Portrait lenses for Fujifilm GFX

Retro perspective of a manual 85mm lens

While the Canon FD 85/1.2L is far from optical perfection when compared with today's best lenses in the 80-90mm portrait class for Fujifilm GFX cameras - the lens certainly holds its own merits.

Given with today's digital tools, a lot can be done to minimize the lack of micro contrast and "freshen up the overall appearance" when you shoot at ƒ1.2 wide open aperture.

The irony in 2024 is, that the old FD (manual focus) version is often located at the same price level as you find the more modern version, Canon EF 85/1.2L II. Around 9000-10.000 SEK / 900 €

The first AF version, the EF 85/1.2L is slower in focus compared to the latter II version - albeit a touch sharper However, when the Mark I version fails, there are no spare parts to repair it with. So, i have read. Both use focus by wire...

I sometimes wondered if i should buy the EF 85/1.2L II second hand one day, given that is certainly focuses much better (more accurate) with the mirrorless EOS cameras. Sure, it got color fringing (magenta outlines at harsh contrast) but not much as the manual FD 85L.

Like most manual focus lenses - they do survive its electronic siblings by decades... don't they ?

So, there is that, too.

Daniel bought the Canon EF 85/1.2L II lens

back in the days (2011). I remember that surprisingly, I never got quite fond of it, which surprised me. Perhaps it was the AF that made it iffy to work. The lack of focus accuracy on DSLR EOS cameras. Not as bad as the Canon EF 50/1.2L, but similarly not always accurate when you needed it to be.

Of course, once you used manual (by wire) focus, things were actually very good in terms of sharpness, and micro sharpness. The details where clearly there. I should study the images we took 14 years ago !

Well, it does have a lot of fringing and chromatic aberrations going on, still (and that was one of the critic about the EF versions, that it was a bit disappointing that Canon didn't do better with their top prime lens. Remember the 85/1.2 L always has been Canon's boutique lens (sort of) - because it was used for portraits exclusively and always had a reputation of very high quality.

Which it has - but with digital cameras, other optical errors are introduced, e.g. the color fringing and Axial chromatic aberrations are far more visible with digital sensors. (the latter is called sphero... something ?) It looks like this according to Wikipedia:

Behind the point of sharpness, you see a greenish tint in details. In front of the point of sharpness, it shows reddish-magenta tint. That's what I meant.

Purple fringing

on the other hand, is something where the outlines are all disturbingly pink, caused by too high contrast. I guess the pixels get over-saturated and "spill over" with bright. magenta color.

I wonder if the EF 85/1.2L optical formula perhaps is the same as the old FD 85/1.2L lens ? They appear to be pretty similar, and just the coating is better on the AF version. But I do notice that the EF 85/1.2L II has much better micro detail sharpness ! So, the details are all there. A weak "bluish" haloing between very fine details with higher contrast is also visible - albeit that is even stronger with the manual FD 85/1.2L version.

Not bad !

So, I would say that the EF 85/1.2L II version is actually a good lens !

Let's ay for 900 $ - it is a steal if you can live with the small shortcomings, and know how to correct the optical niggles I just described. On the other hand, a Fujifilm GF 80/1.7 costs around 1500-2000 € second hand.

Supposedly also the Canon EF 85/1.2L II can cover the larger Fujifilm GFX sensor. Sure you get somewhat soft, darer corners / vignetting. The images i have seen look good, and are fully correctable. Well, similarly to like the old FD 85/1.2L, which many of my images have shown where vinjetting is not an issue.

Other Portrait lenses for GFX

Apparently the Sigma ART 85/1.4 (Canon EF) covers the Fujifilm GFX sensor extremely well with barely any vignetting at all. The second hand cost is 30-45% lower comapred to Canon EF 85/1.2L II lens second hand. I suspect that the Sigma is a much better choice.

Same for the Sigma ART 135/1.8 (Canon EF) 1000-1200 $ - being among the very best lenses for GFX cameras. But there is also the manual focus Samyang 135/2 (Canon EF) - which has an absolutely stellar optical performance, loved by many astronomy photographers from what I have been reading.

Sigma ART 105 mm ƒ1.4 (EF mount) is a formidable portrait lens for Fujifilm GFX cameras ! I also feel that the AF works much better (Fringer EF-GFX adapter) compared to other lenses.

It practically doesn't vignette much on the Fujifilm GFX - and it recognized -so that Adobe RAW profile kicks in - eliminating any vignetting. I would call it to be one of the very best (third party) lenses for Fuji GFX. Despite it's heavy weight of 1.6 kilo. But if you eye that lens, perhaps you have the money for a native Fujifilm GF 80/1.7 lens, which is considerably smaller.

