What’s New
X Series
FUJINON XF400 mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR: TESTED
Documentary photographer Ian Dawson explores the Zambian bush with the new XF400mmF4.5 super-telephoto prime
Ian Dawson’s work focuses on the relationship between humans
Any weight saved is a bonus if you’re carrying something and bringing it up to your eye all day. We work out of vehicles. They have open sides, so you’ve got a panoramic view with room to sweep from side to side. If you were fixed to a tripod, you could miss things. You need that facility to move and reframe quickly from one side to the other. We’ve even had animals pass under the vehicle while it’s been stationary, so you need to be flexible. Fresh Perspective Every now and again, I take out a lens I don’t use often and deliberately work with just that for a day. It makes you think and compose differently. While it can be challenging initially, it’s making you work at developing new visual muscles. The XF400mmF4.5 made me look differently, and I came
and wildlife. On location in Zambia’s
South Luangwa National Park, he put the new FUJINON XF400mmF4.5 R LM OIS WR through its paces. An X Series user since the FUJIFILM X-T1, Ian has long favoured the small form factor and tactility of this line of cameras and lenses. It’s almost like having a pair of shoes that fit really well. I use the FUJIFILM X-H2 now, and it’s just right for what I do. It’s never failed me, from -35°C in Antarctica to 35°C in the humidity of Papua New Guinea. It just works. This was my first time with the XF400mmF4.5. I use the FUJINON XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR as standard, so using a fixed lens at this focal length was very interesting. Aperture and Image Quality When you’re just below the equator, the light comes up at 6:00 AM and goes out at 6:00 PM. At dusk, it drops rapidly. The extra stops of light from this prime made such a difference. There’s a beautiful shallow depth-of-field as well, more so than my zoom lenses with narrower apertures. You often have confusing backgrounds with lots of shrubbery. So, to simplify things and get that lovely bokeh effect was beautiful. The rendering and clarity is great too. Looking through the viewfinder, it felt like somebody had just cleaned the windows, it’s so vivid and bright. Handling and Stabilisation This is a lighter lens than the XF150- 600mmF5.6-8, and more compact.
up with results I might not have accomplished with my zooms.
06 FUJIFILM Focus Magazine
September/October 2026
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