Photography News Issue 67

First look 17

Photography News | Issue 67 | photographynews.co.uk

Performance: noise

The GFX100 has a native ISO range of 100 to 12,800 with expansion at the fast end to 102,400. We’ll test the full ISO range when we have a full production camera, but to give an idea, here are two shots taken at high ISOs. This Tokyo night scene was exposed for 1/25sec at f/8, ISO 3200 using the GFX100 fitted with a 32-64mm lens at 42mm. The camera was tripod mounted. The Raws were processed in Lightroomwith no noise reduction applied.

Original image

ISO 3200

ISO 6400

(the 100-200mm and 250mm) and having an IBIS system is very, very welcome for still and video shooting. In the IBIS menu, you can turn it off, leave it in continuous or have it active when you are actually shooting. I left it in continuous and did tests with shutter speeds down to 1/4sec. The system seems to work very well, so more to come when we get to try a production sample. Shoot 102-megapixel files and you’ll need the infrastructure to deal with the resulting huge amounts of data. If you are contemplating buying a GFX100, a fast computer, a decently sized high-res monitor and plenty of external storage are definitely advised. An in-camera compressed 16-bit Raw is around 130MB and a JPEG around 20 to 40MB. Which, when processed, becomes a 600MB 16- bit TIF – even a JPEG is more than 60MB. A full file opens to an image measuring 11,648x8736 pixels so you can print to 98.6x73.9cm (38.8x29.1 inches) at 300ppi without any software interpolation. Drop printing resolution down to a perfectly acceptable 200ppi, and you’re talking 147x110cm prints.

To say I am impressed is to understate my admiration for the camera

I shot almost entirely in aperture- priority AE mode with multi- segment metering. I did not have any total failures, even in strong backlighting situations. When all is said and done, if the image quality from a camera does not measure up, then you might as well give up. But seriously – I dare anyone not to be impressed with the GFX100’s output. I processed my 14- and 16-bit Raws through Lightroom and to say I am impressed is to understate my admiration for the camera. Of course, this is when it all comes right and I did get shots that weren’t perfectly focused or ruined by shake (probably through user error), but when I got it right, the detail was truly amazing. Being able to zoom into the image and see the clarity of the fine details was awesome.

The camera’s high ISO noise performance was also impressive. The GFX100’s 102-megapixel back- side illuminatedsensor– the firstBSI sensor this size to use copper wiring – means smaller individual sensor cells, but the BSI design helps keeps noise down. A firm judgement can’t be made until we try a production sample, but shooting at ISO 6400 or even 12,800would not be an issue in my view, and the quality at these high speeds is remarkable. The GFX100 is the first medium format camera with a five-axis in- body image stabilisation system offering a benefit of up to 5.5EV (with the 63mm f/2.8 lens). So assuming 1/250sec is a safe shutter speed for sharp shooting, 5.5EV is equivalent to 1/6sec. The GFX system has a couple of lenses with image stabilisation

Above Shot with the 100-200mm f/5.6 lens at 100mm on the GFX100 with aperture-priority AE, giving an exposure of 1/50sec at f/8, ISO 1600

Summary

The FujifilmGFX100 needs putting into context. It is a top- end camera targeted at pros and experienced enthusiasts and costs more than a very good family holiday. And, while the digital medium format camera market has grown, thanks largely to Fujifilmwith help from Hasselblad and Pentax, let’s face it: it will never be big. In that context, the GFX100 is great value for money and what Fujifilm has achieved technically is truly remarkable. Image quality (from a pre-production sample) looks incredible and it handles really well, thanks to the new hybrid AF system and IBIS. And you get all this in a body comparable in size to a pro full-frame DSLR. Having spent less than a day in the company of GFX100, I have to say I am very impressed and look forward to testing a full production camera in due course.