Fujifilm GFX 50S Review: Part 1
If you’re interested in digital medium format cameras, you’re probably aware that Fujifilm is one the leaders in this area. I’ve been the happy owner of a Fujifilm GFX 50S since 2018. In this multi-part journal, I will discuss what it’s been like to shoot with the camera — the good and the bad. I’ve also already written a blog about medium format in general, if you want to check that out.
Disclaimer: This is not a technical review, since I am not a product reviewer. This review series is based entirely on my experience with the GFX 50S, and is just my opinion.
General comments/overview
The GFX 50S is a mirrorless medium format camera, albeit a crop one. Even so, it’s still 70% larger than a standard 35mm full frame camera. It was announced by Fujifilm during the Photokina 2016 exhibition in Cologne, Germany and then produced and released on February 28, 2017. Fujifilm rightly skipped the full frame category and instead spent all its energy in bringing Medium format to enthusiasts and professionals.
The GFX 50S is quite a boxy DSLR-style camera, with a surprisingly light feel to it. If, like me, one of your previous cameras was a Fujifilm X-T3, you’ll find the GFX’s retro-style dials to be a welcome addition. The camera has two dials to provide tactile abilities, designed to enable a full manual shooter to take control of ISO and shutter speed.
I don’t use programmable or automatic modes much, so the fact that the 50S does not have an exposure compensation dial doesn’t bother me. If you are a fan of programmable modes, all hope is not lost. The 50S has quite a lot of additional buttons with an ability to customize to your needs (exposure compensation for instance).
Figure 01: The top dials are very similar to its younger sibling cameras. The top display is also a nice touch.
The LCD screen allows two way tilting which comes in handy when you cannot use the electronic viewfinder (EVF). The LCD screen feels sturdy when I pull it at varying angles. Another handy optical feature is that the EVF is removable and extendable with a tilt-shift adapter. Like any other mirrorless camera, you will experience blackouts, but these won’t hamper your creativity in any way during a shoot.
The camera is weather sealed well enough to feel safe using it during heavy wind, dust, rain or snowy days. Although you should be very careful when you take this (or any camera for that matter) camera in salt water. The weather sealing will not protect the guts of the camera from salt water.
When you pick up the camera, you will unmistakably know that you have picked up something different. When you walk through the streets, or when you sit in a coffee shop, your camera will definitely be noticed by many.
Ergonomics
The ergonomics of a camera plays a key role in your overall shooting experience. In my opinion, the feel of the 50S is perfect. I have a medium sized hand and when I first looked at the GFX 50S and GFX50R, I was immediately drawn to the former for its grip and balance — even despite its boxy exterior. The grip allows the camera to be held firm with one hand while using the other hand for adjusting the controls. However, this point is not as important if you mostly use a tripod.
Figure 02: The top dials are very similar to its younger sibling cameras. The top display is also a nice touch.
The camera is well balanced, distributing its weight across the body, instead of towards one side. This balance is important considering the typical lens size and weight in the GFX system.
Aesthetics
The 50S’ top screen is a nice touch, providing information to the shooter, without them having to look at the larger back screen. You will find the configurable button locations to be strange at first, but you will get accustomed to them eventually. Overall it is a very well built camera that looks and feels anything but cheap. The memory card slots are on the right hand side, the battery and connectivity options are on the left.
Fuji has done a very good job of retaining the menu design from its smaller siblings. It looks very familiar and took me less than a few minutes to get accustomed to. I’ve found that the detachable electronic viewfinder is a good idea and it comes in handy in a few scenarios and it also allows you to mount the tilt-adapter.
Shooting experience
Being a medium format camera, the 50S has a slower focus than 35mm or APS-C cameras. However, it is fast compared to many other medium format cameras on the market. Either way, the slower focus isn’t a bad thing. Photographers who use medium format become accustomed to the slowness and compensate for this with their skills (for instance, timing a shot instead of using a continuous shooting mode). This camera makes you slow down (I mean, really slows you down) and forces you to be intentional about what you shoot.
Once you get through the first few days of mourning the loss of speed (if you are new to digital medium format cameras), it grows on you. I’ve reached the point where I almost never take my X-T3 out anymore. The 50S will force you to be more strategic in taking pictures, since the end-to-end overall photography workflow tends to be much slower than a smaller system. Besides, if you shoot hundreds of pictures during a session, then you will be left to deal with hundreds of 100+ MB RAW files. Also having extra live pixels of medium format means that you don't have to fire as many shots to get a useful one.
Conclusion
The GFX 50S is definitely a leap in digital mirrorless medium format system and it is overall a very capable camera. Fuji has skipped the full frame, and has accomplished that feat at a near-full frame price. With acceptable aesthetics, very good ergonomics, and an awesome shooting experience, Fujifilm has delivered a portable digital medium format camera that rivals its competitors. The 50S is future proof due to its mirrorless design and packs many of the latest camera technologies, which in turn allows the camera to avoid coming across as outdated. In Part 2, I’ll share some of the drawbacks of the 50S system and then leave you with my final thoughts.