demubckma

I use my X-T1 kit (23mm and 16-55mm) primarily for shooting pics of my family on outings and indoors. Even from someone coming from a pretty compact camera (Lumix LX7), I got used to the relative bulk of the X-T1/16-55 combo pretty quickly and don't feel as though it feels unbalanced, and I don't use any additional grips. The ergonomics for me personally are very comfortable, and I don't have the largest hands. The combination feels solid but not "brick" heavy. I may have had a less than stellar copy of the 18-55, but I feel the 16-55's images are on a different level. I'm just an everyday shooter who uses Fuji purely as a hobby, and my lack of skills probably has something to do with why I didn't feel as though the highly reputable 18-55 didn't seem all that fantastic to me, but I didn't change anything with my technique and still feel as though my results are dramatically different, despite what some review say regarding a negligible difference in image quality between the two. The extra 2mm at the wide end is a nice bonus. I personally don't mind the lack of OIS since I use it primarily for shooting people pictures. (It would have been nice to have of course and for others that use the lens in different scenarios, it could represent a deal breaker) The lens is not as big in person as it may seem in pictures online, but it IS a big lens. It makes for a combo comparable in size to your typical Nikon/Canon APS-C DSLR (like a 5300/5500) and telephoto zoom. Rent it first and give it a try, though. If you're contemplating getting one at all, you owe it to yourself to give it a go. This is coming from someone who swore he would never tote around a DSLR-sized package to snap pics of family.