Big test
“THE AUTOFOCUSING – WHICH USES DEEP-LEARNING AI TECH – IS THE BEST YOU’LL FIND ON ANY MEDIUM FORMAT”
sated by the layout of the rest of the camera body – there’s familiarity here for existing users in both layout and naming convention. Most controls are customisable from their factory settings for a truly bespoke camera set-up, including three new buttons that sit just behind the shutter release and on/off switch. Their functionality becomes apparent when you realise that icons on the top-plate LCD show what they’re controlling. The 3.2-inch three-way articulated touchscreen also has modifiable gestures for swiping up, down, left and right. A real treat awaits when you fire the camera up and look through the electronic viewfinder (EVF). Using 9.44 million dots and offering 1.0x magnification, the EVF is both huge and detail-rich. It’s the closest thing to an optical viewfinder I’ve seen and it makes composition a doddle. The eyepiece is easy to look through
for glasses wearers like myself and protrudes far enough from behind camera to avoid your nose touching the LCD. The EVF is also detachable so you can add the optional tilting accessory to boost framing versatility. While the GFX100 II offers the same 102-megapixel resolution as previous GFX100 models, some modifications have been made to elevate performance. The microlenses in front of the sensor offer improved light coverage in the corners of the frame, but the real headline is the sensor’s pairing with the X-Processor 5 imaging engine, boosting readout speed and
overall performance. This means a notable uptick in capabilities, which now include faster autofocus and a wealth of video features (more on these later) – plus up to 8fps can be recorded at full resolution with the mechanical shutter. And 8.7 frames are possible in a second using the electronic shutter – but only in 35mm format mode. Of these enhancements, the AF is worthy of greatest discussion. From a features perspective, the autofocusing – which uses deep- learning AI technology – is the best you’ll find on any medium format camera. Of that, there is no
ANTI-ARTIC Rear LCD tilts three ways but is not fully articulated, which is a shame
32 Photography News | Issue 113
photographynews.co.uk
Powered by FlippingBook