Last Updated on 08/09/2012 by Chris Gampat
Previously, we gave our first impressions on the Fujfilm WLC Wide angle adapter for the X100. And as we found, the company didn’t skimp on their optics; which translated well into the image quality. The Fujifilm wide angle adapter for the X100 camera is one that we spent lots of time with; and though the X100 is discontinued now; we would recommend that current owners try to get their hands on this little piece of glass.
Here’s why.
Editor’s Note: Despite earlier reports that the Fujifilm X100 has been discontinued, Fujifilm USA has told me that it is not.
Gear Used
Other Posts of Interest
How the X100 Retaught me Street Photography
Eliminating Your Fear of Street Photography with the X100
X100 vs EP3 vs Leica M9-P for Street Photography
An X100 User’s Thoughts on the M9
Tech Specs
Specs taken from the B&H Photo listing.
Magnification | 0.8x |
Focal Length | f=19mm (equivalent to 28mm on a 35mm camera) |
Elements/Groups | 4/3 |
Filter Thread | 49 mm |
Dimensions | 2.2 x 1.5″ (55 x 37 mm) |
Weight | 5.3 oz (150 g) |
Ergonomics
Taken from the First Impressions Post
The WCL, when attached to the X100, looks a lot like an old screwmount Leica lens. The build quality is solid, and it doesn’t make the camera look or feel overly large. It is also well balanced with the camera and to be quite honest, it feels like it should’ve been on there in the first place. This may partially be because of my years of rangefinder experience.
The adapter screws onto the camera once the filter thread cover is removed. Then, if you’d like, the same lens hood that can cover the X100’s lens can be screwed onto the WCL.
The adapter itself contains what seems to be no electronics and is really just a solid piece of glass encased in plastic and metal.
However, in the end it all seems to come together quite nicely and quite compactly. It can be a bit tough to both manually focus or control the aperture ring with this attached though. So it will take some muscle memory rewiring.
Image Quality
For more images, take a look at our First Impressions post.
First off, it needs to be said that the Fujifilm WCL adapter delivers a 28mm field of view that is absolutely gorgeous and that encourages you to use it wide open at all times. The reason for this is the fact that it combines the high quality optics of this adapter with the amazing Fujifilm sensor in the X100. Plus, it helps to keep the ISOs down. That’s something that’s useful for street photographers and candid shooters.
One of the really nice things about the X100 wide angle adapter is the fact that it still remains quite small while on the camera and so it won’t scream, “Look at me” when you point it at someone either. What I really liked about it is how it rendered certain vivid colors such as the blues in the photo above.
What must be commended and praised about this little piece of glass is just how sharp it is. In fact, I thought it was sharper than the camera’s standard lens, which doesn’t totally make sense at all; but I never remember taking very sharp photos when using the 23mm lens that gives you a 35mm equivalent.
I found nothing more than what I felt in my first impressions; so here are some other photos taken with the lens.
Conclusions
Though it can be a bit pricey, the Fujifilm WCL is a wonderful addition to the already very good Fujifilm X100 camera. Not only is the color rendering and image quality top notch, but it remains still very small while sporting great looks.
Who is it for? I highly recommend it for the street photographer or the event photographer that wants more versatility with one camera vs having to lug around a lot of them.
Please Support The Phoblographer
We love to bring you guys the latest and greatest news and gear related stuff. However, we can’t keep doing that unless we have your continued support. If you would like to purchase any of the items mentioned, please do so by clicking our links first and then purchasing the items as we then get a small portion of the sale to help run the website.