First Shots with XC 50-230mm

Surprise!

After much pondering of the 70-300mm lens, I decided my needs as a non-professional skewed towards the shorter end of the zoom range... I had the 55-200 and liked it, but felt it was unused. So thought about it some more, had a few adult beverages, and then this showed up at my door! Instead of $800 plus shipping for the new lens, I spent $250.

Impressions of the lens: it's tiny!! Plastic everything. Picture attached. Paired excellently with the X-T2 WITHOUT the hand grip I use on the 16-55.

Post-processed in C1 with levels & sharpening. Astia. Just a random day's worth of test shots. Let me know if it's as sharp as you'd expect.

fujiian wrote:

Surprise!

After much pondering of the 70-300mm lens, I decided my needs as a non-professional skewed towards the shorter end of the zoom range... I had the 55-200 and liked it, but felt it was unused. So thought about it some more, had a few adult beverages, and then this showed up at my door! Instead of $800 plus shipping for the new lens, I spent $250.

Impressions of the lens: it's tiny!! Plastic everything. Picture attached. Paired excellently with the X-T2 WITHOUT the hand grip I use on the 16-55.

Post-processed in C1 with levels & sharpening. Astia. Just a random day's worth of test shots. Let me know if it's as sharp as you'd expect.

I loved mine. Great for travel and occasionally telephoto needs. Optically excellent for this price.  Great pictures! Congrats.

guitarjeff wrote:

Good shots, they look fine to me. I love my 50-230 as well. This lens is one of the best deals in the photog world IMO. And it has ois at that price, truly a great deal for the money. I got mine years ago, brand new for like 150 dollars.

Thanks! Glad they look ok.

I agree – this thing is crazy good for the price. Park it at F8, point and shoot.

Of course it's slower than a 100-year-old tortoise. Of course it's not quite as sharp as a prime or Red badge at most apertures.

But my God – for what it costs, what more could you want from a lens??

fujiian wrote:

guitarjeff wrote:

Good shots, they look fine to me. I love my 50-230 as well. This lens is one of the best deals in the photog world IMO. And it has ois at that price, truly a great deal for the money. I got mine years ago, brand new for like 150 dollars.

Thanks! Glad they look ok.

I agree – this thing is crazy good for the price. Park it at F8, point and shoot.

Of course it's slower than a 100-year-old tortoise. Of course it's not quite as sharp as a prime or Red badge at most apertures.

But my God – for what it costs, what more could you want from a lens??

Agreed.  I don’t even want to use the term bargain, it’s more like theft what you get for this lens.  I bought the MK I years ago for around $200 new grey market.  It’s been a solid performer.  Has also taken years of use.  I really like to use it as a “tele-macro” lens.  Nice bokeh and isolation.

AndyH44 wrote:

The XC50-230 II is a truly awesome lens, especially for the few $$$ needed to buy one. Until I tried the new XF70-300, you would have had to pry my XC from my cold, dead hands. Now I just may be ftrced to sell it as the XF is really noticeably better, albeit more expensive, but still a bargain!

Agreed.  It's an awesome lens.  I've used it for years.  No issues.