One of our readers inspired me last week not only with his great photos of fishermen, but also with the Sebastião Salgado quote I found in his “About me” section. “Reality is in color, truth is in black and white.” What more is there to say? You don’t need a film camera around your neck to find the truth. Sometimes it’s enough to switch your phone to black and white mode, as I did last week. But now to the colorful reality of what last week brought in the photography world.

The Fujinon XF30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro from Fujifilm is very compact, very sharp and focuses to 1:1, true life-size, without any accessories. But how does it measure up as a “normal lens” suitable for EDC? Let’s take a close-up look.

Overview
Macro lenses continue to intrigue me, partly because they’re often the sharpest lens in any manufacturer’s lineup—or at least are imagined to be so. But the main reason is they give us a close-up view of objects around us and thereby open a window to capture details in images that unaided eyes can’t even see.

Macro’s are multifunctional because their equivalent focal lengths, with very few exceptions, fall into one of two categories: normal (40mm to 60mm) or portrait (80mm to 105mm). The Fujifilm 30mm f/2.8 Macro is considered a normal lens because in full-frame terms, its focal length equates to 46mm.

Scroll to the bottom of this story for a deep-dive into the characteristics that determine what makes a lens “normal.” For information on what makes people normal, you have to look elsewhere—I wouldn’t recognize it if it bit me.

First Impressions
Fujifilm’s Fujinon XF30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro is impressively small, just 2.7 inches (69.5mm) long. It weighs only 6.87 ounces (195g) and balances nicely on a Fujifilm X-T, X-E or X-Pro series camera body. For this review we used a Fujifilm X-T5.

The little lens feels good in the hand and looks attractive when attached to a camera. It has an aperture ring, of course, a perquisite for serious macro work where small f/stops are the order of the day. And it ships with a lens hood, also a necessity for macro.

Unlike my Fujinon XF60mm f/2.4 R Macro lens that has an equivalent focal length of 91mm, the 30mm f/2.8 cannot double as an ideal portrait lens, but that suited me fine because I’d been seeking an EDC optic more in the normal-lens range for personal use. It was clear from the beginning that the Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 was heir apparent to the 60mm f/2.4 I purchased a few years back.

First few shots were astounding. Thanks in part to the excellent on-board image stabilization provided by the Fujifilm X-T5, I was able to make successful close-up shots handheld despite my normal clumsiness.

Specifications & Features
Key features to call out from the chart below include 9-blade rounded diaphragm for first-class bokeh and the ability to achieve true macro (i.e., 1:1 magnification ratio) where the image captured on the sensor is the same size as in real life. Additionally, the minimum focusing distance is 3.94 inches (10cm) making it easy to photograph your expensive dinner without rising from your chair and attracting attention. Influencers who want attention can still stand up, of course, so there are no losers here. Sort of.

Watch the Fujifilm-produced exploratory video here. Browse sample images on Fujifilm’s website here.

Construction
The focusing mechanism is internal, which means the length of the lens does not change during focusing. That’s a big plus on a macro lens where the potential to nudge the subject with the front element is always hanging over your head like the sword of Damocles. Internal focusing is faster, too, because there are fewer moving parts and they travel shorter distances.

Exterior components appear to all be metal. Fit and Finish both get A+ marks. Like all other Fujinon/Fujifilm lenses I have encountered, the workmanship is exemplary. The focusing ring turns smoothly, and the aperture ring clicks cleanly at each detent and snaps firmly in the A-position for Program mode operation.

The Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 macro offers Weather Protection but the IP Rating is not stated. Instead, Fujifilm’s website reads: “Dustproof and splashproof lenses with WR in their names can be used in light rain or in dusty environments by attaching them to a dustproof and splashproof camera.” Further, the FAQ section warns against continued use of WR lenses in wet conditions for long periods of time. This is not a criticism on my part, although that explanation is vague. Our advice is and always has been to avoid water like frogs avoid largemouth bass, even if the product has a splashproof or water-resistant designation.

The AF system utilizes a high-precision linear motor and is fast and extraordinarily quiet—of major importance to video shooters. Combined with the stellar AF performance of the Fujifilm X-T5, the combination was quick and accurate.

Optical Construction
The optical formula of the Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 comprises 11 elements in 9 groups. It includes 3 aspherical and 2 ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements.

Performance Summary
It was not surprising when the Fujinon XF30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro delivered clear, sharp images, based on past experience with other Fujifilm lenses. Crisp resolution extended from edge-to-edge and corner-to-corner.

No obvious optical distortion or aberrations were visible and the elevated color fidelity was very satisfying. Images were rendered with rich saturation and brilliance. The bokeh was very good, clearly aided by the round, 9-blade diaphragm opening and despite the modest focal length and f/2.8 aperture.

Conclusion
To be sure, it’s not as versatile as a zoom for travel, sports or street shooting, nor is it designed to be. But it’s a perfect lens for dozens of other applications, including spontaneous snaps and of course close-ups. If you are a food-shooter, look no further for your next lens.

The lens is fun to use as a macro, and equally important (at least to me), its performance as a “normal/standard” or EDC-category lens validated my preconceptions. The Fujinon 30mm f/2.8 is a lens you’ll put on your camera and seldom remove. At the very least, it’s an optic you want to have nearby in a gadget bag (or second camera body) on every photo trek.

Price & Availability
The Fujinon XF30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro is available now. Typical street price is $599. You could order it from an online reseller, but please consider your local photo shop first, if you’re fortunate enough to have one.

