The Fujifilm Fujinon XF 27mm F2.8 R WR ($399.95) is an updated take on one of the slimmest X series lenses available. It doesn’t make changes to the optics used by the earlier XF 27mm F2.8, but updates its housing to include an aperture control ring and weather protection. It’s a good fit for prime lens fans and anyone looking to add a featherweight lens to a Fujifilm X camera, but it does make some noise when focusing. If that bugs you, you may want to think about the Editors’ Choice award-winning XF 23mm F2 R WR instead, priced just $50 higher.
A Pancake Prime with Weather Protection
The new Fujinon XF 27mm F2.8 R WR has a bit more word salad in its name than the first edition, the XF 27mm F2.8. The R and WR designations are indicative of the updates—Fujifilm adds R to lenses with an aperture ring, and WR to those that are weather resistant.
The new lens has a slimmer manual control ring to make room for the f-stop control, and adds a rubber seal at the mount to keep dust and water on the outside. It’s about the same size as the earlier lens, 0.9 by 2.4 inches (HD), and just a bit heavier at 3 ounces.
Its pancake form factor is popular for photographers who like to pack light, or stay discreet when making street or other photojournalistic-style images. And the angle of view, about the same as a 40mm full-frame lens, is a popular choice for the discipline.
You can buy the new XF 27mm R WR on its own for around $400, but Fujifilm is also offering it as a kit option for the X-E4, where it adds just $200 to the cost of buying the camera on its own. If you’re thinking about buying both, it’s worth it to get them together.
It pairs well with the slim X-E4, but the remember that camera model isn’t protected from dust and splashes. Among its current line, the X-T3, X-T4, and X-Pro3 are compatible models with weather protection.
The aperture ring is a welcome addition, especially for photographers who are used to using other X system primes. You can set it from f/2.8 through f/16 in third-stop increments, or move it to the A position for automatic control. It’s positioned right in the middle of the barrel, with raised ridges so it’s pretty easy to find and turn when you’ve got your camera up to your eye.
The manual focus ring takes a hit, though. Because of the added aperture ring, the focus ring on this version of the lens is much slimmer, and directly abuts the aperture ring. The narrow ring is less comfortable to turn than with the older version of the lens, and it’s a little easy to nudge the aperture control by accident when setting focus.
This is a lens that’s better used in autofocus mode. Even then, it’s a step behind other Fujifilm primes in focus speed. Instead of using internal focus elements, the optical block visibly moves back and forth in the barrel to set focus. It drives quickly, but you’ll note some back-and-forth stutter and noise.
Because of the focus method, and the simple fact that to focus closer lens elements need to move farther away from the image sensor, the inner part of the barrel protrudes slightly when the lens is focused as close as possible, to 13.4 inches (34cm), and the macro rating is pretty low (1:10 life-size).
Optical stabilization isn’t included. Fujifilm doesn’t usually put the feature into shorter prime lenses. I had no problems getting crisp, blur-free shots at 1/30-second handheld with the X-E4, but noted some blur at 1/15-second when not taking care.
Fujifilm doesn’t include a hood with the lens, but you can get one if you’d like. I did note some flare coming into play when framing shots with the sun just out of frame when working without one. The slim, dome-style LH-XF27 hood is available separately, for around $13.
In the Lab
The new XF 27mm uses the same optical formula as the first version of the lens, but we took the opportunity to run a fresh set of tests with the 26MP X-E4. Resolution is excellent wide open, and outstanding from f/4 onward. For landscape use, set the lens to f/5.6 or f/8 and you’ll enjoy terrific clarity from center to edge.
There’s a slight vignette at f/2.8, visible in lab tests but not much of a problem for real-world photography. Fujifilm’s engineers may have made some compromises to meet pancake dimensions, but resolution wasn’t one of them.
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We weren’t quite as happy with the sunstars, an effect you can get with many wide primes. The 7-blade rounded aperture does a good job keeping background blur pleasing when working at wider apertures, but it makes for mushy starbursts at f/16.
The Lens for Packing Light
We’re happy to see Fujifilm revisit and breathe some life into an old favorite. The new edition of the XF 27mm F2.8 R WR adds an aperture ring, a must-have for many X system owners, and weather protection, for $50 less than older XF 27mm. It’s a sensible kit option for the slim X-E4, and a lightweight, all-weather add-on for the X-Pro3 and X-T4.
It’s a lens to get if you’re looking to carry a lightweight kit, with an angle of view that’s well suited for street scenes and selfies. Some drawbacks come with the svelte form, though, as focus is audible, and can hesitate before locking in.
If you’re looking for a more premium experience, consider stepping up to the XF 23mm F2 R WR, our Editors’ Choice. For around $450 it gathers twice the light and focuses closer and without noise, but isn’t quite as featherweight.
