The 70-300mm offers tremendous value, especially for those that size and wight is a bit of a concern, you also get to enjoy the cost savings at a cost of losing 100mm, but in terms of image quality you are marginally in similar territory. For those who don't mind the weight of the cost then the 100-400mm is the one to get until we get to see the 150-600mm. The 55-200mm and 50-230mm are great for ultra budget of picking it up second hand. Where the 50-140mm is more of a all purpose lens landscape, some wildlife, event photography, sports, but at a price. The 200mm is for the professional looking to push the lens to its limits either on wildlife or sports. And until Fuji comes up with more primes, here is where the pros are at. Fuji hit the jackpot with 70-300mm, really well balanced selling points for the compromises. I'm glad I got one, a 1.4x teleconverter is the next one to come. Great series, really well done 😎👍
As you’ve said, everyone’s needs are different. I’m a 75 year old retired professional photographer. As one gets older, size and weight becomes much more important. Just a little arthritis in your hands makes handling a 100-400 unenjoyable, partly because it weighs a lot, and partly because its girth demands more hand strength. I could handle it, but it wasn’t fun anymore. It was slightly painful and I was always worried I would drop it. That’s why I sold it and bought the 70-300. The image quality is nearly as good, and the smaller size and much reduced weight has brought back my love of wildlife photography.
I also believe in a subconscious passive factor where the bigger a lens/camera is, the less likely you are to use it/pull it out, go for a walk with it etc. No matter your age or ability size and weight can't be under valued
I'm 65 and recently tried out a used 100-400mm and new 70-300mm in my local shop. There was little difference in the price, so that wasn't a factor in my decision. On lifting the 100-400mm lens it didn't seem that bad, but once on my camera I realised that it was too heavy. The 70-300mm seemed to be just about manageable. Even though the 100-400mm had the better zoom range, I went for the 70-300mm. In addition to using the lens for wildlife photography, I also wanted a lens to photograph the total solar eclipse in Texas in 2024. Using the 70-300mm lens with the 1.4X teleconverter would give a 35mm effective focal length of around 630mm and I think that it would be a good focal for the eclipse. Taking the 100-400mm along with my small astronomical mount to the States would be nightmare.
I re - looked the series and it made me rethink lenses for Nature photography including wildlife. There is really no bad decision, it relates to so many factors and personal goals. It also shows the detail knowledge of understanding the system you use. Also no system provides the perfect solution except if you understand your needs and what you want out of your photography. If you don't one can start chasing your tail, become despondent with your own gear choices and next step is selling and buying of other gear options never to find the solution. I was there. Simplify and understand your needs and spend your money wisely, don't get seduced by others gear choices. This is a great series and should be used by all to bring understanding and help with decision making.
I won New Zealand landscape photographer of the yeah when my rate was less than 8 good photos a year that I was happy with. It’s not bad to have high standards for your self, but the solution is still the say, spend more time on your self, specially shooting
Fantastic series Thomas! Really love the last graphic- sort of a measurement of ROI on a Fuji wildlife lens investment. Ihave the 100-400 and love it, but was considering going to the 70-300 plus 1.4TC ( to save $ , convenience, and versatility) so this series really helps in knowing what results I could expect.
Excellent series and had i watched this before I had done multiple purchases trying to figure out my best lens combinations I would have saved hundreds on purchases and reselling lenses. Brilliant mate! Thanks!
Great videos! Have you tested the newer options like the Sigma 100-400, Tamron 150-500, Fuji 150-600, and Tamron 18-300. It would be interesting to see how they perform. Primarily interested in the first and last vs the 70-300 considering price and weight.
Thanks for this excellent series! I am glad also that i bought the 70-300mm last month, the last one in stock in new york city! From this video I am glad I did not buy the TC1,4x as the quality drop is significant. it will be interesting to see how Fuji evolves from this lens set too, but I think they really nailed it with this lens. I tried the lens in a marshlands reserve early in the morning and realize how easy it is to walk around without tiring from the weight. When the deer were in the shade of trees, I realized the importance of low aperture. Perhaps the 200mm would be a great complement to the 70-300. My sister was an enthusiast bird photographer and I learned from her that she had to find ways to get closer for better photos and one suggestion was camouflage on the lens and photographer. I am not sure if there is something for this available for fuji. Thanks again, and keep up the great work!
There are lots of third party options for camouflage, I would even consider looking at doing it your self. But thank you the the comment, I really appreciate it
Thank you for the time and detail in this series. Very much appreciated. I'm in South Africa and for our wildlife I think the 100-400mm is the best if you can afford it. I have the xt4, the 100-400mm lens plus the 1.4tc - fitted if needed. I'm really happy with this setup. I'm hoping fujifilm bring out a 150-600mm or similar and that sigma or Tamron bring out xf mounts for 150-600mm /60-600mm... This would be great for fujifilm wildlife photography imo.
Those results look good to me, thanks for the effort into testing these. If you get the chance and time if you could check out all the different manual focusing aids it would be good as I have seen it mentioned that the split screen aid is not as accurate as peaking.
I've just been reviewing this older video and it has great content for me to relearn some things. I don't know wildlife photography, but just went out twice in the last week on a whale watching boat. Where I live, I would definitely like to have the 70-300 (without TC on it) in this situation. I don't have this lens, but I did use the 50-140 (with 1.4TC) once and the 100-400 (without TC) on the second trip. The 70-300 seems like its in the sweet spot for this particular situation and now I do wish I had one.
Men, you are the champion of Fuji photographer, salute and respect, for all the hard work you put in for these video. I wish you should do a update version if Fuji bring out the 150-600mm next time.
I was sure the 70-300 would come out on top when you first started this series :D the weight and cost with that much reach is what pushed me to move to Fuji. Loved every minute since I switched.
This is the only time I waited and watched every episode in a series in CZcams the day it is released. It was very entertaining and beneficial at the same time. My next planned buy is 70-300 when I have the bucks and your series also showed that I did the right choice :) Thank you very much for this hard work and quality. Really appreciated. I wish you great success in your channel and photography!
Nice work on this series! I would have liked you cover the abberations as a factor. I have the 70-300 which is super sharp BUT in high contrast situations it looses contrast. You get blooming around high contrast edges. Since you want that sun on the animal to get a better shot, it's quite a problem. Same issue when adding the 2x tc on the 50-140mm.
