I lacked a nice little zoom lens for my Sony and when they introduced their new 16-55 F/2.8 for the ridiculously high price of €1300 I made the decision to leave their overpriced products. So this weekend I completely switched to Fuji and love it! Got a second hand X-T1 with the 10-24 F/4, 18-55 F/2.8-4 and the majestic 56 F/1.2 for only €1200! The Fuji colours with the retro styling of the body and lenses made taking photos fun again! Best decision ever!
@CHECKBOX And don't forget a whole world of cheap Chinese prime lenses 👍🏻 The 7artisans 35mm F/0.95 ( or the cheaper F/1.6 ) and the TTartisan 50mm F/1.2 for example.
I love the XT1. At the moment (2021) it is an absolute bargain. Get an 18-55 and a 35mm f2 WR as a prime. Then buy some top quality vintage 35mms which work as 50mm on the smaller frame for portraits. You can get an XT1 for £300 18-55 for £200 35 f2 for £300 An Ashai Pentax 35mm for £50 A Jupiter 35mm for £30 A top quality mirrorless system for all main photography applications for under £900.
@@HarryFlashmanVC I sold the XT-1 and bought the XT-2. Bought a Viltrox 23mm 1.4 as a walk-around lens and a TTartisan 50mm 1.2 and a 7artisans 35mm 0.95 for the more serious times.
I was waiting for this video for a looong time! Just love your work, keep it up! Next up: fuji xf 56 f/1.2 or 16 1.4 and I'm done with youtube "Your channel comes highly recommended!" lol
Great video. I have a X-T30 and had been scratching my head for a solution to me being 'trapped' with a 56mm and 14mm pair of primes, which were fiddly to switch between when out and about. I'd been pondering the heavy, masterful 16-56mm but it seemed too much for my X-T30 ... adding weight and unhelpful Weather Resistance to my non-WR body, while still leaving me with no OIS. Thank goodness for you and a few others reviewing this old 18-55mm. Seems like a perfect fit for my X-T30. It's coming in the post. UPDATE: It arrived today, I went outt for a two hour walk with it, and I'm loving the freedom of this 'kit lens' format. I hadn't realised how restricted I'd been feeling with my pair of prime lenses.
Got this lens a few months ago with my X-t30. So glad I ordered this instead of the 15-45 f3.5-6.3. i fully agree with everything you said here. I also just got the viltrox 85 1.8 because of your review and it's amazing!
@@cbrmike69 Absolutely! It's very versatile for its size and price. Although I'm trying to switch to primes because of their low aperture numbers and extra sharpness
Got this lens with my XT1 three years ago. Been delighted with it. The sharpest zoom I have - noticeably sharper than its 55-200mm stablemate IMO. The OIS is very effective; I’ve got sharp handheld shots at 1/8 sec. Getting some primes for my new XT2 - my wife is keeping this lens with my XT1. We shall see how they compare but the convenience of the zoom and f2.8 aperture may mean I nick it back from her when she isn’t looking 😁.
I have been waiting so long for this one! Definitely one of my favorite lenses of all time. I like shooting close up at 18mm f2.8 for a surreal wide angle perspective with shallow DOF. This gets me lots of keepers. I call the range between 24-35mm the “prime range” for this lens, because the aperture is still wide enough to look like you’re shooting with a fast prime, and the overall rendering is beautiful enough to deter you from needing to buy a separate prime lens. And at 55mm f/4 it can do portraits too! My only real complaint is that the stabilization behaves strangely for video work. The frame tends to wobble in a very distracting manner when handholding at 18mm. But for photos, the stabilization performs wonderfully.
Great video with important technical stuff discussed in a short time! Rare to see on YT. Would also love to see you reviewing the 16-55 and comparing this lens to it.
Oooooh ! Thank you Christopher for this review. I have this lens and I love it so much ! I bought it as a kit with my XT3 and even if I completed this set-up with some other lenses, I can say I will never sell it. The 10-24 f4 is also one to have with this lovely 18-55
I've had my 18-55mm for a week now. I was getting frustrated with soft and inconsistent pictures. It LOOKS like the issue is that I needed to change my IS (image stabilisation) setting in my X-T30 menu from Continuous to Shooting Only. I'd read a couple of posts online where people had tried that, compared pictures, and found it better. Something to do with continuous creating a build-up of vibration that doesn't matter when filming so much but hurts still pictures. I've only tried the difference today and THINK I can spot a benefit. My pictures are really clear today, perhaps helped by the bright weather outside ... or by this potential fix. Will see.
