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Author Topic: Question for Fuji GFX100 owners  (Read 3535 times)

macfly

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Question for Fuji GFX100 owners
« on: February 13, 2020, 12:30:44 pm »

I've been following along all the GFX discussions here, and wanted to ask a couple of questions of those owners who've been out in the field a lot using the GFX for landscapes.

I'm currently working with a D850 and Sigma Art lenses, which in my own exhaustive tests absolutely eclipse Nikon's primes, and am considering the GFX system, so my questions are;

1.) Do you think I will see a game changing image quality upgrade in pre-Topazed files?

2.) I am a big fan of shooting nightscapes, but so far have not seen or heard of anyone doing this with the GFX system.

3.) I hear a lot of gripes about the UI from short term testers, but how are the controls to live with once you get used to them?

4.) Would you buy it again, or save up/take out a mortgage for a Phase XT?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and answers.


Putting the questions in context....

Day job - https://www.macfly.com

Hobby - https://www.andrewmacpherson.com
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nazdravanul

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Re: Question for Fuji GFX100 owners
« Reply #1 on: February 13, 2020, 03:21:49 pm »

I've been following along all the GFX discussions here, and wanted to ask a couple of questions of those owners who've been out in the field a lot using the GFX for landscapes.

I'm currently working with a D850 and Sigma Art lenses, which in my own exhaustive tests absolutely eclipse Nikon's primes, and am considering the GFX system, so my questions are;

1.) Do you think I will see a game changing image quality upgrade in pre-Topazed files?

2.) I am a big fan of shooting nightscapes, but so far have not seen or heard of anyone doing this with the GFX system.

3.) I hear a lot of gripes about the UI from short term testers, but how are the controls to live with once you get used to them?

4.) Would you buy it again, or save up/take out a mortgage for a Phase XT?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and answers.


Putting the questions in context....

Day job - https://www.macfly.com

Hobby - https://www.andrewmacpherson.com

1. Short answer - YES. The GFX 100 with GF primes blew my Sony A7r2 with Zeiss Otus lenses out of the water. Didn’t expect such a big difference. Very disciplined shooting, mostly f8, iso 100 to 400, same postproduction pipeline (Capture One, Photoshop, Helicon Focus, if needed).

2. Haven’t done it , yet, on GFX, so I cannot contribute.

3. Absolutely fine - after a thorough setup, including a non-trivial learning curve, I’ve come to fully appreciate all the customisation options and now the camera fits me like a glove. I feel like I got back the ergonomic comfort of the Canon 1 series / Nikon D3x, which I've, of course, missed on the Sony cameras, but with seriously enhanced functionality.
You need to read the manual and take your time - this is a pro camera, it's not 100% ready out of box - but it has everything you need to make it work FOR YOU. The only minor gripe is: button placement on the vertical grip is not identical to the main buttons, like I've grown accustomed to. But it really is minor. The UI, after taking the time to experiment and customise all the screens and all the buttons, is  now absolutely brilliant - FOR ME (and this concept and level of customisation is, I think, the missed point of the short term impressions / reviews).

4. As much as I would love those Rodenstock lenses on the XT, they would only come after a solid GFX setup, and after a few years, when I would pay 1/3rd of the new price, or less. And if money was no issue but I had to have only one system, the GFX100 + GF primes vs XT with the Rodenstock lenses, the GFX 100 would definitely be the one system I would have.
« Last Edit: February 13, 2020, 03:45:41 pm by nazdravanul »
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macfly

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Re: Question for Fuji GFX100 owners
« Reply #2 on: February 13, 2020, 06:34:09 pm »

Great and very helpful response, thank you.
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Andrew Macpherson
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Rand47

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Re: Question for Fuji GFX100 owners
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2020, 06:50:41 pm »

I've been shooting GFX 100 for landscapes.  While hard to tell from uploaded photos, here's a couple images in your "Chasing Ansel" mood:

32-64  "Pinnacles" Homage



100-200 zoom  "Whitney Portal - Sunrise"


32-64, 4-image stack, from ooc jpegs!  "Dry Gulch"


And for a little color action... here's "Mono Lake - Alpenglow After Sunset"  32-64 zoom, hand-held, ISO 800 1/25 second @ 64mm, f/8.  About 2/3 of the frame.