Exactly What Is A Normal Lens?
Not referring to an individual’s behavior (which could be under scrutiny in its own right) the so-called “normal”  or “standard” focal length for a particular camera, by definition, is the focal length approximately equal to the diagonal of its sensor or film-frame size. This combination allegedly produces images that have about the same perspective as human vision.

Calculating the geometry, 35mm film is 24mm × 36mm and has a diagonal of 43.2mm. The square of the hypotenuse of a right triangle is equal to the sum of the squares of the two adjacent sides, as discovered by Pythagoras. Most early standard lenses for 35mm film cameras were 50mm, just a hair under two inches. If you dig this geeky math stuff, read this: What’s a “Normal” Lens? And Why Is My 18mm Lens “Equivalent” to a 28mm? which I penned about seven years ago.

The equivalent focal length of Fujifilm’s 30mm f/2.8 macro is 46mm as per their published specifications. That’s much closer to the computed 43.2mm focal length than, say, the so-called normal/standard 50mm lenses that sold by the literal millions during the Golden Age of film SLR cameras.

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Experienced photographers tend to shoot in the Raw file format because of enhanced image quality and greater flexibility during the editing process. But shooting Raw comes with a penalty because these files are significantly larger than Jpegs and other available formats.

What if you told you that you can take advantages of the benefits Raw files provide, and still save on file space so your storage devices don’t burst at the seams? In the quick video below from the FJH Photography YouTube channel you’ll learn how to enjoy the best of both worlds by converting Raw files to the DNG.

Instructor Francisco Hernandez is a professional photographer specializing in portraiture and lighting. But the conversion process he describes in today’s lesson will be a huge benefit to anyone with a camera—regardless of the type of images they shoot. Best yet, this method is so fast and easy that it takes less than five minutes to explain.

If you’re unfamiliar with the term DNG, it’s simply an abbreviation for “digital negative”—an alternative Raw format from Adobe. Hernandez describes the pros and cons of making the conversion, and in his mind the drawbacks aren’t significant. One thing to keep in mind is that some image editors, other than all Adobe products and Capture One, aren’t compatible with DNG files.

Another consideration is that DNG files don’t include “all the extra metadata” like GPS location data that you receive with conventional Raw files. If you unconcerned with these two caveats, converting to DNG is a great way to go. And you’ll still have key metadata like the camera and lens used, all important settings, confirmation if a flash fired, time and date, and just about everything else you expect.

Hernandez always shoots in Raw for reasons he explains. He pulls up one of his family photos and walks you through the simple step-by-step procedure for converting the file to DNG. He also explains a safety procedure if you’re initially wary of getting the job done so you don’t have to worry about making a mistake and losing one of your favorite shots (which is extremely unlikely) until you get the hang of it.

Once you’re in Lightroom’s Library module simply double click on the image on your screen, and you’ll see a selection of your photos in Filmstrip mode. Then you can select any image you want to keep in the conventional Raw format when converting the others to DNG. To make the conversion just tap on the Library tab atop the screen and then choose the Convert to DNG option from the dropdown menu that appears.

You’ll then see a window with the various settings available, which you can modify to your liking. For example, you can change whether the file extension appears in upper or lower case and determine if you want the original file deleted after it’s converted to DNG. That’s about it. As you’ll see,  the demonstration image shrunk from 2.09GB to 687MB once the conversion was complete.

After watching the video take a peek at the FJH YouTube Channel to see all the other lessons from which to choose. And don’t miss another helpful tutorial we posted recently, explaining how to print photos at home with consistently great results.

Sooner or later all of us hit the doldrums and run out of fresh ideas and inspiration. The quick tutorial below will pay big dividends the next time your imagination runs dry.

Instructor Mario Kilian is a professional photographer based in Germany with 40 years of experience, and he never seems to run out of ideas for helping Shutterbug readers improve their craft. In this six-minute tutorial he offers three great ideas that will provide a big jolt of creativity, and they may even help you “take the perfect photo.”

Kilian kicks off the lesson with this quote from Albert Einstein: “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” As you’ll see, this prophetic observation is just as appropriate for photographers as it is for scientists. In other words, sometimes fresh ideas for making better images require a fresh way of viewing the world around us.

This first tip includes a reminder that there are numerous ways to shoot the same scene or subject, if you’re willing to step outside your comfort zone. This could mean trying a different focal length than you’d typically use for the particular task and hand, experimenting with a new genre of photography, or shooting from a unique vantage point. Kilian suggests a few other possibilities worth trying.

Kilian strongly urges you to take time to carefully study a scene, maybe even walking around the area, before pulling out your gear and starting to shoot. In other words, explore the myriad of possibilities in front of you. This notion applies to the suggestions above and those that follow.

With regard to his second tip, Kilian says this: “A photo is not just a picture of something. A photo is not just a picture of a bird.” The point he’s making is that all great photos tell a story, and Kilian provides some straightforward advice that will help you become a better visual storyteller. Bottom line: when you find something interesting to shoot, do your best to help the viewer understand what was happening at the moment you snapped the shutter.

The video concludes with some recommendations for street photographers. Kilian begins with another insightful quote–this one from Saul Leiter: “There are some things that are out in the open, and there are things that are hidden…the real world has more to do with what is hidden.”  

Killian explains how to leverage this notion and he provide a few illustrative examples to drive the points home.

You can find much more of interest by paying a visit to Kilian’s YouTube channel, and by taking a look at a tutorial we posted recently that demonstrates several pro tips for shooting great landscape photos with a wide-angle lens.