Ohhh I do normally test abberations as well, not sure why I didn't for this series. I did only have the lenses for a far shorter time than I usually do so I guess I was just under the pump and didn't think of it
superb video, totally agree with you there, the 70-300 might not be the best sharpness but overall it is great. But thanks to you I definitely might reconsider holding off the TC purchase. Might want to borrow one to see if it is worth it. I just discovered your channel and watched multiple videos, and I totally agree with you on the XC lenses, most reviewers won't even dare to put a XC lens in a comparison video. But to me the 15-45 and the 50-230 are both superior lenses than the other standard non WR of 18-55, and the 55-200 that are both heavier and cost way more without a big upside.
Great objective video. I like your remarks about the 50-230mm, It’s a great get you started lens, image quality is great, but build quality is garbage, I broke the plastic mount 1 year in. 70-300mm looks to be best balance on the list to me.
Really enjoyed this, thank you. I think I'll take the 1.4xTC off my 70-300. I've never been convinced that the gain isn't negated by the loss of a stop and inferior AF performance. Maybe I'll reserve it for Greek travel shots where light is plentiful.
Yeah I actually got an amazing offer last year and I am now a full time CZcamsr/photographer, just for another company. But they have also given me the go ahead to make BTS videos of how I make my content and upload them to this channel. So yes more will be coming, but in a far more informative way and less reviews I think.
Mate, brilliant series, thanks. Looking forward to more of these comparisons.I hit subscribed when you did the astrophotography, one this one is even better.
A very great in-depth review! Having just borrowed the 100-400 I found it being to heavy with my neck/back issues. I am dabbling a bit with wildlife/birding but mostly shooting telephoto for landscape or “kid events” I was leaning towards 50-140 with maybe the TCs to have the 2.8 that can be quite helpful in theaters to keep the ISO low, but the cost and weight of the 70-300 really has me thinking. ;D I may need to rewatch this series again and again….
Great series of videos Thomas! I bought the X-T4 and the 70-300. To say they are a fantastic combo is an understatement! I've been thinking hard about getting the 1.4 teleconverter, but the only thing holding me back is the possible reduction in speed of the AF when doing the surf videos for clients. Do you think cropping at F8 for example is a better option than spending the money for the 1.4 TC? Thanks mate 🤘
I have shot a little surf but not much, but from my limited experience with surfing work it is usually pretty clean shots with a single subject to focus on, so I’d go with the 1.4x TC and use single point focus. In be confident in that combo for your work.
I am gonna get the 100-400mm with the 2x teleconverter, because I need the reach and the 150-600mm withe the 1.4x teleconverter would be to expensive...
If possible I’d really suggest testing that combination first, as f11 is pretty dark for how insanely high you need your shutter to prevent the very high levels of diffraction that combination causes
Awesome series, with a reasonable conclusion. Though, unless you are shooting in a zoo I’m not sure I’d put the 50-140mm on that list. I have one and even with a hummingbird within 10 feet of me I noticed the lens mostly just wouldn’t focus on it (so I aimed at its flower, not the bird). I had to crop hard to get her up to a reasonable size, with good, not amazing results. It’s an incredible lens overall but the lack of reach is a big problem for wildlife use. If price were no concern, I’d assume the new 150-600mm would take the top spot if you could re-test (Sony has a 150-600 same price and a little faster). It looks like it’s going to be an edge-to-edge sharp lens but f7.1-f8 at the long end will obviously make shooting it more challenging. The 100-400 should be, IMO, much better than it is or much cheaper, I think we can agree on that. My brothers Nikon 200-500 is barely more expensive than the 70-300mm and is legendary. Not sure why Fuji can’t do something similar-all it’s red badge lenses have been essentially full frame sized but APS-C priced which I why I love them!
Hey tb, great work, love the flow of your videos, so much intense knowledge in short time, amazing. While i agree that weight and prize af and many other things matter, i feel like the single most important factor is focal length, it doesnt matter how great a lens is, if u cant get close enough. thus the 200 for my purposes anything below 300 wouldn't even be in the ranking, and i would be hard pressed with anything wider than the 100-400 +tc1.4(maybe i am just not sneaky enough) Hope fujifilm offers more long focal range lenses in the future. Again, great comparison, thanks for your amazing content.
Yeah I really struggled with this as it depends on what you're shooting, but if it helps focal length got more weight that anything else in my algorithm.
I have an inside tip to this topic. It’s a product, that no one is talking about. I was thinking already long time ago to make a video about it. But your channel, your style and skills are much better than mine. So it‘s better to say it here. The name of the product is „TCON-17X Tele Converter“ and it‘s from Olympus. The amazing thing about it is, that it enlarges the magnification ration to 1.7 without changing the camera F-number, making it possible to shoot in dimly lit locations and shoot with a blurred background while using a bright F-number. So, it‘s much better than the Teleconverter from Fuji. And it‘s much cheaper too. It‘s still lightweight as well. And the impact on the image quality is zero. Sometimes I think it‘s even better than without. With that, you totally get that fullframe look. I use it with the Fujinon 55-200mm and the results are phenomenal. You just need a 55-62 step-up-ring. With this combo you get a 510mm fullframe equivalent.
Awesome series. This gives at least some numeric ranking to the vast amount of Fuji lenses.Would be interesting if you could explain more about the focus settings you use for wildlife ?
@@ThomasBusbyPhotography I will try ;). So did you also use the back button focus with the 100-400 +TC and did you notice a difference ? Did you use single or continuous auto focus while testing (or even both, if so is there a huge difference) ? Aside from focus which shutter type would you recommend for wildlife by experience ? Since the metering mode has effects on the contrast which is usually included in the measure of focus, which one did you use for your tests ? Thanks a lot in advance for taking the time to answer and please continue these types of videos they are a huge help to many people !
With back button vs shutter button AF I feel it also has a lot to do with subject, so I’d do some testing with both when getting ready to shoot and see which one feels better. I personally like single point focus point with single shot AF, I find it the fastest. BUT if shooting a rapidly moving subject I’d suggest continuous and tracking. I also use metric metering, and I am a big believer in getting used to how your camera will read a lighting situation and adjusting your exp comp to suit.
