Fujifilm has been very aggressive in releasing lenses for its fairly young X camera system, and many a portrait photographer jumped on the Fujinon XF 56m f/1.2 R ($999.95) when it came out early last year. So it surprised many when the company announced the XF 56mm f/1.2 R APD ($1,499.95) less than a year later. The APD designation indicates the lens has an apodization filter, which cuts out a bit of light, but smooths backgrounds so images are captured with pleasing bokeh. The filter comes at a hefty premium, so you'll have to think long and hard if it's worth it to you. The APD version of the lens is still excellent, even when shot wide open, but it's tough to justify the premium price, especially when the standard version of the lens is so good in its own right.

The prime lens pairs well with most of Fujifilm's mirrorless camera line, including the X-E2 and X-T1. It measures 2.7 by 2.9 inches (HD), weighs 14.3 ounces, and supports 62mm front filters; a reversible lens hood is included, and the lens is not optically stabilized. Its field of view matches an 85mm lens on a full-frame camera, a focal length for portraiture. It focuses to 2.3 feet, so don't expect to use it for macro shots—the Fujinon XF 60mm F2.4 Macro is a better choice for close-focus work.

The manual focus ring occupies most of the barrel, with the physical aperture ring sitting behind it, closer to the lens mount. It's got markings from f/1.2 down to f/16 in third-stop increments, and an automatic setting. There's an additional scale, printed in red, which shows the equivalent light-gathering capability at each f-stop, so you can manually meter if desired. At f/1.2 the lens gathers as much light as an f/1.7 optic. The amount of light loss diminishes as you stop down, with the lens matching the standard version of the 56mm f/1.2 at f/5.6 and narrower apertures.

If you're shooting in dim light you may find yourself wanting a bit more, but the opposite is true under bright conditions. Fuji cameras start at ISO 200, and not every body has a fast electronic shutter option like the X-T1. If you want to shoot wide open at f/1.2 on a bright day, you'll find that you'll need to apply a neutral density filter to the front of the standard version of the lens. It's still probably a good idea to carry an ND filter with you, even if you're working with the APD lens, but you'll have to reach for it in fewer situations when gathering light at f/1.7 than you will at f/1.2.

In addition to cutting out some light at wider f-stops and smoothing the background, the APD filter prevents capable bodies from using phase detect autofocus. The lens will still autofocus fine using contrast detection, but that can be slower to lock on than phase detection, especially on a premium body like the X-T1 Graphite Silver Edition, with which I tested the lens.

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I used Imatest to check the sharpness that the lens was able to muster when paired with the X-T1. At f/1.2 it's incredibly sharp, scoring 2,582 lines per picture height on a center-weighted sharpness test. That's better than the 1,800 lines we look for in an image, and while the edges of the frame aren't as crisp as the center, they're still quite good at 2,068 lines.

There's a bit of loss of fidelity at f/1.4 (2,430 lines) and f/2 (2,394 lines), but it's nothing to worry about. At f/2.8 it improves to 2,571 lines and it continues to get sharper as you stop down. It hits its peak resolution, just shy of 3,000 lines, at f/8. Distortion is a complete nonissue.

If you're shooting with Fuji's X system, there's a good chance that the 56mm f/1.2 is on your want list—the question is whether or not you should pay the premium that comes with the APD version. If you're a fanatic about bokeh, you'll see the differences in shooting with the APD version, especially in pinpoint light sources behind your subject. They'll appear to be just slightly smoother and rounder with the APD lens. The Fujifilm Fujinon XF 56mm f/1.2 R APD is a specialty tool, and for many photographers the standard version of the lens is probably a better choice. The differences in the way it draws images are subtle, and the lower price, phase detect focus support, and true f/1.2 light gathering capability are pluses in my book. But if your needs are more specialized, and smooth, out-of-focus highlights are key to your work, there's no questioning the optical quality delivered by the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 56mm f/1.2 R APD.