Fujifilm has announced the GF 55mm F1.7 R WR as the latest lease to join its lineup of GF lenses for the company’s medium format cameras such as the new Fujifilm GFX100 II announced ta the same time.
The Fujifilm GF 55mm F1.7 R WR is a large-aperture prime lens with a standard focal length of 55mm (equivalent to 44mm in the 35mm terms). That wide aperture enables the subject to be separated from its background which is rendered with creamy bokeh.
The lens offers a field of view akin to human vision, creating a natural perspective that will be appreciated for a wide range of scenarios including street photography and portraiture.
It is constructed from 14 lens elements arranged in 10 groups, including two ED elements and two aspherical elements. This design is said to deliver superb resolving power and attractive bokeh.
The eight-element focusing group features one aspherical element and two ED elements, to control chromatic aberration, spherical aberration, and chromatic aberration throughout the focus range.
The aspherical elements are produced with ultra-high precision, reducing the onion-ring effect that can be visible around out-of-focus highlights to a minimum. One aspherical element, positioned just behind the aperture ring, controls spherical aberration while softening the background blur. Another aspherical element, situated closer to the lens mount, controls the path of light, ensuring edge-to-edge sharpness.
Notably, the GF 55mm F1.7 R WR is the first GF lens to feature 11 diaphragm blades, creating a near-perfect circular aperture. This enables it to produce rounded bokeh even when stopped down slightly from wide open.
An advanced DC motor drives the autofocus (AF) system to give swift and precise autofocus, making the lens a good pairing with the Subject Detection AF capability of the new Fujifilm GFX100 II.
As denoted by ‘WR’ in the lens’ name, the GF 55mm F1.7 R WR is dust- and weather-resistant. It is weather-sealed at nine points on the lens barrel. It can also operate in temperatures as low as -10℃.
Despite its larger-aperture, large-format design, this lens remains lightweight at just 780g and measures a manageable 99.3mm in length. This makes it an attractive walkaround lens.
Fujifilm’s Fujinon GF 55mm F1.7 R WR price and availability
The Fujifilm GF 55mm F1.7 R WR is set to go on sale in September 2023, price £2249 / € 2599 / $2299.