Remember you can check all the photos in this video over on my blog at julianbaird.me/blog/2021/6/5/fujifilm-gfx100s-the-ultimate-landscape-photography-camera And you can get access to my FREE landscape photography locations map at julianbaird.me/blog/2021/1/18/my-free-landscape-photography-locations-map
I have just purchased my first #100# megapixel GFX camera the new 100S ii it's a phenomenal camera. I purchased this camera because the auto focus has significantly been improved that I can use for other things as well. I'm a big GFX fan. It's not for everyone and it can be a quirky system to use and even a little bit tricky it's a bit like driving a hummer. BIg heavy ..not fast not fast.... But very effective in all conditions. In terms of image quality it is absolutely phenomenal. I was blown away. My jaw hit the ground even when I've had my GFX 50s ii but the hundred is just insane in terms of image quality. The biggest challenge with GFX cameras is depth the field and you can even do a focusing measure in the menu system which actually goes on the screen so you can see where your focusing. It's a great initiative on a GFX camera which I hadn't seen on any other camera to be honest.
This is the great thing about cameras these days....there's a camera for everyone! While the GFX wasn't a camera for me, I appreciate hearing from passionate GFX users like yourself. :-)
Love the size & tactile ergonomics of the GFX cameras. The lenses are sublime & well worth buying the body for - to use them. Any of these lenses would stand up against the best of the best of Sony / Nikon & Canon & this is something to thing about. Lenses are heavy for a reason !! That's why they depreciate in value - so much less than similar lenses or camera bodies ! Weight is an issue but - there's a secret to medium format that can reduce the lenses you need to carry - I'll leave that for you to work out !! The Gf 23mm is a superb lens - very versatile !! When coupled with the sensor size & the image management of the GFX cameras. It's a hard decision !! Would I change if I had a TOTR Nikon & lenses etc - maybe not. But if I wanted to transfer to a high quality system - without the baggage of their lenses - definitely would !! Everybody is going on about weight - You need less lenses !!!
Hi Jules, I left Fuji crop sensor because one of the biggest issue with Fuji is the sharpening in Lightroom. The 2 things you mentioned in your video. 1 Duel card slots. 2 Ability to have a shutter speed longer than 30 seconds & a count down of the exposure on the top LCD screen. These are both on the Z7ii. I think you have to justify how big do you print. Z7/Z7ii will both print A1 comfortably. Storage capacity for those huge files. Weight of the camera. Just upgrade to the Z7ii it is the cheaper option & you won't loose that much. Great video.
Hey Nicky, I did think about going with the Z7 II a few times, but I just couldn't justify the cost. I decided to spend the money on photography trips instead. I don't worry about how big the raw files are....all my videos are filmed in 4K so 100mb image files are the least of my concerns! lol
Fujifilm support is amazing, I dropped a lens face on the ground, dented the filter which couldn't be removed and had cracked. Took it to the Fujifilm dealer, had it back the next day and I didn't pay a cent. The shopping experience was also really nice, not pushy, more like what one experiences if one shopped at an Apple store
Interesting to hear your thoughts. Of the current offerings the GFX100s is probably the one I would most likely move to from my current Z7 setup, but I am very happy with the Z7 and it would be difficult to justify the cost. I have had the opportunity to play around with some of the raw files from the GFX100 courtesy of Adam Gibbs and I have to say that they are amazing. Kudos to Fuji for producing such an impressive camera for a reasonable price point for medium format! Cheers Julian!
Cheers Chris. Like you I'm very happy with the Z7 and justifying the cost of moving to the GFX100S is a tricky one. But yeah, you are right, big kudos for Fujifilm for making this type of camera more available to the masses. :-)
Wow great video. 12k .. a lot of money for a lot of people. For me this is a lotto win purchase!!! Very informative Julian and you covered a lot. Appreciate your candid comments at the end too. 👍
Great video. I had at one point narrowed down a dream landscape camera to the z7 ii and this GFX 100s. Leaning towards the Z. 1) Price 2) Weight 3) Lens versatility I take pictures while backpacking/climbing mountains and fishing and like a bit of astro so the wide apertures and lower weight of the Z system has won me over. Now I just need to find some money haha and the will to press that buy button.
