First test
PRICE: £949
FUJIFILM.EU/UK
Fujifilm GF50mm f/3.5 R LMWR
SPECS
› Price £949 › Format FujifilmGFX medium format › Mount FujifilmG › Autofocus Yes, linear motor › Construction Nine elements in six groups › Special lens elements One aspherical lens › Coatings Not specified › Filter size 62mm › Aperture range f/3.5-32 in 0.3EV steps › Diaphragm Nine blades › Internal focus Yes › Manual focus Yes › Minimum focus 55mm › Focus limiter No › Maximummagnification 0.1x › Distance scale No › Depth-of-field scale No › Image stabiliser No › Tripod collar No
It’s the smallest and lightest Fujifilm lens for its medium format GFX system, making it perfect for street and travel. We test it out
The FujifilmGFX systemoffers pro and enthusiasts a relatively affordable route tomedium format photography. The systemhas steadily grown and now there are three cameras and ten lenses to choose from, the latest arrival being the GF50mm f/3.5 R LMWR. It is the smallest and lightest lens in the GFX system, weighing just 335g, so when paired with the GFX 50R the combined weight is 1110g. That’s still no featherweight, but the benefit of the larger sensor makes the package a very compelling option. If you are of the mind that the diagonal of the format is the ideal standard focal length then this 50mm lens is a mere 5mmoff, because
the GFX format is 44x33mm so the diagonal is 55mm. Thus it gives a very natural human eye perspective – that’s a tick in the plus column. In 35mm format, this lens gives the equivalent view of a 40mm lens. The lens earns more ticks in the positive column with its superb cosmetics, and the engineering of its focus barrel and aperture ring. Both work very smoothly with a confidence- inspiring assuredness. There are minus points, though. The biggest is the lack of an integral image stabiliser, although that won’t impact much on owners of a GFX 100, which has an in-body image stabilisation system (but GFX 50S/50R owners miss
out). I use a GFX 50R a great deal and while handholding at fairly slow shutter speeds with the mechanical shutter is manageable, shake is a risk with such a big, high-resolution camera. The lens’s f/3.5 maximum aperture is a negative, too, but that’s the pay-off for a really compact lens. Yes, an f/2 would be lovely, but I shiver at thought of the
› Lens hood Supplied › Weather sealed Yes › Dimensions 84x48mm › Weight 335g › Contact fujifilm.eu/uk
extra cost in weight andmoney. My final minus point is the lens’s 55cmminimum focus distance. For a standard lens I’d expect something in the order of 30cm, so I will have tomake do with 55cm and crop, although with somany pixels that’s not toomuch of a negative. I tested the lens on a GFX 50R and, thanks to Fujifilm’s linear motor autofocusing, it’s near-silent and swift. The camera’s AF contrast-detect system works well enough with the lens, and it’s quick and positive in ideal conditions. As you’d expect fromFujifilm, optically the lens is a class act, and at the most used apertures – which inmy world is from f/3.5 to f/11 – you can expect excellent quality. Images are very sharp across the frame, full of contrast, and fine detail is amazing. Depth-of- field aside, there is not a huge difference in terms of sharpness from f/3.5 to f/11, which is great news because you can use the aperture for the effect you want without wondering if the image quality is compromised. If there is any weakness it’s the lens’s small aperture showing, and f/22 and f/32 suffer fromdiffraction – there’s a significant impact on sharpnesss. All told, though, this standard fromFujifilm turns in a very fine performance, where and when it matters, for most photographers. WC ABOVE Small and light, the Fujifilm GF50mm f/3.5 R LMWR offers photographers on the move a perfect option for a wide range of photography
ON TEST
Our test shots were taken using the GF50mm f/3.5 lens on a Fujifilm GFX 50R mounted on a Benro FIF28C carbon-fi- bre tripod. The electronic shutter was released using the self-timer and resulting Raw files processed through Lightroomwith no extra sharpening applied.
Verdict There is a great deal to like about the Fujifilm GF50mm f/3.5 R LMWR.Yes, it is true that having an image stabiliser would have been nice, as would a faster aperture, but any negatives are more than countered by its portability and genres.What’s more, it’s capable of critically sharp pictures where it counts, and it’s competitively priced. PROS Compact and lightweight, really useful focal length CONS Only f/3.5, nice if it could focus closer, no OIS usefulness across a range of subject
F/3.5
F/3.5
F/5.6
F/5.6
F/16
F/16
F/8
F/8
F/22
F/22
F/11
F/11
F/32
F/32
Issue 72 | Photography News 73
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