@@THEJOKEYJOKER It's good yeah! OIS is great, sharpness strong but not 'prime lens strong'. The main turn-off for me (apart from the limitations of f4.0 for subject separation) is the functional aspect of it having variable aperture (f2.8-f4.0 minimum), because it means the aperture ring will turn forever and you have to look at the back display to know what f-stop you're on. The aperture rapidly climbs from f2.8 to f4.0 when you zoom in a bit so, when I zoom from wide to narrow etc, I do feel like I'm pausing a lot to readjust the f-stop. As a result, I do keep pondering switching from my current combination (X-T30, 14mm prime, 56mm prime and 18-55mm) over to an X-T4 (which has IBIS) with the lovely 16-55mm f2.8 .... but common sense says that's a lot of extra weight to carry in my hand (maybe not in my bag) and I actually take a lot of shots at wider than f2.8 when at work etc. Truth is, the X-T30 and 18-55mm is still a strong, light-ish and well stabilised combination to have in your hand when out on the street etc and I've seen amazing pictures taken with it. If I were someone who took more shots at f4.0 or narrower, it'd be absolutely ideal, but I do like to step up to f1.2-f2.8 a lot. My 56mm f1.2 prime does feel like 'easy mode' for taking lush pictures compared to it - maybe because I'm not experienced enough and a bit lazy using the wide aperture. I know some good photographers say there's also actually quite a big difference between 16mm and 18mm and this might be important, given that the 18-55mm isn't sharpest at either extreme.
Thank you Christopher , I am among many who are very pleased you are here and do what you do best and that is give a really informative review of lenses . Many thanks.
Great review as always Chris. Being a Sony a6000 user, with a Samyang 12, Zeiss 24 and Sony 50, and disappointed with the OOC jpgs, auto white balance and the Zeiss 24 performance, this lens was the reason to switch to Fuji and I'm so glad I did (got the xt20 with the 18-55). Great image quality, great OOC jpgs, reliable auto white balance, great build quality, very good user interface and great lens selection (both zooms and primes). You can get the xf 18-55 as kit with the xt cameras for around £300 new. The best value and all round fuji lens in my opinion.
Only just found your channel, thank you! Exactly what I was looking for, perfect balance of specs and real life usage reviewing in a perfect length video! Also, I live in Scotland but from Llanelli, I almost fell over when I saw Burry Port lighthouse and then three cliffs! This made my day! 😊
I've had inconsistent results with this lens. I tried two of them and found that certain focal lengths actually become softer in the corners when stopping down. From what I've read there is a large amount of sample variation.
A re-visit of the old XF18-55 on a 40mp sensor would be a great comparison to this new kit since most Fuji users have The classic kit and feel unsure how much of an upgrade it is. I know it's a lot to ask but I guess many people might have this same thought.
For a kit zoom on a 24MP crop sensor, it's actually pretty good. I sometimes skip the kit lenses altogether, but if I buy a Fuji camera, would take this one.
My copy of the lens has very visible blurring on the sides when wide open, making group photos impossible to take at 18mm, especially indoors. Does anyone else have this problem?
This lens has consistently received excellent reviews and is very modestly priced. I just wish that those referring to it would refrain from using the term ""kit lens""- a descriptor which is generally used to dam with faint, ir any praise. This is an excellent lens in its own right.
Love your reviews ! Got the xf 18-55 as a kit lens with the x-t30. It’s a very dependable lens, but for me it’s a “not too bad” kind of lens. Almost sharp, but not impressive. Almost fast, but not very fast. Almost well built, but not WR. Almost good stabilisation, but not excellent. Almost cheap but more for the expensive side ( if bought separately, which nobody does, except 2nd hand). Almost wide angle, but not enough. Almost tele but not enough. Almost portable, but a little heavy nose on the x-t30. Nice bokeh, but just nice. Poor close focus. I get more fun with the light, inexpensive xc 15-45: Real wide angle at 15mm; super close focus ( be careful not to bang the lens on your subject); super sharp from 15mm to 30mm, 45mm still acceptable; super lightweight and small, super fragile, buy two, it’s still cheaper, I bought mine for 100€, 2nd hand. What about the xf 18-135? Slower, but real tele, and one of the biggest focal range from Fuji, and it’s WR.
Not to bad, its near sharp as my Pentax Limited 35mm. That over all focal lenght. "almost fast" It start at 2.8 and small and light and handy. So many stupid remarks.
You had a good copy. I found there is a big variation between these lenses. I have got a bad one, maybe slightly decentered. I was thinking about selling it, but it is extremely versatile lens, so i am keeping it. The downside is that i find it boring. It is that kind of a workhorse lens, but hard to really love.
I own this lens for several years now and all in all I agree to your review. But: I have used the lens a lot and the problem is, that over the years the autofocus-system has become slower and slower. Today it takes quite a bit of time until the camera has managed to find the focus. For landscape photography this is not a big deal, but taking snapshots with my lens is nearly impossible.
@@Aksunkuvat There is a great Tamron 28-75 constant f2.8. and almost the same selling price. But I wish Fuji had Bayer sensors on the X-T line, not X-Trans, I would buy one as soon they release it.
I love the 18-55. Phenomenal lens. Would keep one for myself if I did more shooting with zooms. For Fuji users that use zooms more often on, I constantly recommend them to get one.
I'd love to use primes if there were more options with OIS. It's a bit to ask for, but without IBIS on the X-T3 it's more difficult to get sharper shots and stable video without a tripod/gimbal.
