Since entering the market for medium format digital cameras four years ago, Fujifilm has made it plain that improving and upgrading its GFX series of cameras is a priority. There are already roughly a dozen lenses in the G-mount range, and in January of this year, Fujifilm unveiled the GFX 100S, the fourth GFX camera in as many years. The GFX 100S has a body that is nearly 50% smaller, 30% lighter, and 40% less expensive than the GFX 100, but still has a 102-megapixel, 43.8 32.9 mm medium format sensor. On Fujirumors, a recent survey produced an intriguing result. As of April 2021, only 10% of Fujifilm users who took part in the survey have purchased GFX equipment. The remaining 90% are Fujifilm X Series users who use the less expensive and smaller APS-C sensor cameras. It remains to be seen if the GFX user base will grow with the introduction of the GFX 100S, but after testing the camera over the long Easter weekend, we believe it is safe to say Fujifilm is on the right track to attracting more users to the GFX Series and larger than full-frame format. also you will learn our article on Fujifilm GFX 100s review.
Fujifilm GFX 100s review: Design
The GFX100S is smaller and lighter than the GFX100 and more closely resembles a full-frame DSLR at 150x104x44mm and 900g. The new camera, however, can get tiresome when used handheld for extended periods of time when coupled with a GFX lens. Despite having a very cozy and deep grip during our testing, we had to keep setting it down every 20 minutes or so. Additionally, while the hand grip’s middle finger indent is ideal for people with small hands, people with larger fingers might find it too small. Although the rear thumb rest is deep, some people may object to the Q button’s location on the ridge of the rest (as they did with the Fujifilm X-T30). However, we didn’t experience this problem during our testing. The rest of the control layout will be familiar to most photographers, with a 1.8-inch LCD display on the right and the conventional mode dial on the left of the top plate. To show shooting parameters, a histogram, or the virtual shutter speed and ISO dials that distinguished the GFX 100, this display can be customized. Depending on which is easier for you to see, a small button on the side of the EVF can be used to illuminate the top display, and graphics can be displayed in either the default white on black or black on white. Similar customization options are available for the Quick Menu as well, allowing it to be shown on a live view background or an opaque grey screen on the rear LCD monitor. In fact, almost anything including drive modes and exposure settings can be programmed to meet a user’s specific needs. Fujifilm has used a 3.68-million dot EVF on the GFX100S compared to some high-end full-framers (and the GFX 100 for that matter), a lower-resolution OLED panel than cameras like the Sony A1 (9.43 million dots) or the Canon EOS R5 (5.76 million dots), but this has helped keep costs down. Despite this, the EVF is crisp and has a 35mm equivalent magnification of 0.77x. Thankfully, it still has the GFX 100’s large 3.2-inch tilting rear monitor and a bevvy of touch controls that are familiar to users of Fujifilm’s most recent cameras.
Fujifilm GFX 100s review: Feature
With DSLR-like aesthetics rather than the rangefinder design of the GFX 50R, the Fujifilm GFX 100S is significantly smaller than its predecessor, the GFX 100, and even smaller than the GFX 50S. As it did for the smaller X-series cameras like the X-T4 and X-S10, Fujifilm was able to maintain in-body image stabilization despite the downsizing by reducing the size of the IBIS device by 20% compared to the one in the GFX 100. Fujifilm has managed to miniaturize the IBIS mechanism while also increasing its effectiveness; it is now rated at six stops of camera shake compensation as opposed to the GFX 100’s 5.5 stops of correction. Additionally, to maintain the level of correction for longer focal lengths, the image stabilization technology can work in tandem with stabilized lenses. By utilizing a pixel-shift option that was only enabled to the GFX 100 via a software upgrade, the GFX 100S can shoot 400MP high-res photographs due to the sensor and image stabilization combination. However, reducing the size of the body also required sacrificing the battery. Fujifilm has chosen to use the smaller NP-W235 pack that debuted with the X-T4 rather than the larger NP-T125 packs of the earlier GFX bodies, though this does offer a CIPA rating of a respectable 460 shots per charge. The inclusion of a standard mode dial will be a welcome relief for prospective users who are eager to switch from their outdated systems to the GFX 100S. The top has the customizable 1.8-inch status display for shooting parameters, which can show the virtual dials that were introduced in the GFX 100. The rear of the device has an 8-way textured nub in place of the customary 4-way joystick controller, allowing for movements in addition to the usual horizontal and vertical directions. We’re calling it a “nub” because it’s