X-T4 Video Lenses

Heya all

Keen on the X-T4 as my new Video powerhouse but wondering what lenses people recommend for video? I heard the AF can be pretty bad with older lenses, I mostly film sport with a maximum distance of subject at 10m and a lot of closer work (I follow around players in casual games).

Are kit lenses any good? Also I do a little photography, so a lens that can do both would be ideal but not required. Appreciate it

BloomAU said:

Heya all

Keen on the X-T4 as my new Video powerhouse but wondering what lenses people recommend for video? I heard the AF can be pretty bad with older lenses, I mostly film sport with a maximum distance of subject at 10m and a lot of closer work (I follow around players in casual games).

Are kit lenses any good? Also I do a little photography, so a lens that can do both would be ideal but not required. Appreciate it

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I'd recommend the 16-55 f/2.8 and the 50-140 f/2.8 for hybrid purposes. As for dedicated video lenses, I'd recommend renting an MKX 18-55 t/2.9 and 50-135 t/2.9.

yayatosorus said:

BloomAU said:

Heya all

Keen on the X-T4 as my new Video powerhouse but wondering what lenses people recommend for video? I heard the AF can be pretty bad with older lenses, I mostly film sport with a maximum distance of subject at 10m and a lot of closer work (I follow around players in casual games).

Are kit lenses any good? Also I do a little photography, so a lens that can do both would be ideal but not required. Appreciate it

Click to expand...

I'd recommend the 16-55 f/2.8 and the 50-140 f/2.8 for hybrid purposes. As for dedicated video lenses, I'd recommend renting an MKX 18-55 t/2.9 and 50-135 t/2.9.

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Thanks, I did see a review of the MKX kit, a fair way out of my price point but like you said, can always rent, they do look amazing!!! The 16-55 f2.8 looks like a great starter until I can save some pennies for the 50-140

BloomAU said:

yayatosorus said:

BloomAU said:

Heya all

Keen on the X-T4 as my new Video powerhouse but wondering what lenses people recommend for video? I heard the AF can be pretty bad with older lenses, I mostly film sport with a maximum distance of subject at 10m and a lot of closer work (I follow around players in casual games).

Are kit lenses any good? Also I do a little photography, so a lens that can do both would be ideal but not required. Appreciate it

Click to expand...

I'd recommend the 16-55 f/2.8 and the 50-140 f/2.8 for hybrid purposes. As for dedicated video lenses, I'd recommend renting an MKX 18-55 t/2.9 and 50-135 t/2.9.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I did see a review of the MKX kit, a fair way out of my price point but like you said, can always rent, they do look amazing!!!

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Yes they do. Note that as with all pro (non-broadcast) video lenses, they are manual focus only. Other than that they are a great tool for when you need them.

BloomAU said:

The 16-55 f2.8 looks like a great starter until I can save some pennies for the 50-140

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It certainly is. But make sure to thoroughly test it, as zoom lenses suffer from sample variation.

Hello,

First of all, I recommend to use the search function, as this question has been asked many times here, including 3 times that I've seen this week. So you will find many answers already in those threads.

But while I'm here I can offer my own recommendations:

All the zoom lenses are good for video, and most lenses that are marked with "LM" towards the end of their name. Some, like the 35mm f/2, focus breathe (appearing to zoom in and out when focusing), but it doesn't seem to be as common as it is among Sony lenses. Fujinon LM (linear motor) optics are particularly good at controlling glare and loss of contrast in backlit scenes, so they are actually very well suited for video. Likely a carryover from that department also being a major supplier of TV broadcast and industrial use lenses.

Among zoom lenses, the XF16-55 is best with an IBIS-equipped body like the T4. It is close to par-focal, and the heavier glass with multiple strong motors is an advantage for video. But it's also the most expensive in that range, and all the zooms are perfectly good. Among the primes, there's unfortunately no good 35mm for video (one isn't LM and the other breathes a lot), but otherwise pick whatever focal length you like and you won't get a bad one.

