Fujifilm 50-140 f2.8 Long Term Review
The 50-140 f2.8 was one of the first two pro level lenses I ever purchased (along with the 16-55) and it’s been a firm part of my photography set up since early 2019. This has to be one of the best lenses I owned however as time goes on I find myself using it less. After nearly 5 years of ownership, it’s time for a very long term review.
Build Quality
Like with all high end Fuji lenses this has incredible build quality with a think anti scratch paint coating, solid feeling dials and a general high quality heft to it. The zoom is smooth, well damped and precise while the aperture adjustment is solid too. The glass is totally scratch free even though I hardly ever used filters and there aren’t many marks on the lens despite it coming all round the world with me. It has been soaked in rain storms, sprayed with sea water, frozen, subjected to 45 degree desert heat and everything in between. It has never malfunctioned, froze or behaved in any unusual way. It’s robust and I can totally rely on it as a tool. Finally given that the zooming mechanism is internal, it means even less risk of dirt or water getting in. However there is one glaring issue. The lens hood is incredibly cheap and feels like it’s scratching the lens every time you put it on. I’m not sure if it’s the material they use or the design, either way it’s trash.
Ergonomics
This is a big and heavy lens so only really suitable for XH bodies in my opinion. It will work with an XT and I’ve used it for many years on the XT3 and XT4, however the small grip on those cameras can be annoying after a while with such a big weight up front. Of course if you take most of the weight with your left arm by holding the lens, it removes a lot of that discomfort. The OIS switch on the side is neat and is designed to quickly turn off stabilisation when on a tripod. Speaking of stabilisation, it has built in OIS which worked great with a non stabilised XT3. Now that all cameras have IBIS, it works even better. The all internal zoom is a pleasure and personally I prefer it to external zoom. The collar is solid for tripod users although it’s not something I’ve used much.
Image Quality
Not only is this the sharpest zoom I used, but it’s up there with some of the sharpest lenses period. It’s even sharper than my f2 primes. The image this produces is astounding. Colour rendering is great, tac sharp and great tonality. Nothing bad I can say about this whatsoever.
Autofocus
As with all other Fuji lenses with the LM motors, the autofocus system is great. I’ve used it with almost all the XT bodies and all the XH bodies with no issues to report. It’s great for both photo and video.
Summary
Overall this is a fantastic lens and one of my favourite Fuji lenses of all time. If you’re into nature, wildlife or sports, this lens is perfect. So why did I say I am using it less as time goes by? Simply due to size and weight. I am travelling lighter and prefer to shoot with lighter and smaller equipment. Of course if I have a specific trip where a telephoto is essential, this lens will be the first in the bag.
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