One of the big attractions of the Fuji X-Series is the remarkably high quality (and quantity) of its range of Fujinon lenses. Unlike Sony, where major efforts seem to be directed at the cameras and where lenses appear to trail in terms of commitment, Fuji places lenses right at the forefront of the system.
A few weeks ago I reviewed the excellent weather-resistant XF 18-135mm and now we have yet another WR lens, this time a much faster, constant f/2.8 with a full-frame equivalent rage of 75-210mm. It’s something of a monster by X-Series standards, weighing in at just under 1KG and with a hefty £1,249 price tag to match. But for wildlife and sports photographers this could be just the lens they have been waiting for.
I am looking forward to getting my hands on this lens before giving my own verdict. In the meantime, Jordan Steele of AdmiringLight.com has already had a chance to play with the new zoom and is impressed. He is particularly keen on the in-built stabilisation which is reckons is the best on any lens from any manufacturer. That’s saying something:
The 50-140mm uses a similar stabilizer to that used in the XF 18-135mm, with a claimed effectiveness of 5 stops. I found the 50-140’s to be even slightly better than the outstanding stabilizer on the 18-135mm. While I didn’t regularly achieve the full five stops on the 18-135mm, I was able to get sharp shots somewhat consistently at 1/6 second at 140mm on the 50-140mm. Simply put, the stabilizer on the 50-140mm f/2.8 is the best on any lens I’ve used, by any manufacturer.