My Fujifilm 70-300mm arrived a couple of days ago and I just love it! Anyone thinking of buying this lens do so, you won't be disappointed. Another in depth video, thank you.
Its refreshing to get a real world review of how we all see a lens preform, pixel peepers can be very anal and off putting at times, and usually leads to having to view too many reviews. Good job thank you.
I guess Im asking the wrong place but does any of you know of a tool to log back into an instagram account? I stupidly lost my password. I would love any help you can give me!
Thanks for this detailed "real life" review. The side-by-side comparison with the 55-200mm is exactly what I needed. This one will definitely go into my lens range as I have been very frustrated lately by the limitations in terms of zoom of the 55-200mm, much as I love it for intermediate range work. Gorgeous images, by the way.
Thank you for the very good review; it is the best I have seen about the Fuji XF 70-300 lens until now. Since I travel to Portugal almost every year, the photos of Lisboa made me particularly happy. 👍👍👍
Based on Andy's 55-200 vs 50-140 comparison where the 55-200 performed well, I'd say the 70-300 should be better still. It's really about how important that 50-70mm range is for landscapes.
Such a treat to listen to someone with experience, and benefit from all the failings I won't have to put up with myself 😂 being a beginner hobbyist, thank you for sharing your insight sir!
Your videos make me excited about starting landscape photography. I am very interested in the results of your next trip with the 16-80mm and the 70-300mm, looking forward to the video👍
Thanks so much, it's really nice to know the videos have a positive effect. I really hope I can make the trip with the two lenses to see how they work out
thanks for the effort and the sharing. i enjoyed your lisbon "landscapes". a beautiful city that i've always enjoyed. i look forward to future travels. stay well.
Thanks for your thoughtful and informative video. As always, your presentations are elegant and straightforward. I like to check in with you periodically to help remind me that one does not need a dozen lenses and every piece of new kit that comes along in order to create exquisite and timeless images.
Fantastic video. Hands down the best review of 70-300 in all of RUclips. Also, excellent city shots. Can't wait for covid to be over and book one of your workshops.
Thank you for the review and comparison, makes it clear for me that the 70-300mm is what I need to complement my 16-80mm. Now then, what I need to figure out, is which wide prime lens I want to go for, to get back into night sky photography!
Thanks for the comment, glad you found the review useful. For a wide prime for night photography it's tricky. For me the 14mm isn't wide enough for those shots...I want to fit more in, and I ended up selling mine. At the moment I use the Laowa 9mm, which is nice, but has some issues with the corners. I'm thinking of giving the Rokkinon 12mm a try in summer
I think the reason that the aperture ring is not marked is that it has a variable minimum aperture of 4-5.6 depending on the focal length. It would be that if you zoom in to 300 mm, the aperture ring has to adapt itself. That is obviously not possible. Hence all zoom lenses with variable minimum aperture have no indication and one needs to use the screen to readout what the actual aperture is.
Just one thing I missed in this review is the ability with this lens to shoot up to or down to 0,5 size macro. That is the same as with Fuji's own short macro-lens. That is a great plus for this lens. And it just combines perfectly with my 16 to 80 zoom. And takes one set of filters with the right step-up rings for each of the zoom lenses (includinng the 10-24 mm zoom). 77mm filters work wonders on 67 mm, 72 mm and 77 mm. Great when combined with Manfrotto's XUME magnetic adapters.
Thank you for the excellent review. I sold my 55-200 (regrettably) in anticipation of the 70-300 for my X-T3. Unfortunately, they have not been released in Canada as of this date.I'm a retired senior, hobby photographer , tutorials like yours make the hobby more enjoyable, & i've subscribed. Looking forward to future videos sir.
@@mygothan Better to buy from Broadway camera in Vancouver.Fast shipping ,great service & no "surprise import fees/duties" 3 months later from the CRA. They seem to have more stock too of the 70-300, X-E$ & X-S10 compared to the big "H" in Canada.
Your advice in a previous vid about comparing focal lengths that one actually uses was super helpful. Combined with this review you have confirmed the 70-300 is a good fit for me. Thank you for all that you do!
Thanks so much, I'm glad you found that advice useful. It's interesting when we actually sit down and look at what focal length most of our images are shot at...not always what we expect
Thanks for this review, been waiting to hear your thoughts on this lens. I’ve just moved over to the X-T4 and went for the 16-80 lens, the 70-300 seems like a good option to compliment it.
Some of my most favorite images over the last few years have come from the 55-200mm. Not in a position to need more reach, if anything, I'd like a faster tele. But great review as always. Your landscapes are beautiful.
Once again, Andy, it’s great that a real working artist is offering amateur photographers his professional knowledge, which judging from your astonishing images, is considerable. As an update to my previous comment, I decided against buying a second XT3 body and bringing only primes on my upcoming trip to Greece and Ethiopia with my family. Instead, I decided to bring only my 16-80 f4 and 55-200 for my one XT3. Landscape photography is not my specialty. I’m just into travel photography with my family, so it’s a mixture of street, portrait, architecture and landscape. My 16-80 gives me spectacular performance. It is just a tad soft at 80mm. But that’s just the difference between razor sharp and just sharp. On the other end, it is only slightly less sharp than the jewel of my lens collection: the 16mm f1.4. It is weather sealed and has an amazing level of OIS. Its focal range will cover about 75% of what I will shoot. I’ll also bring my tiny 35 f2 which takes up no space and may come in handy for casual street shooting at night. I would just like to ask your advice about the télé zoom. My copy of the 55-200 has excellent optical performance throughout its range, including 200mm. Ok, it’s just a little softer after around 140mm, and is not as contrasty, but I can’t imagine being disappointed with prints even as large as 24x36” of images taken at 200mm from that lens. And from your review, the lack of weather resistance is not that big a deal. It’s OIS is quite remarkable as well. I have yet to bring it on any trip, or make any prints from images taken with it, but I am really impressed with its images taken locally, looking at the on my desktop screen. After seeing your comparison of it with the 70-300, though, I am tempted to buy the latter and sell the 55-200. Will I see a night and day difference in actual prints between the two? The 16-80 does fill the gap between 55 and 70mm. But from a practical standpoint, for my type of shooting that I described, will I see a noticeable enough difference in prints to justify trading in my $750 55-200 that I have hardly used for at most $250, take the loss of about $500 on the trade, and pay another $600 on top for the 70-300, or should I just keep the 55-200 and skip the 70-300? Which way would you be inclined to go, if you were giving me some “fatherly” advice? Thanks in advance for your practical guidance. Cheers.
