architecture, interiors and dramatic landscapes, a wide-angle lens is a must. In fact, if this is your bag, then a wide zoom should probably be your first additional lens purchase. Fujifilm makes two: one that really is ultra, ultra wide, and a second that's a bit more affordable and practical!

In 2019, Fujifilm debuted its widest lens yet, the Fujifilm 8-16mm f2.8 XF R LM WR Fujinon Lens. Its size and price tag put it firmly in the same camp as the pro optics; weighing more than 800g, when it's paired with one of the larger cameras like the X-T3, this lens makes for a setup that calls the mirrorless reputation for lightness into question. Don't get us wrong though, this is a fantastic lens. A sophisticated optical construction ensures pin-sharp image quality, while it also has an extra f-stop over its nearest comparison point in the X stable, the 10-24mm (see below). It's worth being aware that the lens lacks optical image stabilisation of any kind, and its wide front makes it incompatible with screw-in filters. Nevertheless, this is as wide as ultra-wide zooms get, with a full frame equivalent focal length of just 12mm at its widest setting!

Read more: Fujinon XF 8-16mm f/2.8 R LM WR review

This is a new and improved version of Fujifilm's long-running ultra-wide zoom with a sleeker profile, weatherproofing and improved stabilisation, but with the same optical formulation. The Fujinon XF 10-24mm F4 R OIS WR is certainly a nice lens to use. The build quality, finish and handling are absolutely top-drawer, the constant f/4 maximum aperture is handy for photographers and videographers who like to work with fixed apertures regardless of zoom setting, and the aperture ring is wonderful to have. If only the optical performance hit the same standard. It's great at 10mm, but the softer edges at 24mm are a disappointment, and take the edge off (literally) what could have been a 5-star lens.

Read more: Fujinon XF 10-24mm F4 R OIS WR review

Wide/standard primes

Fujifilm's classically designed cameras with their external exposure controls have really revived interest in traditional shooting techniques – and lenses with their own aperture rings. Even better, these Fujifilm prime lenses offer a mixture of speed, compactness and affordability that's hard to find anywhere else.

Fujifilm makes two sets of prime lenses – it's bigger, faster f/1.4 primes and a series of much smaller and more modestly priced f/2 lenses – or f/2.8 in this case. This lens plays to all the X-series' strengths, producing images of excellent quality in a tiny package, and finishing it off with a stylish build. For the price, its results are reliably solid, with decent edge-to-edge sharpness at all aperture settings. That friendly price does necessitate a few omissions: there's no stabilisation, though you likely won't miss it too much on a lens of this type. More disappointing is that Fujifilm skips the fluorine coating for outer elements, a layer of protection against oil and dust that tends to be present on all other X-series lens. It might be worth pairing this one with a UV filter if you're planning on taking it on outdoor adventures.

This is a pretty compact and lightweight lens for a wide-angle f/1.4, and boasts a really neat design and an everyday 62mm filter mount. The optical performance is stellar, even wide open, though there is already a 16mm f/1.4 in the Fujinon lens range, so it feels as if this lens is squeezing into a gap that isn't quite there. There's no image stabilization, which we wouldn't expect in a fast prime anyway, but there is an annoying 'clonking' sound from what we think is the AF actuator when the lens is removed from the camera and its AF system is not being powered.

Read more: Fujinon XF18mmF1.4 R LM WR review

One of the biggest attractions of APS-C format cameras is that they boost the ‘effective’ focal length of lenses, giving you longer telephoto reach for any given size of lens. The flipside is that it’s more difficult to get a tight depth of field when you want to blur the background, for example in portraiture or still-life photography. With a similar viewing angle and perspective to using a standard 50mm prime on a full-frame camera, the extra-wide aperture rating of f/1.4 comes to your aid in the Fujifilm XF35mm f/1.4 R, enabling a tighter depth of field as well as boosting shutter speeds under dull lighting conditions. Contrast and sharpness are excellent and, equally important, bokeh (the quality of defocused areas within images) is pleasantly smooth.

This is another Fujifilm 35mm prime lens (50mm equivalent) but right at the opposite end of the scale to the XF35mm f/1.4 R above. The XC35mm F2 is actually a cut-price version of Fujifilm's XF35mm F2, without the metal barrel and mounting plate, weather sealing and aperture ring. What you do get, though, is the same optical construction (and optical performance) in a lens that's far lighter and far cheaper. Fujifilm has designed this as a low-cost lightweight companion to its cheaper X-A7 and X-T200 cameras, and while it does feel quite plasticky compared to Fujifilm's XF lenses, its performance and its value for money are pretty exceptional.

