The Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR - The First Lens for My GFX 50R

In April of 2021, the Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR was one of two lenses I reviewed with the GFX 100S.

When comparing it with the GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR I wrote the following:

I got along famously with the GF 45mm f/2.8 R WR when I reviewed it and it would probably still be my first choice in the GF lens lineup if my budget would allow it.

So why did I pick the GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR as my first lens instead?

My budget was already stretched when I recently purchased a Fujifilm GFX 50R but that does not change the fact that I still chose the GF 50mm as my main lens. In this post, I take a closer look at the GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR after having used it for a few weeks.

It may not have been my first choice initially but after doing more research and putting it through its paces, I will list a few reasons below explaining my decision.

In my GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR review I also mentioned:

If budget, weight, and portability are priorities for you, the GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR will likely be the stronger contender.

These attributes are probably the most important reasons why I am now revisiting the GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR.

A Standard 50mm Lens For Fujifilm GFX

After using a multitude of lenses over the years from ultra-wide to long telephoto lenses I find myself gravitating more and more toward a standard field of view.

I do not mind the other options but favor and strive for a normal view in photos free of distortion if you will. Free of too much telephoto compression or perspective changes that wide-angle lenses can introduce.

This will not be the end of other types of lenses for me but for a few years now my most frequently used lenses have been in the 35-50mm full-frame equivalent focal length range.

The GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR gives you a normal perspective of a 50mm lens but with a 40mm equivalent field of view due to the larger-than-full-frame 44 x 33mm sensor.

This equation makes for a true-to-life look in a very versatile lens and while it has taken me some time to get used to the 40mm field of view it is certainly growing on me.

Before getting my GFX 50R camera, I used the Voigtländer Ultron 40mm f/2 SL IIs for a while and it made the transition to the GF 50mm f/3.5 easier as both share a similar field of view.

When you put the GFX 50R to your eye with the GF 50mm f/3.5 mounted it feels like you see exactly what you saw before doing so, and hence framing your shot becomes second nature quite easily.

There are no gimmicks in the form of a wider perspective and nor are you zoomed in on your topic. What you see is what you get. The 40-50mm focal length feels like a natural view for the human eye.

The moderately wide 40mm full-frame field of view gives you a sense of the surrounding environment without exaggerating the wide-angle perspective and if you want to focus on certain aspects of your image the ability to crop is amazing with the GFX cameras.

Wide-Angle Lens in a Pinch

If you need a wider perspective, in a pinch you can create a panorama quite easily by capturing a few frames vertically and then later stitching them in Photoshop.

In the images below you will see two photos, before and after I stitched six photos for a wide-angle-like result. The panorama was wider but for the comparison, it was cropped to the 4:3 aspect ratio.

Portability

The GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR is currently the most portable and lightweight option in the GF lens lineup. At 11.82 oz, 335 g, and dimensions of 3.31 x 1.89", 84 x 48 mm, I can walk or cycle with the camera and lens without being overly burdened.

It is certainly a change from my lighter X-Pro3 / XF 33mm f/1.4 setup weighing a total of 1.8 lb, 807 g, compared to the 2.3 lb, 1,025 g, for the GFX 50R / GF 50mm f/3.5 combo. I was surprised to add the numbers and find it is only a 27% increase. I would have thought it was more.

Bulk is another matter though. The GFX combination is noticeably bulkier in your hand and without a doubt, takes up more room in your photo bag.

Cons

There are a few downsides that I have discovered thus far with the GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR. To keep an overall small footprint, the included lens hood is not the most efficient and I have discovered light spilling into the lens with flaring occurring quite easily.

As long as you are aware of this, it is easily avoided by holding up your hand to give shade but it is worth mentioning this issue.

The minimum focusing distance is 1.8', 55 cm, and a few times I have been wanting to move closer to my topic.

Depending on the distance and subject/background the bokeh is of variable quality and it would be nice if it was more pleasing in some scenarios. In the example below the bokeh of the foliage looks a bit distressed.

Looking Ahead

Options seem almost endless if and when I decide to add more lenses to my GFX setup. I am hoping to test drive a few more native GF lenses over the fall and winter months. This may shed more light on the situation as I weed through the choices.

In staying to have a fairly compact setup the larger GF lenses are not as appealing to me and luckily living in Vancouver I have options to rent these larger and more expensive options such as the GF 110mm f/2 R LM WR.

I rented the GF 110mm for a portrait session last week and it worked out very well.

Fujifilm has announced a GF 55mm f/1.7 R WR slated to arrive sometime in 2023. This lens is on my radar as I would love to shoot with high-quality glass at this focal length but with a more shallow depth of field than the current GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR or GF 50mm f/3.5 would allow for.

The GF 35-70mm f/4.5-5.6 WR is also on my radar. It is very portable, is no slouch, and features a very useful focal length range.

Adapting lenses is also an option but where do you start and is the idea even worth entertaining if you don’t already have these lenses? Or are you better off focusing on native glass?

I have heard Pentax A 645 medium format lenses work well with GFX cameras, and especially the 35mm and 75mm appeal to me. The clincher, however, is the fact that these two lenses and an adapter are very close in cost to the GF 35-70mm lens.

Final Thoughts

So far I have no regrets about picking the GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR as my first GF lens. A close second was the GF 35-70mm but I prioritized having a smaller prime lens with an aperture ring and faster f-stop over the convenience of a zoom lens for now.

The decision to start with the GF 50mm f/3.5 was also based on a review I did last year with the GFX 100S. If you are interested you can read that review here:

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

For more sample images from the GF 50mm f/3.5, you can also read my post about buying a GFX 50R in 2022:

Fujifilm GFX 50R in 2022

Please see more sample images below.

Price / Availability

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Fujifilm GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR - Sample Images

Please see the sample images below. Editing was done in Capture One and I used Fujifilm film simulations for some of the photos. Some of the images are cropped slightly.

Please click to view larger images.