smaller than the joysticks on the previous GFX cameras and won’t be accidentally pressed. However, getting used to its extra directional movements takes some time. The Fujifilm GFX 100S has a fixed OLED EVF with a 3.69 million dot resolution and a 0.77x magnification to reduce costs. Despite this, the 3.2-inch tilting touchscreen on the rear LCD monitor is still present and mounted triaxially. This enables the monitor to swivel up to 60 degrees to the side and up to 90 degrees upward. The GFX100S is a competent movie camera that can take 100MP photos in bursts of up to 5fps with continuous autofocus. The same specifications as its older sibling allow for 4K/30p 10-bit 4:2:0 internal recording using the entire sensor’s width, as well as the choice of F-Log and HLG 10-bit 4:2:2 or 12-bit ProRes RAW to an external recorder. Additionally, HDMI can record 16-bit RAW video to the most recent Atomos Ninja V recorder. The GFX100S outperforms the older camera in terms of movie clip lengths, offering a maximum recording time of 120 minutes as opposed to the earlier model’s 60 minutes.
Connectivity
In a studio, the GFX100S is perfectly at home. It has a USB-C port for tethered control with Adobe Lightroom Classic or Phase One Capture One Pro that can be plugged into a laptop or desktop. It works with a wireless transmitter you can attach to the hot shoe and has a PC sync socket for a wired connection as well. The speed at which you can sync with a flash, however, is constrained by the focal plane shutter. A little slower than full-frame systems, many of which sync at 1/180 or 1/250 seconds, the GFX100S syncs at 1/125 seconds. Competitor Hasselblad’s XCD system is compatible with 1/2000-sec leaf shutter lenses. also you can check our article on Fujifilm GFX 100s review.
Image quality
Most of us get excited just thinking about the enormous 102MP available to play with. There is no doubting the amount of detail that a high-resolution sensor of that kind can record, and the GFX100S in no way falls short. There is more than enough resolution available to play with, regardless of whether you need to crop the image significantly or you want to print it large. The camera’s metering system performs admirably, maintaining details whether in light or in shadow. This is true even when you have significantly cropped the image to zoom in on the subject. The famous dynamic range provided by medium format cameras is another factor. With APS-C or full-frame cameras, you probably won’t have the flexibility to post-process underexposed images to make them more vibrant, but with a medium format camera, that’s typically very doable. We surprised ourselves by how well details were preserved and were brought to light during the editing process after underexposing some test shots by two or three stops. Additionally, noise performance is rather good. A medium format sensor’s advantage is that it can collect a lot more light than smaller options. So, for the most part, we didn’t need to use ISO settings above 800 when shooting in low light, but ISO 6400 also produces outstanding results. At ISO 8000, you will notice grain, but those images are still perfectly usable as long as you don’t intend to do a lot of cropping. Although some look a little oversaturated when using some Film Simulations, the colors are remarkable, and simply selecting the Standard preset made most of our test shots come alive with bursts of color. The camera’s gorgeous tonality and Film Simulations from Fujifilm make it perfect for all types of photography.
Video quality
We were only able to test the GFX 100S in a few windy days in early March, so we weren’t able to use it in a wide range of situations. Nevertheless, it was long enough to give us a good idea of how this camera performs when filming. The GFX 100S’s huge sensor does produce stunningly cinematic-looking video, especially when used in conjunction with wide lens apertures. With our test camera, we received the brand-new GF80mmF1.7 R WR lens, and at f/1.7, the bokeh is gorgeous. The autofocus on this lens, while fast enough for still photography, is quite jerky and noisy, making it less than ideal for AF while filming. This combines with in-body stabilization, which works well for static filming but not so well for camera movements because slow pans can give the image a “choppy” appearance. While a lot of this will depend on the operator’s skill, it’s still true that you need to be fairly fluid when using handheld camera movements because the GFX 100S won’t cover up any flaws in your technique. This camera feels considerably more useful when mounted to a tripod or perhaps a gimbal, albeit a strong gimbal is required to get it balanced. With a firm support, deliberate movements, and manual focusing, the GFX 100 really feels better suited to a slower, more deliberate filmmaking technique. Despite having in-body stabilization, it is not a vlogging camera. There are significantly less expensive 4K cameras that will perform better if you want to use camera movements and a run-and-gun shooting style.
