On the Floor!

Could it be better to be on the floor,

And on the floor can we feel better,

With its secure surface which can stand the beat of life.

Fujifilm X-S10 Auto-Focus (Bird) Tracking Performance w/ Fujinon XF55-200mm F3.5-4.8 R LM OIS.

 The difficulty to take good, clear, and interesting picture of birds is not new. Good rightly photographically focused of bird specimens is challenging by the nervous and fast nature of them. Unpredictability is another one among others such as strong exposure variation (From deep shadow to brightly sunny areas). Bird photographer specialists can surely bring you a vast and lengthily presentation about these challenges.

Trying the Fujifilm X-S10 camera model, I was particularly interested to see how the autofocus tracking system can manage the task in taking picture good bird snapshots and, I must admit, it did well even in using it in conjunction of the Fujinon XF55-200mm F3.5-4.8 R LM OIS which is one of my preferred optics (but older) in Fuji X-mount line up. I can imagine that performance will be better with the more recent Fuji X-mounts that have been introduced lately.

A last word regarding bird photography is the preparation it needs in term of knowledge of the bird habits and how to not disturb your main subject even for a snap shooter like me. And, of course, a lot of persistence!

Stepping Over Steps

 

Why challenging an all-times winner? The Fujinon XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS

The Fujifilm Fujinon XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS* zoom lens has been part of the Fuji X-mount line-up for so long time, in digital terms (!), that many of us tend to disregard it despite its excellent abilities. It has been almost ten years since its introduction in early 2012 and many users are still hoping that Fujifilm will maintain its availability at least for the near future (as for the Fujinon XF55-200mm F3.8-5 R LM OIS, its perfect telephoto zoom lens companion) but more recent Fuji X-mount zoom lens introductions may soon signal a definitive retirement for this beautiful trans-standard zoom optic.

There is so much to said about the Fujinon XF18-55mm OIS that it may appear outrageous for many enthusiasms of the other Fuji X-mount lens models to promote and cherish it even after all these years. First it is a true compact zoom lens weighing 310g only with a lens filter accessory ring of 58mm of diameter. It has three control rings easily recognizable for focusing, zooming, and setting the aperture manually. it has also two switches to activate or not the optical image stabilization (OIS) system and the aperture ring. A dedicated reversible bayonet mounted petal lens hood is furnished with the zoom lens. In brief it is a complete package optic right from the start.

You can select a range of angles of view stating at 76,5 degrees wide up to the narrowed 29 degrees that is giving to the Fujinon XF18-55mm OIS a very good picturing and framing versatility even though some others Fuji X-mount lenses will offer a larger focal range **. The variable maximum aperture starts at F2.8 (18mm) and finish at F4 (55mm) which is moderate compared to the "pro" zoom lenses but much better that the usual "kit» lenses. Combined with the optical image stabilization (OIS) system, the Fujinon XF18-55mm OIS is clearly manageable in many low light situations.

In terms of optical performances and color (and black and white) rendition, the Fujinon XF18-55mm OIS is able to deliver high quality result even up to pro picture standards, and with the most recent camera models or the newest Fujifilm APS-C sensors. In that perspective, it is interesting to note how many Fujifilm X-photographers are still using the Fujinon XF 18-55mm OIS despite its longevity. Part of this long-time success seems o be attributed to its compactness, versatility, and performance.

Even though the Fujinon XF18-55mm OIS is not proclaimed weather-resistant (WR), many photographers will adopt it as a good travel and urban zoom lens. Discrete, focally flexible, and small, the Fujinon XF18-55mm OIS is an easy-going choice. 

Over the years, I had experimented different body-lens combinations with the Fujinon XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS zoom lens and many different Fuji X-mount camera models such as the Fujifilm X-E2, X-E2S, X-E3, X-T20, X-T30 and X-S10 and it had performed flawlessly through many various photographic situations. All these mentioned Fujifilm cameras are compact models that will harmonize perfectly in terms of size and weigh with this trans-standard zoom optic.

In January 2019, I have published this post that contain a deeper "user" analyst of the Fujinon XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS. Since that time, my opinion had never change and as for other lovers of this trans-standard zoom lens I am hoping that Fujifilm will keep this zoom lens available for X-mount photographers and be part of their regular and current line of optics.
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* The Fujifilm Fujinon XF18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS was the first zoom lens offered into the new Fuji X-mount optic series.

** With the expense of a bigger and heavier optic to use and carry.