News on the lens front

Never a brand for half measures, Fujifilm has also introduced two new lenses and updated its road map with three new optics

The 18-120mm f/4 LM PZ WR is a hybrid zoom with a fully electric zoom drive as well as normal manual operation so suits stills and video use. This constant f/4 aperture, 6.7x zoom covers the 35mm equivalent focal length range of 27-183mm so covers the core photographic range for most people.

It features a 15 elements in 12 group construction with three aspherical and three ED elements to supress aberrations and distortion, and it gives a magnification ratio of 0.2x with a minimum working distance of just 46cm from the front element. Focusing is handled by a lightweight inner focus group of elements working with a linear motor for AF as quick as 0.02sec.

The focus/zoom control ring enables focusing or zooming at a variable speed, which is especially useful for video shooting. There is also a button for constant zoom control.

The 18-120mm f/4 LM PZ WR is due to go on sale in September at a price of £899.

The second new XF lens is a 150-600mm f/5.6-8 R LM OIS WR telezoom, and this lens is due to go on sale this July. Its 150-600mm focal length range is an equivalent to 229mm to 914mm in the 35mm format so this is a telephoto to super telephoto lens. It is compatible with Fujifilm teleconverters so add the XF2x TC WR and you get 1200mm or the equivalent of 1828mm.

Internally, the lens features 24 elements in 17 groups and that includes three ED and four Super ED elements to minimize axial chromatic aberration. The result is a high performing super telezoom lens that weighs just 1605g and it’s an internal zoom so the lens stays a constant physical size through its focal length range.

Add a 5EV benefit optical image stabiliser, weather proofing at 19 points, a matt silver finish to keep the lens cool in extreme heat and AF driven by a linear inner focus motor and you have a compact lens for its range that will have serious appeal to wildlife and action photographers. Its price is £1899.

Finally, Fujifilm updated its lens roadmap with three additions: am XF 56mm f/1.2, am XF 30mm f/2.8 R Macro and an XF8mm f /3.5. With these three lenses due in the future the XF system will have 42 options in its range.