Which Fuji pancake lens should I choose?

I’ve been writing quite a bit lately about lenses compatible with the Fujifilm X mount. The link above takes you to a comprehensive, regularly updated list of all lenses currently available for the Fujifilm X mount, whether they are made by Fujifilm or by third-party manufacturers. Today, I’m going a little further by focusing specifically on pancake lenses designed for the Fujifilm X mount.

Pancake lenses are especially popular because of their compact size, which makes them great for shooting freely without drawing too much attention. They are also ideal when you want to travel light. They are often used for street photography, although they can also work very well for environmental portraits. Feel free to take a look at our complete guide to learn all the criteria for choosing a camera lens.

Keep in mind that these lenses are almost always prime lenses, which means you have to move around to frame your shot. And no, I never said you can’t move around with a zoom lens! Anyway!

If you’re looking for other Fuji lenses, I’ve also written a comprehensive article on the best Fujifilm wide-angle lenses currently available.

If you’re considering switching cameras or diving into the “Fuji” world, here’s everything you need to know about Fujifilm APS-C mirrorless cameras.

Don’t miss our latest article on Sigma lenses for Fujifilm’s X mount, where we look at the current options worth considering.

At the time of writing, I have identified four autofocus pancake-style lenses for Fujifilm’s X mount. The table below summarizes the key features of these four lenses, none of which have image stabilization.

Visual

Lens

Features

Best price

Fujifilm XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR

• The best pancake lens
• Excellent image quality
• Minimal optical defects
• Solid construction
• Aperture ring

Amazon
B&H

Fujifilm XF 18mm f/2 R

• Quite old lens
• Good sharpness
• Existing flaws
• Aperture ring
• Good build quality

Amazon
B&H

TTArtisan AF 27mm f/2.8 X

• Alternative to the Fuji 27mm
• Great build quality
• Very good sharpness
• Aperture ring
• Great value for money

Amazon
B&H

Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 XF

• Ultra-compact pancake lens
• Fast and quiet autofocus
• Vignetting/flare present
• Very good sharpness in the center
• Excellent value for money

Amazon
B&H

The table below compares the technical characteristics of the four lenses mentioned.

Here are what I consider to be the 4 best current autofocus pancake lenses for X mount:

1. FUJIFILM XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR
2. FUJIFILM XF 18mm f/2 R
3. TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 AF
4. Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 XF

Released in January 2021, the Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR is a pancake lens for the Fujifilm X mount, making it an excellent option if you want something compact and lightweight. It is an update to the original non-weather-sealed XF 27mm f/2.8, released in 2013. As expected from a pancake lens, its compactness is remarkable: it weighs only 84g and measures just 23mm long, making it one of the best Fuji pancake lenses available.

In terms of build quality, this Fuji 27mm pancake lens is very well made and includes a manual aperture ring. It consists of 7 elements in 5 groups, including one aspherical element. The Super EBC coating helps reduce reflections and ghosting. The lens is weather-sealed, so you can use it more confidently in rain, dust, and cold conditions.

As for its technical specifications, this Fujinon XF 27mm has a minimum focusing distance of 34cm and a 39mm filter thread. The lens is not stabilized, but its reasonably bright aperture still helps in low light, especially since the autofocus performs well even in more difficult conditions. That said, it can be fairly noisy.

When it comes to image quality, the Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR delivers excellent results in the center from full aperture, although the edges can be slightly softer. Stopping down to f/4 or f/5.6 improves sharpness and produces a more consistent image overall, while diffraction starts to affect quality around f/8. Distortion, vignetting, and chromatic aberrations are all very well controlled.

Overall, Fujifilm has created a very nice lens here: well built, weather-sealed, ultra-light, discreet, and capable of very good image quality. It remains versatile, but it is especially well suited to street photography and traveling light. With a price below €450, I still think it is an excellent choice. The only real autofocus alternative is the TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 AF, which is much cheaper but also less refined, and I’ll discuss it next.

