Fujifilm XF 400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR Review: A Prime-Tier Tremendous Telephoto

I’ve to confess that I don’t have a ton of religion in Fujifilm in relation to wildlife and sports activities pictures. I don’t really feel just like the autofocus efficiency of the cameras is sort of as much as par with the competitors in relation to extra demanding conditions. However, I do assume that the glass lineup is great, and it simply received even higher.

If you might be within the X system and need a high-performance telephoto lens, the XF 400mm f/4.5 is a good place to start out.

Pros

• Optically glorious
• Rugged design and wealthy characteristic set
• Very manageable weight and measurement
• Proper tripod foot design
• Focus and controls are perfect for difficult pictures

Cons

• The slower aperture could possibly be a difficulty for probably the most demanding photographers

Fujifilm has launched a brand-new 400mm XF f/4.5 telephoto lens, and it presents me with an attention-grabbing alternative. You see, it’s been some time since I’ve shot the 500mm XF f/5.6 lens and after I did, that was on the GFX platform. I assumed this was a great alternative to take a look at my bias, reevaluate my opinions, and see if the Fujifilm APS-C platform has what it takes.

On the subject of the 500mm, when Fujifilm launched that lens, it was really initially developed for the GFX medium-format system. With some slight modifications, it discovered its approach to the X-mount line as a high-quality prime lens for wildlife and sports activities. This new XF 400mm lens, nevertheless, is debuting on the X-mount cameras and it’s anybody’s guess whether or not it’s going to quickly discover its approach to the larger format. What I can say is that it seems to be and feels similar to the 500mm lens in each end and intention, and the value is analogous at $3,199.

Fujifilm XF 400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR Review: How It Feels

The XF 400mm is knowledgeable lens via and thru. The chassis is extremely rugged and absolutely weather-sealed, nevertheless it solely weighs 44 ounces (1245 grams). The hood on the entrance has a rubberized entrance lip, and it surrounds a barely extra manageable 95mm filter thread. You will discover customizable AF-lock buttons throughout the lens barrel, and a guide focus ring that has simply the correct quantity of resistance.

The 400mm has a full aperture ring and all of the controls you’d anticipate to restrict the focusing vary, change to a preset focus mark, and interact picture stabilization. The tripod foot will be eliminated for a extra compact setup, and Fujifilm thoughtfully cuts the foot with Arca-Swiss dovetails.

There is sufficient clearance in the back of the lens to simply accept Fujifilm teleconverters, and I discovered myself utilizing the 1.4x extender judiciously. I paired the lens with the Fujifilm X-H2S physique, and what I actually appreciated out of the bundle as an entire was the quick burst charges and easy-to-carry weight of the entire setup.

Fujifilm XF 400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR Review: How It Shoots

The linear autofocus motors had no points with driving the massive glass components shortly. The fowl detection AF labored as anticipated out of the X-H2S, though I nonetheless discovered the tenacity of the monitoring system considerably missing in comparison with competitor techniques. Sometimes the digicam likes to hunt earlier than locking on, and generally it slips off the fowl and goes to the background. When it really works, it really works nice, however there are sufficient inconsistencies to weaken confidence within the system’s reliability. I’m assured that this problem nonetheless lies with the physique and never the lens itself, although.

Flare resistance is great as anticipated, and the beneficiant hood on fashionable telephoto lenses will block virtually all extraneous mild anyway. There have been no points with LoCA (longitudinal chromatic aberration) or distortion to fret about, and the lens was free from any harsh chromatic aberrations.

The 400mm lens interprets to a full-frame discipline of view equal of about 609mm. Throw on a 1.4x converter, and you might be as much as round 840mm, which is good for many fowl pictures.

I discovered the f/4.5 aperture to offer sufficient mild in the course of the dimmer golden-hour instances of the day, and I used to be capable of hold ISO ranges round 400 with the teleconverter and nonetheless get at the very least 1/2000 second out of the shutter. More importantly, I might have two completely different focal lengths for after I wanted to be up shut or farther away by merely clicking the converter on and off. I discovered this 400mm just a little extra versatile than the XF 500mm in most conditions, and I appreciated the additional mild gathering.

The lens is simply too lengthy to check on our take a look at charts, however from my pictures within the discipline I might see that sharpness was glorious. Frankly, at the present time, knowledgeable mounted telephoto lens goes to be extremely sharp broad open. It merely must be.

I used to be much more involved with how the lens would render the out-of-focus areas. Bokeh is gorgeous, with smooth and spherical specular highlights, and a clean transition of focus throughout the body. You gained’t get the silky wall of sentimental shade {that a} 400mm f/2.8 will give, however your topics will nonetheless stand out starkly in opposition to smooth and nice backdrops.

Fujifilm XF 400mm f/4.5 Review: Essentially Perfect

This lens is principally excellent for just about any sort of pictures a brilliant telephoto is designed for. Optically talking, you might be getting a perfect lens so long as you might be okay with the f/4.5 aperture. I personally desire the trade-off of the marginally slower aperture (in comparison with, say, an f/2.8) as a result of I typically need the security blanket that just a little further depth of discipline offers and the load and measurement are a lot extra manageable.

Fujifilm does have some glorious telephoto zoom lenses, such because the XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 and the 150-600mm f/5.6-8, each of that are extra inexpensive but in addition let in much less mild.

I actually appreciated the mounted telephoto prime expertise as a result of all of it felt lighter and the bokeh was that a lot nicer. However, the upper $3,199 worth will be prohibitive. Still, there isn’t a lot by way of options on Fujifilm X-mount, so I’m glad to see this new 400mm come into the system. I’m equally glad to report that I additionally found some newfound respect for the XF system with this setup.

Fujifilm has sound glass to sort out any sports activities or wildlife scenario and I received loads of pictures that I like with the X-H2S. Sure, the autofocus must get higher, however that is solely a matter of time. If you might be within the X system and need high-performance telephoto lens, the XF 400mm is a good place to start out.

Are There Alternatives?

Sigma make an superior 500mm f/5.6 however it isn’t at present obtainable for X-mount, so you’ll solely have the Fujifilm XF 500mm f/5.6. This is a superb lens with barely extra attain, however the fee and lack of mild could possibly be a difficulty.

Should You Buy It?

Yes. This is an optically excellent lens with a manageable measurement and weight. Coupled with a teleconverter, I really feel prefer it brings new functionality to the X-mount system.