Evaluating 9 Top-End 35mm DSLR Lenses on the Fujifilm GFX
Two new pages in Medium Format:
- Adapting Lenses to the GFX: General Discussion
- Two-aperture example with the Zeiss Milvus 50mm f/2M.
- Adapting Lenses to the GFX: Reader Comments (previous discussion)
I may add some additional simple examples and summary conclusions in Medium Format but (it has been a looong day) and the bottom line is that the Fujifilm GFX makes a poor platform for DSLR lenses, even the very best, like Zeiss Otus. For why this is so, see Adapting Lenses to the GFX: General Discussion.
The smart move is to stick with native-mount lenses, with certain specific exceptions.
Full lens evaluations always go into the native guide regardless of camera body used. The following aperture series were shot with the Fujifilm GFX and in total give a thorough view of what one might encounter in adapting a lens to the Fujifilm GFX. These are all in Guide to Zeiss DSLR Lenses except for the Coastal 60/4 which is in Advanced DSLR.
- Coastal Optics 60mm f/4 UV-VIS-IR APO Macro Aperture Series: Mosaic
- Zeiss Milvus 21mm f/2.8 Distagon Aperture Series: Mosaic
- Zeiss Otus 28mm f/1.4 APO-Distagon Aperture Series: Mosaic
- Zeiss ZF.2 35mm f/1.4 Aperture Series: Mosaic
- Zeiss Milvus 50mm f/2M Aperture Series: Rodin Burghers of Calais
- Zeiss Milvus 50mm f/2M Aperture Series: Mosaic
- Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 APO-Distagon Aperture Series: Mosaic
- Zeiss Milvus 85mm f/1.4 Aperture Series: Mosaic
- Zeiss ZF.2 135mm f/2 APO-Sonnar Aperture Series: Mosaic
Meanwhile, what happens if a very old lens (converted to Nikon mount!) is used on the Fujifilm GFX at close range? That is the Olympus Zuiko 50mm f/1.2 Auto-S. Not all images have to be sharp; impressionistic may be the goal.
John G writes:
I'm not yet a subscriber, but I'm very impressed with your work.
I'd like to suggest that some of the best DSLR lenses suited to being adapted to the Fujifilm GFX camera are Tilt-Shift models from Canon and Nikon, and possibly from Hartblei. The old Zeiss 28mm model is probably not as good, but I don't have any experience with it. Perhaps the super-sharp and highly corrected Canon 90mm T-SE lens would be a good candidate, assuming an electronically coupled adapter becomes available.
Please note that quite a few wide angle lenses have been tested for their larger image circle potential with lens hood and/or rear baffle removed, and some have been adapted with custom German-made T-S and double-shift adapters (and shaved or removed hoods) to the Sony E-mount by Stefan Steib of HCam. He is considering building an adapter for the Fujifilm GFX.
https://www.hcam.de/en/index.htm
https://www.facebook.com/HCamde-122001131245665/ https://www.facebook.com/122001131245665/photos/rpp.122001131245665/958286137617156/?type=3&theaterThanks for all your excellent work.
DIGLLOYD: the image circle is a basic check as to whether the frame is fully illuminated, but says nothing about the imaging performance, which for some of the world’s best lenses... sucks, even in the central 36 X 24mm area.
Just today I tested the Hartblei 80mm f/2.8 Super-Rotator, a lens picked for me some years ago by Stefan. It has the multicoated Zeiss optics. Its main claim to fame is unrivalled bokeh. See Hartblei 40/80/120mm SuperRotators in Advanced DSLR. It needs some stopping down for good sharpness and has some mild field curvature, but is capable of exceptionally pleasing images on the Nikon D810.
I am sorry to report that its performance on the GFX suffers as most lenses do. Something about the GFX sensor (sensor and micro lenses, ray angle, cover glass) makes most lenses unhappy. The only lens so far out of ten that I deem satisfactory is the Zeiss 135mm f/2 APO-Sonnar.