REVIEW: Hands On with Fuji's Premium X-Series Long Lens

Last November I had the opportunity to test the Fujinon XF 55-200mm f3.5-4.8 telephoto zoom (see blog HERE) and despite some misgivings beforehand, primarily about the variable aperture and larger lens profile when compared to the four prime lenses I had, I ended up loving this lens for its pulling power, image quality and optical stabilisation system. I didn't want to give it back at the end of the three days in Bahrain.

The Fujifilm XF55-200mm f3.5/4.8R LM OIS , currently the longest XF lens available for the X-Series cameras

Fast forward to February 2014 and I now have one of these lenses in my camera bag and for the past three weeks I been giving the Fujinon XF 55-200mm a thorough test, taking it on walks around the local area in Dunbar and also to Paris on my regular business trips to the French capital.

The Fujifilm XF55-200mm f3.5/4.8R LM OIS attached to the Fujifilm X-Pro1

The 55-200mm zoom is currently the longest lens in the XF range of Fujinon lenses (equivalent to a 84mm-305mm in full frame terms), though there is a 50-230mm f4.5/f6.7 XC spec lens available which is cheaper than, and not as well built as, the XF range of prosumer lenses.  Fujifilm have announced two new long zooms on their XF lens roadmap for 2014/2015.  A fast f2.8 constant aperture 50mm-140mm and into 2015 a extra long super telephoto rumoured to be a 100-400mm.  However at the moment the 55-200 is the longest XF lens available to buy at around £549. 

So has my opinion changed now that I have had longer to live with this lens?  The short answer is 'no'. The zoom it has beeis still a joy to use in many different situations and the low light ability of the lens is brilliant thanks to the OIS system installed by Fuji.

So what are the positives?

Well the image and build quality are on a par with the other X-Series XF lenses and despite the variable aperture, the images are sharp across all focal lengths and at all apertures.  Even with the aperture wide open and the lens zoomed out to 200mm, the results are really impressive.

The controls are firm but solid and all move with a nice feel to them.  Some users have complained that the zoom ring is a little stiff but I have found it to be nicely weighted.

Exposure at 1/8s @ f3.7 - 1600iso - proving the OIS system works very well at night  

The Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS) system is also a joy to use and really useful in very low light as demonstrated by the shot above of the Eiffel Tower.  

I also took some shots at the recent launch of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the FIA World Endurance Championship in low light and the results were excellent.  The two shots below were taken at 1/30s at 150mm and the ISO set at 2000.

ACO President Pierre Fillon unveils the new logo for the 24 Hours of Le Mans

The hosts of the 2014 LM24 and WEC press conference

The autofocus is also very good, very 'snappy' and locking on to the subject without hesitation 99.9% of the time. In low light the AF system sometimes struggles, but what Fujinon (or Nikon / Canon for that matter) lens doesn't?

So what are the negatives?

Well the aperture ring doesn't have figures on it so you have to look through the viewfinder or on the screen to see what the aperture is set.  If you pick up the camera and switching it on to take a quick shot, it isn't immediately obvious what aperture is set.  I find this frustrating as I have got used to looking at the lens on my prime XF lenses to check the aperture setting.

When zoomed out the lens is quite large.  Don't get me wrong, the lens is perfectly balanced for the X-Pro1, but it doesn't look asthetically correct on the rangefinder body.  BUT the results speak for themselves and it isn't too big unlike the Nikon 80-200 f2.8 I have used on the X-Pro1 with the Fotodiox adapter.

Dunbar Harbour - Lobster Pots

A trawler in Dunbar Harbour

Conclusions

I find this lens a joy to use.  Yes, the variable aperture and the unmarked aperture controls are irritating, but I am quickly getting used to working with this lens and these things are bothering me less each time I step out of my front door with it. 

However the plus points far out way the minus points with the Fujinon XF 55-200mm f3.5-4.8  and with the results I am getting I'm certainly very glad that I have this lens in the bag alongside the 14mm f2.8, 18mm f2, 35mm f4 and 60mm f2.4 primes.

At £549 this lens is certainly not cheap but the quality of the optics and build justifies the price tag.  I can highly recommend the Fujinon XF 55-200mm f3.5/4.8R LM OIS if you have an X-Series Fujifilm.

Fujifilm have just produced a new lens catalogue that gives details of the ten XF and two XC lenses that are currently available.  CLICK HERE to view the PDF brochure.

Belhaven Bay

Walking the dogs on Belhaven Bay Beach

Zoomed out this is a large lens, even without the lens hood

The aperture ring doesn't have any markings on the lens barrel, you have to look through the viewfinder.

Images taken on a Fujifilm X-Pro1 and Fujinon XF55-200mm f3.5/4.8R LM OIS.  Images of the lens taken on a Fujifilm X100.

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