Get over all this and focus on what the GFX can do best: take images
ISO INVARIANCE TEST
I don’t know you, but when I use DPReviews own studio comparison tool, and make a 6 stop push starting from ISO 100, I can see a clear difference (see screenshot above). Look at the purple thread, which basically loses completely its texture in the Canon 5DSr and looks not good on the A7RII, too. The D810 is better than the other FF cameras, but the GFX 50s is still visibly better than the D810.
NOTE: I’m not saying the other cameras perform bad, not at all. I just say the GFX performs better.
I don’t know why DPReview did not mention the ISO invariance test results in their article, where they criticized the GFX. It’s a very important test, for example for landscape photographers, who want to be able to recover shadows with as little noise and retaining as much details as possible.
The GFX combines everything into one camera: lots of details, great dynamic range and awesome noise performance.
Is it worth the extra money over a high-end APS-C or FF camera? I don’t know, and luckily it’s a question I don’t have to think about it too much, since the GFX does not get along well with my bank account anyway.
With that said, I’m still firmely convinced that our beloved APS-C X-series cameras can do 90% of what the GFX does.
But yes, if you want the ultimate image quality and ultimate freedom to push your files to the limit, then the GFX is the upgrade you are looking for, since it does these 10% extra you are looking for better than any APS-C or Full Frame camera out there (as demonstrated also by DPR’s own studio tests).
This is just a minimal fraction of the terrific amount of content (images & discussions) that 10,000 fellow GFX shooters and fans are sharing at our Fujifilm GFX facebook group.
Let’s dive deep into the youtube world today, and see what vloggers there have to share about the wonderful world of Fujifilm :-)
Firmware Rumor
According to Eric Marks (video above), the Fujifilm Kaizen Firmware for X-T2 and X-Pro2 will be out on March 27. At minute 3:42 he says that:
“From everything that I’ve heard, it seems like these updates are going to be officially released on Fujifilm’s website on March 27th. That’s just what I’ve heard popping around. I’ve no clue if that’s a fact or not. But it did say late March, and it’s already the 23rd, so it’s going to be soon“
Jonas Rask pulled the trigger on the super fast (manual focus) Mitakon Speedmaster 35mm F/0.95 Mark II lens and shared his review at jonasraskphotography. Some excerpts:
the f/0.95 on the APS-C will give you a depth of field close to that of an f/1.4 lens on a 35mm full frame camera
It does have a huge advantage over the f/1.4 lenses [on Full Frame]. It will collect light as a 0.95 lens. Mitakon even writes in the packaging notes that it is a T0.95 lens. So it will really suck in the available light. – This means that you can use higher shutter speeds (one stop), or reduce ISO (one stop) to achieve the same exposure as you would with the f/1.4 mounted on a full frame camera when shooting both wide open. So at the same DOF you get less shake or less noise.
First of all I get bitingly sharp center focus from this lens if I nail focus. Its sharpness does falloff into the corners at 0.95. I would not recommend shooting corner action and landscapes with this lens wide open
So, yes. The sharpness is great if you nail focus. It is actually not hard to focus this lens at f/0.95. Mainly because the contrast between the sharp, and very narrow, focus plane and the out of focus areas is so pronounced, making the focus peaking incredibly easy to use.
The bokeh is VERY good.
I really like the look of the Mitakon for close up portraits. Shooting it wide open and using flash lights and an ND filter, renders some AMAZING looking images. – Who says you need medium format or full frame for this kind of DOF and tonality.
In a quick interivew, well-known FujifilmUK manager (as well as fellow GFX facebook group member) Theo Georghiades, says that:
The Fujifilm X-T2 feedback and sales are remarkable, worldwide. It’s the top 5, sometimes top 3 interchangeable camera in the country. “The Canon and Nikon stranglehold is starting to relax a bit.”
Recently, especially the Fujifilm X100F has such a high request, that Fujifilm can’t fulfill pre-orders. Fujifilm is aware that customers are upset, but they do their absolute best.
The Lens quality and variety are the biggest aspect of Fujifilm’s success
The Fujifilm GFX Feedback is really amazing. Really positive vibe about the camera.
The manager also sounds very confident about the GFX image quality, as he says he likes that people put Fujifilm products up against the big contenders and to open people’s eyes to what else is out there.
Check out the interview at Hireacamera.com youtube here.
Btw, the Fujifilm GFX facebook group is well represented by Fujifilm Managers, employees and X-photographers, as well as 10,000 more fellow Fuji G shooters and fans. Feel free to join us there.
