Fuji 27mm f/2.8
XF R WR "Perfect Normal" (41mm eq., 2021-)
Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR (39mm filters, 3.0 oz./84 g, 1.1'/0.34m close focus, $399). bigger. I'd get mine at Adorama or at B&H, or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR. bigger.
This 100% all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally approved sources I've used myself for way over 100 combined years when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live — but I receive nothing for my efforts if you get it elsewhere. Fuji does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, dropped, incomplete, gray-market, store demo or used lens — and all of my personally approved sources allow for 100% cash-back returns for at least 30 days if you don't love your new lens. I've used many of these sources since the 1970s because I can try it in my own hands and return it if I don't love it, and because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new lens before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I've used myself for decades for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.
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Sample Images top
More samples at Bokeh, Macro, Spherochromatism and Sunstars.
These are just snapshots; my real work is in my Gallery. These are all shot hand-held as NORMAL JPGs; no tripods, FINE JPGs or RAW files were used or needed.
Some Kind of Agave, 8:51 AM, 26 May 2021. Fuji X-S10 in square crop mode, XF 27mm R WR at f/16 hand-held at 1/13 at Auto ISO 320, +0.7 stops exposure compensation (LV 10.1), "Velvia" film simulation, COLOR CHROME EFFECT STRONG, COLOR CHROME FX BLUE STRONG, AUTO White Balance with +1 Red and -1 Blue, 200% Dynamic Range, TONE CURVE: Highlights -1, Shadows -1, COLOR +4, SHARPNESS +4, HIGH ISO NR -5, CLARITY +5, Perfectly Clear. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.
Pool, 10:43 AM, 26 May 2021. Fuji X-S10, XF 27mm R WR at f/8 at 1/900 at Auto ISO 320 (LV 14.2), "Velvia" film simulation, COLOR CHROME EFFECT STRONG, COLOR CHROME FX BLUE STRONG, AUTO White Balance with +1 Red and -1 Blue, 200% Dynamic Range, TONE CURVE: Highlights -1, Shadows -1, COLOR +4, SHARPNESS +4, HIGH ISO NR -5, CLARITY +5, Perfectly Clear. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.
Orange Granite, 6:54 PM, 27 May 2021. Fuji X-S10 in square crop mode, XF 27mm R WR at f/8 at 1/70 at Auto ISO 320, -0.7 stops exposure compensation to keep the reds from saturating (LV 10.5), "Velvia" film simulation, COLOR CHROME EFFECT STRONG, COLOR CHROME FX BLUE STRONG, AUTO White Balance with +1 Red and -1 Blue, 200% Dynamic Range, TONE CURVE: Highlights -1, Shadows -1, COLOR +4, SHARPNESS +4, HIGH ISO NR -5, CLARITY +5, Perfectly Clear. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.
Introduction top
I buy only from these approved sources. I can't vouch for ads below. |
This is an optically superb and ultracompact lens. I have lens caps bigger and heavier than this tiny gem!
27mm seems like a weird focal length, however it is the "Perfect Normal" focal length, which is defined as the diagonal dimension of the image sensor. The image diagonal of Fujifilm's APS-C cameras is 27mm, which is equivalent to 41mm on 24 × 36mm "Full Frame" or 80mm on the classic 6 × 6 HASSELBLAD system.
41mm equivalent is the Perfect Normal because while full-frame 50mm lenses are often too long and 35mm lenses are often too wide, you'll discover that 41mm equivalent is always perfect. Bravo, Fujinon!
Considering the low price, everyone should have one of these.
I'd get my XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR at Adorama or at B&H, or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
New since 2014's XF 27/2.8R intro top
Engraved alloy aperture ring.
Weather resistant.
Good intro top
Superb optics.
Well built with lots of solid alloy.
Tiny and weightless!
Has both an aperture ring and a focus ring!
Inexpensive.
Tiny, solid metal hood included.
Bad intro top
Offshored to The Philippines; not made domestically in Japan.
Missing intro top
No stabilizer switch to control in-camera stabilization.
No AF/MF switch (not all Fuji cameras have focus mode switches).
Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR. bigger.
Specifications top
I'd get my XF27mm f/2.8 R WR at Adorama or at B&H, or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
Name specifications top
Fujifilm calls this the FUJINON Aspherical Lens XF27mmF2.8 R WR ∅ 39:
Fujinon is Fujifilm's brand name for all their lenses, scopes and binoculars.
Aspherical means it uses aspherically-shaped lens elements for sharper pictures.
Super EBC is Fujinon's brand of multicoating, standing for Super Electron-Beam Coated.
XF is Fuji's line of good lenses for their X-mount cameras.
R means it has an aperture ring.
WR means weather resistant.
∅ 39 means it takes 39mm filters.
Fuji's model numbers are XF27mmF2.8 R WR or 16670168.
