Fuji updates kit lenses for X-A2 with new 16-50mm and 50-230mm zooms
posted Thursday, January 15, 2015 at 12:01 AM EST
To pair nicely with the updated Fujifilm X-A2, Fuji's brought along a pair of updated, lightweight zoom lenses. The Fujinon XC 16-50mm II f/3.5-5.6 OIS and XC 50-230mm II f/4.5-6.7 OIS both refresh earlier models and are largely unchanged but with a couple minor improvements.
The XC 16-50mm II f/3.5-5.6 OIS wide-angle zoom serves as the new kit lens for the updated Fuji X-A2 and provides a versatile 24-76mm-equivalent focal length range in a compact, lightweight package. The updated "Mark II" lens offers much closer minimum focusing performance -- now down to 15cm, whereas the old model stopped at 30cm.
The lens configuration remains relatively unchanged compared to the earlier version, with 12 all-glass lens elements in 10 groups. The lens features one aspherical element and one extra dispersion element, as well as a 7-blade, rounded aperture diaphragm. AF performance on the original was very good, and the new model retains its excellent high-precision stepping motor for fast, quiet autofocus.
Overall, the original model was an excellent performer for such an affordable kit lens, displaying sharp images as well as nicely-controlled vignetting and distortion. Given the similarity in design and build with this updated lens, we expect it to perform similarly well.
For more reach, Fuji has also introduced the XC 50-230mm II f/4.5-6.7 OIS telephoto zoom. This highly versatile lens offers an equivalent focal length range of 76-350mm, which is great for portraits, wildlife, outdoor sports and pretty much anything in between.
For better handheld shooting performance, the optical image stabilization system on the XC 50-230mm I has been improved to provide up to 3.5 stops of correction -- a nice increase from the 2.5-3 stops of the original model.
Like its predecessor, the XC 50-230mm II's optical configuration remains the same with 13 all-glass elements in 10 groups with one aspherical lens and one ED element. As with the XC 16-50mm, the 50-230mm II lens features a 7-blade, rounded aperture for pleasing background blur as well as Fuji's high-precision stepping motor for fast, quick AF performance.
The Fujinon XC 16-50mm II f/3.5-5.6 OIS will be included as part of the Fuji X-A2 camera kit and is set to become available in February for $549.95. Pricing and availability for the XC 50-230mm II f/4.5-6.7 OIS as a standalone lens, which will be offered in both black and silver, has not been released as of press time. However, it will be offered as part of a two-lens kit with the X-A2 and 16-50 II for around $749.