Fujifilm GFX: “Remarkably Clean Images at ISO 12,800 […] Manual Focus too Much Spinning on Lens” + Shutter Sound/AF Video

Dale Sood & Gary Goldberg from Vistek had 24 hours with the Fujifilm GFX. Not much time, but they tested it as long as they could, even deep in the night out in the streets at -10 degrees. It appears to me that they are trying to give their honest feedback, showing samples and crops, and also pointing out some Cons.

Here are some excerpts… and please pardon me, but the GFX is such a new and exciting piece of gear to the photography industry, that I will cover it properly here on FR.

You can be sure: good or bad feedback, I will share it all.

• AF in studio: AF was perfect for Gary when shooting with the model. He focusses on the model’s eye, and the camera did a great job with nailing it.
• AF in Low Light Night Street: Dale used it in low light on the street, and his experience was, as expected, different. In low light it struggled certainly more, but he says it’s always harder for every camera to focus in low light. (NOTE: remember it’s an early beta firmware)
• Focus peaking: Dale switched to Focus Peaking. But he complains that there is a lot of spinning on the lens to get the focus. (NOTE: also here consider it’s an early beta firmware)
• Sharpness: Just watch the video, guys :)
• ISO Performance (min 6:42): The reviewer has experience with other leading Medium Format brands, and he says he rarely pushed ISO over 3,200, because he wasn’t happy with the results. He assumed it would be the same with GFX. He shot on the street at night, and had to push at ISO at 3,200 and for one shot even at 12,800. On the back of the camera 12,800 looked great. But he thought “there is no way this going to look good on the computer“. So he brought the file into the computer and said “I should have shot at ISO 12,800 more often. How clean it is at 12,800 is remarkable” :) . At 6400 the images are very usable right out of the box, without having to apply any grain reduction in post.
• Battery Live: at -10 degrees, he shot the entire night, without even draining one battery.
• Conclusions: It can keep up to the hype. It’s going to be a game changer

Full Hands-on review at Vistek Youtube

• A Video, where you can hear the shutter sound of the GFX as well as a quicky & dirty 2 shots AF test has been shared on the 5,000 members strong Fujifilm GFX Facebook Group here and can be seen also on youtube here.
• Victoria Wright GFX samples at priime
• Hands On with the Fujifilm GFX 50S at nicolesyblog

Fujifilm GFX: USA BHphoto, Adorama, AmazonUS EU: AmazonDE, AmazonUK, WexUK, ParkCamerasUK, PCHstore AUS: CameraPro