A few things actually, I’ve received a full time job creating content and a lot of my energy has been into that, plus Covid really effected Fuji NZ getting me gear to review, I have plans underway for a new direction for this channel in a far more educational sense, but I think the review side of things might be gone for a long while unfortunately
Thank you very much for this excellent and thorough series. I have the 70-300 and 100-400 and love them both. I found the 70-300 only sightly behind the 100-400 in image quality, but of course much easier to handle. I was expecting to sell the 100-400 but couldn't part with it. I tried the 1.4x TC on both lenses but found that simple cropping gave essentially the same result, so, with the attendant TC disadvantages, returned it. The faster focusing speed of the 70-300 makes sense as the lenses have less mass to accelerate and move. I would have liked some quantitative comparisons of OIS. Finally, and please don't take offense, but you might want to run a spell checker on your slides. Phil
Ohh the spell checking is a major one I am constantly having issues with due to Excell and my editing software not having it, but thank you very much for the support, I do honestly appreciate it
I still can't decide 🤭 I've got a Fuji X T4 ( upgraded last year from Canon 1100) I can find used 55 to 230 || for 230 usd Used 50 to 200 for 380 Usd The new 70 to 300 is 790 USD I have a 16 to 80 with me
since i already own 50-140 and 1.4x TC, I guess Im gonna get a 100-400! haha.. I'm sure used they would be just over 1k USD. I wonder what's up with the 150-600 and when it will come out this year
Fantastic series of films - thanks for taking the time to put these and your other films together - they're all great and I'm now subscribed. Really like your presentation style and the way you put the content together. One suggestion for the future - I'd love to see your take on the best combination of lenses for landscape photography. I'm strictly amateur and just learning but I'm considering the XF10 - 24, XF16 - 80 (which will also work for informal family photos etc) but I'm undecided on whether to complement the XF16 - 80 with the XF55 - 200 or the XF 70 - 300 to cover the telephoto end - I'm trying to work out which would work better with the XF16 - 80. Would be really interested in your thoughts on this one. In the meantime, keep up the good work - looking forward to your next releases. Best wishes from the UK.
Thank you so much for your channel! it is amazing. I have the same camera (XS 10). You seem like a super professinal with it. Tell me please how can you connect an external baterry for the camera, so it will be able to film video for many hours. Because the internal battery doesn't last for long. What can I do if my fujifilm XS 10 is on the top of the glidecam, and I film like this. How can I connect a big external battery to it, what should I buy? PLease tell me! I can't find any answer to it.
I don’t have the xs10 on me, but what I do with my xt4 is just use a external power bank, like one you would use to charge your phone. Get one with about a 30w output and atleast 10k mah and you should be all good to go.
Eventually, some major events have happened in my life and I am pretty full time behind the camera these days, but I have been given the go head to make BTS videos of that content so it’s in the pipes, just no date yet
Hi Thomas! Just crossed over your channel and what an outstanding content. In my modest experience I compare Bird Photography a lot with Action Sports and it is fast, specially in flight. Went all the way back to 'episode' 1 and actually got myself a pencil and paper to take a few notes! Amazing guidelines! Wondering if it is on your plans to address a few features that complete or go with the AF system, e.g. the type of scenarios that you set for a particular moment, focus area (3x3?), single point(?), etc. Made the follow of course and that bell is on for future content, that I'm definitely looking forward. Cheers Carlos\Sports Photographer (all the works XT3, 4 and the XFs (most) mentioned are in the bag e.g. XF200...the 'White Sharp'!
Thank you! For my focus test it was single point at the default size, focusing on the middle of a black and white circled star. I can’t remember which mode I had things set to now but they were all tested the same
@@ThomasBusbyPhotography Welcome! Thank You for the quick reply! Above all is definitely one of the best content ever regarding X lens, if not the Best! Trust me, I've seen quite a few! Cheers
Hopefully the to be announced in 2022 150-600mm lens will have a usable aperture range (not f8 please) - this would be auch a great addition to Fujis Wildlife capabilities. Therefore I would change my plan of getting a 200mm f2 (which is a superb lens) and preorder the 150-600 ignoring price ;-)
I haven’t used it but would rank it quiet low, it’s a little dark, and all broad range lenses like that which I have used have been quiet soft at the ends of their zoom
Hi Thomas! I have been watching your videos again and again from last week until now for my choice between 70-300, 100-400. I am having 50-140 and 2x TC but I am not happy with the zoom range. I was really into 100-400 but after watching your videos from part 1, I see the 70-300 is the right choice to start Wildlife photography. But in this video, 7:16 70-300mm WITH 2x TC is not having a good rate. I hope you can read this comment and reply me with the answer which one should I choose? I'm interested in shooting birds for the main reason. Thank you. I can imagine how much works did you and your team put into the videos to compares these lenses. So much details and exact points what people need to know. It is just my English isn't perfect to understand 100% of your talks so I really need your advice. Thank you all again.
The 70-300 gets lots of points for being lite and cheap, but if size and price of the 100-400 doesn’t bother you I would rather have that. If it helps my personal choice between the 70-300 and the 100-400 for wildlife photography would be the 100-400
Hi man, it’s a very interesting comparison. I would like to know, where you should put the new 150-600 in this rank ? Do you simply add to the list with his own rank or do you think it can fully replace the 100-400 guy ? thx
If I was suggesting new lenses for wildlife shooters, I’d suggest starting with the 70-300 And then replacing it with the 150-600. So yes I’d get it instead of the 100-400. Based on the feedback from the pros I talk to who shoot fuji wildlife most days for a living
Hey Thomas. Somewhat off-topic, but did you consider adding links to your website and Instagram in your "About" page on YT? I'd love to see your portfolio but was too lazy to google;)
Thank you for always posting interesting videos. I'm preparing to buy a 200mm f2 and I'm looking forward to hearing the amazing combination of 1.4x tc. But I don't think there are many positive opinions about 2x tc, is this because the image quality decreases so much? Is the 400mm image quality using 2x tc difficult to use compared to 100-400? Is it right to use 100-400mm together? It's a lot of questions but I'd like to hear your opinion on this.
@@ThomasBusbyPhotography Thanks for answering the questions. Let's watch this series again. It seems easy to judge and make decisions because my situation is not easy, but your answer helped me. I hope you continue to post helpful videos.
