Review: The Fuji 15-45
Evening in Bar Harbor, Maine
When I bought my Fuji XT3 a few weeks ago, I splurged a bit on the 40-150 telephoto lense.
I had a whole host of options to pick from for my short lens. The one I decided on was a very small, very light f/3.2 15-45mm lens. I picked this up for under $200 after reading quite a few reviews that were positive.
But you can read all the reviews you want. What counts is the real word. If it doesn’t work there, then no matter how much or how little you spend, it either will or won’t be worth it.
Well, after taking that little lens with me to Maine a few weeks ago…it feels like a steal!
The one thing you want out of the kit you take with you on vacation, or on business, or anywhere where you’re moving around is you want it to a) take great photos and b) be light.
This 15-45 definitely hits the high points on both those scores.
Early morning, Balancing Rock
As usual when I travel on business or for pleasure, I wake up early. My family likes to sleep in, I like to get out and explore. I have an app on my phone that tracks my steps and I was generally logging 6,000 steps before they even woke up.
Our motel, the Wonder View Inn, was close to downtown Bar Harbor, so I’d get up, dress quietly, and head out to see what I could see. But I also wanted to see how this little lens performed.
It was impressive on those early morning jaunts. I loved shooting at 3.2 and shooting super wide (for me). I also loved the color palette of the Fuji – which I knew from my X100T – continued to entice me.
As great a walk-around lens it was, where it’s lightness really came in handy was during the hikes. Last year, at Yellowstone, my bigger Canon lenses did get in the way at times.
I’d be hiking a trail, and it would be swinging, or just weighing down in my pack. With this 15-45, it was so compact and light, yet sharp for me, I didn’t really notice it around my neck. And when scrambling up over rocks, I didn’t worry (much) about it banging into the side.
Top of Cadillac Mountain, as the rain clears
Liv, shooting her shots, as we hike the Gorge Trail
Otter Cove
Quick and easy, came in handy for the family shots, too.
Tripod Shot
Cadillac Mountain – Tourist Assist
Jordan Pond – Tourist Assist
This is a wonderful little lens. If you’re a Fuji shooter, or thinking about switching to Fuji, I highly recommend this affordable little beautly.
But before I mad my super semi-final assessment (the final will be the next time I’m on the pit at The Stone Pony), I still had to see how it would do as a portrait lens.
Stay tuned!
Bar Harbor Sand Bar
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I too luv this lens and it behave perfectly on an x-e4, i.e. the lens doesn’t retract when you view a pic and it also remember the zoom position even if you power on/off the body. I picked it up dirt cheap from a guy that was totally disgusted with the lens … only $95 😀
Sweet pick up! I still use mine all the time!
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