My hands-on preview of the Fujifilm XF 50mm f1.0 and how it compares to the 50 f2 and 56 f1.2 Check price at B&H: bhpho.to/3i80Ho1 // WEX: tidd.ly/2Z2Afo7 Buy Gordon a coffee: www.paypal.me/cameralabs Gordon's In Camera book at Amazon: amzn.to/2n61PfI / Amazon uk: amzn.to/2mBqRVZ Like Cameralabs? Get the merch: redbubble.com/people/cameralabs/shop
i’m no stranger to big expensive glass but i absolutely adore my 50 f2. its optical qualities are absolutely stellar. but i really like the rendering of the f1. excellent pop.
A few thoughts after watching the video: I'm glad Fujifilm developed this lens in the public eye. We were able to observe their thought process, balancing portability and (some) practicality with, quite frankly, an engineering flex. It gave users the chance to adjust their expectations to a lens that, while not entirely sensible for most, is still impressive and attainable for those who want it. It's almost the polar opposite of the Noct 50mm f/0.95, which was developed in a vacuum and released to a befuddled market. Meanwhile, I'm sure there's plenty of people who are going to complain that it's too big and heavy for an APS-C mirrorless, but it's just as easy to do the same for other camera systems -- telephoto lenses with big apertures just aren't small and lightweight. Personally, were I still using the X system, I'd go for the utility of the 50mm f/2 because I like having more context in my photos and the close focus distance advantage is hard to ignore, and I prefer medium format if I want dramatic DoF effects. Thanks as always, Gordon!
Gordon, I love your reviews! Honestly I think you’re one of the best review channels out there for photographers right now. You deliver the information with an opinion and samples for us to look at, without all the YT hype. Thank you 🙏
I'm going to get this for my Fuji! Great complement to my FF cameras. It's important to note (I don't see this in reviews often thank you for that attention to detail - nice work) - that this F1 lens is a full frame equiv of 76.5mm F1.53. So it'll be the first Fujifilm lens I will have that will approach my 1.4's so I can use this for my professional work. Great work Fuji.
I'd definitely be in the 50 f2 camp - at some point, depth of field is reasonably thin and isolates well, and you don't really benefit from more (and if you do, I find the option of a speedboosted vintage 50 1.4 a lot more justifiable). The light gathering advantage of the 56 1.2 could still be quite interesting, say when you're taking photos in a dimly lit venue like I found myself struggling with at my friends' wedding afterparty about a year ago when I only had a 1.8 at hand. For the f1, I think it's just unreasonably big and heavy unless you're already used to shooting full frame, with someting like Sigma Art primes - then it's a savings, but if you're a native crop mirrorless shooter, I think you'll just find the size and weight overbearing. Beautiful lens no doubt, but I can hardly see the f1 justify itself vs the f1.2. Either way I'm glad Fuji are producing so many options at (almost) the same focal length - means you can actually pick what's right for you, rather than just the nearest-best compromise (something I also really appreciate about my now-home system of MFT).
I totally agree with you. I'm actually thinking about trading in my 56mm f1.2 for the 50mm f2 and possibly the 16mm f2.8 because I rarely use it. I've grown quite fond of the size, fit and finish of the f2 primes. Also the image quality is great IMO. Cheers!
Already owned the 50mm f2, and although it's tack sharp, I wasn't quite satisfied with the bokeh/subject-background separation. Of course, you can achieve the desired results if you move the background far enough, but having tried the 35mm f1.4, it had more of what I wanted without having to go to great lengths increasing the distance between subject/background. So, I sold it and got the 35mm f1.4 instead. 😆 I also heard from another X ambassador that this 50mm f1 is one of the sharpest, rivaling even the 80mm macro (which I also own). I'm so thrilled to be getting this. 😆
Muata O I traded the 56 for the 50 and I’m very happy with the decision. The 50mm F2 is much lighter, focusses much faster and is totally silent (as opposed to the 56, which is much slower and prone to hunting in low light); also, I find the 50mm a more flexible focal length, very useful for street, reporting, documentary etc. If you use the lens solely for portrait (which I don’t), I’d stick with the 56, but I use the 50mm much more often than I did use the 56. And portraits still look very nice, especially since I prefer to add a touch of context anyway.
My main lens is the 16-55f2.8 which is about the same size and weight as the 50f1. My primary motivator for choosing the 50f1 over the 56f1.2 is the weather-sealing and improved autofocus. I feel like the 50f2 wouldn't be different enough or more capable in lowlight enough, than what I could produce already with my zoom to justify the purchase. Still though, it's nice they have different options.
The 56mm had some nicer contrast and a more pleasing ambience imo. It also looked more plastic (in sense of being 3D) while maintaining a similar bokeh. But as we all know, natural light can change every few milliseconds and is probably causing a lot of those differences - but that also leads me to say, that the 50 f1.0 is a banger for what I promised but no noticeable worry upgrade if you already have a 56 f1.2 or try to get the best Costa-Performance-Balance. The 50 f2 wins the latter, but I'd say the 56 is still the sweet spot.
One thing that I think was missed in the review and comments when you did the self portrait with all 3 lenses was the micro contrast in your hat was visibly sharper on the 1.0 than the other two. If someone needs to have that level of detail then they will need to go with the 1.0. That said, the DoF in the same test was also noticeable narrower to the point where with the 1.0 parts of your face and neck had some Toneh whereas they were in focus on the other two lenses. You were right to say that it’s a matter of taste but it may be a case where having more Toneh might be too much in some situation - which I guess opens the door to for professionals to justify more than one lens. Overall, good job and looking forward to the review of the production version.