Fuji backup, superb and on the ball, software updates again on the ball. They appear to be a company that really cares. I used Nikon's through my working life always superb. I moved away from photography whilst the digital revolution took place. Bought back into Nikon and wished I hadn't. Picked up a friends XT2 and loved the feel of it and those lovely dials lol. So now I use XT3s and an X100V. I can stand upright carrying them. I have used the 50s and the 100r both superb and the GFX100/200 lens is to die for. But I wouldn't want to be carrying them around all day. I am sure Fuji will pull in photographers from the 35mm users and for sure it is a cheaper option to Hasselblad and Phase one. And just to start people thinking, we have 4 thirds, APSC, 35mm, medium format, and large format. All of these are full-frame if using the lenses that are designed for said sensor size! Glad you enjoyed using the 100s and keep up the good work Julian. Oh one bad thing, the Fuji mobile phone app is a nightmare.
Thanks for watching Ian and for sharing your experience with Fuji. As for the app, it's not any worse than any of the others I've used. The bar is low though. lol
As a current owner of the 100S and 50R I think by far the biggest shortcoming is current lens line up. The lack of a extreme wide angle has been for me an mild annoyance, the GF 23mm is it - there have been times where I'd love to have something in the 14mm (FF) range. The overlap between the zooms is really something Fuji should have given much more thought to, there's nothing in the GF lens selection like Nikon Z 14-24mm/24-70mm/70-200mm. All of that said, I own this camera and really enjoy using it and don't regret buying it.
Thanks for watching Scott. I shoot a lot of super wide angle images and I did find 23mm a little bit restricting. If owned this camera though. I'd probably be as happy with it as you clearly are. :-)
Had and also still have my Nikon Z7 but my wife uses it today. Waited a long time for the Z8 ... so we could both take the step up to mirrorless. Took the opportunity to step up to medium format and the GFX100S. Kept my D500 and a Nikon 200-500 mm though We take about the same pictures with our cameras. Can see after a few months that the Nikon camera performs very well in relation to the Fuji medium format camera. But there is something there that is different with the 100S. More of a feeling that the image is more "pure" or "clean" whatever that may be. The camera or image can also withstand high ISO numbers without you even notice. Editing on the computer have to be done much more carefully and less compared with pictures from the Z7. Knew already that the 20 mm Z mount lens was good and now I can compare it with a Fuji 23 mm (18 mm FF) on the GFX camera. The 20mm on the Nikon Z7 is indeed a very good lens!
I am an early adopter of the GFX 50S which I think is a more versatile camera than the 100S. I have the 23, 32-64 and 100-200 lenses and I think I have enough variety of focal lengths to cover what I do but when Fuji release a 20-30 (ish) zoom lens I will jump with both feet. I understand that for many the price is a big hurdle but TBH unless you can see the images in full res rather than downsized fot TH-cam the decision will be difficult. Keep in mind that these days there are no bad cameras out there some just do some things better than others.
Totally agree, you should never base a buying decision on the compressed photos you see on a TH-cam video....especially when that decision comes with a big price tag. Also totally agree with your last point. :-)
Did have the 850. Switch to GFX ( having used Fuji X cameras in the meanwhile) and did not looked back for what I do. Way simpler to use. Way better image quality. Mirrorless. Less lens choice at this time
Thanks Vitor. For me the case would have been different if I'd still had my D850. I would have been getting all the mirrorless features as well. However, I probably still would have gone with the Z7. Either way, the D850 is still the best DSLR there is.
I have had great experience with Fuji, I had a lens lock into auto and they collected lens and turned it around within a week. The Firmware has also been something to look forward to as like others have mentioned it has not just fixed issues but added features and with my X-T3 dramatically improved AF to a point where I didn’t want the X-T4. The gfx-100s is impressive but not a camera I’d want for carrying around all day.
Another great video Julian, thanks. Having owned Fuji cameras since the launch of the X-Pro1 my experience of aftersales has been very good. Firmware updates not only fixing issues but adding new features, and updates continuing for older models too. I took advantage of the free Fuji loan, looks like you got the camera I returned just before the Bank holiday. Agree with all you said, the joystick was disappointing, less so the front/back dials. I did very much enjoy the ergonomics and taking photos with it. Only by using it for a few days did I come to see what you get for the money, and overall I would say the GFX system is good value. It would be a much bigger jump in sensor size for me (coming from X-T4, rather than Z7), so makes some sense to jump over full frame (using 'man maths'). I am still considering it, but the one big issue is size/weight over the X system, and right now I don't feel I have any practical use for such a big sensor/imagine size. Then I consider that the images I take now will be around for decades to come and the size may be of use in the future. One thing that puzzled me was my CPL was having less effect that I would typically see on my X system, I was using a new CPL (to me), but wondered if you noticed this and could it be due to the dynamic range in the GFX than I'm not used to? There are now some great used deals on Z7's and other full frame options, which would make a new medium format camera a lot more expensive still currently though.
