Viltrox launches affordable wide-angle converter for Fujifilm X100 series

Viltrox has announced a new Wide Conversion Lens designed for Fujifilm’s popular X100 compact cameras, including last year’s X100VI.

The add-on converts the camera’s built-in 35mm equivalent lens into a wider 28mm prime, giving a broader field of view to the fixed lens compact.

The X100 series uses a fixed 23mm f/2 lens, which works out to a 35mm equivalent due to its APS-C 1.5x crop factor. While many photographers appreciate this classic focal length, there are times where a different focal length may be handy. 

Fujifilm already provides an option that does this, though its own accessories haven’t been updated since the X100F generation in early 2017.

Fujifilm’s WCL-X100 II delivers a similar 28mm equivalent view but costs $400+ and was developed long before the X100VI’s 40-megapixel sensor arrived.

Viltrox is pitching its new WCL-X100VI as a modern, far cheaper alternative at $159 USD ($239 AUD).

The company says the new lens works with all X100 series bodies, and newer models from the X100F onward can automatically detect it, applying in-camera distortion and vignetting corrections.

The design includes five elements in four groups, with two high-refractive-index elements and a front coating to resist water and dirt. It also offers a 49mm filter thread and adds 36.6mm to the overall lens length.

The Viltrox WCL-X100VI is available now in black or silver. More info via Viltrox's website.