Fujifilm XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR Review
The Fujifilm XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR mounted on a Fujifilm X-Pro2
Fuji XF 16-80mm Review
Updated 2022
An Excellent Versatile XF Zoom Lens
Thanks to Chris at Kerrisdale Camera for making the Fujifilm XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR available to me for my lens reviews. I was able to try it out during a stretch of sunny days at the beginning of March. Chris was kind enough to lend me his personal copy of the lens.
Fujifilm XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR with the petal shaped lens hood
Fujifilm XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR - Introduction
Introduced in the fall of 2019 the XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR has received accolades and presents a very popular zoom range. In full-frame terms, we are talking about an extremely versatile 24-120mm. You are reading this on a travel site, so let us see what this lens is all about and if it would be any good for travel.
Personally, I have become a steadfast prime lens shooter currently using the following lenses (links to individual lens reviews), XF 14mm f/2.8 R - XF 23mm f/1.4 R - XF 35mm f/1.4 R - XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR.
This does not mean I am anti or against zoom lenses. Zoom lenses are getting better and better and sometimes a zoom can be the right choice. This goes for enthusiasts as well as seasoned pros.
I have used zoom lenses professionally for years. You may find yourself in an environment where changing lenses is not an option or it will slow you down too much and you will miss important photos.
You may decide you want to travel with just one lens. In the case of the XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR, it also sports a claimed 6-stop optical image stabilizer, which is super handy for video and in many shooting situations. None of my primes have OIS, image stabilization.
Handling the Fujifilm XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR
To get familiar with the XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR, I started out with some street photography in downtown Vancouver. The lens is certainly bulky compared to my XF 14mm, XF 23mm, and XF 35mm lenses but at 15.52 oz / 440 g, it is actually 100 g lighter than my XF 90mm which surprised me.
The second surprise was the lack of a switch on the lens barrel to turn the OIS on and off. The lens automatically detects when mounted on a tripod and will turn the OIS off. Hence, no need for a switch. Pretty cool.
The filter size is 72mm and the XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR has 16 elements in 12 groups with one ED aspherical element and 9 rounded diaphragm blades.
Fujifilm XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR in the 16mm and 80mm positions. The lens protrudes significantly at the 80mm position.
A second switch often found on zoom lenses is also missing. The zoom lock switch. You do not need it as the zoom holds the focal length very well.
Even when walking with the lens I did not experience any “zoom travel”. The lens has a fixed f/4 stop throughout the zoom range which is awesome as opposed to variable f/stop zooms.
The XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR feels solidly built. The zoom ring is smooth, well dampened although somewhat tight. Almost too tight for seamless operation. I prefer zoom lenses with internal zoom so that the lens does not change in length when zooming.
The XF 16-80mm, unfortunately, protrudes quite a bit in the 80mm position. The aperture ring is well-dampened. It will not move out of place unintentionally.
Fujifilm XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR in Action
I immediately wondered if I could have traveled with just this lens instead of four prime lenses. The zoom range is downright impressive, autofocus is fast and silent. The lens is also weather-resistant, WR, which gives you peace of mind in rain, snow, or dusty environments.
I was looking at a few days of sun in Vancouver so I had nothing to worry about in the foul weather department. I did find the zoom and aperture rings a bit too tight for my liking and it hindered a really smooth operating experience.
On the other hand, it leaves you with an impression of good quality and a belief the lens will stand the test of time.
Update:
I have now had a second chance to test another copy of the XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR on the Fujifilm X-S10 and this copy did not feel as tight in the zoom or aperture ring.
On the contrary, it was very smooth and a joy to operate. Preferably you would test a lens at your local photo store before you buy unless you buy online.
The image stabilization, OIS, is wonderful and I was able to handhold shots down to 1/8th of a second shooting at 80mm. I find the claim of six stops of image stabilization to be a tad exaggerated.
With more practice perhaps. After having shot primes almost exclusively over the past 5 years it was almost as if I was cheating, but what a great tool it is.
Fujifilm XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR - Zoom Range
Below are five photos captured from the same spot, but each photo was composed to my liking for the focal lengths of approx. 16mm, 23mm, 35mm, 50mm, and 80mm.
Fujifilm XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR - Image Quality
Generally, I was happy with the image quality from the XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR but must admit I was not blown away. I have never owned a zoom lens covering the middle range.
In my Canon days, I had the excellent wide-angle zoom, EF 16-35mm f/4L IS and also shot the EF 70-200 f/2.8L for a while. The EF 16-35 4L IS was a bread-and-butter lens and always impressed me. Let me get to my point.