Staying with Fujifilm pancake lenses but switching focal lengths, the Fujifilm XF 18mm f/2 R was released in September 2012. It is starting to show its age, but if you’re looking for a relatively wide lens equivalent to 27mm on full-frame, while keeping things compact and lightweight, it may still be worth considering. It is not as compact as the 27mm mentioned above, but at just 116g and 4cm long, it remains very discreet.

Looking at the technical specifications, the Fujifilm XF 18mm f/2 R has a 52mm filter thread and an 18cm minimum focusing distance. The lens is not stabilized or weather-sealed, but it does have a bright f/2 maximum aperture. Combined with the short minimum focusing distance, this allows for some shallow depth-of-field effects and makes it useful in low light as well.

In terms of sharpness, this Fujifilm XF 18mm f/2 R pancake lens is not the strongest performer, but it is worth remembering that it is now more than 10 years old. Sharpness is fairly good in the center at full aperture, but it drops toward the edges and even more in the extreme corners. You will need to stop down to f/4 or f/5.6 for a more even image, although the corners still lag behind. As for optical flaws, distortion is significant and chromatic aberrations are visible. Vignetting remains acceptable, while flare can be an issue in some backlit situations.

In conclusion, despite its age, this pancake lens remains fairly unique on the current market, especially if you want this kind of compact, lightweight wide-angle option. The build quality is good, and although image quality is not perfect wide open, it still works well with centered subjects. Its relatively bright aperture also gives you some nice creative possibilities.

I’m wrapping up this autofocus pancake lens section with a third-party option for the Fujifilm X mount: the TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 AF. Autofocus is still relatively uncommon from this Chinese brand, and this lens competes directly with the Fujifilm XF 27mm f/2.8 R WR thanks to its similar focal length and maximum aperture. It remains very compact at only 94g and just 3cm long, making it a very interesting alternative if your budget is tighter.

The build quality of this TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 AF is quite good for the price, with an all-metal construction. It has an aperture ring and a manual focus ring. The lens is not stabilized or fully weather-sealed at this price point, but it does have a sealing ring at the mount. It also includes two high-index elements designed to reduce chromatic aberrations. The minimum focusing distance is 35cm, and the filter thread is 39mm. Autofocus also seems to work well.

As for sharpness, reviews point to very good image quality in the center, while the edges and corners are a little softer. Of course, it cannot quite match the Fujifilm 27mm, but the TTArtisan is much more affordable. Stopping down to f/4 or f/5.6 improves sharpness. Optical flaws are generally well controlled, with limited vignetting and fairly well-corrected distortion and chromatic aberrations.

In summary, the TTArtisan 27mm f/2.8 AF is a very interesting autofocus lens at roughly half the price of the Fujifilm equivalent. The Fujifilm 27mm is better built and sharper, but this lens is still a valid alternative if you have a tighter budget. For less than €150, I think it is an excellent choice!

The Viltrox AF 28mm f/4.5 XF is an ultra-compact pancake-style lens for the X mount. Used on an APS-C sensor, it gives a field of view similar to a 42mm lens, making it ideal for everyday and street photography. Its tiny size is one of its main strengths, making it one of the slimmest and lightest autofocus lenses available.

In terms of construction, it features a sturdy metal mount. Its optical formula includes 6 elements in 6 groups, with 2 aspherical and 2 ED elements. However, it has no weather sealing or stabilization. Autofocus is fast, quiet, and accurate. In terms of image quality, sharpness is very good in the center, while the edges are softer. Finally, optical flaws such as vignetting and flare are present, but they can be corrected or worked around in post-processing.

In summary, this Viltrox lens is ideal for street or travel photography thanks to its discreet design and ease of use. Despite some limitations, such as weaker low-light performance, soft corners, and no aperture control, it offers excellent value for money. I think it delivers on its promise: it is simple, easy to handle, and ultra-compact. In the end, it all depends on whether you prioritize size or optical performance.

The table below summarizes the main characteristics of the four autofocus pancake lenses for Fujifilm X mount mentioned above.

I won’t go into every possible option here, but I did want to highlight a few manual-focus pancake lenses.

