Fujifilm GFX100: Comparometer Produces Disappointing Results

ISO 100 Comparison

ISO 100 Comparison

We are getting an early look at the GFX100 through the Image Resources Comparometer and I have to say the initial results are very disappointing. I decided to compare the Fujifilm GFX100, GFX50S, XT3, Phase One XF 100MP, a7RIII, 5DSR, D850 and S1R for good measure at 100MP and 24MP. Surprisingly the results were pretty similar at 100MP and 24MP so I decided to exclude the 24MP results, the current crop of high-end BSI APS-C and Full Frame sensors are quite good so I’m not surprised. Of course, you can compare them for yourself at the Comparometer.

Keep in mind the Comparometer is using a pre-production camera so results should improve and there are some slight variations in lens/f-stop selection to take into consideration, but if you try to match settings for testing you are going to be very disappointed in the image quality of the GFX100 in my estimation. The 63mm lens used on the GFX is generally very sharp and some of the images almost look like they missed focus at times because they lacked the sharpness that I am used to with my GFX50S.

Above you can see how ISO100 looks, while below I decided to use 12,800 since all of the cameras supported ISO 12,800. Some fanboys will try to cherry pick and I do not deny the Comparometer is flawed, but do some proper crops yourself where you think the image quality is better.

This is what happens when one company designs almost every sensor on the market. Largely homogenous results aren’t bad, but I would really like to see this kind of testing done with a final firmware camera and RAW files. JPEG comparisons are rarely useful when results are this similar. This kind of comparison also won’t demonstrate the significant dynamic range advantages that medium format cameras have over Full Frame and APS-C so please keep this in mind when doing your own comparisons.

While I am disappointed in the results Comparometer results I will still keep my preorder because I do not think the results are representative of what a GFX can be used to create. GFX is the first camera to make me dump Leica and the Leica look because it is a camera that really frees you to be creative. Hopefully, we will see some better technical testing soon.

Find all the info you need about the GFX 100 here in our LiveBlog

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ISO 12,800 Comparison

ISO 12,800 Comparison

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Fujifilm Post GFX100 Launch Interview

A new Fujifilm X channel popped up with a post GFX100 launch interview with Fujifilm. Below are excerpts from the interview.

  • Fujifilm targeted pros and amateur with GFX
  • They wanted to expand the market
  • 70% come from full frame
  • Want to expand the market to movies
  • GFX is about peak image quality
  • GFX lets you shoot medium format like full frame thanks to IBIS
  • GFX100 is fast
  • GFX50S EVF works in GFX100 but not the other way around
  • GFX100 isn’t meant to replace GFX50S/GFX50R
  • GFX100 is more photographer-centric
  • GFX100 IBIS can’t fit in GFX50R yet they need a technical innovation to make it work
  • Lots of requests for tilt-shift but might not be next but there are more lenses coming.
  • A fisheye lens that compliments the GFX would be difficult to make
  • The GF110 already has great bokeh and if they make lenses faster than the 110mm f/2 it won’t get much better, but it will get bigger
  • GFX almost 2.5 years old
  • Improved AF speed was the top request after GFX50S
  • Will likely minimize GFX size next
  • Price is also important
  • The GFX50S/GFX50R would have trouble catching the GFX100, but a new algorithm might help with the CDAF
  • Full Frame market is 35% of the digital market
  • Old Full Frame DSLR customers are just moving to mirrorless Full Frame so the makeup of the sensor size market is still the same
  • Fujifilm mirrorless grew in 2018 from users dumping DSLR cameras
  • X-T3 brought in a lot of new customers for Fujifilm thanks in large part to Fujifilm’s strength in high-quality video
  • Want bigger than Full Frame than GFX is your option
  • APS-C and Medium format surround the highly competitive Full Frame market
  • Fujifilm has no plans to merge the X-H2 and X-T4
  • Fujifilm X-H1 is for people that need IBIS and durability now and X-T3 is very image quality centric
  • Won’t talk about X-Pro3
  • X-H1 is functioning at its best level already
  • Wifi connectivity is directional so depending on where you stand signal strength will vary
  • Fujifilm is always working on their app

Find all the info you need about the GFX 100 here in our LiveBlog

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Fujifilm’s X-Trans CMOS Sensor Receives National Invention Award

Phase-detection autofocus pixel and RGB color filter array layout of an X-Trans CMOS 4 image sensor. The ZA and ZB pixels shown each form one half of a phase-detection AF pair.

FUJIFILM Corporation was awarded the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Prize for “Invention of digital imaging device using color filter array with low periodicity” on May 23rd at the National Invention Awards (sponsored by the Japan Institute of Invention and Innovation). Announced that it has received the “Invention Achievement Achievement Award”.

The X-Trans CMOS sensor technology installed in the company’s mirrorless camera “FUJIFILM X-T3” etc. was evaluated. According to the company, it was awarded because it was evaluated as contributing to the promotion of science and technology and the development of the industrial economy.

The company’s image sensor is inspired by the structure of a photographic film in which silver particles are irregularly arranged, and employs a low-periodicity color filter array with 36 x 6 pixels as one unit.

Color moiré can be suppressed without using an optical low-pass filter, and the original resolution of the lens can be derived, and color information can be correctly acquired by arranging the three elements of light of red, green, and blue on the same line in the horizontal and vertical directions. It is possible to reproduce the original color of the subject.

National invention commendation is a system to commend original inventions and other outstanding inventions for the purpose of contributing to the improvement of science and technology and industrial development in the country. Among them, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award is given to “inventions etc. that have excellent scientific and technological progress and have remarkable implementation effects.” The “Invention Achievement Achievement Award” is presented to the representative of a corporation that receives a special award including the “Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award”.

via DC.Watch

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Fujifilm GFX100: Pre-Production Assembly Line With DPReview


DPReview got a look at Fujifilm’s pre-production assembly line where the camera is largely put together by hand. Not much to learn here, but some interesting photos of the camera exploded and details about how it was put together. You can view the full article here or the bullet points below.

  • the IBIS unit alone is comprised of more than 100 individual parts
  • major imaging components are assembled into a single unit, structurally independent to the main body panels which make up the exterior chassis of the camera (i.e., the bits that you can see)
  •  very precise alignment can be achieved – and maintained – even if the main body of the camera is subjected to physical stress or shock
  • the IBIS unit takes up quite a bit of space, what’s surprising is that it isn’t larger, given the size of the sensor that it has to stabilize – and of course the weight of that sensor. In fact, four springs are incorporated to absorb sensor movement
  • Everything from shutter accuracy to IBIS calibration must be performed on a camera-by-camera basis, to ensure that each GFX 100 performs in exactly the same way. All of this calibration data is saved to a database stored by Fujifilm, and can be looked up by serial number if and when the camera comes in for service in the future
  • the plastic on the handle is where the wireless is located
  • During the process of pre-release testing, prototype cameras like this might have literally hundreds of major and iterative firmware updates applied to them as features are added, removed and tweaked

There are more details in the original article about some things they couldn’t show but not much. Hopefully, they get their automated lines started smoothly so the GFX100 ships at the end of June as planned.

Find all the info you need about the GFX 100 here in our LiveBlog

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B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Fujifilm GFX 50S: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama

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CameraSize: Fujifilm GFX 100 vs GFX50S vs GFX50R vs D850 vs D5 vs 1D X Mark II


Camerasize just added the Fujifilm GFX100 to their comparison tool and the Fujiflim dwarfs the Nikon D850 in size. Similarly, the Nikon D850 weighs in at 2.01 lb, while the GFX100 comes in at 3.08 lb. You can view the above comparison here.

The Fujifilm GFX100 is definitely more in the Nikon D5/Canon EOS-1D X Mark II territory when it comes to size and weight, but here the GFX100 has the advantage. The Nikon D5 comes in at 3.11 lb and the Canon 1D X Mark II comes in at 3.37 lb, which are both beyond the Fujifilm GFX100 at 3.08 lb  You can compare them for yourself here.

Find all the info you need about the GFX 100 here in our LiveBlog

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Fujifilm GFX100 (Preoders): B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Fujifilm GFX50R: 
B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Fujifilm GFX 50S: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama

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Fujifilm GFX100 Thoughts, First AF Demo, and GFX 50S/50R/100 Spec Comparison

The Fujifilm GFX100 has been officially announced and I am just finishing going through all the content that came out tonight and there are some very interesting details that haven’t been widely disseminated. First is that the GFX100 down samples 11k footage to create it’s 4k 4:2:2 10-bit video, so maybe we will see 11k downsampled to 8k in the not too distant future. The same video that talks about the 11k downsampling also shows off the 5.5 stop of IBIS that the GFX 100 is capable of while filming a mock interview with the  GF 110mm and it was pretty rock solid hand held.

A few years ago I wrote an article 24MP and Beyond talking about the importance of high megapixel image capture and digital displays. Today 8k TV’s like the LG OLED88Z9PUA are coming and within a few years they will be as popular as 4k TV’s are today. 8k displays really need at least 33.2MP and VR can use images of almost any size so the GFX100 arrived just in time to create content for them.

From what I have seen AF speed is between the X-T2 and X-T3 and Fujifilm confirmed as much, which will help the Fujifilm GFX100 become photographers go to camera. If the speed is good enough when I receive mine I might sell a lot of my X mount glass for GF mount glass and I think other Fujifilm photographers that can afford the GFX will do the same. The possibility of having usable tracking AF on a medium format camera is exciting and I can’t wait to see what Fujifilm does in the future with GFX.

Find all the info you need about the GFX 100 here in our LiveBlog

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Fujifilm GFX100 (Preoders): B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Fujifilm GFX50R: 
B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama
Fujifilm GFX 50S: B&H Photo / Amazon / Adorama

First AF Test

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebTdROYRynM

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