Talk to any long time Fuji shooter, and you’ll hear a love story about the first time they used an X100, or maybe the X-Pro1. With a dreamy look in their eye, they’ll talk about how the small size and physical controls made them shoot more, and how incredible the images were.
These cameras and lenses weren’t perfect–they had clunky menus, demosaicing issues, and most of all, noisy & slow auto focus. But people loved the old-school form factor and the images so much that they tolerated any problems.
Over time Fuji has continuously improved their products, even offering software updates to models that would have been long-forgotten by other camera companies. But as lens releases kept getting bigger and bigger, many wondered if the original compact lenses had been left behind.
The release of the X-Pro2 and 35mm f2 changed the game.
Finally one could get Fuji image quality with quick, silent AF in a light, compact, weather resistant format.
Shortly after the 35mm f2 was announced, Take Kayo from Bigheadtaco wrote some thoughts on the future of Fujifilm lenses. Much like Leica designates their lenses based on maximum aperture, Take suggests Fuji does the same. For example, Leica labels their f1.4 lenses Summilux, and their f2 lenses Summicron.
With the release of the 23mm f2 and the upcoming 50mm f2, we finally have a series of lenses worthy of a new label: Fujicron. These two lenses share the 35mm f2’s compact form factor, quick AF, and weather resistance.
So what’s a ‘Fujicron’ anyway?
Fujicron is a portmanteau of Leica’s Summicron series and Fujifilm. Like the Summicrons, Fujicrons have a maximum aperture of f2 and share a common compact design. They’re also cheaper than their wider aperture counterparts, while still having fantastic image and build quality.
Fujicron isn’t an official Fujifilm label, but fans of these compact f2 lenses have jumped on the moniker. For now, we can say that any weather sealed f2 lens with the tapered design is a Fujicron.
I hope this website can become a useful resource for diehard Fujicron fans and anyone curious about Fujifilm’s X series.
Go make some photos!
Have any questions? Email me: james@fujicron.com
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What about the XF 18mm f2. Not a Fujichron?
I’m on the fence about the 18mm f2. It is a small compact f2 lens. But it’s much older than the rest of the Fujicrons, and doesn’t have weather sealing or fast internal focusing. For now I’d say it’s not a Fujicron, though if anyone disagrees I’d understand their view. I think fans of the newer f2 lenses would still enjoy using the 18mm.
There’s rumors of an updated version of the 18mm, if true the new 18 would likely have WR and internal focusing. I’d probably call the new one a Fujicron.
I agree with this. Can’t consider the 18mm a Fujicron. Different time, different build, different class altogether. Love the site! I’m glad this moniker is catching on! I’m a proud owner, and huge fan, of the Fujicron trio. I wonder and hope that Fuji will start a Fujilux line! 😉
I have the X-E1, X-E3 and X-M1. The latter I got for 2 reasons: 1) it was attached to the rear side of a 2/23mm and sold for reasonable price together with the lens 2) It has an articulating screen that I miss on all X-Exx models ever since.
Before I got the 2/23, the 2.8/27 was my compact lens. Although I never liked the focal lenght, this darned little lens was glued to my X-E1. I always had an eye on the used marked until I found my copy with a X-M1 backup body as a free addon.
Since then my zooms were almost completely banished to the cabinet. An old Olymbus OM 1.8/50 was my portrait lens until I got the XF 2/50.
23 and 50 is usually all I need for 80% of my photography, but 15% of the remaining 20 are ultrawide.
So my 3rd Fujicron does not come from Fuji. It’s the Laowa Zero D 2.8/9mm,
It fits perfectly in my lineup. 13mm eq. focal length is too wide? Hmmmmm…. no. For me it feels natural somehow. Although I never used a lens that wide in my 30 years with Nikon, the Laowa 2.8/9mm felt like an old friend. Like a natural companion.
Although I own 17 lenses, the current answer what to pick is:
X-E1 with 2/23 around my neck,
X-E3 with 2/50 in the right pocket of my jacket,
X-M1 with Laowa 2.8/9mm in the lef pocket of my jacket.
It’s so convenient never to change lenses and it’s good brain training to manipulate 3 different cameras on a shooting trip.
Sounds like a great setup! I struggle to shoot with anything wider than 21mm equivalent; glad to hear the 9mm is working out for you.