1. Venus Optics Laowa 10mm f/4 Cookie X
2. Voigtlander 18mm f/2.8 Color-Skopar
3. Voigtlander Ultron 27mm f/2
4. 7artisans 10mm f/3.5 X

Below is a table summarizing all the characteristics of these lenses.

This Laowa 10mm f/4 Cookie X is quite unusual. It is an ultra-wide-angle lens for Fujifilm X cameras, equivalent to 15mm on full-frame, making it ideal for landscape and architectural photography. Its light weight of 125g and 2.5cm length make it a great choice for traveling light. The all-metal construction is excellent, and the 10cm minimum focusing distance opens up some interesting compositional possibilities.

Reviews point to excellent center sharpness, with the edges and extreme corners lagging slightly behind. Vignetting is strong at full aperture and decreases once you stop down. Distortion is reasonably well managed. In the end, for less than €300, Laowa offers a quality manual lens in an ultra-compact, ultra-wide-angle format. If that is exactly what you are looking for, this lens is a very good fit!

Launched in February 2024, the Voigtländer Color-Skopar 18mm f/2.8 is an ultra-compact lens for Fujifilm X APS-C cameras. Its 18mm focal length, equivalent to 28mm on full-frame, and its f/2.8 maximum aperture are among its main strengths. The optical construction consists of 7 elements in 5 groups, including an aspherical element and partial dispersion glass, helping control chromatic aberrations. Its weight and dimensions make it one of the most compact lenses for the Fujifilm X mount.

With a 75.4° angle of view, this lens is well suited to landscape, architectural, and reportage photography. The f/2.8 aperture also allows for low-light shooting to a certain extent. In terms of performance, sharpness is very good and overall consistency is solid.

As you can see, if you’re looking for a compact, practical lens and manual focusing is not a drawback for you, the Voigtländer Color-Skopar 18mm f/2.8 should suit you very well.

Announced in June 2023, the Voigtländer Ultron 27mm f/2 X is a compact, fully manual lens. It offers a 27mm focal length, equivalent to 40mm on full-frame, and a versatile field of view. The construction is entirely metal yet lightweight, with a pleasant retro design that is easy to handle.

In terms of optical performance, the lens is impressively sharp, with strong micro-contrast and a distinctive “3D pop” effect, which is fairly rare on APS-C. It produces detailed, high-quality images while keeping chromatic aberrations under control. It consists of 6 elements in 4 groups, and its 10-blade diaphragm produces natural, creamy bokeh.

In conclusion, its compact, lightweight design makes it a very good option for street, reportage, and documentary photography. In my opinion, even though it is neither weather-sealed nor stabilized, the Voigtländer Ultron 27mm f/2 is an excellent alternative to autofocus lenses such as the Fujinon XF 27mm f/2.8.

The 7Artisans 10mm f/3.5 X is a compact and highly affordable ultra-wide-angle lens for Fujifilm X-mount APS-C cameras. With a full-frame equivalent focal length of 15mm, it is a good match for photographers interested in landscapes, architecture, or vlogging. Despite its simple design, with manual focus and no electronic contacts, it delivers good center sharpness, very low distortion, an ultra-compact format, and decent build quality. However, corner sharpness remains weaker, even when stopping down.

That said, the lens does show its limitations: average corner sharpness, heavy vignetting, poor flare resistance, and fairly limited bokeh due to the relatively long 20cm minimum focusing distance. Still, it is a very good option for those on a budget or as a lightweight secondary lens. More capable alternatives do exist, but they are usually larger, brighter, or more expensive.

The following table summarizes the main characteristics of the lenses presented:

I am not aware of many other manual pancake lenses, apart from the recently announced 7Artisans 18mm f/6.3 Mark II X and, of course, the TTArtisan 25mm f/2 MF, which is less interesting now that a better autofocus version, the 27mm, is available.

That’s it for this article on the different Fujifilm pancake lenses. I hope it has helped you get a clearer picture. Even though I may need to update it over time, I also invite you to read our article on the best current Fujifilm lenses.

I’ll see you soon for another Fuji article.

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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