Mine just arrived and I used it for the first time yesterday. love the flexibility and the image quality has been outstanding. I barely notice it being that much heavier than my 18-55. All I notice is the slight extra length but for a telephoto it’s super portable.
Hello Andy! Did you make your follow up 16-80/70-300 video? btw, I really like the way you simplify you reviews and take the time to recall all the technical reasons behind each opinion!
Thanks for the video, Andy! I bought this on a whim last week because I was on "the list" at my local store for one. I was surprised how nice the images at 300mm looked, so I bought it. I definitely agree it's probably more a poor man's 100-400 than a true 55-200 replacement. This and the 16 f/1.4 would make a great kit for a hike; throw in another mid-range prime like a 23 or 27 and it would be a great travel kit. Certainly beats lugging around the 50-140, even if it isn't as sharp or fast.
Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoyed the video. yeah, it's an interesting focal length and I'm surprised that so many people asked about it as a replacement for the 55-200 because it feels to me a very different beast.
My 55-200 creeps bad. I just got the 70-300. Can't to get out and use it and decide about selling 55-200. My main reasons for getting it are the creep lock and use of the teleconverters. Also, great review. You're videos are always a pleasure to watch.
Thanks so much, really glad you enjoyed the review. I've heard a lot of people complain about creep on the 55-200. I think there must be quite a large variation between batches
Hi Andy, big fan of your content which have guided me over the years on getting the simplest, yet extremely capable setup! Thank you for all do the fuji/landscape photo community. I am considering the switch from the 55-200 to 70-300 but concern around 50-70 is real! I’ve been playing around with the tiny 50f2 prime and love it! I think it might be a good option and might be small addition and maybe still keep it simple!
Thanks for the excellent review Andy with great photos. I'm happy to ditch my 55-200 which is dreadfully soft beyond 140mm. Super excited to bring this lens to the Pyrenees and the Arctic circle this summer!
Andy thanks. I still use the X-T1 so won't get the 6 stops but it will be a great upgrade to my current XC 55-230. The kit will be the 14mm f2.8, 16-80 and this when I get around to purchasing it.
Great review and fantastic pictures. As expected from the best landscape shooter on YT! You should have a million followers on Insta. 70-300 looks very nice, but I think I would miss the 55-70 range if I switched from the 55-200.
Very thorough review! The reason for the lack of aperture markings is very simple and consistent in Fuji's range. This is a variable aperture lens. There is no way this could be compatible with markings as the aperture will vary according to how zoomed-in the lens is.
Thanks Andy- a great well-balanced review. Very easy to digest. Particularly useful comparison of the Apertures between the two lenses at their comparable focal lengths! Think you may be the only reviewer I’ve seen who has included this important information. My 55-200 apertures are bang on with yours, except for the 70mm focal length: your stated aperture is 3.5, which is the starting aperture at 55mm. My 70mm aperture is f3.7. Hope that makes sense. Think this lens is definitely worth having to obtain much sharper shots through the 150-200mm focal length - and good sharpness between 200-250mm will be excellent. Anything beyond 250mm is in bonus territory. Many thanks. Andy H.
Thanks so much, glad you found the review useful. Yeah, the aperture at 70mm, I remember if I twisted a tiny amount past that it went to 3.7, but I'd but that down to variation across the batches on the zoom ring.
Thanks for the review! I have this lens on preorder. I decided to get the 70-300mm w/extender for more reach for my landscapes. I wanted the 100-400mm for the longest time but didn't want to go with the weight and size of that one. Always appreciate your videos.
Excellent review as always, thanks Andy. Delighted to hear you find the image quality to be good. For me the extra reach and teleconvertor compatibility are big plusses, as moon shots and wildlife are areas I'd like to try in addition to landscape.
Thanks so much for the comment, glad you found the video useful. I think for wildlife it's going to a great lens...and I really should have a go at a moon image with it before I give it back to Fuji
I just purchased the 55-200 (I am the person that has been emailing you with lots of questions about switching to Fujifilm X series cameras and lenses) and was thinking about the 70-300 instead instead of it but I didn’t think it offered that much more for my use in landscape photography for an additional $100. This was a great and honest review Andy. It is so hard choosing lenses, especially when switching from one manufacture to another. I can’t wait to see your results form out in the field with the 70-300.
Thanks for the comment, glad you found it useful. I just borrowed the lens from Fuji and I'll give it back this week so won't have chance to do an field images. I might borrow it again to take it with me to Norway in July though, I haven't really decided yet
I appreciate your review Andy. I got my hands on the 55-200 not long ago and was curious to learn more about the new 70-300. I don’t change my lens that often, as like you I keep mine for quite a bit too. Looking forward to shooting with my 55-200 and exploring what it can do, especially with perspective compression in ‘street’. Cheers again.
Thanks so much for the comment, glad you enjoyed the review. I don't think you can keep a lens for too long, if a tool works well then it's worth sticking with. I meet a lot of photographers who are perpetually switching lenses and brands looking for some incremental improvement, but I've always found that it's better to hone your craft with things that feel intuitive
I love Fuji products but gave up all of my gear last year and go the Lumix LX100ii as I was tired of lens decision paralysis. But now that I'm more into shooting nature, this 70-300 is luring me back!
