Fujifilm recently announced the 102-megapixel medium-format GFX100S. This camera is already making big waves because of the the high-resolution sensor and because of the “small” price-tag of “only” $6,000 (body only). A lot of people are talking about this upcoming camera—in fact, I visited a local camera store, and the GFX100S was a hot topic that was being discussed by those in the store.
Back in June I published an article, Shrinking Camera Market: What Fujifilm Should Do In 2021 & Beyond, and I suggested that Fujifilm should make a camera like the GFX100S (although I said it should be rangefinder-styled). I think it’s a good move for Fujifilm, and this camera will be highly successful. Already preorders have apparently exceeded expectations, and you might have to exercise some patience if you want to get your hands on one and you didn’t preorder on the day it was announced.
I don’t have a lot of experience with GFX cameras. Fujifilm recently loaned me a GFX-50S, which is four-years-old now and surely about to be discontinued. I’m grateful to have been give the opportunity to briefly try a GFX camera—a dream come true, really! For the most part the benefit of medium format is only truly realized if you crop really deeply or print very large. Still, I hope to one day try the GFX100S myself, although it won’t likely be anytime soon, and will likely only happen if Fujifilm lets me borrow one for a few weeks. The GFX100S, even though priced very low for what it is, is still significantly outside of my budget. I’m sure many of you can relate.
The GFX-50S that Fujifilm sent me has been used by so many other photographers. If you’ve read reviews of this camera or watched YouTube videos about it, you’ve probably seen this exact camera before. It’s difficult to know precisely who has used it—there are a lot of people who have reviewed it and probably a couple different bodies floating around—but I know for certain that Julien Jarry is one because he put a sticker on the bottom. Well played!
Julien is a talented photographer and videographer, and a friend of mine. I had the pleasure to photograph with him this last summer out at Antelope Island State Park, and you’ll notice him in a couple of pictures in the Kodak Portra 400 v2 film simulation recipe. It’s an honor to use the same gear that Julien used.
If someday Fujifilm loans me a GFX100S, you know that I’ll publish several articles about it on the Fuji X Weekly blog, and create some film simulation recipes, too! It might be a long time before that happens, if it ever happens. I hope it does, and I will be grateful for the opportunity, because I’m certain that the GFX100S is an amazing camera.
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Fujifilm GFX100S B&H
I paid $5,000 for my Nissan Xterra. That included the tires.
Lol! I can see if the camera is your money-maker, that maybe it would be worth spending that kind of money on it, but otherwise… I don’t think it’s worth the price, in my opinion. That Xterra will get you to a lot of places where you can capture some great pictures with the gear you already own, and probably a better investment in that regard. Experiences are priceless, gear is not. I appreciate the comment!
That is exactly what I meant.
Although Fuji brands this as a medium format, but actually the sensor is smaller than medium format but yes definitely more than a full frame… but as a pure hobbyist that price is out of my reach…Maybe in the next ten years or so this baby medium format sensor will be the new full frame and the price might be around 2 to 3 thousand dollars range.. if I am still alive by that time, I guess I will buy this baby medium format sensor cameras…
I don’t think there’s a strict definition of what is or isn’t medium format, but you are right, the sensor is smaller than what has traditionally been called medium format. It’s certainly much smaller than any medium format film that I’ve ever shot. Like you, it’s much too expensive for my budget… maybe a used one, years from now, is something I could afford. Thanks for the comment!
Any, Although everyone knows what medium format is in film, when it comes to digital it becomes more difficult to define. I think it’s more to do with the quality and detail in the image rather than actual sensor size. For example (excuse me mentioning non-Fuji) but the Sigma Dp2 Quattro or Merrill series of camera are talked about as having medium format quality yet are APC sensors (Fovean). They might be worth checking out for a budget version of medium format.
I used to have a Sigma DP2 Merrill, and detail-wise, it was definitely on par with a camera like the GFX-50S. But… painfully slow, horrible software, low-ISO-only, battery life similar to roll of film, etc. If you can get past that, you can get such amazing images from it. Sometimes I miss that camera.