Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Review
Review of the XF 50-140mm f/2.8R LM OIS WR
Lens Review - Shooting Sports With the Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR
Fujifilm’s Pro Level Telephoto Zoom Lens
Thanks to Leo’s Camera Supply in Vancouver for making the Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR available to me for my lens reviews. I was able to try it out for a soccer game and an outdoor symphony concert event in Vancouver.
Hailed as an all-around high-performing zoom lens I was excited to see what it was all about and see if it would live up to expectations based on my experience with the Canon telephoto zoom lenses I had used in the past.
Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Specs
With such a long lens name, let us go over some of the specs. R = aperture ring, LM = linear motor, OIS = optical image stabilizer, WR = weather resistant.
Fujifilm X-Mount Lens, APS-C format
76-213mm (35mm full-frame equivalent)
Aperture range: f/2.8 to f/22
Five ED elements and one super ED element
Nano-GI and HT-EBC lens coatings
Triple linear autofocus motor
OIS, Optical image stabilization
Weather-sealed construction
Rounded 7-blade diaphragm
Removable rotating tripod collar
Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR on the Fujifilm X-H1 with VPB-XH1 Vertical Power Booster Grip
First Impressions
The Fujifilm Fujinon XF 50-140mm f/2.8 instills confidence from the moment you pick it up. The first thing I noticed was the buttery smooth zoom ring and build quality.
It has just the right amount of resistance and it is consistent throughout the zoom range. The removable tripod collar is of equal standard and is very well made. No jerky movements.
The petal-shaped hood attaches easily and without any kind of wobble. The lens hood has a handy door to access filters on the lens. I am a former Canon shooter so let’s compare.
The lens weighs in at 1093 g, 38.5 oz, which places it almost squarely in the middle of two equivalent Canon 70-200 zooms. These lenses have perfect focal lengths for shooting sports.
XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR, 1093 g, $1,599.00
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III, 1480 g, $1,999.00
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II, 780 g, $1,499.00
Size comparison. Fujifilm X-Pro2 with XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR - Fujifilm X-H1 / VPB-XH1 Grip and XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR
Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR For Soccer
For more than a decade I spent countless hours along the sidelines at our kids’ soccer games and tournaments. My staple lenses over the years were the Canon EF 70-200 4L and then later the Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8L non-IS. Last but not least I had the Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS and 1.4x teleconverter.
I used the Canon EOS 5D, 5D Mark II, and 5D Mark III cameras and for a period I also had a 1D Mark III.
Okanagan FC vs. Tigers Vancouver
A lifelong friend, Fabrice Fanfani, plays on the Okanagan FC men's team in the Pacific Coast Soccer League. Okanagan FC played in Vancouver this weekend and it was the trigger for this lens review. I was excited to shoot soccer again.
I used my Fujifilm X-H1 mirrorless camera for the soccer game. It was a cloudy/light rainy day in Vancouver so it was nice to know the lens is weather sealed. Perhaps not ideal conditions for a test.
On the other hand, it is good to see what gear can do in less-than-ideal conditions. I dialed in a manual exposure, ISO 1000, and a shutter speed of 1/1600 at f/2.8. I decided to mainly shoot the lens wide open. ISO was changed as the light changed.
Compared to my former f/2.8 Canon zoom lenses, I would not be able to get the same degree of separation from my topic as f/2.8 on the APS-C sensor equals about f/4 on a full-frame camera.
XF 50-140mm f/2.8 Autofocus Performance
I used the multi-purpose setting for autofocus and had expected slightly better AF performance on the X-H1. I did not experiment with other AF settings but in hindsight, increasing speed tracking sensitivity may have helped to gain the initial target faster.
Once it locked on to a player tracking seemed fine. I primarily used wide tracking. I also turned off the image stabilization, which I felt was slowing things down. I used to do the same on my Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS.
Muscle Memory and Using a Zoom Lens
Although I had not used a Canon zoom in years I was turning the Fujifilm zoom ring the wrong way to either zoom in or out.
Canon EF and Fujifilm XF lenses do things differently but already halfway through the game, I was getting the hang of it. I have been shooting all primes lately, so it was nice to have a zoom to get a better variety of shots.
