Last Updated on 12/29/2018 by Mark Beckenbach
Weather sealed lenses can open up a whole new world of photographic possibilities.
Weather sealed lenses are a thing of beauty. When these weather loving lenses are paired with a solid weather sealed camera, there’s really nothing stopping a photographer from going out to be creative. Snow? No problem! Rain? No problem! Wind blowing dust and debris at your face? No problem. These lenses are built to withstand most of what Mother Nature can throw at us. After the break we’re going to look at five weather sealed lenses for Fujifilm’s X Mount cameras.
There is no reason why all modern day lenses can’t be weather sealed, but alas manufacturers like to pick and choose. Strangely enough, Fujifilm made the odd decision to leave weather sealing off their premium lenses, but have included it most of their far more affordable lenses. Don’t let the low price of some of the lenses listed fool you though. They are all razor sharp.
Remember, just because your lens may be weather sealed, your camera body may not. There are some X mount cameras out there that do lack this feature, so double check the specs of your camera before you think you’re safe from the elements. Let’s take a look at five weather sealed lenses with the Fujfilm X mount.
Fujfilm 23mm F2 R WR
When it comes to weather sealed lenses you’ll usually pay a premium for lenses that can be used out in the elements, but Fujifilm users will find the opposite of this. The 23mm f2 R WR is a wide angle, weather sealed lens that’s super sharp and lightweight. The best part is that this little gem is under $400.
In our review we said:
“The speed when focusing with this lens on the X Pro 2 is very impressive. It’s by far the absolute best lens in Fujifilm’s lineup for street photography and candid shooting due to its autofocus speed.”
The Fujifilm 23mm f2 will have an equivalent focal length of 35mm when placed on any Fujfilm X mount camera. Weighing in at just 0.39lbs, you’ll barely even know it’s attached to your camera body. Inside the metal body of the lens you’ll find ten elements in six groups, along with nine rounded aperture blades. Two of the elements are aspherical which help keep things nice and sharp, and pretty much distortion free.
When shot wide open at f2 images are sharp in the middle, but there is a little fall off on the edges; stop it down to f5.6 and your images will be ridiculously sharp. As you would expect from a Fujifilm lens, colors rendered are really nice. In terms of distortion, color fringing, and chromatic aberration, you’ll be pleased to know these are kept to a minimum, and any issues are easily fixed in post You’ll not struggle with autofocusing either as this lens is a speed demon. Even in lower light situations, you won’t be left wanting more performance. .
The killer feature of this lens is the fact that it’s weather sealed. Thanks to the wide angle of this lens it’s perfect for street photographers, cityscape photographers, documentarians and even landscape photographers. All genres of outdoor photography will benefit from this lens as this is where weather sealing is vital. Pair the 23mm f2 R WR with a weather sealed camera and you’ll be able to get the shots others would miss.
When it comes weather sealed lenses for Fujifilm, the 23mm f2 R WR is a fantastic choice. It’s affordable, super sharp, and likes to play in the rain. This lens has a lot going for it, especially for the price.
Buy now ($399): Amazon
Fujifilm 23mm F2 R WR Image Samples
Pro Tip: weather sealed lenses are fantastic, but not all camera bodies share this feature. If you own a Fujifilm camera that’s not weather sealed, take some affordable weather proof covers out with you and you’ll be good to go if the bad weather follows you.
Fujifilm 35mm F2 R WR
Fujifilm’s prime lenses are really hard to beat, and the affordable 35mm f2 R WR is another fine example of this. The Fujifilm 35mm prime lens will have the equivalent focal length of 52.5mm on Fujifilm’s crop body cameras, which makes it great for street photography, event work, documentarians, and portraits. This may be another one of Fujifilm’s entry level prime lenses, but this piece of glass not only performs well above its weight, it’s also weather sealed and under $400.
In our review we said:
“The Fujifilm 35mm f2 R WR is a solid lens as far as image quality goes. It has nine aperture blades, renders very sharp photos even on the X Pro 1”
The Fujifilm 35mm f2 has nine elements in six groups, and nine aperture blades. The images you’ll capture with this lens will be exceptionally sharp, even when shot wide open. The nine aperture blades are more than capable of producing incredibly smooth, creamy bokeh too, and there is not a hint of color fringing or chromatic aberration at all. The Fujifilm 35mm f2 R WR is easily one of the fastest focusing primes on the Fujifilm platform, which means capturing candid moments out on the street or during event work is a piece of cake.
