Whats the best glass for portraits on the X-H2S right now? Ive been using the original 56mm f1.2 for years but the autofocus is hunting like crazy on this new stacked sensor. Got a wedding in Chicago next month and about $1000 to spend. Should I grab the new WR version or maybe that 50mm f1.0?
tl;dr: Grab the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR for the best balance of speed and bokeh. That old 56mm is a classic but it definitely shows its age on the newer bodies. For a wedding in Chicago, you really need something that wont let you down when things get fast. I would suggest being a bit cautious with the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 50mm f/1.0 R WR tho. Its an absolute unit and might wear you down after eight hours of shooting, plus its usually way over that $1000 budget anyway. The new WR version of the 56mm is way more reliable on the X-H2S. Just make sure to update your camera firmware before the big day! It isnt the fastest lens ever since it still moves a lot of glass, but it is a massive upgrade. You might want to consider the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 90mm f/2 R LM WR too if you have the space to back up, but for standard portraits, the 56mm WR is the winner.
Late to the party here but I totally agree with the first post—that original 56 is a legend for the soul it has, but its a total snail for wedding work now. I’ve spent years sweating through ceremonies while my lens hunted back and forth. Honestly, once you move to a lens with a linear motor, you wont ever go back. A few things I’ve learned over the years about these newer bodies:
- Older DC motors just cant keep up with the face and eye detection on the X-H2S.
- Resolving power matters more now on these high-res sensors; old glass can look a bit soft.
- Third-party options have gotten surprisingly good at matching native AF speed lately. I once missed a processional shot because my old glass focused on a guest instead... super embarrassing lol. Just stick to something with modern internals.
