Fujinon XF 50mm f/2 WR Lens

The Fujinon XF 50mm f/2 R WR Lens is a workhorse lens for me. For portrait work especially, this lens comes out for every single session, and it is most often the lens on my second body for walking around or event work. In Fuji’s lineup, this is essentially the “nifty fifty” that almost all manufacturers make (usually, an inexpensive 50mm f/1.8), though at $450, it is quite a bit more expensive than most others. However, for the extra money, you get quite a lot over those other lenses: weather resistance, a metal build, very quick and advanced focusing, and optical performance that is often reserved for much more expensive lenses.

The lenses I review are measured in terms of their performance in three categories: Specialist, Utility or Passion. As always, I am not a technical reviewer, so this won’t be charts and tests driven, just real world experiences.        

 

 

1. Specialty Rating (pro quality/top IQ/special purpose): 9

The top specialty lenses are impeccable. They deliver maximum image quality (loads of sharpness, great contrast, minimum distortion and excellent color reproduction), are lightning fast, and are specialists’ tools- i.e. wedding photographers, architectural or other commercial photographers, etc.

As a specialist tool, the Fujinon XF 50mm f/2 WR lens is almost impeccable. It is sharp, produces attractive separation, and is pretty much everything that you might want in a short tele (50mm on APS-C act similar to 75mm lenses on full frame, in terms of the field of view). It’s only real weakness, in my eyes, is that it produces some purple fringing, but that is easily correctable in post.

In short, when this lens is on my cam for a client shoot, I never worry about whether they’ll like the shots. It’s a deliverer.

2. Utility Rating (versatility for multiple applications): 6

Utility lenses are the optical equivalent of a Swiss Army Knife, they cut, they saw, they open cans, but they’re often clunky and inefficient when compared to tools dedicated to those tasks. These (usually) zoom lenses are generalists’ tools; their purpose is utility and convenience for the enthusiast.

As a utility lens, the 50mm focal length on APS-C has some disadvantages. It does give you reach when you need it, but on the street, you’ll often find that there is not quite enough “back-up” space for when you don’t. That said, like all of the Fujicrons, it is lightweight, compact and weather resistant, which means that you can pretty much use it anywhere at anytime.

The other slight disadvantage to it as a utility lens, is that it is slightly bigger than the other Fujicrons (much bigger with the lens hood attached- see comparison images further down this review). Since I like to roll with two camera bodies, that can sometimes be an issue, depending upon the size of my bag and what else I want to bring.

3. Passion Rating (does the lens inspire your photography?): 8

Passion lenses are ones that you form an emotional attachment to.  These lenses can be zooms or primes, slow or fast, cheap or expensive.  These lenses make photography fun. They get out of your way (or in some cases, get in your way), and let you think about composition and subject.

This 50mm is a fun lens, and I always love using it whenever I have an excuse to do so. It looks great on all of the X series cameras, but balances better on some of the smaller bodies. Price vs. performance is excellent.

 

Full Name: Fujinon XF 50mm f/2 R WR
Max/Min. Aperture: 2/16
Diaphragm Blades: 9 rounded
Lens Configuration: 9 Elements in 7 Groups
Filter Size: 46 mm
Magnification Ratio: .15x
Focuses Beyond: 18″ (approx.)

Durability: The lens is metal and weather sealed.

My Fujicron family (I don’t yet own the 90mm f/2) with hoods:

And without hoods (you’ll notice that they become a bit more evenly scaled this way):

 

If you are on the fence about whether to add this lens to your kit, it’s a no brainer for me. A light, versatile 50mm lens has been a part of my core camera kit for as long as I can remember, and this one is probably the best version of that that I’ve ever owned.

So just how does the Fuji XF 50mm f/2 R WR lens perform? Check out the images below to see for yourself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gear used for product shots:

Fuji X-E3

Fuji 35mm f/2 WR lens

Fuji 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 OIS lens