AGENDA
NEWS
Fujifilm finally reveals details of its GFX Eterna 55 large format cinema camera I t’s been one of the most highly anticipated cameras of the past year, and now Fujifilm has officially launched the GFX Eterna 55, a cinema Eterna question finally answered and the camera adapts to any lens with an appropriate image circle. A native G Mount keeps it compatible with GF lenses, while Fujifilm’s new PL mount adapter opens the door to cine glass.
camera built to deliver Hollywood-level visuals within a compact, production- friendly package at a competitive price. Almost a full 12 months since the development of the 102-megapixel mega camera was revealed, the new Eterna does not disappoint, with cutting-edge features like the world’s first electronic ND for large format, phase detection autofocus and a huge range of codecs. And it costs a competitive £13,999/$16,500 body only. What’s impressive is the sheer size of the sensor – the only way to get the super-cinematic blockbuster look. It’s the 44x33mm GFX CMOS II HS sensor used in the brand’s GFX stills camera range, with a diagonal of approximately 55mm. It’s around 1.7x larger than a conventional full-frame sensor, and its size makes it the tallest large format sensor that’s designed for filmmaking. The GFX has the largest area of any sensor at 1441 sq mm, compared to the Arri Alexa 65 which covers 1385 sq mm, while the Blackmagic Ursa Cine 17K 65 is 1184 sq mm. But the sensor shapes are different, so the Arri is the widest at 54.1x25.6mm to give a 59.9mm diagonal. The Ursa is 50.8x23.3mm for a 55.9mm diagonal, while the Eterna measures 43.8x32.9mm for a 54.8mm diagonal. Changing aspect ratios means a crop is used, which affects how much of the sensor is in play. The GFX Eterna 55 enables open gate 4:3 to Super 35, 35mm and Premista crops,
One of the most useful innovations is the electronically variable ND filter. Covering 0.6ND to 2.1ND (2-7 stops), the filter can be adjusted in ultra-fine 0.015 increments or in 0.1-stop steps. To ensure accurate colour without moiré, Fujifilm has created an optical low- pass filter that uses four-point separation. Combined with Dual Base ISO at 800 and 3200, the GFX Eterna 55 promises great performance even in challenging light. Drawing on more than 90 years of film expertise, Fujifilm has included an expanded suite of colour pipelines. The camera offers 20 Film Simulation modes, including the Eterna, Velvia, Acros and Eterna Bleach Bypass looks. These can be previewed live on-set while recording clean Log footage, or baked into recordings for faster turnarounds. Colour grading flexibility is boosted by support for F-Log2 and F-Log2 C, capturing over 14 stops of dynamic range. For precision workflows, ten Film Simulation LUTs are available at launch, which can store up to 16 LUTs internally for instant preview or final looks. The camera supports Apple ProRes 422 HQ, 422 and 422 LT recording internally, alongside HEVC/H.265 and H.264. When capturing in ProRes, it can also generate ProRes 422 Proxy files for streamlined offline editing. For higher-end workflows, the camera outputs 8K/30p 12-bit Raw via
HDMI. Fujifilm has also embraced Camera to Cloud workflows, enabling direct upload to Frame.io, so editors can begin cutting even as footage is still being shot. The standard ISO range is 400-12,800, extendable down to 100 and up to 25,600. In resolutions higher than 4K, frame rates max out at 30fps, but C4K and lower goes
WOODEN YOU LIKE SOME ACCESSORIES?
Although many standard accessories can be used – like a Zacuto viewfinder – Fujifilm is also working on its own custom EVF. It had a working demo ‘under the counter’ at the IBC Show and Pro Moviemaker got a secret preview of it in use. It’s still only a protoype, but is very compact and bright. Sadly, no photos were allowed!
It’s important that any cinema camera can be built up into a working production rig, and Wooden Camera has already launched a full custom ecosystem of accessories for the GFX Eterna 55. The Californian company has a modular top plate and a set of Nato rails, handles and brackets to fit Gold or V-Mount batteries – plus a lens mount for Arri LPL glass.
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