Let’s talk Fujifilm lenses!
I get at least 5 emails a week asking which Fujifilm XF lenses I use most and which I think are best. Below I have listed the lenses I use most, in order, top to bottom.
- 18-135 f 3.5-5.6
- 10-24 f 4
- 35mm f 2
- 60mm Macro f 2.4
- 100-400 f 4.5-5.6
- 90mm f 2
- 56mm f 1.2
- 16mm f 1.4
- 23mm f 2
- 16-55 f 2. 8 – 50-140 f 2.8 (tie)
Next which are the best? This is a little more complicated, the truth is all of them are great, but I tend to rate lenses in four catagores actualy four.; Legendary, Exceptional, Pro Quality and Average. Lenses are judged on sharpness, lack of distortion, lack of chromatic aboration, contrast, micro contrast, color quality and construction.
Legendary lenses are as good as it gets in all these parameters. I consider the following XF Fujifilm lenses to fall into that catagory:
14mm f 2.8
60mm Macro f 2.4
56mm f 1.2
90mm f 2
50-140 f 2.8
16mm f 1.4
35mm f 2
Exceptional lenses are also great in all these areas, but just a a little short of the magical qualities of the legenday lenses.
Al the other XF lenses would fall into his catagory except for the 18mm f 2 which I stil consider to be a Pro Quality lens, just not quiet Exceptional.
I have no Average lenses, when I buy one and test it, it goes back to the dealer!
No Fujifilm XF lens has ever been judged, by me, to be Average.
I am shooting some of the best stuff of my career, and I consider the Fujifilm XF lenses a big contributor to that!! Here are some of my favorties that show the quality of the Fujifilm glass!
So the real joy of lenses is what you can do with them!! Merry Chrismtas!
Blessings,
the pilgrim
P.S. Actually the green tree frog was shot with the Fujifilm X-T2 and the old Nikkor 200mm Macro f 4 manual focus lens, since Fujifilm decided not to make a 120mm Macro, I picked this one up for situations where I needed more working distance in macro work. I’m looking forward to testing the new 80mm f 2.8 Macro coming later this year from Fujifilm.
This entry was posted on Thursday, December 22nd, 2016 at 4:52 pm
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Bill,
Great timing since those great Fuji instant rebates end on Christmas Eve.
Now the tough choice……
The 90
The 16 for those stary nights
The 100-400
Thanks again and Merry Christmas Bill to you and your bride and family.
The 100-400 is the most versatile, the 90mm is the amazing one and the 16mm is only an inch behind the 90mm!
Thanks, Bill, for confirming we’ve made some smart choices in the lenses we use. (Fortunaltely, carrying the little X-T10 has cured me of a lot of my lens lust – thus makung me get better using the lenses I have more fully).
May this Christmas be one you and your family will cherish!
Thanks Scott, same to you and yours!
These photos are just magnificent Bill. Thank you for posting them. Every time I look at your images, I learn about a thousand things about composition and exposure in photography. What a blessing you are to me! Merry and Blessed Christmas to you!
Merry Christmas to you guys too, hope to see you next year!!!!
Awesome photography. Thanks for the contribution you are.
Thanks Steve, Merry Christmas!!!!
I just can’t make up my mind – 23 f1.4 or f2. I’m building my Fuji system to be my retirement travel kit. And, maybe some freelance work. I’ve used Canon (31 years) and Nikon (5 years before that) but I love my XE-2 and XT-2 and that’s what I’ll shoot with after June of 2018.
23 f2 (size, weight, price) vs f1.4 (no regrets). I’m used to the Canon trinity of f2.8 L zooms which have served me well. But I’d like to shoot more available light so I’m leaning towards the 1.4. But then again, just up the iso a tad, save money, weather proof and lighter. Choices, choices.
Thoughts Bill?