Last Updated on 12/30/2014 by Julius Motal
We sang this lens’s praises before when we first got the X-E2 in for review because it was unlike any kit lens we’d worked with to date. With a fairly generous variable aperture and an aperture ring, this 18-55mm is a refreshing take on a form that has resided in the doldrums of f3.5-5.6. The lens offers full control in its three rings and two sliders, and it can produce some beautiful images to boot.
Pros and Cons
Pros
-Aperture ring
-Optical Image Stabilization
-Sharp images
-Smooth bokeh
Cons
-No depth of field scale
-Aperture ring is unmarked
Gear Used
We used the Fujifilm XF 18-55mm f2.8-4 R LM OIS with the Fujifilm X-E2.
Tech Specs
Courtesy of B&H Photo Video’s listing:
- Fujifilm X-mount Lens
- Fast Maximum Aperture of f/2.8
- 27-84mm Focal Length Equivalency
- Optical Image Stabilization
- Smooth Linear Motor-driven Autofocus
- Three Aspherical Elements
Ergonomics
Taken from our preliminary post:
The XF 18-55mm f2.8-4 R LM OIS’s 35mm equivalent focal length is 27-84mm. It sports an all metal construction, three textured rings and two switches. That sounds like more than you bargained for a kit lens–but hey, let Fujifilm give you more than you asked for. Or maybe it’s everything you asked for.
The ring farthest from the body is the focusing ring. The wider one behind it is the zoom ring. The smaller one half a step back is the aperture ring. Right behind that is a switch for the Optical Image Stabilization and another for Automatic or Manual aperture control.
The front element has a 58mm filter thread, and when you zoom in, the lens nearly doubles in length. Factor in the lens hood, and it’ll look as if you’ve got a long telephoto lens mounted on your X series camera, the X-E2 in our case.
It should also be mentioned that the aperture ring provides satisfying clicks, but just know that it’s unmarked. Set your aperture before shooting from the hip. If you’re using the X-A1, then have the benefit of a tilting LCD. Otherwise, have everything set before lowering the camera.
Build Quality
Fujifilm’s 18-55mm f2.8-4 is superbly built. With an all metal construction and textured focus, zoom and aperture rings, the lens delivers both in design and function. The fact that this lens comes bundled with the X-E2 is a major boon because you won’t have to worry about the plasticky nonsense that plagues most kit lenses.
Ease of Use
If this is your first lens, you may find that this lens has a bit of a learning curve. This is mainly because Fujifilm designates aperture control to the lens rather than the camera body. Barring this, though, using the lens is a smooth experience. If you switch between the various rings, you may feel like you’re adjusting a combination lock, but that’s not a bad thing. It’s all in favor of complete optical control.
Autofocus
Autofocusing with the 18-55mm f2.8-4 is fairly fast in the best light. The minimum focusing distance is 11.81 inches which can make for some intimate photographs. We found it best to use the flexible spot. That way, the lens knows exactly where to look. It can suffer in poor lighting, but that’s where the X series’ focus peaking comes into play. The autofocusing is reliable, but most of the time, we went with manual focusing.
Image Quality
This lens offers the standard focal range, but what sets it apart is its maximum aperture at both ends: 2.8 wide open and 4 zoomed in. That aspect of it helps the lens’s performance in a variety of situations, and you can rest assured that this lens will deliver. Its colors are accurate, its lines are sharp, and its bokeh is creamy.
Sharpness
This was shot at f4 at the longest end in the shady area of my backyard. With the right light, this lens can deliver exceptionally sharp images. Even with light you don’t particularly like, this lens can still produce sharp images. Whereas most kit lenses often end up sacrificing something to keep costs down, this kit lens sacrifices nothing.
Color Fringing
In our time with this lens, we haven’t found any color fringing that gave us pause. Hell, we hardly found any at all. There is some very slight fringing in the above image, but it isn’t distracting. You could easily handle in post-production if you find it to be too much of a bother.
Color Rendition
Chromatically speaking, the 18-55mm f2.8-4 doesn’t disappoint. At both ends of the focal range and everywhere in between, this lens will render colors accurately. Fujifilm has always been excellent with color rendition, due in no small part to its long history in 35mm film. With what this lens can produce, you won’t have to worry about springing for new glass for a while.
Bokeh
Check out this bokeh. You’ll get far better results at the longer end of things. We’re hard-pressed to find the best bokeh at 18mm, unless you decide to get very personal with your subject, whatever it may be. We can only imagine what this lens could produce if the aperture was constant throughout the zoom range. For what it is, though, we’re very satisfied with the results.
Extra Image Samples
Conclusion
Fujifilm’s XF 18-55mm f2.8-4 R LM OIS is the most refreshing take we’ve seen on an otherwise forgettable form. Kit lenses are often cast aside in favor of faster options with better build quality, but with this lens, we found that we kept it on for longer than we thought we would. Fujifilm gives each new owner complete optical control, and this lens performs exceptionally well at every point on the spectrum. With accurate colors, sharp lines, and bokeh that just won’t quit, the 18-55mm is a fantastic kit option.
Pick yours up at Adorama or Amazon.
Or you can pick up a Fujifilm X-E2 with this kit lens at Adorama or Amazon.
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