I don't feel much need to shoot large format film, let alone FF digital.   8)
As to handling.  I was already familiar w/ the Fuji ecosphere.  I think the design, button layout, menu system is brilliant.  Easy to set up once you know what you're doing.  While no camera is perfect, I've adapted to this thing quite quickly and love it.  There are a few things that could be improved via firmware and I'm hoping to see those implemented sometime soon.  And all of this merely talking about tripod mounted shooting.  Add to this you can shoot the darn thing "off hand" hand held at 1/15th second with the IBIS turned on, and get tack sharp images (if you have good technique) and the camera is a flat out bargain. 

Fuji's glass is as good as any I've ever used, and better than most.

Would I buy it again?  In a heartbeat.  A good friend w/ 80 mp Phase hates me, now. :P  No doubt the IQ 4 150 would produce even higher resolution files, but I honestly don't think I'd trade the incredible versatility of this thing for a Phase One. 

Rand

« Last Edit: February 13, 2020, 08:11:51 pm by Rand47 »
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macfly

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Re: Question for Fuji GFX100 owners
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2020, 07:07:49 pm »

Looks great, and thank you!
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Andrew Macpherson
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Rand47

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Re: Question for Fuji GFX100 owners
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2020, 07:12:35 pm »

Looks great, and thank you!

I see you're in LA.  I'm located in the Inland Empire near Temecula.  I'm also a fine art print-maker and could show you some prints from this thing if you'd like.

And, let me add a thought to the above comments on the camera.  In general, I think, the higher the resolution and the larger the sensor the less forgiving of sloppy technique.  I've found this true w/ the GFX 100 compared to other smaller sensor cameras I've used, and "in the files of" people I print for.

Rand
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Jim Kasson

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Re: Question for Fuji GFX100 owners
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2020, 10:38:29 pm »

I've been shooting GFX 100 for landscapes.  While hard to tell from uploaded photos, here's a couple images in your "Chasing Ansel" mood:


And for a little color action... here's "Mono Lake - Alpenglow After Sunset"  32-64 zoom, hand-held, ISO 800 1/25 second @ 64mm, f/8.  About 2/3 of the frame.




This is lovely. Your Whitney Portal shots remind me of this IR one, made from near Movie Flat:



Rand47

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Re: Question for Fuji GFX100 owners
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2020, 10:53:51 pm »

This is lovely. Your Whitney Portal shots remind me of this IR one, made from near Movie Flat:

Jim,

Thanks so much... coming from you it means a lot.

All I can say about your Whitney photograph is... WOW.  Absolutely beautiful.

Rand
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Jim Kasson

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Re: Question for Fuji GFX100 owners
« Reply #8 on: February 13, 2020, 11:10:14 pm »

Jim,

Thanks so much... coming from you it means a lot.

All I can say about your Whitney photograph is... WOW.  Absolutely beautiful.

Rand

Thanks. The clouds were spectacular. Rex Naden was in the neighborhood that morning, although I had not yet met him:

http://www.rexnaden.com/Black%20and%20White/content/20080428_large.html

Rex and I met the next morning at Mono Lake. We've been friends ever since.

Jim

michaelclark

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Re: Question for Fuji GFX100 owners
« Reply #9 on: February 14, 2020, 09:35:58 pm »

See my responses below -- I have a new one year later with the GFX 100 blog post coming out soon so stay tuned for that:

1.) Do you think I will see a game changing image quality upgrade in pre-Topazed files?

Indeed, the image quality is mind-blowing. My Nikon D850 has barely been used since I started shooting with the GFX 100 last April. I shot with prototypes for the GFX 100 launch and then received one of the first cameras to come into the USA. The D850 is still a great camera no doubt--I still have two of them.

2.) I am a big fan of shooting nightscapes, but so far have not seen or heard of anyone doing this with the GFX system.

