Conclusion
Pros:
- High end build quality makes for a solid lens
- Very sharp throughout the zoom range from wide open, and extremely sharp stopped down just a bit.
- Outstanding bokeh for a zoom lens. Heck, outstanding bokeh for any lens.
- Rich, vibrant color and good chromatic aberration control
- Moderately fast and silent autofocus with excellent accuracy
- Exceptional image stabilization that is good for 3-4 stops at all focal lengths
- Good value at $699
Cons:
- Large and heavy for a mirrorless lens
- Edges aren’t the greatest wide open
- Zoom ring is a little too stiff
- Balance is a little front heavy due to the extending lens on the rangefinder styled X bodies
Overall, Fuji has created a truly outstanding zoom lens with the Fujinon XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS. It’s a lens that is not only sharp throughout the range, but has excellent color rendering, beautiful bokeh and good control of lens aberrations.
While certainly quite large for a mirrorless lens, most of the handling issues became footnotes for me once I started shooting with the 55-200mm. When I received the lens, I was intrigued but disappointed by the size. By the time I returned it after the review period, I had started saving up to purchase it. At $699, it’s a no-brainer purchase for anyone who needs a telephoto lens for the X-Series. Another great optic for the X-system!
Image Samples
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