I bought this lens about 4 weeks ago, but to be quite honest I am a bit undecided on it. The lens is of course superbly well made with nice construction and one of the smoothest zoom rings I have encountered. The problem for me is that I find the background behind my subject to have a slight fuzziness/ghosting and lacking detail even when shooting at f/11. I'm not sure why. On my Canon lenses the backgrounds always looked a lot clearer and more aesthetic. I also tried the Fuji 18-135mm and that had the same issue, only worse. Maybe it's just the way the Fuji optics are designed and the way it affects bokeh. Either way, I much prefer the results from my Canon lenses.
We have the same problem, i never had a problem in it during ny early used of the lens. But after a quite while the quality of photos I am getting with this lens is becoming mediocre. I have the Made in Philippines version. I don’t know if that’s count?
I just purchased the lens from KEH for 355.00 which included both caps, hood, and lens bag it was marked excellent +. This is my first camera and lens.
The AF missing is the reason why its not my favorite lens at the moment. Might just be my copy, but I have it set to af-c, focused right on the subject, with at least 1/100 shutter speed and it misses. Didn't think it was the lens till i continued to use it longer.
I will compare this Kit Len to the upcoming XF16-80mm F4 Len later this year.Hope the image rendition from the 24-120mm in 35mil focal length won't let us down.
According to Fujifilm specs, OIS in this lens is more effective than in 18-135mm and 16-80mm XF lenses when paired with IBIS. Do you find its OIS as silent as that in other lenses?
Also still keeping this lens - though I mostly use the 16-55mm f/2.8 now (portraits - outdoor and studio). The 16mm on the wide-angle come usefull sometimes (less for portraits ;-) ) - but the quality and constant aperture in lower light are benefits, when working on a set in manual. I also had the 18-135, which was versatile during vacation - esp since it also was WR... but I always preferred the 18-55 for IQ. Sold the 135, since it was either to heavy to bike with it all day and the even worse variable aperture often became a limiting issue under challenging light. The upcoming 16-80mm sounds like the everyday walkaround lens, that may send my 18-55 into the bay though. Has the 16mm on the lower end, WR, OIS and a reasonable constant aperture...
I went for the 16-55mm f2.8 and NEVER looked back !!! The 16-55 is my favorite lens of all my 4 Fuji lenses (16-55mm f2.8/35mm f1.4/10-24mm f4/16mm f1.4)
I'm thinking about picking one of these up again. I sold it for the X100s, which I eventually sold for financial reasons (and also hated the AF). I have the 18mm and 50mm but I'm tempted to sell at least the 18 and pickup the 18-55 again. I kinda really miss just how useful it was for everything, especially with the OIS
You could just get the xh1 camera which has in body stabilization, for your prime lenses. I have the 18-55 but also the Olympus prime lenses and camera, and in body stabilization with a prime is an unbeatable combination.
Um, wow? What a fantastic video. I originally (and stupidly) felt turned off of buying this lens because I do prefer primes, and the 'kit lens' tag it held shook me a little. Well, I was used to canon kit lenses, let's just say that much. This is the next lens I'll be adding to the Fujifilm arsenal and thanks to your extremely objective approach to this review, I feel pretty confident in it's ability, and it's flaws too. Thanks so much!
i see it’s crowned by many as one of the best “kit” lens. I bit the bullet and got mine for a good discount , brand new. Im guessing cuz it’s no warranty and international???? Saw similar priced on ebay but they were all used. I havent had any fuji lenses on my xh-1 since i got it. Im eager to have autofocus finally and see how this kit lens holds up.
Now, Chris, I'm REALLY interested in a comparison between this one and the 16-55 red badge, given I have the 18-55 and was thinking about switching! the pictures without in-camera corrections are pretty wild and I'm a bit sketched out.
NoButOneMe the 16-55 is mind-meltingly good, but does away with the compact, lightweight approach of a lot of Fuji bodies. I’d love to see Chris review it!
A word of warning - this lens has A LOT of copy-to-copy variance. My copies were not that sharp. My first copy was pretty bad, I sent it in and Fuji returned me a new 2nd copy. The 2nd copy is better but still not as good as yours... My performance at 55mm is much worse and at 35mm my edges aren't as good.
I finally got a sharp copy and this is my third one to try. I sold 23 f2 prime because 23mm at f3.2 from this lens is more than enough for me. Now I am happy with 18-55 and 35 f1.4 set 😊
+1🖐️ I switched Fuji xs10 and 18-55 mm from Nikon d5600 and 18-140 kit. My ex set was pretty much better than this one. But the internet is full of people saying that they cannot believe this is a kit lens, they say it gives performance just like prime lenses. You are the first one I see, having the trouble with this lens.
@@emreozgungor7909 there are plenty of people saying this lens has variance issues, it's been out for so long we know everything about it now. In my experience Nikon has some of the lowest variance on average, they know how to make excellent lenses. Not saying every lens they make is perfect, but I've had much better luck with them and I've owned a lot of Nikon lenses.