Zoom versus prime lenses. The age-old debate. While zoom lenses certainly produce more than adequate quality and usable images, I find they sometimes lack the little bit of extra punch you get from a prime.
This goes for color, corner-to-corner sharpness, and micro-contrast. I decided to do a small test mounting my Fujifilm X-Pro2 on a tripod and shooting the XF 16-80mm side by side with my primes. I was surprised at how well it stacked up.
XF 16-80mm Vignetting
See the comparison below at f/4 and f/8. There is a considerable amount of vignetting shooting the lens wide open.
XF 16-80mm f/4 R @ f/4
XF 16-80mm f/4 R @ f/8
XF 16-80mm Comparison with four XF prime lenses
Please see the photos below where I compare my XF 14mm f/2.8 R, XF 23mm f/1.4 R, XF 35mm f/1.4 R, XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR to the XF 16-80mm at approximately the same focal lengths.
All photos are shot at f/5.6. The XF 16-80mm holds up quite well and viewing at 100% it is hard to spot any difference in sharpness in the center of the frame.
The further you move into the corners, the XF 16-80mm gets softer compared to the primes. All photos are straight out of the camera.
XF 16-80mm f/4 @ 16mm vs. XF 14mm f/2.8 R @ 14mm
Click for larger images
XF 16mm f/4 @ 16mm
XF 14mm f/2.8 R @ 14 mm
XF 16-80mm f/4 @ 23mm vs. XF 23mm f/1.4 R
Click for larger images
XF 16-80mm @ 23 mm
XF 23mm f/1.4 R @ 23 mm
XF 16-80mm f/4 @ 35mm vs. XF 35mm f/1.4 R
Click for larger images
XF 16-80mm @ 35 mm
XF 35mm f/1.4 R @ 35 mm
XF 16-80mm f/4 @ 80mm vs. XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR
Click for larger images
XF 16-80mm @ 80 mm
XF 90mm f/2 @ 90 mm
XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR - Conclusion
If you prefer zoom lenses the XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR is a fine lens in my book. As I wrote above, the prime lenses are better but this should be no surprise and the differences are not leaps and bounds.
You may also consider the XF 16-80mm to complement one or two primes in your setup. For travel, you can cover a huge variety with a zoom such as this.
You could perhaps carry along a small prime lens such as the XF 35mm f/2 R WR, which would be a great alternative/addition due to its lightweight, compact size, ability to shoot in lower light, with more pronounced bokeh.
I have a review of the XF 35mm f/2 here:
Fujifilm XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR vs. XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OS and XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR
I want to mention a couple of alternatives in closing. Both would make appealing choices depending on your needs. The XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR retails for $799.00. On the less expensive end, we have an excellent option in the XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS at $699.00.
A few months ago I sold an XF 18-55mm for a friend, second hand for $350.00. I have tried it on a few occasions and was happy with the results. The XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS has been hailed as one of the best kit lenses around. It is smaller and if you can find a good used copy, it could be a bargain.
I now have a full review of the XF 18-55mm here:
Fujifilm XF 18-55mm f/2.8 R LM OIS - Review
If you need speed and pro-level performance, take a good look at the XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR, at $1,199.00. I have a full review of it here:
Update:
I have now had a chance to take a look a the XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR as well, which could be an appealing choice if you favor the telephoto abilities in a zoom lens.
Pros
Image quality rivaling prime lenses in a very useful zoom range
Constant f-stop throughout the zoom range
Weather resistant
Cons
Tight zoom operation in the first copy I tested but it was a none issue in the second copy I tried
Please see more sample images below.
Price / Availability
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Check availability and current price at B&H Photo
XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR - B&H Photo
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Fujifilm XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR - Sample Images
Please see the sample images below. Editing was done in Capture One Express and I made use of Fujifilm’s film simulations.
Please click to view larger images.
Fujifilm X-Mount XF Zoom Lens Reviews
Fujifilm XF 8-16mm f/2.8 R LM WR
Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR
Fujifilm XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR
Fujifilm XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR
Fujifilm XF 18-55mm f/2.8 R LM OIS
Fujifilm XF 18-120mm f/4 PZ LM WR
Fujifilm XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R
Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R
Fujifilm XF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 R
Fujifilm XF 100-400mm f/4.5- 5.6 R
Fujifilm XF 150-600mm f/5.6-8 R
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