Review on 📷 Fujifilm XF55-200mm F/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS Lens by Emmanuel Winschel

This is a test of the new Fuji 55-200 for my XE1. Let me start by saying that this is an excellent piece of glass and if you need that kind of focal length then Fuji outperforms the competition in almost every area. Below is a review from someone who has owned a Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 VR I lens since 2005. I also have a 18-55 zoom for my Fuji (slightly better than my old Nikon 17-55 f/2.8 and 16-55). 85 bp). I also use a Fuji 14mm f/2.8 (excellent glass) for my XE1, a Rokinon 8mm Fisheye for the Fuji mount and a Tamron 90mm f/2.8 for handheld macro photography. Optics: Excellent! Both the short and long end wide open and in the corners. It gets better as you stop down a bit, but there are no weak points, particularly at the long end, which is typical for lenses in this range. I would say this lens is at least as sharp as the Fuji 18-55 f/4 and definitely sharper at 55mm than the Fuji 18-55 Zoom which is not a typical kit lens. So at 55mm, a long zoom might be a better choice, and it's also slightly faster at f/3.5 compared to f/4, making it slightly better but much larger for head shots to get more background blur. . I also tested my tripod-mounted Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 VR I on my XE1 with the adapter at the sweet spot, f/5.6, against a Fuji 55-200 at the long end. Tied at f/5.6 for Nikon (2 closed stops) compared to f/7.1 for Fuji (about 1+ closed stops). I sold my Nikon telephoto zoom (and sold all my Nikon gear without regret with this update). Hotspot: no! By hotspots I mean using this lens with an infrared filter, like the Hoya R72. I tested this filter and there are no hot spots at any aperture or focal length, making this lens ideal for IR filter work. With the Fuji 18-55 zoom, hotspots are a problem at all focal lengths. They appear as a bright circle in the center that gets smaller and brighter as you stop. Therefore, Fuji Long Zoom and Fuji 35mm Prime are excellent for this type of work. Bokeh: soft and beautiful. Nothing is sharp here, but remember this is a relatively slow lens. So don't expect the same f/2.8 blur at f/4.8 - Sony has f/6.3, of course, so the potential for blur is even less. The best blur is at the long end, as the field of view is narrowest, and this smooths out the loaded background, especially when the background isn't close to the subject. OIS: The best I've ever used. You can shoot at 200mm and 1/20 second with good breathing technique and get clear results. Coupled with the camera's high ISO, this is a game changer. I can't do that with my Nikon 70-200 f/2.8 VR, but then again, the lack of mirror vibration, which can cause a slight blur at 1/8-1/60s, isn't a factor for a mirrorless body. . Just don't breathe too hard, be like a sniper, shoot between breaths and run your finger over the bolt instead of pushing it down. OIS is great, but only in combination with good technology. Construction: Same as 18-55 except zoom ring is rubber. Balance: The lens is remarkably well balanced and the heavier weight of this lens compared to slower competitors is not an issue. It is easy to hold for a long time without fatigue and looks solid, not like a cheap toy. I've noticed that the Fuji neck strap isn't ideal for long walks with this lens, about an hour or more before it starts to feel uncomfortable. Maybe a wider neck strap would help. I have used thick Op/Tec Pro neck straps on my Nikons and they are great. The included strap is fine and perfect for everything else, but if you're going to be wearing the lens for a long time, a wider or softer strap will make life a little easier. Focus: mediocre. This is the weak link of the system, not the lens. I suspect this will improve with future bodies that use a different focus technology. Anyone familiar with the Fuji X system knows that this is a fantastic camera for capturing stills, not motion. This lens is great if you take your time rather than rushing to shoot. Focusing is accurate but slow, unlike DSLRs which are fast but not always accurate. Focus Tips. If you're having trouble, try these 3 tips. 1) Resize the focus area. Generally, a larger size is better for good lighting and a smaller one for poor lighting. 2) Switch the focus mode to C on the body. This trick also works on 18-55. This is for continuously focusing on moving subjects, but this app works poorly, but C mode can make the difference between focus and search. Try it, you will be surprised how well it can work. 3) Set the camera to mode M. Press the AF button on the back, which activates autofocus regardless of whether the focus sensor is on. Then manually rotate the focus ring to fine-tune. It's great that your subject is a bad AF target and there is a good target next to the subject. In M mode, pressing the wheel down magnifies the image 3x on the electronic viewfinder or LCD so you can see what you're doing. This is extremely useful when using manual lenses. So, aside from the slow focusing, this is an excellent lens, but if you want to capture action then this system isn't for you, period. No stranger to making great glass, Fuji is the second largest cine lens manufacturer in the world, tied with Canon. Fuji is well ahead of Zeiss (the new Zeiss 12 and 32mm lenses compare very well to the Fuji 14 and 35) and just behind Leica. Their lenses are more expensive than other non-Leica mirrorless cameras, but cheaper than top Zeiss and Leica brands. This makes Fuji lenses some of the best value for money, and this lens is key to unlocking the best sensor - the rest is up to the photographer. This lens is great for landscape photography and works well with filters and a 62mm ring. I have boost rings so I use a 67mm CPL filter on this and my other lenses with boost rings. Conclusion: Excellent, first-class glass. Highly recommended!