Fuji 56mm f/1.2 Lens Review

I would like to think I have a good grasp of what I want/need in my photography equipment.  I always talk about minimum things a lens or camera must have before I even consider purchasing it. In the past, I have bought several things based on hype or convincing YouTubers and felt burned after spending hard earned money on something that did not fit my needs. The Fuji X-T1 is one example that breaks every rule and standard I have. It does not have “fast” controls (relative to what I am used to), it does not have in-body image stabilization, it has a low flash synch speed and the AF is arguable the slowest out of all the mirrorless cameras I own. Yet, I find myself picking up the X-T1 more times than not. 

My first time using the X-T1 & 56mm Combination under controlled studio conditions. The results definitely exceed my standards

I know what you are thinking, why am I talking about the Fuji X-T1 when the title of this post clearly states it’s a review on the Fuji 56mm f/1.2. In my humble opinion. I feel the 56mm lens belongs to the X-T1 and this lens truly defines the system as a whole. While I have had some time with the venerable 23mm and 35mm glass, nothing has stunned me more than this seemingly perfect portrait lens. 

All RAW files, with the exception to the studio shots, were first converted to TIF files via Silky Pix and then edited further in Lightroom. 

Before I go any further, I must qualify this review by stating one glaring issue if you are a heavy user of Adobe photo editing products, particularly Lightroom. Simply put, I do not like how Lightroom converts Fuji Raw files. There are work arounds to this and is something I have considered and implore you consider if you decide to use this system with LR. You can read my thoughts about Raw converters below. Now that we have gotten that out of the way, let’s carry on with the review.

My Final Thoughts on Capture One Pro 8

Raw Converters: Lightroom vs. Capture One Pro

Auto Focus Speed and Accuracy:

There is not much to say about this lens besides the fact that it is the slowest focusing lens I own. It is safe to say that all Fuji glass I have tried is slower than any OMD or Sony A7II glass (though I must admit I only have the FE 55mm and FE 70-200mm lens) I own. It does have a tendency to hunt in less-than-ideal lighting conditions, but it is mostly accurate. I qualify the accuracy of the focusing because I believe this is mostly operator driven.  Because the focal plane is so thin at f/1.2 and at close distances, the slightest movement can shift the focus from the eye to the eye lash or even the nose. I do feel in-body image stabilization would help for portrait work. As a general rule of thumb, I try to keep my shutter speed faster than 1/100th and I fully depress the shutter release as opposed to half pressing, waiting for the focus confirmation and then pressing the shutter release all the way. These “shortcomings” are by no means a deal breaker. I simply adjust my shooting technique to accommodate the “nuances” of working with a Fuji system. 

Image Quality:

This is by far the most important factor in my opinion and is highly subjective. I try to stray away from speaking matter of fact about image quality since I have a hard time quantifying or measuring the beauty of an image. Speaking only for myself, I am in love with the output from the 56mm. The quality of the bokeh is smooth and does not detract from the image. I have seen other lenses produce distracting and busy out of focus areas, but the bokeh with this glass seems organic and is pleasing to my eyes. Once you run the Fuji files through a RAW Converter other than Lightroom, the files are wonderfully sharp and have a nice pop to them. This lens defines the system and belongs with every Fuji owner. I would go as far to say this should be the first lens you buy if you are a portrait photographer.  I can go on with the superlatives, but I'll leave you with sample photos instead.

RAW file edited in Lightroom. Note: this did not go through the Silky Pix software.
 I believe the only filter I used was the Classic Chrome Fuji setting.

Hands down my favorite shot taken from San Diego Comic Con 2015

Build Quality and Weight:

To me, I believe good weight and bad weight exists in all things whether you are talking cameras, cars, computers and so forth. Size and weight is something mirrorless users tout as an inherent benefit of using this platform and I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment depending on the situation. If you like to hike and travel, every ounce start to feel like pounds after several hours trekking, so weight becomes an important factor. This lens, in my opinion, can be used for these applications, but is not what Fuji intended. More on that in the next section. A 1 pound (56mm = 0.89 lbs.)  lens on a 1 pound body (Fuji X-T1 = 0.97 lbs.) can feel a bit front heavy and unbalanced. The same can be said about most of Fuji’s new lens offerings. With that being said, the camera becomes more balanced and easier to handle with a vertical grip added. Although I don’t personally own one, I have handled the camera with one on and plan on adding it to my collection in the near future. 

Relative to my Olympus 45mm lens, this is heavy…and I like it a lot. Not only does it feel like a quality piece of glass, I find stabilizing the body easier. The additional weight can mask some poor shooting technique, of which I occasionally exhibit, especially when I push down the shutter release too quickly. Torquing or jerking a light weight camera is a prevalent issue with me so I welcome some heft. Overall, I am impressed with the build quality and believe the 56mm metal construction will last me a long time.   

Philosophy of Use:

I find that all of my cameras serve a very specific purpose and this lens is no exception. I think my Olympus OMD is the only camera I find that is my jack of all trades, master of none camera. While I believe you can get away with doing several types of work with this lens, my personal philosophy of use is portraiture work. I believe the AF speed on this lens precludes it from being a dedicated concert photography lens or an ideal tool for weddings, but it certainly can be done (and I have used it for both types of work). If I had to complain about anything, it would certainly be its focusing speed. Well, that and it has a fairly long minimum focusing distance of approximately 2.29 feet. For deliberate, controlled, portrait work with the Fuji platform, there isn’t a lens I can recommend more than the Fuji 56mm f/1.2. Without a doubt in my mind, this lens has made me a Fuji Fanboy and makes me excited to try/purchase other primes.   

The search for a new camera - deciding between the Fuji XT-1 and Sony Alpha A7

This camera had to go to justify purchasing my new toy. Which one did I get? Read on

The desire to purchase a new camera usually boils down to one or a combination of the following: GAS (gear acquisition syndrome), status symbol, the need for better image quality and/or to fill the hole in a lens system. As for me, image quality is further down the list of reasons why I wanted to "invest" in a new camera. In fact, there isn't a camera out there that will make me want to sell my OMD E-M1. So why the heck am I in the market for a new system. Simply put, I just want it. 

So here's my oversimplified criteria for a new camera:

• You can adjust the exposure triangle (ISO, Shutter Speed, Aperture) without taking your eyes away from the EVF. 
• A huge plus if you can change the focus points without taking your eyes away from the EVF
• APSC or larger sensor
• Must be mirrorless interchangeable lens system - so it boils down to Sony or Fuji (sorry Leica, you're out of my league)
• The available glass must fill a hole in my current system

Countless days of research, consultation with friends and physically holding cameras at brick and mortar shops led to two cameras that seem to fit my needs: the Sony A7 and the Fuji X-T1. In Fuji's favor is their lens line up. In my opinion, Fuji rivals the micro four thirds system in the prime glass department, but not so much in the zoom department largely due to the variable aperture aspect. Sony's existing line up of primes and the newly released 70-200mm constant f/4 G lens had me drooling. Not only are the sample pictures found online incredibly impressive, it's also white like Canon's =). All jokes aside, the 70-200mm lens will fill 90% of my photographic needs and WILL be an immediate purchase if I go the Alpha route. 

As far as the body goes, the XT-1 feels most like the E-M1, which to me is an ergonomic dream. My biggest gripe is the dial placement and button feel. For my taste, I would have switched the ISO dial with the exposure compensation dial and made the directional pad more tactile and less squishy. Changing the aperture on the lens is neat and all, but not my preferred method. Overall, good, but not OMD good. With the Sony A7, I was initially taken aback at how unconventional the grip and feel was especially with the vertical battery pack. My finger placement for the shutter release was a lot more forward with other cameras, while the A7 was pushed back towards the top of the body. Holding the camera in front of you to compose with the rear screen contorted my wrist in a strange way, but as soon as you bring the camera to your eye, it felt right. It seemed the engineers designed the camera to be held this way. If I could design the A7, I would have raised the Custom 1 button as I found it difficult to feel for, place the front dial flush with the front grip and made the control wheel have more resistance. Other than that, the A7 strangely felt very familiar. It's so easy to nitpick at the smallest things, but at the end of the day both cameras are functionally/ergonomically sound and I could easily learn to adapt to each body with enough practice.

The tipping point that eventually made me purchase the A7, besides meeting the above criteria, was price. Believe or not, B&H's trade in promotional deal specifically for Sony was too appealing [trade in your camera and receive 15% off of the A7(r/s) and accessories/lenses, plus the value of your camera]. At the sacrifice of my Pen E-P5, I was able to purchase the A7 & vertical grip for well under $900. I couldn't believe I essentially purchased a full frame camera for a price point lower than my E-M1. I look forward to spending some quality time with my new toy and reporting my findings to you all.  

Who do I run excitedly to with my new camera...of course my fellow photographer
and brother. This was taken with the 70-200mm f/4 g lens @100mm. BOKEHLICIOUS

So say we all,
Dino