Cheers Rod, good to know you've had positive experiences from your Fujifilm ownership. Interesting you also tried out the GFX100S.....handy that free loan service! Can't way I noticed any difference on the impact of the CPL though. I used my Kase K9 CPL on both the river and Dalwish Warren shots and it seemed to preform as it normally does. Z7 bargains....you could buy a Z7 and a range of lenses for the cost of just the GFX100S body....it's good to have choice though! :-)
Should have said, I use the Kase K75(?) system, great for Fuji mirrorless as smaller (and cheaper) and works great with X system. K9 as you say would be fine with GFX glass.
Excellent review and some great photographs. The detail in the photographs with this camera and the 23 mm lens is just stunning. I agree that it may not be worth the price and weight premiums, but I’d still like one.
Interesting to hear your thoughts and though I've only a 50S I still get a bit of the Wow factor when I nail focus front to back and see the detail. Also having a penchant for LEs I couldn't give up the ease of dialling in say 4 minutes and also makes me laugh when I see people post 242 seconds like those 2 seconds matter LOL
I had the D850, a great camera indeed. I found the size and weight to be something I did not want. When the Z 7 came out I jumped at the opportunity and made the switch, I find the image quality to be fantastic and as well as the S lenses. Like you, I would see no compelling reason to switch to the GFX100s for image quality, certainly would not want a heavy camera again. Besides landscapes I also should wildlife, more often birds, more of them around. So heavy equipment is something to avoid. Good personal review, thanks for sharing.
When I feel confident that my photographs can and should be printed at more than two meters wide, I'd then consider one of these. Until then, my 36MP sensor will provide ample resolution for a meter wide print. For anything larger there is always the 4X5. Good video BTW.
Really interesting video, and great to hear your thoughts on this Julian. I've had the GFX100S in my mind as being the 'ideal' landscape camera for me, but we need a system that's good for wildlife as well as landscapes, so we'd end up having to use this alongside our current system! I've been worrying a bit about the price of upgrading to the R5, given the this isn't much more expensive, but your comments about it not being a huge leap on make me feel a bit better about that now! Sam.
Thanks Sam. It all depends where you are coming from. Finding a camera that is a big jump in quality from the Z7 is a big ask. It will be the same with the R5...depends what your current camera is....anyway, I'll try and not convince you to spend your money! lol
I guess the idea with that much resolution is you don’t need every focal length, use whatever you have a little wider than the scene you want to end up with and crop in post
Thanks for your review Julian. It’s a lovely camera but lighter weight is very important to me. Price aside my use case would have to be either very close to a car or in a studio. I wish more cameras had the tilting viewfinder like the gfx50s and gfx100 and a very old Minolta A2 I still have in the cupboard.
@@jbairdexp nice, unbelievable how small the rear screen was compared to what we have now. My first digital was the Nikon 990 then Canon D30, largely driven by my personal desire to drop film ASAP.
A great video Julian. I'd love to see a side by side capture of the same photograph to see the detail between your own Nikon compared to the Fuji, and then zoom in to see if and when any detail gets lost. Just a thought. Thanks my friend, Tony
Thanks Tony. This was one of the limitations of only having the camera for a couple of days. There wasn't really the time to do side by side comparisons with the Z7. All I could do is compare similar shots from my library and from those I couldn't see an immediate and dramatic difference. It might be there, but I'm not going to loose any sleep over it. :-)
Great interesting vlog Jules! I think most of us passionate landscape full frame photographers would admit to looking at medium format as an upgrade option! cost and weight would be most peoples negatives I think, once again this shows no camera is perfect! last year I upgraded to the Canon R5 and although to me it's amazing its certainly not perfect! i've owned a few Fuji x cameras over the years and 2 little things that always impressed me is, as you mentioned, the ability to take a long exposure over 30 seconds without going into bulb mode and the other is when you turn the camera into vertical mode all your settings looking at the lcd rotate too! finally I was sure from Emsworthy you would have visited Bowerman's Nose!
