http://www.digitalcameraworld.com MARCH 2021 DIGITAL CAMERA^125
Fujinon XF 16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR Zoom lens
Verdict
The Fujinon XF16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR is not the
fastest X-mount lens in the Fujinon line-up – that’s
the XF16-55mm f2.8 R LM WR. But it’s smaller,
lighter and cheaper, with a 5x zoom range and
optical stabilisation, so losing one f-stop in
maximum aperture seems a small price to pay.
We found it consistently good in outdoor shooting
(not so much at close range in the lab), and its build
quality and handling are as good as it gets... and all
lenses should have an aperture ring like this one!4.5 Outstanding
5.0Features4.0Performance4.0Valuehe XF16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR is a really interesting
standard zoom for Fujifilm X-mount cameras. Fujifilm
has now made five standard zooms for its X-series
cameras. The XC15-45mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS PZ is a
low-cost compact retracting zoom for Fujifilm’s
lower-end models, which seems to have replaced the older XC16-
50mm f/3.5-f5.6 OIS II lens. Mid-range Fujifilm cameras usually
come with the neat XF18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS, which is a bit
more upmarket, while pros will gravitate towards the big and heavy
XF16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR. That left a big gap between the XF18-
55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS and the XF16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR.
Neither of those lenses has a very big zoom range, and the
16-55mm doesn’t even have optical stabilisation.
This is why the XF16-80mmf/4 R OIS WR offers such an attractive
middle ground, with a longer 5x zoom range, but still with a constant
f/4 maximum aperture, and the benefit of optical stabilisation. The
constant aperture makes the lens faster at longer focal lengths
than regular variable-aperture standard zooms and makes
manual exposure much more straightforward.
Performance
The lab tests and the real-world results from the XF16-80mm f/4 R
OIS WR are somewhat different. This does sometimes happen: it’s
why we carry out both kinds of test. In the lab, this lens is best at
shorter focal lengths and grows softer towards its maximum
zoom setting. It offers edge resolution that is average at best.
However, lab charts are inevitably shot at close range, and not
all lenses are optimised for close-range shooting. In outdoor
shooting, where subjects are further away, we found the XF16-
80mm f/4 R OIS WR to be rather good. It is possible to see some
drop-off in sharpness at the edges and at longer zoom settings,
but the image detail is still visually crisp. Rod Lawton
T
1
The focus ring is light
without a hint of play.
There’s no distance
scale on the lens, but a
digital one appears on
the screen the moment
you turn the focus ring.2
The zoom action has
a medium weight to
it with no trace of
stickiness or tight
spots. The barrel
does extend as you
zoom, though.3
The aperture ring
has firm click stops
at 1/3-stop aperture
increments and a
locking button to
prevent switching
from manual aperture
control to the ‘A’
position accidentally.Fujinon XF 16-80mm
f/4 R OIS WR
£699/$799
The most useful X-mount standard zoom?
Specifications
Lens mount: Fujifilm X
Autofocus: Ye s
Full-frame: No
Image stabilisation: Ye s
Lens configuration:
16 elements in 12 groups
Max. aperture: f/4
Number of blades: 9
Minimum focus distance: 35cm
Max. magnification: 0.25x (Telephoto)
Filter size: 72mm
Dimensions: 78 x 89mm
Weight: 440g5.0Build &
handling231Fringing Short 0.22 Long 0.17
Fringing is well-controlled throughout the lens’s
zoom and aperture ranges. You shouldn’t notice
any aberrations in real-world shooting.Distortion Short -0.27 Long -0.43
Thanks to in-camera distortion correction, distortion
is minimal. These figures don’t represent the true
optical distortion of the lens, though.Centre sharpness05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,500f/4 f/5.6 f/8 f/11 f/16 f/22
16mm 35mm 50mm 80mmSharpness
Centre sharpness starts off very well at 16mm,
and is simply superb even wide open. Things get
progressively softer as you zoom in, though.