Amateur Photographer - UK (2019-06-08)

subscribe 0330 333 1113I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI 8 June 2019 49

LENS TEST Testbench

MichaelTophamfindsouthowFujifilm’slates

compactandlightweightX-mountlensperforms

F

ujifilm’slensroadmapis frequently
updatedandgivesusa goodclue
asto whatwecanexpectto seenext
andwhen.Thosewho’vestudiedit
willknowwe’regoingto haveto waituntil 2020
beforetheXF33mmF1R WRarrives,butin the
meantimethere’stheXF16mmF2.8R WRand
XF16-80mmF4R OISWRto getexcitedabout.
Theopticwe’relookingat hereis Fujifilm’s
second16mmprime,thefirstbeingthe
sublimeXF16mmF1.4R WR.Justaswe’ve
seenbeforewithlensesliketheXF23mmF2
R WRandXF35mmF2R WR,theXF16mm
F2.8R WRis designedtobea morecompact
andaffordablealternativetothecompany’s
faster,largerandmoreexpensivef/1.2and
f/1.4 primes. Those who desire a fi xed focal

lengthlensthat’sequivalentto24mmin

35mmtermsandlikethesoundof saving

£470overtheXF16mmF1.4R WR(£818)

willbeintriguedby this latest X-mount arrival.

Features

DespitebeingslowerthantheXF16mmF1.4

R WR,thereareadvantagesin choosinga lens

that’ssmallerandhasa maximumapertureof

f/2.8.JustlikeFujifilm’srangeof f/2primes,

themainappealis itscompactsize.Viewed

nexttotheXF16mmF1.4R WRyougeta

goodimpressionof howdinkyit is. It addsjust

45.4mmin lengthtothecamerait’smounted

onandwithinitsstubbybarrelit arrangesten

glasselementsin eightgroups.Oftheseten

elements, two are aspherical elements, which

Centreandcornersharpness
improvesbystoppingdown
fromf/2.8tof/4andf/5.6
Fujifilm X-T3, 1/40sec at f/5.6, ISO 1600

Fujinon XF

16mm F2.8 R

performanc

theedge.UnliketheXF

thelensdoesn’tfeatureanyED(extr

low-dispersion)elements.Butit doeshave

thesamenumberof apertureblades,withthe

diaphragmemployingninecurvedbladesto

renderstrikingbokehat wideapertures.

Toensurefocusingis fastandoperationis

silent,thelensadoptsthesameinnerfocusing

systemdrivenbya steppingmotorthat’sused

insideotherlensesliketheXF35mmF2WR.

TheWRabbreviationin thenametellsusthis

is a lensthat’smadetobeweather-resistant

andthesealsit haswillallowthosewhoowna

weather-sealedX-seriescameratocontinue

shootingwhenpoorweatherconditionspersist.

Fujifilmclaimsthatthelenscanbeusedin

temperaturesaslow-10°C,plusthereis

a rubber seal around the perimeter of the