The f1 gives you the flexibility to open it wide to minimize DoF or close it up as much as required to get the DoF you need. Of course if *never* need/want f1 then the size, weight, and expense of the f1 would be a waste.
I also have the 56mm and I think I'll keep it in the mean time bcs the 50mm F1 is too cumbersome for street photography. With that said, I'll definitely get the F1 sometime in the future if I find one used.
I can’t wait for a full review, Gordon. I have and love the Fuji 50mm f2 ‘Fujicron’, which seems to be the sweet spot for the Fuji X system. I’m hoping to get the new Sigma 85mm 1.4 DG DN for the E-mount, and I would love to see a comparison of how this lens compares to that lens and similar other 85mm f1.4 lenses. Thank you again for all the good work.
I'm actually most amazed by how well it pulls focus for video! I was expecting a lot more breathing and hunting, but it nails the end points even if it's not lighting fast between them. And the XT4 seemed to drive it pretty well wide open, i'm wondering how it would go on my XT3... Bokeh is nice too, without those harder edges of the 56, and without the low-light compromise of the APD which is now looking pretty redundant.
It’s great to have all my questions answered and comparisons available within an hour of the lens announcement. Thank you, Gordon. Bonus points for the Camera Conspiracies reference.
I recently got the 50mm f/2 and it is an amazing lens. I would definitely recommend it if you don’t need the extra light gathering capability of the other lenses or their particular characteristics for portraiture.
I got rid of my fullframe gear with big lenses and wanted to focus on my smaller Fuji system more. Oh look a massive lens again. Dammit I want this though.
Gordon, your reviews are excellent! You've created a superb formula for presenting the capabilities of various cameras and lenses. Thank you for saving me so much time and money!
I have the 50mm F2 and I really love it. It's super sharp even a wide open. It has super fast AF with the X-T2. And I have a lot of fun with it. The Fuji F2 prime lenses are forgotten lenses as they generally live in the shadow of their faster cousins. The 50mm F2 is hardly ever talked about. Now with the release of the F1 there will be new attention paid to the F2. As nice as the F1.2 and F1 lenses are, it's hard for me to justify their cost because I'm not a professional and my skill level isn't to a point where I can make serious use of the additional F stops. I'll be sticking to the F2 for now. Anyway, I enjoyed the video. I liked how you compared all three lenses instead simply the F1 VS the F1.2. When the F1 is released for production I hope you do a similar 3 way comparison. I look forward to that!
I already have those results for the bokeh blobs, but not the portraits. I'll reshoot when the lens is final and add them to my review at cameralabs.com
Superb content as always Gordon! I’d love to see a side by side comparison of the Kamlan 50mm f1.0 mk2. It’s a budget manual lens that I sincerely believe worthy of a little limelight and an excellent alternative for those looking for similar results on a “COVID budget”! Thank you very much for all of your efforts, keep up the great work!
Thank you. I have the 50mm F2 and happy for that due to price, size, closer focusing, and faster focusing. Was thinking of the 90mm F2 as a portrait lens as well as this and the 27mm pancake .
I'm impressed by the fact that the f1 doesn't show obvious LOCA wide open, but I don't think your close-up, everyday objects tests suit this lens very well, at f1 it will just turn everything into low contrast soft mess, for that the 90 f2 is the king IMO. This lens at f1 will enable you to capture some shallow DOF at longer working distances, so that'd show more strength of it.
Thanks for the video, Gordon. As always..thorough and clear. I was hoping for a better bokeh rendering..actually. My favourite is still the 90mm....so that's the one I'll get, as soon as I upgrade to the X-T4..and its IBIS. I'll still wait for your final review, though. ;) Cheers from Portugal
Very nice review. Nice to have your thoughts about the 3 lenses. I would like very much to hear more about what you think of the 50 f2, especially in terms of sharpness.
Thanks for this Gordon! Interesting that your 56mm f1.2 images vs the 50mm f1.0 do show a difference, whereas most reviews I've seen show very little. Personally, I think I'll stick with my 56mm f1.2, especially since it AND the 90mm f2 only weigh 100 grams more than JUST the 50mm f1.0. And give you many more options.
Hi, I live in Brighton, where were those sandwiches from in the sample shots? Also, great video, I've just got a Fuji camera so I'm bingeing a bunch of xf content right now
excellent video! i have the 50 and 56mm lenses and i need both and the new 50mm is very expensive!! for the similar aperture i use the mitakon 35mm 0.95 and its focuses close! and it is very sharp with great colour rendering! but its a manual lens! i dont think id be buying the 50mm unless i made money out of photography.
Good review and as owner of 56&50 it is nice to see that Fuji offer choice.I would reconsider 50 f1 for planned portrait work ,not for lugging around weight and size. Luckily I see below in comments that you don't have misinformed equivalent warriors which comparing apples and oranges.
Thanks for the video, looks like this lens is mainly designed for portrait head shots to full body and couple shots for weddings etc, I think the shot you took with the women on the bike really shows it’s 3D pop. That’s my favourite shot. Also the low contrast helps with skin tones, Not sure the detail shots you took were ideal to show case the best this lens has to offer. This is a portrait lens.
