Fuji’s XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS lens has been the standard bearer for a premium kit lens since its release in 2013. I’ve heard many, many Fuji shooters brag that the quality of this lens makes other lenses unnecessary. I was a little surprised by being a bit underwhelmed by the lens when I finally reviewed it in 2019. The resolution of Fuji X-mount cameras in 2013 was 16MP, and in 2016 that jumped to 24MP on some models. In 2018 the first 26MP camera (X-T3) was released, and I reviewed it at that resolution level, which is vastly more demanding on lens performance than 16MP. That may explain why I didn’t find the lens as sharp as many people claimed. But in late 2022, Fuji took their biggest jump to what remains at this time the highest resolution of any APS-C sensor – the 40MP X-Trans sensor found in camera like my X-H2. This sensor has been somewhat of a wrecking ball to older lenses, and I’ve been revisiting some of them to see how they they are holding up (and compare to newer models). I recently revisited the venerable XF 18-55mm to see how it held up. The results are very much a mixed bag. Find out the full details in my video review below.

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Thanks to Fujifilm Canada for sending me a review copy of this lens.   As always, this is a completely independent review.  All opinions and conclusions are my own. I’m doing this review on a 40MP Fujifilm X-H2 camera.

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The XF 18-55mm is still capable of producing beautiful photos, but they don’t hold up under the level of scrutiny that 40MP affords.

My main findings are in the video review, but if you are more of a text person, I’ll share my review notes along with a more detailed conclusion at the end.

Build and Handling

The Fujinon XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 was always priced higher than most kit lenses due to have a more premium build and performance. Here’s how it fits into the 2024 landscape of pricing for standard zoom lenses on X-mount.

1. Sigma = $549
2. Fuji 18-55 = $699* (as little as $400 in kit)
3. Tamron 17-70mm F2.8 VC ($799)
4. Fuji 16-55mm = $1199

Few people are paying full retail MSRP for this lens, as most will either get it in a kit (for a whopping $300 discount!) or on the used market where it is often available for $300 or less, which obviously helps its value in relation to the other lenses on the list.

Here’s a breakdown of what the R | LM | OIS mean in the lens’ name:

R = Ring | LM = Linear Motor | OIS = Optical Image Stabilization

Here are some my build observations.

• Shortest lens (6mm shorter than Sigma, 36mm shorter than 16-55)
• 65 x 70.4mm (D x L) | (2.56 x 2.77”) | 310g (11 oz)
• Has variable aperture (aperture closes fast!)
  • F3.2 by 20mm
  • F3.6 by 30mm
  • F4 by 42mm
• Has OIS.
• Has aperture ring, but due to being variable aperture, there are no markings or hard stops
• No weather sealing
• Poorest manual focus ring (easy to accidentally grab because it is close to zoom lens, manual focus moves in very obvious steps rather than smoothly.
• Lowest magnification of four options – 0.15x @ 30cm
• Holds up well – finish and rings hold up over long haul.

Fuji’s design language has changed little over the years, so the lens doesn’t really look or feel dated. It feels as premium as most of their other nicer lenses.

Autofocus

The XF 18-55mm has Fuji’s premium LM (Linear Focus Motor) technology, but clearly the technology has improved over time, as the focus system feels dated here in relation to the other three options.

I ranked the lens last in a comparison for stills and gave these reasons:

• least focus confidence and speed
• some pulsing before final lock at times
• hampered by dimmer maximum aperture in lower light
• Manual focus very “stepped”

Most of the time the autofocus was fine, but I definitely felt like it didn’t hold up as well as newer lenses.

Video Tests:

The XF 18-55mm faired a little better in my video tests, but mostly because none of the four options do great with the state of video autofocus as it stands on Fuji in 2024 (which lags behind other major brands).

• Focus pulls had fairly good speed and confidence
• hand test not quite as responsive as other lenses
• – NEGATIVE – will do both pulsing (on fixed shots) and warping (when zooming)

Image Quality Breakdown

MAJOR DISADVANTAGE – 18-55mm Variable aperture – Sigma, Tamron, and Fuji 16-55mm all have constant F2.8 aperture.

Vignette and distortion:

1. TIE 16-55mm +22 and +48 – mild mustache
2. 18-55mm +19 and +59 – mild mustache
3. Sigma +24 and +92 – mild mustache

Chromatic aberrations

1. 16-55mm (very good)
2. 18-55mm* (bigger DOF)
3. Sigma – most fringing before and after

Resolution

1. Sigma (most consistent on wide end and on telephoto)
   1. True for chart tests and real world results
   1. Even when stopped down sharper than 16-55 on telephoto
2. 16-55mm – better contrast than 18-55, better detail
3. 18-55mm – visibly lower contrast throughout zoom range – aperture disadvantage starting at 20mm (F3.2)

The XF 18-55mm peaks at 23mm and fades as you progress towards the telephoto end of the zoom.

Color remains a strength for Fuji lenses, producing images that look great when viewed as a whole.

The bokeh looks fine (actually a little smoother than the 16-55mm F2.8, but there is less opportunity to create bokeh due to a mediocre minimum focus distance and a maximum aperture of F4 on the telephoto end.

Flare resistance isn’t perfect, but remains competitive.

Optically the XF 18-55mm has been eclipsed by newer lenses, with the Sigma 18-50mm F2.8 DN being my recommended alternative if you want a similarly compact lens that’s a little stronger optically.

Conclusion

The 40MP X-Trans sensor remains a very challenging one for Fuji’s catalog lenses for the simple reason that they weren’t engineered for such incredibly optical demands. Modern expectations are higher, and it is pretty clear that Fuji has plans to replace this lens soon. So should you still consider it in 2024 (or later)? There are few reasons to say a qualified yes. The first is that you can still make beautiful images with the lens:

More specifically, however, here the reasons I would consider this lens:

• Price: if you are buying this lens on the used market, there’s a very solid chance you can get it considerably cheaper than alternative zooms.
• OIS – this lens and the much larger Tamron 17-70mm F2.8 VC (my review here) are the only ones with in lens stabilization, and if you have a camera without in-camera stabilization, this could be a big factor.

Obviously if you are using one of Fuji’s older cameras, this lens will hold up better optically.

If you are interested in this lens, nabbing a used copy off of Ebay might be your best bet.

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GEAR USED:

Purchase the Fujinon XF 18-55mm F2.8-F4 @ B&H Photo | Adorama | Nuzira | Amazon | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Germany | Ebay

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Purchase the Fujifilm X-H2 @ B&H Photo | Adorama | Amazon | Camera Canada | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Germany 

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Purchase the Fujifilm X-T5 @ B&H Photo | Amazon | Camera Canada | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Find it Used at KEH 

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Purchase the Fujifilm X-S20 @ B&H Photo | Adorama  | Amazon | Camera Canada | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Germany |

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