When you step up to medium format photography, lens choice quickly becomes a serious conversation about balancing performance, portability, and cost. The Fujifilm GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR attempts to strike that balance—offering a relatively compact form factor and promising image quality at a lower price point than other Fuji G-mount lenses.
Coming to you from Christopher Frost, this detailed video breaks down the Fujifilm GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR’s real-world performance and handling. Frost tests the 63mm lens on Fujifilm's high-resolution GFX 100, immediately revealing its strengths and weaknesses in demanding conditions. At wide-open f/2.8, the lens delivers impressive center sharpness and pleasing contrast, though slight purple fringing can be seen in areas with harsh contrasts. Corners start softer but sharpen up noticeably by f/5.6, ensuring consistent quality across your frame.
Frost emphasizes the lens' compact size—important for medium format users who don’t want heavy gear weighing them down. Weighing only 405 grams (just under a pound) and measuring roughly 3.3 by 2.8 inches, this lens fits comfortably in your kit. The weather-sealed build further enhances its usability, offering confidence to shoot in less-than-ideal conditions. However, manual focusing feels less refined, showing a slight lag in responsiveness common to electronically coupled focus rings, potentially an annoyance if you frequently fine-tune focus manually or shoot video.
Key Specs
- Focal Length: 63mm (approx. 50mm full-frame equivalent)
- Maximum Aperture: f/2.8
- Minimum Aperture: f/32
- Autofocus: Yes
- Image Stabilization: None
- Filter Size: 62 mm (Front)
- Optical Design: 10 elements in 8 groups
- Diaphragm Blades: 9
- Minimum Focus Distance: 1.64' / 50 cm
- Maximum Magnification: 0.17x
- Dimensions: 3.31 x 2.8" (84 x 71 mm)
- Weight: 14.29 oz (405 g)
Flare resistance is solid, maintaining good contrast even with bright lights directly in-frame. Bokeh appears consistently smooth and visually pleasing. Still, if you're shooting astrophotography or scenes with bright highlights in low light, watch out for minor coma at wider apertures—although it's mild enough to vanish by f/4 or f/5.6.
It's worth noting that the lens’ aperture ring has positive clicks at third-stop intervals, which are helpful for precise control but might feel slightly plasticky considering the premium price tag of around $1,500. There's also some noticeable focus breathing during video recording, which could limit its appeal to hybrid shooters who prioritize filming. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Frost.