This video helped reduce my GAS. The differences between the look of the new lens vs the 56m I already have were negligible, not enough to justify the expense.
The size. Can't get over it. Not the length, its girth. Glad to see the AF on that size isn't crap. A lot to look forward to on future lens upgrades in that range.
Thanks for the great preview. Love the look of the lens. It also doesn't seem to suffer from longitudinal ca a lot. If I had a Fuji camera, I'd certainly would like to have one.
Thanks Gordon, I really appreciated the comparison between the other fifty(fish) mm lenses. I probably won't ever need this lens, but I imagine for wedding photographers or serious portrait shooters it will be great. I actually bought and sold the 56mm because I actually prefer the 50mm f2 lens!
My question is were photographers demanding an f1.0 portrait lens? If I were a 56mm f1.2 owner I’d be a bit upset with Fuji for doing this. A great review as usual Gordon 👍🏼
Gordon superb video and analysis of all three 50mm competing lenses. I have the 56 f1.2 and find it fine for what my photography entails which is mostly portraits. However when the price drops a bit to maybe $1100 then I may add this to my Fuji line up. Kudos to you brother on your hard work.
Watching again I really prefer the 56mm over the 50mm f1 visually, I dig the harshness. But the f2 I like more than both. The advantage of the f2 is more's in focus from the jump. All the facial details pop out.
Oooo, I almost commented that Canon had what I thought was the First f1.0 50 af .however I missed that the Fuji f1 IS the first af 50 FOR mirrorless cameras. Very classy review as usual
They all looked good side by side in portrait. The bokeh on the f/1 is absolutely gorgeous during that test. Honestly, I would steer newer photographers away from it. The ultra narrow depth of field can be discouraging to beginners.
Well, depending on the background, if it's not pleasing, you can blur it out and if you want more detail, stop it down to f/2. This lens gives you the possibility. Bear in mind that if you're doing a full body portrait at 50mm f/2, it won't blur out the background much, so that f/1 actually more useful than you might think.
Ooh, the Toneh... razor sharp and smooth as butter at the same time. Should give Fuji a bit of street cred. I once read that digital cameras don’t register f-stops below 1 anyway, so f0.95 as the Leica so proudly puts on their expensive keyrings costing several hundreds of dollars for bragging rights doesn’t really get you any benefit over f1 except film (the lens, not the keyring), and they’re full-frame of course. I recently bought the 56mm on sale, knowing full well this thing was coming, but it would be much bigger, heavier, and more expensive. If I made a living doing portraits, I would have waited for this thing. An instant classic.
Looking gorgeous Gordon even at f 1 ! Impressive stuff from Fuji. Used both the 56 and 50 - the 50 is my fav. Tiny, sharp and silent AF plus of course a great price. The new lens will be on my hire list. Any stock yet Wex ?
Great review, for portraits I prefer the f.2, the other too are really overly blurry. Of course you can use F2 on the other 2 lenses but then why spend the extra money. The bokeh of the brick wall looks ok on the F2.
Well, we can't simply break the rule of physics for designing lens design That lens should be equipped with tripod collar so it could be mounted on a tripod
Great review as usual. Thank you Gordon. The little f/2 is fantastic and the only real advantage of the F/1 is Bokeh and IMO that doesn't justify the overprice.
Thanks for the review. Nicely done. I own the 50mm f/2 and the 56mm f/1.2. Both are good for different situations.. I think I’ll continue to save up for the 90mm f/2 over the 50mm f/1.0, but Hats Off to FujiFilm for making this lens.
I don't particularly care about bokeh, and I don't even know what “toneh” is - I need a wide-aperture medium tele lens for photographing under very dim light conditions, such as outdoors at night or backstage at theatrical performances. If I were starting over with Fujifilm, I'd probably try to save up the extra $500 to afford the f/1 lens, partly for the extra half-stop and partly for the weather sealing (not that I shoot pictures in the rain very often, but it does happen occasionally.) However, since I'm NOT just startling out with Fujifilm, I'm going to stick with my 56/1.2 - the incremental advantages of the f/1 aren't large enough to make me spend the money needed to switch.
Fuji's FRANKENLENS! Great video! Just because Fuji can design and develop an awesome 1.0 fast lens - doesn't necessarily mean they should! The size, weight, and price take this lens out of consideration from a brand and value standpoint [i.e. it counters Fuji existing brand and value proposition]. While this is a great experimental design and lens, and will not live up to its legendary 16mm f1.4 lens in terms of design, brand, and value, it does push the envelope for those rare breeds desiring a faster lens. The contrast and detail coming from this lens is extraordinary! What I'd love to see from their development: a near-Frankenlens with weather sealing in the 35mm to 50mm focal length prime lens area, with modern motors, but with reasonable weight, size, and price [maybe an XF 40mm f1.3 WR?]. Regardless - terrific video!
I think I'll just hold on to my XF90F2. It seems to focus faster and closer at 60cm and only weighs 540 grams. But great engineering achievement by Fujifilm, it looks like a winner.
A wonderful review, as ever. I'm curious to know how the 50 mm f/2 would compare with the new lens operated from f/2 to f/16. In other words, how similar or dissimilar are they when equally matched.
I like the shallower dof at this particular focal length which has tad bit more perspective distortion than the 56mm. Specs seemed close enough at first, but I think the results set it apart nicely.
