LensTip.com

Lens review

Fujifilm Fujinon XF 16-50 mm f/2.8-4.8 R LM WR

3 February 2025
Maciej Lata³³o

4. Image resolution

The resolution test of the Fujinon XC 16-50 mm f/2.8–4.8 R LM WR was based on RAW files from the Fujifilm X-T2 camera. These files were developed with help of dcraw program (with the 3-pass X-trans filter algorithm) and analyzed by the Imatest software package.

Let’s remind here that the best fixed focal length Fujifilm X lenses tested that way can reach as high as about 90 lpmm and the decency level is situated near 44-45 lpmm. So far the highest results have been reached by: the Fujinon XF 56 mm f/1.2 R WR (92.8 ±1.1 lpmm), the Fujinon XF 18 mm f/1.4 R WR (93.5 ±0.9 lpmm), and the Viltrox 75 mm f/1.2 (99.8 ±1.2 lpmm).

Now let's check how the tested Fujinon XF 16-50 mm f/2.8-4.8 R LM WR presents here.Its results in the frame centre at 16, 33, and 50 mm presents a graph shown below.


Please Support Us

If you enjoy our reviews and articles, and you want us to continue our work please, support our website by donating through PayPal. The funds are going to be used for paying our editorial team, renting servers, and equipping our testing studio; only that way we will be able to continue providing you interesting content for free.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - advertisement - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Fujifilm Fujinon XF 16-50 mm f/2.8-4.8 R LM WR - Image resolution


Before we present a detailed analysis of the tested Fujinon I have to emphasize the fact that I was a bit apprehensive before starting the test. Firstly, this model gets slower very fast with the increase of the focal length and it means diffraction can be very bothersome. Ensuring small physical dimensions of the instrument and constructing an optical system simpler than that of its predecessor didn't make me especially optimistic either.

Still Fujifilm optics specialists knew what they were doing and my fears turned out to be unfounded because the performance of the Fujinon XF 16-50 mm f/2.8-4.8 R LM WR in the frame centre is simply brilliant. At the 16 mm focal length you observe values worth of a very good system prime because already at the maximum relative aperture you deal with an impressing level of over 75 lpmm and on stopping down the aperture MTFs reach an excellent level of almost 87 lpmm.

As I've already mentioned the results have to be weaker at the longer end of the focal spectrum because diffraction limits them. Still the lens performs very well here because that, even near its maximum relative aperture, it works quite close to that diffraction limit.

At 33 mm and the maximum relative aperture, amounting in this case to f/3.8, you deal with a very good level of 71 lpmm. The lens improves very quickly on stopping down and it deserves to be praised for it – already by f/4.0 the resolution exceeds 78 lpmm and by f/5.6 it can reach over 80 lpmm. You can say on stopping down a tad over 1 EV the lens already works near its diffraction limit.

The 50 mm focal length is the weakest but it's only predictable as the maximum relative aperture at this place amounts to f/4.8. Still even there the resolution reaches almost 57 lpmm so is good and then it improves to near 65 lpmm by f/5.6. Overall it would be difficult to have any reservations.

If such a small, compact construction as the tested Fujinon is to feature any serious compromises they should be expected on the edge of the frame so let's check the performance at that place.

Fujifilm Fujinon XF 16-50 mm f/2.8-4.8 R LM WR - Image resolution


In this case only the middle of the focal range can be called very good – already at the maximum relative aperture you see results reaching almost 59 lpmm and on stopping down they are getting over 64 lpmm.

The maximum focal length fares a bit weaker but, taking into account the aperture fastness, offered at that point, it would be difficult to have any reservations. Even at the maximum relative aperture you still deal with MTFs near 53-54 lpmm so very safely above the decency level.

Most of concerns you can express when it comes to the 16 mm focal length and for two reasons. Firstly, here you would like to avoid any compromises because at the wide angle you more often than not need to get good quality images across the frame. Secondly, here you also get the fastest aperture so a lot of space for limiting optical aberrations by stopping down.

Finally the results aren't that bad here because even near the maximum relative aperture you get a performance that is on the borderline of the decency level. The lens at first reacts slowly on stopping down and only near f/5.6 it achieves results that can be described as good.

The summary of this chapter can be only and solely positive. The Fujinon is able to offer you surprisingly good results in the frame centre and didn't have any serious slip-ups on the edge of the frame. Taking into account its dimensions, weight, and price, it would be foolish to ask for more.

Traditionally, we end this chapter by presenting crops taken from photos of our resolution testing chart which were saved in JPEG format along RAW files, used for the analysis above.

Fujifilm X-T2, JPEG,16 mm, f/4.0
Fujifilm Fujinon XF 16-50 mm f/2.8-4.8 R LM WR - Image resolution
Fujifilm X-T2, JPEG, 50 mm, f/4.8
Fujifilm Fujinon XF 16-50 mm f/2.8-4.8 R LM WR - Image resolution