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THE KIT DAVID USED
GFX 50R
The Fujifilm GFX 50R features a 51.4-megapixel 43.8x32.9mm CMOS sensor and delivers outstanding image quality with advanced colour reproduction. It has a rangefinder-style design that’s weather resistant, as well as the world’s first focal-plane shutter for a camera of its kind.
Suited for architecture or landscapes thanks to its 35mm equivalent focal length of 18mm, this super-wide prime lens keeps distortion to a minimum and features a fast and quiet AF. GF23MMF4 R LMWR
“The buildof the camera and lenses is as goodor better thananything I've used, with smooth, positive controls anda reassuring sense of quality ”
exceptional level of sharp detail was a revelation and a quality that I suspect landscape and high-end portrait photographers will fall in love with. During a break in a photography commission at Silverstone Motor Circuit, I spent some time around the pits on a track day and, among other things, used this to test the dynamic range. Shooting in a dimly lit workshop with a bright daylight background is a hard test for any camera. By allowing the brightest highlights to just blow out at capture, during post-processing I was able to recover both those and also the deepest shadows with minimal noise in those darker areas. If that wasn’t test enough, I also tried shooting towards daylight in a tunnel so dark I couldn’t see anything of the walls while shooting, so was really impressed with howmuch shadow detail could be lifted from the files with so little noise. Although I attempted shooting high-speed track action including panning shots, my close-quarters viewpoint (and, more to the point, my poor panning skills) didn’t produce anything of note. Those excuses aside, I don’t sense that the GFX is a camera aimed specifically at action sport but, as mentioned earlier, one more suited to photography where detail, image quality and colour fidelity come into their own, and that is where the Fujifilm excelled. The GF100-200mm zoomwas put to the test at another track day, this time at a Porsche Club meeting at the Goodwood circuit with about 140 vintage cars on display and many thrashing round the circuit. I tend towards vivid colour and deliberate perspective in my shots, so this was a real opportunity to have some fun.
Trying to summarise, the build of the camera and lenses is as good or better than anything I’ve used, with smooth, positive controls and a reassuring sense of quality. Although a solid piece of kit and certainly not compact, it didn’t feel as bulky or as heavy as I had expected. The rangefinder-style position of the viewfinder to one side soon became comfortable and the battery life was better than expected, but I would really have liked more time to properly understand all the options, settings and capabilities to get even more out of the camera. Given more time, I would have liked to try street photography and put it through its paces on location, and in the studio for portraiture with more appropriate lenses. Although I shot Raw with JPG backups, I haven’t properly compared the in-camera conversions and film simulations with my Raw workflow, but that should be interesting. I can now start making plans for my next upgrade, but still to decide on one system or two – although I suspect two. The first, a light and compact yet capable set-up for travel, street and family photography. The second, more for commercial use, where ultimate quality is important and portability less of an issue. We would all be hard-pressed to buy a bad camera these days and there are many respectable and useful reviews available in the press and online. However, my advice to anyone is to do your desktop research, but the only way to really find out what’s right for you is hands-on experience. And therein lies the Fujifilm advantage!
GF100-200MM F5.6 R LMOISWR
The first telephoto zoom lens created for the GFX system offers high-resolution performance and rich bokeh. Ideal for shooting wildlife and sport, it features an optical image stabiliser, is weather resistant and has a 35mm equivalent focal range of 79-158mm.
GET INVOLVED
If you’re looking to make the switch to Fujifilm and want to be featured in Photography News , then visit the website below. Fill out the form and you could be selected to borrow a Fujifilm camera and two lenses for up to two weeks, free of charge! Terms and conditions apply and can be found at photographynews.co.uk/ maketheswitch
david@mckib.com mckib.smugmug.com @dmckib
Issue 70 | Photography News 33
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