Lens ReviewMorten ByskovMarch 09, 2023Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR Review, XF 56mm f/1.4 R WR review, Fuji 56 1.4 review, Fuji 56mm 1.4 r wr review, Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR Sample Images, Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR Sample Photos, Fuji 56mm sample images, Fuji 56mm 1.4 R WR sample images, Fuji XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR Review, Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR Handling and Specs, Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR vs. XF 56mm f/1.2 R, Fuji XF 56 1.2 review, Fuji XF 56mm 1.2 wr reviewComment

Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR Review

Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR shown on the Fujifilm X-H2. XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR review — The Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR shown on the Fujifilm X-H2

Fujifilm Breathes New Life Into Its Standard Portrait Lens - XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR

The lens lineup for the Fujifilm X Series is maturing and we are starting to see more lenses being updated or fully replaced by new versions making us wonder if we should trade in our old lenses or hang onto them.

You may also have been waiting patiently for a refresh before spending your hard-earned dollars on a lens such as the new Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR.

You can count me in the group who always found the old XF 56mm f/1.2 R tempting but I never owned one. This is mostly due to the fact that used the XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR for a long period of time.

The Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR shown on a Fujifilm X-H2 — The Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR shown on the Fujifilm X-H2

Fujifilm Canada kindly lent me a copy of the XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR over a couple of weeks in late February and early March and I was able to take it on a road trip in British Columbia and a ski trip to Silver Star Mountain Resort.

I also took it out in my usual stomping grounds for some travel and street photography in Vancouver. I tried it on three different cameras, the Fujifilm X-H2, X-Pro3, and X-Pro2, to see how well it played with each of them.

A blue camper van is parked in Harrison Hot Springs in BC, Canada. Sample image from a Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR and X-H2. — Harrison Hot Springs, BC, Fujifilm X-H2, XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR @ f/1.2

Introduction

Fujifilm has released a line of high-quality lenses over the last couple of years. The first to arrive on the scene was the XF 18mm f/1.4 R LM WR followed by the XF 33mm f/1.4 R LM WR and XF 23mm f/1.4 R LM WR and this trend continues with the XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR which was released in September 2022.

The original XF 56mm f/1.2 R and APD version are still available and it is unclear if they eventually will be phased out.

At the time this review was posted the Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR was priced at $999.00.

Uffe Byskov. Sample image from a Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR and X-H2 — My cousin from Denmark kindly posed for this portrait, Fujifilm X-H2, XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR @ f/1.2

Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR Handling and Specs

With a weight of 15.7 oz, 445 g, dimensions of 3.1 x 3", 79.4 x 76 mm, and a filter size of 67mm I did not find the new XF 56mm cumbersomely big or too bulky despite the fact that it is bigger and heavier than the original version.

It balances perfectly on the Fujifilm X-H2 and I also had no trouble using it with my X-Pro3 or X-Pro2. For years I lugged around the Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II and the XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR is a breeze to carry in comparison.

The Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR shown on the Fujifilm X-H2

With an 85mm full-frame equivalent field of view, the XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR has 13 elements in 8 groups, 2 aspherical, one ED element, and namely 11 rounded diaphragm blades ensuring stunningly good bokeh.

The minimum focusing distance is 1.6', 50 cm, which is significantly better than its predecessor at 2.3', 70 cm, and should enable you to capture more intimate portraits and better close-up photography in general.

The aperture ring is a bit light to the touch and every now and then the aperture was changed inadvertently but overall the lens has the high-quality feel we have come to expect from Fujifilm’s latest lenses and it is a joy to work with.

A snowboarder hits the slopes at Silver Star Mountain amidst the snow covered trees. Sample image from a Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR and X-H2. — Silver Star Mountain, BC, Fujifilm X-H2, XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR @ f/5.6

In Action

Some reviewers have criticized the fact that Fujifilm did not put a linear motor (LM) in the XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR. Instead, it has an STM (stepping motor). I found the STM solution more than capable of tracking and very quiet. It works best on the X-H2 and X-Pro3 and was hunting slightly using the X-Pro2 but is overall better than the old version.

