The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Fujifilm 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 R OIS and the Fujifilm 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Fujifilm 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 R OIS is the longer of the two lenses at 98mm. The Fujifilm 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS with a length of 70mm, is 28mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Fujifilm 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 R OIS also has a larger diameter of 76mm compared to the Fujifilm 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS's 65mm diameter.
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Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Fujifilm 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 R OIS and Fujifilm 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Fujifilm 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS weighs 310g, 36% (180g) lighter than the Fujifilm 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 R OIS's weight of 490g.
Filter Threads
The Fujifilm 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 R OIS has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Fujifilm 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS has a 58mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Fujifilm 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 R OIS:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Fujifilm 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS:
Lens Mounts
Both the Fujifilm 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 R OIS and the Fujifilm 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS has the same Fujifilm X lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Fujifilm X lenses are Fujifilm X-S20, Fujifilm X-T5 and Fujifilm X-H2.
Focal Range
Fujifilm 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 R OIS has a focal range of 18-135mm and
7.5X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
27-202.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Fujifilm 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS has a focal range of 18-55mm and 3.1X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 27-82.5mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.