Fujifilm Fujinon XF 50mm f/2 R WR Review

Fujifilm Fujinon XF 50mm f/2 R WR Handling and Features

Weighing just 20g more than the 23mm f/2, the lens tips the scales at a very modest 200g. It is very compact and evokes the memory of the traditional rangefinder camera, something that will appeal to many photographers.

The Super EBC (Electron Beam Coating) coated front element is surrounded by a tiny 46mm filter thread, and outside that a bayonet mounting accepts the provided lens hood. The hood clips positively into place and does an excellent job of shielding the front element.

Next inwards we find the electronically operated manual focusing ring, which operates smoothly and has just the right amount of damping. Sadly, it does not offer manual focus during AF operation. Focusing is down to 39cm, a maximum magnification of 0.15x.

Moving further towards the camera body we have the aperture ring, beautifully made and as slick as we could wish for, operating in nicely click stopped third stop increments. There is an A setting should the photographer wish to have the camera take control, but the design of the lens as a whole does encourage use of the aperture ring, a tactile pleasure in its own right.

The lens is weather resistant, always a welcome feature, and has an optical formula of 9 elements in 7 groups. There is one aspheric ED (extra low dispersion) element. The diaphragm has 9 blades, using a rounded design to further improve bokeh.

The 50mm focal length in APS-C has a “35mm format equivalent” of 76mm, a modest telephoto that gives a good degree of magnification and the ability to separate out a subject from its background. SLR users do not usually find full frame 75mm lenses, but the rangefinders do have such optics and it is here that the rangefinder ethos can be seen in the overall design. 76mm is long enough to make a reasonable portrait lens, so there are many possibilities.

Add your message