FUJIFILM XF56mmF1.2 R

[Zoom] Wide-zoom | Standard-zoom | Tele-zoom | High-zoom  
[Fixed-focal] Wide angle | Standard | Telephoto | Macro

The XF56mm F1.2 is the fastest lens in the FUJIFILM X-mount lens lineup. Because the 56mm focal length is equivalent to 85mm in 35mm format, it's a perfect portrait lens. Yet, you can use the short telephoto range for street photography as well as landscapes taking advantage of the speed and bokeh. If you are FUJINON X lens users, you should be confident in the potential of this lens as well. I took many shots wide open to show you the bokeh of F1.2.

( Photography : A.Inden & T.Takahashi / Text : 4 Beats )

I'm impressed by the smooth increment of bokeh of the road surface and the handrail, the soft bokeh on of the building on the opposite bank, and the definition of the dogs and their master. Thanks to the F1.2 max aperture, I could defocus the background from this distance while including the whole body of the person.

I drew near to take a portrait of the cat. Each hair is clearly separated, demonstrating high resolution. Also, the gradation of the front bokeh is very smooth and it blends into the background very nicely. This lens will definitely expand the variety of expressions because you can crop, compress, and use the 3D effect.

The background of this shot looks black, but the RAW data still had tonal information. Of course, this should be credited to the camera's high performance. But at the same time, it cannot be realized without the lens's wide dynamic range and the tolerance toward extreme lighting. Also, the sculptural relief of the illumination looks very solid.

Because the minimum focus distance is 0.7m, it may not be the best lens for table photography in terms of the focusing distance and the angle of view. However, you can still pull small objects in a distance. Find out the best distance to utilize the sharp resolution and the soft bokeh, and shoot things around you. It's so much fun.

---

The iron framework of the tower is captured minutely and this makes me want to shoot subjects other than portraits. Although I sometimes notice double-lined bokeh, the branch in the foreground didn't become noisy. And, I was glad I could use faster shutter speed thanks to the brightness.

The lone heron pops out even in this distance. Wonderful!

It's also very good at reproducing metal objects. This rich texture reproduction cannot be realized without the wide dynamic range and the high resolution.

---

A distinguished eye of F1.2

For this review, we used the SLR-style X-T1 with an impressive EVF and it was so exciting thanks to the large viewfinder image that helped me check the bokeh. Plus, it's so compact and light weight for a high-speed F1.2 lens equivalent to 85mm in 35mm format. So, it's easy to use with the X-body. The torque of the focus ring and the click of the aperture ring feel just right. But, you may have to be careful of the shallow focus depth wide open and it may take some practice until you get used to it. Of course, this also means you can enjoy the process to master it.

I focused on wide open shots because I rarely find F1.2 lenses within the category. How did you like the soft bokeh and the sharpness wide open? Of course, it becomes sharper when stopped down. The F1.2 max aperture means it's still F2.8 even if you stopped down by 2.5 steps and there's still a plenty of room to utilize the bokeh. This lens lets you enjoy combinations of distance, aperture, sharpness, and bokeh. The F1.2 speed will surely lead you to the new stage. You will feel the joy as soon as you started using this charming lens, and you will appreciate the deep taste as you master it.

( 28.03.2014 )