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A statement of intent Fujifilm’s flagship GFX100 II comes packed with the most advanced video features ever seen on a GFX System body. We ask DOP Jim Marks if it has earned a place in the world of high-end cinema cameras I t’s been only two months since the FUJIFILM GFX100 II was revealed at the X Summit in Stockholm. The
Marks has created commercial work for more than his fair share of globally recognised brands, including Disney, Fox, the BBC and ITV – among others. Advertisements for those premium brands often require a cinematic visual style, which Marks believes is well catered for with the GFX100 II. “I think it’s second in sensor size only to the ARRI ALEXA 65, which is a rental- only camera. I believe that, if you put the ALEXA 65 in 4K 16:9, the sensor coverage is identical to what we have here. So, it’s going to allow productions to have a small, nimble camera with the same coverage as this massive sensor – and which is relatively affordable in the whole context of the market.” While its enormous sensor is a headline feature, Marks is quick to point out that it’s not the only thing DOPs will find appealing. “It has all the tools that cinematographers require, whether it be internal ProRes HQ, ACES colour workflow, waveform… all aspects that make it a perfect on-set camera.” He continues: “Then there are the Film Simulations and, of course, F-Log2 for those who want to do their colour work. We have 8K/30p, 4K/60p, we have five-axis IBIS, external SSD recording – and all of this in a box that’s actually smaller than a Sony RIALTO system.” The ramifications of this are significant for productions both large and small, Marks notes. “Suddenly, you’re thinking:
landmark announcement made huge waves in the industry – but these are now being amplified by a veritable aftershock as feedback filters in from the DOPs who have been putting this large format mirrorless through its paces. “The first thing for people to get their heads around, which is kind of a crazy statistic, is that it’s 1.7x the size of a full- frame sensor – that’s a big canvas,” enthuses Jim Marks, a videographer, editor and DOP who has spent the last few weeks getting to grips with Fujifilm’s latest creation. “What that sensor does is allow you to be much more immersive – and get a wider field of view. It’s also enabled an enormous choice of lenses to be used on this camera.”
‘Oh, I can put this camera in places that I couldn’t before.’” With dimensions of 152.4x103.5x73.5mm and weight of 948g, Marks has also found the GFX100 II makes for an outstanding run-and-gun camera. “There’s a digital crop mode, so I can punch in and have that stabilisation. Then I might have my waveform on a function button, so I can add these things without taking my eye off the EVF. I can just work very fast. “The combination I love is using it with the new FUJINON GF55mm f/1.7 R WR,” he adds. “When I’ve got a sensor that big, it’s all about showing the person – the character – in the environment. What’s lovely about that lens is that it’s so fast and has wonderful eye tracking. And it’s not too big, so you could attach that, put
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