Read more: Hands on: Fujinon XC35mm F2 review

We’re big fans of the original Fujinon XF27mm lens, which was extremely slim and yet delivered extremely good edge to edge sharpness. This new one meets the same high standards but adds weather proofing and, even better, a physical aperture ring. It’s a great lens in its own right and even better as a kit lens for the X-E4. Fujifilm’s promise of a fast and silent AF motor didn’t seem borne out by our lens, though, which was quick enough but noisy by modern standards. Never mind that, though, because if you're looking for a lens that's small enough to go in your pocket and sharp enough to blow you away, then this is it!

Read more: Fujinon XF27mmF2.8 R WR review

Portrait lenses

We love what Fujifilm did with the Fujinon XF50mmF1.0 R WR, a ground-breaking hyper-fast prime lens that is also perfect for portraits once you take into account its 75mm effective focal length. Maybe next time! For now, though, here are the Fujifilm portrait lenses we really rate at the moment.

The focal length and aperture rating of the Fujifilm XF56mm f/1.2 R APD is equivalent to using an 85mm f/1.2 lens on a full-frame camera. It’s an ideal combination for portraiture, enabling you to maintain a natural shooting distance from your subject, while also blurring the background with a tight depth of field. Even so, the depth of field isn’t as tight as when using a lens with an ‘actual’ rather than ‘effective’ 85mm focal length. This lens fights back with a nanotechnology-engineered ‘apodization’ filter. This special element in the lens’s optical path smooths the outlines of shapes in defocused areas, making the bokeh look more soft and creamy. However, you have to pay a hefty price for the added attraction, as the non-APD version of the lens only costs about two-thirds as much.

This lens won’t give you such a tight depth of field as either edition of Fujifilm’s 56mm f/1.2 lens, but it’s relatively inexpensive lens and is the next best thing for portraiture. If budget is your major issue, you'll find this lens to be more than capable for your portrait needs; f/2 isn't the widest aperture, but will still produce great bokeh for memorable images. The all-metal design helps the lens feel premium (arguably more premium than it actually is) and the full-frame equivalent focal length is about 76mm. The lack of optical image stabilisation is a shame, and this combined with the slightly narrower aperture may mean you're using higher ISOs to get the shots you want.

Macro lenses

Wildlife fans need a telephoto lens to magnify distant subjects, but close-up fans need a lens that can focus far closer than normal, and still deliver pin-sharp images. This is where you need Fujifilm's dedicated macro lens.

This ‘full macro’ lens delivers 1.0x magnification when shooting at its closest focus distance of 0.25m. It therefore reproduces small objects at full life size on the camera’s image sensor, and gives even greater ‘effective’ magnification than when using a similar lens on a full-frame camera, thanks to the APS-C format crop factor. The ability to massively enlarge tiny objects and very fine detail is immense. Innovative features include a newly developed autofocus system that utilizes ceramic balls on a guide rail to ensure the greatest possible accuracy and fidelity across the entire image frame. There’s also a ‘hybrid’ 5-stop stabilizer that corrects for horizontal and vertical shift as well as the usual camera vibration or ‘wobble’. This makes it much more effective during close-up shooting, although you’ll want to ensure you're using a good tripod at or near the shortest focus distance.

Fujifilm lens jargon

The two main classifications of Fujinon lenses are XC and XF (we have a separate guide to medium format GFX lenses). 

XC lenses are designed to be compact and ultra-portable, and are generally cheaper to buy. They're the sort of lenses you'd use with Fujifilm's entry-level mirrorless cameras like the Fujifilm X-A7 and X-T200.

XF lenses aim for the finest image quality and overall performance, and have a more robust construction typically based on metal barrels and mounting plates. At the top of the tree, there are currently three ‘Red Badge’ XF zoom lenses, which represent the best of the breed.

Fujifilm’s X-mount lenses often have a string of letters after their names as well. The letter ‘R’ signifies that the lens has a manual aperture ring, enabling quick and intuitive aperture control in manual and aperture-priority shooting modes. Additional lettering might include WR (Weather-Resistant), OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) and LM (Linear Motor) autofocus which tends to be faster and virtually silent in operation. 

Read more:

• These are the best mirrorless cameras you can get right now
• We choose the best Fujifilm cameras
• Looking to turn pro? We check out the best cameras for professionals