One Year with the Fujinon XF 50-140mm f2.8

So another weekend came and went, and with finding the time to clean my lenses I had the strong urge to Marie Kondo my current glass line-up. Well I know she calls her process another thing, but it's my blog, so...

Anyway so I was looking at the glasses in my dry box, and my gaze fell to my 4th purchase for my Fuji line-up. The Fujinon XF 50-140mm f2.8 is an excellent piece of glass, part of the red badge trinity of professional lenses by Fuji. Pros and hobbyists alike swear by it, and the images it can help you produce.

I bought it with very high expectations, for portraits and travel, getting shots of the ladylove while she is surfing and general photography using a medium telephoto lens. It was awesome to behold out of the box, a cold metal behemoth, similar to the 70-200mm that Pros carry as their workhorse portrait lens. I felt like even with the weight and size it would be ok to carry it, never mind the bad balance on my camera at the time (Fujifilm X-T100).

Then COVID-19 happened, and while my great country happily chugs along the longest lockdown in the entire world, there has been very little chance to do any sort of photography at all. I have been able to shoot photos of things mundane and near my general area, but that's it.

What surprised me about the whole thing is that during this time, I have sold and bought a Fujinon XF 50mm f2 WR, a Fujinon XF 56mm f1.2 R, and a Fujinon XF 90 f2 WR. Exif data shows I carry even the 90mm more even if I got it last, on December 2020.

So what happened?

The 50-140 is still an awesome lens, but the thing is, all Fujinon lenses are great for their intended use. The 50-140's strength in my opinion is its flexibility as a zoom, where one doesn't need to keep changing lenses. For use during events, gathering and even during travel - despite the weight penalty it is a stellar glass that I'm willing to carry.

Under physical distancing, and with all the items we are required to bring or produce to just go out and walk in a park (Mask, Face Shield, Alcohol, Disinfectant wipes) the lens turns into a cumbersome appendage, difficult to wield and a pain to bring in and out of the bag. A two body and a 16/56 or 16/50 or even a 56/90 combo is much easier to shoot with, rather than the 16/50-140, 23/50-140 or 35/50-140 I saw myself carrying on a regular basis. I even ended up carrying the 18/50f2 combo a lot of the times because it was so light.

I can't  make myself put the lens on the market yet, because it is a really great lens. But of all the Fujinon lenses I own, it is the nearest one to that decision because I don't find a use for it anymore. Right now the 50-230 seems to be a good proposition if I just need the extra reach. I won't be shooting a surfing wife at f2.8 anyway.

From January - February 2020

From May - June 2020

From December 2020

A Surprise Trip and A Gear Carrying Exercise

Saturday came with it's own usual dreariness in this continuing time of COVID-19. I was thinking of just hanging around the neighborhood and trying to see if I can view the world in another way. Perhaps that can get me some shots for the day.

For some reason, my wife pulled me out of the house and we ended up spending the day traveling in the outskirts of our city.

She asked me to grab a couple of cameras and lenses for varied situations (Don't you just love it when the one you love supports your craziness?). I brought the #FujinonXF18mmf2.0 as my wide lens, the #FujinonXF35mmf1.4 for general use and the #FujinonXF50-140mmf2.8 just to be safe (Oh boy, even if it was heavy wasn't I thankful). Oh, also the #FujinonXF23mmf1.4 as a just in case lens.

I ended up just using the 35mm and the 50-140mm for most of the day as I realized I would end up missing both the time I would spend with my wife, and also the shots I would try and take while I thought about what lens to use and then mounting them. I also kept hearing the voices of my boss, who is a proponent of the 18-135mm and my event photographer buddy who is a supporter of the carry only one lens camp saying I already had a penalty on my carry weight if it was Diablo.

I'm still deciding about the 50-140. It's a great lens to have, but shooting outside, lugging it, getting into all sorts of "what bag?", "dang it doesn't fit here too" stuff just gets on your nerves you know? Moreso if you've committed to a mirrorless APS-C system. You're supposed to carry light.

Real world experience is that the 35f1.4 will rock your socks off on a consistent basis. On the newer bodies, Fujifilm X-T3 and X-T4 with their improved AF, the lens has a new lease on life. Yes you still hear it creaking and grinding away like some ancient machine about to bring desolation into your world, but man with the images it can give you it's just stunning.

The 50-140f2.8 will always live up to it's red badge heritage. It's an awesome lens to have in your arsenal and you forget the weight, the size and your reason for going mirrorless when you take you snaps with this baby mounted. And on an IBIS body like the T4 you are in hand held heaven bay-bee.

Well the 23f1.4 did see some action, during the evening.

As always, I ended up my day being thankful for the woman who loves me enough to try and alter the course of my universe everyday. I wouldn't be writing about these bleh gear stuff if she didn't shock me off my stupor.