Hi! I have a question regarding the Fuji XF 18-55mm lens. I just bought a second-hand copy of this lens and it makes a grinding noise I am not sure it is normal. When the aperture is on the smaller end (or whenever it is not on the widest aperture), the blades will instantly close up to the respective f stop when I half-press the shutter button. But when I release the shutter I can hear the blades making the noise as the aperture opens fully back up. Closing up makes a noise, but is fast and smooth, but when the blades open back up I can hear the noise but also notice a more stepped motion of the blades. Is this normal?? Thanks
Are you talking to google? I just mentioned I wanted to check out this lens for my xt1 and not even 5 mins later I get notified of your video... thanks and great review!!! Gotta get it now!
After F11 I can see 4-5 black spots in my images. My sensor is clean, no spots when shooting other lenses. There are dust specs on the back element of the lens inside ;/ And I used in only once during a wedding. I bought my xt4 with 18-55 in September 2021. Fujifilm told me they will clean it ( starting from 100 USD). I'm disappointed...
Hey Christopher! I love your reviews! My Fiance and I have an X-T200 and we got it with a 15-45 kit lens. How do you feel about this 18-55 vs the 16-80? Or do you think the 15-45 stands pretty well on its own and we should grab a telephoto or prime? Thank you!
Yey ! Thanks Chris! Second lens from my desired lenses to review is gone from the list! Now it's just down to sony 70-300 g oss :-D okey okey..ill mae it easier for you.. you can substitute it with 70-200 f/4 .. now here in Italy i found brand new for 1000 eur !
Thanks! Please review the XF 60mm lens, it's not very popular yet has amazing micro contrast very easy to see in black & white compared to the 56mm f1.2 for example. Also the bokeh is a bit better than the 56mm f1.2 Would love to see your review of it.
I needed help to decide, which one to buy, i am buying one of these, both comes in similar price here in Thailand : 1. Fujifilm xt20 with kit lens 18-55mm f 2.8-4 2. Fujiflim xt30 with kit lens 15-45mm f 3.5-5. Both are around 750$ i am not sure which one to buy.
Nothing better than a christopher frost lens review to start the evening
...or to end it :-)
In the morning on the pooper b4 work...don’t want to work now.
Love the bird and squirrel photos
Or after a hot winter shower before bedtime. This tea is calming :)
For me it's the morning here in 🇻🇳
I don’t buy any lenses without watching his review first
I lacked a nice little zoom lens for my Sony and when they introduced their new 16-55 F/2.8 for the ridiculously high price of €1300 I made the decision to leave their overpriced products. So this weekend I completely switched to Fuji and love it! Got a second hand X-T1 with the 10-24 F/4, 18-55 F/2.8-4 and the majestic 56 F/1.2 for only €1200! The Fuji colours with the retro styling of the body and lenses made taking photos fun again! Best decision ever!
The best you could do! Congratulation!
@CHECKBOX And don't forget a whole world of cheap Chinese prime lenses 👍🏻 The 7artisans 35mm F/0.95 ( or the cheaper F/1.6 ) and the TTartisan 50mm F/1.2 for example.
You are so right and your statement is another brick in the wall for my decision on the same. Thanks
I love the XT1. At the moment (2021) it is an absolute bargain. Get an 18-55 and a 35mm f2 WR as a prime. Then buy some top quality vintage 35mms which work as 50mm on the smaller frame for portraits.
You can get an XT1 for £300
18-55 for £200
35 f2 for £300
An Ashai Pentax 35mm for £50
A Jupiter 35mm for £30
A top quality mirrorless system for all main photography applications for under £900.
@@HarryFlashmanVC I sold the XT-1 and bought the XT-2. Bought a Viltrox 23mm 1.4 as a walk-around lens and a TTartisan 50mm 1.2 and a 7artisans 35mm 0.95 for the more serious times.
I was waiting for this video for a looong time! Just love your work, keep it up! Next up: fuji xf 56 f/1.2 or 16 1.4 and I'm done with youtube
"Your channel comes highly recommended!" lol
Came here to say the exact same. Woo!
Great video. I have a X-T30 and had been scratching my head for a solution to me being 'trapped' with a 56mm and 14mm pair of primes, which were fiddly to switch between when out and about. I'd been pondering the heavy, masterful 16-56mm but it seemed too much for my X-T30 ... adding weight and unhelpful Weather Resistance to my non-WR body, while still leaving me with no OIS. Thank goodness for you and a few others reviewing this old 18-55mm. Seems like a perfect fit for my X-T30. It's coming in the post. UPDATE: It arrived today, I went outt for a two hour walk with it, and I'm loving the freedom of this 'kit lens' format. I hadn't realised how restricted I'd been feeling with my pair of prime lenses.
Got this lens a few months ago with my X-t30. So glad I ordered this instead of the 15-45 f3.5-6.3. i fully agree with everything you said here.
I also just got the viltrox 85 1.8 because of your review and it's amazing!
Do you still like the xt30 with the 18-55 ?
@@cbrmike69 Absolutely! It's very versatile for its size and price. Although I'm trying to switch to primes because of their low aperture numbers and extra sharpness
Love this lens. More than enough for 80% of my requirements.
Got this lens with my XT1 three years ago. Been delighted with it. The sharpest zoom I have - noticeably sharper than its 55-200mm stablemate IMO. The OIS is very effective; I’ve got sharp handheld shots at 1/8 sec.
