I fully agree. I have every lens a man could have, from expensive to cheap, and this is the best zoom lens I have ever used, totally underrated!

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

Glad you like the lens. It’s great to see others who have had a good experience with it as there’s a lot of people who seem to miss it all together.

Love your channel! Very informative and quality content. Thank you!

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

That’s so kind of you to day, thank you so much :)

I know that a lot of street shooters are adverse to long lenses but I used a Nikon D2H and Nikkor 18-200mm superzoom for my travel/street photography (at the time I was a working newspaper shooter) on trips to the UK. One image that pops to mind is a shot of two women on cellphones just off Leicester Square. Shooting wide open (f5.6 @ 200mm) I composed an image of one woman on the phone leaning on a metal post that created a great diagonal line. As I watched, a second woman on the phone strolled into the background and, as it turned out, BOTH were looking at me. I would never have gotten that image without the long lens. Today, I am trying what most street shooters consider a "street" prime of a roughly 50mm ff (Fuji XF 35mm f2 WR) look as I tried to see differently (following in the footsteps of HCB!). I am retired now and wanted to lightened the load from my professional gear. BUT I am considering getting the Fuji 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 WR for my X-Pro2 and returning to my previous shooting style. The 18-135mm would be very similar to my old Nikkor 18-200mm. For going wider than 27mm FF, I used to also carry a 12-24mm f4.

I got this Lens with my X-T1 and I have to agree with you 100%. Phenomenal is a great description because it delivers. As for the the Aperture rating I use this Lens between 10:00am and up to 17:00hrs. This time frame in the uk is critical for this Lens because of the light. By 4pm light levels drop. I have traveled the world with this Lens and my images came out great. I don’t have the X-T3, it sounds like a killer combination. Great video.

I use the fuji 18-135 for 90% of what I shoot, the strange thing is on a few fuji groups I had people telling me it’s not good or soft at the 100-135 range, so I borrowed one for a day and immediately went out and bought one and it’s been my mainstay since. I have tried the lens thoroughly thru the full 18-135 and just cannot fault the crispness of image. In fact when coupled to the XT4 ive found I can do some monster crops and with out any processing the resultant image is still super sharp. Coupled to my 35 prime and the and the xf10-24 I’ve pretty much got everything covered. With the xf18-135 I’ve done everything from Astro to street to railway and night stuff and it does the lot

I was searching for Fujifilm “stuff” and found your channel, very well presented. Yes, I did subscribe (LOL).

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

That’s ever so kind of you, thank you very much. I hope you enjoy the content :)

I totally agree with you on everything you said about this lens

Great video, extremely informative

@SteveMellorPhotography

Жыл бұрын

That's so kind of you, thank you very much.

Great video, very well presented. Very much considering the 18-135 in place of the 18-55, especially for landscape photography.

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

It’s very good for landscapes and gives you that bit of extra reach. Really glad you liked it :)

Love your videos!!!!

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you ever so much. I’m a bit overwhelmed at some of the responses I’ve had recently. It’s so kind of you 😊

I just got a 18-135 the other day, great lens for a all rounder.

Indeed, the 18-135mm is very underrated. I have worked with my copy several times in the pouring rain no problem. The stabilization of this lens was so good that night photography was usually not a problem. The image quality is really good for a zoom lens. Okay, my 16-55mm f2.8 may be just a bit better optically, but overall I'm very satisfied with the 18-135mm lens as a hiking lens and a lens that can be used for a little bit of everything. I sold my fuji 18-50mm at the time and bought the fuji 18-135mm instead, and haven't regretted it for a moment.

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

Glad to hear. If you have the 16-55, the 18-55 isn’t really needed. But I love the options this lens gives you and the IQ is really great considering how large a focal range you have.

