Fujifilm XF lens · announced September 8, 2022
Fujifilm XF 56mm F1.2 R WR review
56 mm · f/1.2 · 445 g · 13 elements in 8 groups
Verdict
The 2022 rebuild of Fujifilm’s 85 mm-equivalent portrait prime. Weather sealing, an eleven-blade diaphragm and 0.5 m minimum focus, against 0.7 m and seven blades on the 2014 original. Still the only autofocus f/1.2 in the mount.
Portrait photographers who want the shallowest depth of field the mount can autofocus, shooting on a larger body like the X-T5 or X-H2.
In detail
The XF 56mm F1.2 R WR is Fujifilm's portrait lens, and the second version of it. Announced on 8 September 2022, it replaces the 2014 XF 56mm F1.2 R and keeps the two things that made the original famous: an 85 mm-equivalent field of view, and an f/1.2 maximum aperture that no other autofocus lens in the mount offers.
Almost everything else changed. The formula went from 11 elements in 8 groups to 13 in 8, with two aspherical elements and one extra-low-dispersion element. Minimum focus came down from 0.7 m to 0.5 m, which takes the magnification from 0.09x to 0.14x and turns a half-length portrait into a head-and-shoulders one. The diaphragm went from seven blades to eleven, so out-of-focus highlights stay round further down the aperture range.
It is also weather sealed now, rated to -10 °C, which the original was not. That is the change that turns it from a studio and good-weather lens into one you can take to an outdoor wedding without thinking about it.
The cost is size. 445g and 76 mm long against 405g and 69.7 mm, and the filter thread went from 62 mm to 67 mm. On a small body it is front-heavy. On an X-T5 or an X-H2 it balances.
Pros and cons
What we like
- f/1.2 at 85 mm-equivalent — no other autofocus X-mount lens offers it.
- 0.5 m minimum focus, down from 0.7 m, so tight head-and-shoulders portraits work.
- Eleven rounded blades keep out-of-focus highlights round when stopped down.
- Weather sealed and rated to -10 °C, which the 2014 version was not.
f/1.2 at 85 mm-equivalent is the whole reason this lens exists, and nothing else with autofocus in X mount gives you it. The depth of field at portrait distance is thin enough that you focus on the near eye and mean it, and the background goes to a wash of colour rather than a recognisable place. That look is what people buy the lens for.
The 0.5 m minimum focus is the upgrade owners of the original notice first. Two tenths of a metre sounds like nothing until you are photographing a face and can finally fill the frame without swapping lenses or cropping. Combined with the eleven-blade diaphragm, tight portraits from this lens look different from anything the 2014 version could do.
Weather sealing and the -10 °C rating make it a working lens rather than a careful one. Paired with a sealed body it goes out in rain and cold, which for anyone shooting weddings or events outdoors is the difference between carrying it and leaving it at home.
Trade-offs
- DC-motor autofocus is slower and louder than the linear-motor primes.
- 445g and a 67 mm filter thread make it a poor match for the small bodies.
- The Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 XF is close in framing for a small fraction of the price.
- No optical image stabilization.
Autofocus is the weak point and always has been on this lens. There is a lot of glass to move and the drive is a DC motor rather than the linear motor Fujifilm puts in the XF 33mm F1.4 R LM WR, so it is slower and more audible than the newer primes. For a still portrait subject it is fine. For a toddler running at you it is not the tool.
Size and weight rule it out for some kits. 445g on a 337g X-E3 or a 355g X-M5 is a front-heavy rig that you notice on a strap all day. The 67 mm filter thread also shares nothing with the small XF primes, so it is another set of filters.
Then there is price. The Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 XF sits at the same focal length for a small fraction of the money, and it is a good lens. You are paying the difference for two thirds of a stop, weather sealing, closer focus, a clicked aperture ring, and Fujifilm's own rendering. That is a real list, and it is still a large gap in money.
Who is this for
The XF 56mm F1.2 R WR is for photographers who take portraits seriously and want the shallowest depth of field the mount can autofocus. Studio and location portraits, weddings, editorial headshots, and available-light work where f/1.2 buys you a shutter speed you could not otherwise have.
It suits a larger body. On an X-T5, X-H2 or X-Pro3 the weight sits properly in the hand; on the small rangefinder bodies it does not. If your camera is an X-E5 or an X-M5, weigh that before you buy.
It is the wrong lens for anything fast-moving, for a kit built around staying light, and for anyone who would rather spend the money on a body. The Viltrox AF 56mm f/1.4 XF is the sensible alternative, and the XF 50mm F2 R WR is the small, cheap, weather-sealed one if the f/1.2 look is not what you are after.
Full specifications
| Focal length | 56 mm |
|---|---|
| 35mm equivalent | 85 mm |
| Maximum aperture | f/1.2 |
| Minimum aperture | f/16 |
| Optical construction | 13 elements in 8 groups |
| Special elements | 2 aspherical elements and 1 extra-low-dispersion element |
| Min. focus distance | 0.50 m |
| Max. magnification | 0.14× |
| Aperture blades | 11 |
| Filter thread | 67 mm |
| Diameter × length | 79.4 × 76 mm |
| Weight | 445g |
| Weather sealing | Yes |
| Min. operating temp | -10 °C |
| Focus drive | DC motor |
| Optical stabilization | No |
| Announced | September 8, 2022 |
Rating breakdown
| Dimension | Score |
|---|---|
| Image quality | 9 / 10 |
| Autofocus | 7 / 10 |
| Handling | 8 / 10 |
| Value | 6 / 10 |
Where to buy
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XF 56mm F1.2 R WRAmazon · search resultsCompare head-to-head
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