First test
Fujifilm XF56mm f/1.2 R WR PRICE: £999 With a superfast f/1.2 aperture, this weather- resistant 56mm is ideal for low-light portraits Tested by Will Cheung
FUJIFILM-X.COM
SPECS › Price £999
› In the box Front and rear caps, lens hood, lens wrapping cloth › Format APS-C › Compatibility Fujifilm X Series › Filter 67mm › Construction 13 elements in eight groups › Special lens elements Two aspherical, one ED › Aperture range F/1.2-16 in 0.3EV steps
generation sensor. To make the most of the X-H2’s high megapixel count – along with other recent Fujifilm models – this lens has a modified optical formula with 13 elements in eight groups, compared with 11 elements in eight groups, for a superior optical performance. There are physical improvements, too; this lens has a weather-resistant build, with nine seals to deny dust and moisture. A fluorine coating has been applied to the front element to repel dust and other nasties. There are two key upgrades in terms of picture potential. The new lens has a 50cm minimum focusing
FUJIFILM HAS BEEN regularly updating and upgrading its lenses – and the XF56mm f/1.2 is the latest to get a refresh. The original f/1.2 R was popular for portraits, with an 85mm equivalent focal length in full-frame terms. It was a capable performer too, great if you wanted to enjoy the pictorial effects of using wider apertures. However, that lens arrived in 2014, when Fujifilm’s flagship was the X-T1: a 16-megapixel camera with the brand’s second-generation APS-C X-Trans CMOS sensor. Since, technology has raced along, and Fujifilm has just unveiled the 40- megapixel X-H2 along with its fifth-
› Diaphragm 11 blades › Magnification 0.14x › Minimum focus 50cm
› Lens coatings Super EBC (Electron Beam Coating), fluorine-coated front element › Weather sealed Yes, nine rubber seals › Image stabiliser No lens stabiliser › Dimensions (dxl) 79.4x76mm › Weight 445g › Contact fujifilm-x.com
not by linear motor, so there is some sound as the system works. But in practice, it’s only audible to the user. Optically, there is nothing negative to report. Sharpness across the frame at f/1.2 rates very highly and detail looked crisp and clean with good contrast. Stop down to f/2 and the quality gets even higher, then stays consistently high until f/11, when sharpness dipped a little. At f/16, diffraction meant the drop off in quality was more obvious. Illumination across the frame was sound, with no vignetting even at f/1.2. Some minor purple fringing reared its head on the finest details of the test chart, but we’re in nitpicking territory here. Distortion-wise, there was nothing noticeable. All told, this lens is a first-rate performer, and I’d be happy shooting everything at f/1.2, knowing contrast and sharpness would be of a very high order. PN
distance, 20cm shorter than the previous model, and it’s the first Fujifilm X Series optic to feature an 11-bladed diaphragm. This grants an almost perfect circle, for beautifully smooth out-of-focus highlights. Physically, it’s slightly bigger than the original, and at 445g about 10% heavier – though that’s not really significant. I found it made a lovely partner for the X-H2, with which I tested the lens. Balance was really good, and while this has no optical image stabiliser, that wasn’t an issue paired with the X-H2’s seven-stop IBIS system. I also tried it on the more compact X-S10 and balance here was also good. Autofocus is smooth and slick. On the X-H2, with its advanced AF system that features face, eye and subject detection, the 56mm is quick to latch onto the subject and does a fine job holding focus as it moves around the image field. Focusing is
SMOOTH OPERATOR The XF56mm’s aperture ring glides from click-stop to click-stop in 0.3EV steps. There’s a locking button that needs pressing before the A setting can be engaged
Verdict There’s much to love about Fujifilm’s XF56mm f/1.2 R WR. It handles beautifully, and optical performance is first-rate – particularly at the wide lens apertures owners will want to exploit. I’d be delighted using this lens wide open knowing it will deliver first-class shots. It’s great value for a telephoto prime of this specification, too. All in all, highly recommended. PROS Optical performance throughout the aperture range and very usable wide open; 11-bladed iris, weather proofing, widely spaced aperture ring, good balance CONS Nothing
GET SELECTIVE Move in close with the XF56mm f/1.2 at its maximum aperture and you need to be clinical with focusing – there’s little depth-of-field to cover errors
TEST PICTURES
The XF56mm f/1.2 R WR was tested on a Fujifilm X-H2. For these test shots, the pair was fixed on a Leofoto LS-324C carbon-fibre tripod. Raws were processed through Adobe Lightroom with default sharpening.
F/1.2 Centre
F/4 Centre
F/16 Centre
F/1.2 Edge
F/4 Edge
F/16 Edge
Issue 102 | Photography News 61
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