Thanks for this review. I prefer the compression of the 56mm, as it is somewhat longer. Pity, you couldn't have been as far from the wall as you were able to do with both 50 mm lenses, as the bokeh would have been more evident. I do own the 56mm and will stay with it as the perceived bokeh may appear even more evident than the 50 for all intent and purpose.
good video. i use a sigma art 85/1.4 on canon and love that my fuji 56/1.2 offers a smaller lighter option for that field of view. however, the think i hate the most about my copy of the 56/1.2 - loose aperture excepted - is the CA which can be abhorrent. i think this seems to be substantively better on this 50/1.0 but can i stomach the weight. if i want something heavy i can grab the 1dxii! - anyway, thanks again and look forward to seeing the full review!
11:15 - Rather odd, but this shot reminds me a lot of the (seemingly) unrealistic bokeh-mode effects you see on higher-end smartphones these days. Apparently they were right on the money for an f1.0 portrait prime!
I am pretty satisfied with 50/2, price+weight+Bokeh are just good. However, 50/1 worth to consider, it is still affordable, and the F/1 lens with AF so far...
I'll stick with the 56mm F1.2 on my fuji X-t30. Just the right size. Thought I would love a real update to the 56mm F1.2 to provide a more solid click between stops. Or an updated APD version.
I like the tonality of the f1 and the f2 lens. In comparison the 56 has a slightly different render in colors that I'm not that sure about (able to fix in post, but just my thoughts when comparing soc). The 56 reminds me a little of documentary style photos in the tones. ☺️
In my (very unprofessional) opinion, the overall rendering is a bit weak at f/1 for it being an f/1 lens - there's a good bit of busyness in the transition between in- and out-of-focus areas. That said, the sharpness and clarity is there in spades at f/1. Looking forward to the more in-depth review.
Thanks for the nice preview, Gordon, but was this lens really necessary? I am not sure that the portrait category is where fuji can compete best with ff and even then they could have just upgraded the 5.6 1.2 with a mark ii version. Aps-c can be more competitive in landscape and Wildlife and they don’t have many options of long lenses, not to mention street photography where an upgraded version of the 18-55 zoom could be beneficial....
Well, they already have a pretty broad catalogue, so they're filling it out now. I agree though I wish the 56mm f1.2 and 10-24mm f4 were weather sealed.
My hands-on preview of the Fujifilm XF 50mm f1.0 and how it compares to the 50 f2 and 56 f1.2
Check price at B&H: bhpho.to/3i80Ho1 // WEX: tidd.ly/2Z2Afo7
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You never looked more cool than through this lens :) Definitely calling the police for the Toneh.
Ohhh beautiful internet synergy doth lie before thee!!!
I was concerned about an intervention, but couldn't help myself...
Hahahaha, I came here to talk about the extreme Toneh!
Hehhe so glad you commented....tony will sure be salivating at that toneh! :)
i’m no stranger to big expensive glass but i absolutely adore my 50 f2. its optical qualities are absolutely stellar. but i really like the rendering of the f1. excellent pop.
Yep, that 50mm f2 is really nice
A few thoughts after watching the video: I'm glad Fujifilm developed this lens in the public eye. We were able to observe their thought process, balancing portability and (some) practicality with, quite frankly, an engineering flex. It gave users the chance to adjust their expectations to a lens that, while not entirely sensible for most, is still impressive and attainable for those who want it. It's almost the polar opposite of the Noct 50mm f/0.95, which was developed in a vacuum and released to a befuddled market.
Meanwhile, I'm sure there's plenty of people who are going to complain that it's too big and heavy for an APS-C mirrorless, but it's just as easy to do the same for other camera systems -- telephoto lenses with big apertures just aren't small and lightweight. Personally, were I still using the X system, I'd go for the utility of the 50mm f/2 because I like having more context in my photos and the close focus distance advantage is hard to ignore, and I prefer medium format if I want dramatic DoF effects.
Thanks as always, Gordon!
Gordon, I love your reviews! Honestly I think you’re one of the best review channels out there for photographers right now. You deliver the information with an opinion and samples for us to look at, without all the YT hype. Thank you 🙏
Thanks! I try to deliver a calm report!
I'm going to get this for my Fuji! Great complement to my FF cameras. It's important to note (I don't see this in reviews often thank you for that attention to detail - nice work) - that this F1 lens is a full frame equiv of 76.5mm F1.53. So it'll be the first Fujifilm lens I will have that will approach my 1.4's so I can use this for my professional work. Great work Fuji.
It's 3AM. I will never buy this lens. But I am still watching this. Thank you for your review Gordon🌻🌼🌷
You're very welcome! Hopefully it also shows the benefits of the cheaper models too..
I'm most impressed with the 50mm f2.
Yeah so sharp for the size !!!
Great work, Gordon! Can always count on you to bring the technical know-how. Cheers!
15:00 - "want them all". This sums up my thoughts whenever I watch any lens comparison video.
This is exactly the review I was looking for. Thanks for taking the time to make it.
My god, that is one BIG lens....very tempting though.
I'd definitely be in the 50 f2 camp - at some point, depth of field is reasonably thin and isolates well, and you don't really benefit from more (and if you do, I find the option of a speedboosted vintage 50 1.4 a lot more justifiable). The light gathering advantage of the 56 1.2 could still be quite interesting, say when you're taking photos in a dimly lit venue like I found myself struggling with at my friends' wedding afterparty about a year ago when I only had a 1.8 at hand.
