Fuji 50mm f/3.540mm-Equivalent Medium-FormatSample Images Introduction Specifications Unboxing Performance User's Guide Fujifilm Fujinon GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR (metal 62mm filter thread, 12.8 oz./363g, 1.8'/0.55m close focus, $999). bigger or fill screen. I'd get mine at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H. They'll eventually come to eBay (see How to Win at eBay). This all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken.
November 2019 Better Pictures Fuji GFX System GF Lenses Sony LEICA Zeiss Nikon Canon All Why Fixed Lenses Take Better Pictures Sample ImagesTop Sample Images Intro Specifications Unboxing Performance User's Guide I shoot everything as NORMAL JPG files, not FINE and certainly not raw. The GFX100 can shoot raw files if you want them, but I get everything I need with JPG and can edit everything about my JPG files if I need to. The Face of El Capitan as seen from El Capitan Meadow, Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California, 2:27 P.M, 18 October 2019. Fujifilm GFX 100, Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5, f/5.6 hand-held at 1/400 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 13.7), Auto Dynamic Range 100%. bigger or camera-original © JPG file.
Yellow Tree on the Banks of the Merced River, Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California, 2:39 P.M., 18 October 2019.Fujifilm GFX 100, Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5, f/3.5 hand-held at 1/30 at Auto ISO 100, -1 stop exposure compensation (LV 8.6), Auto Dynamic Range 100%. bigger or full 102MP resolution. Image stabilization works so well on the GFX100 so I usually don't need to haul a tripod with this beast. Hand-held shots at 1/30 at 50mm are easy for ultra-resolution photos, no tripod needed.
Fern Springs, Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California, 7:28 A.M., 19 October 2019. Fujifilm GFX 100, Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5, f/11 for 9 seconds at ISO 100 (LV 3¾). bigger. For this nine-second exposure, I used the GFX 100 on my Nikon AH-5 tripod spacer (for my convenience with its thumb-screw mounting rather than a separate "quick release plate") on my Manfrotto 410 Geared Head on my original 1995 Gitzo G1227 Mountaineer (world's first) carbon-fibre tripod.
Belt Pulleys, Abandoned Mine, California's Eastern Sierra, 4:31 P.M., 20 October 2019. Cropped from Fujifilm GFX 100, Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5, f/16 for 1.6 seconds at ISO 50 (LV 8.4), 100% Dynamic Range, split-toned print. bigger or full resolution cropped (50 MP) image. I shot this in the square-cropped mode, and then cropped this from inside that square. I still have over 50 megapixels here, and it saved me from carrying a longer lens for the week for this one photo. With 102MP, you don't need a lot of lenses. I used the GFX 100 on a Nikon AH-5 tripod spacer on my Manfrotto 410 Geared Head on my original 1995 Gitzo G1227 Mountaineer (world's first) carbon-fibre tripod so I could both stop down to f/16 for depth-of-field and shoot at ISO 50 for the sharpest results.
Silver Maple Inn, Bridgeport, California, 6:31 P.M., 20 October 2019. Fujifilm GFX 100, Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5, f/5.6 hand-held at 1/30 at Auto ISO 1,250, -1 stop exposure compensation mostly to ensure that I didn't lose color in the neon highlights, (LV 6.4). bigger or full 102MP resolution.
Bar, Rhino's Bar & Grill, Bridgeport, California, 6:37 P.M., 20 October 2019. Fujifilm GFX 100, Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5, f/8 hand-held at 1/4 second at Auto ISO 1,250 (LV 4.4). bigger or full 102MP resolution. Hold the camera properly and with the GFX 100's built-in stabilization, it's no problem for me to hand-hold at a quarter of a second!
Sky over Negit Island, Mono Lake, California, 8:29 A.M., 21 October 2019. Fujifilm GFX 100, Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5 at f/5.6 hand-held at 1/350 at Auto ISO 100 (LV 13.5), Auto Dynamic Range 100%, split-toned print. bigger. Golden Aspens, Silver Lake, June Lake Loop, California's Eastern Sierra, 12:58 P.M., 22 October 2019. Fujifilm GFX 100, Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5, f/5.6 hand-held at 1/240 second at Auto ISO 200 with -⅔ stop exposure compensation (LV 11.9), Auto Dynamic Range 200%. bigger or full 102MP resolution.
