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How robust are Fuji lenses (especially the 150-600)?

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Curlykestrel

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Hi!

I recently got back into birding (just perched birds, no BIF) and bought the X-T5 and the 150-600 as my main lens and the 70-300 as a smaller and lighter alternative. I was extremely happy with my new gear, but yesterday, after around ten months, the 150-600 suddenly stopped working. When turning on the camera, I just heard a rattle and the message "turn off the camera and turn on again" appeared on the display. My X-T5 works fine with other lenses, and the 150-600 does the same on my old A2, so it is definitely a problem with the lens.

I carried it on my back with the body attached in a Lowepro ProTactic while riding my bicycle (slowly, with full suspension, on regular streets, for maybe five minutes), and I am not aware of any shocks or vibration that might have caused any damage. Also, the lens did not have any room to move inside the backpack. I am sure the lens endured a lot more in transit before I got it.

I'll send it to Fuji and I am confident they will take care of it, but it still got me thinking: How robust is the 150-600? I always handled it very carefully, so I never thought a wildlife lens at that price range would stop working after ten months for no apparent reason.

I'd love to believe it was a freak occurence, but at the moment, I am hesitant to take the 150-600 back into the field once it is repaired and/or spend any more money on even more expensive Fuji lenses (the new XF 500 looks very interesting).

Did any of you have similar experiences with the 150-600 or any of the other long Fuji lenses? Any reports of the 150-600 being used hard without any problems would be highly appreciated!

Thanks!
 
Clearly, the next step is to contact Fujifilm to have the lens serviced and repaired under warranty.

In the meantime, there's no reason to jump to unsubstantiated conclusions based on a single lens's failure. You don't know what the actual problem is with the lens or what caused it. There's certainly no reason to make the illogical leap from, "My lens needs repair," to, "No lenses can be used in the field without breaking."

It sounds like you're concerned transporting the camera with the lens attached may have contributed to the failure. Don't beat yourself up over this. You don't know that to be the case. Fujifilm may be able to determine the cause once they've diagnosed the problem. If they do or if they offer specific advice on transport, do your best to follow that guidance.

But don't let this experience stop you from using and enjoying your gear. It's a wildlife lens, not a crystal vase. Use it. Normal use isn't gonna break it.

--
Bill Ferris Photography
Flagstaff, AZ
 
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I'm sorry to lean of your problems. At 10 months, your lens is still under warranty so Fuji will take care of the issue if necessary and return it to you in like new condition.

Before sending your lens in, check that the screws on the lens mount are tight. Also clean the contacts with contact cleaner or isopropyl alcohol.

I found the XF 150-600mm to be a very well built lens and never had any issues with mine. Most Fuji lens have good build quality. Some of the external zooms are not as solid as the XF 150-600mm.

Good luck,

Morris
 
I've travelled back and forth to various African and European destinations with my cameras and 50-140, 100-400 and 150-600, 200mm various GFX cameras with 250mm and 500mm.

Through airports, on flights, road transfers some which have been like driving on corrugated metal (the road from Acornhoek area passing Phungwe en route to Gowrie Gate in Sabi Sands plus the road north from Alldays to the Platjan Botswana border crossing are two prime examples) and my gear has been bounced around in 4wd vehicles for weeks on end and i'm yet to suffer a failure.

So, I'd put it down to bad luck. Otherwise, it's an expensive paperweight.

--
Wildlife photographer | Private Safari Guide | Podcaster
FUJIFILM UK & Formatt-Hitech Ambassador.
www.alanhewittphotography.co.uk
www.africanphotographysafaris.com
FACEBOOK: AlanHewittPhotography
INSTA & TIKTOK: alanhewittphoto
 
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Thanks, Allen, that's exactly what I wanted to hear! I would be surprised if Fuji didn't build these lenses shrug off use cases like yours, so I guess I just got a lemon.

I can't wait to get it back, I really missed the longer reach today.
 
Thanks, Bill! Exactly, what causes me some headache is that I don't know if and how I mishandled the lens. I guess I'll just get back on the horse once the lens is back from service!
 
Thanks, Morris! I didn't check the screws yet, but I cleaned the contacts with Iso to no avail. I guess it is some issue with the aperture because of the sound and because both cameras showed F/1.0 when I switched them on. I am sure Fuji will fix it.

I also thought the lens felt very well built an robust, which was one of the reasons this experience caused some dissonance. I never expected this lens checking out from carrying it around in a camera bag.
 
