EXCLUSIVE: Hands-on with Fujifilm 100MP GFX medium-format

$10K for this camera is a bargain. If you're worried about cosmetics and weight, what about the excellent medium-format film cameras many of us are still using, including the various Hasselblads, Mamiya RZ67 and Pentax 67, among others? (Noting that none of them would win a beauty contest if the criteria were size and weight.) My main concern is the 44x33 mm sensor. I'd be happier to see a 2-1/4 x 2-3/4-inch sensor (nominally but erroneously called 6 x 7 cm) with fewer pixels if it gave us the same or greater tonal range as film. But if this new Fuji really will produce medium-format quality images (again as compared to film), then I'd be happy to sell the children in order to buy it. I don't know how anyone can consider $10K to be expensive, given the current competition in 100MP digital cameras.

Expected to be in the region of $10k. Well that's a very harsh competition in the MF arena. The related GF Fujinon's are stellar performers better than anything I've seen in my life - if they can reveal twice as much detail I'm afraid there's not much around that can do the same (unless again, Phase One and Hasselblad H).

This is one beast of a camera and I mean that in a good way.

Can't wait to see the files.

I give Fuji a lot of credit; in so many ways they are bringing to the market some really innovative and clever products.

This is a trivial comment, but it seems Fujifilm completely abandoned their design aesthetic with this camera. I always regard Fujifilm cameras as being some of the best looking ones out there. It seems strange that they would abandon the retro yet ergonomic design that Fuji shooters love.

But it's not like I'm in the market for this monster anyways.

Too big, too heavy, too bulky and without many of the wonderful knobs and buttons that define Fuji.

I like the look!

It may be too expensive for me but I like

The look of all the Fuji MF cameras.

Mike P

i hope it has bluetooth so i can upload directly to my IG acount.

Aside from the great-sounding tech, this is a truly dog-ugly camera body, and a low point in 'industrial design'. Not that the "S" is 'pretty', but Fuji's (three) MF bodies unfortunately exhibit none of the charm inherent in the design of their lovely, smaller X-Series siblings. imho

the baseplate should have had an accratech molded bottom for direct mounting to Gitzo/RRS tripod heads. Using this machine w/o a tripod is ridiculous.

This is so big that it warps the very fabric of space and time around it.

I love the look! It’s like a big industrial tool that only a true professional can fully appreciate. 😍

Otherworldly feat of technology, this must offer IQ levels we couldn't even dream just a few years ago.

The thing I get sad about is it's all essentially wasted. It falls in the who cares domain at this point in time.

99% of amateurs who can afford it will waste all this horse power in mundane shots that could very well be served with 10 mp APS-C cameras.

Before you get absurdly offended, let's be honest: 100mp is not for me or you. It's for extremely careful landscape or fine art, and high production value fashion and commercial photography.

Everything else will hardly ever need or *DESERVE* 100mp.

And pros are starving. I know that side of the fence very well.

Long gone are the days when the notion of 100mp would give you any commercial advantage over the next guy.

Clients don't give a flying F what you shoot, how many MPs, etc.

To be honest, you can create an advantage saying you shoot MF (I do BTW), but any MF will do

Any 40mp DB is already enough for a selling argument.

This camera isn’t meant for the majority of the people that frequent sites like DP Review. It’s primarily for commercial and landscape photographers. I still print large landscape prints (i.e., 20x30 and greater) for “home decor” decorating. It’s a smaller marker but one where people are still willing to pay for large high quality prints. There are still parts of the industry that don’t revolve around shots taken with an iPhone posted on Twitter.

Wow this must be a very good camera.....A lot friends said that to me. Now if i only can afford one i will proud.

Another great camera for shooting cat/puppy portraits...not to forget soccer moms!
;-)

For me this Camera is a vulgar display of awesomeness.

The size alone will allow wedding shooters to charge more. And the paying customers seeing how the camera is larger than their cousins D-7000 DSLR will feel better about paying the higher cost for prints.

Great, my websize photos on fb will look so much better with this camera....;) :)

Now if this would cost like max 5000 bucks things would start to get interesting. Camera prices today are ridiculous and will only speed up the inevitable death of the camera industry as we know it.

Technical feats and IBIS - impressive.
But to give a voice to rationality:
I wonder if this camera should be hardwire to a tripod to ever achieve what a 100MP sensor can do.
That's the reason few pros minded the size of MF bodies.
And who is this for?

It's amazing how people whine these days. Ego after ego.

It's amazing how people judge a priori, beforehand, with full prejudice, complete negativity; lots of personal prejudice and subjectivity; just read the comments below; sickening really. Nothing much of real value to see here.

How on earth is anyone supposed to make phone calls on that?

BSI, IBIS , DPAF, EVF, RAW, JPG, CPU, X-TRAN , CSI, NCIS, this camera has everything

The price is a major feature. Anyway, I read a lot of comments here, most of it shows that the customer base at dpreview is more representation of the micro 4/3 , apsc and full frame market, hence a lot of comments are irrelevant once looking at them from a medium format / commercial photographer standpoint.

Great spec for MF digital camera, despite the retro 80s Minolta MAXXUM look of the thing. But it really should of incorporated at least one CFexpress slot from the get go and larger buttons would of been nice too, there’s plenty of room for them! Even though I still believe Fuji is sticking with MF just to be different. For most situations, standard FF would of been just as good or better (faster lenses, sports photography) still, quite excited for this release.

Will it come in silver??

Can someone explain me why almost no major camera maker doesn't make the vertical grip ergonomics same as the main grip?

Why still the micro-MF sensor size? I thought they would have gone up a notch to proper MF size, in order to get good quality.

It's disappointing, but probably driven by the need to fit their existing range of micro-MF lenses. Tail wagging the dog, I suppose.

how in hell the brand than makes the X3T came up with this body?????

I guess I'll be dead by the time MF digital will get somewhat closer to the price of MF film. Yep, I know the current cost of film and processing and the hassle but looks like FF digital will suffice and spend what ever I have on travel and taking pics than MF. I still have a freezer full of 5x7 Velvia should I get the craving again.