My 55200 definitely has zoom creepy but I love that lens to death. I think that 70 to 300 is perfect as I often find myself switching lens all the time between 1855 to 55200 and have to switch back. I actually like the focal length gap which helps me to be more decisive sticking to one lens over the other. I also have the 18135 which might pair perfectly with this lens with overlapping focal length
Sticking with the 55-200mm after seeing your review. Thanks for the video! I don't need the extra little reach. Much rather have the little bit extra on the wide end. Having owned and sold a dozen different fuji lenses I soon realized that fuji makes good lenses all around! I keep it simpler now with 4 lenses.
Fantastic review Andy - really thorough and love your smooth calm vocal delivery also! I'm a keen amateur and have a trip upcoming to the Rockies (Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise) and Vancouver. I currently own a Samyang 12mm and the XF 18-55 ... I'm struggling to work out if I would be better off with the extra 300mm reach of the new lens or would I be good to go with 55-200 which is way more affordable (and available used!). Would really appreciate your thoughts seeing as you touched on the compression aspect of zooms and mountain ranges.
Thanks for the comment, glad you found the video useful. Personally I’d go for the 55-200 either that set up as the 55-70 area is more useful than the 200-300 area for mountains
I think that's a good choice. Much as I like this lens, its a lot less flexible than the 55-200mm, so unless you have a specific use for it (wildlife or sports) I think you're better putting your money to the 10-24mm
@@AndyMumford Thanks Andy, always value your opinion,one of the reasons I switched to Fujifilm was from watching your videos, I have the XT30 18-55, 55-200 and Samyang 14mm, Hope to get a second Fuji body soon.
Thanks for the detailed review, Andy! Love the way you examine gear as a tool in creating impactful images. I own the 16-80 and enjoy its versatility as a travel lens. I purchased the 55-200 last fall at a large discount. Although the new 70-300 would be a great addition, I love the flexibility at the short end provided by the 55-200. It could mean fewer lens changes in the field. Any thoughts?
Thanks so much Michael, really glad you enjoy the videos. I really use that area at the short end of the 55-200 a lot and wouldn't switch to the 70-300 because of that, but if you have the 16-80 you already have that covered. I'm thinking of taking those two lenses with me on a trip later in the year
Thanks for the Video Andy, it's very convincing me to replace my 50-140 to this lens, I have 16-55 in the mid range so 55-70 gap doesn't bother me so much. It's half lighter than 50-140 and 2x plus range at 300mm.
I thought perhaps it was just my copy of the 55-200 that would get soft close to 200. It's been super frustrating to diagnose when shooting sports from the sidelines, so I'm glad to learn it's just a characteristic of the lens. I've been eager for reviews of the 70-300 because it's been my instinct that it will be better for my purposes than the 55-200. Seeing the sharpness comparison basically sealed the deal for me. Thanks for this thorough breakdown.
Well explained. 😊 I read somewhere close focusing capabilities are excellent with this lens. I guess this lens is excellent all rounder for both landscape and wildlife/bird photography. By the way your street photography is Superb!😍. You should do that often.
Thanks so much, glad you found it useful. Fuji has something on the website about it being useful for close focusing, but the closest focus I could manage was around a meter. As for my street photography..thankyou 🙏 I don't do it a lot, I really need to improve.
Hi Andy, great video and great channel, thanks so much! It looks like you ended up changing the 55-200 for the 70-300 in 2024 (what is in my bag video). I am curious what drove that change in mind vs the conclusion of this video?
Thanks for the comment. I haven't actually replaced the 55-200 and still have it (I used it on my last trip alongside the 16-50mm), but I the 16-80mm pairs really well with the 70-300mm and gives a huge amount of coverage from just two lenses
I love how you take the time to explain your vision and how you work with your gear, it's way more important (to me) than specs and charts. I mainly work with manual lenses adapted on Fuji X-H1s, because I've never liked the focus by wire system on Fuji lenses. Do you feel the same about it ? Maybe, because you're using small apertures it doesn't impact that much your work. I shoot macro, a lot, and love to isolate subjects from the rest of the image, so I need precision and that "manual" feeling that Fuji lenses don't give to me. Thanks again, Andy !
Thanks so much, really glad you enjoy the reviews. I mostly shoot manual, but I don’t have a problem with the Fuji lenses…but as you say, I don’t shoot macro, mostly mid aperture shots, so precise focus is very simple
@@AndyMumford, that's what I guessed. In macro, you definitely feel the steps in the focus areas. Not that dramatic, but you lose that "manual" sense of precision. Thank you for being present and answering back !! Take good care, Andy.
I have a nice manfratto tripod that I bought used for $100. But I’ve only used it once. I don’t like to bother. I took my 55-200 mm lens and shot some handheld moonrise shots in raw over a year ago on an xt30 while I was waiting for my xt4. They looked a little dull out of the camera but when I edited them in Lightroom, fantastic. And handheld at night. Including some pretty decent detail of the moon. The 70-300 lens that I pre-ordered just arrived last Friday so I’m looking forward to shooting the next full moon over the Arizona canal.
I did some moonshots with the 70-300 last night, and was happy with it. I'm going to give them a go with Photoshop's new Super Resolution feature to see how much detail I can get out of them after cropping in
Great practical and detailed review. Just for you to know, there is a tiny mistake when you compares the field of vision from 55mm and 70mm. The two focal lengths are misplaced, each one conected to the other's field of view.
Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed the review. You're right about the two images having the focal lengths mixed up. I always double and triple check videos, and there's almost always something I miss and only notice after i've published
Ugh I've really been wanting a telephoto to go with my 16-55 but I'm kinda worried about the gap you were talking about. I really want more reach than 200 though. Really helpful review.
