Best Fujifilm macro lenses

In this article, we’ll focus on macro lenses for Fujifilm’s X-mount, designed for APS-C cameras. I won’t cover G-mount macro lenses for medium format here. After looking at Sony E-mount, Nikon Z-mount, and Canon RF-mount options, it’s time to explore what Fujifilm has to offer. To help you get started, I’ve put together a comprehensive page listing all the Fujifilm X lenses currently available, including third-party AF and MF lenses for the X-mount. It’s worth remembering that Fujifilm kept its mount relatively closed for a long time, but third-party brands such as Sigma, Tokina, Tamron, Laowa, TTArtisan, and others now offer interesting options.

By the way, if you’re thinking about switching to Fujifilm or changing camera bodies, I’ve also written a complete guide to all Fujifilm X cameras.

The Fujifilm X-mount is not exactly new, since it was introduced in 2012 with the first X-Pro1 camera. Even today, it is still one of the mounts I’d recommend most to anyone looking for an APS-C mirrorless system. I won’t go into another long explanation here, but you can read our article on the influence of sensor size on photography. In short, other APS-C systems are often more limited when it comes to dedicated lenses, with Sony E-mount APS-C being the main exception.

However, macro photography remains a niche. Not everyone decides to explore it seriously, because it takes patience, experimentation, and the right environment. Even though the X-mount has been around for several years, Fujifilm still offers only three autofocus macro lenses as I update this article. That includes the Fujifilm XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro, announced in November 2022.

So, in this article, I’ll go through these three lenses in detail. I’ll then cover third-party alternatives, especially manual-focus options, which may also be worth considering if you’re looking for a macro lens for Fuji X-mount.

Let’s get straight to the point. Before we dive into the details, if you’re curious about Fujifilm’s other options, we’ve also put together a complete guide to the best Fujifilm X lenses available.

As mentioned above, there are currently only three autofocus macro lenses available from Fujifilm for the X-mount, and I’ll cover each one in detail below. The table below highlights the key physical characteristics to help you compare them. Note that they are all prime lenses: Fujifilm does not currently offer a macro zoom for the X-mount.

Below is a table summarizing the main points to remember about these three Fujinon macro lenses.

Here are the details of the three Fuji X-mount macro lenses. Click the links below to jump directly to the lens you’re interested in.

1. Fujifilm XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro
2. Fujifilm XF 60mm f/2.4 R Macro
3. Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro

The Fujifilm XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro is the latest addition to Fujifilm’s X-mount macro lineup, announced in November 2022. It follows the well-known Fujifilm 80mm macro lens and the “half-macro” Fujifilm 60mm macro lens, which I cover below. The XF 30mm is Fujifilm’s shortest macro lens for the X-mount. Despite its compact design, at just 195g and about 69.5mm long, it offers an extremely short 10cm minimum focusing distance, which makes it less suitable for photographing live insects. It has a 43mm filter thread, does not extend while focusing, and comes with a simple plastic lens hood.

The Fujifilm XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro does not include optical image stabilization, but that is less of an issue if you use a recent Fujifilm body with IBIS, such as the X-T5. As the name suggests, the lens has an aperture ring (“R”), a linear motor (“LM”), and weather resistance (“WR”). Build quality is very good, with a matte black barrel and a wider base than the front of the lens, a bit like the Fujifilm 50mm f/2. Optically, it uses 11 elements in 9 groups, including 3 aspherical elements and 2 ED elements, plus a fluorine coating on the front element to reduce smudges and make cleaning easier. This is a true macro lens with a 1:1 magnification ratio. However, as mentioned above, the working distance is very short at 1:1, so it can be tricky to use with shy subjects and the lens may cast a shadow. With the hood mounted, 1:1 shooting becomes even less practical.

The lens has two traditional rings: a nicely finished aperture ring with marked stops and a focus ring that feels pleasant enough to use. However, this 30mm macro lens does not offer an AF/MF switch, which is a bit of a shame on a macro lens. It also lacks a focus limiter. Macro photographers often use manual focus anyway, but the autofocus is considered very good.

