Fujifilm XC 15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS PZ
Summary
The Fujifilm XC 15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS PZ is a solid optical performer — a ultra-wide zoom (23mm equivalent) with f/3.5 maximum aperture. The lens is priced at approximately ~$500 USD. Please check the official product page for sample images, manuals, and firmware updates.
Genre Suitability
- Excellent for: Travel, Sport, Wildlife
- Adequate for: Landscape, Architecture
- Avoid for: Street, Portrait, Macro
Strengths
- Well-controlled aberrations
- Built-in optical stabilization
Weaknesses
- Harsh, busy bokeh with distracting patterns
- Poor flare resistance — ghosting and veiling flare with backlight
Specifications 19/20
| Optical construction | 10 elements in 9 groups (3 aspherical, 2 ED) |
| Coating | Super EBC |
| Focal length | 15-45mm |
| Max aperture | f/3.5 |
| Sweet spot | f/5.6 |
| Aperture blades | 7 (circular) |
| Sunstar points | 14 (soft — circular blades) |
| Max magnification | 0.24x |
| Min focus distance | 130mm |
| AF motor | STM |
| OIS | Yes |
| Weather sealed | No |
| Aperture ring | No |
| Clickless aperture | — |
| Focus ring | Yes |
| Focus by wire | Yes |
| Distance scale | No |
| Rotating front | No |
| Tripod mount | No |
| Weight | 135g |
| Diameter | 62.6mm |
| Length | 44.2mm |
| Filter thread | 52mm |
| Year | 2018 |
Optical Quality 11/14
| Center (wide open) | 1.5 |
| Center (stopped) | 1.5 |
| Corner (stopped) | 1.0 |
| Astigmatism | 1.5 |
| Longitudinal CA | 2.0 |
| Lateral CA | 1.5 |
| Distortion | 1.0 |
| Vignetting (wide open) | 1.5 |
| Vignetting (stopped) | 1.5 |
| Bokeh | 0.0 |
| Flare resistance | 0.0 |
Sharpness
- Good center sharpness wide open
- Good center resolution stopped down
- Acceptable corner sharpness stopped down
Aberrations
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Well-controlled lateral CA
- Well-controlled astigmatism
Rendering
- Harsh, busy bokeh with distracting patterns
- Mild vignetting wide open
- Vignetting clears well when stopped down
- Poor flare resistance — ghosting and veiling flare with backlight
Distortion
- Moderate distortion, handled by camera profiles
All optical scores are based on lab measurements and field tests from trusted review sources. For details on how we score lenses, see our scoring methodology.
Genre Fit
~ Landscape Photography 3/5
Landscape Photography prioritizes corner-to-corner sharpness at stopped-down apertures and good flare resistance.
- Acceptable corner sharpness stopped down
- Good center resolution stopped down
- Moderate distortion, handled by camera profiles
- Well-controlled lateral CA
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Vignetting clears well when stopped down
- Poor flare resistance — ghosting and veiling flare with backlight
- Well-controlled astigmatism
~ Architecture Photography 3/5
Architecture Photography prioritizes geometric precision with minimal distortion and even corner sharpness.
- Acceptable corner sharpness stopped down
- Good center resolution stopped down
- Moderate distortion, handled by camera profiles
- Well-controlled lateral CA
- Vignetting clears well when stopped down
- Poor flare resistance — ghosting and veiling flare with backlight
✗ Street Photography 2/5
Street Photography prioritizes sharp stopped-down performance and a fast enough aperture for low light.
- Good center resolution stopped down
- Slow f/3.5 aperture
- Good center sharpness wide open
- Poor flare resistance — ghosting and veiling flare with backlight
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
✓ Travel Photography 4/5
Travel Photography prioritizes balanced image quality in a lightweight package.
- Good center resolution stopped down
- Lightweight at 135g
- Slow f/3.5 aperture
- Poor flare resistance — ghosting and veiling flare with backlight
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
✗ Portrait Photography 1/5
Portrait Photography prioritizes smooth bokeh and critical center sharpness wide open for subject isolation.
- Harsh, busy bokeh with distracting patterns
- Good center sharpness wide open
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Mild vignetting wide open
✓ Sport Photography 4/5
Sport Photography prioritizes sharp wide-open center performance to freeze action at fast shutter speeds.
- Good center sharpness wide open
- Slow f/3.5 aperture
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Well-controlled lateral CA
✓ Wildlife Photography 4/5
Wildlife Photography prioritizes center sharpness across apertures for distant subjects.
- Good center sharpness wide open
- Good center resolution stopped down
- Slow f/3.5 aperture
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Well-controlled lateral CA
✗ Macro Photography 2/5
Macro Photography prioritizes stopped-down center sharpness and high magnification for close-up detail.
- Good center resolution stopped down
- Low magnification (0.24x)
- Moderate distortion, handled by camera profiles
- Well-controlled lateral CA
- Virtually no longitudinal chromatic aberration
- Harsh, busy bokeh with distracting patterns