Another great review Andy - many thanks. Like you my landscape kit contains the 10-24 and 55-200 ..... I like the look of the 70-300 for the extra reach and sharpness ..... always find my 55-200 to be soft at the long end when focused to infinity (seems OKish at closer distances) ..... but it does make the gap from 24mm rather large!
I always enjoy your reviews very much and since YAY! I finally managed to buy a 70-300 yesterday (on the waiting list for ever so long), I sought out your video. Like you, I also have been very content with the 55-200, but I've already got a 1.4xTC (which I like using with the 80mm macro) so coupled with this lens, it will become a monster of a zoom - although I have not tried that yet. When the epidemic eases, I hope to get back to airshows and MotoX, which I'd love to try this on (after years of shooting those with really excellent Nikon gear)
I think you can’t have aperture markings on a lens that has variable aperture…. Or they’d have to make some sort of mechanical coupling that moves the aperture ring once you zoom in and out.
![BabyChiefDoit - Too Slow (feat. STAR BANDZ) [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/zayaxws7RPg/mqdefault.jpg)
So whispery that it relaxes me to a sleeping state and I wake up the next morning with subconscious knowledge of camera lenses.
Hahaha, the lens whisperer
Yes, speak up! Or raise your volume.
@@NWind-go9qn raise your own volume!
Andy has a particular voice. Why attack him personally over it? Turn up your volume and pay attention.
😂
My Fujifilm 70-300mm arrived a couple of days ago and I just love it! Anyone thinking of buying this lens do so, you won't be disappointed. Another in depth video, thank you.
Thanks so much for the comment, glad you enjoyed the review
Its refreshing to get a real world review of how we all see a lens preform, pixel peepers can be very anal and off putting at times, and usually leads to having to view too many reviews. Good job thank you.
Thanks so much for the comment, really glad you found the video useful
Thank you for let us see your amazing photos. How unbeliavable landscapes they are.
Thanks so much for watching, glad you enjoy the videos
Probably the greatest review of this lens! You say it isn't technical but it's so concise and well written! Thank you!
Thanks so much, that's a lovely comment, I'm really glad you found it useful
I guess Im asking the wrong place but does any of you know of a tool to log back into an instagram account?
I stupidly lost my password. I would love any help you can give me!
@Dash Phillip Instablaster :)
Absolutely agree, also cool to know he used the 55-200mm instead of the more expensive glass
Every question on my mind was answered ! Thank you Andy for the comparison video that I have been waiting for months.
Thanks so much Unal, I'm really glad you found the video useful and it answered your questions
Thanks for this detailed "real life" review. The side-by-side comparison with the 55-200mm is exactly what I needed. This one will definitely go into my lens range as I have been very frustrated lately by the limitations in terms of zoom of the 55-200mm, much as I love it for intermediate range work. Gorgeous images, by the way.
Thanks so much for the comment Alison, really glad you found the review useful. It's a great lens, good look with it
Dear God, your pictures are just plain gorgeous, wonderful work, and thank you for sharing really sound down to earth opinions, thank you
Thank you so much, that's a lovely thing to say. Glad you enjoyed the video
You always manage to answer all my questions. Also, nice street photos.
Thanks so much, really glad you found it useful
This looks good for my motorsport work. Focus limiter is a very nice addition for Fuji
The focus limiter is a nice addition
Thank you for the very good review; it is the best I have seen about the Fuji XF 70-300 lens until now. Since I travel to Portugal almost every year, the photos of Lisboa made me particularly happy. 👍👍👍
Thanks so much, really glad you enjoyed the review. Lisbon is a lovely city, I'm lucky to live here
I am curious to see the comparison between 70-300 and 50-140. By the way, great review as always! And the photos are stunning!
I don't have the 50-140mm anymore to make the comparison. Thanks for the comment
Based on Andy's 55-200 vs 50-140 comparison where the 55-200 performed well, I'd say the 70-300 should be better still. It's really about how important that 50-70mm range is for landscapes.
Just ordered this lens, thanks for the concise review. Great landscape images.
Thanks for the comment, hope you enjoy the lens
Such a treat to listen to someone with experience, and benefit from all the failings I won't have to put up with myself 😂 being a beginner hobbyist, thank you for sharing your insight sir!
Thanks so much, really glad you found the review useful
I just found your channel. Your photos are so beautiful. They look like paintings!
Thankyou so much
Good to have you back Andy bro... The review I looked forward to!!
Thanks so much, hope it was worth the wait
I love to watch your videos just to see your amazing photographs
Thanks so much for the comment, glad you enjoyed the videos
Your videos make me excited about starting landscape photography. I am very interested in the results of your next trip with the 16-80mm and the 70-300mm, looking forward to the video👍
Thanks so much, it's really nice to know the videos have a positive effect. I really hope I can make the trip with the two lenses to see how they work out
Great Review! I love watching your videos, something about your voice just soothes the soul. Thank you
Hahaha thanks so much. I often get comments that I speak too softly, so it's nice to hear another opinion
Andy, your videos remain the most informative! Thank you.
Thanks so much, that's really nice to know. I'm going to try to do more this year
thanks for the effort and the sharing. i enjoyed your lisbon "landscapes". a beautiful city that i've always enjoyed. i look forward to future travels. stay well.
Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed the video. Yeah, Lisbon is a lovely city
Thanks for your thoughtful and informative video. As always, your presentations are elegant and straightforward. I like to check in with you periodically to help remind me that one does not need a dozen lenses and every piece of new kit that comes along in order to create exquisite and timeless images.
Thanks so much David, really glad you enjoy the videos
Great review! Especially as it confirms that I made the right choice when I sold the 55-200mm and preordered the 70-300mm.
Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoyed the review
Just ordered the tamron 17-70mm and this honestly seems like a fantastic option to pair with it!
Never used that lens, but I've heard good things about it
Fantastic video. Hands down the best review of 70-300 in all of RUclips.