I have shot a fair number of nightscapes with the GFX 100 and the camera does well. The limiting factor is fast wide glass, so while the camera can do these well you will be using longer exposures. At ISO 6400 there is less noise than on my D850 but still I wish there was a 24mm f/1.4 equivalent for night sky images. Of note, I have done some very cool streaking star images with long exposures and the camera does very well with those long exposures. I would say a 35mm DSLR or mirrorless camera with a fast lens (14mm f/2.8 or 24mm f/1.4) may be a better choice for nightscapes but if you want big image files the GFX 100 can do it decently as well.

3.) I hear a lot of gripes about the UI from short term testers, but how are the controls to live with once you get used to them?

The GFX 100 takes a long time to get to know as it has so many features no tester can really learn and get used to the camera in a short period. I am still figuring out stuff one year later and it has been my main camera as a working pro for the last year. Once you get used to the camera, I think it is a very easy camera to use. It just takes time--especially if you haven't used Fujifilm cameras before.

4.) Would you buy it again, or save up/take out a mortgage for a Phase XT?

Indeed. I would not buy a Phase or any other medium format camera over the GFX 100. The IBIS alone makes the GFX 100 a hundred times more versatile and usable over a Hasselblad or a Phase. I had a Hasselblad H5D 50c WiFi before the GFX 100 and sold it once I got the GFX 100. That should be telling -- at least for medium format. I don't think anything else can rival the GFX 100 right now in terms of usability, versatility and overall image quality for a wide range of photography situations.

Hope this helps.

Cheers, Michael

www.michaelclarkphoto.com

I've been following along all the GFX discussions here, and wanted to ask a couple of questions of those owners who've been out in the field a lot using the GFX for landscapes.

I'm currently working with a D850 and Sigma Art lenses, which in my own exhaustive tests absolutely eclipse Nikon's primes, and am considering the GFX system, so my questions are;

1.) Do you think I will see a game changing image quality upgrade in pre-Topazed files?

2.) I am a big fan of shooting nightscapes, but so far have not seen or heard of anyone doing this with the GFX system.

3.) I hear a lot of gripes about the UI from short term testers, but how are the controls to live with once you get used to them?

4.) Would you buy it again, or save up/take out a mortgage for a Phase XT?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and answers.


Putting the questions in context....

Day job - https://www.macfly.com

Hobby - https://www.andrewmacpherson.com
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kers

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Re: Question for Fuji GFX100 owners
« Reply #10 on: February 15, 2020, 07:19:56 am »

See my responses below -- I have a new one year later with the GFX 100 blog post coming out soon so stay tuned for that:

1.) Do you think I will see a game changing image quality upgrade in pre-Topazed files?

Indeed, the image quality is mind-blowing. My Nikon D850 has barely been used since I started shooting with the GFX 100 last April. I shot with prototypes for the GFX 100 launch and then received one of the first cameras to come into the USA. The D850 is still a great camera no doubt--I still have two of them.

2.) I am a big fan of shooting nightscapes, but so far have not seen or heard of anyone doing this with the GFX system.

I have shot a fair number of nightscapes with the GFX 100 and the camera does well. The limiting factor is fast wide glass, so while the camera can do these well you will be using longer exposures. At ISO 6400 there is less noise than on my D850 but still I wish there was a 24mm f/1.4 equivalent for night sky images. Of note, I have done some very cool streaking star images with long exposures and the camera does very well with those long exposures. I would say a 35mm DSLR or mirrorless camera with a fast lens (14mm f/2.8 or 24mm f/1.4) may be a better choice for nightscapes but if you want big image files the GFX 100 can do it decently as well.

3.) I hear a lot of gripes about the UI from short term testers, but how are the controls to live with once you get used to them?

The GFX 100 takes a long time to get to know as it has so many features no tester can really learn and get used to the camera in a short period. I am still figuring out stuff one year later and it has been my main camera as a working pro for the last year. Once you get used to the camera, I think it is a very easy camera to use. It just takes time--especially if you haven't used Fujifilm cameras before.

4.) Would you buy it again, or save up/take out a mortgage for a Phase XT?

