Fujifilm XF 8-16mm f/2.8 R LM WR review

This lens gives a wider view than any zoom ever made for Fujifilm cameras, but how does the XF 8-16mm perform?

Fujifilm XF 8-16mm f/2.8 R LM WR review
(Image: © Digital Camera World)

Digital Camera World Verdict

When you first see, and handle, the XF 8-16mm you are likely to be put off by its size. But when you put the zoom to the use it was made for, it performs wonderfully – thanks to a well-thought out design - and you soon forget about the size and weight. More importantly, this lens offers a range of ultra-wide focal lengths that no other X-mount zoom can offer - making it a unique option for anyone who needs something for use in confined spaces. For interiors, or for city architecture, this lens is unparalleled. But the images it shoots are impressive too - making this a lens that you can easily fall in love with, despite its appearance. The price is high... but for the focal length range, and for the wide maximum aperture, the cost is justifie

Pros

  • +

    Extreme wide-angle range

  • +

    Autofocus performance

  • +

    1/3 stop aperture detents

  • +

    Beautifully built lens

Cons

  • -

    This is a BIG lens

  • -

    ... and expensive

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If you are a Fujifilm X-series camera user, then you just can't get a zoom that offers you a wider view than the Fujifilm XF 8-16mm f/2.8 R LM WR. And because of that, you can understand why people can fall in love with a lens that is quite so big, and so expensive.

Main competition for this lens comes form the more affordable Fujifilm XF10-24mmF4 R OIS  - which is about half the weight, and which (unlike the XF 8-16mm) has built-in stabilization. However, although the difference between the 8mm and 10mm maximum wide-angle settings of these two zooms sounds insignificant, in practice the coverage is very noticeably greater. And this makes this lens much more of an option for subjects such as interiors and architecture.

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Chris George

Chris George has worked on Digital Camera World since its launch in 2017. He has been writing about photography, mobile phones, video making and technology for over 30 years – and has edited numerous magazines including PhotoPlus, N-Photo, Digital Camera, Video Camera, and Professional Photography. 

His first serious camera was the iconic Olympus OM10, with which he won the title of Young Photographer of the Year - long before the advent of autofocus and memory cards. Today he uses a Nikon D800, a Fujifilm X-T1, a Sony A7, and his iPhone 15 Pro Max.

He has written about technology for countless publications and websites including The Sunday Times Magazine, The Daily Telegraph, Dorling Kindersley, What Cellphone, T3 and Techradar.