The Fujifilm 35mm f2 R WR is lightweight at just 0.37lbs. You’ll find that this small 35mm f2 will balance on your Fujifilm camera body very well. One thing that can always be said about Fujifilm lenses is that they are built well. The all metal construction of this lens, and the fact that it has eight points of weather sealing, is really unheard of at this price point. You’ll be able to take this lens out (as long as your camera is weather sealed) in the rain, the snow, and windy conditions with dust flying everywhere and it will hold up just fine.
If you’re in the market for a 52.5mm equivalent, weather sealed lens for your Fujifilm camera, you should be thrilled. You would pay a whole lot more for a lens like this on any other platform. This lens is highly recommended.
Buy now ($349): Amazon
Fujifilm 35mm F2 R WR Image Samples
Pro Tip: make sure you’re always ready to shoot by keeping your weather sealed lenses nice and clean. Keep a basic lens cleaning kit in your camera bag so that you can wipe away any water spots, dust, or finger prints with ease when out in the field.
Fujifilm 50mm F2 R WR
If you’re a portrait photographer who wants to pick up a sharp lens that’s lightweight, weather sealed, and won’t break the bank, the Fujifilm 50mm f2 R WR is the lens for you. Many will say the best portrait lens for Fujifilm cameras is the 56mm 1.2. While the 56mm f1.2 may offer more depth of field, it’s also more than twice the price of the 50mm f2, and it’s not weather sealed!
In our review we said:
“The Fujifilm 50mm f2 R WR has fantastic image quality that really, truly speaks for itself. There isn’t a single reason for photographers to complain.”
The Fujifilm 50mm f2 R WR (like the rest of the f2 lineup) has a well made, solid metal body. Inside the housing you’ll find nine elements in seven groups, along with nine rounded aperture blades. The images produced with this lens will really make your jaw drop.
Images this good simply shouldn’t be possible from a lens that costs less than $400. Right off the bat, at f2, you’ll be producing razor sharp images from corner to corner. Colors rendered are absolutely gorgeous, especially when used with the various Fujifilm film simulations. You’ll also find no chromatic aberration, no color fringing, or any kind of distortion from this lens. It’s just that good! On Fujifilm’s crops sensor bodies, this lens will have the equivalent focal length of 75mm.
Like the other weather sealed lenses in the Fujifilm f2 series, the 50mm f2 is very light. The lens weighs just 0.44lbs. This means you can put this lens on your camera and walk around with it all day and never break a sweat. It balances well on Fujifilm camera bodies and is incredibly easy to use.
During our testing we took this lens out into a mermaid parade, and it just happened to be pouring rain for most of the day. The lens never missed a beat. Even when the rain was really coming down, the lens acquired focus fast and just kept on going, never giving us problems. There is no doubt you can take this lens into some very trying conditions and come away with great images.
Thanks to the overall image quality, weather sealing, and the low price, the Fujifilm 50mm f2 R WR is one of the best weather sealed lenses on the Fujifilm platform.
Buy now ($385.36): Amazon
Fujfiilm 50mm F2 R WR Image Samples
Pro Tip: for even more protection from the elements you should really keep your gear in a bag that is also designed to be out in nasty weather. This one is perfect for Mirrorless camera owners, and will keep all of your gear protected and dry.
Fujifilm 50-140mm F2.8 R LM OIS R WR
Fujfilm shooters are blessed with some truly wonderful weather sealed lenses, and another one that really shines is the Fujifilm 50-140mm f2.8 R LM OIS R WR. This telephoto lens has a mouthful of a name, but it also boasts the ability to capture super sharp images. The 50-140mm f2.8 has an equivalent focal range of 75-210mm on Fujifilm cameras which makes it perfect for portrait shooters, nature photographers, and sports photographers. The weather sealing is also top notch which makes it well suited to those genres of photography.
In our review we said:
“Oh my, as Takei would say. This lens is tremendously sharp, both wide open and stopped down. With good light, it sings, and even as the good light goes away, it manages to stay on point.”
