Fujifilm FUJINON XF 70-300mm F/4-5.6 R LM OIS WR

This Fujifilm telephoto zoom spans 70–300mm on the Fujifilm X mount and suits APS-C bodies. It arrived in 2021 and remains in production. That reach makes it a practical choice for wildlife, outdoor sport and any subject you cannot walk closer to.

The main trade-off is light gathering. The maximum aperture starts at f/4 and narrows to f/5.6 as you zoom toward 300mm. In return, the lens stays light for its reach. That matters when you carry it all day or hold it to your eye waiting for action.

The lens weighs 1 lb 4.5 oz (580 g) and measures 5.22 in (132.5 mm) long. It scores 93 on our physical specification measure. The body is 2.95 in (75 mm) wide. A screw-in filter attaches directly and must match the lens's 67mm thread.

At 70mm you can frame an animal within its habitat, a wider view of the action, or a portrait. Zoom to 300mm and a distant subject fills much more of the frame. On the APS-C sensor, that long end frames subjects more tightly than 300mm would on a larger sensor. That helps with wary birds and far-side action. Zooming between the ends lets you keep framing as an animal moves toward or away from you.

The maximum aperture runs from f/4 at 70mm to f/5.6 at 300mm. The wide end gathers decent light for nearer work. At the long end you will need good daylight or a higher ISO in shade or at dusk.

The narrower aperture does not remove subject separation. At 300mm on APS-C, the lens can still throw a background out of focus, so a subject stands apart from grass or a busy backdrop. Our specification scoring gives the optics 58.

The lens focuses as close as 2.7 ft (83 cm), so you can photograph a nearby subject without stepping back. The maximum magnification is 0.33x, which lets a small subject such as a butterfly occupy a large share of the frame.

Image stabilisation is built in. Camera shake shows clearly at 300mm, so steady support matters at the long end. The stabilisation lets you use slower shutter speeds handheld, which helps in morning light or under forest cover. It steadies the camera only, so it will not freeze a bird in flight or a sprinting player.

The lens is weather sealed, useful when wildlife or sport keeps you out in dust and moisture. A zoom lock holds the barrel at your chosen focal length during carrying. There is no fluorine coating on the front element, so the front glass will need more careful cleaning. The features score is 79 on our specification measure.

The design includes aspherical elements. These help correct optical faults such as distortion and spherical aberration. Low-dispersion glass also sits in the construction. This glass helps reduce chromatic aberration, the coloured fringes that can appear along high-contrast edges like a backlit bird against bright sky. The construction specification score is 31.