First Impressions Lens Review - Fujinon XF 30mm F/2.8 R LM WR Macro for Fujifilm X-Series

[@DavidsFocus]

Thanks for this video, I have been interested in learning more about this lens. I picked up the 80mm awhile back used and at a great price. The only downside to the 80mm is that it’s so big and bulky when you want to travel and keep your weight down.

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi David! Glad you liked the video. I had a chance to borrow the 80mm for about a month, and while I really liked the lens, price, size, weight were negative factors for me. The 30mm checks all those boxes, and is a focal length I’ll probably use more for general photography. I used the 30mm exclusively in my street photos for next week’s video, and it was really easy to use and love that I can get close for details when I want. Cheers!

[@andreak4280]

Nice review & images! im waiting for mine as i write this … looking forward to using it !! Definitely looks like a good all ‘rounder!

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi Andrea! Many thanks for watching and sharing your comment. I hope you have lots of fun with your new lens!

[@fc4275]

The first proper review I have found. Thank you. Definitely going to get for my xpro2. Do you use the 70 to 300 with or without the extension tubes?

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi! Many thanks for watching and for sharing your kind words. I have NOT used the 70-300 with extension tubes... YET. It's on my to-do list. Thanks!

[@adambaileyshow361]

Happy there's finally been a review of this lens. Nice!

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi! Thanks so much for watching and hope you found the info helpful. Feel free to let me know if you have any questions! Cheers!!!

[@peterthoshinsky6468]

I'm a documentary photographer and I have one of these arriving tomorrow. I'm frequently looking for objects to place in my storyline, but have bumped into the issues of not being able to get close enough. I'm also planning to use it as a everyday documentary lens for when I need "normal perspective" images. I'm not a fan of 2.8, but the reality is at "f one point anything" the depth a field wouldn't exist. Thanks for the excellent review and your wonderful images!

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi Peter! Thanks for watching. I hope you really enjoy the 30mm macro. I was just doing some product photos with it today, and was at f/8 to get decent depth of field - LOL. Here's to many great documentary stories with your new lens. Cheers!

[@blutac318]

Thanks so much for this video. I was wondering whether this lens might be a good walk-about, good for much more than just Macro, particularly as I seem to like an about 40mm equiv. angle of view. Amazing shots too!

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi! Yes, I think this lens is a great general purpose and walk-about lens as well as macro. I have some samples of those kind of photos in the slideshow at the end of the video and at the link to Flickr. Many thanks for watching and taking the time to share your thoughts - much appreciated!

[@bobmoore1954]

I want a macro lens that I can also use to 'scan' 35mm slides and negatives and 120-format negatives. Would this lens be a good choice?

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi Bob! That's a great question, and one I will "guess" and answer to ;) In theory, the XF 30mm should work well as a slide scanner due to its really close focusing distance. However, one potential concern would be possible lens distortions at 30mm focal length (somewhat wide angle). I have not seen or read anywhere where someone has tried using this as a slide scanner, so that's my best guess for now. Cool thing about this lens is that it's a great vernal purpose lens as well, and in the XF line-up of lenses, priced (relatively) affordably. Hope that helps a bit, and love to hear/see what you decide. Cheers!

[@grafixnetz]

Great review, as always. There's something about your straight forward, no hype, honesty that's very appealing. Can't wait to get my hands on one. (next week??) Tested one on black Friday for about 5 photos. I'll head from the store directly to our botanical gardens when mine comes in. I'll trade in my 10-24mm since I rarely use it. Stats say closest FD on this lens is 1.2 cm which is utterly amazing. But that at least gives one some space. Using the 18-55mm with rings, and I've had closer working distances which is not always fun. 2 words: focus stacking:) Tip: try the macro rings on the 70-300. I agree that the character of this lens for closeup work is uniquely pleasing. I have a photo of a bee on a sun flower that blows me away, it's so sharp and vivid. Thanks again!

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi! Thanks so much for watching and sharing these kind words. I hope you get a chance to get the 30mm macro soon. It’s such a fun and flexible lens. Thanks for the tip/reminder to try the extension tubes on the 70-300mm. I’ll give it a try soon. Cheers!

[@grafixnetz]

@@MSladekPhoto Got mine today! What a gem! I traded in the lenses that get very little use, that my current skills aren't good enough to use.