In terms of image quality, the Fujifilm XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro performs very well, with good sharpness in the center wide open, although the edges and corners are a little softer. Stopping down to f/4 and then f/5.6 improves sharpness and overall uniformity. In macro photography, you rarely shoot at f/2.8 anyway, so this should not be a major issue. From f/11 onward, however, diffraction can start to affect image quality. Pincushion distortion and vignetting are visible, but they can be corrected in post-processing or in-camera JPEGs, although heavy correction may affect corner quality. Chromatic aberration and flare are very well controlled. Bokeh looks pleasant, but given the short focal length, creating strong background blur can be more challenging.

With a price below €700, Fujifilm offers a very interesting lens for macro photographers looking for something compact and generally very capable. Serious macro users may still prefer the Fuji 80mm macro, which remains the reference in the lineup, but this small 30mm will easily find a place in your bag at under 200g. Compared with the older 60mm and 80mm lenses below, it brings a welcome breath of fresh air to Fuji’s macro range.

This 60mm macro was the first macro lens released by Fujifilm, back in 2012. It also works as a short telephoto lens, with a full-frame equivalent focal length of about 90mm, which makes it usable for outdoor portraits, even though there are now better choices for that purpose. Despite being labeled as a “macro” lens, the Fujifilm XF 60mm f/2.4 R Macro only offers a 1:2 magnification ratio, which may still be enough for many users. At just 215g and about 64mm long, it remains very light. It also comes with a large all-metal lens hood. Just keep in mind that this lens is now more than 10 years old.

The build quality of this lens is high-end, despite its age. It features 10 elements in 8 groups, 9 aperture blades, and aspherical and ED lenses to reduce chromatic aberrations. The focusing distance of the lens is quite long at around 26.7 cm, which is much longer than the brand new Fujifilm XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro, even though they are the same size.

The lens does not include image stabilization or weather sealing, and it has no AF/MF switch on the barrel. Autofocus performance has often been criticized, but that is not surprising for a lens of this age. It is not the fastest option, although in macro photography, manual-focus is often preferred anyway.

Sharpness remains excellent, even though the lens is aging. It produces sharp images even wide open at f/2.4. Stopping down to f/3.2 and then f/4 improves image quality further and makes the rendering more even. However, image quality starts to drop from f/8 due to diffraction. In terms of optical flaws, the lens performs well, with minimal distortion, slight vignetting wide open that quickly disappears, and very limited chromatic aberration.

In the end, although this lens is quite old, it remains a viable option if you want to try macro photography with a 1:2 magnification ratio, all for under €600. It is well built, delivers good sharpness, and can also work nicely for portraits.

If you want to go further, we’ve written an article on the best Fuji X portrait lenses.

Released in late 2017, this lens was highly anticipated by Fujifilm users who had been waiting for a true X-mount macro lens. Until then, the main option was the Fujifilm XF 60mm f/2.4 R Macro, which only offered a 1:2 ratio. The 80mm lens, equivalent to about 122mm on full-frame, has several advantages and finally gives true macro enthusiasts a 1:1 option. Its main drawback is that it is relatively bulky and heavy, at 750g and around 13cm long. It also comes with a lens hood and storage pouch. Despite being a macro lens, this focal length is also very well suited to portrait photography.

Build quality on the Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 is excellent, and the lens also offers optical stabilization and weather resistance. It uses 16 elements in 12 groups, including 1 aspherical element, 3 ED elements, and 1 Super ED element. The front element also has a fluorine coating. The minimum focusing distance is 25cm.

The Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 is built to a very high standard, with a notched aperture ring in ⅓-stop increments and a comfortable, high-quality focus ring. Two switches are found on the barrel: one to turn stabilization on or off, and another focus limiter that lets you restrict the focusing range to 50cm to infinity, 25cm to 50cm, or the full range. It is also worth noting that this lens is compatible with Fujifilm’s 1.4x and 2x teleconverters.

