The ultimate in Photo Image Quality: Fujifilm expands lens series for the Medium Format GFX system

FUJIFILM Corporation (President: Kenji Sukeno) has announced that it will release the "FUJINON GF250mmF4 R LM OIS WR" lens and accompanying “FUJINON Teleconverter GF1.4X TC WR in May 2018, the seventh and eighth lenses in the GF lens series.

The lens and teleconverter will join the lineup of exchangeable GF lenses available for GFX Series medium format mirrorless digital cameras with large sensors (43.8×32.9mm). Thanks to the launch of these new lenses, the shooting range of the GFX exchangeable lens system will greatly expand in the telephoto range. In addition, Fujifilm will also simultaneously launch the macro extension tubes “MCEX-18G” and “MCEX-45G”, to expand the range of macro photography. Users can look forward to using GFX Series products with a new, expanded shooting range, offering more opportunities for photography.

GF Lenses are Fujifilm’s highest-grade lenses, utilizing Fujifilm’s superior optical design technology and production technology realizing high precision lens surface accuracy in order to achieve high-resolution and rich tone reproduction. The GF250mmF4 lens realizes the highest image quality in combination with medium format sized sensors, that have an area approximately 1.7 times larger than 35mm format and with Fujifilm’s unique color reproduction technology.

Fujifilm has already released the "FUJIFILM GFX 50S" (hereinafter "GFX 50S"), the first camera in the “GFX Series,” as well as six "GF Lenses". All of which have proved popular among professional photographers and photo enthusiasts, who praise the system for its ability to capture high levels of detail, giving the atmosphere a three-dimensional feel, and its compact, lightweight body for easy operation.

The GF250mmF4 R LM OIS WR is a telephoto lens that achieves approximately 198mm in 35mm format equivalent, bringing together Fujifilm’s proprietary optical design technology: it offers high resolving power for supporting further enhancement of image resolution in the future. The lens is capable of capturing the atmosphere of any scene through a combination of high-resolution performance and rich bokeh effect. Attaching the “GF1.4X TC WR”, a 1.4x teleconverter provides coverage for telephoto shooting up to approximately 277mm in 35mm format equivalent, without any image quality deterioration. The lens is also equipped with the new focus pre-set function, which allows the photographer to instantly activate focus settings previously saved in the lens memory. The use of a magnesium alloy lens barrel reduces the product’s weight, and the dust and weather resistant specifications, which also provide the ability to operate in temperatures down to -10°C, ensure that this new lens will serve as a trusted partner for professional photographers.

In addition, the macro extension tubes “MCEX-18G” and “MCEX-45”, which are being released simultaneously, can be connected to any GF lens, expanding the macro photographic range.

1. Main Features

• Ultra-High Image Quality
  The lens is composed of 16 lenses in 10 groups including one super ED lens and two ED lenses, reducing chromatic aberration and achieving excellent image quality. Especially, super ED lens is used to reduces the fluctuations in chromatic aberration depend on the shooting distance. It enables to shoot minimum 1.4m close focus, maximum 0.22 x magnification ratio, and tele-macro shots with large bokeh effects.
• Strong Image Stabilization
  The lens is equipped with a powerful five-stop image stabilization function (CIPA guidelines). This allows photographers to make maximum performance of the GFX’s high image resolution even when taking telephoto shots where image shake might be obvious.
• Various Functions
  The lens’ functionality includes a focus limiter to enable faster autofocus speed by restricting focus range, focus pre-set for memorize focus settings previously set into the lens, and 4 focus control buttons located at the lens front enable to operate focus lock or autofocus.
• Silent and High-Speed Autofocus
  The linear motor to drive the focus lenses achieves high-precision, silent, and fast autofocus operation. In addition, the lens also now includes a new mechanism for fixing the linear motor position when turning the power off or playback, allowing the focus lens to be fixed.
• Robust Design Appropriate for Various Tough Shooting Environments
  The lens barrel is made with a magnesium alloy, ensuring both robust structural integrity and a light weight. Sealing has been applied to the lens in 18 different locations for dust and weather resistance and the ability to operate at temperatures of down to -10°C. A fluorine coating is also applied to the front lens element to repel water and dirt under tough outdoor situations.
• 1.4x teleconverter
  Fujifilm is simultaneously launching the 1.4x teleconverter (GF1.4X TC WR) which allows for telephoto shooting at a focal length of 350mm (approximately 277mm in 35mm format equivalent) while maintaining superior image quality. The maximum aperture is reduced by one F stop. As both the lens and the teleconverter are high quality, there’s hardly any deterioration in MTF when the teleconverter is attached.
• Macro Extension Tube
  Fujifilm has developed 18mm and 45mm macro extension tubes (MCEX-18G WR, MCEX-45G WR), expanding the range of macro photography. Connecting the macro extension tubes to any GF lens allows macro photographs to be taken at a higher magnification ratio. Depending on the magnification ratio required, the photographer can select either the 18mm or 45mm tube.

^{*An upgrade to the GFX50S firmware is required to operate the focus pre-set function and focus control buttons. This functionality is included in the new version of the GFX50S firmware that will be released at the same time.}

In particular, connecting the GF120mmF4 R LM OIS WR Macro (half-macro) and the MCEX-45G makes it possible to take photographs with life size 1:1 macro.

Main Specification

GF250mmF4 R LM OIS WR

GF1.4X TC WR

MCEX-18G WR

MCEX-45G WR