The Fujinon XF 500mm F5.6 R LM OIS WR ($2,999.99) enters the Fujifilm X system as the longest prime lens and is impressively one of the lightest super telephoto primes for any lens mount. Its tight angle of view is perfect for photographing field sports from the stands or wildlife in nature, and its optical performance is impeccable, even with a high-resolution X-H2 camera. It faces very stiff competition, though; the Fujinon XF 150-600mm F5.6-8 R LM OIS WR ($1,999.95) keeps pace in picture quality, offers the versatility of a zoom, and costs $1,000 less, so it retains our Editors' Choice award. But don't count out the XF 500mm if light carry or brighter optics are a priority.

Design: Lighter Than You'd Think

The XF 500mm F5.6 is a relatively long lens (10.1 by 4.1 inches) but is shockingly light at just 2.9 pounds. Its weight is one of its most compelling features, especially for photographers with arthritic knees or bad backs. Still, it's not as huge an advantage as it would be for other systems as Fuji X camera owners have access to two other decently light telezooms in the form of the Fujinon XF 150-600mm F5.6-8 R LM OIS WR (12.4 by 3.9 inches, 3.5 pounds) and the Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7 Di III VC VXD (8.3 by 3.7 inches, 4.1 pounds).

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The lens has a metallic glint to its light gray finish, but most of the barrel is polycarbonate, a design decision that helps it make weight. There are some metal elements, including the tripod collar and foot, strap lugs, and aperture ring. The XF 500mm is weather-resistant, too; it includes internal seals to prevent dust and drops of water from getting inside. Coats of smudge and water-repellent fluorine on the front element make it easy to wipe off a stray fingerprint. The lens supports 95mm threaded front filters.

It ships with the expected front and rear caps, as well as a reversible hood. The hood adds a good deal of protection to the front glass and cuts down on flare. It attaches with a bayonet action and releases with a push button. A sliding cut-out window allows you to adjust a variable neutral density or circular polarizing filter without having to remove the hood.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The XF 500mm also has an integrated tripod collar with a removable foot. The collar supports continuous 360-degree rotation but does not have any click stops. Instead, it has painted lines at the cardinal points to serve as a visual aid. The collar locks into place with a thumb screw. As for the foot, it's pretty long, so it serves as a useful carry point and includes dovetail cuts so you can secure it in an Arca-Swiss tripod head without the need for an additional release plate.

The XF 500mm works with both of Fuji's rear teleconverter accessories. Attach the XF 1.4x, and it becomes a 700mm F8, and with the XF 2.0x, it turns into a 1,000mm F11 prime lens. Don't forget that the Fuji X system uses the APS-C sensor format, so an additional 1.5x multiplier is required to get the full-frame equivalent—750mm without a converter, 1,050mm with the 1.4x, and 1,500mm with the 3x. I didn't have a chance to try the teleconverters with the lens, however.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Even without a teleconverter, the XF 500mm's angle is very tight. It's an ideal lens for subjects that are small and too skittish to allow for a close approach—think songbirds, squirrels, and other twee wildlife—and is a good lens for field sports if you are photographing from the stands rather than the sidelines. If you do have sideline access, you'll probably find the angle of view too tight for American football, soccer, and the like, so a zoom that goes wider, such as the XF 150-600mm or a prime with a wider angle of coverage like the XF 200mm F2 are easier to manage. A zoom lens isn't just handy for sports, either; I like using one for songbirds simply because it can be hard to get one centered under the lens when using a prime, and with a zoom, I can start wider, center my subject, and zoom in for the photo.

Controls: Flexible Function Buttons Control Focus

Tele lenses tend to have more control surfaces than standard or wide-angle options, and the XF 500mm follows suit. It includes an aperture ring to set the f-stop, four copies of the same function button set 90 degrees apart so they are in the same location regardless of how you hold the camera, and a Set button. It also has a few toggle switches that set the focus limit (Full, 5 meters to infinity), toggle stabilization, and change the focus mode (AF-L, Preset, AF).

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The aperture ring is common to Fuji lenses and pretty self-explanatory; it ranges from f/5.6-22 in third-stop increments and includes an A position to cede aperture control to the camera body. The ring features a ridged knurled finish, so it's easy enough to find by touch and includes a clever push-to-turn lock that restricts the aperture to either its manual range or to "A" otherwise.

