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Is XC 50-230mm identical to XF 55-200mm?


knarf72

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I am looking for a telephoto zoom lens for my X-T1.

Previously I was only considering the XF 55-200mm, because the XF 50-140mm is out of my price range. And as I am looking for the best picture quality, I didn't really consider the XC 50-230mm.

But after I read this interview:

 

http://fujifilm-blog.com/2015/06/30/interview-with-mr-takashi-ueno-from-fujifilm-tokyo-why-dont-fujifilm-make-full-frame-dslr/

 

This is why we then created the XC lens “XC16-50mm” and “XC50-230mm” as the beginners’ model. The only difference is the material used for the lens exterior. The inside is the same optical design and technology as the XF lens.

 

I am now reconsidering my first thoughts. If the only difference between XF 55-200mm and XC 50-230mm (besides the obivous differences like apperture, price and mm) is the material used, I would probably go for the XC 50-230mm. But somehow I can't believe, that the picture quality of the XC 50-230mm is the same as from the XF 55-200mm. (or do I misinterpret/misunderstand the interview?)

 

Does anybody know if the picture quality is equal or not between these two lenses.

I appreciate every help/info/link/opinion in this matter.

 

Thanks a lot.

Frank

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Both lenses were tested by Photozone:

 

50-230:

http://www.photozone.de/fuji_x/880-fuji50230f4567

 

55-200:

http://www.photozone.de/fuji_x/879-fuji55200f3548

 

55-200 seems significantly better optically, especially with regard to sharpness.

 

I am also considering the purchase of a telephoto lens for my X-T1 and I will definitely go for the 55-200. The reach is not much different from the 50-230 really, but the sharpness and aperture range definitely is. To me this alone is worth the price difference.

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Pascal, test the lens yourself, don’t go by people whom you don’t know !

 

post-106-0-36497000-1432472263.jpgpost-106-0-61257600-1435852080.jpgpost-106-0-48461800-1437570676.jpg

 

 

 

I haven’t tested both lenses BUT for the money it costs I found that the results were very good indeed! I couldn’t possibly say that the two lenses are identical though.

 

 

Read here ( there are already several open threads on this lens!)

 

http://www.fuji-x-forum.com/topic/292-the-humble-though-honorable-xc-50-230mm-f-45-67/

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I believe most of us own one or the other so can honestly only speak to the one we own.  I own the XF 55-200 and couldn't be happier, it is a great lens and gives outstanding results..  I have also heard very good things about the XC 50-230, there are many posts from users who love this lens as well.  

 

Looking at the specs they are very similar but based on the aperture rating of 3.5 for the XF vs. 4.5 for the XC - the XF is going to perform a bit better in low light.  Meaning sunrise and sunset; for me this is critical.  From the posts I've read it is likely in good daylight they both perform extremely well.  There is likely a minor difference in sharpness as well based on the number of elements/groups - 14/10 vs. 13/10.

 

So the other differences are cost and weight.  The image quality is likely very similar with the XF having the slight advantage, but in terms of cost and weight the XC wins out by a good margin.  Naturally this is simply my rendition of understanding the differences as logically as I can, but for me sunrise performance is critical so the aperture rating of the XF won out in the choice between the two.

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I own only the XF, but I can say that the OIS and faster aperture make it a winner and a much more versatile lens. I used to own the Canon 70-200 F4 non-is lens and then sold it because I could only find use for it outdoors in good light. Eventually I bought the IS version of the 70-200 F4 and it was amazing in the difference in where I could use it. When it comes to image quality, Fuji lenses will not let you down. The next question to ask yourself is how much use would you like to get out of it? If you only plan on using it in good lighting conditions at all times, then it would seem that the XC lens is a great deal. However, for more versatility in less-than-ideal lighting scenarios, a a bit better build quality, the XF is an even better bet.

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I'm really happy with the XC in terms of IQ. No complaints at all really and when I can get the ISO low enough it's easily comparable to the 18-55mm in terms of quality. 

 

It's slow as hell for indoors though as is obvious from the specs. If I needed indoors/low-light though I'd get the 50-140mm not the 55-200mm.

 

The OIS works well and no one seems to complain about it. 

 

The XC is light and easy to carry around which I cherish since I often bring it "just in case" and use it for a few wildlife shots on days when I mostly use the 18-55mm or my 35mm. 

 

17358475782_95595265b7_b.jpg

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the XC  has OIS too, the faster aperture of the XF is really very little more ( It is not that it is 2.8 through its whole range!) , but, if you use a zoom this long at the maximum aperture... it might be giving you a very slight edge.

 

For every other use, I don’t think I would ever need anything else.

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Pascal, test the lens yourself, don’t go by people whom you don’t know !

 

I haven’t tested both lenses BUT for the money it costs I found that the results were very good indeed! I couldn’t possibly say that the two lenses are identical though.

 

Read here ( there are already several open threads on this lens!)

 

http://www.fuji-x-forum.com/topic/292-the-humble-though-honorable-xc-50-230mm-f-45-67/

 

I agree with you that testing both lenses is probably the best thing to do (if I just had the time), but I am quite sure that at the end I will prefer a lens that is better built and gives me that slightly better control over exposure and DOF. This is not to say that the 50-230mm is a much weaker lens. It's just a personal preference.

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XC50-230, some extreme test shots

 

1. Fast-moving object.

2. Bird under harsh summer sun, non-static also. 230mm  and crop 100%.

3. Indoor, at night, quick kitchen setup. Light source - only one candle!

 

Sorry, don't have XF55-200.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

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got the XC, it's incredible value, probably best value for money lens in Fuji camp.

 

It's sharp enough from wide open, plenty sharp at f/8. Bokeh ain't bad either.