[@MSladekPhoto]

@@grafixnetz Yay! I also traded a lens I wasn’t using much. So good to recycle and refresh. Enjoy the 30mm macro and have fun getting close 📷

[@Ylza179]

Hey there and thanks for this video. I'm still using my XT-20 with the base kit 18-55mm lens with OIS and has served me well for very veryyyy long and I was thinking to get a macro lens recently. Would you reckon this 30mm lens would be okay to use on the XT-20 as there is no OIS on either the lens or body? Because damn, this 30mm despite it being stated for macro, seems like a very versatile lens.

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi! I think the 30mm macro should work really well on the X-T20. you'll have to pay attention to shutter speed a little more so that you get sharp images when desired. Evening with OIS and IBIS, lots of macro photography benefits from a tripod because you are so close to the subject that any little movement is extremely magnified. Hope that helps!

[@jeremyholck2485]

Interesting video and great context for someone who is new to both Fuji and macro photography - thank you

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi Jeremy! Welcome to the Fuji family and I hope you enjoy your new gear and your macro photo adventures. thanks for watching the video and sharing your comment! Please feel free to ask questions as they happen. Cheers!

[@da009999]

The photos at the end are from Des Moine? Is it expensive to live there? How's the mass transit? The XF 60mm is slow-to-focus, but it compensates with great micro-contrast/image fidelity and color rendition. The XF 16mm/f1.4 is even better at close-focusing than the XF 60mm. But, you pay the price in the bulkier size... and price.

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi! The photos at the end are from a park in Kirkland (northeast of Seattle) and Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle. Des Moines is south of Seattle, and is less expensive to live there. Bus system in Des Moines is pretty good along the main roads and a light rail train is coming in about 3 years. Thanks for watching l, these questions and thoughts!

[@tahoeboy2134]

Great video! Love how you went over the different options for macro for Fuji lenses. Do you prefer the 80mm macro or this lens when it comes to macro photography?

[@MSladekPhoto]

I borrowed the 80 for about a month and really enjoyed it. The image quality is awesome and macro looks great with it. For me, and my budget, the 30mm is a better fit at $600USD at half the price of the 80mm. Plus, for me, 30mm is a focal length that works a bit better for my street photography and other general use. Hope that helps!

[@vitorazinheira1739]

Great review. Getting this one. I had the 80mm a couple years ago and was to heavy. got it for 1k

[@MSladekPhoto]

Many thanks for watching and sharing your experience. I hope you really enjoy creating photos with the XF 30mm. Cheers!

[@DigiDriftZone]

Just throwing it out there, but 35mm F2 with a tiny extension tube in your bag? - extra stop of light, nicer portraits/low-light, more portable and cheaper :P - I'd love to see a comparison of that actually!

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi! Thanks for watching and sharing this idea. I do not have the XF 35mm f/2, so can't do a comparison with extension tubes, as you suggest. I think that would be a workable option for folks who already have the 35mm f/2, and want to be able to focus closer to the subject. I've wanted something in the 30-35mm focal length for awhile, but never felt I "had to" have the XF 35mm f/2, for the limited times I would use it. When the 30mm f/2.8 macro was announced, I felt like that would be a better fit for the photos I prefer to make. I like closeup and details, and not having to add an extension tube to get those photos, mean less friction in the way of creating photos. For most of my photo situations, f/2.8 works well - especially considering I'm used to zoom lenses with max apertures of 4-5.6. Next week's street photography video (available on April 26, 2023 at 7:00am, PST) was all photographed with the XF 30mm f/2.8 macro, and I had a great time with it. Cheers!

[@devrajpatel6704]

Hey thanks for this video, it was really helpful, I wanna ask you? How is this lens for portraits in low light conditions? I'm confused between this and Fujinon 33mm f 1.4 ?

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi Devraj! Thanks for watching and sharing this question. The most basic difference between the 33mm f/1.4 and the 30mm f/2.8 is the extra 2 stops (4 times the amount of light) you get with the 33mm f/1.4. That means you can keep your ISO lower. For example, instead of ISO 800, you could use ISO 200. So, if you prefer to keep your ISO low in portraits, then the 33mm f/1.4 will likely be a better fit. The other main difference between the two lenses is that the 30mm f/2.8 is a macro lens, so you get the function and flexibility of being able to extremely close (less than 1 inch) to your subject, if that's helpful in your photography. Choosing lenses is so personal - that's why there's so many variations of similar focal lengths - everyone has different priorities and preferences. I hope than helps a bit! Glad to answer more questions if you have them. Cheers!

