Introduction

Hey all! Let's get right to it. I've been dreaming of a lens + digital medium format lens combo that would create a meaningful film-look for a few years now. Learning about the Medium Format Fujifilm GFX 50s, was the sensor I need to take my photography and editing to another level.

Sharpness & Bokeh

This lens is super sharp. Not as sharp as my Fujifilm 50mm F3.5. The micro-contrast are moderately impressive, its as if it lifted the shadows. And the bokeh has cat-like eyes with a bit of a ring around the soapy bubble. I love that its a bit busy and the character is unlike many lenses. The helicoid that was used to mount this lens to is very smooth and has little resistance. Manual focus doesn't really matter much to me as I usually take my time, directing my subjects and focusing in between.

Vignetting

This lens has a bit of vignetting on the corners, a "pinching" distortion when lifted the shadows on Lightroom. Definitely a character of the lens but I didnt really care for it.

Focus Plane

You can definitely focus this lens into infinity. Having it retracted back closer to the lens, it can go into a "twice infinity." A defocused area where Hiroshi Sugimoto, Japanese photographer described it Twice Infinity in his architecture photo series. I can change the focal plane by adjusting the lens away from the sensor to create a near macro.

Mount

The lens has 3 different parts. The lens itself, helicoid, and the mount to the camera. The mount is a 65mm helicoid to an M42, then M42 to the G Mount(GFX). The Helicoid is slipped on the back of the lens which has a non-mounted ring to add space between the lens and Helicoid. Another ring which has 3 different "pressure" screws that holds the lens in place. I know this sounds complicated, believe me it is. I think thats why Boutique lens sells this for thousands of dollars. I dont think that it cost that much though.

Helicoid

Every lens that focuses has a helicoid. Its an inner tube that has an outer ring and an outer tube that has an inner ring that helps the glass move in the tube by rotation. So you'd definitely need to use this to be able to focus. Other parts of the lens is just to mount it to the camera and keep it in place.

Conclusion

This lens is a unique experience. Its capable of creating a film-look because of its combination of bokeh, lifting the contrast in the shadows without softening the other tales of this lens, as well as the wide aperture. This is also a very very sharp lens. Probably as sharp as 56mm 1.2. This is definitely going to be my primary kit at least for the next few months.