My Fuji Lens Setup (2025 edition)
Buying a new camera can be a daunting task for a lot of people, camera enthusiasts included. Do you get a fixed lens point and shoot? Interchangeable? First party lens? What level of first party lens? Third party? Prime or zoom? There’s a lot to think through.
For my Sony system, the 40mm f/2.5 G is my EDC/general purpose lens. I have the Tamron 17-28mm f/2.8 and the 28-75mm f/2.8 G2 for my standard zoom needs. For portraits, I have some cheap Rokinon/Samyang primes (24mm f/1.8 and 75mm f/1.8). For my Fuji lenses, I had a few different goals. First, I wanted prime lenses to have a different focal length than my full-frame lenses. And second, I wanted zoom lenses that gave me some solid telephoto distance, just to switch it up. And third, I would only buy used lenses.
For 2025, I’ve been mainly shooting: (1) street; (2) portraits; and (3) landscapes. That led me to the following 3-lens setup.
XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS
Taken with the X-T5 with the XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR
This lens is a solid performer in most situations. If it had weather sealing, it might be perfect. It’s tough to beat this lens’ image quality for the price. I picked this up used for around US$300. This lens isn’t the greatest low light performer, but ISO can help mitigate some of that. This lens is super lightweight (310g / 0.68 lb), making it great for an EDC lens. The lens covers a versatile 27-82.5mm in full frame, so it should cover most of your photography needs.
Consider this lens:
if you prioritize flexibility and a light-weight kit
if you don’t have a huge budget or just want to save some money (a used copy can be found in the $300 range)
Skip this one if…
you pixel peep and have a camera with Fuji’s 40mp sensor
you need a lens that can handle some inclement weather
you don’t want to buy used gear (this lens has since been replaced with the XF 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8 R LM WR)
XF 33mm f/1.4 R LM WR
Taken with the X-T5 with the XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR
The internet has endless praise for the XF 35mm f/1.4 R’s vintage “character”. For some reason, its successor seems to get a little more hate. Descriptions of “character” disappear in reviews of the newer 33mm, in some cases replaced by claims of the newer lens being too “clinical”. I like sharp lenses. So those conI mainly wanted a weather-resistant prime for an EDC setup, so I opted for the pricier but newer 33mm version instead. I got it used (like all my Fuji lenses), but even then, used lens prices have gone up since more tariffs have kicked in. This lens is a rough equivalent to a nifty-fifty in full frame, which is a focal length that I don’t have for E-mount. That gap made this an even easier choice. If I could only have one prime lens, this would be it, hands down. I’ve been extremely satisfied with this lens since day one.
Consider getting this lens if you…
want a versatile walkaround prime lens
need something that performs well in low light
have the budget for it (if not, there are some great cheaper alternatives)
don’t mind a little heft (this thing isn’t heavy, but it is much heavier than other similar lenses that are available)
Skip it if you…
think you can get the photos you want with one of the cheaper alternatives like the 35mm XC and can live without an aperture ring
don’t like prime lenses and prefer the versatility of a zoom lens
XF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 R LM OIS WR
Taken with the X-T5 with the XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR
I took a leap of faith on this one. I’ve never owned or even used a long range telephoto zoom lens. They look like mini bazookas, and the size and price just made them unrealistic for someone who does photography for a hobby. I just wanted something that I would never pick up for the E-mount system, and I found this lens on sale used for around US$700. I didn’t realize that this lens would quickly become my go-to for morning walks. While it struggles in low light given the not so great minimum aperture f/4 at 70mm, once you get used to its performance, you can get some really nice shots out of it. I’m just amazed at how much range I get in a lens that isn’t functionally much bigger than my E-mount Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 GII.
This might be a good choice if you…
are traveling and want to take photos of animals, plants, birds, etc.
do landscape photography during your travels
don’t care about extreme sharpness (just be mindful of working in good light, which helps this lens out a TON since it struggles in low light)
This may not be a good fit if you…
don’t need a superzoom
don’t want to stick out (while this lens is pretty small for its reach, it stands out if you’re trying to be a little inconspicuous)
hate carrying around heavy gear (it’s only 1.3 pounds, but it adds up if you’re using something small like a camera sling)
need a superzoom that performs better in low light (f/4 @70mm at the widest on APS-C)
Right now, these three lenses serve me well. If I had to change something, it might be the 18-55. I’m curious about its successor, which would give me a fully weather-resistant kit no matter which lens I use. Right now, it’s the only non WR lens in my setup.
For the time being, I don’t think I’ll be moving away from the 70-300. I might pick up the 1.4x teleconverter but I can’t imagine moving to anything physically larger than this lens. It’s the upper limit of what I want to deal with, in terms of gear hauling. Same for the 33mm. It’s my first true “nifty-fifty” and is one of the best, if not the best, lens I’ve ever owned.
Thanks for reading. Cheers.