Getting some primes for my new XT2 - my wife is keeping this lens with my XT1. We shall see how they compare but the convenience of the zoom and f2.8 aperture may mean I nick it back from her when she isn’t looking 😁.
I have been waiting so long for this one! Definitely one of my favorite lenses of all time. I like shooting close up at 18mm f2.8 for a surreal wide angle perspective with shallow DOF. This gets me lots of keepers. I call the range between 24-35mm the “prime range” for this lens, because the aperture is still wide enough to look like you’re shooting with a fast prime, and the overall rendering is beautiful enough to deter you from needing to buy a separate prime lens. And at 55mm f/4 it can do portraits too! My only real complaint is that the stabilization behaves strangely for video work. The frame tends to wobble in a very distracting manner when handholding at 18mm. But for photos, the stabilization performs wonderfully.
Great video with important technical stuff discussed in a short time! Rare to see on YT. Would also love to see you reviewing the 16-55 and comparing this lens to it.
Thanks for this review Christopher. I'm awaiting the day you get to review the venerable Fuji 16mm F/1.4.
Oooooh ! Thank you Christopher for this review. I have this lens and I love it so much ! I bought it as a kit with my XT3 and even if I completed this set-up with some other lenses, I can say I will never sell it. The 10-24 f4 is also one to have with this lovely 18-55
I've had my 18-55mm for a week now. I was getting frustrated with soft and inconsistent pictures. It LOOKS like the issue is that I needed to change my IS (image stabilisation) setting in my X-T30 menu from Continuous to Shooting Only. I'd read a couple of posts online where people had tried that, compared pictures, and found it better. Something to do with continuous creating a build-up of vibration that doesn't matter when filming so much but hurts still pictures. I've only tried the difference today and THINK I can spot a benefit. My pictures are really clear today, perhaps helped by the bright weather outside ... or by this potential fix. Will see.
i would love to hear your feedback after months of use.. is the lens good?
@@THEJOKEYJOKER It's good yeah! OIS is great, sharpness strong but not 'prime lens strong'. The main turn-off for me (apart from the limitations of f4.0 for subject separation) is the functional aspect of it having variable aperture (f2.8-f4.0 minimum), because it means the aperture ring will turn forever and you have to look at the back display to know what f-stop you're on. The aperture rapidly climbs from f2.8 to f4.0 when you zoom in a bit so, when I zoom from wide to narrow etc, I do feel like I'm pausing a lot to readjust the f-stop. As a result, I do keep pondering switching from my current combination (X-T30, 14mm prime, 56mm prime and 18-55mm) over to an X-T4 (which has IBIS) with the lovely 16-55mm f2.8 .... but common sense says that's a lot of extra weight to carry in my hand (maybe not in my bag) and I actually take a lot of shots at wider than f2.8 when at work etc. Truth is, the X-T30 and 18-55mm is still a strong, light-ish and well stabilised combination to have in your hand when out on the street etc and I've seen amazing pictures taken with it. If I were someone who took more shots at f4.0 or narrower, it'd be absolutely ideal, but I do like to step up to f1.2-f2.8 a lot. My 56mm f1.2 prime does feel like 'easy mode' for taking lush pictures compared to it - maybe because I'm not experienced enough and a bit lazy using the wide aperture. I know some good photographers say there's also actually quite a big difference between 16mm and 18mm and this might be important, given that the 18-55mm isn't sharpest at either extreme.
Love your lens review all the time! Simplified, clear, logical expression and no bullshit！😉
Great review, thank you! I really like how consistent the procedures of your reviews are.
I use this lens on my X T3. Love it's quality and it's features!
Thank you Christopher , I am among many who are very pleased you are here and do what you do best and that is give a really informative review of lenses . Many thanks.
I will say I enjoy your reviews. Short, concise and straight to the point without all the BS that other reviews do.
Great review as always Chris. Being a Sony a6000 user, with a Samyang 12, Zeiss 24 and Sony 50, and disappointed with the OOC jpgs, auto white balance and the Zeiss 24 performance, this lens was the reason to switch to Fuji and I'm so glad I did (got the xt20 with the 18-55). Great image quality, great OOC jpgs, reliable auto white balance, great build quality, very good user interface and great lens selection (both zooms and primes). You can get the xf 18-55 as kit with the xt cameras for around £300 new. The best value and all round fuji lens in my opinion.
I also plan to switch to fuji for the same reasons. :)
@@MXDMND_ You won't regret it
XT2 and this lens is a perfect travel combo.
What a fantastic, informative review by someone with such a pleasant voice. Subscribed.
Only just found your channel, thank you! Exactly what I was looking for, perfect balance of specs and real life usage reviewing in a perfect length video! Also, I live in Scotland but from Llanelli, I almost fell over when I saw Burry Port lighthouse and then three cliffs! This made my day! 😊
Nice review ! Would love to see the 56mm f/1.2
Last month I bought a Fujifilm XT4 with this kit lens for 1500euros + 5 year warranty. Nothing to say, love this lens! Great review
The lady (wife?) who is in this and many other videos is so photogenic! Thanks for the review.
I've had inconsistent results with this lens. I tried two of them and found that certain focal lengths actually become softer in the corners when stopping down. From what I've read there is a large amount of sample variation.
Mine was very poor too.
Yes I’ve had 2 copies that I wasn’t thrilled with
As a kit lense it's an awesome addition to my bag. As I only have this one and the 23f2 the 18-55 almost lives on my X-T2
1:17 Best picture ever! :p Thanks for such a great review Christopher; I've just purchased on of those lenses and it's outstanding!
A re-visit of the old XF18-55 on a 40mp sensor would be a great comparison to this new kit since most Fuji users have The classic kit and feel unsure how much of an upgrade it is. I know it's a lot to ask but I guess many people might have this same thought.
Been watching your videos for while, you're producing the most concise and accurate videos to get an idea of what a lend can do
For a kit zoom on a 24MP crop sensor, it's actually pretty good. I sometimes skip the kit lenses altogether, but if I buy a Fuji camera, would take this one.
This lens is the only reason I keep staying in this system. When you go travel with it, couldn't be happier.
Though as an owner of a 16-55, I'd love to have this lens. I think I'll wait for the 16-80 instead.
I've taken loads of amazing photos with this lens. It's very close to prime quality, great micro-contrast and bokeh.
My copy of the lens has very visible blurring on the sides when wide open, making group photos impossible to take at 18mm, especially indoors. Does anyone else have this problem?
This lens has consistently received excellent reviews and is very modestly priced.
I just wish that those referring to it would refrain from using the term ""kit lens""- a descriptor which is generally used to dam with faint, ir any praise.
This is an excellent lens in its own right.
Kit lenses can be very good - the Canon 24-105mm f/4 is often considered a kit lens
Also, Canon's 18-55mm STM kit lenses are surprisingly good
Been waiting for this video. So you kept your promise! For a video shooter like me this and the 23 mm f2 are the go to fuji lenses
Awesome Chris....I have had this lens for a couple of years and just can't let it go :-)
Love your reviews ! Got the xf 18-55 as a kit lens with the x-t30. It’s a very dependable lens, but for me it’s a “not too bad” kind of lens. Almost sharp, but not impressive. Almost fast, but not very fast. Almost well built, but not WR. Almost good stabilisation, but not excellent. Almost cheap but more for the expensive side ( if bought separately, which nobody does, except 2nd hand). Almost wide angle, but not enough. Almost tele but not enough. Almost portable, but a little heavy nose on the x-t30. Nice bokeh, but just nice. Poor close focus. I get more fun with the light, inexpensive xc 15-45: Real wide angle at 15mm; super close focus ( be careful not to bang the lens on your subject); super sharp from 15mm to 30mm, 45mm still acceptable; super lightweight and small, super fragile, buy two, it’s still cheaper, I bought mine for 100€, 2nd hand. What about the xf 18-135? Slower, but real tele, and one of the biggest focal range from Fuji, and it’s WR.
Not to bad, its near sharp as my Pentax Limited 35mm. That over all focal lenght. "almost fast" It start at 2.8 and small and light and handy. So many stupid remarks.
You had a good copy. I found there is a big variation between these lenses. I have got a bad one, maybe slightly decentered. I was thinking about selling it, but it is extremely versatile lens, so i am keeping it. The downside is that i find it boring. It is that kind of a workhorse lens, but hard to really love.
how to deal with changing variable aperture so it doesn't look like flicker? 😢
My 18-55 doesnt seem to be that sharp until f5.6 on my X-T3. Quite frustrating.
Excellent video 😊!
Great review! Please review more fuji lens! Waiting for the 35f2 review!
I own this lens for several years now and all in all I agree to your review. But: I have used the lens a lot and the problem is, that over the years the autofocus-system has become slower and slower. Today it takes quite a bit of time until the camera has managed to find the focus. For landscape photography this is not a big deal, but taking snapshots with my lens is nearly impossible.
This lens second hand or the new Sigma?
@@phitur I bought it new. Its the original Fuji-lens.
I was just waiting for your review to shoot the trigger for this one. Seems like I'm buying a new (white box) lens! :D
Thanks Chris, God bless.
Underrated Fuji lens. It’s amazing, especially for video since most Fuji bodies aren’t stabilized.
I wish Sony had a quality zoom lens like this. Nice lens!
you can only wish :)
@@Aksunkuvat I'm sure sigma or tamron will make one. What I really want is a 16-45mm f2. Yes, it will be big, not worried about that.
Sony does, it's the Tamron 28-75mm. It's just full-frame and isn't a variable aperture.
@@Aksunkuvat There is a great Tamron 28-75 constant f2.8. and almost the same selling price.
But I wish Fuji had Bayer sensors on the X-T line, not X-Trans, I would buy one as soon they release it.
@@SuperLisandro86 the xt100 has a beyer sensor i believe
I love the 18-55. Phenomenal lens. Would keep one for myself if I did more shooting with zooms. For Fuji users that use zooms more often on, I constantly recommend them to get one.
I'd love to use primes if there were more options with OIS. It's a bit to ask for, but without IBIS on the X-T3 it's more difficult to get sharper shots and stable video without a tripod/gimbal.
Your videos are the best of all🙌.
Love from #Nepal 🇳🇵🇳🇵🇳🇵🇳🇵
I bought this lens about 4 weeks ago, but to be quite honest I am a bit undecided on it. The lens is of course superbly well made with nice construction and one of the smoothest zoom rings I have encountered. The problem for me is that I find the background behind my subject to have a slight fuzziness/ghosting and lacking detail even when shooting at f/11. I'm not sure why. On my Canon lenses the backgrounds always looked a lot clearer and more aesthetic. I also tried the Fuji 18-135mm and that had the same issue, only worse. Maybe it's just the way the Fuji optics are designed and the way it affects bokeh. Either way, I much prefer the results from my Canon lenses.
We have the same problem, i never had a problem in it during ny early used of the lens. But after a quite while the quality of photos I am getting with this lens is becoming mediocre. I have the Made in Philippines version. I don’t know if that’s count?
Sold 1. Glad I got another one as part of a kit. This little thing is seriously one of the best. Even at full price it's a bargain.
I just purchased the lens from KEH for 355.00 which included both caps, hood, and lens bag it was marked excellent +. This is my first camera and lens.
The AF missing is the reason why its not my favorite lens at the moment. Might just be my copy, but I have it set to af-c, focused right on the subject, with at least 1/100 shutter speed and it misses. Didn't think it was the lens till i continued to use it longer.
Great lens. I had one when I shot Fuji but I'll be honest, once I got the 23mm f/1.4 I pretty much never touched it except for shooting video.
I will compare this Kit Len to the upcoming XF16-80mm F4 Len later this year.Hope the image rendition from the 24-120mm in 35mil focal length won't let us down.
According to Fujifilm specs, OIS in this lens is more effective than in 18-135mm and 16-80mm XF lenses when paired with IBIS. Do you find its OIS as silent as that in other lenses?
im just about to buy an X-T3 with this lens so this came out at the right time!
I recently got this lens and being fairly new to cameras, I'm confused as to what the camera hood is used for?
Also still keeping this lens - though I mostly use the 16-55mm f/2.8 now (portraits - outdoor and studio). The 16mm on the wide-angle come usefull sometimes (less for portraits ;-) ) - but the quality and constant aperture in lower light are benefits, when working on a set in manual.
I also had the 18-135, which was versatile during vacation - esp since it also was WR... but I always preferred the 18-55 for IQ. Sold the 135, since it was either to heavy to bike with it all day and the even worse variable aperture often became a limiting issue under challenging light.
The upcoming 16-80mm sounds like the everyday walkaround lens, that may send my 18-55 into the bay though. Has the 16mm on the lower end, WR, OIS and a reasonable constant aperture...
What are the in camera corrections used (around 3:17)?
Fuji cameras correct for vignetting, distortion and CA
right in time when i want to buy the 16-55 or the 18-55 for my xh1.... but still don't know :(
I went for the 16-55mm f2.8 and NEVER looked back !!! The 16-55 is my favorite lens of all my 4 Fuji lenses (16-55mm f2.8/35mm f1.4/10-24mm f4/16mm f1.4)
I'm thinking about picking one of these up again. I sold it for the X100s, which I eventually sold for financial reasons (and also hated the AF). I have the 18mm and 50mm but I'm tempted to sell at least the 18 and pickup the 18-55 again. I kinda really miss just how useful it was for everything, especially with the OIS
You could just get the xh1 camera which has in body stabilization, for your prime lenses. I have the 18-55 but also the Olympus prime lenses and camera, and in body stabilization with a prime is an unbeatable combination.
Um, wow? What a fantastic video. I originally (and stupidly) felt turned off of buying this lens because I do prefer primes, and the 'kit lens' tag it held shook me a little. Well, I was used to canon kit lenses, let's just say that much.
This is the next lens I'll be adding to the Fujifilm arsenal and thanks to your extremely objective approach to this review, I feel pretty confident in it's ability, and it's flaws too. Thanks so much!
The flickering don't occur on Canon cameras, even with kit lenses (I have t7i + 18-55 stm f4-5.6). Gently, any expert could explain why? Tks!
i see it’s crowned by many as one of the best “kit” lens. I bit the bullet and got mine for a good discount , brand new. Im guessing cuz it’s no warranty and international???? Saw similar priced on ebay but they were all used. I havent had any fuji lenses on my xh-1 since i got it. Im eager to have autofocus finally and see how this kit lens holds up.
Nice review, as always. FYI: Here in the States the lens and the camera are going for $1200. So in effect, the lens costs $300.
Now, Chris, I'm REALLY interested in a comparison between this one and the 16-55 red badge, given I have the 18-55 and was thinking about switching! the pictures without in-camera corrections are pretty wild and I'm a bit sketched out.
NoButOneMe the 16-55 is mind-meltingly good, but does away with the compact, lightweight approach of a lot of Fuji bodies. I’d love to see Chris review it!
can someone tell me why I cant use the aperture ring to set the aperture?