If something comes up that you feel I’ve missed or didn’t explain well, please ask in these comments and I’ll try my best to help. Thank you for taking the time to supply some encouraging feedback, I honestly really appreciate it
I believe it already gives you the best possible IS if you’re using a lens with IS, I’m very sure it’s not something you can unlock more of if that makes sense as it’s already all or nothing
This was really interesting, thank you. I have the 100-400 lens but now so unhappy with it, am considering the smaller 70-300mm, mainly because on my XT-2 I kept getting 'lens control error' messages. Thought it was the camera so sent both that and the 400mm lens into Fuji, twice as it happened, for service/repair. I then bought the XT-4 as wanted to upgrade the camera anyway, and now after two days trying to get used to it, am getting error message with that same 400mm lens on, to 'switch off camera and switch on again', and am just waiting for that annoying 'lens control error' message to pop up again as I feel sure it will. Really fed up with Fuji but willing to give it one more chance by changing to the 70-300 lens. Would appreciate any thoughts on why I get these messages on the 100-400 lens and why Fuji can't seem to fix it? Is it even worth me buying the 300mm??!
@@ThomasBusbyPhotography No, I got the lens at the end of 2018. It was fine until this July when I began getting the error messages. Paid repair fee and sent it in to Fuji to be looked at. They replaced lens mount, lens group, and aperture mechanism, adjusted focus and IS. In meantime tried the XT-2 with almost unused kit lens and same thing happened, so sent camera in as well, and they replaced top cover and front assembly. Got 400mm lens and camera back and within a few weeks the lens control error message popped up again only this time I could only use the camera if lens was fully extended otherwise message came up and stopped any further use. So sent lens back again (this time under their 6 mth repair warranty thingy so no additional cost to me) and they replaced the lens group again and adjusted focus! Now got the lens on a second hand XT-4 that I've just bought and was concerned when message came up to switch camera off and on again - that is how the problems began on the XT-2+ this lens. All I really wondered was whether you have ever experienced this or heard of it happening to other people with the 400mm lens? I certainly won't want to risk buying another 400mm after all this so considering the 300mm now which I hope won't have similar problems. Sorry, didn't mean to make this your problem - was just curious as to whether it is a common thing!
I have had the “turn on and off” message on my xt4 a few times but not much, and I have a feel it was from when the camera was under stress (heavy shooting, hot day, not the best sd card etc) But I haven’t had any lens with that issue before. How often does it pop up?
@@ThomasBusbyPhotography Just before I sent them in to be looked at, it was happening every time I turned the camera on, unless the lens was totally extended first. Then it got so that if I retracted the lens a bit after taking some pics, it would immediately flash up the lens control error message, so then I had to turn the camera off, extend the lens completely again so it would turn on without the message, and then I could actually use it again! All very odd. At first I thought it was because I had carried the camera around by the grip instead of using a strap - thought it was putting a strain on the mount, so stopped doing that, but even after being fitted with new mounts, it began to happen again. So far, on this second-hand XT-4 it has only shown the 'switch off/turn on' message twice, (not the lens error message) so I am watching and waiting to see whether it becomes an issue. I really hope not! The more I think about it now, I suppose it COULD have been the XT-2 at fault, and not the lens..... if so, it should be fine on the XT-4, fingers crossed. Watch this space!
Yeah if you get on/off message on your xt4 I wouldn’t assume it’s the lens. And that it’s something different, and for me that issue cleared up when I switched to good sandisk cards (if it starts being a constant issue for you)
The 70-300mm offers tremendous value, especially for those that size and wight is a bit of a concern, you also get to enjoy the cost savings at a cost of losing 100mm, but in terms of image quality you are marginally in similar territory.
For those who don't mind the weight of the cost then the 100-400mm is the one to get until we get to see the 150-600mm.
The 55-200mm and 50-230mm are great for ultra budget of picking it up second hand.
Where the 50-140mm is more of a all purpose lens landscape, some wildlife, event photography, sports, but at a price.
The 200mm is for the professional looking to push the lens to its limits either on wildlife or sports. And until Fuji comes up with more primes, here is where the pros are at.
Fuji hit the jackpot with 70-300mm, really well balanced selling points for the compromises. I'm glad I got one, a 1.4x teleconverter is the next one to come.
Great series, really well done 😎👍
Thank you, and a great conclusion from you
Great summary!
As you’ve said, everyone’s needs are different. I’m a 75 year old retired professional photographer. As one gets older, size and weight becomes much more important. Just a little arthritis in your hands makes handling a 100-400 unenjoyable, partly because it weighs a lot, and partly because its girth demands more hand strength. I could handle it, but it wasn’t fun anymore. It was slightly painful and I was always worried I would drop it. That’s why I sold it and bought the 70-300. The image quality is nearly as good, and the smaller size and much reduced weight has brought back my love of wildlife photography.
And it's the perfect option for people like your self.
Ditto, 40 years a Pro shooter, at 75 I have exactly the same opinion.
I also believe in a subconscious passive factor where the bigger a lens/camera is, the less likely you are to use it/pull it out, go for a walk with it etc.
No matter your age or ability size and weight can't be under valued
I'm 65 and recently tried out a used 100-400mm and new 70-300mm in my local shop. There was little difference in the price, so that wasn't a factor in my decision. On lifting the 100-400mm lens it didn't seem that bad, but once on my camera I realised that it was too heavy. The 70-300mm seemed to be just about manageable. Even though the 100-400mm had the better zoom range, I went for the 70-300mm.
In addition to using the lens for wildlife photography, I also wanted a lens to photograph the total solar eclipse in Texas in 2024. Using the 70-300mm lens with the 1.4X teleconverter would give a 35mm effective focal length of around 630mm and I think that it would be a good focal for the eclipse. Taking the 100-400mm along with my small astronomical mount to the States would be nightmare.
Do be aware that the eclipse is very dark when it’s it the middle of it, and you’ll really need to turn your iso way up with that combo to capture it.
Truly outstanding work. We'll be watching your career with great interest.
Thank you!
I re - looked the series and it made me rethink lenses for Nature photography including wildlife. There is really no bad decision, it relates to so many factors and personal goals. It also shows the detail knowledge of understanding the system you use. Also no system provides the perfect solution except if you understand your needs and what you want out of your photography. If you don't one can start chasing your tail, become despondent with your own gear choices and next step is selling and buying of other gear options never to find the solution. I was there. Simplify and understand your needs and spend your money wisely, don't get seduced by others gear choices. This is a great series and should be used by all to bring understanding and help with decision making.
Thank you and yes I very much agree 100% with everything you just said.