Image quality from this 80mm lens is excellent, with very strong sharpness even wide open. At f/2.8, the edges and corners are slightly behind the center, but they become excellent by f/8, giving you very uniform sharpness across the frame. From f/11 onward, diffraction gradually reduces image quality. Vignetting may appear wide open, but this is rarely a major issue in macro photography, where smaller apertures are often used to maximize depth of field. Distortion is essentially absent.

In the end, Fujifilm delivers a high-end macro lens for the X-mount, and it remains the brand’s reference option for serious macro work. It is still the best Fujifilm macro lens if you have the budget, even though the price is high but fairly typical compared with similar lenses from other brands.

The table below summarizes the main physical characteristics of the Fujifilm macro lenses mentioned above.

To the best of my knowledge, there is also Zeiss 50mm f/2.8 Touit X, but it remains quite expensive…

In addition to the three autofocus macro lenses mentioned earlier, there are also five manual-focus macro lenses that I’d like to highlight for the Fujifilm X-mount.

The table below compares the physical characteristics of these lenses and provides recommendations. Click on the name of each lens to view more details.

1. Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2x Ultra Macro APO X
2. TTArtisan 100mm f/2.8 Macro X
3. 7artisans 60mm f/2.8 II V2 Macro X
4. Samyang 100mm f/2.8 Macro ED UMC X
5. TTArtisan APS-C 40mm f/2.8 Macro X

I think this is an excellent option if you are on a tight budget and do not need autofocus, which is not always essential for macro photography anyway. The Laowa is made from high-quality materials and remains relatively lightweight at 322g. It offers a 16.5cm minimum focusing distance and a 2:1 magnification ratio, which is very impressive. Just note that EXIF data is not transmitted to the camera with this lens.

Image quality from the Laowa lens is already excellent wide open. Stopping down to f/5.6 gives you even sharper and more consistent results. There are very few optical issues, making it a great manual-focus alternative for under €500.

Launched in May 2023, the TTArtisan 100mm f/2.8 Macro X is a fully manual lens offering a 2:1 macro reproduction ratio, along with tilt and shift movements. It has a 25cm minimum focusing distance, and its 12-blade diaphragm makes it well suited to both macro and architectural photography. Its solid construction and fairly large size make it somewhat bulky. Ergonomics are good overall, but not perfect: the focus and aperture rings can feel rather stiff, and the focusing throw is limited to around 100 degrees.

In use, this lens is best suited to experienced photographers who are comfortable with manual focusing. Its perspective-control capabilities make it interesting for architecture, while the 2:1 reproduction ratio is ideal for macro. However, the lack of autofocus and the slightly demanding controls make it less practical for beginners.

In summary, although the TTArtisan 100mm f/2.8 Macro X has a few ergonomic limitations, it remains an interesting choice if you want a versatile lens that combines macro capabilities with perspective correction. If that is exactly what you are looking for, there is a good chance you’ll be happy with it!

The 7Artisans lens mentioned here is clearly positioned differently from the more premium lenses above. The first version was generally considered fairly weak, but the brand made significant improvements with this newer version. The updated 7Artisans lens is much lighter, has a 17.5cm minimum focusing distance, a smooth focusing ring, and a clickless aperture ring.

Image quality is said to be good wide open, but stopping down to f/5.6 is recommended for better sharpness and more even results. The lens still has some optical flaws, including above-average sensitivity to flare. However, for less than €200, it is a low-risk way to get started with macro photography.

Another option worth considering is the Samyang 100mm f/2.8 macro lens, which can often be found for under €450. This lens offers a 1:1 magnification ratio, a 30cm minimum focusing distance, and fairly good build quality. However, it is a substantial lens, measuring about 15cm long and weighing 705g, roughly in the same category as the Fuji 80mm. Image quality is good in the center, even wide open, although the edges remain less sharp.

Optical flaws are generally well controlled with this lens. It can also deliver excellent results for portraits. Overall, it is a solid choice if you’re looking for a longer macro lens for your Fujifilm camera at an affordable price.

