Fujifilm has announced a new super-telephoto prime lens, the Fujinon XF 400mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR, priced at approximately €2900. The lens is scheduled to ship in mid-September.
Third telephoto prime in the lineup
This marks the third telephoto prime in Fujifilm’s current lens lineup, joining the existing XF 500mm F5.6 R LM OIS WR and XF 200mm F2 R LM OIS WR. The 400mm focal length provides a 35mm equivalent reach of 609mm when mounted on Fujifilm’s APS-C sensor cameras, offering an angle of view of approximately 4.1 degrees. This narrow field of view makes the lens particularly suited for isolating subjects at considerable distances, such as birds in flight or athletes on distant playing fields.
Compatibility with Fujifilm’s teleconverters extends that reach further. Using the XF 1.4X TC WR pushes the equivalent focal length to 853mm, while the XF 2X TC WR delivers an effective 1219mm reach. Photographers requiring extreme magnification for wildlife documentation or surveillance applications can leverage these accessories without sacrificing the optical quality benefits of a dedicated prime lens.
Compact design and weather sealing
At roughly 240mm in length and weighing 1245g, the new lens is slightly shorter and lighter than the 500mm model, which measures approximately 256mm and weighs 1335g. This reduction in size and mass proves advantageous for handheld shooting scenarios common in sports and wildlife photography, where photographers often operate in challenging positions for extended periods. The manageable weight distribution allows for extended handheld sessions without the fatigue typically associated with heavier telephoto primes.
Fujifilm included 20 weather seals throughout the barrel to protect against dust and moisture, enabling photographers to continue working in adverse conditions such as rain, snow, or dusty environments. The front element features a fluorine coating that repels water and dirt, simplifying maintenance and ensuring clear visibility through the optics during field use. This protective treatment allows droplets to bead and slide off the front glass rather than accumulating as smudges.
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According to CIPA standards, the optical image stabilization system compensates for up to 5.5 stops of camera shake, which significantly reduces the likelihood of motion blur when shooting at slower shutter speeds. The stabilization mechanism proves particularly valuable when tracking moving subjects or operating from unstable positions such as vehicles or boats. A dedicated aperture ring sits on the barrel, providing direct tactile control over f-stops from F4.5 to F22 in third-stop increments across 15 total stops. The lens accepts 95mm filters, allowing photographers to mount polarizers or neutral density filters without the bulk and cost of larger filter sizes.
Optical construction and focusing
The lens uses 21 elements arranged in 14 groups, incorporating two Super-ED and four ED elements to minimize chromatic aberration. This optical formula addresses color fringing that typically appears at high-contrast edges when shooting with telephoto lenses, particularly at wider apertures. The sophisticated glass selection ensures accurate color rendition and enhanced sharpness throughout the frame, even when photographing subjects against bright backgrounds such as skies or artificial lighting.
Fujifilm says the autofocus system relies on a linear motor for quick and quiet operation, making the lens suitable for both still photography and video recording where motor noise would be distracting. The linear motor design delivers responsive subject acquisition without the focus hunting that can plague slower systems when encountering subjects at varying distances. A set button allows photographers to jump instantly to a preset focus distance, which proves useful when working in predictable shooting scenarios such as birding blinds or sports photography positions where subjects frequently appear at known distances. The focus limiter function helps narrow the focus range for faster acquisition, excluding unnecessary distance zones when the photographer knows the subject will remain within a specific range. The minimum focusing distance measures 2.75m, yielding a maximum magnification of 0.16x, enabling reasonable close-up capability for a lens of this focal length.
Additional features include nine rounded aperture blades, which create pleasing bokeh in out-of-focus areas while maintaining a near-circular aperture opening across most of the adjustment range. A removable tripod collar foot provides stable mounting options for gimbal heads and ball mounts, with the collar’s rotation mechanism allowing quick switching between horizontal and vertical orientations without disturbing the camera setup. The lens hood shields the front element from stray light that could cause flare and reduced contrast, and the package ships with front and rear caps, a lens pouch, and a shoulder strap for convenient transport.
Pricing and availability
The Fujinon XF 400mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR will be available starting mid-September for approximately €2900. Fujifilm has not yet announced U.S. pricing or exact availability dates for other markets.
