Fujifilm GFX 100

Fujifilm again redefines digital medium format photography, making 100 megapixels resolution more accessible, useable and affordable than ever before. A long list of significant ‘firsts’ make the GFX 100 a genuine game- changer.

sensor: designed by Fujifilm in terms of the microlens configuration and the handling of the data from the photodiodes. sony-fabricated Bsi-type Cmos with an imaging area of 32.9x43.8 mm with an effective pixel count of 102 million, giving a pixel size of 3.75 microns (the Bsi design helps optimise sensitivity). No optical low-pass filter to optimise resolution, and copper wiring used to reduce impedance. Conventional Bayer rGBG filter pattern. sensitivity range is equivalent to iso 100 to 12,800 with extensions to iso 50 and iso 102,400.

rAW capture gives 14 stops of dynamic range. ultrasonic vibration for self-cleaning, but more significantly, in-body image stabilisation (iBis) is provided via sensor shifting. stabilisation operates over five axes to give up to 5.5 stops of correction for camera shake. For the record, this sensor size is 1.7x bigger than full-35mm and 4.0x bigger than ‘Aps-C’.

Processor: Fujifilm’s current-generation ‘X processor 4’ engine – as in the X-t3 – delivers 5.0 fps continuous shooting at full res, 4k video recording in both the dCi and uHd resolutions (with 10-bit 4:2:0 colour internally, 10-bit 4:2:2 externally), and in-camera processing for functions such as the ‘Film simulation’ picture presets.

Capture settings: maximum image size is 11648x8736 pixels and there’s a choice of seven aspect ratios – 4:3, 3:2, 16:9, 1:1, 5:4, 7:6 and 65:24 (i.e. the ‘true’ panoramic ratio). rAW files are captured with either 14-bit or 16-bit rGB colour (single-shot mode only) and either with lossless compression or uncompressed. jpeGs cvaptured at three compression

levels and three image sizes, and there’s the option of rAW+jPEG recording (with 16-bit rAW data). in-camera rAW-to-tiFF (with 16-bit rGB colour) conversion.

Lens Mount: Fujifilm’s G mount is a stainless steel three-claw bayonet fitting with 12 contact pins for fully-electronic communications. External diameter is 76.5 millimetres, internal is 65.0 millimetres. Flange back distance is 26.7 millimetres. mirrorless design allows a minimum back focusing distance of just 16.7 millimetres which delivers considerable flexibility when it comes to lens design.

AF System: Phase-difference detection using 3.76 million on-sensor pixels to give 425 selectable points arranged in a 17x25 pattern with virtually full screen coverage. single-point, Zone and Wide/tracking modes with face/ eye detection. ‘AF-C Custom’ menu allows the tracking to be better matched to selected movement characteristics. Choice of 17x25 and 9x12 point patterns for single point selection. Focus point ‘joystick’ selector. Zone area mode options are 3x3, 5x5 and 7x7 point clusters.

Exposure Control: Based on a 256-zone metering system (from the imaging sensor) with multi-pattern, centre-weighted average, fully averaged and spot measurements. Program, aperture/shutter-priority auto and manual control modes. up to +/-5.0 EV compensation and auto exposure bracketing over two, three, five, seven or nine frames at up to +/-3.0 EV per frame.

Video: Fujifilm is targeting cinematographers with what it calls the ‘large format’ GFX 100, and its video capabilities are impressive. Both DCi and uHD 4k recording at 30 or 25 ps – using the full sensor width with downsampling – and a bit-rate of up to 400 mbps. DCi can be at 17:9 or 16:9 aspect ratio. Choice of H.264 and H.265 (HEVC) codecs, and All-intra or Long GoP compression regimes. Full HD recording in 17:9 or 16:9, H.265 with 10-bit colour or H.264 with 8-bit colour (again with simultaneous output/internal feeds). stereo sound recorded at 24-bit with 48 kHz sampling. F-Log and HLG gamma profiles for wider dynamic range. Zebra patterns, time code support, focus peaking display, movie silent control (via touch screen) and interframe noise reduction. Clip durations limits are 60 minutes for 4k and 80 minutes for 2k.

HDMI Video Out: simultaneous 10-bit 4:2:2 colour output to HDmi – both 4k and 2k – and 10-bit 4:2:0 colour to the internal sD card (H.265 codec) with a bit-rate of up to 400 mbps.

Shutter: redesigned focal plane shutter module compared to the one in the GFX 50s/r, primarily to enable faster continuous shooting. the speed range is 60 minutes to 1/4000 second with flash sync up to 1/125 second.

rated at up to 150,000 cycles. there’s also an ‘electronic first curtain’ shutter to help reduce vibrations or a fully-silent sensor-based shutter which extends the top speed to 1/16,000 second and, of course, eliminates all vibrations and noise.

