That's great Paul 👏🏻 you are going to have so much fun with it! To be honest, I never really paid attention to the clear finish, I thought it was more of "a Canon thing" 😅 But it makes a lot of sense with long telephoto lenses. Thanks for trusting my review 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Cheers. Yeah I use the 70-300 a lot so it made sense to me. I was more surprised with the results of the 100-400 against the other two but I guess it's simply older: it performed exceptionally well with what was available then, but tech has evolved. Still very good tho
That's actually one of the best features of this lens and it's very smooth. The rumours about the X-T5 suggest it will not have an accessory grip so being so compact and balanced should be a must for new and future zooms. This actually feels better balanced than the 100-400, particularly compared with that extended to 400mm
Cheers Tayyab! I love the 70-300 too and I believe it's a must have for all you get from it, including the teleconverter compatibility. I can't imagine travelling without it. I think the real competition here is with the 100-400 (similar price as well) and there is a more complicated choice because you really have to evaluate the individual pros and cons for your specific needs. Thanks a lot for your appreciation 🙏🏻
Thanks for such a great comparison. A lot of people cry about the image quality of the 2x teleconverter but it doesn't look too bad. I really want this lens but I'll settle for the teleconverter for now.
Thanks to you! The 2x is usable and can deliver good images, but it's not great. Particularly compared with the 1.4x: it focuses much slower, it obviously lets less light in, it's softer... But as I said, it's usable and particularly in bright daylight the results are still good. Myself, I still rather use the 2x that the 1.4x and then crop. I shot a lunar eclipse at f11 with the 100-400 + 2x so can't argue with that ☺️
I want to dabble in astrophotography not sure I want to go the telescope route. What are your thoughts on this for taking moon pics without a teleconverter? Do find f8 to be a major limitation?
Hi there! I use teleconverters but I'm not a fan of them and in general I prefer not to add any extra glass if I can avoid it (less light, lens flares, degraded image quality are only a few of the potential problems). But sometimes they are a necessity if I go far far away from the subject I want to shoot, for example 16 miles away like in the example in this video. But I think only the 1.4x is a good enough option: the 2x is too slow and too soft. And there are plenty of photo opportunities that don't require a teleconverter at all. i.e. instagram.com/p/CO-2OdaAto4/ With Astrophotography, F8 has never been an issue so far. I shot a moon eclipse at F/11 even (with the 100-400mm and the 2x teleconverter), no problem. The moon can be very bright so it depends more on the other elements in your frame and you may need to do some image bracketing. I found it more of a limitation with wildlife because when the background is too close there may not be enough depth to blur it out. But with Astro you'll be fine. Raising ISO highlights the stars better than a wide Aperture anyway ;) Let me know if you need any further help
I currently have the 100-400 lens with 1.4 teleconverter. Is it worth upgrading to the 150-600 because the quality of the 150-600 looks not much better then the 100-400 + 1.4 teleconverter in your review?
Hi Jan, thanks for stopping by ☺️ I don't think it's too much a matter of image quality. There are differences but not so evident to rush trading lenses. It's more a matter of deciding whether you need the extra reach and features (arca-swiss 360 collar+foot, preset buttons, internal zoom). For example, if you find yourself using the 100-400 a lot with the 1.4x tele, then a 150-600 without tele would make more sense because the teleconverter often degrades the quality and is an added non-built-in glass. You may also want to consider how much overlap you have among your lenses: I have the 55-200, the 70-300 (video on this soon, I suppose) and the 100-400 so I'm very well covered around the 100/150mm area which makes me lean towards selling the 100-400 and buy the 150-600 for more varied shooting options. And as a first long zoom to buy I would surely recommend the 150-600 but as an upgrade it's worth taking the time to evaluate your options. You can also rent the lens for a couple days first so you can decide for yourself. I do this a lot myself with the gear I like. :)
Glad you're also showing when things go wrong with a planned shoot like that of the moon! Happened to me too a few times, with moon shots... 😂 About the focus preset buttons though, I thought that all 4 buttons reset the focus to the same focus distance, instead of allowing to store 4 different focus presets?
Thank you Tim! Yeah, it's always so unpredictable... Even when it all seems to go smoothly, a thick wall of clouds can appear in seconds 😅 About the focus preset, I think you may be right. With the info I had at the time of recording, that's how I understood it. And I only tried to create 1 so I didn't notice. But now I have the manual so I checked and it says "press ANY focus control button to restore the preset focus position". So all 4 do the same action. Thanks for spotting the mistake. 👌🏻
Hello man, I have the xt4 and telephoto lens xf150-600mm but I have had difficulty with the focus point and the pictures of birds are not sharp even though I have used a tripod sometimes. Could you suggest to me what went wrong? Thanks
Hey mate! Hard to tell without looking at the photos and the shooting info... At the widest Aperture photos may be softer (as it happens with almost any lens) or the birds may move too quickly in and out your focusing area. The Shutter Speed also needs to be quite fast: moving birds are hard to freeze any slower than 1/1000s... If you think this means you need to shoot at high ISO, that is indeed the case. It is not unlikely to shoot wildlife at higher than ISO 800, exactly because you need to have a fast speed and a decent enough Aperture. If the results are still below your desired standards, you can see if a software can help you. Either to remove the noise, increase sharpness or else. TopazLabs produce the best ones in my opinion, tailored to these needs, but if you already have Photoshop you can do it with that too.
I've watched a lot of reviews on this lens and this video is worlds above the rest. Thank you so much! Edit: Sorry about the supermoon clouds. I know that feel. 😖
Thank you so very much! It means a lot to know how you value my video 🙌🏻 I managed to take my shot yesterday with the next full moon so I'm happier now ☺️☺️☺️ Thank you!
To be honest, with the X-T4 I didn't feel much difference. I was very satisfied with the speed of the 100-400 and the 150-600 feels the same or even slightly faster (which is impressive considering it has a few more elements). In terms of accuracy, at the same focal length they are both very well performing. The 150-600 seems to respond faster to change, probably because it is built for the subject tracking of the X-H2S, but I couldn't do this sort of precise testing, it's more of my own feeling. When at 600mm, I was struggling a bit more, but mainly because I could zoom so much that it was harder to always keep the birds entirely in the frame (they were not very far). I did manage to photograph flying dragonflies tho, so not a bad achievement :) Hope this helps
You’re the first reviewer to make it abundantly clear that the 150-600 is the best lens of the group. But I’m shocked that the 70-300 seemed to outperform the 100-400 as well. I’d love to get my hands on that one someday too.
Hey Matt. I think Fujifilm put a lot of care onto the 150-600 because it's probably the first lens to be made specifically to benefit from the 40mp sensor that was released at the same time (on the XH2). I think one mistake others have made was to not consider that you require different shooting conditions, especially handheld: to mention one, to maximise the chances to freeze movement at 600mm (~900) you need to start with a 1/1600s speed, so you raise ISO and maybe degrade the quality... That's why I did my test with a static scene. The 70-300 was really a surprise when I first tried it. I rented it (and suggest you try the same) when I went for a trip and needed a light zoom, and this lens supports teleconverters which my old 55-200 doesn't. And it knocked everything out of the park! It's now almost always in my bag, because it's also light. It's a must try. I still love the 100-400 but I rarely use it now, it's way more convenient to go out with the 70-300, and better for my back :) Thanks for your comment!
Hei! Just after sunset on Friday, August 12, 2022, you have the last opportunity to take the pictures of the last supermoon in this year. Thanks for your review and good luck!
Thank you Stefano! I actually went to shoot the moonset again (of course ☺️) and I got my shot! 🙏🏻 I was 20km away so the photo I took is a bit soft as it went through haze and pollution, but I got it! I'll make a post to show it. Thanks again
Thanks for the review. I just ordered the lens for a week on rent basis for the full moon in november. I do hope there won 't be any clouds. I know how annoying these clouds are. Your review was very helpful and I subsribed.
Thank you so much Susa! I wish you all the best of luck for the next full moon and let's all cross our fingers for good weather! ☺️ And I'm always a massive fan of renting lenses when needed, so great call 👍🏻 I will be out too, of course, just need to figure out where :)
@@fabienb I will be shooting the Castle Hohenzollern in Germany, maybe you've heard about it. I calculatet a good spot, hope it works as I've never been there. One day I hope to come to London for a sensational full moon photo 🙃 good luck for your shooting
Yes of course I know the place :) Haven't been there but I have seen photos. Best of luck. I hope it works for you because it sounds epic 🤞🏻 I'm running out of ideas for locations in London, need to find a good one. But if you have never shot here there are good spots I can take you to :)
Excellent review, mille grazie Fabien! I am tempted to change horses: From Nikon Z full frame to Fuji APS-C. More compact, less weight, sufficient image quality. That is why your reviews are so valuable for me - they tell me what I can expect from Fuji, and which body and which lenses will serve me most. Best regards from Switzerland.
Thank you so so much Markus. Your comment and appreciation mean a lot! This is a small channel and I know that much needs improvements here but I always aim to bring valuable content to you and every person watching my videos. If you feel I am doing exactly this, it motivates me to push even further, so again thank you ☺️ I come from Nikon as well, though from much older cameras, and the transition was very smooth and easy because these Fuji cameras share the same fantastic ergonomics and of course there's the colours and quality that you can see in every review. There will be times when you will miss the full frame, can't say it won't happen; but Fuji cameras have come a long way to make you feel like you don't need that. Keep me updated on your transition please :)
I don't necessarily agree. If you watch my 100-400mm video as well, there are plenty of examples where the action was captured very effectively and with sharp results. And that's on an older and arguably slower lens. But now the X-H2 cameras are out and the subject tracking has improved a lot. When you talk about AF, many photographers absolutely rave about Sony. But there are so many vlogs here on TH-cam where you can see that the camera can't even lock the focus on the vlogger's face. And that's one big face right in front of the camera. And I go out with Nikon and Canon photographers and I hear them shout at the camera when it doesn't focus properly... So, which one is the perfect AF system?
Happy for you! ☺️ But without knowing how many (and which ones) you have used, it's hard to tell how good it really is. I think you should do a video about it ☺️
You know what? I was surprised too. I praised the 100-400 a lot in its own video but actually the 70-300 is pretty damn good. And when I came back and saw the comparison photos I did not expect to see these results at all. I think a big difference lies in the way these lenses perform with the teleconverters. Maybe because they're new and Fujifilm have improved the compatibility, but it seems you get far better results with the teleconverters attached to the 70-300 and the 150-600. On the 100-400, the teleconverters degrade the image quite considerably. The 2x being the worst "offender" by far. I should film a separate video about the 70-300, but long story short that lens is always in my bag. ;)
Thanks a lot Joop. I always think photos should be front and centre (and they help evaluate the image quality) so I'm glad you appreciated the examples. The 1.4x on the 100-400 works very well (much much better than the 2x) and it's a cheaper solution for a very similar result. I think as a first long tele I'd choose the 150-600, but for an owner of the 100-400 it needs to be a much more pondered purchase... And I'd probably try the teleconverter first too. Unless you absolutely need those 600mm... Yeah, not helping, am I? 😅😂 Let me know what you decide!
Bought this lens today! Thanks for explaining the reason for the reflective finish. I always wondered about that.
That's great Paul 👏🏻 you are going to have so much fun with it! To be honest, I never really paid attention to the clear finish, I thought it was more of "a Canon thing" 😅 But it makes a lot of sense with long telephoto lenses.
Thanks for trusting my review 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Appreciated your comparison with the 70-300mm and converter.
Cheers. Yeah I use the 70-300 a lot so it made sense to me. I was more surprised with the results of the 100-400 against the other two but I guess it's simply older: it performed exceptionally well with what was available then, but tech has evolved. Still very good tho
This is the kind of video I've been looking for! And you did a very good job on the comparisons.
I'm very glad to read! Thank you you very much! It was all made for you :)
One of the things I love about this lens, is that it is all internal zoom and yet seems to be a manageable size.
That's actually one of the best features of this lens and it's very smooth.
The rumours about the X-T5 suggest it will not have an accessory grip so being so compact and balanced should be a must for new and future zooms.
This actually feels better balanced than the 100-400, particularly compared with that extended to 400mm
@@fabienb I'm glad they designed it that way.
I was never a fan of the external zoom so I'm happy too ☺️
Awesome video! I'm sticking to my 70-300 with 2x teleconverter due to how versatile it is, but this lens looks amazing
Cheers Tayyab! I love the 70-300 too and I believe it's a must have for all you get from it, including the teleconverter compatibility. I can't imagine travelling without it.
I think the real competition here is with the 100-400 (similar price as well) and there is a more complicated choice because you really have to evaluate the individual pros and cons for your specific needs.
Thanks a lot for your appreciation 🙏🏻
Thanks for such a great comparison. A lot of people cry about the image quality of the 2x teleconverter but it doesn't look too bad.
I really want this lens but I'll settle for the teleconverter for now.
Thanks to you!
The 2x is usable and can deliver good images, but it's not great. Particularly compared with the 1.4x: it focuses much slower, it obviously lets less light in, it's softer... But as I said, it's usable and particularly in bright daylight the results are still good.
Myself, I still rather use the 2x that the 1.4x and then crop. I shot a lunar eclipse at f11 with the 100-400 + 2x so can't argue with that ☺️
I want to dabble in astrophotography not sure I want to go the telescope route. What are your thoughts on this for taking moon pics without a teleconverter? Do find f8 to be a major limitation?
Hi there! I use teleconverters but I'm not a fan of them and in general I prefer not to add any extra glass if I can avoid it (less light, lens flares, degraded image quality are only a few of the potential problems). But sometimes they are a necessity if I go far far away from the subject I want to shoot, for example 16 miles away like in the example in this video. But I think only the 1.4x is a good enough option: the 2x is too slow and too soft.
And there are plenty of photo opportunities that don't require a teleconverter at all. i.e. instagram.com/p/CO-2OdaAto4/
With Astrophotography, F8 has never been an issue so far. I shot a moon eclipse at F/11 even (with the 100-400mm and the 2x teleconverter), no problem. The moon can be very bright so it depends more on the other elements in your frame and you may need to do some image bracketing. I found it more of a limitation with wildlife because when the background is too close there may not be enough depth to blur it out. But with Astro you'll be fine. Raising ISO highlights the stars better than a wide Aperture anyway ;)
Let me know if you need any further help
I currently have the 100-400 lens with 1.4 teleconverter. Is it worth upgrading to the 150-600 because the quality of the 150-600 looks not much better then the 100-400 + 1.4 teleconverter in your review?
Hi Jan, thanks for stopping by ☺️ I don't think it's too much a matter of image quality. There are differences but not so evident to rush trading lenses. It's more a matter of deciding whether you need the extra reach and features (arca-swiss 360 collar+foot, preset buttons, internal zoom). For example, if you find yourself using the 100-400 a lot with the 1.4x tele, then a 150-600 without tele would make more sense because the teleconverter often degrades the quality and is an added non-built-in glass.
You may also want to consider how much overlap you have among your lenses: I have the 55-200, the 70-300 (video on this soon, I suppose) and the 100-400 so I'm very well covered around the 100/150mm area which makes me lean towards selling the 100-400 and buy the 150-600 for more varied shooting options.
And as a first long zoom to buy I would surely recommend the 150-600 but as an upgrade it's worth taking the time to evaluate your options.
You can also rent the lens for a couple days first so you can decide for yourself. I do this a lot myself with the gear I like. :)
Glad you're also showing when things go wrong with a planned shoot like that of the moon! Happened to me too a few times, with moon shots... 😂
About the focus preset buttons though, I thought that all 4 buttons reset the focus to the same focus distance, instead of allowing to store 4 different focus presets?
Thank you Tim! Yeah, it's always so unpredictable... Even when it all seems to go smoothly, a thick wall of clouds can appear in seconds 😅
About the focus preset, I think you may be right. With the info I had at the time of recording, that's how I understood it. And I only tried to create 1 so I didn't notice. But now I have the manual so I checked and it says "press ANY focus control button to restore the preset focus position". So all 4 do the same action.
Thanks for spotting the mistake. 👌🏻
Hello man, I have the xt4 and telephoto lens xf150-600mm but I have had difficulty with the focus point and the pictures of birds are not sharp even though I have used a tripod sometimes. Could you suggest to me what went wrong? Thanks
Hey mate! Hard to tell without looking at the photos and the shooting info... At the widest Aperture photos may be softer (as it happens with almost any lens) or the birds may move too quickly in and out your focusing area. The Shutter Speed also needs to be quite fast: moving birds are hard to freeze any slower than 1/1000s... If you think this means you need to shoot at high ISO, that is indeed the case. It is not unlikely to shoot wildlife at higher than ISO 800, exactly because you need to have a fast speed and a decent enough Aperture.
If the results are still below your desired standards, you can see if a software can help you. Either to remove the noise, increase sharpness or else. TopazLabs produce the best ones in my opinion, tailored to these needs, but if you already have Photoshop you can do it with that too.
I want to add that it also could simply be that your lens has to be repaired. Could be a glass alignment problem during the shippment.
Gosh, yeah that actually happens too and it's not too rare an event either 😓
I've watched a lot of reviews on this lens and this video is worlds above the rest. Thank you so much!
Edit: Sorry about the supermoon clouds. I know that feel. 😖
Thank you so very much! It means a lot to know how you value my video 🙌🏻
I managed to take my shot yesterday with the next full moon so I'm happier now ☺️☺️☺️
Thank you!
How is the AF Speed & Accurance compared with 100-400 mm on an
X-T4 with the 150-600 - same, same or faster ?
To be honest, with the X-T4 I didn't feel much difference. I was very satisfied with the speed of the 100-400 and the 150-600 feels the same or even slightly faster (which is impressive considering it has a few more elements).
In terms of accuracy, at the same focal length they are both very well performing. The 150-600 seems to respond faster to change, probably because it is built for the subject tracking of the X-H2S, but I couldn't do this sort of precise testing, it's more of my own feeling. When at 600mm, I was struggling a bit more, but mainly because I could zoom so much that it was harder to always keep the birds entirely in the frame (they were not very far). I did manage to photograph flying dragonflies tho, so not a bad achievement :)
Hope this helps
You’re the first reviewer to make it abundantly clear that the 150-600 is the best lens of the group. But I’m shocked that the 70-300 seemed to outperform the 100-400 as well. I’d love to get my hands on that one someday too.
Hey Matt. I think Fujifilm put a lot of care onto the 150-600 because it's probably the first lens to be made specifically to benefit from the 40mp sensor that was released at the same time (on the XH2).
I think one mistake others have made was to not consider that you require different shooting conditions, especially handheld: to mention one, to maximise the chances to freeze movement at 600mm (~900) you need to start with a 1/1600s speed, so you raise ISO and maybe degrade the quality... That's why I did my test with a static scene.
The 70-300 was really a surprise when I first tried it. I rented it (and suggest you try the same) when I went for a trip and needed a light zoom, and this lens supports teleconverters which my old 55-200 doesn't. And it knocked everything out of the park! It's now almost always in my bag, because it's also light. It's a must try.
I still love the 100-400 but I rarely use it now, it's way more convenient to go out with the 70-300, and better for my back :)
Thanks for your comment!
Hei! Just after sunset on Friday, August 12, 2022, you have the last opportunity to take the pictures of the last supermoon in this year. Thanks for your review and good luck!
Thank you Stefano! I actually went to shoot the moonset again (of course ☺️) and I got my shot! 🙏🏻
I was 20km away so the photo I took is a bit soft as it went through haze and pollution, but I got it! I'll make a post to show it. Thanks again
Thanks for the review. I just ordered the lens for a week on rent basis for the full moon in november. I do hope there won 't be any clouds. I know how annoying these clouds are. Your review was very helpful and I subsribed.
Thank you so much Susa! I wish you all the best of luck for the next full moon and let's all cross our fingers for good weather! ☺️ And I'm always a massive fan of renting lenses when needed, so great call 👍🏻
I will be out too, of course, just need to figure out where :)
@@fabienb I will be shooting the Castle Hohenzollern in Germany, maybe you've heard about it. I calculatet a good spot, hope it works as I've never been there. One day I hope to come to London for a sensational full moon photo 🙃 good luck for your shooting
Yes of course I know the place :) Haven't been there but I have seen photos. Best of luck. I hope it works for you because it sounds epic 🤞🏻
I'm running out of ideas for locations in London, need to find a good one. But if you have never shot here there are good spots I can take you to :)
@@fabienb Thanks I will keep that in mind. Maybe some day next year
How did it go? I want to see the pictures! :)
Excellent review, mille grazie Fabien! I am tempted to change horses: From Nikon Z full frame to Fuji APS-C. More compact, less weight, sufficient image quality. That is why your reviews are so valuable for me - they tell me what I can expect from Fuji, and which body and which lenses will serve me most. Best regards from Switzerland.
Thank you so so much Markus. Your comment and appreciation mean a lot! This is a small channel and I know that much needs improvements here but I always aim to bring valuable content to you and every person watching my videos. If you feel I am doing exactly this, it motivates me to push even further, so again thank you ☺️
I come from Nikon as well, though from much older cameras, and the transition was very smooth and easy because these Fuji cameras share the same fantastic ergonomics and of course there's the colours and quality that you can see in every review. There will be times when you will miss the full frame, can't say it won't happen; but Fuji cameras have come a long way to make you feel like you don't need that. Keep me updated on your transition please :)
What you can expect from Fuji is an inferior autofocus. If you are into Action - Wildlife - Sport then no Fuji. Simply horrible autofocus system.
I don't necessarily agree. If you watch my 100-400mm video as well, there are plenty of examples where the action was captured very effectively and with sharp results. And that's on an older and arguably slower lens. But now the X-H2 cameras are out and the subject tracking has improved a lot.
When you talk about AF, many photographers absolutely rave about Sony. But there are so many vlogs here on TH-cam where you can see that the camera can't even lock the focus on the vlogger's face. And that's one big face right in front of the camera. And I go out with Nikon and Canon photographers and I hear them shout at the camera when it doesn't focus properly...
So, which one is the perfect AF system?
Amazing use of negative space in the shots. Love it!
Thank you very much! I'm glad you like them ☺️
Viltrox 13mm 1.4 is THE best lens I've ever used for Fuji.
Happy for you! ☺️
But without knowing how many (and which ones) you have used, it's hard to tell how good it really is. I think you should do a video about it ☺️
Are my eyes playing tricks or is the 70-300+TC better than the 100-400?
You know what? I was surprised too. I praised the 100-400 a lot in its own video but actually the 70-300 is pretty damn good. And when I came back and saw the comparison photos I did not expect to see these results at all.
I think a big difference lies in the way these lenses perform with the teleconverters. Maybe because they're new and Fujifilm have improved the compatibility, but it seems you get far better results with the teleconverters attached to the 70-300 and the 150-600. On the 100-400, the teleconverters degrade the image quite considerably. The 2x being the worst "offender" by far.
I should film a separate video about the 70-300, but long story short that lens is always in my bag. ;)
nice review, more examples than talk. I own the 100-400 maybe this will be my next lens. hmmm or a converter x1.4 :-)
greeting from the Netherlands
Thanks a lot Joop. I always think photos should be front and centre (and they help evaluate the image quality) so I'm glad you appreciated the examples.
The 1.4x on the 100-400 works very well (much much better than the 2x) and it's a cheaper solution for a very similar result. I think as a first long tele I'd choose the 150-600, but for an owner of the 100-400 it needs to be a much more pondered purchase... And I'd probably try the teleconverter first too.
Unless you absolutely need those 600mm... Yeah, not helping, am I? 😅😂
Let me know what you decide!
My xf 100-400 was soft at 400mm
It is actually softer than this lens at 600mm, particularly the background and at the edges. Some may like it ☺️
Hi, is it compatible with fuji xt2?
Absolutely! I can't think of any camera that is not compatible with a lens so far ☺️
Nice review
Thanks a lot! Is there anything you think I missed and would have liked me to cover?
Cheers
The opening🤣💯
😅😅😅 😜