[@philipagussoegito691]

Fuji 30mm macro is a gem. Truely wonderful

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi Phillip! Thanks for watching and sharing this thought. I agree! I think this will quickly become one of my favorite Fujinon lenses. Cheers!

[@rickvanderschel]

Brrroooo, God damm i need this lens😱😱😱 Nice video/review dude, new sub here 👍👌

[@petercardow2083]

Nice video Michael, I like the comparrison between the lenses. I got the Samyang but thinking of buying the Fuji 80mm instead, mainly to get the autofocus. Also the "in your face 1:1" on some lenses like the new 30mm dossent suite MY work :-)

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi Peter! thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts. I really appreciate it. We are so fortunate to have so many options for camera, lenses and more to allow us to create the photos each of us individually prefers. It's such a great time to be a photographer. the XF 80mm is spectacular. Best wishes on your photo adventures!

[@petercardow2083]

@@MSladekPhoto hi Michael, I pulled the trigger on the 80mm and received it today, woo... on the H2 it got incredible resolution. But I still cant shake the thoughts of using a Fuji 30mm macro for close (0,5-1meter) product photography in stead of buying a Viltrox 33 f1,4 or the Sigma 30mm f1,4 ? What are your thoughts on this ?? :-)

[@MSladekPhoto]

@@petercardow2083 Hi again! Very cool about getting the 80mm - I hope you have lots of fun with it on the X-H2! Your product photography question is very interesting.... Short answer - I don't have a specific recommendation. But, here's some thoughts: I have the Viltrox 23mm f/1.4, and like it quite a bit and have heard/seen reviews that speak highly of the Viltrox 33 and Sigma 30, but I have not personally used either one. So, my longer thought would be: if you want the ability to get within .5 meters or lots closer to subject, then I think Fujinon 30mm will give you most flexibility to do that. You do give up two stops of light, so that's something to consider, in addition to having slightly deeper depth of field with the Fuji. Also, I'm pretty sure you'd be happy with either of those three lenses ;) Hope that helps!

[@obscurelines]

I guess one of the advantages is that the 30mm is a nice walk around focal length. So I can imagine taking a walk with the kids and capturing candids and then leaning in th take macros.

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hello! Thanks for watching and sharing this thought. I agree! I think the versatility of the 30mm focal length will make this a great macro option for lots of folks. Cheers!

[@Wurzelbinder]

Nice one. Is it also nice for wideangle landscape? Sharp in the edges?

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi Robert! I have taken a few non-macro photos with this lens, and to my eye, it looks like a great lens for landscape and general type of photography. As I mentioned, I'm not a pixel-peeper, so I really have no concern for corner sharpness. Thanks for much for watching and sharing this question!

[@soulation]

Very insightful. Thank you for making this video. I have the TTArtisan 40F2.8. It's manual focus but incredibly sharp. However, I have trouble with exposure since it's so close to the subject at 1:1. Please tell us which method you use to light up the subject while using this len without tripod.

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi! Thanks for watching and sharing these thoughts. My process for exposure is to use manual exposure with exposure preview turned on in viewfinder and screen, and then adjust settings to work with the subject and light. Hope that helps!

[@j5imel]

Have you used with 1.4 or 2.0 TC?

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi! The XF 30mm f/2.8 macro is not compatible with the Fujifilm teleconverters. Hope that helps!

[@thenikoneye]

Great review!. Admits tube extension like MCEX 16?

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi! Yes, the extension tubes will fit,mbira I would hesitate to use them, as that will likely make the focusing distance even closer, creating problems with shadows even less depth of field. I might try the tubes with the lens and see what happens. Stay tuned! Thanks so much for watching!

[@grafixnetz]

@@MSladekPhoto My guess is the tubes on the 30mm will simply not work. My shortest tube is 11mm, leaving only one mm play room.

[@MSladekPhoto]

Good point!

[@grafixnetz]

This lens should be one of the lenses that Fujifilm offers in a kit lens package. Imagine this lens with the X-S20!

[@MSladekPhoto]

Great idea!

[@grafixnetz]

@@MSladekPhoto Don't have to imagine any more. Got my X-S20 today!😍🤩😅

[@MSladekPhoto]

@@grafixnetz YAY! Congratulations and enjoy!