Also, excellent city shots. Can't wait for covid to be over and book one of your workshops.
Thanks so much, really glad you found it useful
Absolutely the best review of this lens! Thanks for all the info
Thanks so much, really glad you found it useful
Thank you for the review and comparison, makes it clear for me that the 70-300mm is what I need to complement my 16-80mm.
Now then, what I need to figure out, is which wide prime lens I want to go for, to get back into night sky photography!
Thanks for the comment, glad you found the review useful. For a wide prime for night photography it's tricky. For me the 14mm isn't wide enough for those shots...I want to fit more in, and I ended up selling mine. At the moment I use the Laowa 9mm, which is nice, but has some issues with the corners. I'm thinking of giving the Rokkinon 12mm a try in summer
@@AndyMumford I ordered the Samyang/Rokinon 12mm/2 earlier today as it was on sale (norwegian online store). Looking forward to testing it!
The quality is amazing!
It’s a great lens
I think the reason that the aperture ring is not marked is that it has a variable minimum aperture of 4-5.6 depending on the focal length. It would be that if you zoom in to 300 mm, the aperture ring has to adapt itself. That is obviously not possible. Hence all zoom lenses with variable minimum aperture have no indication and one needs to use the screen to readout what the actual aperture is.
That's the reason...I realised not long after I posted the video
Just one thing I missed in this review is the ability with this lens to shoot up to or down to 0,5 size macro. That is the same as with Fuji's own short macro-lens. That is a great plus for this lens. And it just combines perfectly with my 16 to 80 zoom. And takes one set of filters with the right step-up rings for each of the zoom lenses (includinng the 10-24 mm zoom). 77mm filters work wonders on 67 mm, 72 mm and 77 mm. Great when combined with Manfrotto's XUME magnetic adapters.
I read about the lenses macro capability but I know very little about macro photography and so didn't put it to the test
Thank you for the excellent review. I sold my 55-200 (regrettably) in anticipation of the 70-300 for my X-T3. Unfortunately, they have not been released in Canada as of this date.I'm a retired senior, hobby photographer , tutorials like yours make the hobby more enjoyable, & i've subscribed. Looking forward to future videos sir.
Thanks so much for subscribing, really hope you continue to enjoy the videos
HI, I live in Ontario. You can get 70-300 from BH, which i just did yesterday. Free shipping over $99.
@@mygothan Better to buy from Broadway camera in Vancouver.Fast shipping ,great service & no "surprise import fees/duties" 3 months later from the CRA. They seem to have more stock too of the 70-300, X-E$ & X-S10 compared to the big "H" in Canada.
Excellent video. The detail in your images are fantastic 👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks so much, really glad you enjoyed it
Your advice in a previous vid about comparing focal lengths that one actually uses was super helpful. Combined with this review you have confirmed the 70-300 is a good fit for me. Thank you for all that you do!
Thanks so much, I'm glad you found that advice useful. It's interesting when we actually sit down and look at what focal length most of our images are shot at...not always what we expect
@@AndyMumford, yes it was! That type of advice is what makes you great at what you ✌️ thank you 🎉
GREAT comparison. Thanks so much for your contribution. I've been on the fence between the 55 and the 70....I think you have made my decision. THANKS!
Thanks so much for the comment, really glad you found the video useful
I am in absolute awe at your images! Brilliant mate!
Thanks so much, really glad you enjoy my work
Great review as ever Andy, thanks. It looks like the perfect companion for the 16-80 (my most used lens) and far better quality than my XC50-230mm.
I think it's designed to go with the 16-80mm and makes a great pair. I'll possibly give those 2 lenses a try out together in the summer
Thanks for this review, been waiting to hear your thoughts on this lens. I’ve just moved over to the X-T4 and went for the 16-80 lens, the 70-300 seems like a good option to compliment it.
Thanks for the comment. i think with the 16-80 this is a really good pair
Great review and nothing wrong with being "mainly cityscapes shot around Lisbon" - they were brilliant!
Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed the images
Some of my most favorite images over the last few years have come from the 55-200mm. Not in a position to need more reach, if anything, I'd like a faster tele. But great review as always. Your landscapes are beautiful.
Thanks so much, really glad you found the review useful. The 55-200 is a great lens
Thanks Mr. Andy. Your images are amazing and the review/comparison was very useful
Thanks so much for the comment, really glad yo enjoyed the review
Once again, Andy, it’s great that a real working artist is offering amateur photographers his professional knowledge, which judging from your astonishing images, is considerable. As an update to my previous comment, I decided against buying a second XT3 body and bringing only primes on my upcoming trip to Greece and Ethiopia with my family. Instead, I decided to bring only my 16-80 f4 and 55-200 for my one XT3. Landscape photography is not my specialty. I’m just into travel photography with my family, so it’s a mixture of street, portrait, architecture and landscape. My 16-80 gives me spectacular performance. It is just a tad soft at 80mm. But that’s just the difference between razor sharp and just sharp. On the other end, it is only slightly less sharp than the jewel of my lens collection: the 16mm f1.4. It is weather sealed and has an amazing level of OIS. Its focal range will cover about 75% of what I will shoot. I’ll also bring my tiny 35 f2 which takes up no space and may come in handy for casual street shooting at night. I would just like to ask your advice about the télé zoom. My copy of the 55-200 has excellent optical performance throughout its range, including 200mm. Ok, it’s just a little softer after around 140mm, and is not as contrasty, but I can’t imagine being disappointed with prints even as large as 24x36” of images taken at 200mm from that lens. And from your review, the lack of weather resistance is not that big a deal. It’s OIS is quite remarkable as well. I have yet to bring it on any trip, or make any prints from images taken with it, but I am really impressed with its images taken locally, looking at the on my desktop screen. After seeing your comparison of it with the 70-300, though, I am tempted to buy the latter and sell the 55-200. Will I see a night and day difference in actual prints between the two? The 16-80 does fill the gap between 55 and 70mm. But from a practical standpoint, for my type of shooting that I described, will I see a noticeable enough difference in prints to justify trading in my $750 55-200 that I have hardly used for at most $250, take the loss of about $500 on the trade, and pay another $600 on top for the 70-300, or should I just keep the 55-200 and skip the 70-300? Which way would you be inclined to go, if you were giving me some “fatherly” advice? Thanks in advance for your practical guidance. Cheers.
Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoyed the video. As you've got the 16-80mm, I'd go for the 70-300mm.
Mine just arrived and I used it for the first time yesterday. love the flexibility and the image quality has been outstanding. I barely notice it being that much heavier than my 18-55. All I notice is the slight extra length but for a telephoto it’s super portable.
It's a good lens, I think Fuji have done a great job with it.
Hello Andy! Did you make your follow up 16-80/70-300 video? btw, I really like the way you simplify you reviews and take the time to recall all the technical reasons behind each opinion!
It keeps getting pushed back, and at some point this year there will be a review of the 16-80mm
Thanks for the video, Andy! I bought this on a whim last week because I was on "the list" at my local store for one. I was surprised how nice the images at 300mm looked, so I bought it. I definitely agree it's probably more a poor man's 100-400 than a true 55-200 replacement. This and the 16 f/1.4 would make a great kit for a hike; throw in another mid-range prime like a 23 or 27 and it would be a great travel kit. Certainly beats lugging around the 50-140, even if it isn't as sharp or fast.
Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoyed the video. yeah, it's an interesting focal length and I'm surprised that so many people asked about it as a replacement for the 55-200 because it feels to me a very different beast.
What a great, very comprehensive review. Thank you very much for this Mr Mumford
Thanks so much, really glad you found it useful
My 55-200 creeps bad. I just got the 70-300. Can't to get out and use it and decide about selling 55-200. My main reasons for getting it are the creep lock and use of the teleconverters. Also, great review. You're videos are always a pleasure to watch.
Thanks so much, really glad you enjoyed the review. I've heard a lot of people complain about creep on the 55-200. I think there must be quite a large variation between batches
thanks Andy for a very helpful review. You certainly laid out all of the considerations for purchase or trade! Geoff
Thanks so much for the comment, glad it was useful
Great Review Andy. Thank you very much!
Thanks so much for the comment, really glad it was useful
Hi Andy, big fan of your content which have guided me over the years on getting the simplest, yet extremely capable setup! Thank you for all do the fuji/landscape photo community.
I am considering the switch from the 55-200 to 70-300 but concern around 50-70 is real! I’ve been playing around with the tiny 50f2 prime and love it! I think it might be a good option and might be small addition and maybe still keep it simple!
Thanks so much. The gap between 55 and 70mm is something I can't really live without
Perfect review that covered all my questions and great shots from Lisbon. Thank you!
Thanks so much, really glad you found it useful
Thanks for the excellent review Andy with great photos. I'm happy to ditch my 55-200 which is dreadfully soft beyond 140mm. Super excited to bring this lens to the Pyrenees and the Arctic circle this summer!
Thanks for the comment, glad you found the review useful. Good luck for your trips in the summer
A thoughtful and very, very in depth review. Thank you.
Thanks so much for the comment, glad you enjoyed the review
Andy thanks. I still use the X-T1 so won't get the 6 stops but it will be a great upgrade to my current XC 55-230. The kit will be the 14mm f2.8, 16-80 and this when I get around to purchasing it.
That sounds like a good selection. This will pair really nicely with the 16-80
Great review and fantastic pictures. As expected from the best landscape shooter on YT! You should have a million followers on Insta. 70-300 looks very nice, but I think I would miss the 55-70 range if I switched from the 55-200.
Thanks so much for the comment, that's a lovely comment and I'm glad you enjoyed the review. You're right, I'd really miss the 55-70 range too
Brilliant and informative review, useful in my decision to buy this lens. Many thanks!
Thanks so much for the comment, really glad you found it useful
1:31 Arnold Böcklin's 'Isle of the Dead' painting popped into my mind. Beatiful shots on your side and great lens review as well.
Thanks so much for the comment, really glad you found it useful
The kind of reviews I like ... thank you.
Thanks so much, really glad you found it useful
Very thorough review! The reason for the lack of aperture markings is very simple and consistent in Fuji's range. This is a variable aperture lens. There is no way this could be compatible with markings as the aperture will vary according to how zoomed-in the lens is.
Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed the video. As for the aperture markings...yep, it's something I realised pretty soon after posting the video.
Thanks Andy- a great well-balanced review. Very easy to digest.
Particularly useful comparison of the Apertures between the two lenses at their comparable focal lengths! Think you may be the only reviewer I’ve seen who has included this important information.
My 55-200 apertures are bang on with yours, except for the 70mm focal length: your stated aperture is 3.5, which is the starting aperture at 55mm. My 70mm aperture is f3.7.
Hope that makes sense.
Think this lens is definitely worth having to obtain much sharper shots through the 150-200mm focal length - and good sharpness between 200-250mm will be excellent. Anything beyond 250mm is in bonus territory.
Many thanks.
Andy H.
Thanks so much, glad you found the review useful. Yeah, the aperture at 70mm, I remember if I twisted a tiny amount past that it went to 3.7, but I'd but that down to variation across the batches on the zoom ring.
You are such a photographer Andrew, great discovering your channel trough this video 🤩 instant subscribe !! great job 👏
Thanks so much for the comment, really glad you enjoy the channel
Best Fuji Ambassador 🙏
Thank you so much 🙏
Thanks Andy, appreciateiate your honesty!
Thanks so much for the comment, glad you found the review useful
Thanks for the review! I have this lens on preorder. I decided to get the 70-300mm w/extender for more reach for my landscapes. I wanted the 100-400mm for the longest time but didn't want to go with the weight and size of that one. Always appreciate your videos.
