It is certainly big and heavy

With my unsteady hands, could not realistically consider this brick as a travel companion until FujiFilm added IBIS in the X-T4.  The compromise/trade-off in selecting the 18-55mm was better for my circumstances.  But now, times have changed.   That 16-55mm lens is still the brick, still big and heavy, but now mounted on my X-T4 and maybe soon, an X-S10.

Not traveling too far during these covid infected days, but purchasing this lens is an investment in hope that things will get better.

Big and heavy, also sharp as a tack!

It's a great lens with wonderful IQ. I too use it on a XT4 and they pair well. I bought it in December 2019 in the black Friday sale (and with a Fuji cashback) for hiking, but sadly only really been able to do local walks in 2020.

On my then XT3 it was fine, but had to watch shutter speed carefully  However, on the XT4 (due to IBIS) I have no such worries and can hold it down to 1/20 sec at 55mm.

For carrying, I use a Peak Design Slide Lite, which takes the weight well when carried Sam Browne style. It is heavier and bigger than my 18-55, but not uncomfortably so.

Yes this lens is certainly very polarising and certainly no lame duck.  It is equally as sharp as all of my primes (23 f2, 50 f2, 16 1.4, 90 f2), and in most cases, sharper with better 'secret sauce'.  It also focuses much faster on my X-H1's than any of those other lenses - go figure.

This lens and my 90 have been my sole traveling companions (each 'strapped' to a body), for the last 3 or more years (many countries and many images).  My 16-55 is dear to me and I have many, many gorgeous shots on my website from this lens.

The last couple of months I bought an X-T3 with the 16 1.4 and put my 50mm on the X-H1.  These two lenses became my travelling companions for those couple of months.  I got great images, but certainly really no better than what I could have got on the 16-55 (except the great close focusing of the 1.4 lens).  However, when I went back the other day to put the 16-55 back on my camera and take it out - I was shocked at how big and heavy it felt.  Just those few months with a lighter kit were so liberating.

It really is with a heavy heart that I'm thinking of retiring my 16-55.  It is the most gorgeous lens I've used in over 35 years of photography.  However, it is really no fun for me carrying around a heavy kit anymore - what to do?

Sutto

philipsuttonphotography.com

Sutto wrote:

Yes this lens is certainly very polarising and certainly no lame duck. It is equally as sharp as all of my primes (23 f2, 50 f2, 16 1.4, 90 f2), and in most cases, sharper with better 'secret sauce'. It also focuses much faster on my X-H1's than any of those other lenses - go figure.

This lens and my 90 have been my sole traveling companions (each 'strapped' to a body), for the last 3 or more years (many countries and many images). My 16-55 is dear to me and I have many, many gorgeous shots on my website from this lens.

The last couple of months I bought an X-T3 with the 16 1.4 and put my 50mm on the X-H1. These two lenses became my travelling companions for those couple of months. I got great images, but certainly really no better than what I could have got on the 16-55 (except the great close focusing of the 1.4 lens). However, when I went back the other day to put the 16-55 back on my camera and take it out - I was shocked at how big and heavy it felt. Just those few months with a lighter kit were so liberating.

It really is with a heavy heart that I'm thinking of retiring my 16-55. It is the most gorgeous lens I've used in over 35 years of photography. However, it is really no fun for me carrying around a heavy kit anymore - what to do?

Sutto

philipsuttonphotography.com

What I've done is move away from a wrist strap to a more substantial body sling/strap for the X-T4 body with this 16-55mm lens.  Weight clearly is an issue -- but this seems to one way to handle it.  We'll see -- ask me in a year after hauling this rig around once we can travel again.

The Brick belongs on a tripod lol. I’ll pair it with my XH1 for some landscape work and once I’m done taking a few shots it goes back in the knapsack, or it stays on a tripod. My favorite travel kit is the X100S or my gripped XT1 with the 27mmf2.8.

I’ll be buying the new 27mm with the aperture ring as soon as it’s out, and I might just get the X100V as well. You don’t need much in the way of kit when travelling, something minimalist and capable and easy to carry. A single focal length is just fine as well

I had hoped that I could be one of those who could live with a 23mm F2 for all my needs, but I just can’t feel comfortable restricted like that.  Carrying the 16-55 is heavy, but not as heavy as bringing 2 or more lenses and having to change.  There are some situations that I know that I can just bring one prime and it will suffice, but most of the time, the most practical solution for me is just to stick the 16-55 on my X-T30 and live with it.

I still use my 18-55 on the X-H1. Its great. The nody id comfortable and the lens is light and sharp.

