Fujifilm Photography News and Rumors

Fujifilm X-H2S:
B&H Photo / Amazon / Moment / Adorama
Fujinon XF18-120mm F4.0 LM PZ WR:
B&H Photo / Amazon / Moment / Adorama
Fujinon XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R WR:
B&H Photo / Amazon / Moment / Adorama

Fujifilm launches FUJINON Lens XF18-120mmF4 LM PZ WR
-New interchangeable lens for the X Series of mirrorless digital cameras
-Hybrid lens that caters to both stills and videos for superior visual expressions
-Highly accurate electrically-controlled zooming and focusing with highly versatile 6.7x zoom ratio

TOKYO, May 31, 2022 – FUJIFILM Corporation (President and CEO, Representative Director: Teiichi Goto) announces the launch of the “FUJINON Lens XF18-120mmF4 LM PZ WR” (XF18-120mmF4 LM PZ WR) in September 2022. The new lens joins the extensive lineup of interchangeable XF lenses designed for the X Series of mirrorless digital cameras, which are renowned for their compact and lightweight design and outstanding image quality delivered with Fujifilm’s proprietary color reproduction technology.

The XF18-120mmF4 LM PZ WR is a 6.7x power zoom lens in a compact design, covering a wide variety of photographic situations from landscape to portraiture. It is capable of highly-accurate electrically-controlled zooming and focusing, and incorporates development expertise fostered in broadcast lenses and cine lenses to offer fully-fledged video recording capability with easy operations.

The XF18-120mmF4 LM PZ WR is a hybrid lens catering to both stills and videos to produce high-quality images.

The XF18-120mmF4 LM PZ WR covers focal lengths from the wide angle 18mm to the telephoto 120mm (equivalent to 27mm – 183mm in the 35mm film format). It offers the fast F4.0 maximum aperture across the entire zoom range, and maximum magnification ratio of x0.2 to capture close-up shots. The lens accommodates a wide variety of shooting scenes including wide-angle landscape photography, portraiture taken wide open at the telephoto end to produce a beautifully-blurred background, and close-up shots of flowers and other plants.

The XF18-120mmF4 LM PZ WR also boasts advanced video characteristics, suppressing change in angle of view during focusing and optical axis shift during zooming. Users can zoom and focus with confidence while filming video, thus facilitating premium-quality video production. In addition to the regular zoom and focus rings, the lens is equipped with a variable zoom / focus control ring and a zoom button for constant zooming. These versatile video functions have only been made possible thanks to the expertise of the FUJINON Lens brand, which has produced numerous broadcast lenses and cine lenses.

Fujifilm will continue to enhance the appeal of the X Series with the introduction of the XF18-120mmF4 LM PZ WR, which can cover a variety of shooting scenes in both stills and videos to broaden users’ shooting experiences.

1. Product features

(1) Broad range of focal lengths for superior stills and videos

• The lens consists of 15 lens elements in 12 groups, including three aspherical lenses and three ED lenses, to effectively suppress spherical aberration, distortion and chromatic aberration for excellent image-resolving performance. The highly-versatile 6.7x zoom in a compact design means users can precisely capture fine details in information-heavy landscape photography at wide angle as well as in telephoto closeups of a subject such as portraiture.
• The positioning of the focusing group of lens elements is optimized to optically suppress focus breathing. Advanced technology applied to FUJINON cine lenses offers a superior filming experience by reducing change in angle of view during focusing in video filming.
• The aspherical elements are effectively positioned to enable working distance as short as 46cm from the front-most lens element across the entire zoom range for close-up photography with the maximum magnification ratio of x0.2. The lens can go up close to a subject even in a telephoto range of focal lengths. The compact lens design makes it possible to be less imposing in approaching a subject, both in stills and videos.

(2) Fast and highly accurate AF

• The lens uses the Inner Focus system, which drives the compact and lightweight focusing lens group with a linear motor. The lens group’s compact design facilitates fast and precise AF capable of attaining focus in just 0.02 seconds^*1, ensuring that users do not miss a decisive photo opportunity.
• The lens’ focus-tracking performance is dramatically improved when it is mounted on the “FUJIFILM X-H2S” (X-H2S), a new mirrorless digital camera also announced today. The lens is compatible with the camera’s high-speed focus drive mechanism to maintain a natural focus on a moving subject even during video filming.

*1 AF speed on the wide angle end, using an internal measurement method compliant with the CIPA Guidelines, when mounted on the mirrorless digital camera “FUJIFILM X-T4” with Phase Detection AF activated and the High Performance Mode turned ON.

