X100VI Accessory Update: Viltrox Wide & Tele Conversion Lenses for Fujifilm X100.
Subtitle: Much more than novelty gear.
These were not my first X100 conversion lenses. That would be a Neewer tele conversion lens.
Did it work?
Technically yes. It did provide a roughly 50mm full-frame field of view.
It behaved well optically, by not degrading the output of the native fixed lens.
But ultimately, I wrote it off as a novelty item not to be taken seriously. Why? I am glad I imagined that you asked.
- Nerve jangling tolerance issues.
- The back of the conversion lens seems to collide with the front of the camera lens which causes a camera fault at close focus distance. Yeah. No. Gives me pause. Would be terrible if I damaged the camera’s actual lens to save money.
- Dumb lens.
- While the Fujifilm conversion lenses communicate their presence to the camera, which updates EXIF and IBIS, you would have to manually alert the camera with the Neewer lenses. Something I would often forget to do when putting the lens on and taking it off.
- Fiddly assembly.
- Came in two pieces. You screw the adapter to the lens and then the conversion lens to the adapter. Yes, you could just leave them coupled, but this is not as straightforward as I would have liked. Would much prefer it to be all one piece.
Neewer is not alone in this. Fujifilm requires an additional adapter and unlike Neewer they charge extra for it. $46.35 to be specific.
And then there is the price of the actual conversion lens. $384.00 if you were wondering.
So… carry the two… $430.35 all in.
In a world where I could purchase excellent, actual full-frame prime Viltrox lenses for much less?
Nope.
I used Neewer and Fujifilm options above to set a baseline. So back to Viltrox.
Viltrox offers a best-of-both-worlds solution.
The automatic lens info updating and flawless performance of the Fujifilm conversion lenses.
More expensive than Neewer, but still a significant cost savings compared to Fujifilm, and much better build quality.
And for a good while, that is where I left things.
Then a bag arrived from my job.
At first, I was hesitant to use it for anything camera-related because, as outlined in this post,…
…the last time I used a bag gifted from my job, it ended with a repair from Pentax for my K-1 when the strap let go.
Then it hit me.
Could this be an X100 kit bag?
The bag I was using was relatively compact, but it was still a messenger bag form factor. If I could shoehorn the kit into this shoulder sling bag, it would be even better. The kit in mind.
- X100VI ~35mm FF Equiv
- Viltrox Wide Adapter ~28mm FF Equiv
- Viltrox Tele Adapter ~50mm FF Equiv
- TT350 flash
- Especially when using the tele adapter. The adapter blocks the built-in flash.
- An excellent little flash with a provided modifier and build in, slide out bounce card.
Turns out everything fits with ease.
Spare batteries and a cloth in the front poacket.
Flash, conversion lenses, and camera in main compartment.
Conveniently the soft bags that come with the conversion lenses guard against scratching th ecamera.
Previously I had said that I would happily use these Viltrox lenses for “serious” work. But previously I had not identified a compact means of carrying the kit. The hag I mentioned above was large enought accodate a more traditional interchangeable lens set up, so I did that instead.
But now…
…I had myself a proper compact kit.
Nice.
And I put it to use right away.
Perfect for when I will be singing with the chorus. Up until now I had to make gear compromises. Even a small messenger bag would not be good. But with this small sling I found there was no issue at all.
I wrote a post that included the photos.
I did not feel led to take any photos before the performance, but after I saw an opportunity. The event did not have a formal photographer. After we finished singing I thought it would be nice to get a photo of the Pastor with our Director. So I put on the tele adapter,…
…then added the flash, flipped the flash head up, and pulled out the bounce card. After the close I asked thgen for their picture and others followed.
Then, after the event, I switched to the wide adapter and had fun capturing some scenes seen.
There is an issue, however.
The unobtanium/price gouging theme.
I have this camera. I appreciate this camera. I really like these adapters for it. But I am not an X100 fan boy.
If this camera were available, I would be ok with the price increase to $1,799. Even without a full-frame sensor compared to the other fixed lens 40MP plus cameras on the market I still believe that the X100VI is still a goo value..
What bugs me is that they only seem available on the used market for a considerable markup. I can in no way recommend this path.
But if you somehow manage to get your hands on one, or you have one of the older X100 models, I highly recommend this kit.
Wait… the bag. Some of you are not willing to work for my employer for a few years to get this freebie bag. But there are others that could be used instead. Looks like this one may do the trick.
Seems a bit larger, but looks like it will do the trick.
With that, I will close. I have rambled on long enough.
Happy capturing.
-ELW
Eric L. Woods 