For the f1, I think it's just unreasonably big and heavy unless you're already used to shooting full frame, with someting like Sigma Art primes - then it's a savings, but if you're a native crop mirrorless shooter, I think you'll just find the size and weight overbearing. Beautiful lens no doubt, but I can hardly see the f1 justify itself vs the f1.2. Either way I'm glad Fuji are producing so many options at (almost) the same focal length - means you can actually pick what's right for you, rather than just the nearest-best compromise (something I also really appreciate about my now-home system of MFT).
I totally agree with you. I'm actually thinking about trading in my 56mm f1.2 for the 50mm f2 and possibly the 16mm f2.8 because I rarely use it. I've grown quite fond of the size, fit and finish of the f2 primes. Also the image quality is great IMO. Cheers!
Already owned the 50mm f2, and although it's tack sharp, I wasn't quite satisfied with the bokeh/subject-background separation. Of course, you can achieve the desired results if you move the background far enough, but having tried the 35mm f1.4, it had more of what I wanted without having to go to great lengths increasing the distance between subject/background. So, I sold it and got the 35mm f1.4 instead. 😆
I also heard from another X ambassador that this 50mm f1 is one of the sharpest, rivaling even the 80mm macro (which I also own). I'm so thrilled to be getting this. 😆
Muata O I traded the 56 for the 50 and I’m very happy with the decision. The 50mm F2 is much lighter, focusses much faster and is totally silent (as opposed to the 56, which is much slower and prone to hunting in low light); also, I find the 50mm a more flexible focal length, very useful for street, reporting, documentary etc. If you use the lens solely for portrait (which I don’t), I’d stick with the 56, but I use the 50mm much more often than I did use the 56. And portraits still look very nice, especially since I prefer to add a touch of context anyway.
My main lens is the 16-55f2.8 which is about the same size and weight as the 50f1. My primary motivator for choosing the 50f1 over the 56f1.2 is the weather-sealing and improved autofocus. I feel like the 50f2 wouldn't be different enough or more capable in lowlight enough, than what I could produce already with my zoom to justify the purchase.
Still though, it's nice they have different options.
I trust your reviews like how I trust my doctor!!! You are amazing in fujifilm reviews!!!!
Thank you!
The 56mm had some nicer contrast and a more pleasing ambience imo. It also looked more plastic (in sense of being 3D) while maintaining a similar bokeh. But as we all know, natural light can change every few milliseconds and is probably causing a lot of those differences - but that also leads me to say, that the 50 f1.0 is a banger for what I promised but no noticeable worry upgrade if you already have a 56 f1.2 or try to get the best Costa-Performance-Balance. The 50 f2 wins the latter, but I'd say the 56 is still the sweet spot.
56mm f1.2 for me
One thing that I think was missed in the review and comments when you did the self portrait with all 3 lenses was the micro contrast in your hat was visibly sharper on the 1.0 than the other two. If someone needs to have that level of detail then they will need to go with the 1.0. That said, the DoF in the same test was also noticeable narrower to the point where with the 1.0 parts of your face and neck had some Toneh whereas they were in focus on the other two lenses. You were right to say that it’s a matter of taste but it may be a case where having more Toneh might be too much in some situation - which I guess opens the door to for professionals to justify more than one lens. Overall, good job and looking forward to the review of the production version.
Toneh.lol
The f1 gives you the flexibility to open it wide to minimize DoF or close it up as much as required to get the DoF you need. Of course if *never* need/want f1 then the size, weight, and expense of the f1 would be a waste.
60mm f/2.4 gang represent!
also 9:00 dang that's some smooth bokeh from the f/1 lens, nice.
12:55 minimal focus breathing too, also nice.
pros:
+ better AF
+ better & more creamy bokeh
+ WR
cons:
- bulky & giant in size
so I'll keep my 56mm for now 😊
i definetly agree plus i dont have money haha but seriously 56mm 1.2 is a keeper
Cons add: *no OIS*
Bruce Smith yea they want everybody to upgrade to that xt4.
I also have the 56mm and I think I'll keep it in the mean time bcs the 50mm F1 is too cumbersome for street photography. With that said, I'll definitely get the F1 sometime in the future if I find one used.
Cons Fuji AF blows
Great video, thanks for the in-depth look into this new lens. I have my trusty 56 f1.2 that I love and will hang on to, no need for the 50mm f1.
I can’t wait for a full review, Gordon. I have and love the Fuji 50mm f2 ‘Fujicron’, which seems to be the sweet spot for the Fuji X system. I’m hoping to get the new Sigma 85mm 1.4 DG DN for the E-mount, and I would love to see a comparison of how this lens compares to that lens and similar other 85mm f1.4 lenses. Thank you again for all the good work.
I'm actually most amazed by how well it pulls focus for video! I was expecting a lot more breathing and hunting, but it nails the end points even if it's not lighting fast between them. And the XT4 seemed to drive it pretty well wide open, i'm wondering how it would go on my XT3...
Bokeh is nice too, without those harder edges of the 56, and without the low-light compromise of the APD which is now looking pretty redundant.
It’s great to have all my questions answered and comparisons available within an hour of the lens announcement. Thank you, Gordon. Bonus points for the Camera Conspiracies reference.
