So, you are waiting for your pre-ordered Fujinon XF50mm f/1.0 to finally be shipped?
Well, then don’t read this post, or it will just make the waiting harder ;).
ePhotozine’s has just published their Fujinon XF50mm f/1.0 review, and it’s a very positive one.
For example, they write:
we suddenly realized we have shot about three times as many images than usual for a review. Clearly there is something that really gels with this Fujinon lens. It has that sense of being a “pixie dust” optic, one that has a little magic attached to it.
I like the reference they make to its “magic”, because Fujifilm deliberately tried to “copy” the magic of the Fujinon XF35mmF1.4. How? Well, Jonas Rask said it best:
The images coming from XF50mm f/1 R WR has those exact same undefinable traits that makes me love my XF35mm f/1.4 so much. The sharpness that is sharp, yet not overly sharp. A flattering kind of sharpness that seems more rounded, organic and less digital/clinical.
[…]You know that “magic” that everyone is referring to when talking about the old XF35mm f/1.4? […] The focus on making a character lens instead of a “perfect” lens. And that is EXACTLY what the XF50mm f/1 R WR is. A lens full of character, but not a perfect optical creation.
Now, Fujifilm can easily create clinically perfect sharp lenses (just look at the XF80mmF2.8 for example), but evidently this time, considering the goal of this lens, they decided that creating one with a special character was the smarter way to go.
Let’s move on.
As for the chromatic aberration, which is a serious challenge for any ultra-fast lens out there, ePhotozine writes:
CA (Chromatic Aberration) performance is also very impressive, centrally being close to zero as we stop down slightly. The edges are also kept under one half of a pixel, which is very satisfactory.
PROS:
- Excellent sharpness
- Low CA
- Low flare
- Low distortion
- Portrait friendly at open aperture
- Weather-resistant
- Handles light sources at night well
- Balances well with camera body
CONS:
- Focusing could be closer [well, I doubt it can actually]
- Slippery finish
- No lock on aperture ring
- High cost against alternatives
Verdict:
[…] It performs really well, right in the top tier […]. Focusing is razor accurate. It is an absolute joy to use on the Fujifilm X-T4. It is an exciting lens to use, and has the aforementioned “pixie dust” magic ingredient. […] Overall, it has to be Highly Recommended.
You can read the full review and see the charts at ePhotozine here.
As you might know, Fujifilm is currently overwhelmed by the huge amount of pre-orders, a Fujifilm manager officially apologized for the shipping delay during the X summit, and here on FujiRumors it skyrocketed to the very top of the 2020 lens sales, far ahead of any other Fujinon lens.
Fujifilm crafted a massive winner.
Let’s hope they will also be able to ship it one day!!!