Fujifilm XF 18-120mm f/4 PZ LM WR For Photography
Testing the Video-Centric Fujifilm XF 18-120mm f/4 PZ LM WR For Photography
When the Fujifilm XF 18-120mm f/4 PZ LM WR was announced, I took a fancy to the look of it, its compact nature, its impressive zoom range with a constant f/4 aperture, and I was curious to see how it would perform.
However, as details and specs emerged it became clear that this lens was aimed at videographers more so than still photographers like myself.
As a first for Fujifilm, the XF 18-120mm features a power zoom option which is great for video but curiously so, it lacks image stabilization and does not have an aperture ring.
Between my digital and film cameras I currently own nine prime lenses at various focal lengths and not a single zoom lens. This does not mean that I dismiss zoom lenses and for quite some time I have dabbled with the idea of adding one to my kit.
Thanks to Fujifilm Canada for lending me a copy of the XF 18-120mm f/4 in late August. I used it for street photography and general travel-style photography, so let’s see how I got on with it.
In many of the photos in this review, you will see smoke in the air from the forest fires in British Columbia, in one of the worst years for forest fires in Canada.
Introduction
As I write this review it is almost exactly a year ago that the Fujifilm XF 18-120mm f/4 PZ LM WR was announced as the first video-centric lens with a power zoom for X Series photographers.
It joined two other XF zoom lenses with somewhat similar zoom ranges, the XF 16-80mm f/4 R LM OIS WR, and the XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR.
The XF 16-80mm and XF 18-135mm will be okay for video but are more geared towards still photography with a conventional zoom ring, and aperture ring, and both have optical image stabilization.
In this review, I wanted to see how this “new kid on the block” would fare for still photography.
At the time this review was posted the Fujifilm XF 18-120mm f/4 PZ LM WR was priced at $899.00.
Handling and Specs
At 16 oz / 470 g, the XF 18-120mm f/4 PZ WR LM does not feel heavy for its size, and considering the impressive zoom range from 18-120mm (full-frame equivalent 27-183mm) with dimensions of 3 x 4.9" / 77.3 x 123.5 mm it is not too hard to fit in your photo bag as a “jack-of-all-trades” lens.
The omission of the aperture ring is usually a detriment to Fujifilm die-hards who love this feature. You can count me in the group who loves aperture rings, but for years I adjusted the aperture with the front command dials on my Canon cameras, so it was quite easy to get used to the XF 18-120mm.
The power zoom implementation is another story altogether and as a still photographer it was slightly off-putting and reminiscent of camcorders I used in the eighties and nineties. I see the lure of a smooth zoom operation for video but for stills, the conventional approach is most certainly preferred.
Video shooters will also appreciate how well focus breathing is controlled in the XF 18-120mm f/4.
On the barrel of the lens, you have a zoom/focus control ring. You simply turn in it either direction and the power zoom engine will do the job for you.
All the latest Fujifilm cameras, especially video-centric cameras such as the X-H2, XH2S, and X-T5, have IBIS, and built-in image stabilization and you could argue that the lack of OIS, optical image stabilization, shouldn’t be an issue with the XF 18-120mm.
It does, however, become a fact to consider if you own any of the older models (ie. all X-Pro, X-E series cameras, X-T1, X-T2, and X-T3). If OIS is important to you it may be worth considering the XF 16-80mm f/4 R LM OIS WR, or XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR instead.
Below you can see the zoom range of the Fujifilm XF 18-120mm f/4 PZ LM WR at 18mm, 23mm, 35mm, 50mm, and 120mm.
The optical formula states 15 Elements in 12 Groups including 3 aspherical and 3 ED elements and the XF 18-120mm has 7 rounded diaphragm blades. Autofocus is fast and silent with a linear motor. The minimum focusing distance is 2' / 60 cm and the filter diameter is 72mm.
In Action
Having a flexible zoom range in my bag was like a breath of fresh air and a change from what I normally do. I gravitated toward the longer focal lengths of the XF 18-120mm it seemed and from the keepers you see in this review my average focal length was 70mm. This may not sound relevant but calculating this can help you decide between lenses.
If you lean more toward wide-angle photography, the XF 16-80mm may be a better option and if you like getting closer to the action, the XF 18-135mm or perhaps even the XF 70-300mm may be a better choice.
Fujifilm XF 18-120mm f/4 PZ LM WR - Image Quality
When it comes to the image quality from the XF 18-120mm f/4 PZ LM WR it appears comparable to what I saw with the XF 16-80mm f/4 R LM OIS WR and XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR. It does, however, get a tad tricky as I reviewed these lenses about two and a half years ago on my X-Pro2 with a different sensor.
The sample images in this review were all made with the Fujifilm X-T5 featuring the new 40-megapixel sensor, and if the lens is up for the job the ability to crop your images is certainly improved.
I have an example of this below with the first image cropped slightly to a 34-megapixel file, and the second to a 4-megapixel file.
Vancouver Harbour, Fujifilm X-T5, XF 18-120mm f/4 PZ LM WR @ f/8, 114mm
The original files was cropped slightly to 34 megapixels (please click to view larger)
Vancouver Harbour, Fujifilm X-T5, XF 18-120mm f/4 PZ LM WR @ f/8, 114mm
This file was cropped to 4 megapixels (please click to view larger)
With the X-T5 that I had from Fujifilm Canada, I tested the XF 30mm f/2.8 R LM WR Macro at the same time and I am well aware I am igniting the age-old prime versus zoom debate with the following remark.
While I find the images coming out of the XF 18-120mm f/4 quite pleasing with ample sharpness and good colors, I preferred almost all my images captured with the XF 30mm in comparison.
I know it is not an apples-to-apples comparison but primes win almost every time for me, but in the case of the XF 30mm you can, of course not capture images at a 183mm full-frame equivalent field of view. You could make a strong argument with yourself or your significant other that you need both :)
Please make sure to click the sample images to view sizes up to 2500 pixels depending on your monitor size.
Conclusion
Going into the review of the XF 18-120mm f/4 PZ LM WR I was aware of its strengths for video shooters but wondered if perhaps it would be good for photography as well.
If you own and plan to get any of Fujifilm’s cameras with IBIS, and image stabilization the XF 18-120mm offers an impressive zoom range, and paired with one or two faster and more portable prime lenses it would be a great addition to a travel kit.
If you are not doing video, I think you would be just as happy or even happier with either the XF 16-80mm f/4 R LM OIS WR or XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR. With its constant f/4 aperture and readable aperture stops on the aperture ring, the XF 16-80mm f/4 R LM OIS WR is my favorite of the three.
Having a zoom lens gives you quick options to gain a variety of perspectives in a scene and I hope to have shown this in the sample images below. I know I am in the die-hard prime lens camp but it is probably time to rethink my approach in certain cases.
Pros
Impressive zoom range
Linear motor for fast and silent autofocus
Lightweight and weather-resistant
Internal focusing
Cons
Lacking an aperture ring
Does not have OIS, optical image stabilization
Please see more sample images below
Price / Availability
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Fujifilm XF 18-120mm f/4 PZ LM 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. Some photos are slightly cropped.
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 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR
Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR
Fujifilm XF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 R LM OIS WR
Fujifilm XF 100-400mm f/4.5- 5.6 R LM OIS WR
Fujifilm XF 150-600mm f/5.6-8 R LM OIS WR
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