Fujifilm Bolsters Its XF Telephoto Lens Line with a 400mm f/4.5

Fujifilm has announced the Fujinon XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR, a new super-telephoto prime lens with an equivalent full-frame focal length of 609mm along with the promise of some of the highest optical performance in the entire XF lens line.

The 609mm equivalent focal length looks to have been derived from the crop factor being somewhere between 1.52 and 1.53x, not a clean 1.5x that is assumed for APS-C sensors — a minor, if not slightly odd, difference that is largely inconsequential.

Fujifilm says that this new lens is ideal for photographing wildlife and motorsports, specifically citing capturing subjects that are far away and moving at high speeds, such as birds, vehicles, and aircraft. It is also compatible with the Fujifilm 1.4x and 2x teleconverters which expand the maximum focal length to 560mm and 800mm, which is a full-frame 35mm equivalent of 853mm and 1,219mm, respectively.

It joins the 200mm f/2 and the 500mm f/5.6 in a trio of lenses that now cover the 35mm full-frame equivalent range of 305mm to approximately 762mm.

The lens features an optical design of 21 elements arranged into 14 groups, including two Super ED elements and 4 ED elements (extra-low dispersion) which the company says effectively minimizes chromatic aberration and contributes to what Fujifilm calls exceptional resolution. It features an aperture range of f/4.5 to f/22 via a nine-bladed aperture diaphragm.

The lens measures 104.5mm across at its widest by 239mm long and weighs 1,245 grams (about 2.74 pounds). Fujifilm adds that the optical design prevents the lens from being front-heavy, with a center of gravity closer to the middle of the lens, making it easier to use for an extended time hand-held.

Fujifilm sealed the lens at 20 points for dust and weather resistance (although it does not have an official IP rating), and it also rates the lens to operate in temperatures as low as -10 degrees Celcius (14 degrees Fahrenheit).

Autofocus is driven by a high-speed linear motor for what Fujifilm characterizes as fast, accurate, and nearly silent.

The 400mm f/4.5 is equipped with a focus preset function that allows users to shift the focus to a position preset using the “SET” button, a focus control button near the front of the lens, and a focus limiter function. The lens also has an optical stabilization system that Fujifilm says provides up to 5.5 stops of performance.

“When you’re making images outdoors, reach matters,” Victor Ha, vice president and general manager, Electronic Imaging Division, Fujifilm North America Corporation, says. “You need a lens that gets you close to the action without disturbing the scene or wearing you down over a long day. XF400mm lets photographers stay mobile and react to what’s in front of them, and they don’t have to trade image quality to do it. With super telephoto lenses, the balance of size and performance is the creative advantage, and XF400mm is exactly that. Lightweight, compact, powerful.”

The Fujinon XF400mm f/4.5 R LM OIS WR will be avaialble mid-September for $3,199.95.