Robert Capa famously stated, “If your photos aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.” A macro lens, which allows you to focus more closely to the subject, takes this idea to an entirely new level. You can get extremely close! The smallest of details, which might normally be overlooked, can become the subject itself.
Fujifilm has three such lenses for the X-series: Fujinon XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro, Fujinon XF 60mm f/2.4 R Macro, and Fujinon XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro. The 80mm lens is the most premium of these, and is a must for anyone who is serious about macro photography on Fujifilm cameras. The 60mm lens isn’t technically a macro lens, as it doesn’t have 1:1 magnification, but it is near-enough to be designated as such; it is an older Fujinon model, and not as sharp or quick as the others. The 30mm lens is the latest macro offering by Fujifilm, giving close-focus capability to a very useful focal length.
MPB is the sponsor of this article. They loaned me a Fujinon XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro lens to try out for a couple of weeks. For those who don’t know, MPB is an online platform where you can buy, sell, or trade used photo and video gear. “At MPB, there’s something for everyone who wants to try something new, hone their skills, or pursue their passion—and it won’t cost the earth.” If you’re in the market for used camera gear, be sure to check out their platform—you can learn more about MPB here. Thank you, MPB, for making this article possible!
Normally, macro lenses are telephoto, such as the Fujinon 80mm f/2.8, because otherwise the lens might get too close and disturb the subject—either by scaring the subject away (if it’s an insect or animal) or by casting a shadow on it. The 30mm focal length is 45mm full-frame-equivalent on Fujifilm X-series cameras, and is a “normal” field-of-view for photography—essentially, a nifty-fifty; however, it is not the most practical choice for macro photography. In fact, you may want to remove the lens hood for up-close pictures, because it can get in the way. While I found the lens to be somewhat challenging for macro images, the fact that it doubles as a standard focal-length lens—not too dissimilar from the Fujinon 27mm f/2.8 or Fujinon 35mm f/2—means that it’s great for everyday walk-around photography. That versatility is quite intriguing.
The downside of this lens compared to the 27mm f/2.8 or 35mm f/2 is that the 30mm f/2.8 Macro is much larger (0.9″ and 1.8″ long compared to 2.75″ without the hood and 3.75″ with the hood, respectively). It is quite compact and lightweight for what it is, but if you’re looking for an everyday carry option, this isn’t quite as small as those. If macro or near-macro photography is of interest to you, this is an excellent lens to own; otherwise, you might better appreciate some of the other options.
Macro lenses are often extremely sharp because the nature of their work demands it, but the downside is that they are often slow. Not only do they typically have smaller maximum apertures, but they are almost always a bit slower to focus, since they have such a large range to cycle through. The Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 Macro is indeed very sharp and largely free of any optical flaws, and definitely lives up to the Fujinon reputation. Surprising to me, it is also quite quick to find and lock focus, which is somewhat unusual for a macro lens. From a technical point-of-view, there’s a lot to be impressed with.
For someone wanting to get into macro photography (or if you are already into macro photography, but are switching to Fujifilm from another brand), I would highly recommend starting with the Fujinon 80mm f/2.8. The Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 is an excellent complimentary option for when you need something less telephoto and/or bulky, but in my opinion it shouldn’t be your first or main macro lens. For someone who’s not really into macro photography per se, but would like to sometimes get closer to their subjects, and is also interested in a solid everyday-carry option, this lens will do the trick very well.
Getting closer to your subject to improve your photography has been common advice for over 75 years now, and I think there is just as much truth to it today as when Robert Capa first coined it in the 1940’s. Perhaps macro photography takes it more literally than Capa had intended, and certainly merely getting closer isn’t a cure-all fix to uninspired images. With that said, I do believe that lenses like the Fujinon XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro provide the opportunity to grow as a photographer, and certainly the challenge of using it effectively will improve ones photography over time. So, yeah, if your pictures aren’t good enough, maybe it’s because you’re not close enough, and this lens will allow you to get much closer.
Photographs I captured using the Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 Macro lens on my Fujifilm X-E4:
Previously in this series:
Fujifilm X-Pro2 — The camera that got away (again)
Fujifilm X-T50 + Fujinon 23mm F/2 = Interchangeable-Lens Fujifilm X100VI??
Leica Q2 from the perspective of a Fujifilm photographer
Fujifilm X30 — Fujifilm’s Forgotten Retro Compact Zoom
Up next: Fujifilm X100VI + WCL-100 II & TCL-100 II for compact travel photography