[@mikearst2940]

Aperture ring tightness must vary from copy to copy. After hearing your criticism about the 70-300 I checked my own and its aperture ring was nice and firm. Not loose at all. (So far.) Thanks for the review.

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hello! Thanks for that information. Seems a bummer that it’s not consistent. Cheers!

[@mikearst2940]

@@MSladekPhoto An overly loose aperture ring is the reason I have held back from buying the 14mm lens. I borrowed one from a friend and was really dismayed by how loose that ring is. How could they let such a thing out the door, when so much else about their products is so well designed? Did no one in-house, nor a third party tester, bring this up?

[@MSladekPhoto]

@@mikearst2940 I agree. It’s disappointing.

[@albertsmith9315]

I just bought the 30mm macro for a very specific reason. I rarely shoot true macro, but I would like to not be limited by a too long minimum focus distance. I really like my 27mm f/2.8 Fujifilm lens but because it's a pancake, the amount of extension in the focusing action is very small. This makes the minimum focus distance pretty long and I'm always bumping up against it in the real world. I've never had a problem with the f/2.8 maximum aperture but I need to be able to move in tighter than the lens allows. The 30mm solves this. I give up the compactness, but keep within a few millimeters the focal length and maximum aperture. But, I should never be frustrated by not being able to get in close. I assume that 80% of my photography with this will be in the normal range, but when I need to move in close, no problem.

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi Albert! Thanks for watching and sharing this. I completely agree, and anticipate using the 30mm f/2.8 as you mention - for the relatively small size, awesome image quality and flexibility to get as close as I want, when I want. Have fun!

[@bigd7696]

You really need to try the Laowa 65mm 2X macro. Being apochromatic it's quite exceptional. The 70-300 is awesome, love it on my X-H2S as well. Thanks for the content Mister Sladek.

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi! Thanks so much for watching and sharing this lens suggestion. That 2x macro is pretty interesting! I’ll see if I can find one to check out. Thanks!

[@magoit]

The Laowa 65mm 2x is simply the best and sharpest macro lens for the fuji system. I have also the 30mm and it is also such a handy and nice lens and the AF is very convenient. In terms of image quality the Laowa is sharper and better but the fuji surely has not to hide. It's a very nice lens. Well done, fuji!

[@MSladekPhoto]

@@magoit Many thanks for watching and adding this lens to the conversation!

[@EdwardDunlap]

Agreed - the 65 mm is absolutely the best lens for Fuji macro.

[@KeithG75]

I was about to comment similar but checked comments to see if the Laowa got a mention - A simply phenomenal lens, I've tested it against the harshest light/contrasting backdrops and couldn't produce ANY CA [at any distance] even wide open. I wish I got to use it more, macro takes some dedication, and lately I don't have the same time I used to [due to work commitments] But, for such a small, light, tidy lens that can produce up to 2:1 macro and also doubles as a very sweet portrait lens - I think it's a steal for the money if any kind of macro is your thing [in general macro is best done using manual focus] - It's very possibly the sharpest lens I've ever tried on Fuji [have used many lenses across 4 different Fuji bodies, currently using the old reliable X-H1] - In saying all that, I would still love to try this Fuji as a more general purpose + macro do all carry about. The Laowa is probably sharper but at 60mm is more suited to portraiture outside of the macro capabilities, it is also MF which IMO is best for macro, but for walk-about, not near as much.

[@emmell9190]

You might have missed one early Macro lenses for Fujifilm: the Zeiss Touit 50mm F2.8. Haven't used that lens by myself, but I heard many positives reviews about it. If it is as good as my Touit 32mm F1.8, it's definitely an reasonable option.

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi Marius! Yes, I'm sure I missed a whole lot of interesting macro options for the Fujifilm X-system. Thanks for the information about the Zeiss Tout 50mm f/2.8. Cheers!

[@CalebWeston_dubland]

Very cool! Yes, this lens is going up to the top of my wishlist. I’m curious to see how this lens does with the focus bracketing feature. I know my Canon EF-S macro lens does cooperate since it’s going through an adaptor. I’m eager to retire my old Canon lens! :-) Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi Caleb! Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts. Great - now I have to learn how to do focus stacking… 😉 Learning focus stacking has been on the to do list for awhile, so I’ll move it to a higher priority now. So far, I think the 30mm macro is a definite keeper, and am pretty sure you’d really enjoy it. Happy Thanksgiving!

