The announcement of the FUJINON 56mm f/1.2 really strengthened my desire for the X-T1 camera (and to step out from my DSLRs to a compact system), so I preordered the body, the vertical grip, and this lens--my first and so far only Fuji glass for the x-series Fuji compact camera system. I shoot a lot of PORTRAITURE. Headshots, environmentals, bridals, fashion, journalism. The 85-90mm focal length is one of my favorites. Tight if you move in close, yet loose enough to get just enough background and sense of place when you back up some. And the size of the glass is not too big or heavy for easy carry and quick use. I also like a small prime as it forces you to move around and find the best angles (rather than zoom in and out)—I find that I generally shoot better when using primes because I work harder for the better composition. This lens has extraordinary BUILD QUALITY, just leaps above the plasticky (yet pricey) offerings of other major brands. I'm not knocking the quality of the glass of competitors, but the general sense of build and aesthetics doesn't usually come close to this. The Fuji just feels like it was built in another time period, when mechanical engineering and quality components was important. The MANUAL FOCUS RING is honestly one of the best i have ever felt. Damped with just the right amount of resistance with silky smooth turning...and a good amount of range for intricate focus feel. You almost wonder if its at the expense of a faster AF though. The autofocus does work well, it is smooth and generally locks on target quickly and accurately. It does have a bit of noise however, more than i would like, especially for video use, but the MF is so nice that it would be more useful in focus pulling for video anyway. The glass is SHARP as a tack, detailed, highly-resolving--even on the razor-thin edge of wide-open. Like all lenses it's even sharper stopped down a bit, especially to the corners, but the crispness is there, even across the entire focus plane at f/ 1.2. The BOKEH is sublime, dreamy, creamy, soft and snugly for the backgrounds. I'm a bokeh hunter. I look at my backgrounds as much as my subject. I create lighting effects just for bokeh. So i had to have this lens, and it does not disappoint. COLOR and CONTRAST are excellent, and DISTORTION is very well controlled. My only wish would be the MFD be a bit closer (it’s 70cm = 27.5” or 2.3 feet), but its not a macro lens and as such the ratio is only 0.09x (a bit less even than the 35mm f/1.4). Just think it could be a little more useful overall if it could focus just a bit tighter to fill the frame with the smaller objects (such as hands/rings portrait for wedding). It is SOLID, mostly metal, with a superb FEEL in the hand, and in use on the camera it balances very well with the X-T1/vertical grip combo. Might be a bit bulky and heavy matched to the smaller bodies though. The filter thread is 62mm, and it comes with a plastic hood. The included hood seems quite long and large for the lens, and although i am sure it will do its intended job, I've adapted a step-up ring with a quality UV filter and a much shorter metal hood to mine (62-67mm) just because i want the lens to stay on my camera and fit in a bag easily with no cumbersome hoods, caps, etc. in the way of quick shooting. The larger plastic hood would probably be more effective for flare (I just use my hand when I need to) and possibly for protection in case of drops. The front element/filter does not turn, which is useful for polarizers and other sFX filters. The focusing mechanics are completely internal which keeps the lens at a consistent length. The f/stops (on the lens) have softly-indented mechanical clicks--23 clicks between f/1.2 and f/16--with the "A" click setting to the far left. I love using a lens-equipped aperture ring, as I did in film days. Makes a quick transition between apertures easy and more intuitive while using your left hand and being able to keep your right finger on the shutter release. I absolutely love very FAST PRIME lenses. I shoot in all types of environments, and lighting is not always so good-- a fast lens can be very useful for low light and to separate the subject from the background well. I also frequently use a short telephoto range for action/sports such as basketball. A poorly lit gym can make things hard, but a very speedy lens can help you to get the needed shutter speeds to stop fast motion (without having to use ultra-high ISOs). This lens will be useful for many subjects, and is actually worth the high cost for a lens with a maximum f-stop of 1.2. Of course it is not the same as having a full-frame sensor with a comparable full frame glass, but you certainly have the useful light-gathering ability of the fast f-stop regardless of DOF comparisons. There is really not much to fault with this lens. It's a beauty, and it creates beautiful images. It makes it easy to work with and inspires my fingers to want to caress it into compositions. It is a glass jewel that works perfectly with the the X-T1 camera (and I am sure with all x-series Fuji’s), a marriage made in FujiFilm-land.