I think I have to start by stating a few things. First thing first, I didn’t pick up the GFX or this lens to be quick. That’s not how I shoot nor do I plan to use this camera that way. Secondly, I love to shoot film so the manual focus and “speed” or lack there of is a non issue for me. I am very aware that FujiFilm makes incredible lenses to pair with all of their bodies, and yes I am very interested in the GF 110 f2 but when I picked this camera up I started shooting it right away with adapted lenses. My favorite of which is my Mamiya 80mm 1.9 for my 645 system. I also have adapters for my Minolta 58mm 1.2, my Nikon 50 1.8, and a Leica M adapter. I did have the GF 50mm 3.5 and was very impressed by the quality but found myself always reaching for the any of the manual focus options available to me. So being who I am, and knowing how autofocus doesn’t make me a better photographer, nor does it inspire me to shoot, I went looking for a native mount, fast prime for the GFX system. That’s when I found the Mitakon 65mm 1.4 which in full frame terms, is equivalent to 50mm at f1.1! It’s shallow.
I immediately put the combination to work, and all the images below where shot with the GFX paired with the Mitakon lens only.
My brother - Brandon Watkins- Owner Operator of Freedom Reigns Barber Company
Things I really like-
The color the lens produces
Fast wide open aperture
Native mount
Manual focus
It’s sharp when you nail focus
Things I don’t love-
She’s thick and heavy ( even paired with the wonderful grip of the GFX 50s )
I don’t always nail focus ( to be expected )
Focus throw is pretty long
Ok now that we are past that, lets talk about who this lens could be for. Obviously Fuji makes similar focal lengths in there native glass and those have Autofocus but those also cost about twice as much as the Mitakon. So if you have the GFX in any variation and love to shoot at 50mm and like myself love to shoot wide open with lenses that have character then you should really consider this option. It does flare in direct sunlight, it is heavy, and you will be forced to slow down and really SEE your shot. I don’t find those to be shortcomings personally but its worth noting. This lens creates wonderful portraits, but I also love using it for landscapes and detail shots. The files from the GFX are wonderful. Unless you have edited an image yourself, it is impossible to show how great the files are.
I think we will keep it short and say:
If you love shooting film, love a shallow DOF, like the 50mm focal length, and overlook the weight then its a no brainer to me.
If you want clinically sharp images, with auto focus and plastic lite build then I appreciate you reading this just as much but you are not going to love this lens like I do.
Thank you for taking time to read this and if you are would like more information or see me rambling about it more, please check me out on YouTube HERE
Keep shooting and make something for yourself today.
J