OK, so we all know what happens on lens suggestion threads. Everyone says what lenses they want, and by the end of the thread there's almost as many suggestions as there are contributors. However, it can still be plenty of fun.
So suppose we look at it another way? Suppose we suggest what lenses we want, but fit that into a framework of what the Fuji lens line up offers now? That way, we make suggestions as to what the line up should look like when 'fully formed'.
To help compare what Fuji offer with an ideal benchmark, I have listed at the bottom of this post all main full frame Canon lenses, supplemented on a couple of occasions by Nikon and 3rd party lenses where they seem to offer something significantly different. (Why full frame? Because apart from Fuji, no one offers a complete native apsc lens line up. That means most apsc systems have strange line ups which are even larger than full frame line ups in theory, but with many impractical options.)
Here are my suggestions on how to participate:
1. Suggest no more than 10 lenses. It would probably take years for Fuji to give us 10 new lenses, but it's not a completely unrealistic number in total to round out the system.
2. Assume Fuji update all older lenses so they are WR and focus quite fast, but keep the same optical formulae. It seems likely that will happen at some point, as it doesn't necessitate the R&D cost of a new optical formula.
3. All suggestions have to be realistic lenses. You don't have to show a proposed lens actually exists in any system, but expect to justify it on the grounds it's plausible given what does exist.
4. Try to make suggestions that make Fuji a better system for all types of photographers - from hobbyists on a budget to pros shooting sports, wildlife and fashion. That may mean suggesting lenses you aren't personally interested in.
5. Assume no further third party AF lens support. I think we can assume the third party manual lenses from the likes of Laowa and Samyang will continue to be released for X mount.
The Benchmark System
I've grouped these, mainly by focal length, though there may be good reasons for different options at the same focal length. In bold afterwards, I give the existing or announced rough Fuji options. This isn't a scientific match, just a rough way of comparing what Fuji currently offer to the benchmark. I've mentioned adapted options where those seem particularly likely to be of interest (eg, AF lenses or those you'll use in manual focus anyway).
800 f5.6, 600 & 500 f4
400 f5.6, 400 f2.8, 400 f4 (200 f2 with converter)
200-500 f5.6, 150-600 (100-400)
200-400 f4
200 f2, 200 f2.8
180 f3.5 macro (80 with converter)
135 f2, 135 f2.8 (90)
100-400 f5.6
120-300 f2.8, 300 f4, 300 f2.8 (200 f2)
100 f2.8 macro (80)
100 f2
85 1.2/1.4/1.8 (56/50/60)
75-300 (55-200, 50-230)
70-200 f2.8 & f4 (50-140)
50 macro (adapted options & Zeiss 50)
50 f1.4, 50 f1.8 (35 f1.4/2/Zeiss 32)
40 pancake (27)
35 f1.4, 35 f2 (23 f1.4/2)
28 f1.8, 28 f2.8 (18)
28-300 (18-135)
24-105 f4
24-70 f2.8, 24-85 various apertures (16-55, 18-55, 16-50)
24 f2.8, 24 f1.4 (16)
20 f2.8 (14)
16-35 f2.8, 16-35 f4 (10-24)
14 f2.8/f1.8 (Laowa 9)
14-24 f2.8, 11-24 f4 (8-16)
Specialist macro lenses (adapted options)
TS lenses (adapted options)
So suppose we look at it another way? Suppose we suggest what lenses we want, but fit that into a framework of what the Fuji lens line up offers now? That way, we make suggestions as to what the line up should look like when 'fully formed'.
To help compare what Fuji offer with an ideal benchmark, I have listed at the bottom of this post all main full frame Canon lenses, supplemented on a couple of occasions by Nikon and 3rd party lenses where they seem to offer something significantly different. (Why full frame? Because apart from Fuji, no one offers a complete native apsc lens line up. That means most apsc systems have strange line ups which are even larger than full frame line ups in theory, but with many impractical options.)
Here are my suggestions on how to participate:
1. Suggest no more than 10 lenses. It would probably take years for Fuji to give us 10 new lenses, but it's not a completely unrealistic number in total to round out the system.
2. Assume Fuji update all older lenses so they are WR and focus quite fast, but keep the same optical formulae. It seems likely that will happen at some point, as it doesn't necessitate the R&D cost of a new optical formula.
3. All suggestions have to be realistic lenses. You don't have to show a proposed lens actually exists in any system, but expect to justify it on the grounds it's plausible given what does exist.
4. Try to make suggestions that make Fuji a better system for all types of photographers - from hobbyists on a budget to pros shooting sports, wildlife and fashion. That may mean suggesting lenses you aren't personally interested in.
5. Assume no further third party AF lens support. I think we can assume the third party manual lenses from the likes of Laowa and Samyang will continue to be released for X mount.
The Benchmark System
I've grouped these, mainly by focal length, though there may be good reasons for different options at the same focal length. In bold afterwards, I give the existing or announced rough Fuji options. This isn't a scientific match, just a rough way of comparing what Fuji currently offer to the benchmark. I've mentioned adapted options where those seem particularly likely to be of interest (eg, AF lenses or those you'll use in manual focus anyway).
800 f5.6, 600 & 500 f4
400 f5.6, 400 f2.8, 400 f4 (200 f2 with converter)
200-500 f5.6, 150-600 (100-400)
200-400 f4
200 f2, 200 f2.8
180 f3.5 macro (80 with converter)
135 f2, 135 f2.8 (90)
100-400 f5.6
120-300 f2.8, 300 f4, 300 f2.8 (200 f2)
100 f2.8 macro (80)
100 f2
85 1.2/1.4/1.8 (56/50/60)
75-300 (55-200, 50-230)
70-200 f2.8 & f4 (50-140)
50 macro (adapted options & Zeiss 50)
50 f1.4, 50 f1.8 (35 f1.4/2/Zeiss 32)
40 pancake (27)
35 f1.4, 35 f2 (23 f1.4/2)
28 f1.8, 28 f2.8 (18)
28-300 (18-135)
24-105 f4
24-70 f2.8, 24-85 various apertures (16-55, 18-55, 16-50)
24 f2.8, 24 f1.4 (16)
20 f2.8 (14)
16-35 f2.8, 16-35 f4 (10-24)
14 f2.8/f1.8 (Laowa 9)
14-24 f2.8, 11-24 f4 (8-16)
Specialist macro lenses (adapted options)
TS lenses (adapted options)