Yes, it is certainly big and heavy but manageable even with my X-pro3. If it pairs with my another Fuji camera X-H1, it is just perfect all the way. It is my one camera one lens for all kind of shooting. I have my 16-55mm since it is first day on the market and I have never tried to replace it. I also have 50-140mm and a 10-24mm and I think it is all I need although I do have other Fujifilm lenses.

And-roid wrote:

Jimmmy wrote:

With my unsteady hands, could not realistically consider this brick as a travel companion until FujiFilm added IBIS in the X-T4. The compromise/trade-off in selecting the 18-55mm was better for my circumstances. But now, times have changed. That 16-55mm lens is still the brick, still big and heavy, but now mounted on my X-T4 and maybe soon, an X-S10.

Not traveling too far during these covid infected days, but purchasing this lens is an investment in hope that things will get better.

f3.2? for this I'd stop down at least 5.6, probably f8. This is why I prefer the 16-80, for most things 2.8 is simply unnecessary and you have more zoom. I would certainly recommend the x-s10 and 16-80

Here's one at 5.6.

ddtan wrote:

I had hoped that I could be one of those who could live with a 23mm F2 for all my needs, but I just can’t feel comfortable restricted like that. Carrying the 16-55 is heavy, but not as heavy as bringing 2 or more lenses and having to change. There are some situations that I know that I can just bring one prime and it will suffice, but most of the time, the most practical solution for me is just to stick the 16-55 on my X-T30 and live with it.

How does the lens handle on your X-T30? I have an X-T20 with additional grip and have been considering this lens but just worried it might be too front heavy, particularly on a tripod for landscape photography.

NickD81 wrote:

ddtan wrote:

I had hoped that I could be one of those who could live with a 23mm F2 for all my needs, but I just can’t feel comfortable restricted like that. Carrying the 16-55 is heavy, but not as heavy as bringing 2 or more lenses and having to change. There are some situations that I know that I can just bring one prime and it will suffice, but most of the time, the most practical solution for me is just to stick the 16-55 on my X-T30 and live with it.

How does the lens handle on your X-T30? I have an X-T20 with additional grip and have been considering this lens but just worried it might be too front heavy, particularly on a tripod for landscape photography.

Even on my X-T4 body it is big and heavy, but so far happy with pics from the setup.  I have no buyer's remorse over this lens purchase.

I finally had an opportunity to get out and about with my new lens -- paired up with an X-T4 body.  It's been a loooong time, too much self-quarantine, and it brought such joy to be snapping away.

I've had an 18-55 for quite a while, but these pics taken with the so-called "brick" just look better.

Hi,

Thx for the extra images.  I like the middle one best of the three.

I bought the 16-55 a couple of months back after using primes and the 18-55 since I got my XT1 in 2014.  I agree with your sentiment about it being big and heavy.  I don't find the carried weight heavy, since it weighs about the same as three or four small primes or two bigger fast ones.  However, I really notice the balance on-camera - the front heavy leverage of it, and I don't really like that aspect of using it.

In terms of IQ it's an excellent zoom.  I find it compares mostly very well with my primes  at the available apertures. (I have both 16's, both 23's, the 27, both 35s and the 50).   Of these, a couple still out-resolve it (16/1.4 and 50/2).  I find that it's better than my 18-55 at wide FLs and wide apertures, but that the differences diminish as I zoom longer and/or as I stop down.  A wide open shooter would obviously prefer the 16-55, but I'm not seeing much difference at say f5.6-f8.  That doesn't come as a surprise to me - my 18-55 has turned out some excellent images when stopped down a bit.

If the 16-55 has a weakness (for me) it's that it doesn't integrate nicely with close-up accessories like extension tubes and CU lenses.  That doesn't matter to everybody but I like taking close-ups of small nature subjects, so the 16-55 doesn't quite become a one-lens-does-all solution.   Just me.

I'm trying to decide whether to keep it and I think the nagging irritation with the on-camera weight might be the deciding factor.  I just prefer the balance of my primes.  I'll keep trying it out for a bit longer.....

Cheers, Rod

Glad you have managed to get out with the combo. Like the second image. As I said in my post above, I do not find the weight and bulk an issue In the hand, I use my left hand as the primary holding hand and in that way it balances well. I carry it Sam Bowne style on a wide-ish strap (PD Lite) and have no issues carrying over many kilometres walking. In the end, it is the IQ, WR and flexibility of the lens that give me reason to continue to use it (on a XT4).

Keep showing us great images.