Fujifilm GF 50mm F3.5 R LM WR review: did you think medium format lenses were too chunky for street photography?

We all have our favorites when it comes to focal lengths. When I’m out and about on city streets, shooting with a full-frame camera, I’ve become a big fan of compact, lightweight 40mm lenses. Personal preferences include the Nikon Z 40mm f/2, Sony FE 40mm f/2.5 G and Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM. I find the field of view delivered by these lenses makes them very versatile for street photography and general shooting, bridging the gap between wide-angle 35mm and standard 50mm lenses. Of course, different rules apply for medium format rather than full-frame cameras. In this case, a 50mm lens gives the same viewing angle, due to the comparatively large image sensor of the camera body – it’s like the opposite of a ‘crop factor’.

The Fujifilm GF 55mm F1.7 R WR is actually one of my all-time favorite lenses and it’s definitely one of the best Fujifilm GF lenses on the market. However, as it’s a medium format lens and one of the ‘fastest’ of the breed with a bright f/1.7 aperture, it’s necessarily quite large and heavy, as well as being very expensive. The GF 50mm that I’m reviewing here gives an ‘effective’ focal length of 40mm in full-frame terms and is less than half the length, weight and price of the bigger GF 55mm. It therefore makes a tempting compact, lightweight and relatively affordable alternative for the best Fujifilm cameras.

Fujifilm GF 50mm F3.5 R LM WR: Specifications

Fujifilm GF 50mm F3.5 R LM WR: Price & Availability

Sold by retailers around the world who stock Fujifilm camera equipment, the GF 50mm costs around $999/£949. That’s a hefty price tag for a 50mm lens with a modest f/3.5 aperture rating and there’s no getting away from the fact that if you want to go medium format, you need deep pockets. Even so, GF 50mm is less than half the price of most Fujifilm GF lenses and, unlike the vast majority of its siblings, it will actually fit in a coat pocket.

Fujifilm GF 50mm F3.5 R LM WR: Design & Handling

I like being able to shoot on busy city streets without drawing attention to myself. Measuring just 48mm (1.89 inches) in length, the GF 50mm is amazingly compact for a medium format lens and, despite upsized GFX system camera bodies, the overall package is relatively unobtrusive. 

It makes a good package for candid street photography. Another factor on my hit list is that, if I’m walking around for hours on end, a lightweight lens is less of a burden. This one weighs in at just 335g which, again, is remarkably light for a medium format lens.

I’ve seen plenty of compact, lightweight lenses that are cut to the bone. Many have no onboard controls whatsoever, relying on me to delve into camera menus to make any adjustments, which can be a time-consuming frustration when I’m shooting on the fly. Some also have a retractable design which, although saving space for stowage, gives me one more thing to remember when I need to react quickly to an unfolding shooting scenario. 

I like that the GF 55mm is ready to roll and that it features the usual aperture control ring, common to GF lenses. As such, I can intuitively adjust the aperture in one-third f/stop clicks from f/3.5 right down to f/32. I also like the inclusion of an aperture ring lock release button, so I don’t accidentally jog the ring from its A or C settings. 

As with other GF lenses, Auto enables the aperture value to be set automatically by the camera body, whereas Command allows aperture adjustment from the camera’s command dial. However, there’s no de-click option for the aperture ring, which would be useful for shooting video.

The aperture diaphragm is well-rounded, based on nine diaphragm blades. The diaphragm itself is placed just behind the leading two elements, and forward of the remaining seven elements in the optical path. Fujifilm says that this helps to minimize internal reflections which can cause ghosting and flare, as well as reducing chromatic aberrations. The optical design also features one aspherical element, which helps to boost image quality as well as reducing the overall physical size.

Although comparatively small and lightweight for a GF medium format lens, build quality feels solid. As with other lenses in the series, the GF 50mm features weather-seals and has a stated operating range of temperatures down to -10C (14F). 

Fujifilm GF 50mm F3.5 R LM WR: Photo Performance

Looking at the relatively small size of this lens in general and its front element in particular, it’s easy to assume that image quality is going to be a bit second-rate. I was pleasantly surprised with the GF 50mm’s edge-to-edge sharpness, clarity, contrast and color quality. It certainly punches above its weight for a relatively compact medium format lens, and is well able to do justice to the 102 megapixel image sensor of the Fujifilm GFX 100 II, which I used for testing the lens. Autofocus is fast and snappy for stills and smooth and virtually silent for video, as well as proving consistently accurate throughout my testing.

Resistance to ghosting and flare is good, and there’s nothing to worry about in terms of color fringing, which is entirely negligible. Our lab tests revealed a slight touch of barrel distortion but it’s generally unnoticeable in real-world shooting. All in all, the lens is an excellent performer.

Fujifilm GF 50mm F3.5 R LM WR: Sample Images

This gallery of sample images was taken in the English city of Bath and at ‘The Newt’ in Somerset.

Image 1 of 16

EXIF: Fujifilm GFX 100 II + Fujifilm GF 50mm F3.5 R LM WR lens (1/1500 sec, f/3.5, ISO 200)

Fujifilm GF 50mm F3.5 R LM WR: Lab Results

We run a range of lab tests under controlled conditions, using the Imatest Master testing suite. Photos of test charts are taken across the range of apertures and zooms (where available), then analyzed for sharpness, distortion and chromatic aberrations.

We use Imatest SFR (spatial frequency response) charts and analysis software to plot lens resolution at the center of the image frame, corners and mid-point distances, across the range of aperture settings and, with zoom lenses, at four different focal lengths. The tests also measure distortion and color fringing (chromatic aberration).

Sharpness:

In our lab tests, the GF 50mm didn’t prove quite as scary-sharp as some GF lenses towards the extreme edges and corners of the frame. In real-world tests, however, it delivered excellent sharpness across the entire image frame, as demonstrated by some of our example shots in which the edges of the frame fall within the depth of field.

Fringing:

Color fringing is absolutely negligible, right out to the edges and corners of the image frame, throughout the entire aperture range.

Distortion: -1.11

There’s a hint of barrel distortion but it’s of such a low order that it’ll generally go unnoticed in real-world images, even for architectural shots.

Fujifilm GF 50mm F3.5 R LM WR: Verdict

I really like the GF 50mm. I find its ‘effective’ 40mm focal length makes it very versatile for street photography and general shooting. Better still, it’s less than half the length, weight and price of many Fujifilm GF prime lenses, making it a much more manageable proposition in every way. I’m impressed that there’s no downsizing when it comes to image quality and all-round performance. All in all, it’s a great little lens and something of a bargain for a medium format optic.

Alternatives

The Fujifilm GF 55mm F1.7 R WR only has a slightly longer focal length than the GF 50mm but a much faster aperture rating, enabling you to freeze action more easily and gain a really tight depth of field.

The Fujifilm GF 63mm F2.8 R WR is more of a conventional ‘standard prime’ for medium format GFX cameras, with an effective 50mm focal length in full-frame terms. It also has a faster f/2.8 aperture rating than the GF 50mm f/3.5 lens.