Just to be clear right up front: this is not a review of the new Fujinon 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8 R LM WR kit lens. Someone let me use their copy for half a day while I was in Denver to lead a photowalk (thanks, Matt!), so this is just a quick impression after a handful of hours of use. Everything that I say about it should be taken with a grain of salt, since I don’t own the lens and only used it briefly. My goal is simply to help bring some clarity to those who might be considering it—I’m not certain if I’ll be able to accomplish that, but I hope so.
The Fujinon 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8 is Fujifilm’s successor to the much-beloved 18-55mm f/2.8-4 kit lens, which has been discontinued. I’m not a zoom-lens guy—I prefer prime lenses—but I do own the 18-55mm f/2.8-4, and it’s the only zoom lens that I use even close to somewhat regularly. I don’t use it all the time, but definitely more than any other zoom that I own. It’s an excellent kit lens, perhaps even the best kit lens offered by any brand. I was actually a little sad when Fujifilm announced that they were replacing it. I think the primary reason for its discontinuation is that it cannot fully resolve the 40mp X-Trans V sensor.
There’s actually quite a lot different between the 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8 and the 18-55mm f/2.8-4. Some advantages of the 16-50mm are: optically superior, internal zoom, lighter, smaller (the lenses are the same size, but the 18-55mm extends when you zoom while the 16-50mm doesn’t), weather-sealed, wider focal length, and better minimum focus distance. Some advantages of the 18-55mm are: optical image stabilization, larger maximum aperture at the telephoto end, longer telephoto reach, and can be found cheaper used than the 16-50mm new. Each has advantages and disadvantages, so it’s difficult to say that one is “better” than the other; however, if I had to pick one as better, it would be the new 16-50mm.
I was actually pretty impressed with the sharpness of the 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8 lens. It’s tack sharp, with the crispness that one would expect from a prime lens. I didn’t notice any vignetting, either. The new lens is optically the winner; the old lens isn’t a slouch, but the 16-50mm is quite obviously the better of the two. Having the 16-50mm is like owning a whole bunch of prime lenses, albeit ones without impressive maximum apertures.
The difference between 16mm and 18mm is larger than the difference between 50mm and 55mm; however, my personal preferences is to have more telephoto reach. For me, I want 55mm f/4 more than I want 16mm. I almost never used 16mm during the short time with the lens, but you might use 16mm often and 50mm rarely. Toping out at f/4.8 at 50mm is odd, since it is a half-stop intermediate aperture. Half-stops were once common a long time ago, but they’re pretty rare nowadays. There’s not a significant benefit in depth-of-field, compression and bokeh (using that term incorrectly) from 55mm f/4 compared to 50mm f/4.8, but there is a difference nonetheless. For me, though, the biggest problem with f/4.8 is dust. You see, living in Arizona, I constantly battle a dirty sensor, and dust on the sensor won’t show at f/4 but it will begin to show at f/4.8.
The Fujinon 16-50mm f/2.8-4 R LM WR makes the most sense when paired with the cameras that have the 40mp X-Trans V sensor and IBIS, which (as of this writing) are the X-H2, X-T5, and X-T50. My guess is that the majority of those who own the X-H2 and X-T5 are not using kit zooms (although I’m sure some are… I use the 18-55mm on my X-T5 sometimes), so that means the Fujifilm X-T50 is the camera that this lens makes the most sense for, in my opinion (I’m sure Fujifilm will release more models in the future that this lens pairs especially well with). For the models without the 40mp sensor but with IBIS—the X-H2s, X-S20, X-S10, and X-H1—you could go either way. Pairing this lens to a weather-sealed body is quite logical, so maybe that could be a deciding factor. For cameras without IBIS, I would recommend the 18-55mm f/2.8-4 lens, since it has OIS.
I have no intentions of purchasing the Fujinon 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8. Don’t get me wrong: I would be happy owning it, but I’m also happy owning the Fujinon 18-55mm f/2.8-4, and I just don’t have a need for two kit zooms right now. But, if you’re trying to decide, I think the Fujifilm X-T50 and Fujinon 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8 combo could be an especially excellent lightweight travel kit. Also, the internal zoom of the 16-50mm is a major plus for those who will be using it with a gimbal, since you won’t have to rebalance whenever you adjust the focal length. The $699 MSRP is a bit steep (it’s the same price that the 18-55mm was), but if you buy it bundled with a camera body, it’s basically $300 cheaper, and for that price I think it could be worthwhile.
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Fujinon 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8 R LM WR:
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Photographs captured using the Fujifilm X-T50 and Fujinon 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8 R LM WR:
