FUJIFILM GFX100RF Compact Medium Format (Patreon)

FUJIFILM has just announced a 102-megapixel fixed-lens medium-format camera (US $4899). The camera is, visibly, like a larger version of its best-selling fixed-lens retro-styled FUJIFILM X100VI (that uses an APS-C crop sensor). At 3x the price of its APS-C lookalike (US $1,599), some will see the natural competitor to this new medium-format compact camera is the fixed-lens full-frame Leica Q3 (US $6,895) and not the cheaper X100VI. Sony's competing full-frame compact interchangeable camera would be the A7CR. To keep the A7CR compact one would have to combine this with either a compact prime (such as the 24mm F2.8 G, 40mm F2.5 G or 50mm F2.5 G) or Sony's FE 24-50mm F2.8 G compact zoom.

I own the both the A7CR and a now discontinued Sony RX1R II camera as my compact cameras of choice. RX1RII camera reviewed here: https://youtu.be/Ow69p39-jfk

It will be interesting to see if Sony respond to this renewed level of interest in retro-styled fixed-lens compact cameras.

NOTE > I do not hold positive or negative opinions about this new FUJIFILM camera, but I do recognize this camera may be of interest to a few of my Patrons, so I have decided to present the following information so that they can better make an informed purchasing decision.

FIXED LENS - CROP to ZOOM (courtesy of the high resolution sensor)
Although the FUJIFILM GFX100RF features a 35mm fixed-lens F4 prime, the user has the choice to photograph in one of four 'crop modes' to achieve a narrower angle-of-view. This does, however, come at a cost of increasingly lowering the resolution.

Purchasing the Sony A7CR with the FE 40mm F2.5 G, as an alternative to owning the GFX100RF, would cost US $1,300 less and be just under 2 ounces lighter (47 g). If the Sony owner added two more compact primes, e.g., the 24mm F2.8 G and either the FE 50mm F2.5 G or Sigma 90mm F2.8 DG DN, the price difference would still be in favour of someone choosing the interchangeable-lens A7CR. The disadvantage for the Sony A7CR owner is that they only have one 1.5x crop mode (APS-C Mode) or they will have to change lenses to access a wider or longer focal length if they want to retain the full 61-megapixel resolution.

Two advantages of the Sony A7CR ,over the GFXRF camera, is that it has In Body Image Stabilisation (IBIS or SteadyShot Inside) and improved AF tracking when compared to the GFXRF. The GFXRF has no IBIS and is challenged when it comes to tracking quickly moving subjects (from the reviews I have seen). Advantages of the GFXRF camera, however, is that it has dual card slots, a superior EVF or Finder when compared to the A7CR (increased resolution and magnification) and a lens with a leaf shutter (enabling flash sync speeds as high as 1/4000 second).

An alternative purchasing decision (instead of choosing compact primes for the Sony) would be to choose the compact FE 24-50 F2.8 Zoom lens (although this makes for a slightly heavier camera-lens combo when compared to the GFX100RF).

The GFXRF has a resolution advantage over the A7CR when using the uncropped view of its 35mm F4 lens, which has a full-frame equivalent (FFEQ) angle-of-view of 28mm. When the GFX100RF owner crops, to achieve a 35mm FFEQ angle-of view, the resolution drops to the same 61 MP resolution as the Sony A7CR owner who has zoomed to 35mm, or is using a Sony 35mm compact prime such as the FE 35mm F2.8 Zeiss. When the GFXRF owner crops even tighter, to achieve a 50mm FFEQ angle-of view, the resolution drops to 31 megapixels (two megapixels less than the A7C II). If the GFXRF owner drops to a FFEQ angle-of-view to a match a longer 63mm Full-frame Equivalent angle-of-view, the resolution drops to 20 MP. If the Sony owner simply switches to using the Sigma's compact 90mm F2.8 DG DN, they retain the full 61 MP resolution and access an angle-of-view that is favoured when shooting portraits. Alternatively, if the Sony owner uses the 50mm focal length of the FE 50mm F2.5 G, or uses the 50mm focal length of the FE 24-50 F2.8 Zoom in APS-C mode, the resolution of the A7CR drops to 26 Megapixels (6-megapixels higher than the GFXRF camera shooting at the 63mm full-frame equivalent angle-of-view).

One advantage of using a camera with a Medium-Format sensor is the 16 bit files, compared to the 14 bit files of an A7CR camera. The 16 bit files lead to improved dynamic range and color depth. The bit depth of the GFXRF files, however, drop to 14 bits when shooting in the Continuous drive mode, so the GFXRF bit-depth advantage is lost when shooting bursts of images.

Owners of medium-format cameras can achieve shallower depth of field (because of the larger sensor) at the same equivalent focal length and aperture, e.g. the 35mm F4 lens of the GFXRF camera produces the same depth when compared to an owner using a 28mm F3.2 lens on a full-frame camera. But if the Sony owner is using an F2.8 lens, the depth of field will appear shallower when using the full-frame camera, and not the GFXRF camera using the larger sensor. FUJIFILM obviously decided to prioritize the lighter weight and smaller size of this new camera when deciding to use a 35mm F4 lens, rather than using a larger and heavier F2.8 lens.

When the GFXRF owner is using one of the crop modes to achieve a narrower angle-of-view, the crop factor has to be applied to the aperture as well as the focal length to determine the equivalent depth of field. At the 35mm FFEQ crop, the depth of field achieved by the GFXRF camera is equivalent to the owner of a full-frame camera using a 35mm full-frame lens at an aperture of F5.2. At the 50mm FFEQ crop, the equivalent aperture is reduced to F7.2 and at the 63mm FFEQ crop, the aperture equivalent aperture is down to F9.2. The FUJIFILM is perhaps not going to be the choice of those photographers who prioritize shallow depth of field and bokeh.

NOTE > The crop factor is NOT applied to the F4 aperture when determining exposure, i.e. the aperture, shutter speed and ISO will be the same when using any of the crop factors for the purposes of exposure.

I often say that there is no one 'best camera' or one 'best lens', as different photographers have different priorities (size, weight, budget, performance etc.). I do think, however, it is admirable that FUJIFILM has sought to provide us with a medium-format compact camera, but this comes with a few compromises that some photographers will be prepared to live with, while others will choose to look elsewhere.

Some photographers may even choose to play the waiting game to see if and how Sony will respond to this growing market sector. Sony may just be happy, however, that when you purchase a FUJIFILM camera you are also purchasing a Sony sensor.

Purchase the FUJIFILM GFX100RF (Silver): https://bhpho.to/4hr3WEH
Purchase the FUJIFILM GFX100RF (Black): https://bhpho.to/4hwmrYp