Recently, I wrote an article about yet another WCL and TCL conversion lens set coming to the X100 system—this time from Viltrox. In that piece, I also expressed my hope that someone would finally create conversion lenses for the Fujifilm GFX100RF as well.
Fujifilm announced that the FUJIFILM GFX100S II is now officially supported by the 3D photogrammetry software PIX4Dmatic.
This new compatibility enables users — particularly those utilizing drone-based aerial photography — to generate ultra-high-resolution 3D models from images captured with the GFX100S II, making it a powerful tool for infrastructure, plant, and facility inspections where detail and accuracy are critical.
By combining FUJIFILM’s 120 megapixel sensor with PIX4Dmatic’s advanced Structure-from-Motion processing, this pairing offers an efficient, cost-effective alternative to traditional close-up inspections — significantly improving safety and reducing labor in hard-to-reach or hazardous environments.
Save $1,000 + Free CFexpress Type B card and Camera Bag
UPDATE: Adorama briefly marked the Fujifilm GFX100 II as a “closeout” product (see screenshot above), which prompted speculation about an upcoming replacement. We reported on it earlier today, noting how odd it seemed. Adorama has now corrected what was apparently an error, and the GFX100 II is no longer listed as closeout. The original article has been removed.
NOTE: the massive $1,000 rebate on the GFX100II bundle (+ freebies at BHphoto) is not a sell-out to make place in the warehouse for a replacement. The Fujifilm GFX100II is in full production and we know knothing about a replacement coming in the next few months.
I have this little habit: whenever I’m tidying up the chaos my two kids leave behind in the apartment, I put on a podcast.
Today, I came across one that I found particularly fascinating and wanted to share with you.
In the Double Exposure Podcast, Hugo Burnand talks about creating his portrait of King Charles—covering everything from location scouting and preparations, to the actual shoot, the lighting setup, his interactions with the king, the post-processing, and more.
Interestingly, Hugo drew inspiration from a painting of Prince Philip by Ralph Heymans. The painting depicted the Prince in the very same corridor where Hugo would later photograph King Charles.
The catch? That corridor is notoriously dark, making it a real challenge for Hugo and his team.
For this challenge, he chose just one camera: the Fujifilm GFX100 II—the camera he always turns to when he needs to capture a truly important image.
You can watch the video to see the clever techniques and setups his team used to overcome the challenges. The result is a portrait with a striking, almost painterly quality.
Of course Huge credits his team for the amazing results, but at some point he says:
full praise to my team […] because I think it looks like natural daylight thourghout and it also has a painterly feel to the photography.
Now, I warmly invite you to listen to the full podcast. But since I know many of you are particularly interested in what Hugo had to say about the Fujifilm GFX100 II in this context, I’ve extracted the key points below:
painterly feel in the image
fantastic dynamic range
great tonal gradation
if he’d have taken the image on a phone, it would be quite contrasty and harsher
it’s not about reproducing the image in big prints that he needs GFX, because even when reproduced small it has a greater quality intensity
the image was shot at ISO 3200
in a regular Canon he might risk shooting at ISO 800, and then he starts losing comfort
the Fujifilm GFX is amazing in low light
you can see the details of the king’s eyelashes in the image, even at ISO 3200
(Quick pause: some “smart” commenters will argue he used the wrong ISO and should have gone lower with flashes. I strongly suggest they actually watch the video before making that judgment)
the image looked like a painting by someone like Velázquez (personal note: I never thought I’d stand mesmerized in front of a painting for 15 minutes, but it happened to me in Madrid with Las Meninas of Velazquez… what a masterpiece)
And when Hugo saw the finished portrait of King Charles, he admitted that, for the first time, he felt intensely proud of his own work
(Another pause for the quick critics: some might say there is too much space above the king’s head. That’s intentional. There’s actually a rule in royal portraiture: you must leave enough room above the head to fit a crown.)
Editing?
no photoshop
Hugo explained that his adjustments were no different than what could have been done in the darkroom on a wet print
Finally, if you’d like to see this portrait (and others), Hugo has set up a dedicated website: crownportraits.co.uk.
Fujifilm GFX100S II ver. 1.20 – download here The firmware update Ver.1.20 from Ver.1.10 incorporates the following issues:
< Important notice after firmware update > * After the firmware update, you cannot connect the camera to the iOS version of FUJIFILM Camera Remote. Be sure to upgrade your smartphone or tablet to iOS13 or later and use FUJIFILM XApp instead of Camera Remote. * After the firmware update, you cannot use the FUJIFILM Camera Remote (Android version) to connect with the camera through Bluetooth: Ver.4.1 and earlier. To pair via Bluetooth, smartphone/tablet must be Bluetooth Ver. 4.2 and latter.
