Fuji Fuji X-E1 : 18-55mm a must buy ?

I have that lens with a Fuji x-e1 and a T 1...it is an excellent lens (18-55)...as good or better than the Nikon 2.8. 18-55.
 
Probably (very) late on this thread but let me chime in concerning the 18-55, possibly for future reference if anyone's interested.

My initial Fuji experience was with the X-M1 and the 16-50 kit lens (plus the 27mm f/2.8). The 16-50 is a very respectable little kit lens, I'd say certainly better optically than the usual DSLR kit lenses. Its main drawback is the plasticky construction; OTOH it's quite light and small.

A while later I moved to an X-E2 with the 18-55. My personal evaluation is that calling it a "kit" lens is probably a bit insulting; that is, in the context we are using the term. There is no comparison with usual DLSR kit zooms, and I'd say it's better than several higher end Canon or Nikon "walkaround" zooms (such as the Canon 24-105L). One lens it reminds me of is the Olympus 14-54 f/2.8-3.5 Four Thirds lens, which was of the same philosophy in terms of constuction and image quality.

I can't say if the 18-55 is a "must buy" nowadays, because the 18-135 can also be an alternative for some people (greater range plus weather sealing, while giving up a little on aperture brightness). It is certainly a steal when bought as a kit with any X camera though.
 
As someone supplementing a mostly Nikon DSLR setup with a mirrorless, I have to say the 18-55 is a great addition. As much as I'd like more aperture control, I'm not really finding myself wanting to get any primes. It would make the camera even smaller, but the Fuji to me is as much about convenience as it is performance. The 18-55 really doesn't get justice when described as a bundled/kit lens. It is well built with excellent optical characteristics; very reminiscent of old-school Nikkors in both look and feel. When combined with the OIS and the great SOOC JPEGs from the XE-1, it's close to perfect for what I need.
 
Back
Top