I won New Zealand landscape photographer of the yeah when my rate was less than 8 good photos a year that I was happy with.
It’s not bad to have high standards for your self, but the solution is still the say, spend more time on your self, specially shooting
Fantastic series Thomas! Really love the last graphic- sort of a measurement of ROI on a Fuji wildlife lens investment. Ihave the 100-400 and love it, but was considering going to the 70-300 plus 1.4TC ( to save $ , convenience, and versatility) so this series really helps in knowing what results I could expect.
Cheers mate, exactly the kind of effect I was hoping to have
I am amazed at the amount of time you spent putting this series together. Subscribed.
Thank you!
Thank you, I really appreciate it
Excellent series and had i watched this before I had done multiple purchases trying to figure out my best lens combinations I would have saved hundreds on purchases and reselling lenses. Brilliant mate! Thanks!
Thank you!
I have seen your entire series 3 times already. Great work!
I hope it's helped
Great videos! Have you tested the newer options like the Sigma 100-400, Tamron 150-500, Fuji 150-600, and Tamron 18-300. It would be interesting to see how they perform. Primarily interested in the first and last vs the 70-300 considering price and weight.
This was a fantastic video. Truly the bible into 2022 buying desitions.
I know life gets in the way sometimes, but whenever a new video comes out, I'll be sure to be notified! Hope all is well in Kiwi land! :)
Thanks for this excellent series! I am glad also that i bought the 70-300mm last month, the last one in stock in new york city! From this video I am glad I did not buy the TC1,4x as the quality drop is significant.
it will be interesting to see how Fuji evolves from this lens set too, but I think they really nailed it with this lens. I tried the lens in a marshlands reserve early in the morning and realize how easy it is to walk around without tiring from the weight. When the deer were in the shade of trees, I realized the importance of low aperture. Perhaps the 200mm would be a great complement to the 70-300.
My sister was an enthusiast bird photographer and I learned from her that she had to find ways to get closer for better photos and one suggestion was camouflage on the lens and photographer. I am not sure if there is something for this available for fuji.
Thanks again, and keep up the great work!
There are lots of third party options for camouflage, I would even consider looking at doing it your self.
But thank you the the comment, I really appreciate it
Thanks a lot for putting it together. I made the decision to buy 70-300 based on learnings i got from your video.
You're welcome and all the best
Thank you for the time and detail in this series. Very much appreciated. I'm in South Africa and for our wildlife I think the 100-400mm is the best if you can afford it. I have the xt4, the 100-400mm lens plus the 1.4tc - fitted if needed. I'm really happy with this setup. I'm hoping fujifilm bring out a 150-600mm or similar and that sigma or Tamron bring out xf mounts for 150-600mm /60-600mm... This would be great for fujifilm wildlife photography imo.
Yes I'd agree with you for most of the style of wildlife content I've shot when in Africa, a 150-600 would be outstanding.
So you think it is worth getting the 1.4 tc...which one do you use;
Just the normal black Fuji one, the silver one isn’t any different unless paired with the 200mm
Thanks for making these videos, you really put a lot of work into it, super professional made. Really appreciate it, keep it up!!! 👏👏👏👏👏
Thank you
Those results look good to me, thanks for the effort into testing these.
If you get the chance and time if you could check out all the different manual focusing aids it would be good as I have seen it mentioned that the split screen aid is not as accurate as peaking.
Thank you for the idea, I might make it my next video
I've just been reviewing this older video and it has great content for me to relearn some things. I don't know wildlife photography, but just went out twice in the last week on a whale watching boat. Where I live, I would definitely like to have the 70-300 (without TC on it) in this situation. I don't have this lens, but I did use the 50-140 (with 1.4TC) once and the 100-400 (without TC) on the second trip. The 70-300 seems like its in the sweet spot for this particular situation and now I do wish I had one.
Men, you are the champion of Fuji photographer, salute and respect, for all the hard work you put in for these video.
I wish you should do a update version if Fuji bring out the 150-600mm next time.
If Fuji get it to me I'll compare it to all these or do a 2022/3/4 etc version when/if it comes out
Without doubt the most helpful video I've found while researching this topic. Thanks. Next lens on my shopping list is the 70-300mm
I was sure the 70-300 would come out on top when you first started this series :D the weight and cost with that much reach is what pushed me to move to Fuji. Loved every minute since I switched.
I honestly thought the 100-400 would beat it out, but yes it's hard to argue with all the pros of the 70-300
Excellent evaluation of the Fuji long lenses. I leant a bunch of new things (yeah!) when considering my future long lense purchase. Thanks!
Thank you, very happy it helped
This is the only time I waited and watched every episode in a series in CZcams the day it is released. It was very entertaining and beneficial at the same time. My next planned buy is 70-300 when I have the bucks and your series also showed that I did the right choice :) Thank you very much for this hard work and quality. Really appreciated. I wish you great success in your channel and photography!
Thank you, I honestly really appreciate it and all the best to you as well
What a great series! I just found your channel and look forward to watching more!
THANK YOU FOR THIS INCREDIBLE WORK!!!! FINALLY I GOT CLEAR ABOUT THIS QUARTER!🤜🏻🤛🏻
Happy to help!
Nice work on this series! I would have liked you cover the abberations as a factor. I have the 70-300 which is super sharp BUT in high contrast situations it looses contrast. You get blooming around high contrast edges. Since you want that sun on the animal to get a better shot, it's quite a problem. Same issue when adding the 2x tc on the 50-140mm.
Ohhh I do normally test abberations as well, not sure why I didn't for this series.
I did only have the lenses for a far shorter time than I usually do so I guess I was just under the pump and didn't think of it
superb video, totally agree with you there, the 70-300 might not be the best sharpness but overall it is great. But thanks to you I definitely might reconsider holding off the TC purchase. Might want to borrow one to see if it is worth it. I just discovered your channel and watched multiple videos, and I totally agree with you on the XC lenses, most reviewers won't even dare to put a XC lens in a comparison video. But to me the 15-45 and the 50-230 are both superior lenses than the other standard non WR of 18-55, and the 55-200 that are both heavier and cost way more without a big upside.
Happy you’re enjoying the content and cheers for the support
Thanks for your work on this comparison!
