Using PL Cinema Lenses on a Fujfilm GFX

PL lenses are designed specifically for use with cinema cameras, but with high quality optics, beautiful bokeh and tack sharp detail, they make great stills camera lenses too! Though most PL lenses are designed to cover super 35 or full frame sensors, adapting one to a Fujifilm GFX medium format digital camera can get you some really unique results. Today we're going to adapt a DZOFilm Vespid2 105mm T1.9 PL lens to a Fujfilm GFX 50S II.

The GFX 50S II has a sensor size of 43.8mm x 32.9mm, while the DZOFilm Vespid2 105mm T1.9 is designed to cover a full frame sensor, approximately 36mm x 24mm. That means you'll get some vignetting, but not as much as you'd think. Here are two demo images showing the differences in vignette between the widest and narrowest aperture settings of this lens when adapted to the GFX 50S II. As you can see, the vignette lessens as you open the lens wider.

(NOTE: wide-angle PL lenses will vignette more on this adapter because they tend to have smaller image circles than longer lenses.)

Taking pictures wide open with this lens in a spring forest made for some striking photos. Note how crisp the focus and the detail on the flowers is even at T1.9, while the bokeh remains beautifully soft and cinematic. And with a bit of editing and/or cropping in post, the vignette can be removed for a more pleasing final image.

If you're a filmmaker who uses PL lenses, or a Fujifilm GFX owner who wants to experiment with some high-end cinema lens glass, the Fotodiox PL to GFX adapter is one to check out!