The focus limiter function restricts the range over which the autofocus system will hunt. In this case, it's tuned to prevent the lens from focusing on subjects that may pass in front of the camera when you're concentrating on action in the distance. When the limiter is engaged, the lens will only look for focus beyond 16.4 feet (5 meters), while it can focus as near as 9 feet (2.75 meters) when set to Full.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

That leaves the AF-L/Preset/AF toggle switch, which is not quite as standard but useful and well-designed. The switch changes the mapping of the aforementioned set of function buttons. In AF-L, the buttons engage focus lock; in Preset, the buttons snap back to a programmed focus distance that you can change on demand by pressing the "Set" button; and in AF mode, the function buttons work as an AF-ON control and engage autofocus drive. I really like how Fuji has approached this aspect of control, and system owners who may also use an XF 200mm F2 or XF 150-600mm will appreciate that the AF-L/Preset/AF and function buttons on those lenses work in the exact same way as on the XF 500mm.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The Preset function is a decently rare feature, one that comes in handy for photographing select field sports and for other situations where you're a set distance from likely sources of action. I often use it to save the distance location between the camera and my backyard bird feeder so I can more easily snap between it and nearby tree branches. When photographing baseball, you can save the distance to one of the bases to catch quickly developing plays.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

A linear focus motor drives the lens quickly enough to support the speedy 40fps continuous drive included in top-tier Fuji cameras like the Stacked BSI CMOS X-H2S. Manual focus is available, too, and the large focus ring turns comfortably and without any noticeable lag, making for smooth, precise manual focus adjustments.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

The XF 500mm has a very good close-focus capability, capturing subjects at 1:5 life-size when focused to its minimum 9-foot (2.75 meter) distance. It falls short of the half-size (1:2) that puts a prime in the macro class, but it is a good option if you see some little detail in a scene that you want to magnify.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Image Quality: Sharp Optics Show Few Flaws

I paired the XF 500mm with the 40MP X-H2 for testing in the studio with Imatest and out in the world. It scores in the outstanding range (4,200 lines) at f/5.6 and f/8. Detail takes a slight step back at f/11 (3,500 lines) and drops off significantly at f/16 (2,300 lines) and f/22 (1,800 lines). The reason for the drop in resolution at smaller apertures is optical diffraction, an effect of physics that causes light particles to scatter apart as they pass through a very small opening. 

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Put plainly, the XF 500mm is as sharp a lens you'll find and does its best work at or near maximum aperture. It's easy to capture rich textures with the lens, including fine detail in the fur and feathers of wildlife. Razor-sharp optics are a compelling reason to choose a prime and forgo the more versatile, flexible angle of view you get with a zoom lens. The XF 500mm also shows minimal distortion and delivers relatively steady light levels from edge to edge, so there's no dim vignette bordering your images.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

However, the Fuji XF 150-600mm F5.6-8 is an exceptionally sharp zoom; it tested in the outstanding range for a 26MP sensor camera when I reviewed it, and I've since used the 150-600mm with an X-H2 and noted very similar detail in songbird feathers. Though the XF 150-600mm keeps pace, you can justify spending more on the XF 500mm for its brighter aperture (the XF 150-600mm maxes out at f/8 when set to 500mm), which makes it more useful in tough light and with teleconverters, and its lighter carry weight.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

It's a good idea to use the hood, at least on sunny days, as I noticed the lens can show a soft, glowing flare in situations where the sun is low in the sky and behind your subject. It's a situational issue that's not too hard to work around, and I found that I could minimize (or accentuate) the glowing effect with just a slight change to my camera angle.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Background blur is easy to achieve with this lens. The extreme telephoto angle and decently bright f/5.6 maximum aperture work together to capture sharply focused subjects against blurred-out backdrops. The XF 500mm F5.6 is capable of completely blowing out backgrounds in many scenes, though it may show busy, slightly frenetic bokeh situationally.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Bright, defocused specular highlights often show a bright edge and middle with a hard, dim ring between them. This shows up most clearly around defocused points of bright light but can create a textured look in scenes with complex detail in the background. You'll notice it in scenes with foliage or similar repeating patterns behind your subject. On a positive note, I couldn't spot any signs of false color caused by longitudinal chromatic aberration (LoCA) in the fall-off between focus and blur or in other typical problem areas.

(Credit: Jim Fisher)

Verdict: A Top-Notch Telephoto Prime

The Fujinon XF 500mm F5.6 R LM OIS WR is a lens with few flaws and a heck of a lot of utility for photographers who want to take photos of distant subjects. Its narrow angle of view, fast focus, and sharp, background-blurring optics come together to capture subjects like songbirds and other small subjects that fly or run away if you get too close. Its build quality is impeccable, too—magnesium construction makes for a light, 3-pound lens, and extensive weather sealing allows you to use it in all kinds of environments. But as good as it is, the XF 500mm doesn't quite beat out the Fuji XF 150-600mm as our Editors' Choice for creators who want an ultra-telephoto lens for an X series camera. The 150-600mm is nearly as sharp, provides a flexible angle of view, is just as well-made and only a half-pound heavier, and, importantly, is two-thirds the price of the prime. The XF 500mm is twice as bright at the focal length, though, so it's a worthwhile splurge for creators who take a lot of photos during twilight hours or who specialize in very distant subjects and may want the brighter optics to pair with a teleconverter. Either way, Fuji system owners are lucky to have two fantastic, reasonably priced ultra-telephoto lenses.