[@CalebWeston_dubland]

@@MSladekPhoto Yes focus stacking can be finicky. In the camera body you're supposed to be able to do focus bracketing, but I haven't been able to get it to work to my liking. That's why I'm curious to see if a newer lens might work better.

[@bigd7696]

@@MSladekPhoto Focus stacking is super easy, I got it on my first try. I used Affinity Photo to stack the images.

[@thierrylanger1352]

Hello ! I am currently ( surprisingly?) using my 35/1.4 for food shots I need to do for my business Apart from the minimum focusing distance, would the 30/2.8 be a significant upgrade? Thank you so much for your help!

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi Thierry! Thanks for the comment and question. One of the major advantages of the 33 macro is very fast and quiet autofocus. Pretty much the opposite of the 35 1.4. But, since food isn’t moving fast, probably not an issue 😉 I know there’s something semi-magical about images from the 35 1.4, so unless you need to focus closer than you currently can, or have other use cases that require the faster autofocus, I don’t think it will be much of a change in your food photography. Hope that helps and love to hear what you decide!

[@thierrylanger1352]

@@MSladekPhoto Thank you so much ! Based on your very fast feedback, I guess I will keep my dollars for other lenses that are on my shopping list , such as 23/1.4 WR and 90/2 that I guess will bring much more to my joy of taking pictures . Have a wonderful day!

[@MSladekPhoto]

@@thierrylanger1352 Glad to help! Est wishes on your photo adventures ahead.

[@kevin-sj3wt]

how do you think this lens will perform for portrait?

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi Kevin! Thanks for asking this question. This lens has great image quality, so from that standpoint, should work well as a portrait lens. Any lens is a portrait lens, if you use it to create portraits ;) One factor to consider with this 30mm lens is that if you are creating headshot portraits, there will likely be some distortion due to the relatively wide angle lens effect when closer to the subject. But, that effect goes away as you get more distance to the subject, so should work well for portraits from 5+ feet away. Hope that helps!

[@blueanthias]

Great review, thanks.

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hello! Thanks so much for watching and sharing your kind words. Cheers!

[@Enrique-the-photographer]

Yes it’s me again with another excessively long comment (I can’t help myself, I talk a lot, ask my wife). Very enjoyable video as always Michael. I’m not much into macro “stuff”, but about a year ago I wanted a "new toy" so I got a used XF60 in excellent condition (and good price) from KEH and I got great results with it, it is slow to focus but very sharp at the same time, it’s not a 1:1, it’s 1:2, but I added the 11mm Fuji extension tube and I can get very close to the subject, it also works great for portraits. I’m not a mathematician (by any stretch of the imagination) but I did some numbers and the minimum focusing distance on the XF30 is inside the lens hood, so I guess the hood would have to come off and try not to block the light with the lens itself. I completely agree with you on the XF70-300, what a great lens, you’ve seen my iguana and spider shots and they almost qualify as macro, I can really focus very close to them. It’s kind of difficult to pick favorites from your images today because they’re all very good, but you know me, I have to say something, #15, what a great capture, it’s one of those images that make me pause the video, for a macro shot it’s #22, great lighting and detail, a special mention has to go to #12, after all, who doesn’t like doughnuts ($3.50 in south Florida is considered highway robbery). Be well and stay safe.

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi Enrique! Thanks for sharing your experience with the 60mm macro. Very good to know. You are correct about the 30mm macro - it can focus closer than what the lens hood would permit. I very rarely use the lens hood, so not a problem for me. While I agree $3.50 is a bit much for a doughnut, it was a very large and very good doughnut 🍩. Also, everything is super expensive at Pike Place Market, but it’s all usually locally made by independent folks, so glad to pay a bit more to support them. Happy Thanksgiving!

[@Enrique-the-photographer]

@@MSladekPhoto Thank you Michael, Happy Thanksgiving to you and the familia.

[@Snypler]

I'm so glad that I held off on buying the 80mm macro. I'd much rather have this. Thanks for the vid

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hello! Thanks for watching and sharing this. I really like the flexibility and (relative) value of the 30mm. Can't wait to use it more. Cheers!

[@whitebridges1]

Great lens review. I agree that in general Fuji aperture lens rings could be made a little stiffer

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi! Thanks for watching and sharing this comment. It’s getting really frustrating - I must have accidentally changed aperture setting 4 or 5 times last time I used this lens. I love the way the clicks on the Viltrox 13m. Aperture ring work - just right!