@They Caged Non I know right! my canon rotates settings info through the Evf but not on the lcd which for landscape is super handy. I did suggest it through the canon website but never heard anything back.
Thanks Tom! You are right, no camera is perfect. Most of us live with a the niggles of our current camera. I hadn't considered the feature of the settings rotating when you rotate the camera! I had to check to Z7 to see if it did that....it doesn't, but I'd never noticed before....funny what you get used to isn't it. The reason I didn't Bowerman's Nose is because I'm making a video there in the very near future. ;-)
Thank you for a very informative and honest review. This looks like a very desirable camera system and if I could afford to buy one I probably would. However, that being said, I would probably become disenchanted with both the weight and size pretty quickly. As I get older I'm finding that smaller lighter systems work better for my needs and the GFX would probably end up sitting at home most of the time. As the old saying goes....the best camera is the one you have in your hands.
Another enjoyable video Julian . What a beast of a camera great review really enjoyed your easy to follow review . Lovely images how do you think detail wise to your Z7 ? take care Trev
Thanks Julian, a really interesting analysis. Nice to see someone giving a really honest assessment about this camera, worts an' all. One question. Did you find it a challenge getting the depth of field you wanted without getting lens diffraction from having to use a really small aperture?
You bring up a very good point Paul. The strange things that I have notice on Medium format lenses (through watching detail reviews) is that they have the same behaviours as full frame (pro) lenses i.e very good wide open, sweet spot in-between F4-F8 and diffraction at F16. This is strange because to get enough of the depth of field, in one shot, F16-F22 will be your staple. So underutilised the full greatness of said lens and sensor. This was the deciding factor in Aaron Reed returning his GfX 100 for the then Sony A7R4 (now R5).
Thanks Paul. No particular challenge with DoF. I already knew that smaller apertures were probably required, but can't say I noticed any problems with diffraction.
All I can say about Fuji service is that in nearly a decade of using Fuji cameras and lenses (many of them) I only had to use it once , as they had a recall early on on the GFX 100. Gone and back in less of a week with an additional year of warranty added to booth. The GFX systems in fantastic but not for everyone. And I do agree with the comment about ultra wide. To which I would add ultrafast for astrophotography. In the end the choice of this system is about ultimate image output at a price that is the lowest in the industry at this time
@@jbairdexp Yes I think its worth the extra cost for the smallish gain though because when you are at the top end of anything, including our own biology in sporting events every inch gained requires an exponentially greater effort. The cost is genuinely worth it if you want that small gain because the effort that's gone into making it is enormous.
@@tonyhayes9827 "Marginal gains...." to quote the Ineos (Team Sky) cycling team. :-) They spent a lot of effort on apparently small things, but the results speak for themselves. :-)
Hi Julian: This was a very interesting video for your to prepare. It seems this this camera is becoming a very popular camera for landscape photographers. One thing that I haven't heard much about in the camera is the weather seal qualities? Finally, I enjoyed seeing your images of the 'red barn' and the 'blue bells'. What is the peak time for the 'blue bells' in your area? Keep well! Cheers, Keith
Hey Keith, always nice to read a comment from yourself. Both the camera and lenses are weather sealed, but even if it had been raining I wouldn't have been testing that out! lol Bluebells around here are difficult to predict. My local woodland is almost a full month ahead of Dartmoor. But it's also not something I photograph a lot, so don't have a lot of detailed knowledge. It's been a case of luck rather than planning! :-)
lol, a lottery ticket is always handy....but I reckon you'd love a printer. :-) Don't get me wrong, the GFX100s is a stonking camera, but you always have to look at how much better it is over your current camera, and how much the improvement is worth to you.
Super Camera ....images are peerless in quality. Colour and tonal gradation is superb. As a system with a selection of lenses it's not much bulkier and heavier than my old Lumix S1R + mixed Leica/Lumix lenses. OIS makes it usable handheld even with at long zoom and 109mpx. It is however unforgiving of poor technique and you do need to mentally adjust to the difference in DOF due to the sensor size/lens focal lengths compared to FF. Out of camera RAW files require very little processing ..... DR is incredible and often exceeds the adjustments available in LR so I've rarely needed to use bracketed images. You can forget noise up to iso 800 and above that it's easily processed out and the downsizing for all but huge prints effectively makes it vanish. Although theoretically diffraction starts about f8/11 with most lenses it really isn't noticeable till f22 plus. Downsides: ..... the zoom ranges are a bit idiosyncratic, limited, and overlap, plus the primes have very variable filter sizes which is a pain for landscape. Battery life could be better ..... but they are tiny and quite cheap so carrying a couple of spares is no big deal. Takes a fair bit of setting up initially to get things to taste, but after that is a pleasure to use.
