Pentax 645Z Second Best Sensor Ever Tested after Hasselblad X1D… Fujifilm GFX 50S Test Coming Soon?

Pentax 645Z DxO Sensor Test

Back in October we reported that DxOmark said they will now test medium format cameras… and they kept their word.

The first camera they tested was the Hasselblad X1D, which immediatly jumped to the very top of the DxO Ranking, making it the best sensor they have ever tested (score 102). You can read their X1D report here.

Price and Specs: Pentax 645Z / Fujifilm GFX 50S / Hasselblad X1D

Now the full test of Pentax 645Z is also online and it confirms their preliminary results shared a few years ago. It gets a total score of 101. Check out the Pentax 645Z DxO sensor test here.

“It’s clear from our testing that the Pentax 645Z’s sensor is extremely capable, coming within a whisper of matching the performance of the Hasselblad X1D sensor (our highest-scoring sensor to date). The 645Z’s high dynamic range and color sensitivity make it ideally suited for capturing the types of scenes that are traditionally favored by medium-format photographers — landscapes, weddings, portraits, and still lifes (commercial). Medium-format shooters are interesting capturing images with lots of detail, low noise, and smooth tonal gradations.

In addition, the Pentax 645Z controls noise well, making it suitable for use in relatively low light, and perhaps expanding the range of conditions in which medium-format cameras are traditionally used.

It’s interesting to compare the Pentax 645Z sensor against the Nikon D850’s because although the former is about 1.7x larger, it’s also around three years older. While the 645Z beats the Nikon sensor in our tests, the Nikon comes closer than you might expect, given the size difference. If Sony made a medium-format sensor with the same design as the D850, it would beat the sensors in both the Pentax 645Z and the Hassleblad X1D-50c.”

Now only the Fujifilm GFX 50S is missing, and let’s hope the test follows soon.

Fuji’s Secret Test

As I reported here, before making the final decision to go Medium Format, Fujifilm made a secret test, using a Pentax 645Z file. The results of this test convinced them to go Medium Format. What exactly happened and what did they test? A trusted source told us everything here :)

TIPA Awards 2017: Fujifilm Most Awarded Camera Company. Prizes to GFX, X-T2, X-T20, X100F and XF23mmF2

If you were lucky enough to attend the Photokina 2016 (like me), you will have noticed that the by very far busiest booth was the one of Fujifilm. So it was clear to me, that Fujifilm must have done many things right over the last year, in order to attract all these people.

So it’s not really a surprise, that the latest Fujifilm products are highly awarded. I’ve already reported how:

  • the Fujifilm X-T2 got the Gold Award at DPReview (story here)
  • 14 Fujifilm products won the IF Design awards (story here)
  • the Fujifilm GFX got the DPReview Gold Award (story here)
  • the Fujifilm X100F earned the DPReview Gold Award (story here)
  • 17 Fujifilm products won the red dot design award (story here)
  • the Fujifilm X-T20 got the DPReview silver award (story here)
  • Only the Fujifilm X-System broke the DSLR Hegemony at World Press Photo Awards (story here)
  • at the DPReview Awards 2016, DPReview declared the Fujifilm X-T2 and Nikon D500 “Way in Front of the Rest” (story here)
  • the Fujifilm X-Pro2 Best Professional CSC and XF100-400 Best CSC Zoom Lens won the EISA Awards (story here)

Well, Fujifilm now sets another record. At this years’ TIPA Awards (2017), it is the most awarded camera company out there, with a total of 5 awards for:

As usual, at such competitions, there is an award for basically every brand out there. But it might be still significant, that Fujifilm is the most awarded brand.

Check out all the 2017 TIPA winners at tipa.com

Fujinon GF 23mm F4 R LM WR Announcement on April 19, 2017

Fujinon GF 23mm F4 R LM WR
Fujinon GF 23mm F4 R LM WR

Fujinon GF 23mm F4 R LM WR

The Fujinon GF 23mm F4 R LM WR will be announced on April 19, 2017.

Just as rumored yesterday, on April 19 Fujifilm will also announce the Fujinon GF 110mm F2 WR LM.

To me this means just one thing: I have to recover good from my birthday party on April 17, since on April 19 I want to be fit for the Live Blogging here on FujiRumors :).

And in case you missed it, I am selling a “FujiRumors” personalized wooden hand grip (for X-T1), a “FujiRumors” hot shoe cover and also a leather strap here. The value is of $110, and currently the highest bet is of $155. 100% of the money goes to charity to support free education in Cambodia at KNGO, the NGO we collected $3,500 last year with the sale of the fair trade recycled X-shirts.

So help me to make my brithday party awesome, and bid for a good cause (and awesome products) at the auction here (exp. April 17).

