Fujifilm XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro Lens Review
A Surprise Compact Macro Lens From Fujifilm - The XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro
I have been following the Fujifilm X-Series closely since 2012 and at times camera and lens releases become rather predictable.
I am not sure if Fujifilm meant to surprise us or were listening to customer demands but I was certainly surprised when the XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro showed up on a lens road map in the summer of 2022.
The smaller f/2 Fujifilm lenses (Fujicrons) have become very popular and perhaps some were hoping for updated lenses in this realm. Instead, Fujifilm has given us yet another compact lens choice, this time featuring a 1:1 magnification ratio.
I am not usually a macro photographer but let’s see how I got along with the XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro nonetheless.
Thanks to Fujifilm Canada for lending me a copy of the XF 30mm f/2.8 Macro in late August. I mostly used it for street photography and travel-style photography but also ventured out to find flowers and a spider in nearby Stanley Park here in Vancouver.
Introduction
Fujifilm currently has two other macro lenses, the XF 60mm f/2.4 R Macro, for $649.00, and XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM WR OIS, for $1.199.00. The XF 60mm is a well-regarded lens but getting long in the tooth as it is one of the first lenses released in the X-Series.
The die-hard macro shooter will probably gravitate toward the XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM WR OIS but it comes at double the cost and almost three times the weight.
The XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro was released in November and targets the occasional macro shooter who is looking for a lighter and more affordable package.
At the time this review was posted the Fujifilm XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR was priced at $599.00.
Handling and Specs
The XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro is nimble with an almost pencil-like shape getting slim along the lens barrel as you move towards the front element which takes a 43mm filter.
I am sure I have written a similar sentence before but I believe Fujifilm gets better and better at aperture rings. The aperture ring moves with ease and yet clicks into place with confidence. It has a nice feel to it.
The plastic lens hood clicks into place without any kind of wobble. The lens has a nice metal mount and the subtle rubber sealing at the rear of the lens tells us the lens is weather-resistant.
At 30mm, 45mm full-frame equivalent field of view, the XF 30mm is curiously close to one of my favorite XF lenses, the XF 33mm f/1.4 R LM WR and equally close to the XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR. I will have more on this below.
The XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro has an impressive 11 elements in 9 groups including three aspherical and two ED elements. Add to this 9 rounded aperture blades resulting in decent-looking bokeh.
What sets the XF 30mm apart is its 1:1 macro capabilities and impressively close focusing distance of 3.9”, 10 cm.
And all this comes in an incredibly light 6.9 oz, 195 g package. With dimensions of 2.4 x 2.7" / 60 x 69.5 mm, the XF 30mm is a bit longer than some of the smaller f/2 lenses in the XF lens lineup.
In Action
Since I added the Fujifilm GFX 50R to my kit last year and have dabbled at adapting manual focus lenses, all heavier than the XF 30mm Macro, it was a breeze to hop on my bike and having to double-check that the X-T5 and XF 30mm was there around my neck.
For street photography, I found the 45mm full-frame equivalent focal length useful, albeit a tad narrow, for scenes where I wanted to incorporate the surrounding environment.
The LM, linear motor, ensures completely quiet and fast autofocus making it easy to rapidly fire off several shots in a sequence.
Whenever I do macro photography I am always reminded of how tricky it can be. Even the slightest wind will move your topic to no end and you have to watch your shutter speed closely in order to get sharp photos. I got the best result on the cusp between strong light and shadow or in the shade.
I found a few plants and flowers in Stanley Park, mounted the X-T5 on a tripod, and came home with a few keepers (more sample images below).
XF 30mm f/2.8 Macro vs. XF 80mm f/2.8 Macro
My top reason for picking XF 30mm over the XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM WR OIS is weight. The XF 30mm feels like a breath of fresh air, being so light, and as a street photographer, the 30mm focal length is much more useful.
I know this is not an apples-to-apples comparison as the XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM WR OIS has lots of other benefits. You can check my review of it here:
Fujifilm XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro - Image Quality
Overall the image quality from the XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro surprised me in a positive way. It delivers on a level that I found to be slightly better than the older Fujifilm f/2 options, i.e. XF 23mm f/2 R WR, and not quite as good as the newer f/1.4 lenses, i.e. XF 23mm f/1.4 R LM WR.
The colors are vivid and it plays well with my favorite film simulation, Nostalgic Neg. Sharpness and bokeh are quite pleasing for the macro photos.
Please make sure to click on the sample images to view sizes up to 2500 pixels depending on your monitor size or pinch zoom if on your mobile phone.
Fujifilm XF 30mm f/2.8 Macro vs. XF 33mm f/1.4
As mentioned above the XF 30mm and XF 33mm are very close in focal length with the XF 30mm giving you a 45mm full-frame field of view and the XF 33mm a 50mm equivalent field of view.
The XF 33mm f/1.4 R LM WR will set you back an additional $200.00, is larger, and weighs almost double but has a faster max. f-stop of f/1.4.
This gives you two extra stops of light, meaning you can keep your ISO lower when shooting in low-light conditions. Creatively it also gives you the option to shoot with a more shallow depth of field.
The minimum focusing distance on the XF 33mm is 11.8", 30 cm, and is considerably different from the XF 30mm Macro at 3.9”, 10cm.
The XF 33mm f/1.4 would be my pick of the two but if macro photography, lower weight, and saving $200.00 are appealing to you the XF 30mm Macro may be the best bet.
You can read my XF 33mm f/1.4 review here:
Fujifilm XF 30mm f/2.8 Macro vs. XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR
Again there is only 3mm separating the XF 30mm and XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR. With the XF 27mm, you will save $200.00 and it is under half the weight of the XF 30mm. Not that either of these two lenses will break your back.
The overall benefit of the XF 27mm is the fact that it is so stealthy. You will hardly see it or feel it on any of your X-Series cameras.
The dealbreaker, however, may be the element of macro capabilities of the XF 30mm and consider also the linear autofocus motor, which makes operation silent.
Personally, for my style of shooting, I would favor the slighter wider field of view with the XF 27mm but again, please remember macro photography is normally not part of my repertoire.
You can read my XF 27mm f/2.8 R review here:
Conclusion
As a lightweight and very portable travel lens, the XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro ticks a lot of boxes. The image quality is good and the operation, handling, and feel are all excellent.
If you do macro photography or perhaps product photography occasionally, the XF 30mm fills a gap nicely in the XF lens lineup and it is surely worth checking out.
Pros
1:1 Magnification
Close focusing distance
Linear Motor for fast and silent autofocus
Lightweight and weather-resistant
Cons
If you don’t necessarily need macro there are perhaps better options in the XF lens lineup
Price / Availability
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Fujifilm XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro - B&H Photo
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Fujifilm XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro Sample Images
Please see the sample images below. Editing was done in Capture One and I used Fujifilm film simulations for some of the photos. Some photos are slightly cropped.
Please click to view larger images.
Main Street, Vancouver, Fujifilm X-T5, XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro @ f/8, cropped to a 4:3 aspect ratio
Kitsilano, Vancouver, Fujifilm X-Pro2, XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro @ f/5.6, cropped to 4:3 aspect ratio
Fujifilm XF Wide Angle Lens Reviews
Fujifilm XF 8mm f/3.5 R WR
Fujifilm XF 14mm f/2.8 R
Fujifilm XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR
Fujifilm XF 16mm f/2.8 R WR
Fujifilm XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR
Fujifilm XF 18mm f/2 R
Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R LM WR
Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R
Fujifilm XF 23mm f/2 R WR
Fujifilm XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR
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