Fuji GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR Review

Thanks to Gord Webster from Fujifilm Canada for making the Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR available to me for my review.

I tested the Fujifilm GFX 50R in October and one of the lenses I had requested to try out was the GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR. Why the 45mm? It is a similar focal length to the Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R I use with my Fujifilm X-Pro2, a classic documentary-style lens.

I was excited to see how the GF 45mm and GFX 50R would stack up in comparison to my APS-C setup.

Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR - Introduction

When the GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR was released I watched one of Fujfilm’s promotional videos with Italian photographer, Giulia Bianchi. Quite frankly, I was blown away by the life-like images she produced with the GF 45mm lens on the larger than full-frame GFX camera. I was smitten.

45mm is very close to a standard, or ’normal’, perspective but thanks to the larger format sensor on the GFX, it is wide, like 35mm on a full-frame camera. This lens was my first choice for testing out the Fujifilm GFX 50R and the lens I used the most during the review period.

Handling, Specs, and Build Quality

The Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR is an internal focusing lens, meaning the length of the lens will not change whether you focus up close or to infinity. It is weather-sealed, WR, and has a nice wide aperture ring. The lens feels as if solidly built.

The manual focus ring is smooth and the lens has a near-perfect size in my opinion. It is big enough to get a steady grip and it does not feel bulky or heavy on the Fujifilm GFX 50R.

The lens hood is a run-of-the-mill plastic petal shape and does not elevate the user experience. The front element is flat which is very cool and something I have never seen before. The GF 45mm lens works well and feels good in the hand with its fast and silent focusing.

At 1.08 lb / 490 g and dimensions of 3.31 x 3.46" / 84 x 88 mm, the GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR will neither break your back nor will it take up too much space in your pack. The lens design consists of 11 elements in 8 groups, with one aspherical element, and two ED elements. The minimum focus distance is 1.48' / 45 cm.

The lens is a formidable fit for the Fujifilm GFX 50R and is very well-balanced on the camera.

Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR in Action

Using the GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR is almost like shooting a normal 50mm lens but with a slightly wider angle of view. I know this may sound strange but that is what it feels like. Images look like 45mm but are wider due to the larger format 44 x 33mm GFX sensor.

This is an excellent focal length for catching street scenes as I mostly did for this review and the autofocus speed is sufficiently fast. I quite often shot the lens wide open to test the quality of bokeh.

I liked the images created with the GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR but you do not get quite the same shallow depth of field as with a full-frame 35mm f/1.4 lens shooting wide open. Keep in mind also, the max aperture of f/2.8 will be somewhat limiting for low-light photography.

Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR - Image Quality

Organic, real, and life-like. These are the three terms I will use to describe the image quality. The lens is sharp and I am very pleased with the colors and bokeh despite the somewhat limiting f/2.8 max aperture.

I processed the RAW images in Capture One Express and from the first frame, I noticed a clear difference from what I am used to with my Fujifilm X-Pro2 and XF 23mm f/1.4 R combination.

The sample images in this review can be viewed up to 2500 pixels wide depending on the size of your monitor. Please make sure to click to view larger photos.

Conclusion

Keep in mind this was my first venture into the world of larger digital sensor formats and I have not tested similar product combinations from other manufacturers such as the Hasselblad X1D. Coming from years of shooting full-frame Canon digital SLRs and now the Fujifilm X Series, it was perhaps easy to get blown away.

I would not go as far as to say I was completely blown away by the GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR but with the current offerings, I believe it would be an easy first lens choice for me.

An f/2 version would be nice but considering the added cost and weight, I believe the GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR will remain a winner in the GF lineup for this focal length for quite some time.

As a travel photographer, this is the kind of lens I would love to take around the world and get the real ‘true to life’ look in my photos.

With that said, I would love to try the GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR at some point. It certainly has appeal as a compact medium format solution with the Fujifilm GFX 50R and at a lower cost of $999.00 compared to $1,699.00 for the GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR.

The GF 50mm f/3.5 is said to focus faster due to its linear motor but also comes slightly short when it comes to overall image quality compared to the GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR. It will be a very personal choice and I would like to try the GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR before making a final decision.

Update:

I have now had a chance to review the GF 50mm f/3.5 and you can catch this review here:

Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR - Review

Pros

Internal focusing
Weather resistant with a great build quality
Overall great image quality

Cons

Not as fast (f-stop) as full-frame counterparts

Price / Availability

Thank you for reading my review. I hope you found it helpful. If you are planning a purchase and would like to support our site you can do so, at no additional cost, by using the affiliate link below.

Check availability and current price at B&H Photo

Fujifilm GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR - B&H Photo

Thank you for your support.