FUJIFILM XF 18-120mm F4 R LM PZ WR Reviews
Great lens but can't be 5 stars
By JAKE
Rated 4 out of 5
Date: 2023-04-08
There's a ton to like about this lens. The images are acceptably sharp for a 6.6X zoom and the reasonably bright constant aperture are nice. It's very lightweight and the power zoom feature is outstanding for video. For whatever reason Fuji omitted the aperture ring which is very disappointing but the biggest flaw is the exposure stepping while zooming. One of, if not the biggest, benefits of a constant aperture zoom lens is the ability to keep your exposure the same while zooming in and out. Not possible with this lens. The exposure automatically darkens as you zoom in DESPITE all of your settings remaining constant. It's a known issue and many speculate that it's not something that can be fixed with a firmware update rather it's built into the design.
It's not a deal breaker for me, but I'm not doing any paid gigs. If I was, it absolutely would be out of the question.
Good travel lens
By Miron K
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2023-02-24
Hi,
Unfortunately I haven't seen here a lot of positive reviews for this product and in my opinion this lens is not only useful for taking videos but also great for taking pictures, when traveling!
Useful focus range, internal zoom , internal focusing and weather-resistant design, 72mm filter size (same as in FUJIFILM XF 10-24mm) - all are great features for landscape photography!
I've attached some examples of what this lens is capable of producing (taken in Greece).
Happy hunting :)
Great all-around lens!
By Luis
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2022-10-20
This lens has replaced my 18-55 kit lens. The focal length range is incredible and the video centric controls are pretty smooth. I would have liked a faster aperture, but for the price, this lens does its job beautifully. I have mostly used it for video but the photos are of a good quality as well. The weight is a big plus and size is about the same as the 55-200 (not extended).
The best lens for video recording!!!!
By Christopher
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2022-10-19
This lens is super smooth, it is my go to for recording. The powered zoom is very nice
Not usable as intended
By Robert
Rated 1 out of 5
Date: 2022-10-19
First off, I am full Fuji now and really hate to leave this rating on their product, but it suffers from the one thing they promised it fixed, exposure stepping. It has 2 exposure steps. Other than that, for video it is fine. it is a power zoom which is really nice and it does not extend as it zooms so it is ideal for a gimbal, but again, your footage will change exposure. I was going to give it two stars BUT there was nothing to save this lens.. it is not good for photography as it is not sharp at all, especially in the corners.
Awkward power zoom
By John
Rated 4 out of 5
Date: 2022-10-13
I wrote an earlier more positive review but after trying out the lens I have opted to return it (thank you, BH Photo). I love the size and lightness but the power zoom's two power options I found very difficult to use without a tripod. The manual zoom is smooth but requires a number of turns to reach across its wide range. The 70-300 by comparison has a much shorter travel span. Disappointing.
Could be a great lens, but promised features fall short
By Cam
Rated 2 out of 5
Date: 2023-03-19
Everything this lens is supposed to be should make this lens great. Going from the 18-135mm to this, this lens is sturdier physically and sharper on both extremes of its focal range.
Part of the reason I bought this lens was because it is supposed to be parafocal (or nearly) and it promised to be stepless during the zoom when filming. Paired with the XH2-S, this is supposed to be a killer combo. As of March 2023, the Fuji website still says the lens is stepless and even has example footage showing that the exposure doesn't step. Unfortunately, the lens definitely steps and there are dozens of posts complaining about it.
After reaching out to Fuji support a few times over the last six months, I've been told that is a known problem that should be addressed j a firmware update. At best, this is true. At worst, it's false advertising.
If/when this is fixed, I will update my review - but it's definitely disappointing to see this from a brand that typically gets five stars for every X system lens it produces.
Great lens for video and photography!
By Christopher
Rated 4 out of 5
Date: 2023-03-02
I got this lens for my Fuji X-H2S to shoot both video and photography. It is currently my only X-mount glass, though I use some manual vintage lenses adapted. The 18-120 may not be the sharpest one out there or the fastest out there, but it more than makes up for that in versatility, with a nice medium-wide angle and a great reach. Images from it are nice, if not spectacular.
I love that the zoom is completely internal, no extending of the front barrel while zooming in/out. This makes it possible to mount on a gimbal without having to rebalance all the time, or it getting too long and awkward. It can also be easily used in a 15mm rail system.
The only thing missing here is OIS. Although my in-body IBIS works well with it, so it's not too much of an issue.
I would recommend this lens to anyone who needs an all around lens (great for travel!) for their Fuji camera with in-body IBIS.