The new FUJIFILM GFX100S II camera ProVideo Coalition revealed yesterday to its readers was announced with a new lens, which deserves some attention, as it was designed to explore the power of the 102 megapixel sensor in the new medium format camera. The FUJINON GF500mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR is, in fact, a super telephoto prime lens that allows photographers using the GFX system to explore new areas that would not be within reach before.
Photographer Federico Tardito, from Italy, says that “this new lens GF500mmF5.6 is a new starting point and it allows me to use a GFX camera on pure sports photography” adding that “now, we have an extremely reliable large format system and even a long telephoto dedicated to sports, that is something almost unbelievable.”
In fact, by combining a super telephoto lens with a large format sensor, GF500mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR puts previously out-of-reach subjects in range for FUJIFILM GFX System users. Offering the equivalent to a 396mm lens in the 35mm format – double that of Fujifilm’s GF250mmF4 R LM OIS WR lens – it enables sporting action, animals, and birds to be recorded with unsurpassed levels of detail. Going beyond what the eye can see, this lens creates depth and drama every time you press the shutter.
The lens with the longest range in the lineup of GF lenses to date, the new GF500mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR is also, somehow surprisingly, lightweight. In contrast to the usual heft of large format telephoto lenses, GF500mm tips the scales at only 1,375 grams (3.03lbs). In addition to its lightweight design, GF500mm’s optimal arrangement of ED lenses and Super ED lenses minimizes chromatic aberration that is likely to occur with miniaturization, enabling GF500mm’s compact size, light weight, and high-resolution performance.
Photographer Shelley Pearson, from Australia, noted that “the thing that really did strike me was the size and the length of the lens. And it allows me to move around in the field shooting and following some wildlife that I want to get. Daniel Tengs, from Norway, added: “I would say in sports I’ve met plenty sports photographers who shoot on GFX that wish there was a longer lens option out there. Nature photographers they should be thrilled. And I definitely see a use for it in fashion and commercial. It just gives us a super cool look. “
By miniaturizing a typically large and heavy super telephoto lens and achieving high-speed and high precision autofocus, GF500mm enables super telephoto photography in sports, wildlife, and bird photography, where high mobility is required. With incredible image stabilization sensing accuracy and optimal mechanical design, it achieves powerful image stabilization with up to 6.0 stops of compensation. Users can comfortably enjoy handheld image making in the challenging super telephoto range, where camera shake is likely to occur.
“GF500mm is an exciting addition to the GFX System because it combines incredible range with the power of the system’s 102 megapixel sensor,” said Victor Ha, vice president, Electronic Imaging and Optical Devices Divisions, FUJIFILM North America Corporation. “GF500mm’s compact, lightweight design and super telephoto focal length enable photographers to create images in impeccable detail they may not have previously dreamed was possible.”
Here is some more information, shared by FUJIFILM, about the new FUJINON GF500mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR lens:
Telephoto capabilities beyond what the naked eye can see
• By combining GF500mm with the FUJINON Teleconverter GF1.4X TC WR, users can expand the GF500mm’s focal length, achieving a maximum focal length equivalent to 700mm (equivalent to 554mm in 35mm format).
• With a lens construction consisting of 14 groups and 21 elements, including two Super Extra-low Dispersion (ED) lenses and five ED lenses, GF500mm effectively suppresses chromatic aberration specific to super telephoto lenses and achieves high resolution performance. It accurately depicts a level of detail beyond what the naked eye can see.
Lightweight yet durable design
• In contrast to the usual heft of large format telephoto lenses, GF500mm tips the scales at only 1,375 grams (3.03lbs)2. In addition to its lightweight design, GF500mm’s optimal arrangement of ED lenses and Super ED lenses minimizes chromatic aberration that is likely to occur with miniaturization, enabling GF500mm’s compact size, light weight, and high-resolution performance.
• GF500mm is temperature resistant down to -10 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit), and its weather-resistant structure features sealing at 18 points on the lens barrel. Furthermore, the front element of the lens is coated with fluorine, providing water-repellent and anti-smudge capabilities.
Fast, accurate autofocus
• While maintaining high resolution performance, GF500mm adopts an inner focus system that incorporates a small and light focus lens and drives the focus group using a linear motor. This enables a fast and silent autofocus (AF) with a minimum delay of approximately 0.31 seconds3.
• The user’s desired focus can be shifted to a pre-defined location via the Focus Preset button4.
• The GF500mm also features the Focus Limiter function (a setting within the Focus Range Selector), allowing users to restrict the lens’s AF range to shorten AF time when photographing a subject that is generally at least 5 meters (16.4 feet) away.
Pricing and Availability:
FUJINON GF500mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR lens is expected to be available in June 2024 at a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of $3,499.95 USD ($4,724.99 CAD).