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Is this FujiFilm’s best all-round lens?


Each of us has a favorite lens, be it a prime lens, a wide angle or a telephoto lens. There is always one lens that we will tend to use more than the rest. But what if you could only carry one lens on your travels? What will it be?

I took pictures with both Nikon Z 7II and a FujiFilm X-T4 and love both because of the different aspects of photography. Ask me to pick a single lens for the Nikon Z 7II and I will most likely be Nikon Nikkor Z 24-70mm f/4 SHO. However, ask me what lens I would shoot for the X-T4 and I won’t hesitate to choose Fujifilm XF 18-135mm f / 3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR lens at all times.

Focal range

Given that focal length range, you’d think it’s a versatile lens, so what’s the point of it? Well, with so many lens options out there, how do you know which one to choose for everyday photography? We all have specific needs for whatever type of photography we shoot and know what focal range works best for us, so we tend to stick to them. Some people may prefer a wider focal length, as that means they can shoot larger landscapes or get creative with foreground elements, while others may prefer to use lenses with focal length is narrower or fixed because it makes portraits and other close-ups easier. The key is to determine what is important to you as an individual photographer and then look for lenses with those specific specifications.

Although the 18-135mm has a full-frame equivalent reach of 27-206mm, I never really considered it and preferred it. Fujifilm XF 55-200mm f / 3.5-4.8 R LM OIS, is another great lens, but I was missing the focal range between 10-24mm and 55-200mm. The 18-135mm came highly recommended, so I bet and sold the 55-200mm, and I haven’t regretted a single day since. To my surprise, I didn’t think I would use the lens as much as I did, and for me it has proven to be a very versatile lens.

Construction and Quality

The Fuji XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS WR is a compact 100mm lens without a lens hood and in a plastic and metal construction, with a plastic barrel and lens hood. With a lens weight of only 490 g, this makes it very light to use with your camera considering the range of focal lengths it can achieve. It is weatherproof and has a metal 67mm filter thread. It can stack several filters without blurring the image.

Contains 16 elements in 12 groups, the front panel extends forward 160mm at the full 135mm zoom. Aperture ranges are f/3.5 at 18mm and f/5.6 at 135mm, plus it can be stopped down to f/22 if needed. The closest focusing distance is from 45 cm and works considerably here, allowing for fairly easy focusing.

The aperture ring sits on the barrel and is smooth with only the slightest clicks when adjusting the aperture. The zoom ring has good friction even in wet, slippery conditions, and the damping is just enough for controlled zooming.

How does it work?

The lens has worked great in all the situations I’ve come up with so far. I didn’t take pictures in very low light, but for this I will use a wider aperture lens. With the image stabilization being so good, it reduced the need for a tripod, which I really appreciate during longer hikes. Even with handheld panoramas in relatively windy conditions, the image stabilization works great. On a tripod, again, it works as expected, and given its compact size, it doesn’t need a necklace.

Fast focusing, the lens has not let me down yet. I actually spent a lot of time with setting the camera to aperture priority when the lens was connected, and honestly, it was so I could just focus on the fun of photography. I’m mostly someone who likes to manually shoot my landscapes, so doing this with this lens liberated me quite a bit. There’s no manual focus override with this lens, so if you want that, you’ll have to switch the camera to manual.

There is minimal image distortion at wider focal lengths, and none I noticed above the 55mm.

What I Like

  • The lens is light in weight.
  • Image stabilization is excellent even at 135mm.
  • For sharp images.
  • A nice focal range for everyday shooting.
  • A great all-round lens.

What I don’t like

There’s really nothing I don’t like about this lens. I would love to have a wider aperture, but that’s not going to happen at that price point.

Inference

While it was one of the earliest lenses Fujifilm made for its X-mount range, circa 2014 it’s still a great all-rounder that keeps up with today’s options. Personally, I always stick with the X-T4 unless I’m looking for a wide angle shot and it hasn’t let me down once. On the other hand, I left the lens down a few times. Its very worth it.

This is a great all-in-one lens that can do more than you think, so don’t miss out on its first release date, as it delivers superbly sharp results. The price has also remained unchanged since launch, give or take a few dollars, so that’s probably a reflection of the image quality it produces. The image stabilization is fantastic, and while I was able to take a few shots at 1/15 of a second, I could probably push it a little further. If you are a Fuji shooter and are looking for a great all-round lens, I would not hesitate to recommend this lens to your tool bag.

While this article deals with Fuji lenses, I’d love to hear in the comments about which lens is your all-rounder, regardless of manufacturer.

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