(3) A variety of video-filming functions for easy video production

• The aperture drive control has been updated to successfully suppress exposure shift linked to aperture adjustments. The new system delivers smooth aperture transition, corresponding to change of luminosity, so that users can comfortably film a scene with a rapid change of brightness.
• The lens features Zoom / Focus control ring^*2, which allows users to control zooming or focusing at a variable speed. During video filming, users can control the pace of zooming or focusing precisely, giving greater freedom in video expressions.
• The lens also comes with new Zoom button^*3, which can drive zooming at a constant pace, allowing anyone to master video production that involves zooming.

*2 Z/F Selector is used to switch between zooming and focusing.
*3 When mounted on the X-H2S, the Zoom button can be used to switch between zooming and focusing, and adjust the speed setting at 8 levels. For FUJIFILM X-T4, FUJIFILM X-T3 and FUJIFILM X-S10, future firmware updates will enable the use of these functions as well.

• The Remote Rec function^*4 of the mirrorless digital camera “X-H2S” can be used to control not only the X-H2S but also the XF18-120mmF4 LM PZ WR on a computer browser. Up to four cameras and lenses can be remotely controlled, enabling multi-camera shooting with limited staff availability.

*4 This function is enabled when using the X-H2S with the optional accessory “FT-XH.”

(4) Compact and lightweight design for advanced mobility

• The aspherical lens and ED lens are effectively positioned to make the lens compact and lightweight, weighing just 460g, measuring 123.5mm in length and 72mm in filter thread diameter. It boasts advanced portability while covering a broad range of shooting scenes for agile filming.
• The use of the Inner zoom system means the lens barrel has an uncomplicated, non-extending structure. The result is a lightweight lens that zooms easily with no shift in weight distribution. Additionally, instead of the conventional cam barrel, in which the lens barrel rotates, this lens uses a smooth power zoom mechanism that drives the zooming lens group linearly with a stepping motor. This delivers high-quality shooting with no optical axis shift across the entire zoom range from wide angle to telephoto.

(5) Dust and weather resistant structure capable of operating at low temperatures

• The lens barrel is weather-sealed at 13 points to ensure dust and weather resistance and ability to operate at temperatures down to -10℃. It can withstand sudden weather change or a dusty location, allowing users to shoot in any situations with confidence.

Fujifilm X-H2S:
B&H Photo / Amazon / Moment / Adorama
Fujinon XF18-120mm F4.0 LM PZ WR:
B&H Photo / Amazon / Moment / Adorama
Fujinon XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R WR:
B&H Photo / Amazon / Moment / Adorama

Fujifilm launches FUJINON Lens XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR
– Introducing a super telephoto zoom lens covering 150mm – 600mm in focal length
– Lightweight design, powerful image stabilization and fast and accurate AF to produce high quality images in hand-held shooting

TOKYO, May 31, 2022 – FUJIFILM Corporation (President and CEO, Representative Director: Teiichi Goto) announces the launch of the “FUJINON Lens XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR” (XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR) in July 2022. The new lens joins the extensive lineup of interchangeable XF lenses designed for the X Series of mirrorless digital cameras, which are renowned for their compact and lightweight design and outstanding image quality delivered with Fujifilm’s proprietary color reproduction technology.

The XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR is a zoom lens that covers focal lengths ranging from the telephoto 150mm to the super-telephoto 600mm (equivalent to 229mm – 914mm in the 35mm film format). It weighs just 1605g^*1 and sports a powerful image stabilization mechanism as well as fast and highly accurate AF system to deliver excellent mobility. Users can shoot distant wildlife, wild birds or athletes hand-held and produce high-quality results.

The XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR covers up to the super-telephoto focal length of 600mm (equivalent to 914mm in the 35mm film format), the longest in the history of XF lenses^*2. It can also be coupled with the “XF2X TC WR” teleconverter, which can extend the focal length of lenses, to reach up to 1200mm (equivalent to 1828mm in the 35mm film format), allowing liberal framing unrestricted by shooting distance to capture wildlife and wild birds, or tracking athletes across all corners of a vast stadium in sports photography.

The XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR consists of 24 lens elements in 17 groups, including three ED lenses and four Super-ED lenses, effectively suppressing chromatic aberration and delivering a high level of edge-to-edge image resolving performance across the entire zoom range. Furthermore, it weighs just 1605g^*1 despite being a zoom lens covering a broad range of shooting distances. The use of the Inner Zoom system means the lens barrel does not extend, thus minimizing shift in weight distribution balance during zooming for stable hand-held shooting. The lens also features a 5.0-stop^*3 image stabilization mechanism and an AF system that attains focus in as quickly as 0.15 seconds^*4, ensuring that users do not miss any decisive photo opportunities.

