The Fujifilm Fujinon XF 80mm F2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro ($1,199) isn't just a photographic tool. It's a statement from Fuji that shows just how good its lens design can be, and how much image quality you can squeeze out of the APS-C X system, assuming you don't mind spending the money and carrying a hefty chunk of glass. The macro lens features life-size magnification, strong optical stabilization, and an all-weather design. At close to $1,200 it's not a budget choice, and its also quite heavy. Despite the cost and a few operational drawbacks, the image quality it delivers can't be argued with, and it earns Editors' Choice marks.

Design

I was surprised to pick up the XF 80mm ($1,199.00 at Amazon) for the first time and feel its weight. It's a really big lens, at 5.1 by 3.2 inches (HD) and 1.7 pounds, especially when you consider that it's not designed for a full-frame system. Attaching the included lens hood extends the height by 3 inches. Fujifilm's X mirrorless system uses the APS-C sensor size. The size is due to a rather complex optical design that incorporates 16 elements, including a floating focus group. The internal glass, plus sturdy metal construction contribute to the weight. Given the bulk, I wish Fujifilm had incorporated a tripod collar into the lens design.

The floating focus elements also give the lens a rather disconcerting feature. When your camera is powered down or when the lens is detached, moving it creates an audible rattle and noticeable vibration. The floating elements, normally held in place by electromagnets, wobble when they aren't powered.

It's not the only noise the lens makes either—you can hear the optical stabilization system doing its work. Because of this, the 80mm Macro isn't the best choice for video, assuming you're using in-camera sound for a project. The stabilization system is very effective, delivering up to five stops of compensation. That's very important for handheld macro work, as the high magnification means you need to use a much shorter shutter speed than normal to get an image that's completely free of shake-induced motion blur.

The lens is available in black only. It's sealed against dust and moisture, so you can use it without worry in rainy or dusty conditions when paired with a similarly sealed body—all of Fujifilm's higher end models incorporate weather sealing. Additionally, the front lens element is coated with fluorine. The material resists water and grease, so raindrops will just glide off and you can easily remove a smudge with a microfiber cloth.

I used the lens primarily with the X-Pro2, and often wished I was using it with the X-T2 or X-H1 instead, as they offer deeper handgrips to better pair with bulky lenses. I wouldn't think to pair it with an entry-level model like the svelte X-A5, but photographers buying the budget-minded X-A5 are not generally buying lenses at this price point.

Like most Fuji X lenses, there is a physical aperture control ring. It can be set manually from f/2.8 through f/22 in third-stop increments. There is an A (automatic) position to give control of the f-stop to the camera. There is also a toggle switch to turn the stabilization system on and off, and another switch to limit the autofocus range. You can have the lens cover its full range, close focus only (0.25 to 0.5-meter), or distant focus only (0.5-meter to infinity).

Manual focus is electronic, which is the story with most mirrorless lenses, but a bit of a downer for macro work. When you turn the focus ring it activates a motor to move the focusing elements. You don't get the tactile feedback that a mechanical lens provides, nor do you have any visual cues on the lens itself to let you know what your current focus distance or magnification is. The body does work to help with manual focus—adjustments are finer the closer you focus, just like a mechanical lens. But I do miss the more real feel of a mechanical focus system.

The flip side is that autofocus is very fast. A linear drive motor moves the focusing elements with great speed. When working at a distance—using the lens for portraiture, for example—I found it to be nearly instant in acquisition. Macro focus, even with the limiter, is more demanding, and if you're working with a busy scene with a lot of elements the lens can hunt a bit. But no more than most autofocus macro lenses.

Focus is available to 9.8 inches (0.25-meter). At its closest focus distance the lens captures subjects at 1:1 magnification. At 1:1 the image projected onto the camera sensor matches the size of the real-life subject.

The XF 80mm is an APS-C lens, so its field of view is closer to that of 120mm on a full-frame camera. Because of the longer focal length, you can shoot at 1:1 while keeping a decent distance between the front element and the subject. If you want more working distance you can add a teleconverter. The lens is compatible with both the XF 1.4x and XF 2x converters, which give it a field of view of 170mm and 240mm, respectively. Full macro capability is maintained, and you can still shoot at distance to bring far away subjects into tighter view. Using a teleconverter does limit the maximum aperture—with the 1.4x attached the lens tops out at f/4 and it drops to f/5.6 with the 2x.

Image Quality

I tested the XF 80mm along with the 24MP X-Pro2. Imatest shows that it's incredibly sharp. At f/2.8 it scores 3,037 lines on our standard center-weighted sharpness test, with edges that are just as sharp as the center. Resolution holds steady at f/4 and f/5.6.

There is a modest bump at f/8, to 3,133 lines, and we see 3,152 lines at f/11, its sharpest setting. It's not a big variation from f/2.8, so you can use the aperture to adjust depth of field without worrying about losing sharpness at wider settings.

There is a drop at f/16, to 2,755 lines, which is still very good. At the minimum f/22 setting resolution drops to 2,362 lines. It's less resolution than shooting at wider settings, but I'd feel comfortable using the lens stopped down all the way if a shot called for it. Depth of field is very shallow when working at high magnification—you can blur out backgrounds even when working at the smallest settings.

There's absolutely no subject distortion, so you can safely use the lens for critical copy work or architectural photography. Imatest does show some corner dimness at f/2.8—the corners are about 1.3 stops (-1.3EV) dimmer than the center. But it dips to -0.8EV at f/4, which we've found to be negligible for practical photography.

Conclusions

The Fujinon XF 80mm F2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro gives Fujifilm X shooters a top-notch macro lens. It captures extremely crisp images, regardless of whether you're working up close or taking advantages of its telephoto design to capture more distant subjects, and you can add a teleconverter to extends its reach. Optical stabilization makes handheld macro shooting easier, and you can work in all kinds of weather thanks to extensive internal seals.

We're naming it an Editors' Choice, the first macro lens for the X system to earn the distinction. It's not a perfect lens for everyone—manual focus lovers will feel disappointed by the electronic focus system, and the size of the lens almost screams for an integrated tripod collar. Video enthusiasts should think about another lens due to the sound made by the stabilization system. But a few drawbacks don't stop us from recommending the lens to X system owners shopping for a top-notch macro.

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