Best Medium Format Lenses | 2024

When you’re using a medium-format camera, resolution is king. You’ve got a large sensor with a large megapixel count, and you want to make the most of it, so you need a lens with ample resolving power. You want sharpness that’s edge to edge and corner to corner, you want images that are free from distortions and aberrations, you want brightness right to the edges of the frame.

So, no small challenge then! Fortunately, manufacturers are up to the task. In the past couple of years we’ve seen plenty of excellent lenses arriving for medium-format systems. Built for outdoor weather, with sophisticated internal optical constructions that ensure images are pin-sharp and perfect, these lenses help you get the right result every time, whether you’re shooting telephoto or wide-angle.

One thing to remember when looking at medium-format lenses – as a medium-format sensor is larger than full-frame, the equivalent focal length will actually be lower than stated.

That’s enough chat from us – let’s get to the lenses!

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Best Fujifilm GF lenses

The Fujifilm GFX system continues to redefine what is possible in medium format, packing ultra-high resolution sensors into camera bodies that are portable and fast. The lenses need to be of peerless quality to make the most of the megapixel counts on the cameras – which generally break triple digits. Fortunately, the GF-mount lenses are up to the task, boasting top-notch optical quality that delivers ultra-sharp images from edge to edge of the frame.

As this is Fujifilm we’re talking about, many of these lenses also deliver brilliantly rich bokeh in the defocused areas of images. Just like the cameras, the lenses are up to the task of shooting basically any subject. The range is mostly just Fujifilm-made, though there are some third-party options from Laowa and TTArtisan.

Here are just a few of our absolute favourite lenses for the Fujifilm GF mount.

Pros:

• Physical control buttons
• Weather-resistant build
• Optical stabilisation

Cons:

• Somewhat big and heavy
  
  

Fujifilm has provided the perfect telephoto prime partner for one of its GFX cameras in the form of the GF 250mm f4 R LM OIS WR Fujinon Lens, an ultra-high-quality lens that provides an equivalent focal length of 198mm. Its optical construction includes ED and Super ED elements, ensuring that shots are as sharp as possible and it offers loads of useful on-board functions, including a focus limiter and four focus control buttons.

The magnesium-alloy build of the Fujifilm GF 250mm f4 R LM OIS WR Fujinon Lens allows it to work in environments as cold as -10°C, and it also boasts a fluorine coating to repel water and dirt from the front element. The linear motor provides autofocus that works without excessive noise, and photographers can also make use of the impressive minimum focusing distance of 1.4m to get closer to their subjects, allowing for unrivalled creativity, versatility and expression. 

This is a winning lens that reflects the top-notch quality of the GFX cameras, and any medium-format photographer using this system will find it makes a superb addition to their kit bag. Push your images further – literally and figuratively. This high-quality telephoto lens is the way to do it.

Best Hasselblad X lenses

Like Fujifilm’s GF-mount, the Hasselblad X system is pushing medium format forward in terms of the level of flexibility it offers, with cameras that are lighter and faster than any that have come before. The XCD lenses are the perfect complement, delivering ultra-sharp optics that have gone through a rigorous battery of tests in the firm’s headquarters in Sweden. This allows the makers to ensure that the lenses will deliver the kind of quality required by high-resolution cameras such as the Hasselblad X2D 100C.

The lenses in the system are mostly Hasselblad-made, and there’s a broad selection of primes and zooms. XCD lenses are also equipped with an integral central shutter, which allows for fast shutter speeds and full flash synchronisation.

Pros:

• Ultra-wide perspective
• Close focusing distance
• Brilliant sharpness even at max aperture

Cons:

• Some vignetting
• Not stabilised
  
  

This ultra-wide prime delivers a full-frame equivalent focal length of 17mm, making it an exceptional choice for landscape and architecture photography. These aren’t its only applications however – the close focusing distance of 32cm also means it’s excellent for close-up work, allowing you to experiment with creating massively exaggerated perspectives and showing your subjects in a unique and creative way.

Like other XCD lenses, this optic has an integral central shutter, meaning it can work with a wide range of shutter speeds and provide full flash synchronisation up to 1/2000th of a second. It provides fast and accurate autofocus, perfect for those tricky subjects, and boasts a sophisticated optical construction that ensures images are pin-sharp and aberration-free from corner to corner and edge to edge. Delivering deliciously sharp and high-contrast results, the Hasselblad 21mm f4 XCD Lens is a medium-format winner.

Best Pentax 645 lenses

The professional Pentax 645 system is based around the Pentax 645Z, a digital medium format camera that produces ultra-high quality images from its 51MP sensor. With full weatherproofing, it’s a medium format camera for outdoor shooting – and there are plenty of 645-fit lenses that are built to match. Look for the “AW” acronym in the lens name, which in Pentax vernacular refers to “All Weather”, and means that a lens is sealed to withstand inclement conditions.

There are plenty of lenses throughout the range that deliver exactly the kind of quality this large-format camera requires. In this section, we’ve highlighted just a couple of our favourites from the range. 

Pros:

• Wide perspective is great for architecture
• Lovely contrast
• Compact, with internal focusing

Cons:

• Not weather sealed
  
  

Another enduringly popular lens among 645-wielding Pentaxians, the Pentax-D FA645 HD 35mm f3.5 AL (IF) Lens has found particular favour with architecture shooters. This is not just for its wide perspective (although that is a definite plus), but also its brilliantly dependable high-resolution quality, with great control of aberration and distortion thanks to the aspherical elements in the optical design.

The nine-bladed aperture also makes it a great one for shooting wide open, producing a lovely look in the defocused areas of images. The lens is relatively compact, not adding too much weight to a 645 body, and once again it has that Inner Focusing design that means the balance doesn’t change as you focus. Excellent stuff all around. 

FAQs

What is a medium format camera lens?

A medium-format camera lens is designed for medium-format cameras; cameras with larger sensors than full-frame or APS-C cameras. These lenses provide high-resolution images with superior detail, dynamic range, and tonal depth, making them ideal for professional photography.

How does a medium format lens differ from a full-frame lens?

Medium format lenses produce a larger image circle to match the larger sensor size of medium format cameras, offering greater detail and higher resolution images. They are designed for edge-to-edge sharpness and minimal distortion, which is crucial for high-end photography.

Are medium format lenses compatible with full-frame or APS-C cameras?

Generally, medium format lenses are not directly compatible with full-frame or APS-C cameras due to sensor size and mount differences. However, adapters can be used, though they may change the field of view and cause vignetting. It’s not something that we would advise doing!

What are the benefits of using medium format lenses for portrait photography?

Medium format lenses provide superior image quality, shallower depth of field for beautiful bokeh, greater dynamic range for detailed highlights and shadows, and more accurate, vibrant colours, all of which enhance portrait photography.

What should I consider when choosing a medium format lens?

Consider the focal length for your photography needs, the maximum aperture for low-light performance and depth of field control, the build quality for durability, the optical performance for sharpness and minimal aberrations, and compatibility with your camera system.