I found the focal length excellent for landscape photography on our road trip adding a bit of compression while maintaining a natural look in the photos. I also loved the portraits captured along the way and 56mm is ideal for this application.

It was refreshing for street photography as you are able to get better candid shots being more invisible at further distances from your topics. My usual lens choice for this purpose is the XF 33mm f/1.4 R LM WR.

During my test period, I paired the XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR with an XF 23mm f/1.4 R LM WR and found that the two made for a wonderful moderately wide and moderate telephoto combination and I could cover a wide range of topics with these two lenses.

Mountain landscape along Hwy 99 in British Columbia, Canada. Sample image from a Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR and X-H2. — Hwy 99, BC, Fujifilm X-H2, XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR @ f/8

The max f-stop of f/1.2 makes it an incredibly versatile lens allowing you to shoot at low ISO values in dim lighting conditions or giving you the ability to separate your topic from the background with a shallow depth of field.

Even if f/1.2 may not yield the sharpest image across the frame I still like to use it for landscape photography as gives your images a certain mood.

In street photography, it is a great way to put emphasis on a specific aspect of your photo, and in portrait photography, makes the eyes of your model stand out in the photo.

A man waits at a taco stand in downtown Vancouver. Sample image from a Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR — Downtown Vancouver, Fujifilm X-Pro2, XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR @ f/1.2

Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR - Image Quality

Personally, the most important aspect when looking at the image quality from the XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR is how it handles bokeh and the transition thereof throughout the distance scale.

With some lenses, it will look smooth at short or medium range but the background in the distance may be coarse or vice versa.

I am happy to see that the XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR bokeh is very smooth, especially for the portraits I took with a very natural and non-disruptive transition I would certainly consider using this as my main portrait lens for professional sessions.

The XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR pairs well with the 40-megapixel sensor in the Fujifilm X-H2 and the images in this review have ample sharpness and colors that are vibrant and true to life. I found no major flaws and was impressed with the output.

Please make sure to click on the sample images to view sizes up to 2500 pixels depending on your monitor size.

Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR vs. XF 56mm f/1.2 R

At the time this article was last updated (May 2023) the XF 56mm 1.2 R was discontinued. It should, however, be reasonably easy to find on the used market.

The original XF 56mm f/1.2 R is no slouch and optically a fine lens. Autofocus speed, minimum focusing distance, and optical performance have been improved with the new model and it now carries the WR badge and is weather-resistant where the old model is not.

The new XF 56mm has gained weight and bulk in comparison to the older model and is now 15.7 oz, 445 g, with dimensions of 3.1 x 3", 79.4 x 76 mm, versus 14.29 oz, 405 g, with dimensions of 2.88 x 2.74", 73.2 x 69.7 mm, and it takes the smaller 62mm filter versus 67mm for the new model.

You can read my XF 56mm f/1.2 R review here:

Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R - Review

The Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR seen on the Fujifilm X-H2 — The Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR shown on the Fujifilm X-H2

Conclusion

The XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR lands in a crowded field of options. You can stick with the older models or opt for a similar choice with the XF 50mm f/1 R WR albeit at a higher price point in a heavier and bulkier package.

At the time this article was written the XF 50mm f/1 R WR was on sale for $1,249.95 ($250.00 rebate) narrowing the price gap considerably.

Viltrox recently released a 75mm f/1.2, $549.00, to rave reviews and they also have an inexpensive 56mm f/1.4 option at $299.00.

Is the Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR a slam dunk then? I would say yes. It offers the best of all worlds in this focal length range and it is currently near the top of my shortlist of items I consider adding to my kit.

The XF 50mm f/1 R WR is a bit too bulky for my taste and I was not overly impressed with the autofocus performance. I have not tried the Viltrox 75mm f/1.2 yet but am concerned about size/weight and focal length. I hope to be able to test it at some point.

The XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR offers excellent image quality in a reasonably sized package and is not horrendously highly-priced like some full-frame or larger-than-full-frame options that I consider from time to time.

Pros

Weather resistant
New closer focusing distance
New optical formula
Excellent image quality and bokeh

Cons

I have a hard time pointing any out

Price / Availability

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Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R 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 photos are slightly cropped.

Please click to view larger images.