XF 18-135mm. Pictures not crisp?

[AlexT]

Hi, 

I'm new to the Fuji system and this forum. I posted this on the X-T2 one but I am now figuring out it is more suited to the Lens forum. So I'm sorry about the double post and if there's a rule against this let me know so I can delete the previous post.

Having said that... I bought a used XT-2 and a brand new XF 18-135mm lens. Just went on my first trip with it and I'm not happy with how a lot of the pictures turned out. I can't understand why some of them look blurred (as in by movement). Some others just don't look crisp enough.

I'm attaching cropped versions at 100% zoom of the pictures to highlight some problem areas (they are not near the edges).

Perhaps I'm missing something, but I want to rule out my equipment being defective. Is this normal?

Picture1:

• ISO-200
• f/5.3
• 1/1100sec
• 74mm
• OIS on

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Picture2:

• ISO-200
• f/5.6
• 1/640sec
• 135mm
• OIS on

Picture3:

• ISO-200
• f/5.6
• 1/1000sec
• 88mm
• OIS on

[andrei89]

have you tried turning off the OIS? at those shutter speeds you shouldn't need it and it might be misbehaving...

Edited February 4, 2020 by andrei89

[AlexT]

I did a few tests without it and I couldn't see much of a difference. I take it that this quality is not to be expected then?

At what shutter speed should I start using OIS?

Thanks!

[jwascher]

The second and third photos, you are shooting at wide open Aperture settings, giving you a narrow focal range. Also, the pictures show the subjects moving fairly fast toward the camera. I would suggest you change your focus setting to "C" so the camera will track the moving subjects. Also, I like to shoot at f8 to f11 to get a wider focus area. I would think those 2 changes should result in better focused shots. i shoot a lot of sports shots and let the ISO float while keeping the Aperture and shutter speed set. As andrei89 replied, you are shooting ar=t pretty high shutter speeds. I would think that a 1/250 should have been fast enough to stop the action. I use my 18-135 lens as my go-to everyday lens and have been very please with the results.

Not sure what the issue with shot 1 is with the waterfalls. You said you were only posting part of the shot. Are any parts in focus? Again, using the higher f stop will get more of the detail into focus.

If you are at lower shutter speeds, I would always use the OIS. Having it on usually only gives problems a tri-pod at long shutter speeds.

[MLFLY]

I would suggest you try an object at a medium range at a couple of varied zoom and aperture settings from a tripod. That's the only way to tell if the lens is sharp. Photograph something that allows you to judge sharpness - say, a fence or similar. If that softness remains, I wouldn't be happy and would exchange it with another one. I had to send back a 55-200 and I'm very happy with the second one.

[Pavel57]

The images with a Fuji XF 18-135mm lens are typically soft at aperture 5.6 and require higher sharpening in the RAF converter (for example Capture One). The best image quality is generally at apertures from 8 to 11, shutter speed 1/500 sec. and shorter, ISO from 200 to 1000.

Samples

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Dd5A7GzJm2JAWZkx9

Edited February 6, 2020 by Pavel57

[Neil]

Since those are not the whole frame, as someone pointed out, it's not possible to tell if the focus is actually off (somewhere else).  If nothing is sharp, then it's possible there's something wrong with your lens.  

The 18-135 is a great lens IMHO, I have had one for 4 years and use it almost more than any other lens.  I broke it this summer when my camera fell of the tripod (my fault, not properly locked in) and it fell lens first into a tidepool.  It was having problems with the zoom sticking aftre that but Fuji fixed that just replacing some inner collar.   Otherwise, it actually survived the fall and getting wet incredibly well!  The X-T30 didn't fare well, it's beyond repair (though it worked the rest of that evening/sunset shoot).

[EdricBF]

I have had problems with two copies of the 18-135: I could not have good focus away from the central area of the frame at apertures below f/11. Got rid of the lens but was convinced that I got a bad sample, since so many people praised the thing. A year later decided to give it another try, but the results were the same as before, like the focus plane was uneven/slightly warped except for the central area at f/5.6 and f/8.

I have never used a superzoom because of such well known limitations, but I expected Fuji to come with something better: I wasn't lucky like some people that vow for it.

Edited February 6, 2020 by EdricBF

[AlexT]

Thanks for the feedback and insights. I am afraid I might have a bad copy. The subjects were not moving towards me (except the boat but very far away and not too fast) so I don't think that's the problem. 

Here are some links to the uncropped RAW files, maybe it's easier to see.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/4cn99q8hzllqnbk/DSCF7368.RAF?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kshuz44g5mordng/DSCF7373.RAF?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/jp7iucdioru432m/DSCF7404.RAF?dl=0

[Zabo]

Unless you focused and reframed, or you where not in autofocus (S or C) mode, there is a problem in the OIS for me too.
I would do dome sample shots from a tripod as MLFLY suggested.
I own a 18-135 and I've always been pleased with it.