Hi. For me it’s the perfect travel lens because of its versatility. And yes, the I.Q. is indeed great, especially for a superzoom. When i go abroad it is always in my bag as my standard travel zoom lens. When i am planning to shoot in certain scenarios (and depending on my willingness to lug heavy gear around), i can also bring other lenses like the 80 mm Macro for macro and portraiture, the 100-400+Tc1.4 for Wildlife or my superwide Laowa. Less is more and for me the 18-135 is more fun than a 20 kg backpack with 7 lenses. Greetings. 😎

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

Yes! Exactly and it’s a real shame that people overlook this lens. Glad you’re enjoying yours :)

If you shoot on a Fuji system it’s feels a bit more….fun! 😁 I have fallen for Fuji after having other brands. I had a great canon dslr but after getting a Fuji x-t30 as a small and light walk around for street type stuff I decided to trade it in and get a used x-t4 so I didn’t have 2 different systems. I just fell in love with the Fuji cameras. Thank goodness for the used market that’s all I can say 😂

Totally agree.....I love my 18-135....on my camera for 90% of the time.

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

It’s great, isn’t it :)

here i am with both a 16-55/2.8 and 50-140/2.8 but am planning on buying the 18-135/v simply for when i go to the beach or a day trip with friends/family. convenience can't really be beat if you're taking photos for leisure and documentation rather than for a paycheck

@SteveMellorPhotography

2 жыл бұрын

It is really useful for when you don’t want to carry a lot of kit,

Great vid, very informative👍 I have been considering changing my 18-55 for something else for a while now, I have nearly pushed the button on the 16-80 f4 but not sure it will offer enough to warrant the extra layout, after listening to your views on this lens I am now seriously considering purchasing. One question...do you know how this performs with long exposures🤔

@SteveMellorPhotography

2 жыл бұрын

It’s very good with long exposures, actually. I’ve not used anything else for them on the X-T3… Now, in part that’s because I didn’t have anything else for them for quite a while, but I’ve been very impressed with the quality of this lens overall.

Thank you so much for this video! This is definitely a lens I want for my new lighter setup. I usually shoot with a canon eos R and the trinity of lenses for landscapes. My Girlfriend Bought me a mint XT-1 with 18-55 for Christmas. would love to have one lens to rule them all.

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

Well, this is it, if you want a good all rounder. I love mine... although, it might be worth waiting a bit to see what’s happening with Sigma next year. They have an 18-300mm which could be a lovely addition if they release that with a Fuji mount.

@trevorfentiman5283

3 жыл бұрын

I went from canon to Fuji to save weight, got the xt1 a year ago with kit lens just to try, now a convert to Fuji and now use xt4 with 18-135 and very rarely take it off.

Had tons of Nikon, Canon and Fuji lenses. Now, the Fuji 18-135 is my only lens. Great for landscapes, portraits and some wildlife, including macro. Great sharpness. Not so good for astro or bird photography. But then again, no need to change lenses, sensor clean. That`s it. Simple, light, easy.

Hello Dear Steve. Firstly ı really love your videos they are simple and honest 🙏🏻I would like to ask you do you still recommend this lens. I just got Fuji xs-20 with kit lens 15-45. I really love it. I also wanted to take bird pictures and other animals also from a distance and Also landscape I’m interested. Do you recommend it for this with xs-20

Steve, really enjoyed this video, thank you. Have got a Fujifilm XS 10 which came with a 15-45 lens but I think I will invest in a 18-135 because, as you say, it will be multi purpose. I love landscape photography but like a bit of nature stuff too, is it ok for birds etc too? Thanks again

@SteveMellorPhotography

5 ай бұрын

Good choice! I do use it a little for wildlife, but I have a dedicated lens as well. It can do birds but I think you'll soon find yourself wanting something with more reach.

Just found your channel and its great. Keep going... I am new to fujifilm and i only have the xf35 f2 at the moment which is great for everyday and photos of my kids. However, i am looking at extending the range and try landscape/hiking/general allaround photography as well. Where to start is the question. Budget is limited so, do i go with 18-55 with combination of xc 50-230? Do i go only with 55-200 (which i like very much)? Or maybe i go a different route and get 18-135 or maybe 16-80 f4 as one lens for all? What would you recommend to me? At one point i know i will try them all but what should i get as a first proper lens or combination? Thank you.