Optics specifications top
Fujinon internal optical construction. Image sensor on right. Aspherical element.
7 elements in 5 groups.
One aspherical element to control spherical aberration, field curvature and distortion.
Front-group focussing. The front five elements move in and out as a group to keep the optical design optimized at all distances. The front section extends as focused closer.
Super Electron-Beam Coating (EBC).
Diaphragm specifications top
Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR. bigger.
7 rounded blades.
Electronically actuated.
Stops down to f/16 in 1/3-stop clicks.
Filters specifications top
Plastic 39mm filter thread.
Coverage specifications top
APS-C (16 × 24mm).
Angle of View specifications top
55.5º diagonal.
Focus Scale specifications top
No.
Not on lens, but may be displayed in-camera.
Infinity Focus Stop specifications top
No.
You have to focus somehow to get precise focus at infinity, just like at every other distance.
Depth of Field Scale specifications top
No.
Not on lens, but may be displayed in-camera.
Infrared Focus Index specifications top
No.
Close Focus (distance from subject to image plane) specifications top
1.1 feet (0.34 meters).
Maximum Reproduction Ratio specifications top
1:10 (0.10 ×).
Reproduction Ratio Scale specifications top
No.
Caps specifications top
Standard FLCP-39 39mm front lens cap (p/n 16389707), included.
Standard RLCP-001 rear lens cap (p/n 16389783), included.
Special LHCP-27 Lens Hood Cap included to use over the included LH-XF27 metal hood.
Hood specifications top
The tiny alloy hood screws into the 39mm filter thread. It works fine over a filter, or stack of filters.
LH-XF27 metal hood and matching LHCP-27 Lens Hood Cap included:
Included LH-XF27 metal hood and matching LHCP-27 Lens Hood Cap. bigger.
Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR with included LH-XF27 hood. bigger.
Case specifications top
None; use a sock.
Size specifications top
2.44" ø maximum diameter × 0.91" extension from flange.
62 mm ø maximum diameter × 23 mm extension from flange.
The front section extends as focused closer.
Weight specifications top
2.960 oz. (83.9 g) actual measured weight.
Rated 3.0 oz. (84 g).
Quality specifications top
Made in The Philippines.
Environment specifications top
Rated to work down to -10º C (14º F).
Announced specifications top
27 January 2021.
Promised for specifications top
March 2021, but still scarce as of June 2021.
Order yours and be patient.
Included specifications top
Lens.
LH-XF27 metal hood and matching LHCP-27 Lens Hood Cap.
Standard FLCP-39 39mm front lens cap (p/n 16389707).
Standard RLCP-001 rear lens cap (p/n 16389783).
Fujifilm's Model Numbers specifications top
XF27mmF2.8 R WR.
16670168.
Price, U. S. A. specifications top
May 2021
$399 at Adorama and at B&H.
Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR. bigger.
Performance top
Overall Autofocus Manual Focus Breathing
Bokeh Distortion Ergonomics Falloff Filters
Flare & Ghosts Lateral Color Fringes
Lens Corrections Macro Mechanics Sharpness
Spherochromatism Stabilization Sunstars
I'd get my XF27mm f/2.8 R WR at Adorama or at B&H, or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
Overall performance top
This tiny lens performs flawlessly.
Autofocus performance top
Autofocus is fast and sure.
Manual Focus performance top
Manual focusing is entirely electronic; the manual focus ring isn't connected to anything other than a digital encoder.
Focus Breathing performance top
Focus breathing is the image changing size as focused in and out. It's important to cinematographers that the image not breathe because it looks funny if the image changes size as focus gets pulled back and forth between actors. If the lens does this, the image "breathes" by growing and contracting slightly as the dialog goes back and forth.
The image from the XF 27mm f/2.8R WR grows as focused more closely.
Bokeh performance top
Bokeh, the feel, character or quality of out-of-focus areas as opposed to how far out of focus they are, isn't that great, but nothing every gets that far out of focus, so don't worry about it.
This is from headshot distance wide-open. I'm focused on the DAVIS logo:
Made-in-U. S. A. Davis 6250 weather station, 25 May 2021. Fuji X-S10, f/2.8 at 1/3,500 at ISO 160 (LV 14.2). bigger or camera-original © file.
As always, if you want to throw the background as far out of focus as possible, shoot at f/2.8 and get as close as possible.
Distortion performance top
The Fuji 27/2.8 has no visible distortion shot as JPG, where the camera may be correcting any that's there — or not.
If you shoot raw and use non-manufacturer software to process the raw data into images, that software is unlikely to be able to correct any distortion that may be corrected in-camera as JPGs.
For more critical scientific use, use a correction factor of +0.5 in Photoshop's lens correction filter to JPG images.
