Fujinon XC 15-45mm F3.5-5.6 OIS Pancake Power Zoom

[Patrick FR]

COMING SOON: New Fujinon XC 15-45mm F3.5-5.6 OIS Pancake Power Zoom

 

https://www.fujirumors.com/coming-soon-new-fujinon-xc-15-45mm-f3-5-5-6-ois-pancake-power-zoom-o52-filter-thread

[Tikcus]

When I shot on sony e-mount, I loved the pancake power zoom kit lens (16-50), it was really convenient.

 

This is a lens that could interest me for street, currently I use the 18mm F/2 at ~F/8

the 52mm thread fits nicely with filters i already have for the 18 f/2 and 35 f/1.4.

 

However it would need to be cheap, but I expect it will mostly become the new cheaper kit lens on the XT20/XE3 bodies and the default on the XA bodies, which means lots of cheap lenses may appear on ebay

 

I feel that Fuji moved in the right direction with slightly cheaper F/2 Primes, I's still like to see the introduction of even cheaper XC Primes, for those of us that need something for occasional shooting that doesn't require the build quality of the XF line, but focal lengths the XC or kit XF zooms can not currently provide

 

e.g.

 

XC 12mm F/2.8 or F/4

XC  8mm (fish eye?)

XC 23mm/35mm/50mm F/2.8 (although I doubt these 3 would be made as too much overlap with the new F/2 range)

[bhu]

Any rumors on dimensions? For myself, the lens would have to be at least 10-20 mm shorter than the XF18-55 to even be considered. Also, as an XC lens, I would expect cost to be roughly the same as the XC-16-50 or half that of the XF-18-55.

 

Then, there there is the crowd of lenses in this focal range; several fast primes, pancakes and the new compact primes, the kit zoom, and the constant aperture zooms. Designating the pancake zoom to the XC family helps differentiate the product but I am curious as to Fujifilm's roadmap strategy. If it were me, I would obsolete the XC16-50 and replace it with the "pancake" XC-15-45 as the XC kit for X-A cameras. I doubt Fujifilm expects the lens to be used much by the X-E/T crowd but this may be a first step in revamping the older zoom lenses for both XC and XF, though that thought is pure speculation.

[Tikcus]

The sony pancake power zoom 16-50 kit lens is 30mm (selp1650) 

 

the xf18-55 is 70.4mm (at 18mm)

the xc16-50 is 65.2mm (at 16mm)

 

so being 10-20mm shorter shouldn't be a problem for Fuji, as it is an XC lens it will probably be an F/3.5 - 5.6 like the current XC16-50

 

at least in the uk Fujifilm currently has 3 options on the XT20 and XE3 (only the XT is shipped with the XC as an option)

 

Body only (£849.00) (both cameras)

XT20 With XF18-55 (£1149.00)

XE3 With XF18-55 (£1249.00)

Then things change the XT20 is also offered with the XC16-50 (£949.00)

The XE3 is offered with XF23mm F/2 (£1149.00)

 

Not sure why the XF18-55 is £100 more on an XE3, as body price is the same, only reason I can think of is the XF18-55 list price is significantly higher than the XF23 f/2. but still sees to make the XT a better purchase if you wanted the XF18-55

Edited January 16, 2018 by Tikcus

[bhu]

Great reply, Tikus. Thank you.

 

As to the price discrepancy on the XF kit zoom, that might be due to price elasticity for the X-E market. That is, X-E buyers may be less price conscious than X-T buyers, which allows Fujifilm to push the price up a bit, which is also more of my unfounded speculation. The X-T line seems like it is Fujifilm's spearhead into full-time photographers' kits so system price may be a larger factor in adoption.

[Patrick FR]

here is the image of the XC 15-45 zoom

 

https://www.fujirumors.com/leaked-fujifilm-x-a5-xc-15-45-images/

[terrapin44]

I think this would be a good lens to have, but I am not sure it will be a big enough difference compared to the xc16-50 I already own. If the price is right and the early adapters give it good reviews, I might consider it. 

[citral]

I don't see any better option for hiking, if iq is good : it's going to be a bit longer than the 18, so it will fit in say a mirrorless mover 10. It will be an extremely light and compact package.

 

When doing landscape, wide aperture is not a must-have at all. Better get a small tripod, and/or ois, f8 and be there.

 

I've always taken the 18 or 18+35 when on multi day hikes in the mountains, happy not to have to swap lenses, or be restrained with a 18 only, and have the 16mm option on top (let's face it 15mm will probably not be great)

 

Good news at last.

Edited January 29, 2018 by citral

[Patrick FR]

XC 15-45 Specs, Images and Size

 

https://www.fujirumors.com/new-images-fujinon-xc-15-45-fujifilm-x-a20-leaked/

[citral]

It looks cheap like all the xc lenses but as pure utility lens I'm gonna buy it without a second thought. Even when visiting a town and wanting to remain light this is gonna be great. Can't handle carrying a 10-24 around and 16mm is the widest I go.

 

Thanks Patrick, keep up the good work.

[tractorboyx]

Seems like a great idea for a lens, but canon have also announced a similar lens for there EOS-M, which is f/1.8-3.5 and about 45mm long. come on Fuji keep up!