Thanks for watching Steve. Most higher range cameras these days offer outstanding image quality, and the GFX100S is no different. I thought the raw files were a pleasure to work with. :-) All cameras have their little quirks and niggles, but that didn't stop me enjoying the GFX100S. :-)
Hi Julian, A very interesting video. Lots of features on the camera, but it should have for the price. I don't think the camera and lenses warrant the price tag.
Thanks Tim. I guess it all depends how value you put on these things.... as I said in the video, the price gets higher, but the feature gaps get smaller :-)
Price: yes it’s high but compared to what? A hassy? A IQ140 where the body starts at 40k, is huge, is not water resistant, only shoots 1 frame per second - if it doesn’t lock up first requiring a hard boot? No thanks.
Good review, Julian. Thanks for being so honest at the end of your review in regards to the incremental increase of quality over your Z7. I have seen so many reviews exaggerating the improvement to justify their purchase. I am currently on a D850 and had the similar questions if the investment at $15K (American) is worth twice the price. The larger format side-by-side would obviously show an improvement, but this does not appear to be a game changer. Better to spend more time pushing for better content and composition than to be focusing on the latest and greatest new technology, a common trap that so many photographers fall into. A new camera will not make you a better photographer.
Thanks David. I think there would be a bigger gap between the D850 and the GFX100S, but that would be less about image quality and more around the features and capabilities of the camera. However, the Z7 is more of a natural, and cost effective transition from the D850. Agree that a camera will not make you a better photographer, but it can often improve the experience of capturing a photograph. Moving from the D850 to the Z7 didn't make me a better photographer, but the process of capturing an image became a little easier and enjoyable. :-)
@@jbairdexp Thanks for the reply Julian. Curious as to your thoughts on what makes the Z7 easier and enjoyable. I considered the Z7 II, but opted for the 850 given reviews and feedback from my network. Will wait for the Z8 and more lenses to appear before I switch to the new technology. Frankly, while the 850 is superb, I don't see a huge significant difference it and my 810 (still use as a backup and a great companion with the 810), other than the screen resolution, focus stacking, and focus peaking. Again, better to focus on spending time on improving composition and content than to be jumping to the latest technology, IMO. I often recommend to my colleagues to take a class on drawing or painting to better understand the fundamentals on composition rather than looking for new hardware tools. Cheers.
at the same time. if you could reshoot your baby pics with a higher end camera of today, would you spend 10k. i would. the 100s has more mpx and 16bit and you can get more out of those files then you would from a 24pmx 12 bit image. i am sad that i traded in my Nikon's for Sony, just saying. for video sony is great but for images i would pic aNikon D850, Z7 III that will come out later this year or even better a 100S.
Would I spend £10K to reshoot my baby pics? Errr, probably not. :-) I think a Z7 III is much more likely at this stage than a Z8. I'm not sure Nikon would want to potentially cannibalise Z9 sales with adding Z8 into the mix (assuming a Z8 was a similar approach to the D5 and D850). :-)
@@jbairdexp I own the 50r and the 100s and love them both- im heading up to the Arctic circle for two months in a few weeks and my 100s will be my primary and 50r my backup. Also packing my XH1
I’ve owned Fuji DSLR since 2002 with the finepix S1 pro, the S2 pro both were a frankencamera between Nikon and Fuji. Both cameras worked with Nikon lenses. Anyway the Fuji service center that I use in Edison NJ is and has been AMAZING for me on the SINGLE time my camera needed service- which speaks to the quality! Since my first Fuji XE1 all the way to my current 100s if I’ve needed them to help with any settings I couldn’t figure out they were great on the phone. I used to own several Nikon D800 and D800e bodies and unfortunately had to deal with Nikon service on Long Island. To call Nikon service a joke would be giving them way too much credit. Service was awful at best. Long story short I’m very, very happy w Fuji service.