Crisp and detailed ❤
I used to work with a canon camera and a Tamron 150-600 lens so working now with the XF 100-400 and an XT3 seems extremely light, love this set up 😆
Yeah I find the weight of those two for the zoom really nice
Great objective video. I like your remarks about the 50-230mm, It’s a great get you started lens, image quality is great, but build quality is garbage, I broke the plastic mount 1 year in. 70-300mm looks to be best balance on the list to me.
Really enjoyed this, thank you. I think I'll take the 1.4xTC off my 70-300. I've never been convinced that the gain isn't negated by the loss of a stop and inferior AF performance. Maybe I'll reserve it for Greek travel shots where light is plentiful.
It’s very much worth playing with the difference as there are some pros and cons beyond the obvious
A long time since we heard from you, hope all is well.
Is there a pan to release more content in the future?
Yeah I actually got an amazing offer last year and I am now a full time CZcamsr/photographer, just for another company.
But they have also given me the go ahead to make BTS videos of how I make my content and upload them to this channel.
So yes more will be coming, but in a far more informative way and less reviews I think.
Mate, brilliant series, thanks. Looking forward to more of these comparisons.I hit subscribed when you did the astrophotography, one this one is even better.
Cheers mate, I think I'll do a wide angle and astro 2021 soon, not as a series but just updated for new lenses and what I now know
Thanks so much for all the effort you put into reviewing the lenses . Very informative and most helpful . Cheers Michelle 👌👌
You're very welcome, thank you for taking the time to write that message, I really appreciate it
A very great in-depth review! Having just borrowed the 100-400 I found it being to heavy with my neck/back issues. I am dabbling a bit with wildlife/birding but mostly shooting telephoto for landscape or “kid events” I was leaning towards 50-140 with maybe the TCs to have the 2.8 that can be quite helpful in theaters to keep the ISO low, but the cost and weight of the 70-300 really has me thinking. ;D I may need to rewatch this series again and again….
Hahaha thank you and all the best
Fantastic and academic review! So shall I choose 100-400 over 70-300 on my xt5 for best image quality and performance?
Great series of videos Thomas! I bought the X-T4 and the 70-300. To say they are a fantastic combo is an understatement!
I've been thinking hard about getting the 1.4 teleconverter, but the only thing holding me back is the possible reduction in speed of the AF when doing the surf videos for clients. Do you think cropping at F8 for example is a better option than spending the money for the 1.4 TC?
Thanks mate 🤘
I have shot a little surf but not much, but from my limited experience with surfing work it is usually pretty clean shots with a single subject to focus on, so I’d go with the 1.4x TC and use single point focus. In be confident in that combo for your work.
@@ThomasBusbyPhotography thanks a lot dude 🤘
I am gonna get the 100-400mm with the 2x teleconverter, because I need the reach and the 150-600mm withe the 1.4x teleconverter would be to expensive...
If possible I’d really suggest testing that combination first, as f11 is pretty dark for how insanely high you need your shutter to prevent the very high levels of diffraction that combination causes
Loved this series Thomas - Looks like I'm on the hunt for a TC for my 50-140mm!
All the best and thank you
super review -subscribed
Thank you!
Awesome series, with a reasonable conclusion. Though, unless you are shooting in a zoo I’m not sure I’d put the 50-140mm on that list. I have one and even with a hummingbird within 10 feet of me I noticed the lens mostly just wouldn’t focus on it (so I aimed at its flower, not the bird). I had to crop hard to get her up to a reasonable size, with good, not amazing results. It’s an incredible lens overall but the lack of reach is a big problem for wildlife use. If price were no concern, I’d assume the new 150-600mm would take the top spot if you could re-test (Sony has a 150-600 same price and a little faster). It looks like it’s going to be an edge-to-edge sharp lens but f7.1-f8 at the long end will obviously make shooting it more challenging. The 100-400 should be, IMO, much better than it is or much cheaper, I think we can agree on that. My brothers Nikon 200-500 is barely more expensive than the 70-300mm and is legendary. Not sure why Fuji can’t do something similar-all it’s red badge lenses have been essentially full frame sized but APS-C priced which I why I love them!
Thanks!
Thank you very much for your support mate, means the world
Hey tb, great work, love the flow of your videos, so much intense knowledge in short time, amazing. While i agree that weight and prize af and many other things matter, i feel like the single most important factor is focal length, it doesnt matter how great a lens is, if u cant get close enough. thus the 200 for my purposes anything below 300 wouldn't even be in the ranking, and i would be hard pressed with anything wider than the 100-400 +tc1.4(maybe i am just not sneaky enough) Hope fujifilm offers more long focal range lenses in the future. Again, great comparison, thanks for your amazing content.
Yeah I really struggled with this as it depends on what you're shooting, but if it helps focal length got more weight that anything else in my algorithm.
I have an inside tip to this topic.
It’s a product, that no one is talking about. I was thinking already long time ago to make a video about it. But your channel, your style and skills are much better than mine.
So it‘s better to say it here.
The name of the product is „TCON-17X Tele Converter“ and it‘s from Olympus.
The amazing thing about it is, that it
enlarges the magnification ration to 1.7 without changing the camera F-number, making it possible to shoot in dimly lit locations and shoot with a blurred background while using a bright F-number.
So, it‘s much better than the Teleconverter from Fuji. And it‘s much cheaper too.
It‘s still lightweight as well. And the impact on the image quality is zero. Sometimes I think it‘s even better than without. With that, you totally get that fullframe look.
I use it with the Fujinon 55-200mm and the results are phenomenal. You just need a 55-62 step-up-ring.
With this combo you get a 510mm fullframe equivalent.
Awesome series. This gives at least some numeric ranking to the vast amount of Fuji lenses.Would be interesting if you could explain more about the focus settings you use for wildlife ?
I’m not sure how to explain more about focus settings sorry, but I could happily answer questions about them if you could be more specific?
@@ThomasBusbyPhotography I will try ;). So did you also use the back button focus with the 100-400 +TC and did you notice a difference ? Did you use single or continuous auto focus while testing (or even both, if so is there a huge difference) ? Aside from focus which shutter type would you recommend for wildlife by experience ? Since the metering mode has effects on the contrast which is usually included in the measure of focus, which one did you use for your tests ?
Thanks a lot in advance for taking the time to answer and please continue these types of videos they are a huge help to many people !
With back button vs shutter button AF I feel it also has a lot to do with subject, so I’d do some testing with both when getting ready to shoot and see which one feels better.
I personally like single point focus point with single shot AF, I find it the fastest.
