Photography News Issue 67

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

First tests

FujifilmXF 8-16mm f/2.8 R LMWR £1799

Specs

Ultra wide-angle lenses have so much potential and having a fast maximum aperture is handy for interiors and astro photography, for example. Fujifilm already has the popular 10- 24mm f/4 in this sector of the market but the new Fujifilm XF 8-16mm f/2.8 R LM WR is even wider and faster. The penalty for the extra speed and extra 2mm focal length at the wide end is bulk and weight. At 805g the 8-16mm f/2.8 is almost twice as heavy as the 10-24mm f/4 which is a lightweight by comparison at 410g. I used the 8-16mm with an X-T2 and X-E3. On both bodies, the lens is the dominant partner, in size and in weight. That said, overall handling is very good. The whole focal length range is covered in less than one quarter of a turn of the very smooth, rubber-gripped zoom barrel. Also very smooth is the aperture ring, which is click-stopped in 0.3EV steps. There is an A setting, which you can slip into from f/22 – there is no click locking button to lock the ring on A or stop you setting A from f/22. The lens does not have a built-in image stabiliser, but in my tests I was getting sharp shots at 16mm at 1/4sec. Handholding at wider focal lengths is easier than at longer settings so no lens integral IS is not a serious issue. The lens is impressive at 8mm especially at the wider apertures and I would have no issue using it at f/2.8 or f/4 for great-quality images with impressive edge-to-edge sharpness.

Prices

£1799

Format APS-C (12-24mm equivalent in 35mm format) Mount Fujifilm X Autofocus Yes, linear motor Construction 20 elements in 13 groups Special lens elements Four aspherical, three ED, 3 super ED Coatings Double Nano-GI. Fluorine on front element to repel water and dust Filter size N/A Aperture range F/2.8-22 Diaphragm Nine blades Internal focus Yes Manual focus Yes Minimum focus 25cm Focus limiter No Maximummagnification 0.1x Distance scale No Depth-of-field scale No Image stabiliser No Tripod collar No Lens hood Built-in Weather-sealed Yes, barrel sealed in 11 places Dimensions 121.5x88mm Weight 805g Contact fujifilm.eu/uk

Images The 8-16mm f/2.8 is perfect for confined interiors and dramatic compositions. Shot in IWMDuxford

Stopping down to f/8 did little to improve the lens’s performance, which is at a high level anyway. Get to f/11 and f/16 and the crisp detail starts to go and diffraction starts to impact. The performance shown at 12mm is very similar to that seen at 8mm with crisp, fine detail across the whole from f/2.8 onwards. Quality stayed at

shorter focal lengths set a very high standardand the lens still delivers a fine performance at wide tomid apertures. This ultra-wide zoom impresses with its all-round optical prowess. It delivers where it really matters and that is in the wide tomiddle apertures. At these settings, resolution of fine details is really something to behold especially at 8mm and 12mm and to a lesser extent, 16mm. Resistance to flare and ghosting rate highly, too, which is just as well given this lens’s wide view. WC

the same high level through to f/11 and then tailed away after that. The 16mm setting was possibly the least impressive of the three focal lengths tested. Sharpness and fine detail resolution were still very good at thewider apertures, but didn’t seem at quite the same high levels as seen at shorter focal lengths. That said, the

8mm

12mm

16mm

F/2.8

F/4

F/5.6

F/8

Verdict

For photographers keen on astro, scenics and interiors the Fujifilm XF 8-16mm f/2.8 R LM WR is a compelling solution, offering extreme wide-angle coverage in combination with a fast maximum aperture. It is a pricey lens, but you do get a really impressive optical performance that will please the most discerning users.

F/11

F/16

Test images Our test images were shot at Wimpole Hall with the 8-16mm f/2.8 on a Fujifilm X-E3, with the duo mounted on a Manfrotto Befree carbon tripod. The Raws were processed in Lightroomwith default sharpening

F/22

Pros Great focal length range, optical performance, build quality Cons It is a big lens for that format