I have been using this lens since it was launched. Like you I often go by bicycle with the combo lens+XH2s in my backpack. Never had any issue with such gear and such way of carrying it. The lens is one the most used with the Tamron 18-300mm. I also very often change lens onthe body. So I would say the lens is intensively used, yes with care but I never hesitate to carry it to prevent some unexpected issue. I just had once some dirt on the contacts that prevented to focus correctly.

Apart the IQ, I find the OIS rather amazing allowing in E-SS quite slow speeds meaning saving some high ISOs...

The internal zooming while incresing the overall length makes the lens stronger than those with classical zooming.
 
This sounds like normal use, so think just bad luck. Think build quality wise the lens feels very solid.

Maybe just one thing - when carrying the lens / taking the shot, do you support the lens or the body? With lenses of this type it’s better to carry by the lens.
 
limbo8 said:
With lenses of this type it’s better to carry by the lens.
Click to expand...
I agree the fixing collar makes a very good and strong handle
 
Don't threat, obsess, blame yourself or leap to conclusions. The reliability of a decision made on a sample size of one is zero.

Any number of things could have gone wrong. There is a significant amount of electronics in the lens. There is a famous curve in reality engineering for electronic components known as the bathtub curve - called that because it is shaped like a bathtub. High infinite mortality failures is why warranties exist. Since this is a statistical issue, you just got unlucky.

Send it off, get it fixed, forget about it and enjoy.
 
A very common issue with a zoom is a problem with one of the eletrical ribbon connectors. Fortunately it is also a very easy repair to be done. This appears to the bif zoom of the Panasonic FZ 82 of my daughter, and also with a Tamron zoom in the past. The Pana repair was performed in 2 days after warranty period for a very limited amount of money (120€ with postage), and even less for the Tamron.These flexible ribbon connectors can be achille heels in zooms.
 
Truman Prevatt said:
Don't threat, obsess, blame yourself or leap to conclusions. The reliability of a decision made on a sample size of one is zero.

Any number of things could have gone wrong. There is a significant amount of electronics in the lens. There is a famous curve in reality engineering for electronic components known as the bathtub curve - called that because it is shaped like a bathtub. High infinite mortality failures is why warranties exist. Since this is a statistical issue, you just got unlucky.

Send it off, get it fixed, forget about it and enjoy.
Click to expand...
Excellent advice... spot on. I've owned and extensively used that lens pretty well since it was introduced. It's absolutely my go to for birding. I've experienced none of the issues that the OP indicated and I'd have to believe that he either ended up with a duff copy or possibly a handling issue.

Best advice I could give -- essentially exactly what you've recommended -- would be to get it looked at and [hopefully] repaired. Plenty of examples on this site that demonstrate what this lens is capable of.

--
Jerry-Astro
Hillsboro, OR, USA
 
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baobob said:
I have been using this lens since it was launched. Like you I often go by bicycle with the combo lens+XH2s in my backpack. Never had any issue with such gear and such way of carrying it. The lens is one the most used with the Tamron 18-300mm. I also very often change lens onthe body. So I would say the lens is intensively used, yes with care but I never hesitate to carry it to prevent some unexpected issue. I just had once some dirt on the contacts that prevented to focus correctly.

Apart the IQ, I find the OIS rather amazing allowing in E-SS quite slow speeds meaning saving some high ISOs...

The internal zooming while incresing the overall length makes the lens stronger than those with classical zooming.
Click to expand...
That's an issue for lens that change length and even with them, not that common.

Morris
 
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It sounds electronic to me. I've had a motherboard fail in an XT body, and Fujifilm promptly fixed it. I assume lenses probably have a controller board of some type.


FWIW, I dropped my 150-600 while in the bag. It slipped off my shoulder as I was bending down to leash my dog. Fortunately, it didn't have far to fall, and it was on the carpet in our home. But it did land smack on the front of the lens (in its holster case). No detectable damage or side effects.

--
Randy
 
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Thanks for sharing your experience! It guess it was just a case of very bad luck and had nothing to do with the way I handled the lens that day...
 
Yeah, I always supported the lens and never put any strain on the mount. I guess I just got a lemon.
 
Thanks, Truman, that's pretty interesting. I had very early failures in the past, basically DOA, and late failures due to wear, but I can't remember a defect in the middle. Well, it has to happen to someone sometimes, I guess.
 
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