Finally, there is the TTArtisan 40mm lens, which is worth considering if you’re looking for a manual-focus macro lens for your Fujifilm camera. It has a solid, all-metal build, but it still does not transmit EXIF data. It extends in macro mode, and the barrel includes focus distance and magnification ratio markings. Image quality is said to be very good in the center wide open, although stopping down is needed for sharper and more consistent results across the frame.

There are few optical defects with this lens, and at around €120, it is a good choice if you are on a tight budget.

The physical characteristics of the above-mentioned manual-focus macro lenses are summarized in the table below.

Apart from these manual-focus macro lenses for Fuji X-mount, you’ll find other lesser-known lenses such as the new AstrHori 25mm f/2.8 2-5x Ultra Macro, the Mitakon Zhongyi 20mm f/2 4.5x Super Macro, the Mitakon Zhongyi Creator 85mm f/2.8 1-5x Super Macro and the Voigtlander Macro APO-Ultron 35mm f/2.

The table below summarizes all the manual macro lenses for the X-mount that I’m aware of. Let me know if you find any others!

So, we’ve reached the end of my selection of the best Fujifilm X macro lenses. There still aren’t many autofocus options, but since macro photography is a fairly niche field, this should already give you enough choice to find something that suits your needs.

Also known as a macro ring, this accessory lets you experiment without necessarily buying a dedicated macro lens. Put simply, it is a hollow tube of varying length, with no optical elements inside, that increases the distance between the lens and the sensor. This immediately increases magnification and reduces the focusing distance, but it also significantly reduces the amount of light reaching the sensor, which can be a disadvantage when ambient light is already limited.

If you’re not sure yet whether you want to buy a Fujifilm X macro lens, this is a very affordable way to get started. I’ve done quite a bit of research and put together a list of the best extension tubes for Fujifilm:

• Fujifilm MCEX-11 (11mm) and Fujifilm MCEX-16 (16mm), the brand’s two official references and safe choices. You can buy them separately or together directly,
• Meike MK-F-AF3 (10 and 16mm)
• Fotodiox (7, 14 and 28mm).

I’ve already written a comprehensive guide on how to choose a macro lens, so I won’t go over everything again here. Still, here are a few key points to keep in mind:

• Magnification ratio: also called the reproduction ratio, this is the ratio between the real size of a subject and the size projected onto your camera sensor. A lens is generally considered a true macro lens once it reaches a 1:1 ratio. Some lenses, such as the Laowa, offer even higher ratios, from 2:1 to 5:1,
• Minimum focusing distance: this is the minimum distance from the sensor plane, not the front of the lens, at which the lens can focus on a subject. Be careful not to be misled by the number alone. The Fuji 30mm has a 10cm minimum focusing distance, but the lens itself is about 7cm long. In practice, you end up very close to your subject!
• Focal length: as in every area of photography, you can generally choose between shorter and longer focal lengths. Shorter macro lenses offer much shorter focusing distances, but getting close to a living subject without scaring it can be difficult, if not impossible, as with the Fuji 30mm. The longer the lens, the longer the working distance and the easier it is to blur the background.

As with any classic lens, other factors also come into play: weight, filter size, image quality, optical flaws, maximum aperture (less important in macro, but still useful in low light), and of course your budget.

I’m coming to the end of this article on the best Fujifilm X macro lenses for APS-C sensors. The main points are all here, so you should now be able to make a more informed choice. I’ll continue writing about Fujifilm lenses little by little. I’ve also written a guide to the best Fujifilm pancake lenses if you’re interested in that type of lens.

If you found this article helpful and it helped you make your choice, you can choose to go through the links in this article. We may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. It simply helps us keep writing free content independently and without advertising.

See you soon,

Written by Sylvain PONS

I've been passionate about photography since 2010, learning as I went along. Today, I dedicate myself to guiding others in their choice of camera gear and sharing a variety of tips to improve their photography skills.

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