Fuji XF 50-140mm f2.8 R LM OIS WR Lens First Impressions:
In addition to testing the XF 23mm f2, I’ve also been busy reviewing the XF 50-140mm f2.8 R LM OIS WR lens. I know this is an older lens but it’s a popular one, and I was interested to see how it performed on my X-T2. Plus, I’ve always wanted to try it out myself :). I’ve used almost every Fuji X Series lens so far but for one reason or another, I didn’t get a chance to use this zoom until now. Anyway, I’m writing my XF 23mm f2 review now, so for those who are waiting for it, don’t worry because it will come first! But I’m taking a small break from it, so I could share some images I took with the XF 50-140mm, and my initial impressions of it.
Overall, I can see why a lot of people like the XF 50-140mm. First off, it’s a solid lens in terms of build quality. If anything, I just found the aperture ring a little tight for my taste but it’s better than having a loose feeling one like the one on my XF 56mm APD. Plus, this lens is also weather and dust resistant. It comes with a fast f2.8 fixed aperture, the autofocus is very decent, and the image stabilization is a lifesaver for a lens like this considering it’s equivalent focal length is a 76-213mm.
↑ Here’s the XF 50-140mm f2.8 in all its glory mounted on the Fuji X-T2.
In terms of size, the XF 50-140mm is definitely on the larger end of the spectrum. It even has a removable tripod collar. However, it’s not out of hand if you consider it’s focal length, and fixed aperture speed. It’s perfectly useable even on the street, and dare I say it, it’s actually kind of compact for its lens type. It weighs 995 g, which is not outrageously heavy. I was walking around with this lens everywhere, and at the end of the day, my back did not pay for it :). However, if you own an X-T2, and want more support, I highly recommend the Fuji VPB-XT2. I recently purchased the vertical booster grip, and reviewed it. I used it with the XF 50-140mm, and the booster grip definitely gave me better support when I was taking portraits. I normally take a more minimalistic approach to gear but I really love using this booster grip.
↑ This was taken at f2.8 using the 52mm focal length.
↑ I took this using f11, and the 50mm focal length.
↑ I shot this photo using f2.8, and the 74mm focal length.
Like many other Fuji X Series lenses, the image quality is also excellent. Some may think that because it’s a zoom, image quality may not be quite up to the level of some of Fuji’s superb primes but image quality is still what we’ve come to expect from Fuji. This lens produces very sharp images with beautiful color rendering and contrast. It still doesn’t top my personal favorite, the XF 90mm, but I can definitely see why some may prefer this lens. In addition to top tier image quality, you have the flexibility of its zoom range while only losing a stop when compared to the XF 90mm. Plus, unlike the XF 90mm, there’s image stabilization which as I said before, is such a great feature to have with this lens.
↑ This was taken using the 140mm focal length at f11.
↑ I took this using f2.8 and the 98mm focal length.
I’ll go into more detail about the XF 50-140mm f2.8 R LM OIS WR lens in review. I’m pretty much done with using it, and once I finish writing up my XF 23mm f2 review, I’ll finish this one up. For now, here are some pictures from the zoom! I hope you enjoy, and stay tuned! Thanks for stopping by!