Thanks for the comment, glad you found it useful. Enjoy the lens
Thanks a lot for addressing my concerns, great review!
Thanks so much for the comment, really glad you found it useful
Very good review. Thanks. Will look at your website for Workshops.. 👍
Thanks so much, I'd love to have you join me on a workshop
Excellent review as always, thanks Andy. Delighted to hear you find the image quality to be good. For me the extra reach and teleconvertor compatibility are big plusses, as moon shots and wildlife are areas I'd like to try in addition to landscape.
Thanks so much for the comment, glad you found the video useful. I think for wildlife it's going to a great lens...and I really should have a go at a moon image with it before I give it back to Fuji
Oh man, the images are so beautiful!!!
Thanks so much for the comment
@@AndyMumford honestly, I wish someday I'm able to take photographs as you! I wish you all the best!
Best Fuji Reviewer!
Thank you so much 🙏
You’re the best, Andy. Thanks for this.
Thanks so much for the comment
I just purchased the 55-200 (I am the person that has been emailing you with lots of questions about switching to Fujifilm X series cameras and lenses) and was thinking about the 70-300 instead instead of it but I didn’t think it offered that much more for my use in landscape photography for an additional $100. This was a great and honest review Andy. It is so hard choosing lenses, especially when switching from one manufacture to another. I can’t wait to see your results form out in the field with the 70-300.
Thanks for the comment, glad you found it useful. I just borrowed the lens from Fuji and I'll give it back this week so won't have chance to do an field images. I might borrow it again to take it with me to Norway in July though, I haven't really decided yet
@@AndyMumford I can't wait to see if you do take it with you.
I appreciate your review Andy. I got my hands on the 55-200 not long ago and was curious to learn more about the new 70-300. I don’t change my lens that often, as like you I keep mine for quite a bit too. Looking forward to shooting with my 55-200 and exploring what it can do, especially with perspective compression in ‘street’. Cheers again.
Thanks so much for the comment, glad you enjoyed the review. I don't think you can keep a lens for too long, if a tool works well then it's worth sticking with. I meet a lot of photographers who are perpetually switching lenses and brands looking for some incremental improvement, but I've always found that it's better to hone your craft with things that feel intuitive
I love Fuji products but gave up all of my gear last year and go the Lumix LX100ii as I was tired of lens decision paralysis. But now that I'm more into shooting nature, this 70-300 is luring me back!
It's a great lens
Those plants in combination with that photo are bangers
Haha, thanks so much
My 55200 definitely has zoom creepy but I love that lens to death. I think that 70 to 300 is perfect as I often find myself switching lens all the time between 1855 to 55200 and have to switch back. I actually like the focal length gap which helps me to be more decisive sticking to one lens over the other. I also have the 18135 which might pair perfectly with this lens with overlapping focal length
Thanks for the comment, glad the review was useful
i think the 70-300 was intended to be paired with the 16-80mm
Love the added sharpness at the long end (my 55-200 @200mm is no bueno) and really like it
being able to take teleconverters!
I want one.
The ability to take a TC is a really big bonus for this lens I think
Stunning images Andy!
Thanks so much
@@AndyMumford I came for the lens test and stayed for the inspiring images! Cheers, David Myers, Digital Masters Australasia.
Sticking with the 55-200mm after seeing your review. Thanks for the video! I don't need the extra little reach. Much rather have the little bit extra on the wide end. Having owned and sold a dozen different fuji lenses I soon realized that fuji makes good lenses all around! I keep it simpler now with 4 lenses.
Yeah, I think the 55-200 is a really really solid lens and it's not one I'll be changing any time soon
Very good RV. Thank you for sharing your opinion.
Thanks fo the comment, really glad you enjoyed it
Great review! My lens gets delivered on Tuesday so I can’t wait to go shoot around the city with it!
Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoyed it. Have fun with the lens.
Fantastic review Andy - really thorough and love your smooth calm vocal delivery also! I'm a keen amateur and have a trip upcoming to the Rockies (Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise) and Vancouver. I currently own a Samyang 12mm and the XF 18-55 ... I'm struggling to work out if I would be better off with the extra 300mm reach of the new lens or would I be good to go with 55-200 which is way more affordable (and available used!). Would really appreciate your thoughts seeing as you touched on the compression aspect of zooms and mountain ranges.
Thanks for the comment, glad you found the video useful.
Personally I’d go for the 55-200 either that set up as the 55-70 area is more useful than the 200-300 area for mountains
@@AndyMumford Excellent - thanks Andy, yep I'm eyeing one up now on eBay. By the way had look at your website and your work is STUNNING!
Excellent images and review. Thanks
Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it
I love my 55-200 and thought about changing, but I wont, instead I will invest in the 10-24.Thanks for sharing Andy.
I think that's a good choice. Much as I like this lens, its a lot less flexible than the 55-200mm, so unless you have a specific use for it (wildlife or sports) I think you're better putting your money to the 10-24mm
@@AndyMumford Thanks Andy, always value your opinion,one of the reasons I switched to Fujifilm was from watching your videos, I have the XT30 18-55, 55-200 and Samyang 14mm, Hope to get a second Fuji body soon.
Thank you for this really complete video !
Thanks for the comment, glad you found the video useful
Worth the wait, spot on Andy. I’m sure you could fit the brilliant 16-80 in your bag if you wanted though!!
“Brilliant” may be a bit of a stretch. Image quality is lacklustre on the 16-80, particularly at the long end.
@@awake780 nonsense!
I might borrow it for a trip, but it's not wide enough at the wide end and I rarely need the mid range, so it's not a lens that really appeals.
Thanks for the detailed review, Andy! Love the way you examine gear as a tool in creating impactful images. I own the 16-80 and enjoy its versatility as a travel lens. I purchased the 55-200 last fall at a large discount. Although the new 70-300 would be a great addition, I love the flexibility at the short end provided by the 55-200. It could mean fewer lens changes in the field. Any thoughts?