@SteveMellorPhotography

2 жыл бұрын

Personally, I think the 18 to 135 he’s going to give you the best bang for the buck. However, if you have the budget I would recommend going for the 10 to 24 and the 70 to 300. That does mean that you miss out a little bit of range in the middle but they’re both fantastic lenses you won’t need to replace any time soon.

@TheN3Nad

2 жыл бұрын

@@SteveMellorPhotography thank you for your opinion. I appreciate it.

Just got this for a vacation, stabilization is good to handhold, F11 is the sweet spot at all focal all lengths, wide open it's sharp enough in the center.

@SteveMellorPhotography

Жыл бұрын

f/11 at 250th is about the best this lens performs at, and it performs incredibly well at that. But, you have so much flexibility with it, even then.

@laurelb8372

Жыл бұрын

Good to know, I have had some very good images from this on XT2 but going to use on XT20 as a travel lens.

I agree, my shoots usually start off with wide lens then i change to zoom to get that closer shot, then I have to change again to get the wider shot, so I ordered this one, I'm waiting...

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

That's really exciting. I hope you have a really food time with it :)

Bought mine for travel ..no complaints

Great video. Just curious if you were ever able to compare the sharpness of the Tamron 18-300 with this lens? Thanks in advance!

@SteveMellorPhotography

Жыл бұрын

I'm afraid I wasn't. I do want to get hold of the Tamron for the Fuji system now it's available and do a test on that, but It's been a tough year, so I'll have to see how things go.

Wow. Many thanks for this great review! How do You evaluate the 16-80 F4 in comparison with the 18-135? Is the 16-80 obviously better?

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

General opinion is that any lens will be better than a super-zoom because of the tolerances that super-zoom has to work through. In practice, it’s not quite that simple. Just comparing image quality from shots, it’s very hard to see differences unless you pixel peep, which most clients don’t do.

@thorstensund6649

3 жыл бұрын

@@SteveMellorPhotography Hi Steve, thanks for Your comment. I think to give it a try. Have a nice WE.

I have just started using Fujifilms and started with the 23mm 1.4 and its often just too wide and it's not always practical to repostion myself to get the composition I need. The focal range on this lens looks perfect for my needs.

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

It’s always a bit of trial and error. I really like the focal range on this, it gives you a lot of options without breaking the bank.

@Atacama87103

3 жыл бұрын

@@SteveMellorPhotography it seems like a decent all rounder for sure. I am listing my 23mm on eBay and its likely I will go for this. Thanks for the video it was most helpful.

Great video. I am still considering this lens to replace my 18-55 2.8-4, but reading reviews, some state that the IQ of the 18-55 is much better than the 18-135, with the 18-135 having a bit murky IQ. Sharpness is important to me, but I'm much more interested in a lens' tonality, light fall of and graduation of highlights. That is why I love the IQ of my 35mm f1.4 and 60mm f2.4, none of them are the sharpest primes around, but the images just pop and the tonality is beautiful. I hate clinical lenses, which tick all the IQ boxes, but lack that analogue feel.

@SteveMellorPhotography

Жыл бұрын

It's certainly not an easy choice to make, deciding on a lens. I chose the 18-135 because it was a good all-round focal range. I also have an 18-55, which I use exclusively for video... But I have got one if I need it. Just to throw a spanner in the works, you might actually be better with the 16-80mm F4, depending on what you want to use the lens for.

Hi, thanks for the review. I own it myself but it does not see lots of use unfortunately. Will have to give it a go again.

