It's not very often that I get to photograph birds of prey in flight, or hold them — so when Fujifilm invited me to a pre-launch event for its new lens, I jumped at the opportunity. Today, on 4 September 2026, Fujifilm announced the new Fujinon XF 400mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR weather-sealed telephoto lens, designed for wildlife, birding and sports.
A couple of days ago, I went hands-on with it to capture portraits and action shots of falcons, eagles and owls. Though the weather was far from ideal, with the skies pouring down on us as soon as the lovely ladies from U.K.-based Walks with Hawks brought out birds of prey, it was an enjoyable day out.
I was given the 400mm lens and a Fujifilm X-H2S and I had a lot of fun with it. Here's everything I photographed with the kit.
A long-reaching, lightweight tele lens
Before we get to the photos, let's talk about the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 400mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR. It's a super-telephoto APS-C lens with a 400mm focal length — that's equivalent to 609mm on a full frame sensor — and it's compatible with Fuji's X series of mirrorless cameras. With a maximum aperture of f/4.5, Fujifilm claims that it "delivers the highest optical performance in the XF lens lineup." That essentially means that it captures sharp photos.
As the many letters in its name suggest, the XF 400mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR features up to 5.5 stops of optical image stabilization, and it's fully protected against dust, rain and can be used in temperatures as low as 14°F / -10°C. The lens' OIS enables you to shoot at slow shutter speeds, and I can confirm that it's weather-proof as I used it in the pouring rain.
I was also pleasantly surprised at how lightweight the lens felt when attached to the X-H2S. On its own, the XF 400mm F4.5 weighs 2.74lbs. With the X-H2S, the kit weighs 4.19lbs. I found the weight distribution to be fantastic, and I didn't find the kit unwieldy to use or hold up for long periods when tracking birds in flight. It certainly felt more comfortable to use than the OM System OM-1 Mark II with the M.Zuiko Digital ED 150-600mm F5.0-6.3 IS (4.55lbs without camera)!
Another thing that took me by surprise? The price. The XF 400mm F4.5 has a retail price of $3,200 / £2,499 which is not bad for a lens of its caliber. While I wish the lens had a narrower f/2.8 aperture, it doesn't feel poor value for money. For context, the Canon RF 400mm F2.8L IS USM costs a whopping $14,000, while the Nikon NIKKOR Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S retails for around $3,500, so similar to the Fujifilm.
As a wildlife photographer who's had her eye on the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR for a while, I'm quite tempted by the XF 400mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR. Of course, one of the XF 100-400mm's draws is that it has the versatility of a zoom lens, yet at 3.1lbs it's only ever-so-slightly heavier than the fixed-length XF 400mm.
What the XF 100-400mm doesn't have, though, is a Focus Preset memory button on its barrel, which the XF 400mm does. There's an AF-L / Preset / AF switch on XF 400mm's barrel. If you set it to Preset, aim at your target in the distance (using either the camera's autofocus or manual focusing), and press the Set button under the Preset switch, the lens memorizes the exact focus position. If you then focus on a different area and press either of the black buttons close to the front of the lens, you'll snap back to your saved distance.
I'm sure this will come in handy for wildlife and sports photographers who don't want to waste time hunting for focus when their subject enters a pre-measured zone. This also sounds useful for event photography where critical spots, like a stage, remain the same distance from the photographer.
Portraits, action shots, it does it all
As part of the pre-launch event for the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 400mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR lens, I got the chance to capture portrait and action shots of Henry the barn owl, Reggie the Harris's hawk, Hope the black-chested buzzard-eagle, Perry the peregrine falcon, and Rogue the kestrel. Very well behaved birds, I must say, as they sat still and posed for the cameras.
Have a look at the photos in the gallery above. The edges of the birds, as well as their feathers and patterns, have turned out sharp, and the background has blurred into a soft bokeh as well. Though f/4.5 isn't usually ideal for creating strong bokeh on shorter lenses, it works just fine on long telephoto lenses, like the XF 400mm. This is because the 400mm focal length naturally narrows the angle of view while heavily magnifying background elements, making distant backgrounds melt away even at a moderate f/4.5 aperture.
Capturing action shots of birds in flight is a walk in the park with the XF 400mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR, too. 400mm — and just over 600mm full frame equivalent — is plenty of reach, so you can maintain a safe distance when observing birds and other wildlife. If you want even more reach, it's worth investing in a tele-converter. The photos in the gallery below were shot without one, and I took them from afar.
Naturally, the quality of your action shots of birds in flight will depend on the camera body you're using. Your camera will be doing a lot of the heavy lifting with its high-speed drive, like 40fps sequential shooting on the Fuji X-H2S. For the shots above, I set the drive to 30fps (which is more than sufficient for most situations) and I chose bird subject detection, continuous tracking, and I set the shutter speed to around 1/8,000s.
As you can see, the photos have turned out sharp, thanks to the XF 400mm's optics. The glass — along with the camera — has done the beautiful birds justice. I especially love how detailed and textured the black-chested buzzard-eagle's and barn owl's wings and feathers appear.
I love how quiet the XF 400mm's focusing motors are as well. When photographing wildlife, you don't want a lens that grinds and makes loud noises that disturb your subjects (especially skittish birds). Thankfully, the XF 400mm is very quiet, and I found it quick to focus, too. Again, your camera body's autofocus system plays an important role here. The X-H2S, in conjunction with the XF 400mm, didn't let me down.
Looking ahead...
I've thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 400mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR and, of course, the Fujifilm X-H2S. I love how lightweight the lens is, making it a great choice for traveling, and its 600mm full frame equivalent focal length is more than plenty for getting close to wildlife from a distance.
You need a long telephoto lens designed for wildlife and action photography to be quiet when it's focusing and fully weather-sealed — and thankfully, the XF 400mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR is both of those things. Trust me, I tested it in the pouring rain!
For wildlife and birding photographers needing a lightweight lens, strong and pleasing bokeh, and hardcore weather resistance, the XF 400mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR sounds like a solid choice. Personally, my heart isn't that set on the XF 100-400mm anymore...
The Fujifilm Fujinon XF 400mm F4.5 R LM OIS WR is compatible with X series cameras, and is available for $3,200 / £2,499.
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