Fuji 50-140mm 2.8 Lens Review (updated)
The Fujinon XF 50-140mm F2.8mm lens.
OIS is incredibly useful, especially on the older fuji bodies which don’t have IBIS
INTRO
This is a quick review of the Fuji 50-140mm 2.8 lens for photo and video, like most of my reviews there aren't any charts or depth of field shots but just a few images and my general opinion of the lens, enjoy.
I got this lens back in December '17 mainly for an assignment I had to shoot a concert, I thought that the 56mm (which was my longest lens at the time) wouldn't really cut it so I picked up this beast second hand on eBay for about £1000.
Features:
Constant F2.8 aperture
Internal zooming (the lens stays the same size when you zoom)
VERY sharp
Heavy, but that’s to be expected of a lens this size
OIS - Optical Image Stabilisation for up to 4 stops
REVIEW
The long reach was ideal for photographing puffins in Iceland.
My first impressions were that this is a big lens, it's not actually that big or heavy for what is an equivalent of a 70-200 on full frame however, and it balanced very nicely on the Fuji XT-2 bodies which I had and is the same on the Fuji X-H1. The smaller bodies such as the X-A series and XT-100 series feel a little off balance but they still of course work just as they should.
I don’t really use this lens for weddings, I much prefer the look of the 56mm, but where this lens does shine is when you need that reach and the 56mm just won’t cut it. I use it a lot for editorial assignments and landscape work, I took it with me on my 2018 trip to Iceland instead of taking the 56mm and it was great for getting photos of puffins and more compressed landscapes.
It’s a solid and sharp lens with decently fast focusing and nice subject separation at 140mm.
Before getting the Fuji X-H1 (review at the link) I used this lens a little for making video as the OIS is very much needed for making smooth video and getting decent shots, I tend to use the 56mm for video these days, but this lens is on standby if I need that extra reach.
Much of the video below is shot with the fuji 50-140mm lens:
SUMMARY
Overall I'd say this lens lacks some of the soul that the 56mm has, it's a lens for more efficient and clinical photography, which is fine when that's what's needed, but for me it won't replace anything in my kit bag but be a nice addition and give me telephoto coverage if the 56mm lens goes down or I need extra reach.
So if your looking for a 70-200mm equivalent, and your used to shooting with one, this lens is great, and it will do what you need with no problems, but if you want soul and much more out of focus areas in your shots then stick with the 56mm if you can deal with not having the reach of the 140mm.
Alternatively this old blog post is about the other Fuji tele-zoom offerings, the 55-200mm and the 50-230mm lenses which are no where near as good as this lens but they are a fraction of the price if you need a tele but don’t have the cash.
*If you use this link to buy yourself one I’ll get a small commission and do a happy dance: > Fuji 56mm 1.2 on Amazon
Let me know what you think below, or even better follow me on Instagram and send me a DM - @colinnichollsphotography
Cheers,
Col-