 

I'd say - if you want to shoot a lot of pictures in that focal length, maybe go for 55-200 instead, for aperture, even better sharpness and bokeh. But if you shoot at tele focals just from time to time, like me - you can't go wrong with XC50-230, it's so tiny and lightweight. I find the XC to be much better than my Tamron 70-300VC that I got on Nikon mount, and it's less than half the weight, size and price!

 

I got mine for 140EU brand new, watch ebay and such for people selling brand new ones that came with body or they got it on sale with other lenses.

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You and Op can do whatever each of you wants, of course, it is your money after all.

 

But it is not wise denying the fact that you are looking at perfectly good pictures and hearing good stories told by real life users about a lens which one might dismiss without even have tried it!

 

You have the right to your opinions but if you have never used this lens, what are they based on?

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There are two spoons. One is silver and another is steel. Both are the same size, just silver is a bit heavier. Though all other parameters are equal you know that one is silver and another is steel. Whatever you choose nobody will be aware. The spoons belong to you and only you know that one is silver and another is steel. Whatever you choose, both will serve you the same way, you can eat soup with it. But every time you will use it you know whether it is a silver in your mouth or a steel.

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Seeing all these fotos from the XC gives a good impression. I probably don't use the tele zoom often enough for the extra money the XF costs compared to the XC.

But it would be great to have some fotos for comparison. Is there someone who has access to both zoom lenses and can provide some "identical" fotos?

Your help is greatly apreciated.

Thanks

Frank

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you can of course “ test” Fuji lenses side by side here 

 

http://fujifilmxmount.com/comparison/en/test-our-lenses/?o=XC50-230

http://fujifilmxmount.com/comparison/en/test-our-lenses/?o=XF55-200

 

Your consideration about not using the longer focal-lengths often enough is very important.

 

The majority of the modern photographers, unless involved in sport or animal photography, make a relatively sparing use of long focal lengths and, generally,to get things that aren’t easy to reach a little closer or, if they are aware of this, to compress perspective.

 

I am not saying that the 50-230mm is the photographic panacea but the slight ( really slight) aperture advantage ( offset by the slight longer reach) is in no comparison with the huge price difference.

 

As I wrote before, this is of real little consequence on a camera equipped with a EVF .

 

On a reflex camera, if you are going to focus manually, there is a real advantage in having a lens that has an aperture that is  even minimally larger because your capability to focus might depend upon how bright the image is because you are looking at an image formed directly from whatever light comes through the lens.

 

But this is NOT the case with an EVF camera.

 

What you see is the electronic and amplified rendition of the image coming through the lens.

 

Up to a certain extent, when noise begins to appear, there is little to no difference in your EVF whether you use a 2.8 lens or a 5.6 ( or more).

 

Don’t just listen to me, try it on your camera. Put an adapted lens stopped down at 8 on it do you really see, if you point it toward a normally lit subject, any difference than a lens at 2.8?

 

Unless we are talking of shooting in near darkness there will be no difference in your EVF.

 

The would be a difference in shooting, for example, in theaters, with little and coloured light, if the 55-200 would be seriously more light efficient.

 

Would the 55-200 be a f2.8 throughout the whole range, it would be a completely different story... but it isn’t!

 

Quality-wise... look at the shots! Is there something really wrong with any shot made by the cheap lens? 

 

Which brings me to people dissing the cheaper lens but actually never used one.

 

There is a lot of perception bias due to the fact that a cheap(er) lens “ has” to be bad! I’d like to hear the argument based on quality.

 

Yes the cheap lens is slower than the more expensive one but by how much? After the last firmware it performs more than decently even with moving subjects and offers a decent OIS ( which one switches on and of in-camera). Apparently the version II of this lens offers a better performance and closer focus too.

 

 

My point is that, side by side, in the majority of the shots that one is likely to shoot, the 50-230mm performs equally well to the hugely more expensive 55-200.

 

 

 

There is little doubt that the 100-400mm to come will offer a better lens to those who need a really long lens.

 

However:

 

1) You will have to wait at least until the 2016 Photokina 

2) It will cost a pretty penny

3) It will be a massive lens

 

So, if one does moderate or little use of a long focal lens on a Fuji camera you can buy a secondhand or a discarded from kit 50-230mm go do your thing, and then keep it or sell it. 

 

Currently I can find this lens in the Netherlands for less than €200 even in a shop ( Kamera-Express Rotterdam  I don’t know why only in Rotterdam of all their branches) and even less if secondhand.

 

Even if you re-sell it after using, how much are you going to lose?

 

It won’t make a dent into the budget that you might be saving for the 100-400 which santa will bring you in more than one year from now.

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Milandro I agree with everything you said and (as I already said) I came to the same conclusions and have no regrets about my purchase. 

 

That said, you're being a bit defensive and I'm not sure why. The people who preferred the XF lens weren't attacking you or claiming your points were wrong, they were just sharing their experience and reasoning behind preferring the bigger, more expensive option. If this thread only had people saying the XC was cheaper and just as good it wouldn't be a reliable source of information for the OP, even if that was totally true. 

 

Anyway, peace and love to all who enjoy shooting things that are far away! I can't wait for that 100-400mm to come out and ruin our lives with it's weight, expense and excellence :D

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I am not defensive in the least.

 

I am simply explaining myself better making my point clearer.

 

 With all due respect, whether anyone agrees with me or not is not the point. I can carry on doing my thing and anyone doing his thing and be perfectly happy.

 

The point of a forum is not winning arguments but take part to discussions, to do that you need to elaborate. Frank asked a comparison, I told him where to make it and provided extra food for thought. That’s all.

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