Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR Review
Fuji XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR Review
An ultra-wide-angle zoom can be an extremely versatile tool and one you should consider having in your bag of tricks. For years I have been a fan of this type of lens and had several variations for my Canon digital SLR cameras.
Back in the film days, I had a Canon EF 20-35mm f/2.8L, and for digital SLRs, I started out with a Sigma 15-30mm and moved onto the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L and later the EF 16-35mm f/4L IS for my 5D Mark III and 5DsR cameras.
Perhaps needless to say I was excited to see what the XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR was all about.
Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR - Introduction
With a full-frame equivalent focal length of 15-36mm, you would think the XF 10-24mm f/4 would have been one of the first lenses I acquired when I sold my Canon gear and switched to Fujifilm.
I was, however, not crazy about the fact that the first iteration of the XF 10-24mm did not have f-stop markings on the aperture ring, and nor was it weather-resistant.
Optically the original XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS appeared to be sound but the real reason for not picking it was the fact I decided to try my luck with a couple of wide-angle prime lenses instead.
In October 2020, Fujifilm released an updated version of the XF 10-24mm f/4 with the letters WR (weather-resistant) added to the name, and the aperture ring now has the markings that were missing on the original version.
The ability to lock the lens in the A position was an added feature also. These are important improvements to an already popular lens.
Thanks to Fujifilm Canada for sending me the XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR for my review. I tested it over a couple of weeks.
The XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR is currently listed at $999.00.
Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR - Handling and Specs
The Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR is indeed an excellent fit on the X-Pro3 and I find it pleasing to the eye. The weight and size ratio is near perfect and very well-balanced.
At 13.6 oz / 385 g, the lens feels lighter than what I would have expected and it is in fact slightly lighter than its predecessor. The dimensions of 3.1” x 3.4", 77.6 x 87 mm, have also been altered making the focus and aperture rings smaller compared to the previous model.
As a reviewer, I am looking for something to pick on but Fujifilm is making it hard with this lens. Everything feels good. The zoom ring is very smooth, and the same can be said about the focus ring and the aperture ring has just the right amount of dampening.
The petal-shaped lens hood clicks into place but it will not take much friction to be unscrewed. I had a couple of instances where it was ever so slightly off and shooting at 10mm you see the hood right away when it is not straight.
It is not a big deal but worth mentioning. This could be a one-off problem and could easily be fixed with a bit of gaffer’s tape.
The XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR has a complex design of 14 elements in 10 groups with four extra-low dispersion elements. It has a super EBC coating and 7 rounded diaphragm blades. The minimum focus distance is 9.4", 24 cm, and the filter diameter is 72mm.
Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR in Action
As mentioned above I have used ultra-wide-zooms extensively in the past but it had been a while since I tried lenses wider than my XF 14mm f/2.8 R and I felt a tad rusty going that wide.
At 10mm, 15mm full frame-equivalent, there is a lot going on in your frame and it can take some time to master it.
I am not saying that I have mastered it but have enjoyed wide-angle photography for landscapes, snowscapes, weddings, travel, large groups, and interior real estate photography especially.
The applications for a lens such as the XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR are literally endless.
Beach Drive, Vancouver, Fujifilm X-Pro3, XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR @ f/8, 18 mm
Zoom Range
Below are two sets of four photos captured with the XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR showing the zoom range. The first frame is at 10mm, then 14mm, 18mm, and finally 24mm.
The photos were shot handheld meaning the level is slightly off but it should give you a pretty good idea of the zoom range.
Please click to view larger images.
Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 vs. XF 14mm f/2.8
My choice of ultra-wide-angle is the XF 14mm f/2.8 R. At $899.00 the XF 14mm and XF 10-24mm are of similar value with the XF 14mm merely $100.00 less.
The XF 14mm f/2.8 R is a more compact lens, weighs about 5.3 oz, 150 g less, takes 58mm filters vs. 72mm for the XF 10-24mm, and has the clutch mechanism for manual focusing.
