Fujifilm XF 50mm F1.0 R WR is World's Fastest Mirrorless Auto-focus Lens

September 3, 2020 | Mark Goldstein | Lenses | Comment |

The new Fujifilm XF 50mm F1.0 R WR is the first ever F1.0 auto-focus lens for mirrorless cameras.

Offering an equivalent focal length of 75mm in 35mm full-frame terms, it's ideal for portrait photography.

It weighs 845g, more than twice the weight of the similar XF 56mm F1.2 lens (405g), and measures 87x103.5mm (Diameter x Length). The filter size is 77mm.

Although undoubtedly a big, heavy lens, it still feels well-balanced on the X-T4 camera, even without a battery grip fitted.

The optical construction is 12 elements in 9 groups, including 1 aspherical element and 2 ED elements.

It's weather and dust resistant with seals in 11 different places, and works down to -10 degrees.

There are 9 rounded aperture blades for more attractive bokeh. Coupled with the maximum F1.0 aperture, this lens definitely offers the best bokeh of any XF optic.

At F1.0, the spherical aberration is intentionally left to soften the bokeh. At F1.2, the resolution is equivalent to the XF 56mm F1.2. At F2, vignetting is reduced like the XF 90mm F2.

Lens breathing is minimal. Fujifilm have officially measured it at 0.095%.

Auto-focusing was a little hesitant on the pre-production sample that Fujifilm sent us. The face and eye detection worked very well to improve the focus accuracy, though, even when shooting wide-open at f/1.0.

The minimum focus distance is 0.7m and the maximum magnification is 0.08x, which is almost identical to the XF 56mm F1.2.

The Fujifilm XF 50mm F1.0 R WR will be available on 24th September priced at £1499 / $1499 / €1599.

We've already been out shooting with the XF 50mm F1.0 - take a look at a gallery of sample images and some hands-on photos of the lens mounted on an X-T4 camera body.

Fujifilm UK Press Release

Heralding a new age of portrait photography: FUJINON XF 50mm F1.0 R WR Lens

FUJIFILM Corporation (President: Kenji Sukeno) is pleased to announce the launch of the FUJINON XF 50mm F1.0 R WR Lens (hereafter “XF 50mm F1.0 R WR”), the world’s first autofocus lens with a maximum aperture of F1.0, designed for mirrorless cameras. This is the 35th interchangeable lens for X Series digital cameras, which delivers exceptional image quality using Fujifilm’s unparalleled colour reproduction technology.

The XF 50mm F1.0 R WR is an ultra-fast mid-telephoto prime lens with the focal length of 50mm (equivalent to 76mm in the 35mm film format) and a maximum aperture of F1.0. The fastest interchangeable lens Fujifilm has ever produced, it achieves incomparable resolving power thanks to its large-diameter design, which also produces beautiful bokeh, rendering backgrounds out of focus with a rich smoothness. The lens can also be stopped down for edge-to-edge sharpness, adding versatility to the way it can be used to make images.

The inclusion of a DC autofocus motor into XF 50mm F1.0 allows for quick and accurate autofocus even when images are being made at the maximum F1.0 aperture. Since this can result in an extremely shallow depth of field, the lens also utilises X Series cameras’ Face / Eye AF function to achieve critical focus when making portraits, which is something that is quite difficult to achieve when focusing manually.

For times when manual focus is required, such as recording video, the manual focus ring provides 120 degrees of rotation to allow for precise, enhanced control and quick travel through the focus range to infinity. Lastly, despite being a large-diameter F1.0 lens, its weight, size and weather-sealing make it a practical choice for any professional image maker.

*1 Among interchangeable lenses for mirrorless digital cameras as of September 3, 2020, according to Fujifilm

Product features

Achieve an incredibly shallow depth-of-field

The XF 50mm F1.0 R WR consists of 12 lens elements in nine groups and also contains one aspherical element and two ED elements to achieve optimum control of spherical aberration. Used at or near to its maximum F1.0 aperture, XF 50mm F1.0 R WR can produce an astonishingly narrow depth-of-field. Its precision-engineered, rounded diaphragm produces large, smooth bokeh for a professional look, allowing photographers to create portraits with a striking simplicity and an almost three-dimensional quality with wonderful edge-to-edge sharpness. Photographers can use this new power in selective focus to keep only the subject’s eyes in focus and make captivating close-up character studies. But it’s not just for portraits. Take this lens out onto the street or into a lifestyle session and one can turn cluttered locations into clean backdrops with unrivaled subject separation.

Be ready to make images more easily in low-light conditions

The very wide maximum aperture on XF 50mm F1.0 R WR means there are more options when it comes to making images in low-light conditions. At night, or in darkened interiors, XF 50mm F1.0 R WR offers the widest apertures yet seen on an XF lens, allowing more light to be drawn in to make an image. XF 50mm F1.0 R WR lens also easily achieves fast shutter speeds that freeze movement and keep ISO settings lower for detail-rich results. Alternatively, combine high ISO settings with the F1.0 aperture for incredible versatility and use in other low-light applications like astrophotography.

World’s first F1.0 autofocus lens for mirrorless cameras

As the world’s first autofocus F1.0 lens made for any mirrorless system, including full-frame, XF 50mm F1.0 brings more light to the sensor than any previous XF lens, making it possible for the autofocus to operate at -7EV luminance level. The previous limit of -6EV luminance level was achieved using lenses with a maximum aperture of F1.4, (*2) X Series users now have fast and precise low-light autofocus, even in near-darkness. With the added benefits of on-sensor Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF), Face/ Eye AF and a powerful DC motor, precise and fast autofocus at shallow depths of field is now a possibility.

*2 When mounted on the X-Pro3 and X-T4

Precise focus for those critical moments

To make the most of its super-shallow depth-of-field, focusing must be precise. As a result, XF 50mm F1.0 has a focus ring that is eight times more accurate than any previous XF lens. This makes it possible to change the focus from the minimum focusing distance to infinity very precisely. For this, XF 50mm F1.0 R WR uses 120º of rotation in its focusing ring to let users focus manually without error – and achieve accurate focus when using an 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 minimise focus shift effects when making images.

Engineered to keep the images coming

Despite being a fast, F1.0 lens, XF 50mm F1.0 R WR is a lens that make amazing pictures almost anywhere. Measuring 103.5mm (4.07in) long and weighing 845 grams (1.86 pounds), the lens is still quite compact and portable. Like all other weather-resistant XF Lenses, it is sealed in 11 locations to protect against moisture and dust, as well as being capable of use in temperatures down to -10°C (14°F). When allied to a similarly specified, weather-resistant X Series mirrorless digital camera body, XF 50mm F1.0 R WR lets you make unique images in the toughest environments.

*Users are advised to update their camera’s firmware to the latest version in order to allow colour shading correction at the angle of incidence for F1.0.