Reviewed: Fujinon XF 56mm F/1.2 R

Here’s our concise review of the Fujinon XF 56mm f/1.2 R prime lens…

Fujinon XF 56mm F/1.2 R

by Kirk Schwarz |
Updated on

Verdict: With a super-fast aperture of f/1.2 and 7 rounded diaphragm blades you can shoot amazing bokeh with this lens. The 70cm minimum focusing distance and 28.5° angle-of-view also makes this an excellent portrait lens.

Fujinon XF 56mm F/1.2 R
Price: £1115.62
Alternative retailers
Walmart$40.00View offer
Adorama$415.00View offer
B&H Photo Video$499.95View offer
Newegg$799.95View offer

Fujinon is the optics branch of Fujifilm, and as such is producing some exceptional glass to accompany its CSCs.

This 85mm equivalent lens has the joint fastest aperture in test (f/1.2) and the 7 rounded diaphragm blades allow for some amazing bokeh. The lens includes 11 elements in 8 groups, comprising 1 aspherical and 2 extra low dispersion elements to minimise any optical defects.

The minimum focusing distance of 70cm and 28.5° angle-of-view allow for some great close-up portraits. Image quality is superb, with the centre sharp throughout the range and corner blur kept in check from the widest aperture all the way up to the minimum f/16. Likewise, thanks to the extra low dispersion glass, chromatic aberration is virtually non-existent.

This lens weighs a fairly substantial 405g yet retains a high level of build quality and feels very pleasing on-camera. That said, it may prove a little more cumbersome on some of the smaller Fujifilm bodies.

Pros

Very fast f/1.2 aperture

Size

Excellent portrait lens

Cons

Price

Noticeable auto-focus noise

Want to see more lenses? We've rounded up 10 of the best wide-aperture lenses for under £1000.

Fujinon XF 56mm F/1.2 R
Price: £1115.62
Alternative retailers
Walmart$40.00View offer
Adorama$415.00View offer
B&H Photo Video$499.95View offer
Newegg$799.95View offer

Spec

Max aperture: f/1.2

Min aperture: f/16

Elements/groups: 11/8

Min focusing distance: 70cm

DxL: 73x70mm

Weight: 405g

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Kirk Schwarz is a tech-addicted photographer with over a decade's experience; Kirk’s used to putting new gear through extreme field testing. He's previously written for Practical Photography.

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