While people complain about everything all the time… this particular complaint has irritated me to a surprisingly large degree.
Fujifilm has announced a new 200mm f/2 X-Mount lens that costs a whopping $6000. Now that is nominally a lot of money… but how much is it really relative to the other 200mm f/2 lenses out there? And actually… this isn’t a 200mm lens. Well it is… but it isn’t.
It is an APS-C lens, meaning the field of view is actually equivalent to a 305mm lens. An f/2 305mm lens which I don’t think anybody else has.
The 200mm Comparisons
The Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 200mm f/2G ED VR II Lens costs $5,696.95… or ~ $300 less than the new Fujinon 200mm lens. That’s great right. A proven lens that’s a little cheaper. But woops! We forgot something… the Fujinon 200mm comes with a matching 1.4x extender. Which is probably valued at $400.
The Canon EF 200mm f/2L IS USM Lens is basically priced the same as the Nikon 200mm f/2 at $5,699.00. However this lens can be purchased for less using Cpricewatch. Which is fitting since it’s the oldest design of the three. So the equation ends up being basically the same as with the Nikon. The Fujinon has an included extender and is the newest… it really is priced appropriately.
But let’s move on to what’s probably the more realistic comparison…
The 300mm Comparisons
As I mentioned a moment ago, the Fujinon 200mm f/2 is an APS-C lens and has an actual angle of view of 305mm. It is in essence a 300mm f/2 lens.
The Sony A-mount 300mm f/2.8 G SSM II Lens is priced at $7,498.00… or $1500 more than the Fujinon 200mm. It doesn’t seem to be that popular of a lens but people do seem to feel that it’s a good lens… but still, it’s more expensive.
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 300mm f/2.8G ED VR II Lens is priced at $5,496.95… $500 less than the Fujinon. The same math as with the 200mm lenses applies though. The 200mm comes with a 1.4x extender, making it a 427mm f/2.8. Seems like the pricing is fair since you’re basically getting two lenses in one.
The Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens is priced at $6,099.00. Only $100 more than the Fujinon at list price. But you would most likely be able to get a lower street price on this lens. Which overall makes this a very tough call. The Canon 300mm f/2.8 is absolutely adored by photographers and is basically one of the best consumer lenses it’s possible to get.
The point here is that the Fujifilm XF 200mm f/2 lens is appropriately priced and offers pretty good value. The only drawback is that it is an APS-C lens, unlike all the others which are full frame. This limits its overall future compatibility. But we are talking about Fujifilm X-mount lenses here… I’m not sure anybody was expecting full frame anyways.