Ha ha! Wonder if he'll notice!
I recently got the 50mm f/2 and it is an amazing lens. I would definitely recommend it if you don’t need the extra light gathering capability of the other lenses or their particular characteristics for portraiture.
I'm glad you included the f/2. Another great video chap
Thanks! The f2 lenses are great!
I got rid of my fullframe gear with big lenses and wanted to focus on my smaller Fuji system more. Oh look a massive lens again. Dammit I want this though.
Gordon, your reviews are excellent! You've created a superb formula for presenting the capabilities of various cameras and lenses. Thank you for saving me so much time and money!
I have the 50mm F2 and I really love it. It's super sharp even a wide open. It has super fast AF with the X-T2. And I have a lot of fun with it. The Fuji F2 prime lenses are forgotten lenses as they generally live in the shadow of their faster cousins. The 50mm F2 is hardly ever talked about. Now with the release of the F1 there will be new attention paid to the F2. As nice as the F1.2 and F1 lenses are, it's hard for me to justify their cost because I'm not a professional and my skill level isn't to a point where I can make serious use of the additional F stops. I'll be sticking to the F2 for now. Anyway, I enjoyed the video. I liked how you compared all three lenses instead simply the F1 VS the F1.2. When the F1 is released for production I hope you do a similar 3 way comparison. I look forward to that!
So what would you choose? 50 f1, 56, or 50 f2?
Me: Yes
Exactly, me too!
🤣🤣🤣
me: kamlan 50mm f1.1 m ii :-)
I know that we buy the 50mm f/1 and 56 f/1.2 for the extra stops and the bokeh. But I would love to see the image comparison on all three lens at f/2.
I already have those results for the bokeh blobs, but not the portraits. I'll reshoot when the lens is final and add them to my review at cameralabs.com
Superb content as always Gordon!
I’d love to see a side by side comparison of the Kamlan 50mm f1.0 mk2. It’s a budget manual lens that I sincerely believe worthy of a little limelight and an excellent alternative for those looking for similar results on a “COVID budget”!
Thank you very much for all of your efforts, keep up the great work!
Thanks Gordon, not a Fuji shooter but always enjoy your reviews and previews regardless of the brand.
Cheers!
Thank you Gordon. Your testing has confirmed that for me, I made the right choice with the 50 mm, f/2.
Thank you. I have the 50mm F2 and happy for that due to price, size, closer focusing, and faster focusing. Was thinking of the 90mm F2 as a portrait lens as well as this and the 27mm pancake .
I highly highly recommend the 90mm! I also have the 50mm f2 which I think is great and very underrated.
I'm impressed by the fact that the f1 doesn't show obvious LOCA wide open, but I don't think your close-up, everyday objects tests suit this lens very well, at f1 it will just turn everything into low contrast soft mess, for that the 90 f2 is the king IMO. This lens at f1 will enable you to capture some shallow DOF at longer working distances, so that'd show more strength of it.
Thanks for the video, Gordon.
As always..thorough and clear.
I was hoping for a better bokeh rendering..actually.
My favourite is still the 90mm....so that's the one I'll get, as soon as I upgrade to the X-T4..and its IBIS.
I'll still wait for your final review, though. ;)
Cheers from Portugal
Very nice review. Nice to have your thoughts about the 3 lenses. I would like very much to hear more about what you think of the 50 f2, especially in terms of sharpness.
Thanks for this Gordon! Interesting that your 56mm f1.2 images vs the 50mm f1.0 do show a difference, whereas most reviews I've seen show very little. Personally, I think I'll stick with my 56mm f1.2, especially since it AND the 90mm f2 only weigh 100 grams more than JUST the 50mm f1.0. And give you many more options.
Looks way more realistic in price, packaging and maybe ? performance? than I would expect. Fuji's internal competition looks compelling though.
Hi, I live in Brighton, where were those sandwiches from in the sample shots? Also, great video, I've just got a Fuji camera so I'm bingeing a bunch of xf content right now
excellent video! i have the 50 and 56mm lenses and i need both and the new 50mm is very expensive!! for the similar aperture i use the mitakon 35mm 0.95 and its focuses close! and it is very sharp with great colour rendering! but its a manual lens! i dont think id be buying the 50mm unless i made money out of photography.
Good review and as owner of 56&50 it is nice to see that Fuji offer choice.I would reconsider 50 f1 for planned portrait work ,not for lugging around weight and size. Luckily I see below in comments that you don't have misinformed equivalent warriors which comparing apples and oranges.
Thanks for the video, looks like this lens is mainly designed for portrait head shots to full body and couple shots for weddings etc, I think the shot you took with the women on the bike really shows it’s 3D pop. That’s my favourite shot. Also the low contrast helps with skin tones, Not sure the detail shots you took were ideal to show case the best this lens has to offer. This is a portrait lens.
Gordon you are the main man.
Why thankyou!
This video helped reduce my GAS. The differences between the look of the new lens vs the 56m I already have were negligible, not enough to justify the expense.
The size. Can't get over it. Not the length, its girth. Glad to see the AF on that size isn't crap. A lot to look forward to on future lens upgrades in that range.
Good review. The f2 is ideal for my purposes. I also find it pairs particularly well with my lack of need for a hernia operation.