[@akfisher7138]

would it be ok with xt2?

[@MSladekPhoto]

Yes! It will work with any X-Series camera. Enjoy!

[@dwrisdon2487]

Throwing in the donuts was a nice calorie break in the montage.

[@MSladekPhoto]

Haha! Yes, it’s important keep the energy levels up!!!

[@LoriRowland]

Has anyone tried using the lens with the focus stacking bracket feature on the xt3 or xt4? I like to shoot with the widest aperture to blur the background but that wide aperture give me a dof about as thick as a sheet of paper. Oh how is wish this was a 1.4 or 1.8 instead. Thanks! 😊

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi Lori! I'm not sure if anyone has done a focus stacking video with this lens. I know very little about focus stacking and have not done it myself...

[@LoriRowland]

One of the bracketing modes is focus stack. I typically use manual vintage lenses and do manual focus stacking which is a lot of work. I was hoping the 30mm macro with auto-focus might be a very nice way to use the camera and lens combo. Thanks for your review of the lens. 😊

[@syrupinacan3511]

Have you tried focus bracketing with this lens?

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hello! Thanks for watching and sharing this question. I have not tried focusing bracketing with this lens yet. It's on my to do list for early next year. Thanks for the reminder!

[@MSladekPhoto]

I have not done focus bracketing with this lens.

[@lychgator]

I'm having a lot of trouble deciding between this and the new 33mm f1.4. I can only get one. Sigh!

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi! That's a tough choice, for sure. How about this: the Fuji 30mm f/2.8 macro, plus the Viltrox 33mm f/1.4 for when you need the extra 2 stops of light. Total price for those 2 is about $80USD more than Fuji 33mm f/1.4 by itself... I've not used the 33mm Viltrox, but I have their 23mm and 13mm and really like both of those.

[@jamesmonte9214]

Great video

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hello! Thanks so much for watching and sharing these kind words. Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@navis5284]

I bought mine from Adorama. It's a gem of a lens BUT it is slow regarding light intake at f2.8 at its widest. Wish it were at last f2 to keep the ISO levels low.

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi! Thanks so much for watching and sharing your comment. As someone who's used to zoom lenses with maximum aperture of f/4 or f/5.6, the XF 30mm at f/2.8 seems relatively fast to me ;) But, I agree, you can never have too wide an aperture! From what little I know of lens design, I think there's more limits on maximum aperture when designing a lens for macro or close focus. Since I think Fuji X-series cameras perform well at Iso 1600-3200, f/2.8 works for me in most situations. Cheers!

[@lodashnotebook5390]

That'd jack up the price. This is a general consumer oriented lens Still impressive tho

[@KeithG75]

It would be lovely if it were an F2 lens, but being also a macro 1:1 I think that could possibly not only add signicant weight and size [because of the complex construction required to add that extra stop] but also a hefty price hike! These days though, even on APSC, f/2.8 is no slouch, with ISO performance of the modern ML cams being so great

[@tommartin9731]

I just got this lens a few days ago, and so far, I am unimpressed. As a newly released lens, I expected better optics. My XF56mm, for instance, is sharp at the full aperature range, but this 30mm is almost useless at f16 and f22 for macro work that needs to be pin sharp, and I don't find that using it as a general walk-around is even as good as the XF27mm. Has anyone else found anything similar? I was disappointed, given the superb quality of my other XF lenses.

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi! Thanks for sharing your experience with the lens. For me, it fills a gap in focal length (30-35mm) I was missing, and I really like its extreme close focus capability. I don't do traditional macro photography at f/16 or f/22, so have not used the lens at those apertures. My guess is diffraction is becoming an issue at that point. Have you tried focus stacking at f/11 or f/8 to see if that can accomplish what you want with this lens? I have not tried focus stacking, but know it's an option with newer X-Series cameras. Personally, I'm glad there's so many lens options now in the Fuji X-System, so we can (hopefully) find the glass for our unique needs. Cheers!

[@cyb]

How is this lens for portraits?

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hello! Thanks for watching and sharing your question. I have not used the XF 30mm f/2.8 macro for portraits yet, but I am pretty confident it will do a very nice job. I would tend to use this focal length for 3/4 or full body shots, and not headshots, as 30mm focal length will likely introduce some distortion when placed close to a subject, which is especially noticeable on faces. Hope that helps!

