There is a ring but, while Fuji's fixed aperture lenses all have a marked aperture ring, just like the rest of Fuji's variable aperture zooms this has no markings. Fuji's logic for the unmarked aperture ring is that the maximum aperture changes depending on what focal length you are zoomed to.

You change mode (manual or auto choice of aperture) with the Q/A button on the side of the lens, and, when in manual (aperture) mode, just turn the aperture ring to change aperture. The max aperture available at your choice will show in the viewfinder as you change focal length.

For your interest ....... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFI1T5NNz3Q

Okay, here is how our hand scale measures the weight of this lens.

The lens with front and back covers, lens hood, and tripod mount PLUS the 1.4 tele-extender came to 3.6 lbs. If I remove the caps, hood, tripod mount, and the tele-extender the lens alone weighed 2.8 lbs. To test the scale's accuracy, I weighed all the extras, but removed the lens itself. All the removable stuff came to precisely 0.8 lbs. So, it checks out exactly.

BTW, the tele-extender seems to work flawlessly. It's length and weight are minimal and, at least in today strong light, it focused very quickly. I'll post a few backyard snapshots later today.

I may be wrong, but I find I have better luck out of the heat of the day with song birds. Might be me rather than the birds though. Almost everything we saw were insectavoirs, seed eaters were, I suspect hiding from the heat.

Also, the high sun did not aid in the photo opportunity, shadows in the bushes really caused havoc. I captured a, my Merlin App claims it to be an Baltimore Oriole, deep in a green bush. The colors are....awful.

This was my first visit, to quote someone famous, "I shall return!"