Fujifilm GFX100 II X Lab Development Story

Fujifilm has shared their Fujifilm GFX100 II centric X Lab episodes.

All Japanese. Google struggles to translate. It’s a pain…

A pain you don’t have to go through. It’s enough if I went through it and summed it up for you.

X Lab Episode 40

  • after using the GFX100S (small and lightweight compared to the original GFX100), the developers knew they wanted also the new flagship GFX100II to be smaller and lighter
  • usually flagship cameras have an integrated battery grip. Fujifilm wanted to make sure that it does not “lose its dignity” as flagship camera even if it has no integrated battery grip
  • the original GFX100 being bigger also gave more design freedom
  • Fujfiilm designed the optional grip in a way that, when attached, it sticks very rigidly to the body (it has a little hook on the border of the grip that snaps into the camera body for solid integration)
  • main target are professionals
  • when designing, 3 Fujifilm designer held a design competition to develop and 3D print several concepts
  • they also interviewed photographers to ask about the various concepts
  • 11 degree tilted top plate
  • Bishamon-Tex texture with tradition Japanese pattern inspired by Bishamon tortoise shell
  • people in the factory initially had problems to apply the new Bishamon texture to the camera
  • coating that does not scratch
  • larger top screen that displays differently if you are in video or stills. Especially the video display has been significantly revised

X Lab Episode 41

  • 9.44mDot and 1.0x magnification EVF
  • designed in a way that even if you move the eye away from viewfinder, the image will not get distorted. That’s not mentioned in the specs, but is something engineers have put lots of effort into creating
  • if for users the EVF is too big, you can make the EVF image smaller in the settings. Might be useful for example for people who wear glasses
  • initially they designed the GFX100II with fixed EVF to keep it more compact, but they listened to people and realized it was quite loved by photographers to have the tilt EVF option
  • full size HDMI and Ethernet port
  • Ethernet port has quite an impact on the internal design of the GFX100II. It would be complicated to implement it on the X-H cameras.
  • The IBIS Unit had to be redesigned in order to fit in the Ethernet port
  • they struggled until the end to decide where to put the headphone jack, at the end due to space constraints they decided to put it on the grip side
  • grip is designed slightly more inwards towards the top
  • they needed to redesign the tilt mechanism of the screen to make it compatible with the cooling fan
  • created as a piece of equipment to be used by professionals
  • refinements on the buttons, the mode dial etc.
  • better placement of the MCS focus switch (easier to reach and operate with thumb and also with gloves)

X Lab Episode 42

  • First Fujifilm GFX50S was a mid-range machine and it took long to arrive to that shape (admin note: remember the protruding back)
  • they decided for medium format sensor (admin note: the true story on how they decided to go medium format instead of full frame can be read here)
  • medium format cameras up until then were very expensive and for business use
  • Fujifilm wanted to create a camera that can be used also by the general public
  • biggest factor was size and weight of GFX50S
  • Fujifilm wanted to make it as small as a full frame DSLR
  • the most important thing about designing the GFX50S was how to make it easy to hold in the hands, so they spent a lot of time talking about the grip
  • they argued also on how wide it should be to assure enough space between grip and a large lens, so that you can still handle it nicely without a large lens getting in the ways of your fingers
  • so they cut the side of the GFX50S and inserted several thin plates to make it larger and saw how much wider it had to be (see image here)
  • GFX100 there were a lot of challenges to overcome
  • First GFX with IBIS (and X-H1 was first X series with IBIS)
  • integrated battery grip allowed to put batteries on the bottom
  • once the GFX100 was done, Fujifilm thought they needed a way to make it smaller, and to make the shutter mechanism smaller (admin note: that takes a lot of space in the camera)
  • they created the GFX100S
  • smaller motors (see GFX100S shutter vs GFX50R shutter in this image)
  • smaller shutter allowed it to keep IBIS, a smaller IBIS unit
  • they also used a smaller and yet powerful battery, the NP-W235
  • smaller shutter, smaller IBIS and smaller battery made the GFX100S possible
  • GFX100II is undoubtedly a flagship model
  • optional battery grip allows for 3 batteries total
  • Fujifilm wanted to offer a great photographic experience
  • 3 function buttons placed conveniently behind the shutter release button
  • top LCD has evolved to match the needs of photographers: larger, more pixels, changed shape to match the UI and just overall improved ease of use

X Lab Episode 43

  • they talk about the design of the grip again across various GFX models
  • they talk about the amazing resolution starting from the original GFX50S
  • initially models didn’t like it, because too much resolution, but then Fujifilm added the Skin Smooth Effect

Get Yours

Original Videos

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Fujifilm GFX100 II Smooth Shipping (and Low Demand) Illusion: At Least 6 Months Shipping Delay in Certain Countries

Everything seems to proceed smoothly in regards to the Fujifilm GFX100 II shipping in some parts of the world.