[@mauricerijnders3507]

Good review ✨👌🏼 I fully agree on the aperture ring being too lose.

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi Maurice! Thanks for watching and sharing this comment. It would be great to know the reasoning and/or design decisions that resulted in this functionality. Cheers!

[@MrWiedzmin74]

the only point is that this lens has a "rattle" effect when turned off, is this the result of a linear autofocus motor?

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hello! I think that sound you hear is indeed likely due to the linear focus motor. Thanks for watching and sharing your question. Cheers!

[@bronzehawk3646]

this lens seems very good but how is it compared to xf 80mm macro let me know the differences and the one you prefer more

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi! Thanks for watching and sharing this question. I only had the 80mm for about 30 days a year ago (here's the video link - kzbin.info/www/bejne/n6KQmYWFmdqeapo), and here's what I remember: 1) the lens was great! Amazing image quality 2) It was large, somewhat slow to focus and expensive for my potential use case. The 30mm is such a great value, versatile in offering lots of potential non-macro uses for me, small, light and amazing fast.quiet autofocus. For me, the 30mm is a much better fit. Hope that helps!

[@bronzehawk3646]

@@MSladekPhoto great thank you

[@M.Redsky]

I heard the mid frame quality is sub par

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi! That’s not been my experience. I suggest you rent one to see for yourself. Cheers!

[@9Mtikcus]

Hi Michael I'm not a macro photographer (portraiture is my main thing), however having a macro capable lens is useful. I have the 60mm F/2.4 and to be honest, it very rarely gets used, it is slow to focus (compared to a non-macro lens) when it moves from near to infinity, but not so slow to focus it is unusable. It works well for detailed work, I wanted to use it as a portrait lens too, but I found it too clinical, I could not use it for events as the F/2.4 is not bright enough and it struggles to focus in low light. My real go to for general purpose work/walking around and a little macro is the 16-80 F/4 since it can focus 30cm from sensor. If I did not have a lot of choices this may be more appealing (especial considering for a Fuji lens it is cheap in comparison to every other lens released recently) I have the 27mm F/2.8 (original) the 35 F/1.4 which already do everything this lens would do apart from the macro. The last lens I got was the Sigma 56 F/1.4 and that is a great lens, TBH the only lens I fell I am really missing that I cannot justify due to high price and would get little use (3 or 4 times a year), would be the 50-140 F/2.8, This is a lens I would love to see something similar from Sigma or Tamron at a cheaper price (or faster at the same price) I'm sure sigma had a 50-100 F/1.8 for dslrs a third cheaper than the Fuji 50-140 so hope is there But a point you made about the Aperture rings I would like Fuji to place an Aperture LOCK on the lenses. (Not just at the A position) This does not affect me often, but a colleague who shoots a lot of wildlife with the XF 100-400 & 1.4 TC often finds himself knocking the aperture ring and in a dark forest etc, going from F/8 to F/11 is difference between an ISO 6400 photo and an ISO 12800 a difference that could result in an unprintable photo

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi Andrew! Thanks for watching and sharing these thoughts. I think Fuji has done a really great job with their recent lenses, and the 30mm macro certainly is a wonderful lens. I agree about the 50-140 - AMAZING image quality, and I love the images, but it's so big and heavy, that I tend to leave it at home, unless a pro gig. It's worth the money, in my opinion, if you need a fast zoom with stunning image quality. I like your idea of an aperture ring lock, not just for "A" - great thought! Happy holidays, and have fun out there!

[@jaegerschtulmann]

would have been nice if it was an f1.8 or f2

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hi Jaeger. I think the determination of maximum aperture is a balancing act of the other attributes of the desired lens performance. Most macro lenses don’t have super-fast apertures as the shallow depth of field of those large apertures could produce almost unusable macro photos when close to the subject. For macro, I usually set aperture to 5.6 or smaller… Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts!

[@yoltmb]

Kenmore Camera is the best. They have saved my bacon several times. Go online for all things Fuji. Crazy fast shipping.

[@MSladekPhoto]

Hello! I totally agree about Kenmore Camera!!! So fortunate to have such an option within a relatively easy drive for me. Great to hear that shipping is so fast, too! Cheers :)

[@ki001]

Nice review…

[@MSladekPhoto]

Thanks so much!