A word of warning - this lens has A LOT of copy-to-copy variance. My copies were not that sharp. My first copy was pretty bad, I sent it in and Fuji returned me a new 2nd copy. The 2nd copy is better but still not as good as yours... My performance at 55mm is much worse and at 35mm my edges aren't as good.
Same here. My 18-55mm is less sharp than my XC15-45, XC50-230, and of course 35 f2.0
I’ve had 5 copies, & haven’t been that happy with any. Why does Fuji have so much sample variation compared to other manufacturers?
I finally got a sharp copy and this is my third one to try. I sold 23 f2 prime because 23mm at f3.2 from this lens is more than enough for me. Now I am happy with 18-55 and 35 f1.4 set 😊
+1🖐️ I switched Fuji xs10 and 18-55 mm from Nikon d5600 and 18-140 kit. My ex set was pretty much better than this one. But the internet is full of people saying that they cannot believe this is a kit lens, they say it gives performance just like prime lenses. You are the first one I see, having the trouble with this lens.
@@emreozgungor7909 there are plenty of people saying this lens has variance issues, it's been out for so long we know everything about it now. In my experience Nikon has some of the lowest variance on average, they know how to make excellent lenses. Not saying every lens they make is perfect, but I've had much better luck with them and I've owned a lot of Nikon lenses.
Very Clear and thorough, most importantly your voice is like Late Night Radio Station host:)
Excellent videos mate Keep it up ✌🏻✌🏻
Can you turn the variable aperture change off though? It's really off putting
Hi! I have a question regarding the Fuji XF 18-55mm lens. I just bought a second-hand copy of this lens and it makes a grinding noise I am not sure it is normal. When the aperture is on the smaller end (or whenever it is not on the widest aperture), the blades will instantly close up to the respective f stop when I half-press the shutter button. But when I release the shutter I can hear the blades making the noise as the aperture opens fully back up. Closing up makes a noise, but is fast and smooth, but when the blades open back up I can hear the noise but also notice a more stepped motion of the blades. Is this normal?? Thanks
would this lens be good enough to do Real estate videos with for detailed shots?
I bought this for my X-T1. It's a great all-around lens. All I need now is a portrait prime lens like the Viltrox 85mm to pair it with this lens.
Wow! Thanks a lot Chris! More power to you! God bless you!
Is this the same kit lens provided with xt3?
Very nice! I assume 56mm F1.2 is coming next?
Thank you. Does it make noise when zooming and focusing?
No
So that thing on an X T30 would be something wild
Wish they released a mark 2 version of this
Are you talking to google? I just mentioned I wanted to check out this lens for my xt1 and not even 5 mins later I get notified of your video... thanks and great review!!! Gotta get it now!
After F11 I can see 4-5 black spots in my images.
My sensor is clean, no spots when shooting other lenses.
There are dust specs on the back element of the lens inside ;/
And I used in only once during a wedding. I bought my xt4 with 18-55 in September 2021.
Fujifilm told me they will clean it ( starting from 100 USD).
I'm disappointed...
Hey Christopher! I love your reviews! My Fiance and I have an X-T200 and we got it with a 15-45 kit lens. How do you feel about this 18-55 vs the 16-80? Or do you think the 15-45 stands pretty well on its own and we should grab a telephoto or prime?
Thank you!
Yey ! Thanks Chris! Second lens from my desired lenses to review is gone from the list! Now it's just down to sony 70-300 g oss :-D okey okey..ill mae it easier for you.. you can substitute it with 70-200 f/4 .. now here in Italy i found brand new for 1000 eur !
Thanks chris. Please do a review of 16mm F1.4
Can wait you review the new XF16-80mm F4 R OIS WR this year!
how about on the Z T4?
do you have older made in japan copy or newer Made in china?
Sold it, I always accidentality hit the aperture ring while shooting. Couldn't get used to it. A shame, cause it's a really handy lens.
your way of speaking is like a lullaby!
My 18-55 lens after 2 years abruptly developed a serious noise issue at ISO 320 and higher. Anyone experience this?
Thanks! Please review the XF 60mm lens, it's not very popular yet has amazing micro contrast very easy to see in black & white compared to the 56mm f1.2 for example. Also the bokeh is a bit better than the 56mm f1.2 Would love to see your review of it.
I needed help to decide, which one to buy, i am buying one of these, both comes in similar price here in Thailand :
1. Fujifilm xt20 with kit lens 18-55mm f 2.8-4
2. Fujiflim xt30 with kit lens 15-45mm f 3.5-5.
Both are around 750$ i am not sure which one to buy.
I'd personally go for the XT20 option
is this weather sealed?
How was the focus breathing when you tested this lens?
HI Christopher, thanks for your good review. what is the widers focal at 23mm range ?
I'm waiting for your review with 60mm f2.8 macro, and the 50 f2R
Nice review. Would love to see the 90mm f/2 tested
I noticed you have a X-T20 i’ve been thinking about getting this
Sold my clunky Nikon D700 and lenses a d bought an X-T20 with this lens, mate. Really having fun photographing again. Try and get the X-T30, mate.
David McC666 damn that’s a pretty good upgrade I’ll definitely look into it tonight thanks man