A serious landscape photographer wjo wants to hump up from full frame to medium format does not need to spend $6K bucks for the body alone. Get a GFX 50R for less than half ($3K) or even its more advanced version, the GFX 50S II, for $4K. The GFX 59R costs the same as your FF Nikon Z7 and the GFX 50S II costs just a couple of hundred dollars more than The Z7 more advanced model, the Z7 II. Moreover, lanscape photographers are not really interested in the smaller FF camera sensors' faster focusing capabilities nor in their faster frame rates bursts nor the latest tech advances in AI focus tracking animals and fast moving cars. Furthermore, a GFX 50R is relatively as light as as a Z7, just 65grs heavier or about half as heavy than the GFX100. So, Julian, be smart and get rid of your Z7 and get a GFX 50, R or S. You end up with a finer camera for landscapes, at the same price level.
@@jbairdexp Indeed and indeed not worthy of my time. Your readers, on the other hand, are smart enough to see clearly why they have, or will have, bought a medium format camera instead of ANY other smaller sensor camera, same price range, unable to reach the optimal performance values in the most shiny elements for landscape photography as MF excels.
Without trying to start a debate about the merits of various sensor sizes, it is fairly safe to say that in the realm of landscape photography, bigger is better. Dynamic range, ability to work with a variety of wide-angle lenses, lower noise levels, and sheer image quality are all benefits of larger sensor sizes, whereas longer reach and a more compact form factor are the main benefits of smaller sensors and, as such, are not hugely beneficial to landscape shooting. Resolution Along with sensor size, high-resolution sensors are also favored by landscape photographers due to their ability to decipher fine details more clearly and produce image files that hold up better to larger print sizes. A high-resolution sensor's main drawbacks are a typically lower usable ISO range, which does not truly affect photographers working from a tripod, and larger file sizes that slow down the overall workflow, which is also not a bad thing when you take into account the considered pace of landscape photography. Optical Low-Pass and Anti-Aliasing Filters A beneficial side effect of higher-resolution sensors, and those with denser photodiode structures, is the ability to remove the conventional optical low-pass or anti-aliasing filter from the sensor's construction. Many cameras completely remove this filter, and others introduce a secondary filter or technology to negate the effect-either way, this omission leads to sharper imagery at the expense of potentially running into issues with moiré. Luckily, instances where moiré can occur are seldom seen in nature. Image Stabilization Seen in both camera bodies and lenses, image stabilization is a feature that is seldom used for landscape shooting due to the omnipresence of tripods, in many instances. However, for the times when handheld shooting is a must, or preferred, image stabilization can be beneficial since it permits working with slower shutter speeds-and, subsequently, smaller apertures for increased depth of field. Mirror Up and Vibration Reduction Functions An oft-used function to better ensure sharp imagery when working with long exposure times, a mirror up setting is a necessity for landscape shooting. Additionally, many cameras now incorporate electronic front curtain mechanisms or other vibration reduction technologies to lessen shutter shock for sharper results. ISO Sensitivity Converse to the end of the sensitivity range most people look at when camera shopping, for landscape shooting a low minimum ISO value can be a boon for shooting in bright outdoor conditions with smaller aperture values without having to resort to neutral density filters. While typically not a make-or-break spec on a camera, sensitivities of ISO 100 or lower can certainly aid a landscape photographer's process.
There is no doubt that it is a fantastic camera and if photographing was my living I maybe consider it but not now, having landscape photographing as a hobby it is overkill for me. It is like take the Ferrari to ASDA to shop some milk when a Ford Escort can do the same job.For £12000 I can do some serious travelling instead.
@@jbairdexp That joke flew over my head, terribly sorry. But 6000 dollars is a lot of money for most people, it sure is for me. It’s pricey and heavy, two important aspects which makes me not interested. I don’t like using and carrying tripods either, so a lightweight system is key for someone like me.