Indeed. I would not buy a Phase or any other medium format camera over the GFX 100. The IBIS alone makes the GFX 100 a hundred times more versatile and usable over a Hasselblad or a Phase. I had a Hasselblad H5D 50c WiFi before the GFX 100 and sold it once I got the GFX 100. That should be telling -- at least for medium format. I don't think anything else can rival the GFX 100 right now in terms of usability, versatility and overall image quality for a wide range of photography situations.

Hope this helps.

Cheers, Michael

www.michaelclarkphoto.com
Hello Michael,
I see a lot of action + sports photos on you website.
Would you use - have you used - the GFX100 to make those?

BTW beautiful work!


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michaelclark

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Re: Question for Fuji GFX100 owners
« Reply #11 on: February 15, 2020, 12:10:25 pm »

Yes, I have! I shot action sports for the launch of the GFX 100. Check out their article on the Fujifilm-X website here:

https://fujifilm-x.com/en-us/stories/blazing-trails-with-michael-clark-the-gfx-100/

And you can also see more of the images on my website here:

https://www.michaelclarkphoto.com/COMMERCIAL/FUJIFILM/thumbs

Cheers, Michael

www.michaelclarkphoto.com

Hello Michael,
I see a lot of action + sports photos on you website.
Would you use - have you used - the GFX100 to make those?

BTW beautiful work!
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macfly

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Re: Question for Fuji GFX100 owners
« Reply #12 on: February 15, 2020, 06:25:45 pm »

Great shots Michael, I've book a GFX with the 23mm from Samys for a few days to take out to Death Valley at the end of the month, so I'll see how I get on with it.
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bbrantley

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Re: Question for Fuji GFX100 owners
« Reply #13 on: February 23, 2020, 02:08:50 am »

I am in the process of moving from D850 + Zeiss to GFX.  You've gotten good answers so far.  I'll echo some of them, and add a few things:

1)  Lens quality of 120mm and 250mm are on par or exceed Zeiss.  I primarily used 100mm/2 and 135mm/2 on D850 for most of my work, typically at f/5.6.

2)  Nothing compares to the focusing experience of those manual helicoids.  Focus-by-wire is only average, not great on GFX100.  X1d focus-by-wire was faster/better.  I would like to see Fuji open up the option to configure the "focus curve" on lenses -- how fast they accelerate versus the motion encoded by the ring.  This is a small usability issue.

3)  GFX100 wheels and buttons are not especially ergonomic for me.  However, they are acceptable.  They are more than fine on a tripod.

4)  GFX100 viewfinder with the angled extender thing are amazing.  The flip out displays are not good enough in bright conditions in the field.  That the viewfinder can move around so much makes it usable at all kinds of orientations.  I look forward to a radio-based viewfinder one day that I can wear like a jeweler's loupe (or a pirate's eye patch!) and not have to bend over at all, however.  :)

5)  GFX has unintuitive switching between various basic modes and strange interaction with how you manipulate ISO/Av/Tv degrees of freedom.  It is learnable but the least obvious of any camera I have used.

6)  I don't like the aperture rings on my two lenses.  My gold standard for aperture rings is Leica M.  I prefer to just use the wheels for aperture instead, but (a) the rings get bumped a lot and lock the camera into a weird mode and (b) see #5.  Oh well.

7)  Focus stacking interface is obtuse and Japanese.  I would prefer something more intuitive, like Phase's.

8)  I would love in-camera auto stacking, like Phase.  I think this is something Fuji could ship in firmware, if there is not an intellectual property issue.  (I don't know.)

9)  IBIS + in-lens stabilization is incredible.  I have shot on modern Nikon IS lenses, but no "serious" work because they are not as good as the Zeiss.  It's good enough that I would consider using it handheld for some "semi-serious" work.  It still makes me laugh when I see a 1/20s 120mm shot sharp as a tack at 100 megapixels.

10)  I like the dual-battery and USB-C on this camera.  It's nice to carry one cable and a laptop and be good to go.

11)  I normally don't shoot the D850 with a vertical grip, so this camera is bulkier for sure.  It is not really any heavier.