BUT if shooting a rapidly moving subject I’d suggest continuous and tracking.
I also use metric metering, and I am a big believer in getting used to how your camera will read a lighting situation and adjusting your exp comp to suit.
Though all my notes above will change radically with the x-H2S as the speed out of that is game changing
@@ThomasBusbyPhotography Thanks a lot. This is very helpful and you are right the X-H2S will be a game changer.
Hi Thomas, what is going on ? No video in 4 months. Hope you are back soon. Love your reviews.
A few things actually, I’ve received a full time job creating content and a lot of my energy has been into that, plus Covid really effected Fuji NZ getting me gear to review, I have plans underway for a new direction for this channel in a far more educational sense, but I think the review side of things might be gone for a long while unfortunately
@@ThomasBusbyPhotography Hi Thomas, Congratulations to the job. Looking forward to the "new direction" for the channel.
Could you please do an Update and add some info for the XF150-600mm F/5.8 WR, OIS
well done. Thank you for all the work
You're welcome!
Thank you very much for this excellent and thorough series. I have the 70-300 and 100-400 and love them both. I found the 70-300 only sightly behind the 100-400 in image quality, but of course much easier to handle. I was expecting to sell the 100-400 but couldn't part with it. I tried the 1.4x TC on both lenses but found that simple cropping gave essentially the same result, so, with the attendant TC disadvantages, returned it. The faster focusing speed of the 70-300 makes sense as the lenses have less mass to accelerate and move. I would have liked some quantitative comparisons of OIS. Finally, and please don't take offense, but you might want to run a spell checker on your slides. Phil
Ohh the spell checking is a major one I am constantly having issues with due to Excell and my editing software not having it, but thank you very much for the support, I do honestly appreciate it
I still can't decide 🤭
I've got a Fuji X T4 ( upgraded last year from Canon 1100)
I can find used 55 to 230 || for 230 usd
Used 50 to 200 for 380 Usd
The new 70 to 300 is 790 USD
I have a 16 to 80 with me
Thank you very much for those videos . 🙌🏻
Thank you!!
Would love to see your graphs for the new 150-600mm!
Helpful AS usual brother
Cheers buddy
since i already own 50-140 and 1.4x TC, I guess Im gonna get a 100-400! haha.. I'm sure used they would be just over 1k USD. I wonder what's up with the 150-600 and when it will come out this year
Maybe a second hand 100-400 could be a good move if you’re happy to sell it on again once the 150-600 is released
Fantastic series of films - thanks for taking the time to put these and your other films together - they're all great and I'm now subscribed. Really like your presentation style and the way you put the content together.
One suggestion for the future - I'd love to see your take on the best combination of lenses for landscape photography. I'm strictly amateur and just learning but I'm considering the XF10 - 24, XF16 - 80 (which will also work for informal family photos etc) but I'm undecided on whether to complement the XF16 - 80 with the XF55 - 200 or the XF 70 - 300 to cover the telephoto end - I'm trying to work out which would work better with the XF16 - 80. Would be really interested in your thoughts on this one. In the meantime, keep up the good work - looking forward to your next releases. Best wishes from the UK.
Excellent review!!!👏👏👏
Thank you!
Thank you so much for your channel! it is amazing. I have the same camera (XS 10). You seem like a super professinal with it. Tell me please how can you connect an external baterry for the camera, so it will be able to film video for many hours. Because the internal battery doesn't last for long. What can I do if my fujifilm XS 10 is on the top of the glidecam, and I film like this. How can I connect a big external battery to it, what should I buy? PLease tell me! I can't find any answer to it.
I don’t have the xs10 on me, but what I do with my xt4 is just use a external power bank, like one you would use to charge your phone.
Get one with about a 30w output and atleast 10k mah and you should be all good to go.
Is there coming more high quality content from your chanel in the future like it did in the past?
Eventually, some major events have happened in my life and I am pretty full time behind the camera these days, but I have been given the go head to make BTS videos of that content so it’s in the pipes, just no date yet
I really look forward to see more@@ThomasBusbyPhotography 👌🏼👌🏼🙌🏼
Thank you, me too
Hi Thomas! Just crossed over your channel and what an outstanding content. In my modest experience I compare Bird Photography a lot with Action Sports and it is fast, specially in flight.
Went all the way back to 'episode' 1 and actually got myself a pencil and paper to take a few notes! Amazing guidelines! Wondering if it is on your plans to address a few features that complete or go with the AF system, e.g. the type of scenarios that you set for a particular moment, focus area (3x3?), single point(?), etc.
Made the follow of course and that bell is on for future content, that I'm definitely looking forward. Cheers Carlos\Sports Photographer (all the works XT3, 4 and the XFs (most) mentioned are in the bag e.g. XF200...the 'White Sharp'!
Thank you!
For my focus test it was single point at the default size, focusing on the middle of a black and white circled star.
I can’t remember which mode I had things set to now but they were all tested the same
@@ThomasBusbyPhotography Welcome! Thank You for the quick reply! Above all is definitely one of the best content ever regarding X lens, if not the Best! Trust me, I've seen quite a few! Cheers
Thank you, I honestly really appreciate it
Awesome work !
Happy you liked it
Hopefully the to be announced in 2022 150-600mm lens will have a usable aperture range (not f8 please) - this would be auch a great addition to Fujis Wildlife capabilities. Therefore I would change my plan of getting a 200mm f2 (which is a superb lens) and preorder the 150-600 ignoring price ;-)
6.4 at 600mm would be my best case guess…but I think f8 more likely
@@ThomasBusbyPhotography think so too
great vid
I am confused whether to get 150-600 or not
Great work
Thanks
What‘s your opinion in the Tamron 18-300 for wildlife photography? :)
I haven’t used it but would rank it quiet low, it’s a little dark, and all broad range lenses like that which I have used have been quiet soft at the ends of their zoom
Hi Thomas!
I have been watching your videos again and again from last week until now for my choice between 70-300, 100-400.
I am having 50-140 and 2x TC but I am not happy with the zoom range.
I was really into 100-400 but after watching your videos from part 1, I see the 70-300 is the right choice to start Wildlife photography.
But in this video, 7:16 70-300mm WITH 2x TC is not having a good rate.
I hope you can read this comment and reply me with the answer which one should I choose? I'm interested in shooting birds for the main reason.
Thank you.