Extras: A total of 16 ‘Film simulation’ profiles (including ACros, Classic Chrome and Eterna/Cinema); ‘Grain Effect’, ‘Colour Chrome Effect’ and ‘smooth skin Effect’ processing; ‘Lens modulation optimiser’, six auto bracketing modes (AE, iso, white balance, dynamic range, ‘Film simulation’ and focus), multiple exposure facility, flicker detection and reduction, intervalometer, tethered shooting, WiFi and Bluetooth wireless connectivity, copyright info and dual-delay self-timer. Auto ttL flash control supported by Profoto AirttL. rAW file workflow supported by Capture one Pro software (Capture one Express Fujifilm available as a free download).

Lenses: GF lens system currently numbers nine. All are weather-proofed. Current line-up comprises a 50mm f3.5 ‘pancake’ prime (equivalent to 40mm), 63mm f2.8 standard prime (50mm), 32-64mm f4.0 zoom (25-51mm), 120mm f4.0 macro (95mm), 23mm f4.0 ultra-wide (18mm), a 45mm f2.8 wide-angle (36mm), 110mm f2.0 short telephoto (87mm), 100-200mm f5.6 telezoom (79-158mm) and 250mm f4.0 telephoto (198mm). Next up is a 45-100mm f4.0 short zoom (36-79mm).

Accessories: mount adapters for Hasselblad H mount and Fujinon large format lenses, EF-X500 on-camera flash, EVF-tL1 tilt adaptor for the viewfinder.

The ‘Firsts’: Apart from being the first 100 megapixels mirrorless digital medium format camera, the GFX 100 is the first with a Bsi-type sensor, the first with in-body image stabilisation, the first with PDAF pixels, the first with 4k video (and obviously the first with 10-bit and F-Log or HLG), the first to achieve 5.0 fps continuous shooting and the first to use dual batteries on-board with in-camera recharging. it’s also the first 100 mP camera with a fully weather-proofed and insulated bodyshell. Lastly, of course, it’s the first 100 mP digital medium format camera priced at well under $20,000 for the body. #

Price: $16,499 body only, includes the new EVF and two battery packs. more info from www.fujifilm.com.au

BoDYSHEll: magnesium alloy covers with full sealing (at 95 points) against dust and moisture plus insulation to allow shooing at temperatures down to -10 degrees Celsius. A ‘double structure’ construction isolates key internal components from external knocks and shocks. integrated horizontal and vertical grips with replicated controls. top panel has a 4.57 cm B&W multi-functional LCd info display and there’s a secondary 5.21 cm ‘rear sub monitor’ oLed-type display on the back panel (similar to the Nikon d5). Control layout is more contemporary than that of the GFX 50s so there are no classic dials, but nifty ‘virtual’ dials can be displayed in the top info screen. Weight is 1.32 kilograms with eVF, batteries and a memory card. Graphite grey finish is standard. BattErY & PowEr: A pair of Np-t125 lithium-ion battery packs – the same one used by the 50 megapixel cameras – sit in a detachable tray, and give up to 800 exposures per full charge (or 170 minutes of 4k footage). in-camera recharging is possible via usB-C. there’s a monitoring facility for the age of the batteries, scaled from zero (youngest) to four (oldest).

ConnECtions: usB type C (usB 3.2), HDmi type D, 2.5 mm connector for wired remote trigger, 3.5 mm minijacks for stereo audio in and out, PC flash terminal, DC power input. EVF: Detachable module using a 0.5-inch oLED panel with a resolution of 5.76 megadots. refresh rate is 85 fps. magnification is 0.86x (35mm equivalent) and the display is adjustable for brightness, colour saturation and hue. Five optical elements in the eyepiece, including aspherical types. Eyepiece has strength adjustment and a proximity sensor for auto switching between the EVF and the LCD monitor screen. optional tilt adaptor EVF-tL1 (introduced for the GFX 50s) provides tilt and swing adjustments.

Monitor Screen Large 8.1 cm LCD panel has the same three-way tilt adjustment that’s available on the X-t3 and X-H1. As with the EVF, there are adjustments for brightness, colour saturation and colour balance. resolution is 2.36 megadots and touchscreen controllability extends to ‘touch AF’ tap-to-focus.

MeMory card: Dual slots for sD, sDHC and sDXC types. Both slots support uHs-ii and uHs-i speed devices. may be individually assigned to file types.