Fujifilm has officially launched the mirrorless medium format Fuji GFX 50S – price tag £6,199 – with a release date set for March 2017.
Fuji originally announced the camera back at Photokina 2016, which turned quite a few heads in the industry. Fuji later told us that at the show that it was skipping over full-frame to develop this medium format GFX system because it felt that creating a full-frame system would upset the many photographers who have invested in its APS-C system.
Fuji GFX 50S: sensor size
With today’s official launch we get more details on the Fuji GFX 50S wider specifications and highlight features. Chief among these is its newly developed 43.8mm x 32.9mm x 32.9mm, 51.4-megapixel CMOS sensor, which boasts approximately 1.7x the area of full-frame sensors.
What’s more, the GFX 50S offers better resolution and sensitivity than full-frame cameras with comparable pixel counts because its individual pixels are larger in size, Fuji says.
This means the new sensor can resolve images down to the smallest details, giving images an almost three-dimensional look… which is something we’re eagerly testing as we type!
Fuji says the GFX 50S sensor is capable of producing images for billboards and large format commercial prints.
Fuji GFX 50S: AF system
The Fuji GFX 50S boasts a 117-point contrast AF system (9 x 13/maximum of 425 points when miniaturised).
Like the Fuji X-Pro2, users can select a focus point using a Focus Lever on the back of the camera. This feature, which proved popular on last year’s X-Pro2, allows users to quickly scroll across the available AF points.
Alternatively, users can select an AF point via the touchscreen on the rear LCD.
Fuji GFX 50S: viewfinder & LCD
Also unique to the Fuji GFX 50S is a detachable 3.69m-dot organic EL electronic viewfinder. By fitting Fuji’s EVF-TL1 tilt adapter (sold separately), you can change the angle of the GFX 50S’ viewfinder to a maximum of 90 degrees when shooting in landscape format, or 45 degrees in portrait position.
On the rear of the new mirrorless medium format camera is a 3.2in, 2.36m-dot LCD touchscreen which offers three-directional tilting functionality.
Powering the GFX 50S is Fuji’s X Processor Pro, which is also inside the company’s recent X-T2 and X-Pro2 additions.
Fuji GFX 50S: memory
The Fuji GFX 50S uses SD cards like the cameras in Fujifilm’s X-series. However, the GFX 50S employs dual card slots and supports three types of recording methods.
In Sequential recording mode, images can be continued according to shooting order. Backup recording mode records the same data to both card slots.
Meanwhile, you can also choose the Sorting record mode, which save raw images to one card and JPEGs to the other.
Fuji GFX 50S: max shutter speed
Fujifilm says it has also developed a new focal plan shutter for its new mirrorless medium format camera which helps it achieve a maximum shutter speed of 1/4000sec, or 1/16000sec when using electronic shutter.
The GFX 50S can also achieve a flash synchronisation speed of 1/125sec or less, and can support up to 150,000 shots.
What’s more, photographers can choose between an electronic front curtain shutter and a complete electronic shutter, helping to keep camera shake at bay when shooting with low shutter speed settings between 1/30 and 1/125sec.
Fuji GFX Price & Release Date
The Fuji GFX 50S price tag body only is £6,199, and is not available as a kit.
Fuji will release the GFX 50S and its lenses in March 2017.