I can imagine how much works did you and your team put into the videos to compares these lenses. So much details and exact points what people need to know. It is just my English isn't perfect to understand 100% of your talks so I really need your advice. Thank you all again.
The 70-300 gets lots of points for being lite and cheap, but if size and price of the 100-400 doesn’t bother you I would rather have that.
If it helps my personal choice between the 70-300 and the 100-400 for wildlife photography would be the 100-400
@@ThomasBusbyPhotography awesome ! Thank you for your quick reply.
No worries and all the best
Hi man, it’s a very interesting comparison. I would like to know, where you should put the new 150-600 in this rank ? Do you simply add to the list with his own rank or do you think it can fully replace the 100-400 guy ? thx
If I was suggesting new lenses for wildlife shooters,
I’d suggest starting with the 70-300
And then replacing it with the 150-600.
So yes I’d get it instead of the 100-400.
Based on the feedback from the pros I talk to who shoot fuji wildlife most days for a living
Hey Thomas. Somewhat off-topic, but did you consider adding links to your website and Instagram in your "About" page on YT?
I'd love to see your portfolio but was too lazy to google;)
That’s a great idea thank you (I actually thought I already had)
But for now if you want to see more my website is www.tb-photography.co.nz
Are you going to review the XF18 1.4 for astro?
Yup it will get a full review once Fuji send it to me, it's on the list and hopefully sooner rather than later
Thank you for always posting interesting videos. I'm preparing to buy a 200mm f2 and I'm looking forward to hearing the amazing combination of 1.4x tc. But I don't think there are many positive opinions about 2x tc, is this because the image quality decreases so much? Is the 400mm image quality using 2x tc difficult to use compared to 100-400? Is it right to use 100-400mm together? It's a lot of questions but I'd like to hear your opinion on this.
I think this series does a very good job of explaining all I now feel about your questions, I’m not sure I could say much more to guide you sorry
@@ThomasBusbyPhotography Thanks for answering the questions. Let's watch this series again. It seems easy to judge and make decisions because my situation is not easy, but your answer helped me. I hope you continue to post helpful videos.
If something comes up that you feel I’ve missed or didn’t explain well, please ask in these comments and I’ll try my best to help.
Thank you for taking the time to supply some encouraging feedback, I honestly really appreciate it
could you share the source of your beautiful desktop wallpaper in the background? :)
Hahaha thank you but its source is long lost to the internet sorry as I've had it for well over a year
Can my XH-1 with stabilization take further advantage of a lens with stabilization? In other words increase overall stabilization?
I believe it already gives you the best possible IS if you’re using a lens with IS, I’m very sure it’s not something you can unlock more of if that makes sense as it’s already all or nothing
This was really interesting, thank you. I have the 100-400 lens but now so unhappy with it, am considering the smaller 70-300mm, mainly because on my XT-2 I kept getting 'lens control error' messages. Thought it was the camera so sent both that and the 400mm lens into Fuji, twice as it happened, for service/repair. I then bought the XT-4 as wanted to upgrade the camera anyway, and now after two days trying to get used to it, am getting error message with that same 400mm lens on, to 'switch off camera and switch on again', and am just waiting for that annoying 'lens control error' message to pop up again as I feel sure it will. Really fed up with Fuji but willing to give it one more chance by changing to the 70-300 lens. Would appreciate any thoughts on why I get these messages on the 100-400 lens and why Fuji can't seem to fix it? Is it even worth me buying the 300mm??!
Is it still under warranty?
@@ThomasBusbyPhotography No, I got the lens at the end of 2018. It was fine until this July when I began getting the error messages. Paid repair fee and sent it in to Fuji to be looked at. They replaced lens mount, lens group, and aperture mechanism, adjusted focus and IS. In meantime tried the XT-2 with almost unused kit lens and same thing happened, so sent camera in as well, and they replaced top cover and front assembly. Got 400mm lens and camera back and within a few weeks the lens control error message popped up again only this time I could only use the camera if lens was fully extended otherwise message came up and stopped any further use. So sent lens back again (this time under their 6 mth repair warranty thingy so no additional cost to me) and they replaced the lens group again and adjusted focus! Now got the lens on a second hand XT-4 that I've just bought and was concerned when message came up to switch camera off and on again - that is how the problems began on the XT-2+ this lens. All I really wondered was whether you have ever experienced this or heard of it happening to other people with the 400mm lens? I certainly won't want to risk buying another 400mm after all this so considering the 300mm now which I hope won't have similar problems. Sorry, didn't mean to make this your problem - was just curious as to whether it is a common thing!
I have had the “turn on and off” message on my xt4 a few times but not much, and I have a feel it was from when the camera was under stress (heavy shooting, hot day, not the best sd card etc)
But I haven’t had any lens with that issue before.
How often does it pop up?
@@ThomasBusbyPhotography Just before I sent them in to be looked at, it was happening every time I turned the camera on, unless the lens was totally extended first. Then it got so that if I retracted the lens a bit after taking some pics, it would immediately flash up the lens control error message, so then I had to turn the camera off, extend the lens completely again so it would turn on without the message, and then I could actually use it again! All very odd. At first I thought it was because I had carried the camera around by the grip instead of using a strap - thought it was putting a strain on the mount, so stopped doing that, but even after being fitted with new mounts, it began to happen again. So far, on this second-hand XT-4 it has only shown the 'switch off/turn on' message twice, (not the lens error message) so I am watching and waiting to see whether it becomes an issue. I really hope not! The more I think about it now, I suppose it COULD have been the XT-2 at fault, and not the lens..... if so, it should be fine on the XT-4, fingers crossed. Watch this space!
Yeah if you get on/off message on your xt4 I wouldn’t assume it’s the lens.
And that it’s something different, and for me that issue cleared up when I switched to good sandisk cards (if it starts being a constant issue for you)
What would be your choice for best performance on street photography?
Maybe the new 18mm
@@ThomasBusbyPhotography I can’t decide between the 16 (1.4) and the 18, they are both so good! (Have the 16 my wife the 18).
I love my 16mm, 18mm should be better AF
First.
Hahaha oops I thought this was going up tomorrow night, congrats mate, you earned this!
@@ThomasBusbyPhotography i had my phone in my hand, when I godt the notification. That you are uploading.
Hahaha well congrats
Why do you laugh when you say "my name is"? 😆
Because I always want to greet people with a happy smiling face.
Because I always want to greet people with a happy smiling face.