Conclusion

The Fujifilm XF 50mm F1.0 R WR is big, heavy and expensive, but crucially it delivers image quality that no other Fujifilm XF lens is capable of.

Sure, the differences between this and the smaller, lighter and cheaper XF 56mm F1.2 may be slight, but they are undoubtedly there.

The XF 50mm F1.0 is something of a niche lens for a small set of users, but if you fall into that camp, you'll be delighted by what it has to offer.

The world’s first autofocus lens with an f/1 maximum aperture doesn't disappoint, delivering super-smooth backgrounds and in-focus subjects with the minimum of fuss.

It might not be the fastest or quietest auto-focusing Fuji lens, a natural consequence of all that glass, but it does take advantage of the latest face and eye detection systems to offer reliable detection and tracking.

The Fujifilm XF 50mm F1.0 R WR lens is a little soft wide-open at f/1, but remarkably sharp in the image centre from f/1.4 virtually throughout the rest of the aperture range, and the edges are very good from f/2.8 onwards.

The fast maximum aperture of f/1 makes it incredibly easy to creatively throw the background out of focus, with the nine-blade iris diaphragm helping to achieve some gorgeous bokeh effects.

Vignetting is practically a non-issue and chromatic aberrations and flare are very well-controlled, while the lens is capable of producing nice sunstars at f/16.

Priced at £1499 / $1499 / €1599, the Fujifilm XF 50mm F1.0 R WR is one of the most expensive Fuji APS-C lenses, but then it does offer something genuinely unique that no other lens can provide.

For many users the already excellent XF 56mm F1.2 will more than meet their needs, but if you want the fastest lens around with gorgeous image quality to boot, then the new XF 50mm F1.0 will not disappoint.

Ratings (out of 5)
Design	4.5
Features	5
Ease-of-use	5
Image quality	5
Value for money	4