Remember you can check all the photos in this video over on my blog at julianbaird.me/blog/2021/6/5/fujifilm-gfx100s-the-ultimate-landscape-photography-camera
And you can get access to my FREE landscape photography locations map at julianbaird.me/blog/2021/1/18/my-free-landscape-photography-locations-map
I have just purchased my first #100# megapixel GFX camera the new 100S ii it's a phenomenal camera. I purchased this camera because the auto focus has significantly been improved that I can use for other things as well. I'm a big GFX fan. It's not for everyone and it can be a quirky system to use and even a little bit tricky it's a bit like driving a hummer. BIg heavy ..not fast not fast.... But very effective in all conditions. In terms of image quality it is absolutely phenomenal. I was blown away. My jaw hit the ground even when I've had my GFX 50s ii but the hundred is just insane in terms of image quality. The biggest challenge with GFX cameras is depth the field and you can even do a focusing measure in the menu system which actually goes on the screen so you can see where your focusing. It's a great initiative on a GFX camera which I hadn't seen on any other camera to be honest.
This is the great thing about cameras these days....there's a camera for everyone! While the GFX wasn't a camera for me, I appreciate hearing from passionate GFX users like yourself. :-)
Love the size & tactile ergonomics of the GFX cameras. The lenses are sublime & well worth buying the body for - to use them.
Any of these lenses would stand up against the best of the best of Sony / Nikon & Canon & this is something to thing about. Lenses are heavy for a reason !!
That's why they depreciate in value - so much less than similar lenses or camera bodies !
Weight is an issue but - there's a secret to medium format that can reduce the lenses you need to carry - I'll leave that for you to work out !!
The Gf 23mm is a superb lens - very versatile !! When coupled with the sensor size & the image management of the GFX cameras.
It's a hard decision !!
Would I change if I had a TOTR Nikon & lenses etc - maybe not.
But if I wanted to transfer to a high quality system - without the baggage of their lenses - definitely would !!
Everybody is going on about weight - You need less lenses !!!
Thank you for sharing your comments. 👍
Hi Jules, I left Fuji crop sensor because one of the biggest issue with Fuji is the sharpening in Lightroom. The 2 things you mentioned in your video. 1 Duel card slots. 2 Ability to have a shutter speed longer than 30 seconds & a count down of the exposure on the top LCD screen. These are both on the Z7ii. I think you have to justify how big do you print. Z7/Z7ii will both print A1 comfortably. Storage capacity for those huge files. Weight of the camera. Just upgrade to the Z7ii it is the cheaper option & you won't loose that much. Great video.
Hey Nicky, I did think about going with the Z7 II a few times, but I just couldn't justify the cost. I decided to spend the money on photography trips instead. I don't worry about how big the raw files are....all my videos are filmed in 4K so 100mb image files are the least of my concerns! lol
Fujifilm support is amazing, I dropped a lens face on the ground, dented the filter which couldn't be removed and had cracked. Took it to the Fujifilm dealer, had it back the next day and I didn't pay a cent. The shopping experience was also really nice, not pushy, more like what one experiences if one shopped at an Apple store
That's pretty good service! :-)
Interesting to hear your thoughts. Of the current offerings the GFX100s is probably the one I would most likely move to from my current Z7 setup, but I am very happy with the Z7 and it would be difficult to justify the cost. I have had the opportunity to play around with some of the raw files from the GFX100 courtesy of Adam Gibbs and I have to say that they are amazing. Kudos to Fuji for producing such an impressive camera for a reasonable price point for medium format! Cheers Julian!
A 19mm 5.6 prime and a 40mm 1.7 pretty please Fuji
Cheers Chris. Like you I'm very happy with the Z7 and justifying the cost of moving to the GFX100S is a tricky one. But yeah, you are right, big kudos for Fujifilm for making this type of camera more available to the masses. :-)
That river is scary violent. I couldn't think of photos next to that, so congrats.
Cheers Scott, I've seen that river higher, much higher! (But when it's very high, it's not worth photographing).
Great vlog mate, what a beast of a camera that is. Beautiful images as per usual mate to go with👍🏻
Cheers buddy. :-)
Wow great video. 12k .. a lot of money for a lot of people. For me this is a lotto win purchase!!! Very informative Julian and you covered a lot. Appreciate your candid comments at the end too. 👍
Exactly Dave, a lotto win purchase. Glad you enjoyed the video. :-)
Great video. I had at one point narrowed down a dream landscape camera to the z7 ii and this GFX 100s. Leaning towards the Z.
1) Price
2) Weight
3) Lens versatility
I take pictures while backpacking/climbing mountains and fishing and like a bit of astro so the wide apertures and lower weight of the Z system has won me over. Now I just need to find some money haha and the will to press that buy button.
