Fujifilm has announced a new addition to its X Series lens lineup, the Fujinon XF56mm f/1.2 R WR mid-telephoto lens. The company says this weather-resistant lens provides “outstanding” image resolving performance and “stunning” bokeh.
When paired with an X Series camera, the 56mm focal length has an equivalent focal length of 85mm on full frame cameras making it ideal for portraiture as it provides a clear separation of subjects from backgrounds.
The new lens is constructed of 13 elements in eight groups and includes two aspherical elements and one extra-low dispersion element (ED). The company claims that the eight elements in the focusing group use the same high-refractive technology found in the company’s cinema lenses that minimize and suppresses various types of aberration including chromatic and spherical aberration to achieve edge-to-edge sharpness and smooth defocused areas. The result is a lens that is capable of producing what Fujifilm calls “stunning” bokeh.
The company says that the high-refractive technology particularly minimizes light bleed in highlights which it says will boost image quality and subject detail.
The lens uses an 11-bladed aperture diaphragm design to achieve what Fujifilm says is a “near perfect” circle even when closed down to f/5.6. The minimum focusing distance has been reduced from the previous version of the lens to 41 centimeters (about 16 inches) from the front of the lens. The front element is applied with a fluorine coating which repels water and offers protection against stains, fingerprints, and smudges.
Fujifilm says the autofocus is driven by an “evolved” direct current (DC) motor that supports high speed and accuracy. It also has an added feature of a bearing mechanism that the company says minimizes the friction that may arise when the DC motor is driving the lens elements and nearly eliminates motor noise and reduces the impact on audio recording quality during video capture.
The lens weighs 15.69 ounces (445 grams) and measures three inches long (76mm). The lens barrel is weather resistant at nine points and is able to operate at temperatures as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 degrees Celcius).
The Fujifilm XF56mm f/1.2 R WR is expected to be available in late September for $999.95.
Author: Jaron Schneider
Source: Petapixel
