The 56mm F1.2 R APD is a very special lens, but it lacks practicality.

Very sharp; Beautiful blur in the right conditions; Great build quality; Relatively affordable

Not compatible with phase-detect AF; Light transmission limited by one stop; Standard 56mm F1.2 is much cheaper; still great

Fujifilm has two 56mm lenses for their X Series cameras, and although the APD is near identical in spec, it's hiding a secret its rivals can't compete with... APD stands for apodization filter, an inclusion that makes the bokeh smoother than a regular lens.

Fantastic build quality, this is my fav lens!

Most amazing lens I've used so far. Can't stop shooting with it! Every image captured is stunning.

The XF56mm F1.2 R APD lens is a standard prime lens with a focal length equivalent to 85mm. The lens has a maximum aperture of F1.2 making it the world's brightest autofocus lens for digital cameras with an APS-C sensor.

This is an in-depth review of the Fujifilm XF 56mm f/1.2 R lens made for Fuji's line of X-Series cameras. This short telephoto lens (85mm full-frame equivalent) was released in February of 2014 and quickly became known as one of the best prime portrait lenses on the market, mirrorless or otherwise.

It is an spectacular lens, sharp already wide open. It was my go to portraiture lens - until the 90mm (which is probably one of the best lenses ever made) appeared. Still, the 56mm has a huge advantage - it's light gathering ability with f/1.2 And you can use f/1.2 without problems because contrast...

f/1.2; sharp

The XF 56mm f/1.2 R APD lens is a follow-up to the Fujinon XF 56mm f/1.2 R, which was announced in early January 2014. The difference between the new lens (which was announced nine months later) is the apodisation (APD) filter, which is used to smooth away bokeh outlines when wide apertures are...

Photographers who shoot with the Fujifilm mirrorless camera system have a distinct choice to make when shopping for a short telephoto prime lens. The company sells two versions of its 56mm prime—this Fujinon XF 56mm F1.2 R ($999.95) and the Fujinon XF 56mm F1.2 R APD ( at Amazon) . It's not just the cost of printing APD on the lens that carries a $500 premium—the apodization filter included in the pricier lens promises to smooth the defocused parts of an image for a more pleasing bokeh. Whether or not that's worth it to you is something you have to decide for yourself—either lens is able to capture sharp photos with a staggeringly shallow depth of field with ease. But neither quite matches our Editors' Choice short telephoto lens for the Fuji system, the longer Fujinon XF 90mm F2 R LM WR ($949.00 at Amazon) . DesignLike most Fujinon lenses, the XF 56mm ($999.00 at Amazon)  has a premium feel; its metal barrel and physical apeture ring play a big part in that. It's a squat lens, me...

The Fujifilm Fujinon XF 56mm F1.2 R has more light-gathering capability than any lens in the Fuji mirrorless system, and captures images with crisp details.

Quite sharp; Capable of extremely shallow depth of field; Physical aperture control; Minimal distortion; Even illumination

Can be slow to focus; Omits optical image stabilization; Manual focus by wire; Not weather-resistant

Fujifilm has been very aggressive in releasing lenses for its fairly young X camera system, and many a portrait photographer jumped on the Fujinon XF 56m f/1.2 R ($999.95) when it came out early last year. So it surprised many when the company announced the XF 56mm f/1.2 R APD ($1,499.95) less than a year later. The APD designation indicates the lens has an apodization filter, which cuts out a bit of light, but smooths backgrounds so images are captured with pleasing bokeh. The filter comes at a hefty premium, so you'll have to think long and hard if it's worth it to you. The APD version of the lens is still excellent, even when shot wide open, but it's tough to justify the premium price, especially when the standard version of the lens is so good in its own right. The prime lens pairs well with most of Fujifilm's mirrorless camera line, including the X-E2 ($649.00 at Amazon) and X-T1 ($649.00 at Amazon) . It measures 2.7 by 2.9 inches (HD), weighs 14.3 ounces, and supports 62mm f...

The Fujifilm Fujinon XF 56mm f/1.2 R APD is a unique portrait lens that uses a special filter to smooth backgrounds, but it carries a hefty premium over the standard version of the lens.

Very sharp; Capable of extremely shallow depth of field; APD filter smooths background blur; Physical aperture control; Minimal distortion

APD filter limits light gathering; Expensive; Omits optical stabilization; Can be slow to focus