Lens ReviewMorten ByskovApril 27, 2022Macro Lens, Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro review, Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro sample images, Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro sample photos, Fuji XF 80mm macro review, Fuji XF 80mm macro sample images, Fuji XF 80mm macro sample photos, Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro Specs and Handling, Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro in Action, Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro vs Fujifilm XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR, Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 Macro - Image QualityComment

Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro Review

The Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro mounted on a Fujifilm X-Pro3 and on a Manfrotto BeFree tripod — Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro shown on the Fujifilm X-Pro3

Is the Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 Macro a Good General Telephoto Lens?

I need to start this review with a quick confession. It is nothing serious but I wanted to be upfront about the fact that I am not a macro photographer. The Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro was missing from the list of Fuji lenses I have reviewed but due to the previously mentioned fact, there was nothing really driving me to try it out.

This has changed recently due to a couple of things. In a lens shuffle last summer I sold my excellent Fujifilm XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR, which is something I have already regretted several times since.

Secondly, I am interested in the macro capabilities of the Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro for copying negatives. At this point, I use an older AF Micro Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D lens for this application.

Since I no longer have a designated Fujifilm XF telephoto lens, and the focal length of the Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 combined with image stabilization, is appealing for a range of applications, all of sudden the Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro looks quite appealing. Let’s see how it stacks up.

Spring flowers in Stanley Park, Vancouver. Sample image from a Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro — Stanley Park, Vancouver, Fujifilm X-Pro3, Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro @ f/4.5

Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro - Specs and Handling

With a weight of 1.65 lb, 750 g, and dimensions of 3.15 x 5.12", 80 x 130 mm, it is certainly a big lens on my X-Pro3 but I did not find it too cumbersome to carry around.

You could argue that a tripod collar would have been nice but the lens is not excessively heavy and I did not feel that the weight balance was lopsided when using it on my tripod. The lens would probably be an even better fit on the Fujifilm X-T4 or X-H1.

I would have guessed the filter diameter to be larger than the actual 62mm. Perhaps due to a substantially sized lens hood somehow the lens looks bigger.

The lens construction is 16 elements in 12 groups with one aspherical element and four low dispersion elements and the Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro has 9 rounded diaphragm blades.

As for macro capabilities, maximum magnification is 1X, a 1:1 macro reproduction ratio, and a minimum focusing distance of 9.84”, 25 cm.

The Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro has a rubberized focus ring as seen on "red badge" zoom lenses from Fujifilm, such as the XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR.

For a larger lens such as the XF 80mm f/2.8 Macro, it ensures a steady grip and the lens is not likely to slip or be unstable in the hand. It is purely a matter of preference whether you prefer this over a more slick surface as on the XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR.

The aperture ring is of high quality, in anything a bit tight on my tester.

At the time this review was posted, the Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 Macro was priced at $1,199.00.

Green flower leaves in spring time at Queen Elizabeth Park, Vancouver. Sample image from a Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro — Queen Elizabeth Park, Vancouver, Fujifilm X-Pro3, Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro @ f/2.8

Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro in Action

The Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro has a five-stop image stabilizer and it makes for a nice steady viewfinder for composing your images.

I did a portrait session with three young men with the XF 80mm and it is also nice that you can keep your ISO low and perhaps not worry too much about your shutter speed.

This works well for static portraits. If your model moves, image stabilization will not help freeze the action and you will still need to keep an eye on your shutter speed. It will however help maintain a steady image if you have unsteady hands.

For portraits, I prefer to keep my shutter speed at 1/125s or above. Unfortunately, I cannot share images from this session.

There was an unusually long camera start-up time when using the XF 80mm Macro. I am not sure if it was a firmware issue but the start-up time was probably double that of the time it takes to start up the X-Pro3 with my XF 33mm f/1.4 R LM WR mounted.

This brings me to autofocus speed. While it was not annoyingly slow it was not as fast as the latest LM, linear autofocus, lenses I have tested recently.

Copying Negatives With the Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro

Since I started copying negatives a couple of years ago I have been using a manual focus AF Micro Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D lens for this application. When copying a roll of film I usually set the lens to f/8 for optimal performance and to get a healthy amount of depth of field.

This approach has worked well, although at times you still end up worrying if you have the optimal focus on each frame. My approach is to focus on one frame and use the same focus setting for the entire roll.

