Valhalla, NY—Fujifilm North America Corp. unveiled a premium accessory for the Fujifilm X100 compact system camera—the wide conversion lens WCL-X100 that’s designed to further enhance the photographic experience of using the X100 digital camera.
“We are extremely pleased to offer this new wide conversion lens for the Fujifilm X100, which has been enthusiastically received from the professional and advanced amateur photographic communities for its beautiful design and outstanding image quality,” said Go Miyazaki, division president, Imaging and Electronic Imaging divisions, Fujifilm North America Corporation. “Fujifilm is committed to giving photographers the premium tools that they need to achieve the best imaging results imaginable, and this new lens will allow the Fujifilm X100 to exceed users’ expectations by opening up countless new shooting opportunities.”
The WCL-X100, made in Japan and designed specifically for the X100, attaches directly onto the camera and increases picture taking versatility by multiplying the fixed focal length by 0.8x, converting it from a 23mm (35mm equivalent) fixed focal length to a 19mm wide-angle (28mm equivalent). The WCL-X100 is engineered to maximize versatility of the X100 by ensuring comparable image quality even at the f/2 wide aperture setting, all while retaining all the original optical characteristics, including the bokeh effect.
The lens’s optical construction uses four premium glass elements in three groups to keep aberrations to a minimum and also employs Fujinon Super EBC (electron beam coating). To achieve the best results from the WCL-X100, users select the “Wide Conversion Lens” option in the X100’s menu system (camera must be updated to firmware version 1.30 or later) or select the function via the function (Fn) or RAW buttons.
After selection, the X100 automatically applies image processing to shots taken using the WCL-X100 to reduce image distortion and help ensure balanced illumination across the frame and reduced chromatic aberration.
The WCL-X100 maintains the full functionality of the X100, including autofocusing speeds, the 10cm macro capability and the hybrid viewfinder. With the optical viewfinder (OVF) selected, icons showing the edge of the frame are displayed instead of the frame rim (equivalent to 80% of the frame field of view), while selecting the electronic viewfinder (EVF) gives users a 100% field of view.
To ensure a seamless blend with the X100, the WCL-X100 uses the same materials, textures and colors, plus the optional LH-X100 lens hood and PRF-49S protective filter can be used on the conversion lens. Furthermore, the clip-on lens cap for the WCL-X100 can be attached with both the lens hood and filter in place.
The Fujifilm wide conversion lens WCL-X100 will be available in silver and black in June for $349.99. fujifilmusa.com
