Fujifilm has announced it will release the Fujinon GF250mm f/4 R LM OIS WR lens along with the Fujinon Teleconverter GF1.4x TC WR, priced £2,899 and £749, respectively, with a May release date.
The new Fuji lens and teleconverter extend the focal range of GF lenses available for Fujifilm’s medium format GFX Series into the telephoto range.
In 35mm format the GF250mmF4 R LM OIS WR is equivalent to around 198mm in focal length, and attaching the GF1.4X TC WR, a new 1.4x teleconverter, extends that reach up to 350mm, or approximately 277mm in 35mm format equivalent.
When the GF1.4X TC WR teleconverter is attached, the maximum aperture is reduced by one f stop.
The new Fujinon GF250mmF4 R LM OIS WR lens’s interior design comprises 16 elements in 10 groups, which includes one super ED lens and two ED lenses to help reduce chromatic aberrations. The super ED lens, Fujifilm says, helps further reduce fluctuations in aberrations depending on the shooting distance.
Other features include five-stop image stabilisation for reducing shake, a minimum 1.4m close focus and a maximum 0.22x magnification ratio.
The new GF250mmF4 R LM OIS WR also employs a focus limiter that promises to improve AF speed by restricting focus range. The lens will have pre-set for memorising focus settings previously set into the lens, and four focus control buttons at the front of the lens to operate focus lock or autofocus.
A focus limiter is common on macro lenses and stops a lens from searching through the full length for the focus point. Pre-set focus points are typically good for sport – Sony, Nikon and Canon have had these for years – and allow you to set the focal point, set another point and set another focus point. Then when the action is fast, all you need to do is push the button to focus, and it cuts out any margin for error.
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Macro extension tubes
Fujifilm has also simultaneously launched new 18mm and 45mm macro extension tubes (the MCEX-18G WR, MCEX-45G WR).
These will connect to any GF lens and allow users to take macro shots at a higher magnification ratio.
In particular, Fujifilm says that connecting the GF120mmF4 R LM OIS WR Macro (half-macro) and the MCEX-45G makes it possible to take images with 1:1 macro.
Fujinon GF250mmF4 Price & Release Date
The GF250mm, GF1.4x TC, MCEX18/45G will be released at the end of May 2018. The Fuji GF250mmF4 price tag will be £2,899. The other Fuji accessories launched today will cost:
Macro Extension Tube for GF Lenses -18mm (MCEX-18G WR) £ 289
Macro Extension Tube for GF Lenses -45mm (MCEX-45G WR) £ 289
1.4x Teleconverter for use with GF250mm lens (GF1.4X TC WR) £ 749