Adding the XF150-600mmF5.6-8 R LM OIS WR to an extensive lineup of lenses, Fujifilm will continue to offer photographic pleasure with the X Series, covering a wide range of photographic categories.

*1 Weight excluding the lens cap, lens hood and tripod seat.
*2 As of May 31, 2022.
*3 Compliant with CIPA in pitch / yaw directions.
*4 AF speed on the wide angle end, using an internal measurement method compliant with the CIPA Guidelines, when mounted on the mirrorless digital camera “FUJIFILM X-T4” with Phase Detection AF activated and the High Performance Mode turned ON.

1. Product features

(1) Super telephoto zoom lens with the longest focal length in the history of XF lenses^*2 in pursuit for premium image quality

• The zoom lens covers focal lengths ranging from the telephoto 150mm to the super-telephoto 600mm (equivalent to 229mm – 914mm in the 35mm film format). The super-telephoto focal length of 600mm, the longest in the history of XF lenses, makes it a perfect choice for shooting subjects in long distance in wildlife, birds and sports photography.
• The lens is compatible with the teleconverters “XF2X TC WR” and “XF1.4X TC WR.” When coupled with the XF2X TC WR, the lens covers focal lengths from 300mm to 1200mm (equivalent to 457mm – 1828mm in the 35mm film format).
• The lens, consisting of 24 lens elements in 17 groups including three ED lenses and four Super ED lenses, thoroughly suppresses chromatic aberration, typically seen in super-telephoto lenses. It delivers a high level of edge-to-edge image-resolving performance across the entire zoom range.
• The High Transmittance Electron Beam Coating (HT-EBC), Fujifilm’s multi-layer coating typically used on broadcast lenses, has been applied on all elements to achieve high transmittance and low reflectance despite containing 24 lens elements to produce images with exceptional sharpness and clarity.

(2) Rugged yet lightweight design to reduce user load, enabling extended shooting in a variety of situations

• The lens features two Super ED lenses as front elements to maintain strong image-resolving performance but adopted compact barrel design in order to reduce overall weight. It weighs just 1605g despite being a super-telephoto zoom reaching up to 600mm (equivalent to 914mm in the 35mm film format).
• The use of the Inner Zoom system means the lens barrel has an uncomplicated, non-extending structure, thus reducing the lens weight and minimizing shift in weight distribution balance for comfortable zooming.
• Magnesium alloy is used for the internal base frame that supports the lens structure to keep the weight low and make it robust at the same time.
• The lens body is in matte silver to mitigate its temperature increase during operation. The lens barrel is weather-sealed at 19 points to ensure dust and weather resistance and ability to operate at temperatures down to -10℃. This means the lens can withstand extended use in sweltering heat or under rough weather.

(3) Powerful 5.0-stop image stabilization mechanism

• The accuracy in sensing camera shake has been dramatically improved to provide powerful 5.0-stop image stabilization, facilitating hand-held photography in the super telephoto region, which is susceptible to camera shakes.
• The lens uses the Inner Focus system, which drives the compact and lightweight focus lens group with a linear motor, to achieve a fast and silent AF, attaining focus in as fast as 0.15 seconds in the wide angle end and 0.25 seconds^*5 in the telephoto end. Users can capture a subject quickly and precisely even in the hard-to-focus super-telephoto range, ensuring to capture a decisive photo opportunity.
• The Focus Preset function is featured so that the focus can be shifted to a location pre-defined with the Focus Preset button^*6. This reduces users’ operation workload as they don’t need to re-adjust focus on a targeted subject.
• The lens also features the Focus Limiter^*7, allowing users to restrict the lens’s AF range. This can effectively shorten AF time when photographing a subject that is five meters away or more.
• The Focus Control button^*6 is placed at the front edge of the lens barrel. Press this button to instantly recall a function you have assigned with the Focus Selector^*6 for smooth AF operation.

*5 AF speed on the telephoto end, using an internal measurement method compliant with the CIPA Guidelines, when mounted on the mirrorless digital camera “FUJIFILM X-T4” with Phase Detection AF activated and the High Performance Mode turned ON.
*6 Camera firmware must be updated to activate the Focus Preset button, Focus Control button and Focus Selector. The update is due to be released for the FUJIFILM X-T4, FUJIFILM X-T3 and FUJIFILM X-S10.
*7 The Focus Limiter function is activated with the Focus Range Selector.