Recommended lenses for FUJIFILM GFX 100S II

Hey! Just picked up the GFX 100S II myself and went through this exact dilemma. For a solid starter kit on a reasonable budget, I'd highly recommend:

GF 32-64mm f/4 - You can find used ones around $800-$900. Optically fantastic and leaves plenty in your budget for a second lens later. I've used mine for years with no complaints, works well for 90% of my landscape needs.

GF 35-70mm f/4 - No matter what you decide on, get the 35-70 when it's on sale for $1100. It is worth that just for the small size, light weight and unobtrusiveness of the lens. The GFX 100s with this lens looks like a normal tourists SLR, but the capabilities are immense.

These two give you great coverage from 32-100mm equivalent, and both punch way above their weight class. The 35-70 especially is a steal when on sale!

For landscapes specifically, here are my must-haves:

GF 23mm f/4 R LM WR - Ultra-wide prime that's sharp and minimal distortion, perfect for those sweeping vistas. This is the widest GF prime on sale, great for shooting in cramped interiors, or capturing sweeping vistas. As usual for a GF lens, image and build quality are sublime.

Laowa 17mm f/4 Zero-D Shift - Consider this for landscapes. Excellent sharpness across the frame, crucial for wide vistas. Shift lenses correct perspective distortion; a game-changer for architectural elements. It's manual focus but that's fine for landscape work.

GF 20-35mm f/4 - Rarely have zooms satisfied me, but the 20-35mm is among the most impressive zooms I have ever used. Given its unbeatable wide-angle coverage and its performance at least as good as the Fujifilm GF 23mm f/4, it's a must-have.

The zoom gives you incredible flexibility for composition in the field!

For landscapes on the 100S II, consider the GF 32-64mm f/4. Optically fantastic and leaves plenty in your budget for a second lens later. I've used mine for years with no complaints, works well for 90% of my landscape needs. Happy shooting!

Don't sleep on some of the third-party options! The latest released lenses that are compatible with the GFX 100s II are the TTArtisan 17mm F4 TS, the Laowa 55mm F2.8 TS and the Laowa 100mm F2.8 TS.

The Laowa tilt-shift lenses are particularly interesting for architecture and creative work. They're renowned for exceptional sharpness and image quality, especially in macro applications. Designed for large format photography, but can be adapted to the GFX system with excellent results.

Plus, all of these lenses will be stabilized when used on the GFX 100 II thanks to that excellent IBIS system.

Just remember the GFX 100 II has a focal length multiplier of 0.79x so you have to multiply lenses original focal length with this multiplier to find the Full Frame equivalent focal length - so that 100mm becomes about 79mm equivalent.

Yeah, totally agree on the third-party route. If youre into the DIY side of things, skip the native glass and use the Fringer EF-GFX Pro Adapter to adapt EF mount lenses. Its a technical win-win for that $5k budget. Quick tip: Grab the Sigma 40mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art. Its image circle is massive and covers the 44x33mm sensor with basically no vignetting, plus the resolving power is insane. Also, make sure you handle your own firmware updates via the adapters USB port—its way faster than sending gear in for professional service and lets you personally optimize the AF performance for your specific body.

Saw this earlier but just now responding. A single reliable zoom is a decent option to start with since it works for most things. Id be careful about spending that full 5000 right away because its easy to buy stuff you dont actually need. If you need any more info on the setup just ask! Im always trying to DIY my own gear solutions to keep costs down. Actually, I spent all Saturday in the garage trying to build a custom storage shelf for my camera stuff out of some old pallets I found. It was a total disaster because the wood was warped and I couldnt get the levels right no matter what I did. I ended up getting distracted by a spider web in the corner and spent way too long trying to take a macro photo of it with my phone, but then my phone battery died and I realized I hadnt even started the laundry yet... Sorry kinda went off topic there.