The image sensor of the Fujifilm GFX medium format cameras - are only 70% larger than 35mm sensors. Therefore, you often don't fully get that specific "flair"; the atmosphere you used to get from real, analog medium format cameras with let's say 100-110 mm lens gave.
But there is at least one exception - which even surprised me, when a guy at YouTube compared the Pentax 67 camera + Takumar 105mm f 2.4 with that of the Fujifilm GFX and Mitakon 65mm f 1.4 lens.
Takumar 105/2.4 replica - for the Fujifilm GFX (with Zhongyi Mitakon 65/1.4 lens)
Since the Takumar 105mm f 2.4 has almost legendary status, due to its very special, beautiful image character with 6x7 Pentax cameras - the Mitakon does exactly the same thing mounted on a Fujifilm GFX camera. It was like a replica (with a slight notch smoother background blur), but pretty much a "duplicate" of the character you get with the Pentax Takumar 105mm f 2.4 lens on a 6x7 camera.
So, now I ordered the Mitakon.
It is affordable
with 480 £ or $560 right now, being $240 lower than when it was introduced.
Notice it is a fully manual lens. No electronics. It weights 1 kilo *huh* It is soft wide open at aperture ƒ1.4 - but sharp when stopped down (from corner to corner at ƒ5.6 and smaller) The vignetting is visible but not very strong, and in a rather smooth way, which gives it that medium format "analog" character - and it is easily correctable.
The weight plays in the same ballpark as the big Canon RF 50/1.2 L lens. A real whopper. The closest thing from Fujifilm would be the new expensive GF 55mm 1.7 lens, which in Sweden costs around 29.000 kr i believe (currency exchange, Feb 2024 = 2600 €). So, quite the difference. The Fujifilm GF 55/1.7 lens has of course a different, more perfect image character - and autofocus, albeit a bit on the slow side so I have heard.
The Mitakon 65/1.4 lens was indeed made for the larger 33x44 mm sensor - so it is not a knockoff derivated from 24x36mm lenses (which sometimes do cover the larger Fuji sensor, but often just barely [or not at all], and with more or less dark corners as consequence and of course lower sharpness in the extreme corners).
Slowly back to Fujifilm GFX Medium format
The reasons is to get me back onto using the Fujifilm GFX camera - because I find it rather "Difficult" (confusing) to use, and perhaps not so much as a handheld camera. And I wish to break through my own bias - by using it. The reasons I have not used the Fuji GFX is simply that during wintertime, i wasn't motivated to go out in the cold, and dealing with the Vertex 67 adapter with Pentax 67 lenses. That's something for the time... very soon, when the first signs of spring emerges, and temperatures are more humane for outdoor photography at night.
Everything in its time.
Difficult lens !
The Zhongyi Mitakon 65mm f 1.4 lens is a manual lens - and due to the extreme shallow depth of field, also difficult to handle in a way where the sharpness really is put in the exact spot. you can very easily miss it. By the same the same problem i had with the Takumar 105mm f 2.4 lens on a Pentax 67 II camera. Without the addition of the magnification device, i often missed the sharpness in the finder, which lead to mis focused images. After I bought the Pentax magnifier - things got much better with the 105mm lens.
The Mitakon 65mm f 1.4 lens is equivalent to a 50mm f 1.1 lens on a 35mm sensor. So, you really deal with an exceptional shallow depth of field (DOF). But the character is simply stunning - from the images I have seen so far.
Kyle McDougall
made a nice video about the Mitakon 65/1.4 on the Fuji GFX, and compares it directly with the Pentax Takumar 105mm f 2.4 lens on the Pentax 6x7 camera with image examples.
I think it is one of the best videos which demonstrates the uncanny character of both lenses, looking almost the same. I find it wonderful that there is now a lens, which give you that REAL medium format feeling, even if it isn't an easy lens - and - it is very heavy with a whopping 1 kilo of weight !
Of course I can use the Pentax Takumar 105/2.4 too
together with the Vertex 67 adapter, creating TRUE 7x7 medium format images, which exactly show the character of the Takumar 105mm f 2.4 lens. But I always have to stitch 4 images - and it isn't made for portraits really, because the person would have to stand absolutely still and I mean - absolutely !
So, now I have two different ways to replicate the special, beautiful character of the Pentax Takumar 105/2.4 lens. First i used the Vertex method with the Fuji GFX and Takumar 105/2.4 lens.
Second; i use the Mitakon 65/1.4 lens directly on the Fuji GFX, without the need of stitching. Excellent for portraits - no fuzz. Same beautiful character as the Pentax Takumar 105/2.4 lens on a Pentax 67 camera.
It should be very interesting to do real photography in Spring and Summer 2024 - by using my GFX camera without tripod, on the fly, handheld.
Aperture ƒ1.4
give me of course an unique opportunity due to the extrem fast aperture. Fuji GFX lenses normally are much slower. I have the 35-70mm ƒ 4.5-5.6 zoom (28-55 mm), which came with the camera at only 450 € extra, and has a good optical performance when you stop down to ƒ8... but it certianly isn't useable indoors, due to the slow apertures. I mean we are talking about ƒ5.6 here. The Mitakon 65/1.4 lens on the contrary is 4 stops faster - and therefore of course, enabling useful indoor portrait photography !
Here are some example photos
people have taken with the Fuji GFX and Mitakon 65/1.4 lens. I haven't found too many, so the selection is limited, and not really my taste - but they do show that special character i like so much with a few lenses; the separation between background and portraits/people/person, without being a lens that is too perfect. So, the first photo for example reminds me exactly of analog 6x7 film with a 105mm ƒ 2.4 lens (or Pentax SMC 90mm f 2.8) when used at wide open aperture.
I also think it would be possible to replicate these with a 35mm / fullframe camera, and let's say Leica Summilux-M 50/1.4 ASPH, or similar. Possibly also with Canon R6 + Canon EF 50/1.2 L lens - which is the one that is less perfect but has a beautiful rendering / image character, which is a bit nicer than the optically astonishingly perfect Canon RF 50/1.2 L lens. Naturally i refer only to lens + camera combos i know of myself.