12)  There are a ton of special settings and custom configurations available.  It is overwhelming and very Japanese.  There are also arbitrary spots where, for some reason, you cannot make a specific change or override a certain button, even though there's seemingly nothing special or important about that button or change that should prevent it.  I actually wouldn't mind having a nice app on my phone to deal with all the complexity, but I know that's a bridge too far for most camera companies at this point.


Like others who have posted, I think this is a special camera with a strong runway ahead.  I'll probably stop using the D850s entirely when I add a second body as backup.
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SharonVL

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Re: Question for Fuji GFX100 owners
« Reply #14 on: February 23, 2020, 10:03:32 am »


1)  Lens quality of 120mm and 250mm are on par or exceed Zeiss.  I primarily used 100mm/2 and 135mm/2 on D850 for most of my work, typically at f/5.6.



Have you used the 110mm lens? I'm wondering how it compares to the 120mm.

Sharon
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Jim Kasson

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Re: Question for Fuji GFX100 owners
« Reply #15 on: February 23, 2020, 10:49:34 am »

Have you used the 110mm lens? I'm wondering how it compares to the 120mm.


My two favorite GFX lenses are the 110/2 and th 23/4. Here's an informal comparison of the 110/2 and the 120/4 with a distant subject:

https://blog.kasson.com/the-last-word/fuji-1102-vs-1204-on-gfx-50s/

Jim

SharonVL

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Re: Question for Fuji GFX100 owners
« Reply #16 on: February 23, 2020, 06:37:53 pm »

My two favorite GFX lenses are the 110/2 and th 23/4. Here's an informal comparison of the 110/2 and the 120/4 with a distant subject:

https://blog.kasson.com/the-last-word/fuji-1102-vs-1204-on-gfx-50s/

Jim

Thank you, Jim!
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Avalanche

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Re: Question for Fuji GFX100 owners
« Reply #17 on: February 26, 2020, 02:21:43 pm »

I am pondering about a similar question. I am currently on the Canon 5D IV. Thanks for all the useful information in this thread!

What are your experiences with the viewfinder? Is the connection more like a put it on and keep it there thing or is it something that can sustain a higher number of engagements? It seems like ti will be difficult to fit that in a photo backpack and I am wondering if it would be possible to take it off when you put the camera back in the bag.
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Re: Question for Fuji GFX100 owners
« Reply #18 on: February 26, 2020, 11:32:23 pm »

What are your experiences with the viewfinder? Is the connection more like a put it on and keep it there thing or is it something that can sustain a higher number of engagements? It seems like ti will be difficult to fit that in a photo backpack and I am wondering if it would be possible to take it off when you put the camera back in the bag.

Would you like the good news or the bad news first?

The good news is, it feels pretty solid to me.  The viewfinder extension thing is like a lump of steel.  I take mine on and off every shoot, because it doesn't fit where I store the camera.  I only use it with the extension; never by itself.

The bad news is, some of us have had problems with the viewfinder extension/camera interface going berserk, and it might be some electro-mechanical thing at the point of the connection.  Mine started out causing trouble but has not done it again since week one, but others seem to have more trouble.  Still, others haven't reported any issues.  I guess I'm hopeful that Fuji will take care of us if it turns out there's some underlying flaw.
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Jim Kasson

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Re: Question for Fuji GFX100 owners
« Reply #19 on: February 27, 2020, 10:43:36 am »

Would you like the good news or the bad news first?

The good news is, it feels pretty solid to me.  The viewfinder extension thing is like a lump of steel.  I take mine on and off every shoot, because it doesn't fit where I store the camera.  I only use it with the extension; never by itself.

The bad news is, some of us have had problems with the viewfinder extension/camera interface going berserk, and it might be some electro-mechanical thing at the point of the connection.  Mine started out causing trouble but has not done it again since week one, but others seem to have more trouble.  Still, others haven't reported any issues.  I guess I'm hopeful that Fuji will take care of us if it turns out there's some underlying flaw.

Put me down as someone who had EVF issues outdoors that went away when I stopped using the tilt-swivel bracket.
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