Thanks so much Michael, really glad you enjoy the videos. I really use that area at the short end of the 55-200 a lot and wouldn't switch to the 70-300 because of that, but if you have the 16-80 you already have that covered. I'm thinking of taking those two lenses with me on a trip later in the year
Thanks for the Video Andy, it's very convincing me to replace my 50-140 to this lens, I have 16-55 in the mid range so 55-70 gap doesn't bother me so much. It's half lighter than 50-140 and 2x plus range at 300mm.
Yeah, I think it's quite compelling for that. It's a sharp lens, and that 50-140mm is a pretty big and heavy lens
Great video and your shots remind me to bring out my tele more often, thanks! :)
Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoyed the video
I thought perhaps it was just my copy of the 55-200 that would get soft close to 200. It's been super frustrating to diagnose when shooting sports from the sidelines, so I'm glad to learn it's just a characteristic of the lens. I've been eager for reviews of the 70-300 because it's been my instinct that it will be better for my purposes than the 55-200. Seeing the sharpness comparison basically sealed the deal for me. Thanks for this thorough breakdown.
Thanks so much for the comment, glad you found the review useful
Hey Andy! Great review: Thanks! Also some very cool city scape shots, looks like you could shoot every genre :)
Thanks so much. I'm really not much of a street photographer, but it's what I'm limited to at the moment with the lockdown
Well explained. 😊
I read somewhere close focusing capabilities are excellent with this lens. I guess this lens is excellent all rounder for both landscape and wildlife/bird photography.
By the way your street photography is Superb!😍. You should do that often.
Thanks so much, glad you found it useful. Fuji has something on the website about it being useful for close focusing, but the closest focus I could manage was around a meter.
As for my street photography..thankyou 🙏 I don't do it a lot, I really need to improve.
Hi Andy, great video and great channel, thanks so much! It looks like you ended up changing the 55-200 for the 70-300 in 2024 (what is in my bag video). I am curious what drove that change in mind vs the conclusion of this video?
Thanks for the comment. I haven't actually replaced the 55-200 and still have it (I used it on my last trip alongside the 16-50mm), but I the 16-80mm pairs really well with the 70-300mm and gives a huge amount of coverage from just two lenses
I love how you take the time to explain your vision and how you work with your gear, it's way more important (to me) than specs and charts.
I mainly work with manual lenses adapted on Fuji X-H1s, because I've never liked the focus by wire system on Fuji lenses.
Do you feel the same about it ?
Maybe, because you're using small apertures it doesn't impact that much your work.
I shoot macro, a lot, and love to isolate subjects from the rest of the image, so I need precision and that "manual" feeling that Fuji lenses don't give to me.
Thanks again, Andy !
Thanks so much, really glad you enjoy the reviews. I mostly shoot manual, but I don’t have a problem with the Fuji lenses…but as you say, I don’t shoot macro, mostly mid aperture shots, so precise focus is very simple
@@AndyMumford, that's what I guessed. In macro, you definitely feel the steps in the focus areas. Not that dramatic, but you lose that "manual" sense of precision.
Thank you for being present and answering back !!
Take good care, Andy.
I like your landscape photos. They are awesome.
Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed the video and the photos
I have a nice manfratto tripod that I bought used for $100. But I’ve only used it once. I don’t like to bother. I took my 55-200 mm lens and shot some handheld moonrise shots in raw over a year ago on an xt30 while I was waiting for my xt4. They looked a little dull out of the camera but when I edited them in Lightroom, fantastic. And handheld at night. Including some pretty decent detail of the moon. The 70-300 lens that I pre-ordered just arrived last Friday so I’m looking forward to shooting the next full moon over the Arizona canal.
I did some moonshots with the 70-300 last night, and was happy with it. I'm going to give them a go with Photoshop's new Super Resolution feature to see how much detail I can get out of them after cropping in
Great practical and detailed review. Just for you to know, there is a tiny mistake when you compares the field of vision from 55mm and 70mm. The two focal lengths are misplaced, each one conected to the other's field of view.
Thanks so much, glad you enjoyed the review.
You're right about the two images having the focal lengths mixed up. I always double and triple check videos, and there's almost always something I miss and only notice after i've published
@@AndyMumford it happens to me always! 👍🏻
Ugh I've really been wanting a telephoto to go with my 16-55 but I'm kinda worried about the gap you were talking about. I really want more reach than 200 though. Really helpful review.
Thanks for the comment, really glad you found it useful
Your photos says i already agreed to what you would say about these lenses at the start of the video.
Edit: Great video and review.
Thanks so much for the comment
Another great review Andy - many thanks. Like you my landscape kit contains the 10-24 and 55-200 ..... I like the look of the 70-300 for the extra reach and sharpness ..... always find my 55-200 to be soft at the long end when focused to infinity (seems OKish at closer distances) ..... but it does make the gap from 24mm rather large!
Thanks for the comment, glad you enjoyed the video. Yeah, that gap from 24 to 70 is really big. Maybe the 50mm prime?
I always enjoy your reviews very much and since YAY! I finally managed to buy a 70-300 yesterday (on the waiting list for ever so long), I sought out your video. Like you, I also have been very content with the 55-200, but I've already got a 1.4xTC (which I like using with the 80mm macro) so coupled with this lens, it will become a monster of a zoom - although I have not tried that yet. When the epidemic eases, I hope to get back to airshows and MotoX, which I'd love to try this on (after years of shooting those with really excellent Nikon gear)
Thanks so much for the comment. I'm glad the video was useful. Good luck with the lens.
I think you can’t have aperture markings on a lens that has variable aperture…. Or they’d have to make some sort of mechanical coupling that moves the aperture ring once you zoom in and out.