Fuji 16-55mm f/2.8 Lens Review: Fuji’s top-tier mid-range zoom offers premium performance for a price
posted Friday, April 15, 2016 at 3:23 PM EST
Announced back in January of this year, the Fuji XF 16-55mm f/2.8 lens is the latest addition to Fuji's wide-to-normal zoom lenses, and one that takes the crown as their top-tier lens for this focal length range. This professional-level lens sits over not only the 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS kits lens but also the 18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS lens and offers Fuji photographers a sought-after constant f/2.8 aperture as well as robust weather sealing.
A prime choice for photojournalists and others needing a versatile wide-angle zoom that can withstand inclement weather, the new 16-55mm f/2.8 lives up to its higher price tag with excellent optical performance and great build quality. Sharpness is fantastic, even wide-open, and other optical qualities are top-notch. The lens' AF performance is not shabby either, and the bright f/2.8 aperture allows for better low-light shooting than the other Fuji wide-angle zooms -- though this lens' lack of image stabilization seems to be an unfortunate trade-off.
For all the details, including optical testing results, handling notes and lab sample images, check out our in-depth Fuji XF 16-55mm f/2.8 review. For some real-world gallery images, jump over to our Flickr album for sample photos taken with our Fuji X-E1 test camera. You can also check out some basketball photos shot with this lens over in our Fuji X-Pro2 Gallery page.