It works quite well but the film tends to bend a bit and having a critical focus on each individual frame would be preferable but takes additional time with a manual focus lens.

Copying negatives with a Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 Macro lens. — Copying negatives with the Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro comparing it with AF Micro Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D

I currently use an inexpensive K&F concept adapter, $30.00, with my AF Micro Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D and could opt for a Fringer adapter that would give me autofocus but the cost is significantly higher at $349.00.

I have heard good things about the Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro for copying negatives and was curious to see how it would perform. 80% of my film photography is black and white negative film so I did a few comparisons.

First of all, it was a relief not having to worry about autofocus, and the XF 80mm f/2.8 sped up the workflow although not by much as I would usually only adjust focus on one frame per roll.

A BMW 2002. Copying negatives with a Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro — Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro

A BMW 2002. Copying negatives with a Nikkor 60mm f/2.8 — AF Micro Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D

Zooming in on a few frames the XF 80mm f/2.8 yielded sharper and more contrasty images but it was not by as much as I had expected. I had to study the photos up close to see a meaningful difference (zoomed to 67% or 100%).

For screen size images it was harder to see which lens had been used but there is no denying the Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro performed better. Please see such a comparison above and below and click to view larger images.

Street in Vancouver. Copying negatives with a Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro — Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro

Street Vancouver. Copying negatives with Niikor 60mm f/2.8 — AF Micro Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D

Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro vs Fujifilm XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR

The XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR is smaller, less expensive at $949.00, one stop faster at f/2, and an alternative to the Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro. The two lenses are designed for different applications but are often compared. If true 1:1 macro and image stabilization is important to you the macro lens naturally is the way to go.

Having used the XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR for a number of years for travel, portraits, sports, and landscape photography I give it my highest rating. And yet I sold it as I was putting money towards my seemingly endless gear wish list. Selling the XF 90mm f/2 has nothing to do with poor performance and I could buy it again in a heartbeat.

 Going from memory, autofocus speed is faster with the XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR and I like the character and rendering when shooting this lens wide open at f/2. For travel, it is more compact and the same goes if you plan to use it as a walk-around daily-carry telephoto lens.

All of this matters very little if you have come to read this review as a dedicated macro photographer and please keep in mind this is a very personal take on the difference between the two lenses.

A size comparison between the Fujifilm XF 90mm f/2 and XF 80mm f/2.8 Macro

Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 Macro - Image Quality

I want to start this paragraph with another apology for the lack of true die-hard macro photos. I have a huge amount of respect for this genre and see it as a very challenging field in the world of photography.

But it is not a field I have ever pursued. It demands a meticulous approach, often including artificial lighting, and loads of patience and perseverance.

Taking a look at the Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro as a general short telephoto lens it provides pleasing images in line with what I expected. Images have the usual rich Fujifilm colors, are sharp and my portrait session revealed pleasant bokeh for this application also.

The Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro proved itself as a very worthy macro solution for copying negatives and sharper than my aging AF Micro Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D which perhaps should not be a surprise.

Depending on your monitor size you can view my sample images up to 2500 pixels wide. Please see more sample images below and click to view larger images.

Conclusion

Is the Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 Macro a good general telephoto lens? Absolutely, and if you are a dedicated macro shooter it is the only serious option in the Fujifilm lineup.

It really feels like this lens is a jack-of-all-trades option. It incorporates image stabilization, OIS, covers your close-up genres, is a fine portrait lens option, and can be used for a variety of topics.

The lines get more blurry if you only shoot macro occasionally and perhaps are looking for other traits in your short to medium telephoto lenses such as a faster f-stop or a more compact solution.

At 80mm you get a 122mm full-frame equivalent field of view and some might find this an odd angle. It is not your standard 85mm for portrait or 135mm. I see little fault with the focal length and could easily adapt this for a range of topics.

Personally, I am tempted by the XF 80mm f/2.8 Macro but will probably hold off as my AF Micro Nikkor 60mm f/2.8D does an admirable job of copying negatives and I otherwise never shoot macro.

For general telephoto topics and portrait photography, I am looking forward to seeing what Fujifilm comes up with for a new XF 56mm f/1.2 R LM WR (expected in 2022). This lens will be more compact and probably suit my style of photography better.

Despite the lack of true macro photography in this review, I hope I have given you food for thought as to whether the Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro is for you.

Please see more sample images below.

Price / Availability

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