My 1st camera was the Canon 7d mk1... probably around 2008, and I bought it with an EFS 18-200. That's all I used for the next decade and it was great. So when I bought my xt3 it was a natural choice to want something similar so got the 18-135 knowing that I had 100-400 covered with my big lens. I've not faulted the 18-135 and to be honest sometimes I'm gobsmacked at the images. I got mine second hand... great value. 🙂👍 What I would like is a Fringer EF - FX converter so that I could try my Canon efs 18-200.... but its not cheap and I keep resisting the temptation. 😄🙂👍

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

That Fringer looks amazing and there is talk of a Nikon version too. I’m a little shocked that the 18-135 gets ignored so much because it’s every bit as good as 18-55, despite wing slightly slower.

@stevesvids

3 жыл бұрын

@@SteveMellorPhotography probably because Fuji offer some Phenomenal lens options that the Really Good lens options don't get the spotlight. Well done for spotlighting this one.... its well deserving of some attention. 🙂👍

I have 16-55 and 50-140. Both are great lenses. I feel comfortable to carry them for a day hike or with station. But for multi-day trekking or combine business and hiking trip, that's painful. I am considering this lens now. You have very useful review. Thanks

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing :) You're right, there are certainly circumstances where carrying all the lenses you want is difficult. That's where lenses like this come in. I'm glad you found this video useful.

@sarawootch

3 жыл бұрын

@@SteveMellorPhotography I started to follow your channel. Very practical. I bought the used 18-135 yesterday. I will use on Sunday for hiking and business trip. Let's find out.

@thorstensund6649

3 жыл бұрын

@@sarawootch I am curious about Your opinion.

@sarawootch

3 жыл бұрын

@@thorstensund6649 I tried yesterday in the mountain and waterfall. I shot f8 in sunny day and wide open in fogging mountain. It’s not as crisp as 16-55/2.8. At 135mm sunny day, it’s still not sharp enough at center. I will try again.

@thorstensund6649

3 жыл бұрын

@@sarawootch Thanks for Your trial. A lack of sharpness at 135mm in the center isn`t convincing.

Hi Steve Have just found your channel after it was suggested to me by KZread and this is the second of your videos I've watched. It looks like I'm going to be the lone dissenting voice judging by the comments so far but I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with my 18-135. While I do get some good results from it (good enough that I've used images from it in competitions at the photography club I'm a member of), I've also had a few stinkers where the sharpness of the image was below expectations (even allowing for superzooms traditionally not being a sharp as primes or zooms with more restricted range, and factoring in whether or not an appropriate shutter speed and aperture had been used for the subject). If it weren't for the good results I've had from it I'd be wondering if I'd got a bad copy (especially as I bought it used when I was looking at adding a mirrorless camera to my gear for general walkabout duties when I couldn't fit my 5D Mk II and a couple of lenses in my bag and still have room for nappies and changes of clothes for my kids). Other than the sometimes questionable image quality from the lens, my other issue with it is the 18mm on the wide end. Coming from using a 24-105mm as my general walkabout lens, I do miss the extra width in the field of view and have had to shoot a few shots with multiple images so I can do a panorama merge later to make up for this lack of width where taking a few steps back wasn't an option.

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

Hay Simon, Sorry for the late reply but I've been trying to stay away from the computer a bit over Christmas (I hope you've had a good festive season). I was sorry to read about your problems with the 18-135 and, as you've already read, there are a lot of people very happy with it. But, that's not to dismiss your concerns, you've obviously not had the experience that the rest of us have had with it. Firstly, I come from using nothing but APS-C cameras, so the 18mm doesn't seem too narrow to me as 18mm is a fairly standard starting point for kit lenses. I can certainly see that it could be a problem if you're used to the slightly wider lenses. I think this is one of the reasons the 16mm 1.4 is very popular on Fuji because it's just that bit wider than the kit lens but it's faster as well. You'll notice I do a fair few pano shots myself and part of that is because 18mm is my widest lens at the moment but also because I like to have bigger MP images to work with sometimes (that works like a charm on portraits, by the way). So, I can quite understand why the focal range might be causing you an issue as it's asking you to work outside what you have been used to. The sharpness thing actually astonishes me and, had I had the same experience, I would have sent the lens back. In fact, I would probably have made a video about the bad experience and told everybody that I was never touching another super-zoom again. You can get the 18-55 and 55-200 for about £700 used and it's well worth it. That's the combo my Mum uses (Dad has the 18-135 too) and she hasn't had any issues at all (and that 55-200 is a great lens). But that is something I've never really faced and I'm really glad you've shared it with us. It's never bad to have more information. Thanks for your comment. I hope you enjoy the rest of the channel.

