We (along with others, we’re sure) have been waiting for some nice, fast glass to use on Fujifilm’s quite excellent GFX series of cameras for some time. Now, following on from Fujifilm’s announcement that a fast prime is in the works just a short while ago, we are finally able to see a patent for what will be a truly innovative lens; the Fujifilm GF 90mm f1.4. Join us after the break for a little more insight into this lens.
Fujifilm really shook things up when they announced they would skip over Full-Frame cameras and would dive right into the deep end of things with Medium Format cameras instead. Not only has Fujifilm been able to do just that, but they have also got companies like Hasselblad scrambling to keep up with their innovation. To date, all of the Fujifilm GFX cameras (the GFX 50S, 50R, and GFX 100) have been excellent, with autofocusing speeds that match Full Frame cameras, and with prices that make the platform a viable option for photographers. The lenses Fujifilm has released to date have also been nothing short of exceptional: the only problem is that their lens lineup was lacking some truly fast primes, but this will now be rectified with the GF 90mm f1.4.
It’s going to be basically a 71mm f1.1 lens for Medium Format!!!
A recent post on Mirrorless Rumors shared the image taken from a patent first uncovered by Hi Low Note. The patent filed shows the schematics for the exciting Fujifilm GF 90mm f1.4. So, what makes this lens so special? The fastest lens on the GFX platform right now is the GF 110mm f2 R WR, which is the equivalent of an 86.9mm f1.6 (according to mmCalc) on a 35mm (Full-Frame) camera. Not too shabby at all! But the new Fujifilm GF 90mm f1.4 will be the equivalent of a 71.1mm f1.1! Wowzers! Now that’s a fast lens.
A roughly 70mm equivalent lens may seem like an odd focal length, but I can guarantee portrait photographers who use any of the GFX cameras will be salivating just thinking about a lens like this. An f1.1 lens on a Medium Format GFX body with fast autofocus and face and eye detect would be quite something. Of course, there are no indications of size and weight (it’s going to be big), pricing (hide your wallets), or a potential release date just yet, but this is definitely one lens we will be keeping our eye on.