Inside the all metal body you are going to find 23 elements in 16 groups and seven rounded aperture blades. Five ED Elements and One Super ED Element combine with everything else to produce razor sharp images from f2.8 and on. You’ll find little to no distortion or color fringing, and will absolutely love the creamy bokeh this lens is capable of producing. Colors rendered are something to behold, especially when Fujifilm’s film simulations are used.
The 50-140mm f2.8 from Fujifilm is on the large size when compared to many other Fujifilm lenses, but you’ll find that the lens still feels nice when attached to Fuji’s smaller camera bodies. The lens weighs in at a quite hefty 2.19lbs, however the overall ergonomics make this lens comfortable to use for long periods.
The weather sealing on this lens is fantastic, and it makes it so you can shoot in all kinds of weather as long as you pair it with a weather sealed camera body. This is perfect for those who want to get out into nature and the elements, or for those who find themselves along the sidelines at a ball game when the skies open up. The lens also features Fujifilm’s great optical image stabilization, which is good for an extra five stops. Autofocus performance, like many other Fujifilm lenses, is very quick and deadly accurate. We never had issues nailing focus in good and bad lighting situations and we’re sure you won’t either.
When it comes to telephoto lenses from Fujifilm, this weather sealed lens should be one of the first in your camera bag thanks to its outstanding focusing abilities, subject isolation (thanks to it’s maximum aperture), and outstanding weather sealing.
Buy now ($1,399): Amazon
Fujifilm 50-140mm F2.8 R LM OIS R WR Image Samples
Pro Tip: telephoto and super telephoto weather sealed lenses are heavier than most so it’s important to make sure you’re comfortable at all times. Use a camera sling with your camera and lens instead of the camera strap that comes with the camera. A camera sling will take the weight off of your neck and disperse it across your upper body. You’ll be much more comfortable on long shoots with this one.
Fujifilm XF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR
Fujifilm’s 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 L RM OIS WR is super telephoto, weather sealed lens that delivers outstanding results. Thanks to its great build quality, excellent weather sealing, and super sharp images, the Fujifilm 100-400mm is one of the best wildlife photography lenses you can buy; not just on the Fujifilm platform alone, but on any platform out.
In our review we said:
“When you consider the fact that there really is nothing quite like the Fujifilm 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 lens on the market, you get a greater reason to want to give it an Editor’s Choice award. But then you look at the image quality it can deliver, add in weather sealing, and you’ve got a serious winner. With great autofocus, a compact size and image stabilization, you’re getting quite the package overall.”
The Fujifilm 100-400 f4.5-5.6 is another solidly built Fujifilm lens that features an excellent 12 point weather sealing system. Right from the start you can tell this lens was designed to do some serious work in less than desirable conditions. Inside the body you’ll find 21 elements in 14 groups, five extra-low dispersion elements, one super extra-low dispersion element, and nine rounded aperture blades.
The 100-400mm weighs in at 3lbs, which for a lens of this size is much lighter than most others in this category of lenses. Fujifilm really put some thought into the ergonomics of this lens, and because of this it feels really nice in the hand. Sure, you’ll know you’re carrying it around, but overall it’s a nice experience. When used on one of Fujifilm’s cameras the focal equivalent will be 150-600mm.
Images produced with this lens are really something to behold. As with most Fujifilm glass, the pictures are sharp from edge to edge. You’ll find that color rendition is excellent, and both chromatic aberration and color fringing is non-existent. The bokeh produced is some of the best you will find on any APS-C lens, period. It’s super smooth and creamy, and lends itself to wildlife photography really well. Autofocusing is another area where this lens excels. The 100-400mm tracks subjects with ease, making it great for wildlife photography.
The overall build quality and weather sealing are excellent. We used this lens in the rain and it continued working with no issues at all. This is due to the excellent 12 point weather sealing, and extra fluorine coating which helps to repel even more moisture.
If you’re a Fujifilm shooter and want to try your hand at wildlife photography, this is the lens you need to buy. It’s tough, weather sealed, and produces excellent images when paired with any Fujifilm camera. This is another one of the must-have weather sealed lenses on the Fujifilm platform.
Buy now ($1,564.59): Amazon
Fujifilm XF 100-400mm Image Samples
