Fujifilm 16-55 f2.8 Long Term Review
The Fuji 16-55 f2.8 is the first expensive pro level lens I ever purchased back in early 2019. Since then it’s been with me all round the world in all possible climates and conditions so now it’s time for a very long term review.
Build Quality
This lens is built like a tank and can take a beating. The coating is scratch resistant and all the dials are solid. At one point I fell running along a sand dune, dropped the lens and fell on it. This in turn pushed sand into every possible gap and effectively seized it. However a quick service and it was back to new. Over time the aperture dial is not as buttery smooth as it was brand new and the focus wheel can have some initial stickiness if I haven’t used it in a while however this isn’t a big deal considering the use. This lens has been soaked multiple times both by rain and sea water. It has been covered in ice and exposed to 45C plus. Not once did this lens ever break down, malfunction or operate in any unusual way. To say it has been reliable is an understatement. If there is one criticism, that is the rubber grip on the zoom mechanism. It keeps coming off.
Ergonomics
This is a little subjective but in my opinion this lens is a little too big and heavy. Perhaps when it was first released many years ago it was acceptable however today it’s simply not. A Sony 24-70 f2.8 G master lens is not that much bigger and weighs about the same while having more features, better image quality and being full frame. Within the APSC world, the new Sigma 18-50 f2.8 is about half the size and weight. To some people this isn’t an issue and might even be a bonus however the big draw of APSC is the size and weight advantage. Something that totally disappears with this lens. With that said, it comes as no surprise that this lens is best suited for bigger bodies like the XH and XT. Other than that it’s great.
Image Quality
Image quality is very good. The colour rendering and tone is amazing and on par with any other fuji zoom or prime. As for sharpness, I’d say it’s not as sharp as the primes or the 50-140 f2.8 however is plenty sharp enough even when cropping in. As you’d expect at f2.8 there is some corner softness however by f4 it’s mostly cleared up. Personally I don’t mind the softness as I prefer my images on the softer side.
Autofocus
Autofocus is as good as you’d get on a Fuji lens and when paired with something like the XH2s, it’s great for both photo and video. I never once had issues with autofocusing on this lens and I’ve used it with the XT3, XT4, XT5, XH1, XH2 and XH2s. Not much else to say.
Summary
To summarise this is a great lens and it has served me very well. However I’m not sure I can recommend it today. When you have alternatives like the Sigma 18-50 f2.8 at half the price, weight and size, I’m not sure this lens is good value any more. If you can find it used and don’t mind the size, go for it as it really is amazing. However I would not buy one new today.
If you’re considering purchasing this item and use the affiliate links below, it will not cost you any extra however I will get a small % kickback which helps keep this blog ad free for you to enjoy.
Purchase here:
