Concurrent with the new Fujifilm X-H2 camera announcement, Fujifilm has announced the impending release of its new XF56mm f/1.2 R WR prime lens for APS-C sensor cameras.
Angled view of the new XF56mm f/1.2 R WR prime lens without the bundled lens hood. (Source: Fujifilm.)
This fast, mid-telephoto prime lens covers a field of view equivalent to 85mm in the 35mm format and will replace the popular XF56mm f/1.2 R lens, providing significant improvements in minimum focusing distance, image-resolving performance and bokeh. The optical design of the new lens contains 13 elements in eight groups, including one ED element and two aspherical elements that combine to provide higher image-resolving performance than the previous model. The metal molds used to manufacture the aspherical elements are polished to within one-hundred thousandth of a millimeter to minimise the onion-ring effect in bokeh. Eight elements are used in the focusing group to suppress chromatic aberration, spherical aberration and comatic aberration and deliver high resolution from MOD of just 50 cm to infinity. This is also the first Fujifilm lens to use 11 diaphragm blades, which produce a near-perfect circular aperture and 22-pointed sunstars.
Autofocusing is driven by an evolved DC motor that controls both the focusing group of eight elements and aperture unit for precise autofocusing. The use of a bearing mechanism for the motor means minimal motor noise. The lens barrel is weather sealed in nine places and fluorine coating on the front element repels moisture, dust and grease. The lens barrel is only 76 mm long and the overall weight is just 445 gram, which is remarkably light and compact for such a fast lens.
The XF56mm f/1.2 R WR lens is due for release this month ant an RRP of AU$1729. Click here for more information.
