This is the smallest and lightest Fujifilm medium-format camera yet and it includes a lens. It’s similar in size to the X100VI but a fair bit deeper, in order to house the same 102MP sensor utilized by the GFX100S II, plus a fixed 35mm f/4 lens. That equates to a 28mm focal length in full-frame terms – ideal for everyday and street photography.
Then there’s the top plate machined from a single 500g block of aluminum – a similar quality and process to the Sigma BF . Its feel and potential durability is a dream for camera lovers.
I’ll unpack the handling of the camera shortly, but my brief hands-on with the GFX100RF at Fujifilm’s House of Photography in London ahead of its announcement was enough time to convince me of the camera’s quality.
The Fujifilm GFX100RF costs $4,899 / £4,699 / AU$8,799 and comes with a premium strap, square lens hood, adapter ring and a protective lens filter. While it may seem expensive, that price is lower than the smaller-format Leica Q3 ‘s; the camera that holds the position of top premium pick in our best compact cameras buying guide ( ….for now).
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Medium-format has never been this small. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
However, the depth of the camera and its fixed lens means you’ll struggle squeezing it into a pocket. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
There are all-black or black / silver versions of the GFX100RF. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
The new GFX100RF has X100-series looks, in a deeper body housing medium-format tech. I haven’t taken any pictures with the new camera yet, but I have reviewed the GFX100S II and GFX100 II , and know just how good image quality is – though the new lens is unknown to me.
That sensor quality being paired with a fine-tuned fixed lens, and packed into a smaller-than-ever body (weighing just 735g, with battery and card), is seriously impressive. The concept actually makes a lot of sense, as do some unusual design touches.
With 102MP pixels to play with, an aspect ratio dial debuts, plus a lever for a digital crop – these take prominent positions on the top plate. Like the 61MP Leica Q3, the digital crop is really usable for the fixed lens, emulating 36mm, 50mm and 63mm focal lengths, at a reduced resolution for JPEGs.
Likewise, there’s a wide choice of aspect ratios, including panoramic, with a handy ‘Surround View’ semi-transparent guide that marks the cropped out area. Shoot in raw & JPEG format, and the raw file keeps the full 102MP resolution.
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The GFX100RF is the first medium-format camera by Fujifilm with a silver top plate. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
It resembles an X100-series camera. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Here’s its new aspect ratio dial (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
And a neat stack of control; a crop lever, command dial and on/off switch. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Here’s the lens, which comes with a lens hood, adapter and protective filter to make the camera weather proof. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
The lens has dreamy handling (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
The premium quality of the top plate cannot be overstated. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Every control feels premium and built to last, including the shutter speed / ISO dial, aspect ratio and a stack that includes the crop lever, a command dial and on/off switch.
The lens feels great too, with its aperture ring and easy rotation. It features a leaf shutter which makes a handy 4-stop built-in ND filter possible, plus it has a positive impact on battery life: the GFX100RF uses the same unit as the X-T5 and other Fujifilm cameras, yet is rated for 820-shots.
Burst shooting tops out at 6fps for sequences up to 296 JPEGs or 40 raws – not bad for a 102MP camera – while the maximum video resolution is 4K 30p 4:2:2 10-bit, but is supported by an impressive range of video features. This is, however, a photographer’s camera first.
Like the X100-series of cameras, the GFX100RF is only dust and splash-proof with the included adapter ring and protective filter attached. The 3.2-inch, 2.1m-dot tilt touchscreen is also the same type as found in the X100VI.
Other inherited components include the 5.76m-dot EVF from the GFX100S II. Personally I’m disappointed that Fujifilm didn’t opt for the hybrid viewfinder used by the X100-series because I’m a big fan of the optical display.
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Twin SD UHS-II card slots (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
Mic input, headphone jack, USB-C charging and micro HDMI ports are hidden behind a single door. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
The 5.76m-dot EVF, just like in the GFX100S II (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
The tilt touchscreen is the same unit used by the X100VI. (Image credit: Tim Coleman)
There’s also no sensor based image stabilization (IBIS), just a digital IS for video. That, combined with the lens’ relatively slow f/4 maximum aperture and limited light gathering capabilities are the biggest drawbacks that I can see from my quick hands-on – necessary compromises for the larger sensor format / compact lens size.
Overall, I’m super impressed by the Fujifilm GFX100RF and I can’t wait to have a longer period of time with the camera to really get a feel for it. Has the Leica Q3 met its match? Possibly, though there are medium-format drawbacks. Stay tuned for my full review and verdict.
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