(See photo below)

Now I also have the Canon EF 135/2 L

for a long time, but can't find any photos made with the Fujifilm GFX 50s II camera.

I need to make some images of it, in order to see how it performs. It supposedly has hard vignetting at infinity, and some vignetting when shooting closer. I really have to re-test that. I remember tests I made with the cheap, erratic and inferior Andoer EF-GFX adapter, where the EF 135/2 L was a pain in the ass at all levels. Well, the adapter sucked at all levels. But I never seem to have made tests with the Finger GFX adapter... Kind of funny that i forgot about it.

The lens vinjettes, but since it is recognize though Adobe RAW profile - it is eliminated in the final image. It seem to work better than i remember. Perhaps it has to do with that Finger had a couple of firmware updates since i tested this lens. Now I have seeminly no troubles.

The more i use this lens (right now)

the more i realize what a potential gem it is. Light, handy and very good optical quality, as well the fact that it seem to work well - including AF with the latest Fringer-GFX 1.9v firmware. If this continues that nicely - then I don't need any Fujifilm GF 110/2 or GF 80/1.7 lens. The Canon EF 135/2 L makes a very interesting proposition. And i already have it at home... so, why not using it !

Wow. I had no idea it worked this nice. Really. I am baffled.

Once you adapt it on the Fujifilm GFX camera, the lens turns into an equivalent of 106 mm with ƒ 1.6 lens bokeh.

Perfetto !

As of now

I have trouble to find any good motives at night, indoors *LOL* Nevertheless; I consider this to be a lens that you can easily walk around with, given it's not too large size, and the moderate weight, lighter than most GF lenses. I only have to find a lens hood that isn't as deep as the original / or first; make lens tests with and without lens hood in order to see where the limit goes for vignetting with larger GFX sensor camera.

Yes, the lens has internal focus, so the length isn't changing.

The (1 kg heavy) Mitakon 65/1.4

lens is or can be used as a portrait lens - but you'll have difficulties to nail the manual focus exactly. I have quite some trouble with that - and it is reported from many users, as well.

Once you do nail it at wide open aperture, and use gently AI sharpness enhancement afterwards, you get some very nice results. Mitakon also produces now a Mitakon 80/1.6 lens, which lies in the realm of portrait photography, especially since it has a much better minimum focus distance, making it overall more useful. Both lenses are highly affordable, too.

The Samyang 135/2

should be a strong performer given that you most likely will use manual focus anyway. (I don't trust AF lenses with Fujifilm GFX 50 types of cameras). It might be better with the GFX 100 series, due to the dual type of focus abilities in the newer sensor, which the sensors in the GFX 50 series doesn't have; only contrast based autofocus - which i feel creates problems in terms of accuracy with third party AF lenses (which additionally depends on the adapter you use.) But even the Finger GFX adapter which I use - the best of the bunch for GFX - doesn't always give me accurate AF focus. It is often best to use manual focus instead.

So, going handheld, and manually focusing a 135mm lens - well it is more difficult compared to shorter lenses.

What's on the menu among GFX lenses ? Well, there is the Fujifilm GF 80/1.7, and the whopper of the Fujifilm GF 110/2 lens - which apparently is optically stellar. Both of them have high price tag, but are native Fujifilm lenses designed for GFX cameras, and the AF focus works best, compared to the AF via third party lenses + adapters.

Tamron SP 45 mm ƒ 2.8 VC
Not a portrait lens - but it works damn good !! (equiv. to a 35mm lens)

Yeah. The Tamron SP 45mm F/1.8 Di VC USD (EF mount) is absolutely fantastic on the Fujifilm GFX camera. What a gem ! The optical performance is excellent, and the vignetting is almost or barely visible. It really must have a large image circle. Already excellent on fullframe cameras - but this gem also covers the larger GFX sensor.

I mean gosh, what is there not to like. Curiously; i got this lens second hand from a photo store in Stockholm for just 200 € or 2500 SEK (!) - which was utmost unexpected. Because it was at least half the price or more compared to eBay offerings. What makes this lens highly flexible is its unusual close minimum focus distance of just 0.29 meters.

Both Mitakon 65/1.4 and Tamron 45/1.8 don't vignette any extra (just normal gentle vignetting like a GFX lens would do naturally, when used at wide open apertures)

The Canon FD 85/1.2L on the other hand does have visible vignetting, but only in the extreme corners especially at infinity. It does however not show any hard vignetting (unless you use the original lens hood which is too long when using it with the Fujifilm GFX cameras, resulting into a lot more vignetting).

Since this is a sensitive lens, i don't recommend it to be used without any lens hood at all - due to it's fully exposed, large lens diameter ! (I now use the slimmer Mitakon 65mm lens hood on the Canon 85/1.2 L - which gives some protection against stray light).