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Pancake lenses are some of the best solutions for any photographer who wishes to travel light. A mirrorless camera with a pancake lens can be easy to carry anywhere, allowing you to get closer to action. If you have a pancake lens with Fujifilm’s X series, this becomes a perfect choice for varied photographers and content creators. This will now become a reality as we see more reports of Fujifilm launching a new pancake lens in 2025.
According to Fujifilm Rumors, the company is set to announce a highly anticipated Fujinon XF23mm pancake lens this year. The lens is supposed to be a game-changer for those looking to make their camera bag more compact.
The report states that the lens could be an f2 lens, which will make it slightly larger than a pancake lens, also called a muffin lens. This could offer a balance between portability and performance. However, there are also reports of its being an ultra-compact f2.8 lens, similar to the 27mm f2.8, launched in 2021. This means X series users get more portability. However, none of these features are set in stone, and are more of wishlist from consumers wanting something different from Fujifilm.
While we want a new XF23mm, we must also remember that it would work really well with the Fujifilm XE and XPro series of cameras. Fujifilm did say that they haven’t abandoned both series yet, but we haven’t seen much update about either from them. The 23mm Fujinon lens we tested in 2021 was paired with the X-E4 body. Per our review, “The Fujifilm 27mm f2.8 R WR is an excellent kit lens — but it still has merit as a great, compact walk-around lens. For $400, you get a tiny, weather-sealed lens with some soft bokeh and a sharp center. That’s an excellent deal.”
So, while we do want a new pancake lens, we also want something that has a brighter aperture. This helps APS-C shooters to get more out of a smaller sensor and makes it easy to shoot in low light conditions. Moreover, the XF 23mm f1.4 version is available, but the lens is pricier and much larger than the 27mm. So, our hope is that the new lens is truly innovative, as it has been a while since the company launched a pancake, which people have been waiting for so long.
Either way, we do have some faith in Fujifilm, especially after they released the GFX100 RF, which is the smallest medium-format camera for serious photographers. If the company had been able to stuff a medium-format sensor in a small body, I bet they would have managed to give us something unique with the 23mm pancake lens. 2025 seems to be Fujfilm’s year, as the company is really on top of its game. If we get a new X Pro camera, too, along with the lens, then that would really be a dream come true for many.
