Fuji XF80mmF2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro has some interesting properties

OIS works as advertised, I managed to use the lens at 1/8s. AF appears to be very precise but slower than the AF of the XF90mm.

However, for any even half-serious macro shot close to MFD (aka 1:1 magnification), it's better to use a tripod, focus manually, stop down to at least f/8 for a minimum of DOF and try to illuminate the subject with off-camera flash.

Do you get what you pay for? Yep, sure. However, not everybody will need everything they get. So while the (high) price is right, make sure that you actually need a 1:1 macro lens with OIS and teleconverter compatibility. And if you plan to use it for portraits, make sure that you like swirly bokeh.
 
Comments noted but I still want one and have an order in with WEX. I bought the 90mm whilst waiting for the 80mm macro but could never quite get on with it! If the 90mm had OIS and was able to utilise the converters I might well have stayed with it, hey ho.
 
I've not done any real macro stuff for a while - I am waiting for this lens also. Not got one on order yet but will do shortly I think.
 
BTT: I have just spent a few minutes analyzing how much the XF80mm Macro relies on metadata-based lens corrections.

With macros, you have to review digital lens corrections separately for scenes near MFD and for regular distances. That's because unlike normal lenses, macros sometimes aren't optimized for infinity but for macro distances. Duh! Figures.

The 80mm Macro relies on digital corrections for distortion and vignetting (when the lens is used wide open). As usual, CAs are also taken care of with metadata-based corrections, but CAs aren't much of an issue with this lens, anyway.

Here's what I found: The 80mm applies slight digital pincushion distortion correction at both macro and normal distances. It's pretty benign. Fun fact: If you use the XF2x TC WR with the lens, this distortion turns into a slight barrel distortion, which is also digitally corrected.

It's pretty normal for macros to rely on benign digital distortion correction. The XF60mm does it, the Zeiss Touit 50mm does it, the GF120mm does it. And now the XF80mm does it, too.

As for vignetting: There is a good deal of corner shading at f/2.8, which is of course digitally compensated (meaning you will see more noise near the corners if you are shooting noisy scenes with high-ISO). Again, that's not unusual with such a complex lens.

It also affects the T stop (aka transmission). Comparing the XF80mm lens with the XF90mm at f/2.8, I found that the XF80mm is about 0.15 EV darker. Again, this isn't really unexpected.
 
Do you get what you pay for? Yep, sure. However, not everybody will need everything they get. So while the (high) price is right, make sure that you actually need a 1:1 macro lens with OIS and teleconverter compatibility. And if you plan to use it for portraits, make sure that you like swirly bokeh.

Very good comments. This confirms my first thoughts when I saw the price. With the time Fuji took to develop this lens and changing from an original 120 mm to an 80 this lens was in development for quite some time. Without the chance to handle it I suspect it is a fantastic lens. I would especially like to play with the options of using the tele-converters with it and seeing what it can do. The sample images shown are are quite nice.

But when it really comes down to it, with owning the 60 and extension tubes already I really don't need it. Yes, I would like to have it, but the truth is I prefer more Close Up photography than Macro. So for me the price is simply not justified, what I have works well for me so no reason to spend. Now maybe with the proper sale catching me at a time my savings is where I want it then I might be enticed to let go of my cash. But until then I am happy with what I have.
 
Very good comments. This confirms my first thoughts when I saw the price. With the time Fuji took to develop this lens and changing from an original 120 mm to an 80 this lens was in development for quite some time. Without the chance to handle it I suspect it is a fantastic lens. I would especially like to play with the options of using the tele-converters with it and seeing what it can do. The sample images shown are are quite nice.

But when it really comes down to it, with owning the 60 and extension tubes already I really don't need it. Yes, I would like to have it, but the truth is I prefer more Close Up photography than Macro. So for me the price is simply not justified, what I have works well for me so no reason to spend. Now maybe with the proper sale catching me at a time my savings is where I want it then I might be enticed to let go of my cash. But until then I am happy with what I have.

For me, the OIS and the use of the teleconverters is enough justification. I don't do much 1:1 either, but being able to be further away and be stabilised is great!
I can be almost three times the distance away from butterflies etc., compared to the 60.
 
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