Data sheet: X-Fujinon 55 mm f/2.2

Pekka Buttler, 08/2024

Specifications

The table below summarizes the lens’ key specifications:

Brand:	Fuji Photo Film	Lens name	X-Fujinon 1:2.2 f=55mm
Focal length(s)1	55 mm	Angle-of-view2	42°10′
Maximum Aperture	f/2.2	In Production	1979– ≈19823
Lens mount	Fujica X	Subfamily (if applicable)	––
Length4	37,1 mm	Diameter5	61,5 mm
Filter ring diameter	49 mm	Weight	141 grams
Lens element count	4	Lens group count	4
Aperture blades (S/R/C)6	5 S	Focus throw	140 °
Minimum focusing distance	60 cm	Maximum magnification	1:8,8
Has manual aperture ring	YES	Has Manual focus ring	YES
Aperture mechanism type	auto	Aperture click stops	2.2•2.8•4•5.6•8•11•16

Further notes:
• This lens (as well as its predecessor (the M42 mount Fujinon 55 mm f/2.2; 1975–1979) uses a rather unusual 4 elements in 4 groups design, which some⁷ see as a modern application of the 1899 Zeiss Unar⁸.
• The role of the 55/2.2 in Fuji’s lineup (both during the M42-mount era and the subsequent Fujica-X mount era) was to act as an entry level standard lens, and it was typically shipped attached to the lowest-spec bodies (STX-1).
• At the time of introduction of the Fujica X system (1979), Fuji offered 3 different standard primes: two versions of the 55 mm f/1.6 lens (one with EBC coating and the other without), and this 55 mm f/2.2 lens.
• That this is one of the X-Fujinon lenses that did not utilise Fuji’s proprietary ‘Electron Beam Coating’ multi coating is evident from the photograph (the colour of the lens’ reflections). Instead, this lens likely uses an older coating method.
• Almost all X-Fujinon lenses carry either the abbreviation ‘FM’ or ‘DM’. DM stands for “Dial Mode” and means that the lens can be used (on a compatible Fujica X body) in program and shutter priority mode, once the aperture ring’s auto setting is engaged, whereas FM means that it does not support this functionality.
• This lens’ aperture ring does not allow setting the aperture ring to ‘auto’ and is hence an FM lens (even though it says so nowhere on the lens).
• Even though it originally was very much an entry-level kit lens, the 55/2.2 (in both M42 and Fujica-X versions) has lately found new popularity due to its ability to produce ‘bubble bokeh’.

History

Fuji Photo Film (nowadays: Fujifilm) was among the last major manufacturers to abandon the m42 thread mount for a proprietary lens mount. The Fujica STX-1 camera (introduced 1979) introduced a new lens mount (typically referred to as the Fujica X mount, not to be mistaken for the modern FujiX mount) and a series of new lenses.

Many (if not most) of the lenses initially introduced for the Fujica X -mount were simply old (and venerable) Fuji Photo Film designs from the m42 lens crammed into a new housing with a new mount – including this lens, the X-Fujinon 55 mm f/2.2.

Fuji has long been known for its high quality lenses – both in SLR’s compacts and medium and large format lenses – and it would have been interesting to see what Fuji Photo Film’s lineup of Fujica X lenses would have developed into. Alas, in the mid-1980s, Fuji Photo Film decided to withdraw from SLR manufacture and focused instead on both compacts and larger film formats. Whether that withdrawal was caused by disappointing sales of the Fujica X line, or due to the advent of autofocus SLR’s, I can only speculate.

Adapting

The only cameras able to natively mount Fujica X lenses are the Fujica STX and AX lines of manual focus, film SLRs. Should you want to use this lens on film, you can count yourself lucky that the AX and STX lines of Fujica’s generally seem to have well designed and manufactured, hence making compatible film bodies readily available for a pittance.

Adapting this lens to a mirrorless, full-frame digital camera is a breeze thanks to the lens having full manual controls (aperture ring, focus ring). However, due to the method of aperture control used the Fujica X lenses, the adapter will need a control ring to allow stopping down the lens (and you will need to remember to engage that ring). However, thanks to the relative scarcity of Fujica X lenses (caused, in part, by the shortish production run), Fujica X adapters are not quite as readily available as for more common, film-era mounts. Hence, while regular adapters are not difficult to come by, specialised adapters (such as speed boosters or tilt/shift adapters) are not easy to obtain.

Due to the shortish flange focal distance used by the Fujica X mount (43,5 mm), adapting this lens to dSLR/SLR mounts is not as problem-free, and – to retain anything near infinity focus – the adapter will necessitate corrective optics. Even so, adapters to many dSLR mounts are available.

Footnotes

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1. Focal length is (unless stated otherwise) given in absolute terms (not in Full-frame equivalent), and according to the manufacturer’s naming practice (which does not always reflect the lens’ actual field of view). For an understanding of whether the lens is wide/tele, see ‘Angle-of-view’.
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2. Picture angle is given in degrees and concerns the diagonal picture angle. Rule of thumb:
   > 90 ° ==> Ultra-wide-angle
   70–90 ° ==> Wide-angle
   50–70 ° ==> Moderate wide-angle
   40–50 ° ==> ‘Standard’ or ‘normal’ lens
   20–40 ° ==> Short tele lens
   10-20 ° ==> Tele lens
   5-10 ° ==> Long tele lens
   < 5 ° ==> Ultra-tele lens
   ↩︎
3. The lens was no longer offered at the time of the STX-2’s introduction, meaning it was likely discontinued in the early 80s. ↩︎
4. Length is given from the mount flange to the front of lens at infinity. Measured unless stated otherwise.
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5. Diameter excludes protrusions such as rabbit ears or stop-down levers. Measured unless stated otherwise.
   ↩︎
6. S=straight; R=rounded; C=(almost)circular at all apertures. ↩︎
7. See an example here. ↩︎
8. The Zeiss Unar was one of Zeiss’ early designs that inspired the Tessar’s design and was largely replaced by the Tessar. ↩︎