Zoom on XPro 3

Hey friends,

I bought an X-Pro 3 last year. My prior cameras were Canons but when I decided to upgrade, I fell in love with Fujifilm especially the X-Pro 3. I have no interest in video and I was sold on the experience of focusing just on photography. I also wanted lightweight as street photography is really more of my thing so it seemed like a perfect match. Initially I was in love and a bit overwhelmed with the camera but figured I would learn. Now a year later I feel like I might have made a mistake and bought something far above my skill level. I am taking a photography class and I am the only one with a Fuji so I can't get help there. I've watch tons of videos etc.

Here is my question.

I cannot get the camera to zoom!  I feel like an idiot because I have to be doing something wrong with settings or what not. When I have the camera in manual mode, any other camera I have had, I can adjust the rings on the lens and within the view finder, the object visually appears closer or far away. When I attempt to zoom, I do see the meter in the view finder change but what I am seeing does not change at all, even the viewfinder box (sorry lack of a better term) does not change. When I snap a picture, the result is that nothing zoomed. I only have one lens at the moment. It's a 35 mm 1:2 R WR.

I'm at the point that maybe I should have stuck with canon or bought a different Fujifilm model.

Um, you have a fixed focal length prime lens (35mm only). If you want to zoom, you’ll have to get a zoom lens (variable focal length).

35mm WR is a wonder - but it's a prime lens permanently preset at 35mm

For fun see if you can find a lightly used Fujinon 50-230mm XC. People sneer at them because 'plastic! barrel! OMG!' but they produce compelling images at every focal length in full daylight at a reasonable price. At one point they were being bundled for $99 at some shops if you bought a new body.

Chipinlove wrote:

Hey friends,

I bought an X-Pro 3 last year. My prior cameras were Canons but when I decided to upgrade, I fell in love with Fujifilm especially the X-Pro 3. I have no interest in video and I was sold on the experience of focusing just on photography. I also wanted lightweight as street photography is really more of my thing so it seemed like a perfect match. Initially I was in love and a bit overwhelmed with the camera but figured I would learn. Now a year later I feel like I might have made a mistake and bought something far above my skill level. I am taking a photography class and I am the only one with a Fuji so I can't get help there. I've watch tons of videos etc.

Here is my question.

I cannot get the camera to zoom! I feel like an idiot because I have to be doing something wrong with settings or what not. When I have the camera in manual mode, any other camera I have had, I can adjust the rings on the lens and within the view finder, the object visually appears closer or far away. When I attempt to zoom, I do see the meter in the view finder change but what I am seeing does not change at all, even the viewfinder box (sorry lack of a better term) does not change. When I snap a picture, the result is that nothing zoomed. I only have one lens at the moment. It's a 35 mm 1:2 R WR.

I'm at the point that maybe I should have stuck with canon or bought a different Fujifilm model.

Chipinlove wrote:

Here is my question.

I cannot get the camera to zoom! I only have one lens at the moment. It's a 35 mm 1:2 R WR.

A zoom is a lens that has multiple focal lengths in one lens. Your lens is simply one focal length. It is not a zoom lens. A phone zooms digitally by cropping or you change lenses (of which your phone might have several included). A camera like the X-Pro3 takes lenses anywhere from like 8mm to 600mm natively. You simply need to buy a zoom lens for your camera.

Google: Fujifilm 18-55mm, Fujifilm 16-80mm, Tamron 18-300mm, Fujifilm 55-200mm as a start.

Once you have one of these lenses on your camera...you will simple have to turn a ring on the lens to zoom.

Chipinlove wrote:

I cannot get the camera to zoom! … I only have one lens at the moment. It's a 35 mm 1:2 R WR.

The zoom on that lens is operated with one’s feet 😉

I think this could be a troll or spoof.

roberthd12 wrote:

I think this could be a troll or spoof.

Hmmm, could be, like the guy who did a review about a Leica M and was mad he spent $10,000 and did not have autofocus?

Thank you! Your reply is appreciated!

Thank you all. I'm not a troll. Just an idiot.  The 35mm lens I had with my cannon rebel I was able to zoom. I didn't realize it wasn't possible with this one.

John Gellings wrote:

Chipinlove wrote:

Here is my question.

I cannot get the camera to zoom! I only have one lens at the moment. It's a 35 mm 1:2 R WR.

A zoom is a lens that has multiple focal lengths in one lens. Your lens is simply one focal length. It is not a zoom lens. A phone zooms digitally by cropping or you change lenses (of which your phone might have several included). A camera like the X-Pro3 takes lenses anywhere from like 8mm to 600mm natively. You simply need to buy a zoom lens for your camera.

Google: Fujifilm 18-55mm, Fujifilm 16-80mm, Tamron 18-300mm, Fujifilm 55-200mm as a start.

Once you have one of these lenses on your camera...you will simple have to turn a ring on the lens to zoom.

Thank you so much! Your kindness is appreciated.

I'm not familiar with the Canon Rebel, but it could have been using electronic "zooming" where it just crops the sensor image.

John DeCola wrote:

I'm not familiar with the Canon Rebel, but it could have been using electronic "zooming" where it just crops the sensor image.

Yep, a quick search on google for Canon Rebel and digital zoom conforms this was the case.  Good work.

There are a number of different Fuji XF zoom lenses available, with different focal length ranges, sizes and price. The 16-80 is a popular one for many people for travel & general shooting & it won’t break the bank.