@simonandhelenb

3 жыл бұрын

​@@SteveMellorPhotography Yes, I think if you're not used to having the slightly wider short end you may not find it's an issue. When I got my 5D Mk II, having already got a small selection of Canon lenses, I was a bit annoyed that I couldn't get hold of the body only and had to buy it in a kit with the 24-105 if I was going to be sure of having it in time for when I went on honeymoon. My plan was to sell the 24-105 off and carry on using the 28-135... until I used the 24-105 and found myself using the 24mm end quite a bit and as I had access to a 75-300 I ended up selling the 28-135... With regard to the sharpness... It's something that really only became apparent with more use - if it had been something I'd seen from the off and was clearly not related to me messing up with settings it would have gone straight back but like I say, I have had good results out of it. I'm probably going to stick with it for now, as it's my main walkabout lens. but see if I can figure out if there's some particular combo of focal length, shutter and aperture where it seems to occur most.

Hi Steve is this lens any good for bird photography or is it just a street and landscape lens? Your videos really help a photography beginner like me thanks.

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

It’s not the best for wildlife because the reach isn’t quite there. It’s the same with the 50-140 in that respect… And, it’s also fairly slow. It’s not a bad lens if you want to do zoo photography but for serious wildlife, I’d suggest looking elsewhere. Thanks ever so much for the comment. I really appreciate it and I’m so glad you find the videos useful.

Chose the same lens when I got the xt4 and well happy

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

I don’t blame you! 😀

Hi Steve. Looking to get this with an XT1. How does this lens deal with product photography? Close up smaller things like mugs, accessories etc?.. Looking to get something for my business but need something all round for products but also even portraits, landscapes etc… thinking this might be good on that front? Let me know!

@SteveMellorPhotography

Жыл бұрын

HI Liam, thanks for the comment. Personally, I would stick with one of the macro lenses if you're serious about product photography... BUT... I think the 18-135 is possibly the best lens for travel, as it's got a great focal range (although I've not tested the Tamron 18-300mm). Minimum Focus Distance is 45cm, but with the reach, that's not too bad. It can handle products. The main problem is with it not being too fast at f3.5-5.6. It's also slightly softer than the 60mm or 80mm (or even 35 f1.4) that you'd typically use with products. For portraits, I'd be looking at at least f2.8 to get good background separation, although you can 'fake' that in Photoshop now if needs be. The lens is sharp enough for most needs and, for a super-zoom, it's remarkably good. I've had no problems with landscapes at all. Usually, I would recommend getting the right lens for the job. If the job is products, that might not be this lens... If you want a good all-rounder and products are going to be part of the mix of things you shoot, you can get some good results with this.

Hi Steve, I was wondering if the 18-135mm lens will work fine with a Fujifilm XA3? I'm currently looking for a all in one lens instead of upgrading the body. BTW nice review, this is the one I am looking for. Thanks!

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, it should work really well, actually. It’s a great lens, in my opinion :)

@miltoncapati

3 жыл бұрын

@@SteveMellorPhotography Thanks Steve!

Great video Steve. Totally in line with what I have found with the 18-135. By the way, I don't totally agree with your comment on 50-230.....I found it very sharp....... until it was stolen 😢

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

I’m sorry to hear it was stolen. It is a very sharp lens, but when you compare it to the rest of the lenses that Fuji releases, it’s not as good... But it is a good lens and it’s one that’s found it’s way into my kit. The good thing about it, though, is that they’re not overly expensive to pick up second hand. Hope you can get another one at some point.