Ergonomics performance top
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Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR. bigger. |
Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR. bigger. |
For such a tiny lens, it handles great. Both the focus and aperture rings are easy to turn with a fingertip, and clever design keeps my big American fingers from interfering with each other. It's easy to feel which ring is which and move the one you want.
One blunder is the aperture ring lock. Sadly there is no stop at f/16, so it's easy to go past f/16 and drop into A, where it locks. Now you have to press the unlock button to get back to the apertures. A better design as used on other lenses requires a press on the unlock button or a harder turn to get to A so you aren't always locking yourself out.
Falloff performance top
There is no visible falloff. The camera corrects it if there is any, at least as JPGs.
I've greatly exaggerated the falloff by shooting a gray field and placing these on a gray background; it will not look this bad in actual photos of real things:
© 2021 KenRockwell.com. All rights reserved. |
Filters, use with performance top
There's no need for thin filters. You can use a small stack of filters with no vignetting.
The tiny hood screws into the 39mm filter thread. It works fine over a filter, or stack of filters.
Go ahead and use your standard rotating polarizer and grad filters.
Did you know: 39mm has been LEICA's standard filter size for 100 years!
Flare & Ghosts performance top
There's no problem with flare or ghosts.
See examples at Sunstars.
Lateral Color Fringes performance top
There are no color fringes when shot as JPG, where my X-S10 is probably correcting any that may be there. I can't vouch for what you'll see if you shoot raw and then open the files with non-Fuji software.
There is a tiny bit of spherochromatism, which can cause color fringes on things that aren't in perfect focus. Spherochromatism is a completely different aberration in a different dimension than lateral color fringes.
Lens Corrections performance top
My X-S10 offers only ON or OFF for the Lens Modulation Optimizer, and I can't see any difference with it ON or OFF.
Macro Performance performance top
This lens doesn't get that close, but it is super-sharp:
Wide-Open at f/2.8
Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic Watch at close-focus distance, 26 May 2021. bigger or camera-original © file.
1,200 × 900 pixel (5.2× magnification) crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.
The texture you're seeing is on the watch face.
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your phone, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 11 × 16" (0.9 × 1.3 feet or 25 × 40 cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 21 × 31" (1.7 × 2.6 feet or 50 × 80 cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 42 × 62" (3.5 × 5.2 feet or 1.05 × 1.6 meters).
At f/8
Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic Watch at close-focus distance, 26 May 2021. bigger or camera-original © file.
1,200 × 900 pixel (5.2× magnification) crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your phone, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 11 × 16" (0.9 × 1.3 feet or 25 × 40 cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 21 × 31" (1.7 × 2.6 feet or 50 × 80 cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 42 × 62" (3.5 × 5.2 feet or 1.05 × 1.6 meters).
Mechanical Quality performance top
Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR. bigger.
This lens is made much better than expected for a tiny, weightless and relatively inexpensive lens, with lots of metal.
Hood
Solid alloy.
Front Bumper
None.
Filter Threads
Plastic.
Front-Group Barrel
Barrel that extends when focused closely: plastic.
Focus Ring
Solid alloy.
Aperture Ring
Solid alloy.
Aperture Ring Lock-Release Button
Solid alloy.
Rear Barrel
Plastic.
Identity
Printed around front of lens.
Internals
Look like mostly plastic.
Dust Gasket at Mount
Yes.
Mount
Aluminum.
Markings
Printed identity, certifications and serial number.
Aperture ring engraved and filled with paint.
Serial Number
Sticker glued on bottom of the lens barrel, neither an acceptable nor a permanent way to do this for a product that's handled all day.
Date Code
None found.
Noises When Shaken
Mild clunking.
Made in
Made in The Philippines.
Sharpness performance top
Lens sharpness has nothing to do with picture sharpness; every lens made in the past 100 years is more than sharp enough to make super-sharp pictures if you know what you're doing. The only limitation to picture sharpness is your skill as a photographer. It's the least talented who spend the most time worrying about lens sharpness and blame crummy pictures on their equipment rather than themselves. Skilled photographers make great images with whatever camera is in their hands; I've made some of my best images of all time with an irreparably broken camera! Most pixels are thrown away before you see them, but camera makers don't want you to know that.
If you're not getting ultra-sharp pictures with this, be sure not to shoot at f/11 or smaller where all lenses are softer due to diffraction, always shoot at ISO 100 or below because cameras become softer at ISO 200 and above, avoid shooting across long distances over land which can lead to atmospheric heat shimmer, be sure everything is in perfect focus, set your camera's sharpening as you want it (I set mine to the maximum) and be sure nothing is moving, either camera or subject. If you want to ensure a soft image with any lens, shoot at f/16 or smaller at ISO 1,600 or above at default sharpening in daylight of subjects at differing distances in the same image.
