Here is a major roundup about Fujifilm cameras and lenses. Lots to read and see, including a face off between the $6,500 Sony A1 and the $1,700 Fujifilm X-T4.
Gordon from Cameralabs reviewed the Fujifilm GFX100S.
Here is a summary of his 20 minutes long review and you’ll find also the video down below.
In short: it’s amazing!
A more in depth comparison with the Sony A1 will follow, but some tidbits he already delivered in this review.
So guys, the decision has been made.
In the last second, I took advantage of the €500 rebate on selected Fujinon GF lenses and I bought the Fujinon GF32-64mmF4, which was your most recommended G mount lens for landscape photography. Thanks for helping me out with the decision :).
I still don’t own it, as like everywhere on the world, Fujinon G mount lenses are a rare good.
In fact, when I went to my local store, the store owner told me that since Fujifilm launched the GFX100S, sales for GFX gear went through the roof. He also told me that for many of his customers, the Fujifilm GFX100S is their first GFX camera and this also pushes sales for G mount lenses. That’s why they run out of stock constantly.
So I had to put myself in line, and now I wait for a lens that is harvesting 5 star reviews all over the web:
Now, if you have read my GF lens help article, you’ll know that over the last few years, I somehow shifted from privileging dramatic wide angle shots to focusing more on compressed landscape shots.
This is why I was hesitant between getting the GF32-64mmF4 or the GF45-100mmF4 to start with.
But here is the thing: I can’t get into my frame parts of a landscape scenery that are too wide for my lens (unless I stich). On the other hand, thanks to the power of the Fujifilm GFX100S and its 102 megapixel, I can crop the heck out of my images and still get usable and printable results.
Therefore, afraid to miss out on something beautiful on the wide end, I decided to go with the wider zoom, trusting the crop-power of my GFX100S to get a more compressed look.
In fact, I am now thinking that as a second lens, I’ll probably go for the Fujinon GF100-200mmF5.6, which I got my hands on in store, and it actually surprised me how light it is for its size. “Definitely portable” I thought. It will fit well and be easy to carry in my Photohiker trekking backpack.
But of course one step after another.
In early 2021, I already supported Fujifilm by buying the XF27mmF2.8 R WR (which you can see here), the XF80mm Macro, the Fujifilm GFX100S and the GF32-64mmF4. One more 2K lens right now would mean deciding between gear and marriage. ;)
But in not too distant future, I imagine my GF lens arsenal to look like this:
Yep, no fast lenses in the lineup for now, but I have a couple of f/1.2 and f/1.4 primes on the X system, so I’ll get plenty of bokeh out of that system when I need it.
So, the Fujifilm GFX100S and the GF32-64mmF4 will mark my first steps into the G mount system. Now all I need is to get those nice packages shipped, and I hope that maybe this summer I can already hike on the Dolomites with it.
I love to print. From photobooks to single images.
And sometimes I print rather big.
But even my biggest print at my home (90x60cm / 35×23 inches) looks absolutely fantastic when taken with 24 MP.
So why the heck do I need a Fujifilm GFX100S, if my APS-C gear does a great job already?
The answer is: crop!
In fact, I assume that not only for me, but also for many of you, cropping is a very fast and effective post production step we sometimes take to improve our images.
So you get it: I don’t need to print bigger. But what the GFX system allows me to do better than any other system out there, is to still print big even images that are significantly cropped.
For example, this image I took at the Gardena mountain pass with my X-T4 and XF10-24mmF4 looks great on the web. But truth is that I had to crop quite a bit to get it how I wanted, hence mostly focused on the Sasslong. And while on Instagram it still looks great, I doubt I could print it as big as I sometimes like to print.
But if my starting point would have been 102 Megapixel instead of 50MP or 26MP, then I’d know I’d still retain so much information in my cropped image, that I could still make a huge epic print out of it.
With that said, every system has its Pros and Cons. The balance Fuji’s APS-C system offers remains unmatched to me compared to full frame of medium format. But the GFX shines in an area where I love to take pictures and to print: landscape photography.
This is why I bought the Fujifilm GFX system, and I look forward to finally capture the lovely Dolomites with it ;).
Fujifilm GFX100S
Fujinon GF80mmF1.7
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All GF Lenses
DPReview conducted an interview with several Fujifilm managers.
A summary as well as the link to the full interview below:
The new firmware for Fujifilm X100V, X-Pro3 and X-T30 cameras has been released, as well as for XC16.50mmII.
