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-T5 and the Fujifilm X-H2 came along, 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.
Rod Lawton
Rod is an independent photography journalist and editor, and a long-standing Digital Camera World contributor, having previously worked as DCW's Group Reviews Editor. He has used practically every interchangeable-lens camera launched in the past 20 years, from entry-level DSLRs to medium-format cameras, so he has the expertise to select the best Fujifilm lenses for you.
This affordable little prime lens delivers sharp images at all apertures, and its stylish build is the cherry on top.Read more below…
Best lenses for the Fujifilm X-T4 in 2024
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Straight in with the controversy! The XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR is not the fastest standard zoom in the Fujifilm line-up, nor the best – that's the XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR. But it's smaller, lighter and cheaper, and it 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 stabilization, but the same optical formulation.
The Fujinon XF 10-24mm f/4 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 five-star lens.
So why choose this, and not the more 'professional' Fujinon XF 8-16mm f/2.8 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. Back on planet Earth, we'd still choose the XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR for day-to-day use.
Most professional and enthusiast photographers who use full-frame cameras grab a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens for telephoto shooting. The Fujifilm XF 50-140mm 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 a fully pro-grade build quality and high-grade glass that includes 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 the weight of most 70-200mm f/2.8 full-frame zooms.
The Fujifilm X-T4 has become a favorite camera for portrait and event photography, and the XF 56mm f/1.2 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 over a decade 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 XF 56mm f/1.2 R – which has been a popular portrait lens, thanks to its focal length and wide maximum aperture.
The XF 56mm f/1.2 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 lens is so good that 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 XF 23mm f/1.4 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, but 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 stabilizer, but the X-T4 has IBIS, so no problem!
Fujifilm's latest macro lens is compact, lightweight and delivers a 1:1 ratio
Specifications
Mount: Fujifilm X-mount
Elements/groups: 11/9
Diaphragm blades: 9
Autofocus: Yes
Stabilizer: No
Min focus distance: 10cm
Max magnification ratio: 1X
Filter thread: 43mm
Dimensions (WxL): 69.5mm length
Weight: 195g
Reasons to buy
+
Lightweight
+
Affordable
+
Natural 1:1 ratio
Reasons to avoid
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No stabilization
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Effective focal length is 46mm
For a long time, the only true macro lens Fujifilm offered was the incredibly chunky, not to mention expensive, XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro. The release of the XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro was welcome news to photographers who wanted to have a go at macro without splashing out loads of money.
At less than 200g, the XF 30mm 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 they’re 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 on the X-T4, the standard focal length makes it incredibly versatile, so this lens 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.
Well-priced and lightweight, this little retro-look lens is a great match for the X-T4
Specifications
Mount: Fujifilm X-mount
Elements/groups: 10/8
Diaphragm blades: 9
Autofocus: Stepping motor
Stabilizer: No
Min focus distance: 0.17m
Max magnification: 0.13x
Filter thread: 49mm
Dimensions (WxL): 60x45.4mm
Weight: 155g
Reasons to buy
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Extremely portable
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Sharp across the frame
Reasons to avoid
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No stabilization
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No fluorine coating
We'll finish with something completely different! The XF 16mm f/2.8 is not at all fast, not especially wide, and certainly not a 'pro' lens. But it's small and extremely pretty in a way that matches the X-T4's style perfectly, and it 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.
The X-T4 uses the Fujifilm X-mount, which means it works with all lenses designed for X-series cameras. The model names of Fujifilm’s own X-mount lenses begin with XF or XC (as well as MKX for cine lenses). If you are buying a third-party lens for the X-T4, check that it is made for the Fujifilm X series.
The X-T4 has an APS-C image sensor, so it doesn’t capture the entire picture coming through the lens in the way a full-frame camera does. To get a sense of the type of photo a given lens should capture on the X-T4, multiply its focal length by 1.5.
For example, the Fujfilm XF 56mm lens has roughly the same field of view as an 84mm lens on a full-frame camera.
How do I know which lens to get for my X-T4?
The reason there are so many types of lens in the first place is that different scenes demand different lens designs, particularly when it comes to focal length and aperture rating.
Usually, you will decide what you want to photograph, then get a lens with the focal length that suits the situation. For example, to shoot landscapes you will need a wide-angle lens, while for sports and wildlife you will need a telephoto.
The lens experts in our testing lab run a range of tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest Master testing suite. Photos of test charts are taken across the range of apertures and zooms (where available), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.
We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the centre of the image frame, corners and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths.
There's more to it than just the technical side, though! Beyond the lab, our reviewers test lenses in real-world environments – and sometimes on professional shoots! We work with lenses both indoors and outdoors, in studio conditions and in natural light, with as many different subjects as is possible (or appropriate – there's no point testing a landscape lens' ability to shoot a portrait!).
We take into account everything from handling and ease of use to speed of autofocus and the overall quality of the images produced.
Rod is an independent photography journalist and editor, and a long-standing Digital Camera World contributor, having previously worked as DCW's Group Reviews editor. Before that he has been technique editor on N-Photo, Head of Testing for the photography division and Camera Channel editor on TechRadar, as well as contributing to many other publications. He has been writing about photography technique, photo editing and digital cameras since they first appeared, and before that began his career writing about film photography. He has used and reviewed practically every interchangeable lens camera launched in the past 20 years, from entry-level DSLRs to medium format cameras, together with lenses, tripods, gimbals, light meters, camera bags and more. Rod has his own camera gear blog at fotovolo.com but also writes about photo-editing applications and techniques at lifeafterphotoshop.com
