Which WR Zoom Lens should I get?

AlbertTheLazy wrote:

afm wrote:

My personal view about WR is that it is overrated.

At last, a sensible opinion.

I have travelled far and wide with the 18-55, even in China where it never seems to stop raining, and have not had a problem. In severe weather, I use a rain-sleeve or stay out of the rain. Other times it is a case of being reasonable. I guess you could spend a lot of money on the 16-65, lug it around all day and stand out in the rain to take photos, but bear in mind that it does not always rain in London contrary to what you may have been told.

True. I'm a Londoner born & bred and I know quite a few places with heavier and more persistent rain. I worked as pro for London Transport (as was) for ten years which meant I often had to work in the open in all weathers. As a general rule, by the time you need any real level of weather sealing the conditions are too bad to get attractive shots and you'll be feeling the discomfort more than your gear will.

I would stick with your current kit and spend a bit more when you get there. Just my opinion of course.

Yup! I did choose the 18-135 option in the poll because it does at least offer a significant increase in zoom range which could be useful in the future, but I would not buy a WR lens specifically for a short holiday.

Enjoy your trip.

On the only occasion when a WR lens might have been an option I decided to keep my X-T1 and the 18-135 zoom at home in favour of a compact in a dive case. That was in Bangkok for their big water festival.

Albert is right about WR, but I would put it even more bluntly. I think WR is a bit helpful for me in the southwest US due to issues related to dry dust storms, but London most days isn't an issue. Dust is way more of a problem than the light rain common in London. If the rain is heavy, well - a good image will be rarely captured.

Frankly, Fuji WR is a bit of joke... much like Nikon. I came from Pentax where they use much more serious sealing... and still, it is mostly a marketing deal (no warranty for stupidity). Especially so with zooms that will just bring moisture into the internals if the barrel gets wet. Simply cover the lens and mount areas and you'll be fine.

You want to do cathedrals and other interiors? Well, you'll be best off with fast primes or carry a tripod for your zoom (not likely). Get a cheap Rokinon 12 f/2 and be done with it... Otherwise, if you must have a zoom... the XF 10-24 is great, but the two stops difference is a killer. And I wouldn't be taking that expensive lens out there in the rain.