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The versatile option DOP Ash Connaughton puts the GFX100S through some real-world tests
F ujifilm’s GFX100S stills and video hybrid camera might be small and very affordable, but it has incredible spec, with a 102-megapixel medium format sensor that is larger, at the 16:9 ratio, than Arri’s Alexa 65. And the whole £5499 camera weighs only 900g/1.98lb. So, I was very excited to get my hands on it for a new project I was shooting with director, Jay Mansell. The premise was a single-take tracking shot of an actress delivering a longmonologue. For the shoot I had inmind, I really wanted to portray the subject to appear isolated within a larger world. I knew a large format camera, such as REDMonstro or Sony Venice, could give me this look, but I just wanted something a bit more and my budget was not going to stretch to the Alexa 65. The GFX100S seemed like the perfect option, plus I could forgomy gimbal and test the new camera’s in-body image stabilisation and autofocus. The shot was relatively simple, withme walking backwards and handholding the camera in a makeshift rig, as the actress
walked towards me. I used a GF80mm f/1.7 lens, which is the world’s fastest medium format lens and gives about the same angle of view as a 63mmon full frame, and 45mmon Super 35, so it was relatively tight for a walking handheld shot. The lens has nine rounded diaphragm blades for smooth bokeh and is very sharp, even when shooting wide open. It’s also weather-sealed, like the body. A compact set-upmeant shooting was quick and easy, being able to pick up the camera and go. The IBIS on the GFX100S is rated for 6EV of shake and did a stellar job of stabilising wobble. The footage wasn’t quite gimbal smooth, but did an excellent job of smoothing things out. Should you want a more traditional handheld feel, you can easily disable IBIS in the camera menu. I shot just shy of wide open at f/2 and, despite it being so shallow, the focus fall-offwas smooth and gradual, and the AF proved very reliable. Overall, the AF and IBIS of the GFX100S is exceptional and totally usable for smooth handheld tracking, making it excellent for
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