My Favorite Lens for Portraits | Fujifilm XF 50mm F/1.0 Review

It Makes Everything More Stylized

Take this lens to the streets or into a cool, vibey lifestyle session and turn cluttered locations into clean backdrops with an unrivaled subject detail.

As one of the world’s proclaimed “first F/1.0 autofocus lenses” made for the compact mirrorless system, Fuji’s XF50mm F1.0 Lens obtains more light to the sensor than any of Fuji’s previous XF lens models. This lens brings in so much light that, in fact, it’s able to operate at a -7EV luminance level. Fuji’s previous F1.4 lens(es) only achieved a -6EV luminance level, allowing users to now have fast and precise low-light autofocus in near pitch-black scenarios. With the added bonus of on-sensor Phase Detection Autofocus, a great DC motor, and Face / Eye Detection modes, that shallow depth of field is now a complete possibility. Consisting of 12 lens elements separated by nine different groups, it also contains 2 ED elements to achieve high optimum control of spherical aberration. Used at the F1.0 aperture setting, the lens captures an otherworldly depth of field. It’s entirely precision-engineered and produces large streaks of creamy bokeh behind its tack-sharp subject for a professional look, encouraging creatives to produce portraits with an almost three-dimensional quality.

Don’t be fooled just because I took this baby for a spin with my good friend Carolyn; it’s not just for portraits. Take this lens to the streets or into a cool, vibey lifestyle session, and turn cluttered locations into clean backdrops with unrivaled subject detail.

Its incredibly wide aperture means that the lens has more options when it comes to creating images in super low-light conditions. Even at night or in extremely dark interiors, the XF50mmF1.0 R WR contains the widest aperture ever seen on an XF lens, giving you more light to draw from for your image. The shutter speed also quickly captures that freeze movement and keeps ISO settings as low as possible to achieve rich results. If you’re particularly interested in astrophotography, use the ISO combination settings with the F1.0 aperture for stellar flexibility and stardust accuracy.

Perhaps the most memorable feature of this lens is its super sharp, precise focusing mechanism. When the background creates that hazy, dreamy bokeh effect, my subjects are eight times more accurately focused than any previous XF lens from Fuji. This makes it possible to swiftly switch the focus from the minimum focusing efforts to infinity. The lens’ 120o of rotation also makes autofocus movements notably more deliberate, while the mechanical engineering is designed to minimize focusing efforts.

This lens can be taken anywhere. Besides its incredible weight made for light packing and travel, it’s weather-resistant, much like Fuji’s existing line of XF lenses. It is protected against moisture and dust and capable of use in temperatures down to 14°F (-10°C). When allied to a similarly specified, weather-resistant X Series mirrorless digital camera body, XF50mmF1.0 R WR lets you make unique images in the toughest environments.

• 12 elements in 9 groups (including one aspherical lens and 2 ED lenses)
• Minimum shooting distance 0.7m
• Maximum shooting magnification 0.08x
• Number of diaphragm blades 9
• Filter diameter 77mm
• Size φ87mm×103.5mm
• Weight 845g

In Detail

Unprecedented depth-of-field is nothing without first-class optical quality to keep the subject sharp and clear. Too many ultrafast lenses can’t cope at the extremes of wider apertures, and often, when used wide open, can only provide images weakened by flare and a lack of sharpness. XF50mmF1.0 R WR aces image quality with premium glass elements all the way through its exceptional light path, furthering the optical excellence of Fujifilm’s FUJINON brand and bringing it to a modern-day zenith of edge-to-edge sharpness at any aperture. To make the most of its super-shallow depth-of-field, focusing must be precise. For this, XF 50mmF1.0 R WR uses 120o of rotation in its focusing ring to let you focus manually without error – and achieve accurate focus when using your X Series camera’s Focus Peaking and Focus Assist modes. The 120o of rotation also makes autofocus movements notably precise and deliberate, while the lens’s engineering is designed to minimize focus shift effects when making images.