Earlier in 2024 I decided I wanted a more compact camera for travel. I debated between buying the Fuji 27mm 2.8 WR lens for my Fuji XT1 that I already owned or buying a new smaller sized APS-C camera. Due to cost I decided to get the Fuji 27mm lens.
It’s a sought after lens for its optical quality, small size, and versatile focal length. I bought it to use as a travel lens. I wanted to make my XT1 smaller and lighter to carry around. It turns a camera from the XT line into a reasonable small and Light camera. It’s not as small as a compact camera, which I did consider, but for me the 27mm pancake lens with the XT1 was a good comprise between smaller size, pocketable, camera and using one that I already owned to cut down on cost.
The Fuji 27mm 2.8 WR lens attached to the Fuji X-T1.
I took this lens/camera combination on a trip to Central Otago during Winter and it fit in my jacket pocket comfortably. In warmer weather I can carry this combination in my Tomtoc 4L travel sling, but only just! It fits in my sling fine, there’s just not much room for anything else while this camera and lens are in there. So it may not be as convenient to carry around as a true compact camera while traveling.
Like I said earlier, if money was no object, I would buy a, brand new, compact camera. The advantage of the Fuji XT1 was that I already owned it, it is an APS-C sensor sized camera that still takes great photos, despite its age now, and I only needed to buy a smaller lens to turn it into a reasonably sized travel camera. Both the camera and the lens are also weather sealed which is an advantage in some locations, depending on your travel habits.
As well as my South Island trip I also tested this lens around town and the image quality is great. I have no complaints in that regard. I don’t do tests & charts to measure falloff, chromatic aberration and such, there are plenty of reviews around on that stuff. I just wanted a camera/lens combination that was small/lightweight and would take great images. This lens does that very well.
It’s a great lens to take images of anything going on around you. I usually switch between 35mm and 50mm on full frame so a 27mm(40mm full frame) is great for my taste in that regard. It’s wide enough to get things in the frame, not so wide that you lose stuff in the crowd, and versatile enough to use for portraits or detail shots if you want. I rarely want to shoot super wide and if I was traveling and wanted to take a wide angle photo my phone is a good enough wide angle camera. But if you are a wide angle fan then Fuji also make an 18mm pancake lens.
If you are looking for a mid sized, Weather sealed, interchangeable lens camera to use for high quality travel photos I would recommend the Fuji 27mm 2.8 lens and any Fuji camera that is weather sealed will give you a practically sized and rugged setup.
The lens is 80g which makes my XT1 camera it is mounted on very light. It has an aperture ring (unlike the original version of this lens) a filter thread of 39mm, I splashed out for the genuine Fuji protector filter to protect the front element. This is fairly expensive and there are other options, any UV or clear 39mm filter will work but the on brand filter has the Fuji coatings on it matching the lens front element. Everyone can decide for themselves if they want to pay for that or not.
I see a lot of negatives online about the autofocus of this lens but I found it quite good for my needs. I use back button focus to focus on a single point, compose, then take my picture. I found it quick enough, not too noisy, and accurate in almost all situations. I’m also using it on the Fuji XT1, It could only be faster on a newer camera. The only caveat is if you are shooting video, it’s probably too noisy and for sports photography it’s probably too slow.
I’ve owned it for about a year now and am very happy with the image quality of this lens. If you already own any Fuji camera, just prefer Fuji cameras, want a camera that has an interchangeable lens, or Weather sealing, then check out the Fuji 27mm pancake lens to travel proof your camera. It will turn your camera into a small, light, sling carry-able camera.
The lens comes with a regular lens cap, metal hood, and cap that covers the front element with the lens hood attached. It also comes with a ‘travel sock’ – I use mine to carry other equipment as I found it collected some dust.
Summary
| Fuji 27mm 2.8 WR for travel |
|---|
| Excellent optical quality |
| Useful focal length in a variety of situations |
| Small size – makes your camera much smaller, lighter |
| Weather resistant – important if traveling to places with a lot of dust |
| Was able to fit this camera/lens combination into my winter coat pocket and inside my 4 litre Tomtoc sling – although took up most of the room of the sling. For something really pocketable you’ll need a much more compact camera. |
