Which telephoto zoom lens is the best of Fujifilm? It was easily answered before the XF 70-300mm was announced, changing the way we can travel with long glass, and just how much more difficult a question that is.
Currently, Fuji X-camera owners have four great choices between the 55-200 and the 100-400 telephoto zoom lenses with the FUJINON XF 70-300mm Zoom Lens in-between in terms of size & cost.
We’ve included the 50-140mm because it is the only constant aperture zoom for Fuji cameras and as you can attach a 1.4 x or 2 x tele converter it can also be used as more similar to the others.
Fujifilm XF 70-300mm F4-5.6 R LM OIS WR
This is relatively new in the XF lens series – every brand new to the shops for only a few weeks at that – yet we have found that when put through our ri porometer is one of the best all round lens for telephoto zoom for Fuji X series of cameras.
Sparklingly sharp across much if not most of the aperture and focal length range while being compact and lightweight enough that you don’t find yourself getting fatigued while carrying it around all day due to the fact that it is completely weather sealed, there isn’t much I can really complain about.
The ability to attach it to the 1.4x and 2x teleconverters is merely the cherry on top of an otherwise rather tasty analogy – adding the 2x tc bumps the reach up to a whopping 914mm equivalent in full-frame 35mm terms, but at a pitifully slow maximum aperture of f/11.
The only things which we can consider are the lack of compatibility with tripod mount and, the build quality which is good rather than excellent.
Otherwise I can bet 70-300mm is ideal between the cheaaper 55-200mm that is more for casual users and 100-400mm which is more expensive and career one.
In all, it is clear that the new Fuji 70-300mm certainly fills the shoe of a lightweight, compact super-telephoto zoom lens that can give very fine picture at virtually all the focus ring positions without draining one’s pocket.
Fujifilm XF 55-200mm F3.5-4.8 R LM OIS
This lens is the oldest on the list, having been released back in 2013 and the first Fuji telephoto zoom is already feeling a bit dated when compared to the other contenders.
This is the smallest and the cheapest telephoto zoom lens for Fuji cameras yet optically it is the worst of the lot though not bad at all and the AF is slower when compared to other three lenses.
There is the problem that, unlike any other XF lens, the 100-400 does not work with Fuji’s 1.4x and 2x teleconverters, meaning you can’t extend the focal range as you can with all the other lenses.
Its main competitor is the recent XF 70-300mm which is a little heavier and larger sister of the 55-200mm and comes with extended maximum focal length, weather resistance and better image quality.
but when 70-300 only costs a couple of hundred dollars/pounds more than 55-200 we would recommend the former over the latter, of course, if you don’t get the knock down price for the shooter as owners upgrade to the improved new 70-300 for themselves.
Fujifilm XF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR
This is the new daddy of the Fuji telephoto zoom stable – For those who want the best image quality, build quality, auto-focusing, longest zoom range, teleconverter and tripods compatibility and the most feature then the XF 100-400mm f / 4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR Lens is the one to have.
Of course, it’s going to cost you more than the 70-300mm both in terms of the price and the weight – in fact, if you multiply the 70-300mm by two across both of those categories, you will know how pricey and heavy the 100-400mm is.
If you’re not a professional wildlife photographer living out of reliable kit such as this, then for this use case alone or lighter, and far cheaper is the XF 70-300mm.
It does not feature the excellent build quality of the 100-400mm and you cannot attach it in any way to a tripod but it too is as well sealed against weather conditions as the lens, can accept the 1.4x and the 2x TCs and, more importantly, is optically brilliant right across the aperture and zoom range albeit it is much easier to take this lens with you all day.
It can be argued that the Fujifilm XF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR could be slightly sharper than previous Fujifilm offerings and that while it features a slightly more constrained close focusing facility than one might expect which is not always as readily accessible as it should be, there are few if any complaints concerning the lens’s well-constructed weather-proof design, its exceptionally quick, quiet and accurate.
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Fujifilm XF 50-140mm F2.8 R LM OIS WR
This smallest lens in this lens may not offer the same high telephoto reach right from the box, but there are two crucial reasons to ponder about.
It is the sole lens to provide fast f/2.8 maximum aperture that, as it turns out even better, remains available across the entire focus range.
It also nests perfectly well with the 1.4x and the 2x teleconverters which when attached turns the 50-140mm into the 70-196mm F4 lens and the 100-280mm F5.6 respectively, I must say the latter range is very close to the new 70-300mm lens in Terms of focal length and max aperture.
As you would expect for any pro-level photographic zoom of 70-200mm or there about in term of focal length, the 50-140mm f/2.8 is impressive in almost all the areas and definitely deserves the look for both the conventional telephoto zoom and the superzoom as the lens is compatible with XF1.4X TC 1.4 tele-converter.
“Yes, the Fujifilm XF 50-140mm F2.8 R LM OIS WR is very much a professional work-horse of a telephoto lens: It has fantastic image performance together with fantastic build and weather-resistance, fast, quiet and highly accurate autofocus, plus superior image stabilization.”