There’s really no doubting that
the GFX 50S II is a camera designed for photography, but it has some video capabilities simply because it has to these days. That said, what it does as a video camera, it does well and the inherently shallower depth-of-field of the bigger sensor is equally appealing for this application as for photography. The video specs are very modest compared to the high resolutions, frame rates and bit rates now on offer with the smaller sensor mirrorless cameras against which the 50S II is competing, but it has enough for anybody wants to shoot the occasional clip either for fun or for a client. Certainly, the quality is good enough as the sensor benefits definition, dynamic range and lowlight performance just as it does when shooting stills. However, constrained by the sensor, you’re limited to the Full HD resolution at 30, 25 or 24fps with 8-bit 4:2:0 colour using the H.264 codec and LongGOP compression. However, it’s recorded using the full width of the sensor and the bit rate increases to 50 Mbps – thanks to the newer processor – while the recording duration extended to 120 minutes. The HD option with was available on the original camera has been deleted. The GFX 50S II has built-in stereo microphones with auto and manual levels control, a wind-cut filter, a low-cut filter and an attenuator. Both a stereo audio input and output are provided, and both are the standard 3.5mm minijack terminals. The headphone volume is adjustable. The main video features include zebra patterns (with adjustable thresholds), timecoding, digital image stabilisation, the focus peaking display for MF assist and movie silent control via the touchscreen. Digital image stabilisation (which supplements the IBIS and OIS) shifts the image on the sensor to counter camera movements so there’s a small
1.1x crop involved, but it does allow for smoother hand-held shooting. Pretty much the full suite of the functions provided for photography are also available for video, including all the Film Simulation profiles along with their adjustable picture parameters (including Monochromatic Colour toning ranges), dynamic range expansion processing, high ISO noise reduction, the white balance settings and correction for lens vignetting.
Not surprisingly, there’s no F-Log recording, but the Eterna/ Cinema Film Simulation profile delivers a flatter colour rendering – optimising the dynamic range – that’s a good starting point for editing in post-production. As with the GFX 100S, switching the 50S II to movie mode turns it into a dedicated video camera with the menus and displays all changing accordingly. A very welcome update over the previous model is that touch AF control is now available, but otherwise the AF functionality is unchanged and isn’t as extensive as that for stills, but includes face detection and tracking (albeit with the usual limitations of a contrast-detection system). Of course, none of this is likely to stop the GFX 50S II selling well to both enthusiast-level and pro photographers.