Fujinon XF 16-50mm F/2.8-4.8 R LM WR

Specifications01

MountFUJIFILM X

Focal length16-50mm

Max aperturef/2.8

TypeCinema · Zoom

Weight240 g

Filter size58 mm

Physical length71.4 mm

Min focus distance0.24 m

Max magnification0.303

Aperture blades9

Optical elements11

Groups9

Lens hoodpetal-shaped (bayonet mount, supplied)

Sensor coverage32 mm

Additional Info02

SpecialR LM WR

Category["Fujifilm"]

Review AuthorKlaus

Review Rating7

Other Featuresweather-sealing, internal zooming

Review VerdictGenerally, we were pleased with the Fujinon XF 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8 R LM WR during our time with it - both with respect to the lab results and especially in the field. That is with the exception of the rather massive centering defect when we first received it - which was subsequently repaired. Centering problems in Fujifilm zoom lenses seem to be a bit of a theme (...), so always check yours after purchasing. The lens may not be the sharpest knife in the kitchen, but it's still sharp for a (kit-) zoom lens. Technically, it doesn't show any major weakness throughout the zoom range. The field curvature is a bit high at the wide end, though, so stopping down is advisable if you want to have sharp corners in your scene. Just like most modern mirrorless camera zoom lenses, there's a high degree of image distortions and vignetting, so keeping auto-correction activated for JPEGs or in your favorite RAW converter is a good idea. If there is one aspect that we didn't really like about the optical characteristics, it is the bokeh. With its max aperture of f/4.8 @ 50mm, the lens is hardly optimized for shallow depth-of-field photography to start with, but in such scenarios, the out-of-focus rendering can be rather nervous. It also doesn't like sun stars. An aspect that sets the lens truly apart from other zoom lenses is its very compact size - including internal zooming - and very low weight. This and the extensive weather sealing make it ideal for "outdoorsy" use cases when you want to minimize your gear. Despite the low weight, it doesn't feel flimsy in any way or form. The AF motor is also plenty fast enough for a standard zoom lens. You may debate Fujifilm's decision to omit an optical image stabilizer, but then many Fujifilm cameras provide IBIS these days and for standard zoom lenses that's perfectly fine. Overall, there's much to like here - at least when purchasing the lens as part of a camera kit. For whatever reason, Fujifilm discounts the lens heavily when purchased in a kit - equivalent to a $400 USD net price - compared to an individual price tag of a whopping $700 USD. The latter seems very steep compared to the similar-priced but faster third-party alternatives. If you are interested in the lens only, you should probably wait for a sales event.

Review Criteria{"Build Quality":9,"Optical Quality":7,"Price / Performance (kit)":8}

Review Published2025-01-18T02:54:34+00:00

Optical Construction11 elements in 9 groups (3x aspherical, 3x ED)