Redwood Motel Sign, Bridgeport, California, 5:08 P.M., 22 October 2019. Fujifilm GFX 100, Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5, f/5.6 hand-held at 1/1,300 second at Auto ISO 200 (LV 14.3), Auto Dynamic Range 200%. bigger.
Mono County Courthouse, Bridgeport, California, 5:12 P.M., 22 October 2019. Fujifilm GFX 100, Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5, f/5.6 hand-held at 1/220 second at Auto ISO 100 with -⅔ stop exposure compensation (LV 12.9), Auto Dynamic Range 100%. bigger or full 102MP resolution.
Sunflower, Redwood Motel, Bridgeport, California, 12:58 P.M., 23 October 2019. Fujifilm GFX 100, Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5, f/11 hand-held at 1/210 second at Auto ISO 200 with -⅔ stop exposure compensation (LV 13⅔), Auto Dynamic Range 200%. bigger.
IntroductionTop Sample Images Intro Specifications Unboxing Performance User's Guide
This GF 50mm lens is the smallest and lightest lens for Fuji's GF series of medium-format digital cameras. It offers near optical perfection in a small, compact and extremely well made all-metal package at a bargain price. 50mm is the ideal perfect normal focal length, similar to a 40mm lens on a 35mm or full-frame camera. It's never too wide as 45mm (35mm-equivalnt) lenses are, and never too long like 65mm (50mm-equivalnt) lenses are. With this one normal lens you just replaced both 45mm and 65mm (25mm and 50mm-equivan;t) lenses. Bravo! I'd get my GF 50mm f/3.5 at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H. They'll eventually come to eBay (see How to Win at eBay). Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR. bigger or fill screen.
NewFuji's smallest and lightest lens for the GFX System.
GoodUltra sharp. No visible distortion. Has a real aperture ring, as well as in-camera or automatic control! Small. Light. Inexpensive. Made domestically in Japan. Weather sealed: Fuji GF 50mm weather seals.
BadNothing!
MissingNo real hood included, just a weird little hoodlet that doesn't do much included instead.
CompatibilityTop Sample Images Intro Specifications Unboxing Performance User's Guide
I'd get my GF 50mm f/3.5 at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H. They'll eventually come to eBay (see How to Win at eBay). This lens only works on Fuji's GFX medium-format cameras.
SpecificationsTop Sample Images Intro Specifications Unboxing Performance User's Guide
I'd get my GF 50mm f/3.5 at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H. They'll eventually come to eBay (see How to Win at eBay).
NameFujifilm calls this the Fujinon GF50mmF3.5 R LM WR: Fujinon is Fujifilm's brand name for their lenses. GF is Fuji's line of lenses for their GFX medium-format cameras. R means it has an aperture ring. LM means Linear (autofocus) Motor. WR means weather resistant.
It's also called model number 600021097.
Also has: ∅62 means it takes 62mm filters. Aspherical: uses aspherically-shaped lens elements for sharper pictures. Super EBC: Fujinon's brand of multicoating, standing for Super Electron-Beam Coated.
OpticsFujinon GF 50mm internal optical construction This is a highly asymmetrical design, with almost no glass ahead of the diaphragm. The only reason the front element is as large as it is is for cosmetic effect! 9 elements in 6 groups. 1 aspherical element. Internal focussing with a Linear Motor. Electronic manual focus ring.
FiltersMetal 62 mm filter thread.
Coverage33 × 44mm (55mm diagonal).
DiaphragmFujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM W (diaphragm not seen). bigger or fill screen. 9 rounded blades. Electronically actuated. Stops down to f/32 in 1/3-stop clicks.
Focal Length50mm. When used on Fuji's 33 × 44mm GFX Medium-Format cameras it sees about the same angle of view as a 40mm lens sees when used on a full-frame (24 × 36mm) camera.
Angle of View57.4º diagonal on 33 × 44mm (55mm diagonal) format.
AutofocusInternal focussing with a Linear Motor. Electronic manual focus ring. No external movement as focussed, so no air or dust is sucked in.
Focus ScaleNot on lens, may be in camera depending on settings.
Infinity Focus StopNo.
Depth of Field ScaleNot on lens, but may be displayed in-camera.
Infrared Focus IndexNo.
Close Focus1.8 feet (0.55 meters).
Maximum Reproduction Ratio1:10 (0.10 ×).
Reproduction Ratio ScaleNo.
Image StabilizerNONE; but works with in-camera stabilization. if your camera has it.
CapsIncludes both a regular 62mm (FLCP-62 II p/n 16539807) and a 43mm (FLCP-43 p/n 16489258) cap for the front of the hoodlet.
HoodScrewy little hoodlet for the Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR. bigger or fill screen. This little metal screw-in hoodlet is included, along with a 43mm (FLCP-43 p/n 16489258) cap for the front of the hoodlet. The front of the hoodlet isn't threaded so 43mm filters won't mount; use this hoodlet on the front of any 62mm filters you're using.
CaseNone included.
Tripod CollarThe tripod collar
Size3.31" Ø maximum diameter × 1.89" extension from flange. 84.0 mm Ø maximum diameter × 48.0 mm extension from flange.
Weight12.810 oz. (363.2g) actual measured weight. Rated 11.82 oz. (335g).
QualityMade in Japan.
Announced18 July 2019.
IncludedFLCP-62 II 62mm front lens cap (p/n 16539807). RLCP-002 G-mount rear cap (p/n 16539730). FLCP-43 43mm front lens cap (p/n 16489258) for the front of the hoodlet. "Lens Wrapping cloth."
Model NumberGF50mmF3.5 R LM WR or 600021097.
Price, USA$999, October~November 2019.
UnboxingTop Sample Images Intro Format Compatibility Specifications Accessories Unboxing USA Version Performance Compared User's Guide Recommendations More I'd get my GF 50mm f/3.5 at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H. They'll eventually come to eBay (see How to Win at eBay). The box is completely unsealed. Just like kids who lick ice cream and put it back in the store freezer or gargle with mouthwash and put it back on the store shelf, there is no way to know if anyone else has been fiddling with your lens, swapping parts and accessories, or even if it's a dropped, returned, damaged or used lens. This is why it's critical to buy only from an approved online source, since they ship from automated warehouses where no shifty salesmen or other customers ever getting to touch your new camera before it ships. While new $5 CDs, DVDs, Blu-Rays and bottles of milk and drinking water are sealed and quite obvious if anyone's opened them, paradoxically Fujifilm doesn't bother sealing anything, so your only insurance is to buy only from a trusted online dealer.
PerformanceTop Sample Images Intro Specifications Unboxing Performance User's Guide
Overall Autofocus Manual Focus Breathing Bokeh Distortion Ergonomics Falloff Filters Flare & Ghosts Lateral Color Fringes Macro Mechanics Sharpness Spherochromatism
I'd get my GF 50mm f/3.5 at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H. They'll eventually come to eBay (see How to Win at eBay).
OverallThis 50mm lens works great, no mysteries here.
AutofocusAutofocus is fine. It's as fast as it needs to be; the GFX system isn't for sports or for action.
Manual FocusManual focusing is entirely electronic; the manual focus ring isn't connected to anything other than a digital encoder.
Focus BreathingFocus breathing is the image changing size as focused in and out. It's important to cinematographers that the image not breathe because it looks funny if the image changes size as focus gets pulled back and forth between actors. If the lens does this, the image "breathes" by growing and contracting slightly as the dialog goes back and forth. Focus breathing is minimal in the GF 50/3.5. The image gets only slightly larger as focussed more closely.
BokehBokeh, the feel, character or quality of out-of-focus areas as opposed to how far out of focus they are, is good enough. Nothing ever gets that far out of focus with this lens to worry about it. Here's a photo from headshot distance wide-open: Davis 6250 weather station, 15 October 2019. Fuji GFX 100 set down to 12 MP resolution, Auto Dynamic Range 200%, ISO 200, f/3.5 at 1/2,700. bigger or camera-original © file. As always, if you want to throw the background as far out of focus as possible, shoot at f/3.5 and get as close as possible.
DistortionThe Fujinon 50 3.5 has no visible distortion. For more scientific or photogrammetric use, what little is has is easy to correct fully with a factor of +0.3 in Photoshop's lens correction filter.
ErgonomicsFujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR. bigger or fill screen. This is an easy lens to love. The front ring is a rubberized electronic focus ring that doesn't do much unless you've set manual mode on your camera. The big aperture ring works great. See also my User's Guide.
FalloffFalloff is invisible. It doesn't change with the Fuji GFX 100 Lens Modulation Optimizer either ON or OFF. I've greatly exaggerated the falloff by shooting a gray field and placing these on a gray background; it will not look this bad in actual photos of real things:
Filters, use withThe active area of the front element is so tiny that you could use an adapter and use your 39mm LEICA filters if you wanted. The only reason it takes 62mm is for show, the front filter thread really should be much smaller — like 39mm. I can stack quite a few standard 62mm filters without any vignetting. There's no need for thin filters. Go ahead and use your standard rotating polarizer and grad filters.
Flare & GhostsThere are no significant ghosts and no significant flare.
Lateral Color FringesThere are no color fringes as shot on Fujifilm's cameras, which may be correcting them automatically.
Macro PerformanceMacro doesn't get very close at all. Here's as close as it gets: Casio G-Shock Solar Atomic Watch at close-focus distance, 15 October 2019. Fuji GFX 100, f/3.5 at 1/950 at ISO 100. bigger or camera-original © file. It's certainly pretty sharp here, and gets much sharper at f/5.6. You're better off just grabbing your iPhone 11 Max Pro if you need a closeup and have this lens on your camera, or use a real macro lens.
Mechanical QualityFujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR. bigger or fill screen. This lens is made extremely well out of all metal with all engraved markings. It puts most DSLR lenses at even twice the price to shame. This isn't worthless plastic rubbish offshored to Communist China like so much of the toy store trash from Nikon and Sony today. This lens is more of a Meisterstück like a LEICA lens. Wunderbar!
FinishBlack anodized aluminum.
HoodletSolid alloy.
Front BumperNone.
Filter ThreadsMetal.
Hood Bayonet MountNone.
Front Barrel ExteriorMetal.
Focus RingRubber-covered metal.
Mid Barrel ExteriorMetal.
Aperture RingMetal.
Rear Barrel ExteriorMetal.
IdentityEngraved and filled with paint on ring between front element and filter threads.
InternalsSeem like all metal!
Dust Gasket at MountYes.
MountChromed metal.
MarkingsAll engraved and filled with paint.
Serial NumberLaser engraved on bottom of barrel near mount.
Date CodeNone found.
Noises When ShakenMild to moderate clunking from the uncaged focus groups.
Made inMade in Japan.
SharpnessLens sharpness has nothing to do with picture sharpness; every lens made in the past 100 years is more than sharp enough to make super-sharp pictures if you know what you're doing. The only limitation to picture sharpness is your skill as a photographer. It's the least talented who spend the most time worrying about lens sharpness and blame crummy pictures on their equipment rather than themselves. Skilled photographers make great images with whatever camera is in their hands; I've made some of my best images of all time with an irreparably broken camera! Most pixels are thrown away before you see them, but camera makers don't want you to know that. If you're not getting ultra-sharp pictures with this, be sure not to shoot at f/16 or smaller where all lenses are softer due to diffraction, always shoot at ISO 100 or below because cameras become softer at ISO 200 and above, avoid shooting across long distances over land which can lead to atmospheric heat shimmer, be sure everything is in perfect focus, set your camera's sharpening as you want it (I set mine to the maximum) and be sure nothing is moving, either camera or subject. If you want to ensure a soft image with any lens, shoot at f/32 at ISO 1,600 at default sharpening in daylight of subjects at differing distances in the same image. This lens is sharper than the artistic vision of 99% of the people who will buy it. Many will own it, but few will create worthy work. If you've read this far, yes, duh, this is an ultrasharp lens. In the laboratory (where no good pictures are ever made) it's slightly less sharp in the corners at f/3.5 due to a little coma (divergence of the sagittal and meridional lines as seen in the modulation transfer function curves below), and is ultra sharp even in the corners by f/5.6. The unavoidable physics of diffraction becomes the limitation by f/11, and of course as you know diffraction turns everything to fuzzy mush at f/32 — only stop down if you need it. This is why the GFX cameras default to about f/5.6 in Program mode: it's where you get the sharpest pictures.
SpherochromatismI don't see any spherochromatism, which makes sense for a lens this slow. Spherochromatism, also called "color bokeh" by laymen, is an advanced form of chromatic aberration in a different dimension than lateral color. It can cause colored fringes on out-of-focus highlights, usually seen as green fringes on backgrounds and magenta fringes on foregrounds. Spherochromatism is common in fast lenses of moderate focal length when shooting contrasty items at full aperture. It goes away as stopped down.
Image Stabilization"Percent Perfectly Sharp Shots" are the percentage of frames with 100% perfect tripod-equivalent sharpness I get when I'm shooting at 100 MP hand-held while standing with no support. Hand tremor is a random occurrence, so at marginal speeds some frames will be perfectly sharp while others will be in various stages of blur — all at the same shutter speed. This rates what percentage of shots are perfectly sharp, not how sharp all the frames are:
The 100 MP GFX100's Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization (OIS, IS or VR (Vibration Reduction)) gives me about three stops of real-world improvement, which is marvelous. I can shoot, no tripod needed, at 1/15 rather than 1/125 and almost always get perfectly sharp shots.
SunstarsWith a 9-bladed rounded diaphragm I only get soft 18-pointed sunstars on brilliant points of light at the smallest apertures.
User's GuideTop Sample Images Intro Specifications Unboxing Performance User's Guide Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR. bigger or fill screen. I'd get my GF 50mm f/3.5 at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H. They'll eventually come to eBay (see How to Win at eBay). Set any of f/3.5 to f/32 on the ring, and that's what you get. This gives you manual exposure if you have a manual shutter speed set on your camera, or aperture-preferred exposure if your camera's shutter speed is set to A. There is a lock button on the far left side of the aperture ring as shown here. Press it to get in or out of the C or A settings. Set the aperture ring to A and the camera will set the aperture automatically. You get Program auto exposure if the camera's shutter is set to A, or shutter-priority auto exposure if the camera's shutter is set to a manual speed. Set the aperture ring to C if you'd rather set the aperture with a crappy little control dial on the camera. Don't do this; this setting is for people too young to know how to use the real aperture ring on the lens.
RecommendationsTop Sample Images Intro Specifications Unboxing Performance User's Guide I'd get my GF 50mm f/3.5 at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H. They'll eventually come to eBay (see How to Win at eBay). This a great normal lens, especially if you want to travel light, and especially if you want the absolutely most normal of all normal focal lengths. This 50mm lens is always right; never too long and never too short. I use a clear (UV) protective filter instead of a cap so I'm always ready to shoot instantly. I only use a cap when I throw this in a bag with other gear without padding — which is never. The UV filter never gets in the way, and never gets lost, either. The very best protective filter is the Hoya multicoated HD3 62mm UV which uses hardened glass and repels dirt and fingerprints. For less money, the B+W 62mm 010 is an excellent filter, as are the multicoated version and the basic multicoated Hoya filters, but the Hoya HD3 is the toughest and the best. Filters last a lifetime, so you may as well get the best. The Hoya HD3 stays cleaner than the others since it repels oil and dirt. All these filters are just as sharp and take the same pictures, the difference is how much abuse they'll take and stay clean and stay in one piece. I'd get my GF 50mm f/3.5 at Adorama, at Amazon or at B&H. They'll eventually come to eBay (see How to Win at eBay). This 100% all-content website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. xx does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on my personally approved list since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, non-USA, store demo or used xx. I use the stores I do because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new camera before you do. Buy only from the approved sources I use myself for the best prices, service, return policies and selection. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken, Mrs. Rockwell, Ryan and Katie.
More InformationTop Sample Images Intro Specifications Unboxing Performance User's Guide
Fujifilm's GF 50mm f/3.5 page.
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09 October 2019