Best lenses for Fujifilm X-T4 in 2023

It wasn’t so very long ago that the Fujifilm X-T4 was the flagship camera in the X-mount range, with the best specs, the best performance and, some might say, the best looks. And then the Fujifilm X-H2S and the X-H2 happened, raising the bar for professional X-mount cameras for speed and resolution.

But the X-T4 is still an iconic camera that’s still at the cutting edge of APS-C camera performance. It's still one of the best cameras for enthusiasts, best 4K cameras for video and best mirrorless cameras all round. Where the X-H2 models have the firepower, the X-T4 has the iconic Fujifilm retro styling, external exposure controls and compact dimensions – not to mention a far lower price tag.

We’re probably preaching to the converted. If you’re reading this guide, we guess you already have an X-T4 and you’re looking for lenses that can match its potential. 

Many of these are lenses that we’d recommend for any X-mount camera, but here we’ve paid special attention to size and optical performance, and lenses that have physical aperture ring to match the X-T4’s external shutter speed and ISO dials.

Best lenses for the Fujifilm X-T4 in 2023

Straight in with the controversy! The Fujinon XF 16-80mmF4 R OIS WR is not the fastest standard zoom in the Fujinon line-up or the best – that's the XF 16-55mm f2.8 R LM WR (opens in new tab) – but it's smaller, lighter, cheaper, has a 5x zoom range and optical stabilization, 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. It fits the X-T4 nicely and makes a great everyday lens.

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. So why this and not the more 'professional' Fujinon XF8-16mm F2.8 R LM WR? Because that lens is not just massive in its physical dimensions, and in its price tag too. If you can afford it, get it. The image quality and 12mm equivalent angle of view are spectacular, but back on planet Earth we'd still choose the XF10-24mm F4 R OIS WR (opens in new tab) for day to day use.

If you're wondering why we haven't included any f/2.8 pro lenses for the X-T4 yet, here's one we would never leave out. Most professional and enthusiast photographers who use full-frame cameras (opens in new tab) 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 75-210mm zoom range and the same fast, constant f/2.8 aperture. It also happens to be full one of Fujifilm's ‘red badge’ lenses, with 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. The super-fast autofocus is driven by a triple linear motor and, this time, you also get optical stabilization 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.

See our full Fujifilm XF50-140mm F2.8 R LM OIS WR review (opens in new tab)

The Fujifilm X-T4 has become a favorite camera for portrait and event photography, and the new XF56mmF1.2 R WR is the perfect lens to keep in your bag for work like this, with an equivalent focal length of 84mm, the classic 'portrait' length. With the X-mount camera system now being 10 years old, Fujifilm has been steadily updating some of its older lenses - and now it is the turn for a complete redesign of the 2014-vintage XF56mmF1.2 R – which has been a popular portrait lens, thanks to is focal length, and wide maximum aperture. The new Fujifilm XF56mmF1.2 R WR updates the prime in almost every department – improving resolution, bokeh, and adding weatherproofing. It does look as if the old APD variant is no more, but this new lens is so good, we don't mind.

This is another of Fujifilm's new wave lenses, redesigns of earlier primes to better match the latest cameras, autofocus systems and sensors. The Fujinon XF23mmF1.4 R LM WR is noticeably longer than the lens it replaces and doesn't seem to have a lot of glass in the front for an f/1.4, but its performance is impossible to fault – both in terms of autofocus response and image quality. It does exactly what it promises, brilliantly. It’s a bit larger than we might have hoped, though light enough not to unbalance the X-T4 body, and with its 35mm equivalent angle of view, it's a classic fast 'street' lens that's ideal for walkaround travel photography and low light shooting. There's no stabiizer, but the X-T4 has IBIS, so no problem!

We'll finish with something completely different! The XF16mm F2.8 is not at all fast, not especially wide and certainly not a 'pro' lens. But it's small, extremely pretty in a way that matches the X-T4's style perfectly, and makes a brilliant and unobtrusive little walkaround lens. Fujifilm makes two sets of prime lenses – its 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 terrific, with decent edge-to-edge sharpness at all aperture settings. Lenses don't have to be big, expensive or ambitious. They can also be small, effective and affordable, like this one.

For a long time, the only true macro lens Fujifilm offered was incredibly chunky not to mention expensive Fujifilm XF80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro (opens in new tab). The release of the XF30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro lens was welcome news to photographers who wanted to have a go at macro without splashing loads of money on an expensive, heavy lens. Weighing less than 200g, the Fujinon XF30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro lens is considerably lighter making it much better for shooting on the go or taking on holiday. Although aimed at nature photographers or wildlife photographers, macro lenses are also ideal for product photographers - especially those who have to take pictures of small items such as jewelry or beauty products. With an equivalent focal length of 46mm when shooting on an APS-C body, the standard focal length makes it incredibly versatile so would even suit street photography and travel. Like most Fujifilm lenses it has a smooth aperture and focus ring on the lens itself and is weather sealed in nine places to ensure you can use it even in wet or dusty conditions.

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