FUJINON 100-400MM - THE OPTIC EVERY FUJI SHOOTER NEEDS?

Whether you’re currently rocking one of Fujifilm’s renowned cameras or you’re eyeing up a purchase, but want to know if the company produces the kind of lenses a wildlife or sports photographer would be proud of, you’re in the right spot; this 100-400mm is a rather adept specimen. Our pick for Fujifilm’s best all-round superzoom has a lot to like. 

First, though, let’s address the elephant in the room: ‘my mate Dave said you need at least 600mm for bird photography’. Well, yes and no. It’s true that longer focal lengths are great for capturing your subjects at a distance, but Fujifilm has a trick up its sleeve here. Thanks to the company’s cameras almost exclusively using APS-C sensors (excluding the GFX medium-format range), which have a 1.5x crop factor, the ‘effective’ focal length - in layman’s terms - is 50% greater than advertised. In short, you’re basically getting the same reach as a 152-609mm on full-frame cameras - take that Dave!

That said, is the Fujifilm holding onto any more trade secrets? Let’s delve into the specs and see why this is a great lens for any avid bird photographer.

FUJINON 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR SPECS

Focal Length - 100-400mm

Max aperture - F4.5-5.6

Min aperture - F22

Aperture blades - 9

Filter diameter - 77mm 

Weight - 1375g

BUILD AND HANDLING

Fujifilm is a company that specialises in APS-C and has done an excellent job advancing the tech and putting its stamp on the market. One of the big benefits of Fujifilm’s approach to camera design, stunning retro charm aside, is the smaller form-factor and lighter bodies. The knock-on of this is that lenses, especially super telephoto, have to be restrained to avoid dwarfing the system. Thankfully, at 1375g, Fujifilm has done a great job here and really made no concessions in doing so. 

With a wide zoom range, built-in image stabilisation, and an impressive weather-resistant construction, this lens boasts a solid build quality that feels both durable and well-balanced while being (relatively) light enough to ensure handheld shooting is a viable option. The weather-resistant design ensures that you can use it in various conditions with confidence. In terms of usability, the rubberized zoom and focus rings provide a satisfying tactile experience, and the zoom action is smooth, allowing for easy and precise framing of your subject.

PERFORMANCE

The 100-400mm delivers solid image quality throughout its zoom range. At the wider end the lens produces sharp and detailed images with minimal distortion and chromatic aberration. As you zoom towards the telephoto end there is a slight drop in sharpness, especially at the maximum F5.6 aperture. However, stopping down the lens improves the sharpness significantly, and by f/8, the images are back to impressive sharpness.

Fujifilm's Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) system offers up to 5 stops of shake compensation - essential at longer focal lengths or in low-light conditions - and actually detects panning-in-action, at which point it automatically only compensates on the horizontal axis so it’s not fighting your panning efforts. This is a nice touch and overall the system works really well. 

Fujifilm has also included a great autofocus system here, utilising a twin linear motor design that promises to be a boon for capturing those birds flitting about the sky. The autofocus locks onto the subject swiftly and tracking moving subjects is remarkably reliable. The lens's AF performance is particularly impressive when paired with Fujifilm’s newer models, such as the X-H2S that have advanced autofocus features such as AI subject detection. Whether you're capturing static birds in their natural habitat or gunning it overhead, this lens does an admirable job.

VERDICT

The Fujinon 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR lens is still a great option for any Fujifilm user looking for a super-telephoto zoom that boasts great range, a reasonable price tag and relatively lightweight construction. Its handy OIS and weather-resistant build are both big pros for a purchase, and although Fujifilm does have a 150-600mm, the 100-400mm features a wider aperture at the longer end, an effective 600mm focal length and a £400 saving that just gives it the edge for us.

IMAGES: AN IDIOT REVIEWS