For me personally I’d have both the 1.2 and f2 for their overall flexibility over the f1 but do really like it. Great review as always Gordon 👍
Thanks!
Thanks for the great preview. Love the look of the lens. It also doesn't seem to suffer from longitudinal ca a lot. If I had a Fuji camera, I'd certainly would like to have one.
Great Video! Very well done, researched and filmed! ... and now I want that lens :D
Taking into account price of XT4 and 50 1.0 I would consider A7III + sigma 85 1.4 and will have some extra money left for light or another lens)
@Foto4Max + High ISO performance + 50mm 1.8 fe+ some speedlight)))
@What Are You On About Fun is when apcs costs around 1000 and lenses even less. If more the more fun with full frame
Fuji is more quirky though and feels more “analog” like with those distinct Fuji colors...but yeah, Sony is the pragmatic choice out of the two.
Fujis are fun to shoot with, my A73 not so much, but it gets the job done technically in an awesome way.
@What Are You On About I was considering Fuji but when I so the price of XT4 and this lens. I think I will go with A7iii, weight and price is same)))
another great video Gordon :) thanks for comparing vs the other 50 / 56 options
You're the best. 😎
Thanks! You too!
Thanks Gordon, I really appreciated the comparison between the other fifty(fish) mm lenses. I probably won't ever need this lens, but I imagine for wedding photographers or serious portrait shooters it will be great. I actually bought and sold the 56mm because I actually prefer the 50mm f2 lens!
My question is were photographers demanding an f1.0 portrait lens? If I were a 56mm f1.2 owner I’d be a bit upset with Fuji for doing this. A great review as usual Gordon 👍🏼
Gordon superb video and analysis of all three 50mm competing lenses. I have the 56 f1.2 and find it fine for what my photography entails which is mostly portraits. However when the price drops a bit to maybe $1100 then I may add this to my Fuji line up. Kudos to you brother on your hard work.
You're very welcome!
Watching again I really prefer the 56mm over the 50mm f1 visually, I dig the harshness. But the f2 I like more than both. The advantage of the f2 is more's in focus from the jump. All the facial details pop out.
WOW the 50 f2 is so impressive for the weight/size !!!!!!!! So sharp !!!
Oooo, I almost commented that Canon had what I thought was the First f1.0 50 af .however I missed that the Fuji f1 IS the first af 50 FOR mirrorless cameras. Very classy review as usual
They all looked good side by side in portrait.
The bokeh on the f/1 is absolutely gorgeous during that test.
Honestly, I would steer newer photographers away from it. The ultra narrow depth of field can be discouraging to beginners.
Hi sir,
Sony A7iii or nikon z6 which one is best for video please suggest me once,
nice lens ... gonna get it.. it's not Leica Noctilux, but it's also 1/14th the price!
4:12 Gordon, please stop peering into my soul.
Well, depending on the background, if it's not pleasing, you can blur it out and if you want more detail, stop it down to f/2.
This lens gives you the possibility.
Bear in mind that if you're doing a full body portrait at 50mm f/2, it won't blur out the background much, so that f/1 actually more useful than you might think.
Ha ha! I know your every thought! I'm willing everyone to subscribe!
Gordon Laing you’ve willed me to subscribe many years ago ;)
Ooh, the Toneh... razor sharp and smooth as butter at the same time. Should give Fuji a bit of street cred. I once read that digital cameras don’t register f-stops below 1 anyway, so f0.95 as the Leica so proudly puts on their expensive keyrings costing several hundreds of dollars for bragging rights doesn’t really get you any benefit over f1 except film (the lens, not the keyring), and they’re full-frame of course.
I recently bought the 56mm on sale, knowing full well this thing was coming, but it would be much bigger, heavier, and more expensive. If I made a living doing portraits, I would have waited for this thing. An instant classic.
Looking gorgeous Gordon even at f 1 ! Impressive stuff from Fuji. Used both the 56 and 50 - the 50 is my fav. Tiny, sharp and silent AF plus of course a great price. The new lens will be on my hire list. Any stock yet Wex ?
Ha ha, thanks Mike! And I've added a link to WEX - if you're ever shopping there don't forget to go via my links, thanks!
Fujifilm is pushing hard!
Now they have an f1.5 75mm FF equivalent lens!!
Great review, for portraits I prefer the f.2, the other too are really overly blurry. Of course you can use F2 on the other 2 lenses but then why spend the extra money. The bokeh of the brick wall looks ok on the F2.
THe falloff on the F1 is crazzzzzy
Well, we can't simply break the rule of physics for designing lens design
That lens should be equipped with tripod collar so it could be mounted on a tripod
It's no worse than an 85mm f1.4 on full-frame, but yes, they're on the edge of needing a tripod mount. I did think about it on this one...
Great review as usual. Thank you Gordon. The little f/2 is fantastic and the only real advantage of the F/1 is Bokeh and IMO that doesn't justify the overprice.
Thanks for the review. Nicely done. I own the 50mm f/2 and the 56mm f/1.2. Both are good for different situations.. I think I’ll continue to save up for the 90mm f/2 over the 50mm f/1.0, but Hats Off to FujiFilm for making this lens.
The 90 is really nice
90mm is truly a star in the Fuji line up.