If you predict you will be shooting on the wider end mostly and value the compact nature of the XF 14mm f/2.8 R this may be a sound alternative. In the two sample images below you may see that the overall image quality is very similar with only a slight edge to the XF 14mm f/2.8 R.
The XF 14mm benefits from the faster max f-stop of f/2.8 and fits in a pocket. The XF 10-24mm has several tricks up its sleeve being able to go wider, to 10mm, which is a significant difference and you have the ability to zoom throughout the entire range from 10-24mm.
And let us not forget the OIS, the optical image stabilizer being a huge benefit for the many Fujifilm X Series cameras without IBIS. The XF 10-24mm is weather-resistant and the XF 14mm is not.
You can read my review of the XF 14mm f/2.8 R here:
Fujifilm XF 10-24mm vs. XF 23mm f/1.4 R
My second wide-angle lens currently is the XF 23mm f/1.4 R and that is the main reason I mention it here in this comparison. I have settled on two wide-angle lenses where you could argue the XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR could do both, and then some.
In regards to the XF 23mm f/1.4 R, it is more a case of light-gathering capabilities and lens character versus versatility in a lens such as the XF 10-24mm. And you could bring other lenses into this category as well such as the XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR, XF 23mm f/2 R WR, or the newly released XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR.
In the two sample images below, again you will see the XF 10-24mm holding up amazingly well against the XF 23mm f/1.4 R @ f/5.6 with the XF 23mm showing slightly better contrast.
The 23mm f/1.4 R, however, has the ability to shoot in lower light with a more shallow depth of field as it is 3 stops faster than the XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR.
You can read my review of the XF 23mm f/1.4 R here:
Fujifilm X-Pro3, XF 23mm f/1.4 R @ f/1.4, 23 mm
Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR - Image Quality
I am quite impressed with the image quality of the XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR. I only did a couple of comparisons to my prime lenses as seen above as I am not really a big fan of these types of comparisons, and I had to look hard to find meaningful differences.
I would much rather go out and use a lens as it is intended to be used. When I edit the photos I can usually see, right away, if the lens gives me something in return. And that is without zooming to 100% or pixel peeping.
I will check the image full screen to see if there are any major flaws but usually, nowadays, lenses in this price category will be excellent.
In the case of the XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR, I got plenty in return. The lens renders nicely with beautiful colors, and plenty of sharpness in a focal length range I find very useful.
Conclusion
Ultra-wide-angle zoom lenses appeal to me more so than standard-range zoom lenses. It is a personal preference but the way you can capture reflections in water, cloudscapes, sweeping landscapes, and architectural images at wider focal lengths often translate into photos with strong impact.
The XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR took me back to a shooting style that I had not explored in a while and I always enjoy a good challenge.
If you are a travel photographer you cannot go wrong with the XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR especially if you consider pairing it with one of the faster prime lenses for the occasional low light shooting or when you desire a shallow depth of field in your images.
If you photograph real estate, do architectural photography, or want to explore the cathedrals or historical sites of the world the XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR will allow you to take it all in.
Fujifilm has improved an already popular lens and now it has a fixed aperture ring with markings and they have weatherproofed the lens as well.
And do not forget the benefit of image stabilization. In the photo of the Marine Building below, I was able to handhold the camera at 1/8th of a second with a usable result thanks to the OIS. I recommend you check it out.
Pros
A new version of this lens with weather sealing and aperture markings on the aperture ring
Optically wonderful with sharp and colorful images
OIS, image stabilization
Excellent wide-angle focal length range
Cons
The lens hood was a bit loose on my test copy
Please see more sample images below.
Price / Availability
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Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR - B&H Photo
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Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS WR - Sample Images
Please see the sample images below. Editing was done in Capture One and I used Fujifilm film simulations for some of the photos, especially Classic Neg. and Acros.
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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