Sharp, but too bulky and heavy

Christian Scarlet wrote:

crowley213 wrote:

lasd wrote:

Great optics throughout the entire zoom range. I gave it up since it is too large and heavy. I switched from Canon FF to Fuji X to reduce weight and this lens goes against that ethos.

Would be an excellent choice for those that prefer not to carry around a set of primes, but I personally am going for a more low-key look and this lens screams PHOTOG.

No problem at all with your opinion and statements, nevertheless I dare to state:

- The lens may be "too large and heavy" for you (again, nothing wrong with that opinion), but phrasing it in an universal "valid" term doesn´t cut it for me. For me the lens is just fine!

- Also, it may for you go against the idea of reducing weight, but for others it may exactly do that compared to other gear (e.g. FF).

- Hmm, you honestly think this lens screams PHOTOG and other lenses don´t do so? From my point of view: Everybody who knows about photography gear will recognize valuable gear immediately, no matter how it looks. And not screaming PHOTOG is not just about how your gear looks but also how you behave while taking photos.

So the lens is not for you? No problem, that´s fine... we all are different, have different requirements, different opinions. And therefore there is a variety of gear we can select from... so everybody will find something that suits his needs.

Herbert

I think EVERYONE gets that was his personal review based on HIS requirements.

Perhaps I am somewhere in the middle?

I first demo'd the lens with my X-E3 and X-T10. Did not find it worked very well on those bodies. So I returned it. But then I bought an X-T3 and began to notice that many of my favourite pictures from last fall were from the brief time with the 16-55... so I bought a used copy and am very happy with it on my X-T3. As with others, it's on my camera for most of my pictures now.

And, I understand the comment, "screamed PHOTOG". From personal experience...

-One extreme I have is my X-E3 with 15-45 -it can almost pass as a compact camera, and you will often not get noticed.

-In the middle is my X-T10 with the 18-55 -now you will get noticed more and I think it starts to look like a "serious camera", but in a crowd of tourists you will blend in with the cheap DSLR crowd.

-But, with the X-T3 and 16-55, you will definitely get noticed more. Even in the tourist crowd you start to stand out as one of the "serious photographers". I've had a number of people photos where I've gotten the hairy eyeball. I just own it; so I'm a serious photog, so what? I do take it seriously, even if I often feel that there are so many better Fuji photographers on this forum...

So, I do sympathize with the OP. A careful reading of his original language would strongly suggest that he was expressing his opinion and not intended as sweeping comments ("I gave it up" and "I switched... to reduce weight..."). I honestly think the backlash was a bit over exuberant

As for my opinion? I did not like it on the smaller bodies but it balances fine on the X-T3. It does start to go against the small and light ideals, so I see how some would not like it. But, for me, I just cannot get past the fact that I get noticeably better quality photos with it on. I guess I'm a zoom guy, and it's the best one I've used so far.