People worry waaaaay too much about sharpness. It's not 1968 anymore when lenses often weren't that sharp and there could be significant differences among them; today they are all pretty much equally fantastic.
This lens is suer sharp at every aperture, corner-to-corner, limited only by diffraction at smaller apertures.
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MTF at f/2.8 at 15 cyc/mm (10 cyc/mm eq.). |
MTF at f/2.8 at 45 cyc/mm (30 cyc/mm eq.). |
Spherochromatism performance top
Spherochromatism, also called secondary spherical chromatic aberration or "color bokeh," is an advanced form of spherical and chromatic aberration in a different dimension than lateral chromatic aberration. It happens mostly in fast normal and tele lenses when spherical aberration at the ends of the color spectrum are corrected differently than in the middle of the spectrum. Spherochromatism can cause colored fringes on out-of-focus highlights, usually seen as green fringes on backgrounds and magenta fringes on foregrounds. Spherochromatism is common in fast lenses of moderate focal length when shooting contrasty items at full aperture. It goes away as stopped down.
It has very minor spherochromatism:
Mondaine A132.30348.11SBB at close-focus distance at f/2.8, 26 May 2021.Shot on Fuji X-S10. bigger or camera-original © file.
1,200 × 900 pixel (5.2× magnification) crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file.
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 3" (7.5cm) wide on your phone, then the complete image printed at this same high magnification would be about 11 × 16" (0.9 × 1.3 feet or 25 × 40 cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same very high magnification would be about 21 × 31" (1.7 × 2.6 feet or 50 × 80 cm).
If this 1,200 × 900 pixel crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 42 × 62" (3.5 × 5.2 feet or 1.05 × 1.6 meters).
Image Stabilization performance top
This lens has no Optical Image Stabilization (OIS, IS or VR (Vibration Reduction)), but it works great with cameras that have internal stabilization.
"Percent Perfectly Sharp Shots" are the percentage of frames with 100% perfect tripod-equivalent sharpness I get when I'm shooting hand-held while free-standing with no support or bracing. Hand tremor is a random occurrence, so at marginal speeds some frames will be perfectly sharp while others will be in various stages of blur — all at the same shutter speed. This rates what percentage of shots are perfectly sharp, not how sharp are all the frames:
On Fuji X-S10 (adds in-camera stabilization)
| % Perfectly Sharp Shots | 1 |
1/2 |
1/4 |
1/8 |
1/15 |
1/30 |
1/60 |
1/125 |
1/250 |
| Stabilization ON | 0 |
0 |
0 |
83 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
100 |
| Stabilization OFF | 0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
17 |
17 |
50 |
100 |
100 |
The X-S10's internal stabilization adds about a 3½-stop real-word improvement, which is really good!
Sunstars performance top
With a 7-bladed rounded diaphragm I get soft 14-pointed sunstars on brilliant points of light only at the smallest apertures.
Ignore the the vertical smear at large apertures, this is is a sensor artifact called interline transfer smear and not a lens defect.
Click any to enlarge:
Click any to enlarge.
Recommendations top
I'd get my XF27mm f/2.8 R WR at Adorama or at B&H, or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
Optical excellence, lots of metal parts in the same size as a lens cap for not much money? Everyone should have one of these!
I use a clear (UV) protective filter instead of a cap so I'm always ready to shoot instantly. I only use a cap when I throw this in a bag with other gear without padding — which is never. The UV filter never gets in the way, and never gets lost, either.
The multicoated B+W 39mm MRC 010M is the best, and the single-coated B+W 39mm 010 is the same if you're not shooting directly into light sources. Of course perfectionists will settle for nothing less than the LEICA 13030 E39 UVa II (black) or LEICA 13011 E39 UVa II (silver), which are as good as the B+Ws. I've never tried it, but the Formatt 39mm Firecrest UV filter should work as well for less money — but it's so thin that it may lack front threads for hoods or caps.
Filters last a lifetime or more so there's no reason not to buy the best as it will last you for the next 40 years. Filters aren't throwaways like digital cameras which we replace every few years, like it or not. I'm still using filters I bought back in the 1970s!
I'd get my XF27mm f/2.8 R WR at Adorama or at B&H, or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
This 100% all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to my personally approved sources I've used myself for way over 100 combined years when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live — but I receive nothing for my efforts if you get it elsewhere. Fuji does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, dropped, incomplete, gray-market, store demo or used lens — and all of my personally approved sources allow for 100% cash-back returns for at least 30 days if you don't love your new lens. I've used many of these sources since the 1970s because I can try it in my own hands and return it if I don't love it, and because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new lens before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I've used myself for decades for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.
Thanks for helping me help you!
Ken.
More Information top
I'd get my XF27mm f/2.8 R WR at Adorama or at B&H, or eventually used at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay.
Fujifilms's 27mm f/2.8 R WR press release.
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