Fujifilm has tried to make medium format photography more popular by not only reducing the size of camera bodies, as the Fujifilm GFX 100S shows, but also making them more accessible. Its latest medium format camera, the Fujifilm GFX 50S II, is one of its cheapest to date, priced lower than the now-discontinued Fujifilm GFX 50R. With an introductory price of €3,999 / £3,499 / AU$6,499 for the body alone, Fujifilm is trying to carve out a niche for its large-sensor cameras in the conventional full-frame mirrorless market, at least. From a price point of view. In terms of specs, it's unrealistic to expect a medium format camera to offer the blazing-fast burst speeds and autofocus performance of a Sony A1, but the GFX50S II takes steps to prove it's not all about speed. While the GFX50S II has the same contrast-detection autofocus as its predecessor, Fujifilm claims to have improved the Mark II's AF algorithm to make it faster and more accurate. To make sure the camera delivers on its promise of sharp shots, Fujifilm has also upgraded the 5-axis in-body image stabilization system to provide 6.5 stops of correction for camera shake, the highest of any Sony camera. the GFX series to date. Do you need more details? There's a multi-shot mode on board that works by pixel shifting to capture 16 raw images that can be combined during post-processing to produce a 200MP image. All 19 image presets from Fujifilm's film simulations are built in, including the Nostalgic Neg that debuted on the GFX 100S. It also inherits from the later X-Processor 4 that was used in the 102MP sibling, but unfortunately Fujifilm didn't carry over the GFX 4S's DCI 30K/100p video capabilities to the GFX50S II; video resolution here stays at FHD (1080p) up to 30 fps. Fortunately, it inherits the same compact body as the GFX 100S, giving it a more traditional DSLR-like styling and a familiar control layout that will allow anyone switching from a different system to easily adapt to the GFX series. The Fujifilm GFX50S II will be available from the end of September 2021 as a body-only option for $3,999 / £3,499 / AU$6,499 each or as a single-lens kit with the GF 35-70mm f/ 4.5-5.6 WR for €4,499 / €3,899 / AU€7,299.
Analysis: not all cameras are about video and speed
(Image credit: Fujifilm) It's a little disappointing that Fujifilm hasn't updated the GFX50S II's video specs, as many photographers today work with both stills and video. We're not asking for 8K video, but a 4K upgrade would have been nice. That being said, most photographers looking for a medium format may not like video. Instead, your top priorities will likely be blurry depth of field, smooth transitions between your subject in focus and the blurred background, amazing colors and tones, and the ability to reproduce at longer focal lengths without compromising field of view. However, this is not all. A 51,4 MP medium format sensor means you get larger pixels and lower pixel density compared to a 102 MP sensor, resulting in better signal-to-noise ratio, excellent dynamic range and performance. superior in low light conditions. Add in the IBIS performance of the GFX50S II and handheld photography promises to be a dream, especially for a medium format camera. While its slow 3fps burst speed doesn't win any sporting recognition, Fujifilm's improvements to the AF algorithms mean autofocus promises to be fast. In fact, we had the camera with us for a week before launch and were impressed with its AF performance. Of course, it won't be able to keep up with a tennis ball on a court, but it did manage to keep up with one of Sydney's river ferries. You can read more about our first experience with the camera in our hands-on review of the Fujifilm GFX50S II. Do the lack of 4K video and slow continuous shooting speed justify the $3,999 / £3,499 / AU$6,499 price? Maybe not for some people, but let's put that price in perspective. Not only is it more affordable than the original GFX 50S at launch, it's also cheaper than the Hasselblad 907X 50C at $6,399 / £5,990 / AU$11,500. Want to compare it to the current crop of full frames? While it's a bit unfair to do so due to the vast difference in performance, the GFX50S II is priced the same as the 5 MP Canon EOS R45.7, slightly higher than the 7 MP Sony A61R IV, and is much cheaper. than the fifty1MP. Sony Alpha 1. All of these full-frame cameras have raised the bar for performance and video speed, but that's not the goal of Fujifilm's GFX cameras. The goal here is to make medium format photography more attainable and mainstream, and that's one thing the Japanese camera maker achieves with devices like the GFX50S II.