Fujifilm autofocus isn't quite as "auto-magic" as Canon and Sony. The X-T4 is good, but you will have to control a bit more yourself or do some more retakes than with a Canon or Sony of the same age (2020). But the people who shout and complain about it being "useless" are in my opinion just lazy with it. Take some time to practice, adjust down the focus settings, and use back-button focus to refocus on command instead of letting it constantly doubt whether it's still where it should be, and you will get very good-looking footage.

For technical guides on optimizing settings and technique for modern Fujifilm cameras, I recommend Pal2tech youtube channel, but not until after(!!!) you've spent some time experimenting yourself. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Good luck and enjoy : )

I would say the 16-80mm f/4 is Fuji's best general purpose lens for video. The AF is silent, focus breathing is almost nonexistent, the zoom mechanism is smooth and well dampened, and the stabilization is close to Fuji's best. The 16-80mm f/4 does not have the ultimate image quality of the 16-55mm f/2.8, but it is much smaller, lighter, cheaper, and has a broader zoom range.

nnowak said:

I would say the 16-80mm f/4 is Fuji's best general purpose lens for video. The AF is silent, focus breathing is almost nonexistent, the zoom mechanism is smooth and well dampened, and the stabilization is close to Fuji's best. The 16-80mm f/4 does not have the ultimate image quality of the 16-55mm f/2.8, but it is much smaller, lighter, cheaper, and has a broader zoom range.

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I disagree. The 16-80 has a weird issue of going in and out of focus when zooming in and out.

BDevils said:

nnowak said:

I would say the 16-80mm f/4 is Fuji's best general purpose lens for video. The AF is silent, focus breathing is almost nonexistent, the zoom mechanism is smooth and well dampened, and the stabilization is close to Fuji's best. The 16-80mm f/4 does not have the ultimate image quality of the 16-55mm f/2.8, but it is much smaller, lighter, cheaper, and has a broader zoom range.

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I disagree. The 16-80 has a weird issue of going in and out of focus when zooming in and out.

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That's normal. For a lens to keep focus while zooming in, it needs to be parfocal. This is something quite uncommon in the realm of stills lenses and is usually something only found in video lenses, such as the two Fuji MKX zoom lenses. Most stills zooms are to some extent varifocal (e.g. are unable to keep focus while zooming in or out). The only brand I know which deliberately makes parfocal zoom lenses for stills cameras is Panasonic with their L mount lineup.

BDevils said:

nnowak said:

I would say the 16-80mm f/4 is Fuji's best general purpose lens for video. The AF is silent, focus breathing is almost nonexistent, the zoom mechanism is smooth and well dampened, and the stabilization is close to Fuji's best. The 16-80mm f/4 does not have the ultimate image quality of the 16-55mm f/2.8, but it is much smaller, lighter, cheaper, and has a broader zoom range.

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I disagree. The 16-80 has a weird issue of going in and out of focus when zooming in and out.

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The wobbly focus issue is not specific to the 16-80mm. My 18-55mm f/2.8-4.0 and 50-140mm f/2.8 do it too. It is a combination of lens design and Fuji's AF algorithms. These lenses are not parfocal, so the AF system needs to constantly readjust as you zoom. The speed at which you zoom and the amount that you zoom at any one time can have a big impact on the amount of wobble. If you zoom slower, the AF system can generally keep up and the wobble is minimized. Alternatively, if the duration of your zooming is short, your image will just briefly go out of focus and then into focus without the pulsing/wobble. In practice, I don't find it to be much of an issue because I am rarely ever zooming across the entire range at a speed that would emphasize the wobble. My zooming is generally short and slow where the AF keeps up without an issue, or very fast in conjunction with panning (passing athlete) where the brief out of focus gets lost in the panning motion blur.

I heard that the 18-55 is better for video than 16-80. It is cheaper, lighter and focuses better.

jozzef said:

I heard that the 18-55 is better for video than 16-80. It is cheaper, lighter and focuses better.

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Heard ? that's pretty convincing

I don't have the 18-55 so I cannot test it myself, so yes, I saw it in some comparison.

jozzef said:

I heard that the 18-55 is better for video than 16-80. It is cheaper, lighter and focuses better.

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Cheaper and lighter, yes. Focuses better, no. The 16-80mm has much better OIS, and a broader zoom range. I still like my 18-55mm, but the 16-80mm is just far more versatile for video.