The XF 18-55 f2.8-4 - Still the Best Bang for Buck Fuji Lens? (2023)
Today I’m going to share with you 4 things I love about the Fujifilm XF 18-55mm - as well as other useful info that may help you if you’re looking to buy this lens today.
This was fujifilm’s standard kit lens that used to come with their camera bodies. I believe it has since been replaced by other newer kit lenses but it’s still a very good lens.
I’ve had it for about 2 years now and back when I got it, I wanted to have a solid standard zoom that allowed me to have the basic focal lengths without being too heavy to carry around. I also wanted something I could use both professionally and for fun - and also for both photo and video. And safe to say, this lens has not disappointed.
I do also have the bigger 16-55, but we’ll talk about that another time. I’m also aware of the new sigma zoom lens, but I don’t have that lens so I’ll have to get back to you on that if we pick it up in the future.
Lets get started.
A Casual Size
One of my favorite things about this lens is its size. Its got a 58mm filter ring so it’s not that big. The benefit of having a smaller lens is that it’s useful and convenient to use especially for travel and taking the camera to more casual places. Now it’s not small enough to the point of being pocketable, but that’s okay because the zoom range makes up for it.
In combo with most fujifilm bodies like the x-t series and the x-pro series, it packs a deadly punch in terms of portability and image quality. For most in life scenarios, I rarely feel restricted in terms of focal length. 18-55 can cover most of your photography from things like portrait, to street, to landscape photography.
One instance I find this lens most useful is to simply capture sunsets when I’m out on walks. I’m currently working on a photo zine and this lens has been instrumental in the images that I’m getting. Part of the reason why is because it’s small enough that I can walk around the neighborhood casually and not feel too pressured about photography. There’s an element of photography where I want to not only take good pictures but also immerse myself in the moment and just enjoy it. A quick click and I’m back to being a spectator - watching the world move and of course, the sun set.
So if you’re looking for a more portable zoom lens, I’d definitely consider this one. The size makes it a great companion for going on walks or traveling places where photography is of great interest but may not be the main focus.
Stabilization
Another thing I love about this lens is the image stabilization. I think its one of the most useful things, especially for video, and I wish every lens had it. Now I understand there are some compromises that come to adding ois to a lens, but in many cases I think it’s worth it.
What image stabilization allows you to do for photography is to lower your shutter speed and still get sharp images. It’s also massively useful for getting stable video footage handheld. Which is my preference because usually I’m too lazy to whip out a tripod.
It’s not perfect of course, but in combination with the X-T4, I can use this lens to capture video footage for youtube videos like this, and also instagram reels and shorts. I like being able to have a reliable lens to both, and it allows me to share both my photography stories and productivity/creativity tips that I use daily for my creative related work.
So if you’re looking for a lens that you can use for both photo and video, I think the image stabilization aspect of this lens makes it a great choice for hybrid work.
The More I Like It, the More I Use It
I love metal lenses. And dislike plastic ones. I think part of what makes the camera shooting experience enjoyable for me is holding the camera and really feeling and connecting with it. As weird as that might sound it’s probably a big part of why I love cameras made by fujifilm. They just feel great to hold.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve used a lot of plastic based gear and there are a lot of upsides. They’re not gonna be as heavy as metal cameras, they don’t overheat as easily, and you don’t feel as bad if you scratch it or ding plastic. But for me, there’s just something about metal gear that I don’t think plastic can replicate. Even for a lens this old, I enjoy the aperture dial and the clean zoom experience. The metal makes it feel like I’m holding a camera, not a toy.
The reason why build quality matters so much for me is because it makes me feel more closely connected to my work. I make a lot of prints where time, dedication, and thought goes into each one. What I put out is an extension of both me as an artist and the world that presents the moment. Obviously its not that deep, a lot of stuff is as simple as “it just looks nice”, but I like to think of photography that way. And so using the gear that I like to use makes me want to use it more. And the more photos I take, the more good photos I’ll get, and the better photographer I’ll become. It’s that simple.
So this is kind of my own justification of having nice things. For some of you, it doesn’t matter - a camera is just a camera. But if you’re someone who enjoys a nicer build quality and feel to your cameras and lenses this lens might be up your alley.
Underrated for the Price
Probably the best part about this lens is it’s price. Because it’s a “kit lens” it’s always been perceived as such and therefore, underrated. Many people would sell near mint versions of this lens for super cheap online. And that’s happening even moreso now. Because newer and “better” kit lenses are being rotated into the lineup, this lens has become an even better cheap option for getting started with photography than it was before. Which is crazy.
It also allows you to sell the lens without worrying too much, because you can always pick one up again for a decent price.
The point is that you don’t need the best gear to take great photos. I’m a huge fan of using what you have. Meaning if you can’t afford that leica, don’t buy it. I think you can take good photos with a potato and the cameras and lenses are really just for us, the photographers. I also think that small imperfections in photos are starting to become more and more tasteful and accepted in the community. This is probably due to a few things like the resurgence of film photography and a 180 from overly clinical pixel peepers.
In my experience, I’ve done things like add grain intentionally, decreased the sharpness and clarity of some images and it still works - sometimes even better. People still like and buy my prints.
So if you’re looking to buy any camera or lens, the best thing I could recommend is to not judge it by it’s price. Naturally if you spend more, you’ll get something better, but make the price make sense for what you’re using it for. If you just need a basic lens to cover all the standard focal lengths, don’t spend your life savings to get it.
So those were 4 things I love about the 18-55 but if you’re looking to buy this lens, here’s two more little tid bits you should know.
Image Quality is Acceptable
I’ma be honest. It’s not the best in terms of image quality but its also not terrible. I’d say the 16-55 definitely wins in terms of image quality but the images from this lens are still really good. For me, it would be something like an A Rank. Meaning not bad enough for me to notice but not amazing enough for me to look at the images and be like damn. So it’s perfectly acceptable for most of your photography unless you’re looking for the best of the best - you’re doing top tier weddings or whatever. But for most of us, the image quality is more than good enough.
Variable Aperture
Although this lens is a 2.8-4, I pretty much just stick to f4. I used to shoot wide open whenever I could, but I quickly realized it doesn’t make that much of a difference for me. It’s a bit inconvenient to keep adjusting my exposure settings every time I try to switch focal lengths, so I’d rather just keep everything at f4 and not worry too much about it.
This can make lowlight shooting a bit challenging, so I always try to find some sort of light source or just not use this lens at night.
So if you’re looking to buy this lens, I just gave you everything you need to know. This is all I’ve learned from using it for the past two years and I hope it helps you out.
Thanks for reading.