Fuji GFX 50s vs Sony A7r II in German at enjoyyourcamera (the reviewer somehow sounds much more excited about the GFX image quality and says it has more 3D pop than the Sony)
GFX 50S: Surpassing All Expectations by Kara Mercer at fujifilm-x
The Photography Show 2017 (general coverage with short remarks also about Fujifilm and the GFX and Hasselblad X1D) at electriclemonade
DPReview published a controversial article about the GFX, where they basically end up saying that the GFX is not worth the money extra compared to FF cameras. In short:
Low Light noise performance: Current Full Frame systems offer faster lenses than the GFX, so you’ll get less low light noise with FF. Moreover the FF sensor technology like Sony’s back-illumited sensor allows to catch up with MF since “sensor is better able to use the light projected onto it“
Base ISO Dynamic Range: The Nikon has the ISO 64 mode. “Each pixel can hold more total charge before clipping, relative to equally-sized pixels on any other sensor in a consumer camera. That means it can tolerate a longer exposure at ISO 64, longer enough (at least 2/3 EV, or 60% more light) to capture as much total light as the 68% larger sensor in the GFX 50S exposed at its base ISO (100). […] noise performance at ISO 64 rivals many current medium format cameras their base ISOs“
Shallow Depth-of-Field: The GFX lenses are not as fast as the fastest FF lenses, so they have less shallow DOF
Resolution: Resolution-wise, they simply can’t imagine anything better than the Canon 5DS R paired with truly stellar lenses. However, they also add that “larger sensors will always tend to out-resolve smaller sensors with equivalent glass. And so this is the area where we most expect to see an advantage to the Fujifilm system, especially over time as we approach 100MP, and beyond. It’s probably easier for a F1.8 prime paired with the GFX 50S to out-resolve a F1.4 prime on a 5DS R when both systems are shot wide open, but whether that will be the case (or if Fujifilm will even make a F1.8 or brighter prime for the system) remains to be seen. I certainly don’t think it would be a cheap combination.”
… You Just Need 3 Top Full Frame Cameras to Perform like 1 Fujifilm GFX :-)
Ok, this paragraph has quite a provocative title, but it’s actually inspired by the words of DPReview itself (more below)
I’ve seen many comparisons called “unfair” (and I like unfair comparisons). But I’ve never seen this: put together the strengths of 3 different high-end Full Frame cameras (Sony A7rII, Canon 5DSr, Nikon D810) and then compare it all with one single camera, the Fujifilm GFX.
The GFX has a terrific resolution? Don’t worry, the Canon 5DSr comes close to it (really?).
The GFX has a terrific base ISO dynamic range? Don’t worry, the Nikon D810 comes close to it (got to check this out soon).
The GFX has a terrific noise performance? Don’t worry, the Sony A7rII comes close to it (hm, my ISO invariance pixel peeping says differently).
The problem is… what if you want it all in one? I’ll quote DRPreview: “if you want both the base ISO dynamic range of the D810, and the low light noise performance of an A7R II, then the GFX might be your ticket.”
And I allow myself to add, that if you want the high-resolution of the GFX, then neither the D810 nor the A7rII are for you. You have to take the Canon 5DSr… but then you lose the dynamic range and noise performance.
So, seen from another perspective, we could say you need all these 3 Full Frame cameras to perform almost like 1 Fujifilm GFX (but I doubt that, since the pixel peeping I did, shows that with a 6 stop push, the GFX spanks them all).
There would be so much more to discuss (and in part debunk) on that article, such as the lack of fast lenses. As our GFX group demonstrates day by day, you can adapt ultra fast lenses on the GFX. And Fujifilm has the 110/2 in the pipeline for this spring. But I have to make a break now after a long day… my guitar is waiting :)
Anyway, I think you guys can make up your own mind on this and read the article “Thinking about buying a Fujifilm GFX 50S? Read this first” here at dpreview.
GFX has Huge Cons and DPReview is Right!
Don’t get me wrong, the GFX has it Cons, just like any other camera. The AF-speed is not really snappy, it has no 4K, it does not have the super fast EVF refresh rate of the latest X-series cameras, it’s expensive and more.
It will shine in some areas, but create frustrations in others (good luck shooting some serious sports photography with it).
But if there is one thing you do not have to worry about the GFX, then it’s its image quality. As proven by DPReview today, it delivers an IQ, that you need 3 different Full Frame cameras with different strenghts to almost match it :).
And yet, DPReview is right. 95% of us don’t need the GFX. We can be more than happy with any modern APS-C or FF camera. But the GFX was made for the niche, for the 5%, for the people, who need (or want) the ultimate image quality and don’t want to spend a fortune for a Phase One.
Well, for those people the waiting is over. The Fujifilm GFX will give you the extra boost in your images you were looking for :)
Round 1: GFX Vs. X-T2 at billfortney: “The GFX has a ton of resolution and can be blown up to outer space and still have enormous detail, and the X-T2 holds it’s own until we start cropping or making very, very large prints on the order of feet by feet. Can you see the difference with your nose against the print, yes you can, but standing back at a reasonable distance I suspect it would be harder, though the GFX would still have the edge!”