Ideally, you would cover a soccer game with two cameras. One camera with a full-frame 300mm or 400mm equivalent prime and the other camera with a 70-200mm zoom.
If you have plenty of cash lying around a 200-400mm f/4 zoom would also do the job. At times I wished the XF 50-140mm had a bit more reach but it doesn’t mean you won’t come away with keepers after a game.
Fujifilm X-H1, Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR @ f/2.8, 50 mm, 1/1600, ISO 1000
The Canon, Nikon, Sony primes, and Fujifilm’s own XF 200mm f/2 R LM OIS WR would do a better job but cost several thousand more. I have covered games with just my XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR, and come away happy but you are of course limited by only having one focal length.
I would not come away with the same variety of shots with the XF 90mm but it still works. I am happy with the results seen in the photos in this review.
Image quality, colors, sharpness, and contrast are satisfactory. If I have one caveat, it would be the fact that the bokeh looks somewhat busy especially when shooting players at further distances.
Yours truly. The Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 mounted on an Fujifilm X-H1
Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 vs. XF 90mm f/2
My wife, Diana, would normally not shoot alongside me, but for a moment she picked up our X-Pro2 and started shooting the game. After a while she says; “This is fun” :) As it happened we ended up taking a shot of our friend Fabrice, at what appears to be the exact same time.
This is not a scientific study but still interesting to see the slight differences. Both shots are at f/4. We are sitting about 10 meters apart. Diana, closer to the players shooting at 90mm, me at 140mm.
X-H1, Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR @ f/4, 140 mm, 1/1600, ISO 1250, 80% crop
Soccer Sample Images XF 50-140mm f/2.8
Events
I would certainly put the XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR in the category of an event lens. As much as I like shooting primes, having a zoom during almost any type of event can be a huge relief as you won’t find yourself changing lenses constantly.
There was an outdoor symphony concert at Sunset Beach and I set out to get a few event photos for this review (see below) to illustrate some of the shots you may capture at an event. I made the XF 50-140mm setup more portable by mounting it on my X-Pro2 with an MHG-XPRO2 grip and removing the tripod collar.
I removed the hood also and it makes for a fairly compact combo. Having the grip does make a positive difference in how this combination handles.
Event Photos - Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8
Conclusion
It had been a while since I had used a zoom lens and the XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR surprised me with its great build quality and handling. I cannot emphasize this enough. If a piece of camera gear doesn't feel right in your hand you are not likely to use it very often.
I tried the lens a few years ago and I did not recall the lens having such a smooth zoom operation, a real pleasure to work with. The image quality attained from the lens is as I expected. It is very good but the primes are a tad better at the cost of only giving you one focal length.
The Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 mounted on a Fujifilm X-H1
You have to ask yourself if this slight edge in image quality isn't irrelevant. Most people will not be able to see the difference and the added ability to zoom opens opportunities for images you otherwise would have missed.
Since you are reading this review on a travel site, I ask the question. Would I bring this lens for travel?
It certainly depends on what kind of travel. For a road trip where your gear is in the trunk or on the back seat of your car for easy access; yes this lens would fit the bill. For a backpacking trip where every bit of weight counts, I would pass on the XF 50-140mm.
Personally, I am not in the market for a lens such as the XF 50-140mm. For my next trip, I will be traveling lightweightly. If I have an important event shoot I would surely consider this lens and renting it is always an option.
If you are looking for a lighter alternative to the XF 50-140mm f/2.8 check my review of the XF 70-300mm here:
Fujifilm XF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 R LM OIS WR - Review
Pros
Great build quality
The smooth operating zoom ring
A fast constant f/2.8 f-stop
Removable tripod collar
Image quality
Cons
Not as easy to separate your topic from the background as with f/2.8 full-frame zoom lenses
Busy bokeh at further distances
Price / Availability
Thank you for reading my review. If you are planning a purchase and would like to support us, you can do so, at no additional cost, by using the affiliate link below. A small commission goes to us and helps us keep the wheels turning at 5050 Travelog.
Check the current price at B&H Photo
Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR - B&H Photo
Thank you for being supportive.
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Fujifilm XF 18-55mm f/2.8 R LM OIS
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Fujifilm XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R
Fujifilm XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R
Fujifilm XF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 R
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