Oh, right, also the new Instax Square cameras, the Instax Square SQ and Instax Square SQ10 will be announced on April 19. The Instax Square SQ10 will be a hybrid digital/film camera. All details here.

Feel free to join other fellow 11,000 GFX owners and fans at the Fujifilm GFX facebook group. Follow the Fujifilm GFX facebook page for 100% GFX news and rumors.

Fujifilm GFX 50s: USA BHphoto, Adorama, AmazonUS EU: AmazonDE, AmazonUK, WexUK, ParkCamerasUK, PCHstore AUS: CameraPro

stay tuned for more :)
Fuji X Forum, Facebook, RSS-feed and Twitter

Novoflex Adapters for Fujifilm GFX 50s Available Soon

Fujifilm GFX 50s Novoflex Adapter

Credit goes to fellow Fujifilm GFX member Martin, who shared at the group here the news:

Two hours ago, Novoflex announced that they are working on an adpater for Fujifilm GFX 50s. The news has been shared at their official facebook page here.

Somebody said in the comments to the Novoflex facebook post: “Great!!!! I want use the Balpro on the GFX” and Novoflex answered in German “dauert nicht mehr lange” (it won’t take long anymore).

Nathan wrote a Novoflex/X-T1 Trilogy for FujiRumors. Here it is:

  1. Novoflex BALPRO T/S adapter review: Part 1 – Design, Operation, Controls, Adapters – Read here
  2. Novoflex BALPRO T/S adapter review: Part 2 – stability and accuracy – Read here
  3. Novoflex BALPRO T/S adapter review: Part 3 – Fun with the BALPRO T/S – Read here

Feel free to join other fellow 11,000+ GFX owners and fans at the Fujifilm GFX facebook group and to follow the Fujifilm GFX facebook page for 100% GFX news and rumors.

Fujifilm GFX 50s: USA BHphoto, Adorama, AmazonUS EU: AmazonDE, AmazonUK, WexUK, ParkCamerasUK, PCHstore AUS: CameraPro

DPReview Fujifilm GFX 50s Review: “The Best Image Quality We’ve Seen to Date” (Gold Award)

DPReview just published their full Fujifilm GFX 50S review… and it get’s the gold award.

Here are the Pros and Cons

Pros Cons
  • 51.4MP, 44 x 33mm sensor yields high image resolution
  • Excellent image quality in both Raw and JPEG
  • ISO invariant behavior above ISO 1600 gives increasing amounts of highlight recoverability
  • Contrast Detect AF is accurate and precise
  • Fujifilm color science, and color chrome effect, in larger than APS-C size
  • Direct controls provide for engaging shooting experience
  • AF joystick + touchscreen makes selecting an AF point simple, effective
  • Touchscreen flips vertically and horizontally
  • Weather-sealing and solid build quality
  • Comfortable ergonomics
  • Plenty of custom buttons
  • Dual card slots give flexibility and capacity
  • Electronic first curtain shutter mode minimizes risk of shutter shock
  • Lack of mirror avoids mirror-induced shock other MF systems bring
  • In-camera Raw processing lets you make full use of excellent JPEG engine
  • Easy-to-use Wi-Fi
  • Slow native lenses do not take full advantage of camera’s sensor size
  • Contrast Detect AF speeds can be sluggish in moderate light, often fails in dim or backlit situations
  • No high speed flash sync
  • AF-C is virtually unusable due to constant hunting
  • Moiré is visible in fine detail and patterns
  • ‘Shimmering’ and moiré in the EVF when focus is initiated
  • Unduly rolling shutter in complete (silent) E-shutter mode
  • No way to link minimum shutter speed to focal length with Auto ISO
  • No ISO 100 during video capture
  • No dedicated exp. comp. dial
  • Rear dial can be difficult to turn due to its position
  • Limited lens selection at launch

They also say:

“In principle, there’s a full frame camera that can match the Fujifilm in each of the specific areas in which it might be expected to excel: resolution, dynamic range and noise. […] However, if you aren’t pushing the camera to its limits in any of these respects, then the difference becomes negligible. The GFX’s greatest strength is its combination of all of these characteristics.

[…] And though it does offer the best combo of dynamic range, resolution and noise performance of any camera on the market, it only beats its full frame competition by a small amount.

[…] If Fujifilm truly wants to steal users away from Canon, Nikon and Sony (and they should), they’re going to have to get serious about a few things: releasing faster glass, improving AF, and packing the most modern sensor technologies that smaller formats provide.

[…] But ultimately, for successfully debuting a new system with an all-around lovely camera and the best image quality we’ve seen to date, the Fujifilm GFX 50S takes home the gold. “

Read the Full Review at DPReview here.

Fujifilm GFX 50s: USA BHphoto, Adorama, AmazonUS

And feel free to join our 10,700+ members strong GFX facebook group and to follow the dedicated GFX facebook page.