It’s that time of the year, when blogs and youtube channels declare their best gear of the year.
We have already shared what DPReviewTV thinks is best here and what DPReview blog thinks is best.
Now it’s time for a roundup what all others consider their top and flop gear 2020.
The Fujifilm X-T4 is the best camera 2020 winner for CineD, Techradar, ePhotozine and also according to the German Stiftung Warentest, which is the go-to source for independent and competent reviews in Germany.
One prominent exception: Tony Northrup says the X-T4 the biggest disappointment of 2020. Why? You’ll find his video below. He might not like the X-T4, but he appreciates the X-S10, which Tony delcars the best camera below $1,000.
The Fujinon XF 50mm f/1.0 R WR is second best for Techradar and BH Explora.
BHphoto Explora
Recently DPRTV declared the Fujinon XF50mm f/1.0 the worst lens of 2020.
Of course this generated a heated debate. And today we are going to discuss this in a dedicated post.
Now, I think we can all agree that the Fujinon XF50mmF1.0 is not the sharpest Fujinon lens. But I doubt anyone would seriously expect that from an f/1.0 lens.
I think Jonas Rask described this lens best, when he wrote:
The images coming from XF50mm f/1 R WR has those exact same undefinable traits that makes me love my XF35mm f/1.4 so much. The sharpness that is sharp, yet not overly sharp. A flattering kind of sharpness that seems more rounded, organic and less digital/clinical.
[…]You know that “magic” that everyone is referring to when talking about the old XF35mm f/1.4? […] The focus on making a character lens instead of a “perfect” lens. And that is EXACTLY what the XF50mm f/1 R WR is. A lens full of character, but not a perfect optical creation.
But being not the sharpest, does not mean that it is unusable soft at f/1.0.
On the contrary, many other reviewers praise it for its sharpness all over the frame already at f/1.0.
Now also ivanjoshualoh joined the discussion, with his article “Meet the Worst Lens of 2020“. He shows samples taken at f/1.0, and quite frankly, for being at f/1.0, I think that they look totally fine. You can see one of his samples at 200% magnifications in this instagram post and you can check out his full article here.
In the B&H Explora Top 10 Mirrorless lenses list for 2020, the Fujinon XF 50mm f/1.0 R WR grabs the second spot right after the Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM. Read the full list here.
Another one comes from abiggercamera, who also took at look at his XF50mmF1.0 and shared his thoughts in this post.
Last but not least, the first customer reviews at AmazonUS and BHphoto here are also pretty positive.
Cameralabs posted its XF50mmF1.0 review, and it’s just another stellar feedback for the XF50mmF1.0 after the ones we already posted in the past and we link for your convenience again down below.
Also, if you don’t have time to go through the 20 minutes review right now, you can read the summary I provide down below.
Earlier on FujiRumors
John Branch has published a video, where he compares the brand new Fujinon XF50mm f/1.0 with the much loved Fujinon XF56mm f/1.2.
Down below are his findings, but keep in mind: the video was filmed BEFORE the important XF50mmF1.0 firmware update.
Especially considering the current huge deal on XF56mmF1.2 lenses, the 56mmF1.2 is great value for money (a lens I own and love). But from all I could see so far, if you do not mind the extra weight and size, the Fujinon XF50mmF1.0 is the way to go.
Fujifilm really put magic into that lens, a magic best described by Jonas Rask here, when he says:
My all time favorite lens from Fujifilm is the XF35mm f/1.4R – In my eyes it’s the perfect lens. There have been many wordings about that lens, and one thing that keeps on popping up in discussions is that it has a certain something that no-one seem to able to define. It always end up being labeled as “magic” which is silly.
The reason for its look is found in the optical design, a design that Fujinon decided to continue into the XF50mm f/1R WR. And that makes the images coming from this lens extremely appealing to those who like the look of the XF35mm f/1.4.
The images coming from XF50mm f/1 R WR has those exact same undefinable traits that makes me love my XF35mm f/1.4 so much. The sharpness that is sharp, yet not overly sharp. A flattering kind of sharpness that seems more rounded, organic and less digital/clinical. A bokeh rendering that is soft, delicious and very calming to the eye, and a color reproduction that gives a very lovely depth to especially warm color tones.
In other words, the XF50mm F/1 R WR is the portrait lens version of the XF35mm f/1.4 R!
Fujifilm has crafted a massive winner, and initial sales figures seems to confirm it!
