[JJ_SO]

My gosh, what a lens! I don't recall the last time a lens so easily surpassed all my expectations.  :blink: I can carry it including camera with two fingers, it's just perfectly balanced and it doesn't feel like having more than 2 kg (including body).

 

I just got it this evening, took it for a walk although it started to darken. The pictures here were made between 5.30 and 6.50 P.M. 

 



 

Thanks a lot, Andy for the right bag for it - those slingshots are really cool to put the elbow on and get a more stable shot, although the lens has an extraordinary stabilizer, 1/15, 1/20, 1/60 at 200 mm or 400 mm, just doesn't matter - if the object is not moving, it's output is astounding.

 



1/15 @ 340 mm

 

And if the object's moving, the output is astounding as well  ^_^

 

I also don't recall the last time I found a new lens so cool: the hood is very cool, fast in it's place and a slider at the botton side to manipulate a polarizer. Very easy to handhold, with or without the removable tripod socket (all the pictures were made handheld). All rings are perfectly placed, focus or aperture ring, just great. I also got the converter (the picture of the stork was made with it. And cropped, so please don't use the usual superhigh PZ quality guidelines for it 

 

The converter is so tiny, I'd say if swallowed just take a gulp of water to move it down.

 

Okay, most shots were without much action. The AF-C mode of the X-E2 is not what I'm used from the Nikons - especially not in those dark situations, but I was prepared for far far worse results. Of course I want to use it also in bright light. If the results in evening, grey and shitty light are already that good, I'm ready for something really excellent.

 

Now, about those 1.5× crop: I was curious and used a scale to weigh the FF backpack with 150-600 + 35/1.4 + 85/1.4, because in the smaller slingshot were the equivalents 100-400, 23/1.4 + 86/1.2 (just forget the debate about DoF, I'm not accepting that crap -what counts, is the light the lens delivers to the sensor). 5kg Fuji (incl. bag) against 11 kg Nikon (including bag and necessary light tripod). If I wanted to use the appropriate tripod with a Gimbal, just add 4 kg more.

 

Question remains: Can the Fuji deliver a satisfying IQ? At least as satisfying as the D750/150-600 Sigma Sports combination? I'm somewhat afraid it can. But I'm yet not ready with that comparison. Sure, the Contemporary version or the Tamron would alter some things, but when hiking, I really think I found a very good camera system to take it with me without backpain the other day.