I love my 18 -135 mm Fuji 👍👌

@SteveMellorPhotography

2 жыл бұрын

They are great lenses!

Is it sharper than the Nikkor G 18-200? That's what I have on my Nikon 7100, and was curious how the Fuji zoom compares when its on an XT2 or XT3?

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

All around, I have found the Fuji lenses sharper than the Nikon ones. The 100-400 is definitely sharper than the e results I had with both the 18-200 and 18-300.

Very underrated indeed. Great when you pack your bag without knowing exactly what you are going to shoot. Also a supremely versatile "back-up" when you do know what you will shoot with a prime, but want to cover unexpected opportunities.

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

I’ve found it’s great when I’m taking the 100-400 around because it’s still light enough to carry with me. Gives you so many different options!

How do you rate the 18-135 against the 16-80mm? Apart from the extra reach on the 18-135 and the extra width on the 16-80 ? I have the new X-T5 and with the new 40mp sensor I was wondering if the older 18-135 would be able to render the full sensor mp's

@SteveMellorPhotography

Жыл бұрын

The 18-135 isn't on the list of lenses that work well with the 40mp sensors and, to be fair, I wouldn't expect it to. It's an incredible super-zoom lens but it working so well is almost a fluke. The thing is, the 16-80mm isn't on the list either, so I would expect there could be similar problems with both of them. I've not heard anyone talking about the Tamron 18-300 yet, which could fill the gap if it ends up being sharp enough but... The nearest equivalent from Fuji is the new XF 18-120mm F4. Of course, not many people have got their hands on that yet, but it's looking like a fairly good video lens (and that means that it will work with photos very well). But, of course, that comes at a bit of a cost.. around $800 IIRC.

@NJM1948

Жыл бұрын

@@SteveMellorPhotography Thanks for your reply. I know both the lenses I mentioned are not on "The List" but from what reviewers of the XT5 are saying is that those lenses will actually give better results on the XT5 than on say the XT3 because of the new processor and indeed the sensor. Fuji are actually pairing the 16-80mm as a kit lens with the XT5 ...so, good news and I have verified that with results from the 16-80 on my XT5. My question really was about your thoughts about the older 18-135 against the 16-80. How do they compare in sharpness and image quality? I have the 16-80 and it is excellent. I haven't used the 18-135 hence watching your vid!!

Stop it down to f/9 - f/11, use AUTO ISO with at least 1/250 shutter speed... perfectly sharp images in all focal lengths.

Just come across this. Still think the same in 2023? 🤙

@SteveMellorPhotography

Жыл бұрын

Funnily enough, I am working on updating this video for the XT5. For any camera that isn’t 40 megapixels, yes! I still use this as my main lens at the moment.

@CrispyJacketStudios

Жыл бұрын

@@SteveMellorPhotography good to know. Tnx 🤙 I also have my eyes on the XT5 🥰

In Christopher Frost video the corners are soft

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

He also said it’s a cut above your average super-zoom. I’ve never noticed edge sharpness be a problem and I’ve used it since having the X-T3. I’ll concede that it could just be my copy of the lens, but at f/8, where I’m often shooting, it’s been fine.

I wonder how ridiculous this lens would be on an XE2...

@SteveMellorPhotography

2 жыл бұрын

It would be ridiculous… But, it would also be amazing!

It ain't just you, but since you're talking this lens, I have this bee in my bonnet. You're fairly close to your camera. There's distortion. I say, pull your camera back and zoom in so there isn't any distortion, sliding your 18-135 up to around 55. And not just you. Everybody.

Are U reviewing ur face??? Wheres the sample photos and the lens?

@SteveMellorPhotography

3 жыл бұрын

This isn’t a review. I’m taking about why I use it.