The GFX100 II is in stock and ready to ship in many stores such as BHphoto here, Amazon here and Adorama here.

And also in Europe at the stores I’ve checked, the situation looks good.

So is everything running smoothly?

Or, maybe worst:

is the demand lower than Fujifilm expected, and that’s why shipping runs without any problems?

Did Fujifilm just fool us with their notice of “higher demand than expected for GFX100 II” and the 1,500 montly samples they produce are more than enough?

Well, if you only look at North America and Europe, we could indeed have the illusion that everything is running well (for once!).

But sadly that’s not how things run in other countries.

In Japan for example many stores are either not giving any indication on when the GFX100 II will finally ship or they say it will take at least 6 months to finally be able to deliver the Fujifilm GFX100 II.

So it looks like Fujifilm is prioritizing certain markets, maybe because favorable currency exchange rates guarantee them better earnings if they cash in in Dollar and Euro at the moment (just a complete random speculation if mine) or other reasons I can’t think of at the moment.

Whatever the reason is, what we can say for sure is that Fujifilm is allocating an important part of the initial GFX100 II production to satisfy the demand in North American and Europe, while other countries experience shortages and have to wait much longer for their GFX100 II to ship.

I wish Fujifilm would have solved this issue by producing 3,000 samples each month, but it is what it is, and I feel sorry for those fellow GFX shooters who live in countries where they’ll have to wait at least half a year to enjoy the power of the Fujifilm GFX100 II.

via dclife

IN STOCK: Fujifilm GFX100 II and Fujinon GF55mm f/1.7 at BHphoto & Co

The Fujifilm GFX100 II is now in stock at BHphoto here and a limited number also at Amazon US here.

Also the Fujinon GF55mm f/1.7 is in stock at BHphoto here and a limited number also at Amazon US here.

Fujinon GF500mm f/5.6 on GFX100 II and Accurate Size compared to GF250mmF4

Fujifilm has released a new G mount roadmap that includes the following lenses:

  • Fujinon GF500mm f/5.6
  • GF powerzoom (for movie shooting)

During the Fujifilm X Summit (full summary here), Fujifilm did show us the silhouette of the Fujinon GF500mm f/5.6.

So I decided to take that silhouette and mount it on a brand new Fujifilm GFX100II.

Also, I compared its size to the currently longest prime Fujifilm offers, the Fujinon GF250mmF4. You can see the results down below.

This is as accurate as it gets. But keep in mind that, while historically Fujifilm shares pretty reliable silhouettes of upcoming gear, the shape we see now is based on the current state of development.

The Fujifilm Fujinon GF500mm f/5.6 will hit the market only sometimes in 2024, hence minor design changes might still occur until its final release.

Fujifilm GFX100 II Owners Manual Available

Fujifilm GFX100 II Owners Manual

The Fujifilm GFX100 II owner’s manual is now available in html here and PDF here.

Sony World Photography Award Winner Tests Fujifilm GFX100II “I was Dubious, but GFX100II is Bridging the Autofocus Gap with Full Frame”

Josselin Cornou, member of our gigantic Fujifilm GFX group and “heavy Sony user” (as he called himself), was able to test the Fujifilm GFX100II for two weeks.

He shared his impressions in this post, where he answers also questions members have.

He was very impressed by the Fujifilm GFX100 II, so much so that he says:

I finally come to the conclusion that the GFX can fully suits my photo + video needs

The GFX100 II behaved similarly to an A7r5, offering a very similar same type of specs – and similar shutter lag.

I ended up preordering the camera. While this is still 100MP, this is the first Medium Format camera which is bridging the gap with Full Frame in terms of Autofocus and video capabilities

When asked by members about autofocus accuracy, he says in the comments:

For portrait, it’s on par with the A7r5. I am sharing a video below to show you how it focuses on the 55mm f1.7 (which is not a Linear Motor lens, so slower AF than 20-35mm lenses). I was quite impressed – and results looked on part with Sony.

This is just an excerpt. You can read his full post below and check out the full comment section in the original post here.

Josselin Cornou First Impressions

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Fujifilm GFX100 II Pre-Orders Exceed Fujifilm’s Expectations

Fujifilm has just released an official notice where they inform customers that pre-orders for the Fujifilm GFX100 II are higher than what they expected and that “it may take some time” for the product to be delivered.

Fujifilm is currently manufacturing 1,500 samples monthly. Apparently not really enough to satisfy the initial demand.

I have quickly tested the Fujifilm GFX100 II and the GF55mm f/1.7 and you can read my first impressions below:

Notice regarding supply of mirrorless digital camera “FUJIFILM GFX100 II”

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