Performance
Performance on the GFX 100S is uneven. With a buffer limit of 14 lossless RAW photos and shooting speeds of 5 fps, it is more responsive than any other medium-format camera. The speeds you’ll find on recent high-resolution models from Sony, Canon, or Fujifilm’s own X-series, on the other hand, are a far cry from that. With 3.76 million phase-detect pixels and up to 425 selectable AF points, the autofocus system appears promising on paper. Along with eye- and face-detect AF, it also provides touch-selectable continuous AF tracking. However, it lacks some latency and isn’t extremely quick. This was especially apparent after evaluating Sony’s 50-megapixel A1. For studio subjects that don’t move around much, the eye-detect and tracking functions pretty well, but it is less effective in more dynamic settings. Additionally, the AF speed is greatly influenced by the GFX lens you are using. The GFX 100S is undoubtedly a studio camera and not a sports camera. But more recent full-frame cameras, like the Sony A1, are able to deliver excellent performance along with high-resolution image quality. Not all photographers might be ready to give that up for the best quality. Photographers Nathanael Charpentier and Samuel Dejours, who also photograph weddings, births, and other events in addition to studio work, emphasized this point. After trying it out for a few days, they are no longer sure if they want to buy a GFX 100S for studio and high-resolution work.
Fujifilm GFX 100s review: Battery
The GFX 100S uses a smaller battery than the GFX 100 due to the change to a smaller body shape. It uses the same W235 battery, which is considerably smaller than the NP-T125 used in the previous GFX bodies and was first introduced with the X-T4. According to CIPA standard tests, the GFX 100S is rated for a respectable 460 shots per charge using the LCD, despite the reduction in physical size and electrical capacity. Like always with CIPA ratings, the figure indicates extremely demanding use, and we’ve discovered that most cameras consistently give us more than twice the specified number of photos. It is reasonable to anticipate that you will get more than half as many shots out of the GFX 100S as you would from the 800-shot-per-charge rated twin-battery GFX 100, despite the fact that the figures are generally comparable between mirrorless cameras. While many situations are likely to be covered by this, wedding photographers may find themselves wishing they had a spare. For these users, a two-battery charger is available. The X100S can be recharged via its USB-C port, but there is no provision for a vertical control or battery grip; for those things, there is the GFX 100.
Price and availability
The Fujifilm GFX100S is what can be referred to as “cheap” for a 100MP medium format camera. It costs the same as some high-end professional full-framers, like the Sony A9 II, at $5,999, £5,499, or AU$9,499 for the body alone, and is actually less expensive than the new Sony Alpha 1 (which costs $6,500, £6,500, or AU$10,499). you can read our article on Fujifilm GFX 100s review. The new model costs almost half as much as the GFX 100, which currently retails for an eye-watering $9,999/£9,999/AU$15,999. This makes the GFX100S an upgrade option for some photographers that is very real. The GFX100S is still up for pre-order from the majority of the top camera retailers as of this writing. It was anticipated to hit store shelves by the end of February 2021, but in most markets, that deadline appears to have been postponed to an unknown date.
Conclusion
The Fujifilm GFX100S has a very tiny camera body and an integrated IBIS system that allow you to operate the camera like any other DSLR without constantly using a tripod, which makes it fun to use. one that makes you feel impressed by the available visual quality. To really make the most of the 100-megapixel sensor, we’d say prime lenses are necessary, and occasionally you do need to consider your shooting style. The GFX100S’s best feature, however, is how good the images look right out of the camera; Fujifilm has created a camera that anyone can use without having to pay traditional medium format prices.