I don't particularly care about bokeh, and I don't even know what “toneh” is - I need a wide-aperture medium tele lens for photographing under very dim light conditions, such as outdoors at night or backstage at theatrical performances. If I were starting over with Fujifilm, I'd probably try to save up the extra $500 to afford the f/1 lens, partly for the extra half-stop and partly for the weather sealing (not that I shoot pictures in the rain very often, but it does happen occasionally.) However, since I'm NOT just startling out with Fujifilm, I'm going to stick with my 56/1.2 - the incremental advantages of the f/1 aren't large enough to make me spend the money needed to switch.
Fuji's FRANKENLENS! Great video! Just because Fuji can design and develop an awesome 1.0 fast lens - doesn't necessarily mean they should! The size, weight, and price take this lens out of consideration from a brand and value standpoint [i.e. it counters Fuji existing brand and value proposition]. While this is a great experimental design and lens, and will not live up to its legendary 16mm f1.4 lens in terms of design, brand, and value, it does push the envelope for those rare breeds desiring a faster lens. The contrast and detail coming from this lens is extraordinary! What I'd love to see from their development: a near-Frankenlens with weather sealing in the 35mm to 50mm focal length prime lens area, with modern motors, but with reasonable weight, size, and price [maybe an XF 40mm f1.3 WR?]. Regardless - terrific video!
I think I'll just hold on to my XF90F2. It seems to focus faster and closer at 60cm and only weighs 540 grams. But great engineering achievement by Fujifilm, it looks like a winner.
A wonderful review, as ever. I'm curious to know how the 50 mm f/2 would compare with the new lens operated from f/2 to f/16. In other words, how similar or dissimilar are they when equally matched.
I may make that comparison once the lens is final.
I like the shallower dof at this particular focal length which has tad bit more perspective distortion than the 56mm. Specs seemed close enough at first, but I think the results set it apart nicely.
Looking forward to the full review.
Thanks for this review. I prefer the compression of the 56mm, as it is somewhat longer. Pity, you couldn't have been as far from the wall as you were able to do with both 50 mm lenses, as the bokeh would have been more evident. I do own the 56mm and will stay with it as the perceived bokeh may appear even more evident than the 50 for all intent and purpose.
Please do check out my final review of this lens as there's some alternative tests and results in there
@@cameralabs Will do! :-)
Thanks for review. Gordon may I ask what System you use personally?
I use several! Sony for filming or action, Fujifilm or M43 for general
I liked the video even before I started watching...I think I love Gordon
You're only human!
good video. i use a sigma art 85/1.4 on canon and love that my fuji 56/1.2 offers a smaller lighter option for that field of view. however, the think i hate the most about my copy of the 56/1.2 - loose aperture excepted - is the CA which can be abhorrent. i think this seems to be substantively better on this 50/1.0 but can i stomach the weight. if i want something heavy i can grab the 1dxii! - anyway, thanks again and look forward to seeing the full review!
11:15 - Rather odd, but this shot reminds me a lot of the (seemingly) unrealistic bokeh-mode effects you see on higher-end smartphones these days. Apparently they were right on the money for an f1.0 portrait prime!
I am pretty satisfied with 50/2, price+weight+Bokeh are just good. However, 50/1 worth to consider, it is still affordable, and the F/1 lens with AF so far...
Now we need a 16mm F1.0 and 23mm F1.0 and 33mm F1.0. Then we got the perfect video rig for Fuji!
My god I want this lens! Even though I have no use for f1.0. And I don't own a Fuji body.
Stunning piece of optic right there.
I'll stick with the 56mm F1.2 on my fuji X-t30. Just the right size. Thought I would love a real update to the 56mm F1.2 to provide a more solid click between stops. Or an updated APD version.
Fuji X-T4 + 50mm f1.0 and Nikon Z6 + 85mm f1.8 S are almost same price?
Then, which is better?
The color rendering on open diafragma is on the 50 f/2 the best in my opinion
Merece la pena pagar el doble de un 56 1.2? Estoy especializado principalmente en retrato y paisaje. Gracias
I like the tonality of the f1 and the f2 lens. In comparison the 56 has a slightly different render in colors that I'm not that sure about (able to fix in post, but just my thoughts when comparing soc). The 56 reminds me a little of documentary style photos in the tones. ☺️
In my (very unprofessional) opinion, the overall rendering is a bit weak at f/1 for it being an f/1 lens - there's a good bit of busyness in the transition between in- and out-of-focus areas. That said, the sharpness and clarity is there in spades at f/1. Looking forward to the more in-depth review.
Thank you for the review, it will be the f1 for me.
Another great video Gordon, thank you!
So much character, absolutely beautiful rendering. It's got the Fuji magic
Excellent preview. Thank you.
the only reason to get this if you already have the 561.2 is the weather sealing and if you have poney to pull out from you deep pockets hehe
Thanks for the nice preview, Gordon, but was this lens really necessary? I am not sure that the portrait category is where fuji can compete best with ff and even then they could have just upgraded the 5.6 1.2 with a mark ii version. Aps-c can be more competitive in landscape and Wildlife and they don’t have many options of long lenses, not to mention street photography where an upgraded version of the 18-55 zoom could be beneficial....
Well, they already have a pretty broad catalogue, so they're filling it out now. I agree though I wish the 56mm f1.2 and 10-24mm f4 were weather sealed.
35mm f1. 4 and 18mm f2 - both great lenses, but really need an update.
Love the 1000 yard stare portraits, great review
Great video. Thanks for testing this
Thanks!