Thanks! The Z is a great camera system and I'm sure you won't regret buying one. Happy shooting! :-)
Fuji backup, superb and on the ball, software updates again on the ball. They appear to be a company that really cares. I used Nikon's through my working life always superb. I moved away from photography whilst the digital revolution took place. Bought back into Nikon and wished I hadn't. Picked up a friends XT2 and loved the feel of it and those lovely dials lol. So now I use XT3s and an X100V. I can stand upright carrying them. I have used the 50s and the 100r both superb and the GFX100/200 lens is to die for. But I wouldn't want to be carrying them around all day. I am sure Fuji will pull in photographers from the 35mm users and for sure it is a cheaper option to Hasselblad and Phase one. And just to start people thinking, we have 4 thirds, APSC, 35mm, medium format, and large format. All of these are full-frame if using the lenses that are designed for said sensor size! Glad you enjoyed using the 100s and keep up the good work Julian. Oh one bad thing, the Fuji mobile phone app is a nightmare.
Thanks for watching Ian and for sharing your experience with Fuji. As for the app, it's not any worse than any of the others I've used. The bar is low though. lol
As a current owner of the 100S and 50R I think by far the biggest shortcoming is current lens line up. The lack of a extreme wide angle has been for me an mild annoyance, the GF 23mm is it - there have been times where I'd love to have something in the 14mm (FF) range. The overlap between the zooms is really something Fuji should have given much more thought to, there's nothing in the GF lens selection like Nikon Z 14-24mm/24-70mm/70-200mm. All of that said, I own this camera and really enjoy using it and don't regret buying it.
Concur as stated. There is the Laowa 15 or 17 that is not bad but not up-to par with GS lenses
Thanks for watching Scott. I shoot a lot of super wide angle images and I did find 23mm a little bit restricting. If owned this camera though. I'd probably be as happy with it as you clearly are. :-)
Had and also still have my Nikon Z7 but my wife uses it today. Waited a long time for the Z8 ... so we could both take the step up to mirrorless. Took the opportunity to step up to medium format and the GFX100S. Kept my D500 and a Nikon 200-500 mm though
We take about the same pictures with our cameras. Can see after a few months that the Nikon camera performs very well in relation to the Fuji medium format camera. But there is something there that is different with the 100S. More of a feeling that the image is more "pure" or "clean" whatever that may be. The camera or image can also withstand high ISO numbers without you even notice. Editing on the computer have to be done much more carefully and less compared with pictures from the Z7.
Knew already that the 20 mm Z mount lens was good and now I can compare it with a Fuji 23 mm (18 mm FF) on the GFX camera. The 20mm on the Nikon Z7 is indeed a very good lens!
People often mention the slightly less tangible benefits of medium format systems. Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts. :-)
I am an early adopter of the GFX 50S which I think is a more versatile camera than the 100S. I have the 23, 32-64 and 100-200 lenses and I think I have enough variety of focal lengths to cover what I do but when Fuji release a 20-30 (ish) zoom lens I will jump with both feet. I understand that for many the price is a big hurdle but TBH unless you can see the images in full res rather than downsized fot TH-cam the decision will be difficult. Keep in mind that these days there are no bad cameras out there some just do some things better than others.
Yup. Ultimate image output. Ability to crop to hell and back. Many photos with one click. All part of what the GFX system is about.
Totally agree, you should never base a buying decision on the compressed photos you see on a TH-cam video....especially when that decision comes with a big price tag. Also totally agree with your last point. :-)
The only camera that would make me change my D850, good video
I am another D850 user. Have barely scratched the surface of what it can do.
Did have the 850. Switch to GFX ( having used Fuji X cameras in the meanwhile) and did not looked back for what I do. Way simpler to use. Way better image quality. Mirrorless. Less lens choice at this time
@@icogicog8287 Much money
Thanks Vitor. For me the case would have been different if I'd still had my D850. I would have been getting all the mirrorless features as well. However, I probably still would have gone with the Z7. Either way, the D850 is still the best DSLR there is.
I have had great experience with Fuji, I had a lens lock into auto and they collected lens and turned it around within a week. The Firmware has also been something to look forward to as like others have mentioned it has not just fixed issues but added features and with my X-T3 dramatically improved AF to a point where I didn’t want the X-T4. The gfx-100s is impressive but not a camera I’d want for carrying around all day.
Thanks for sharing our experience Colin. Fujifilm have a good reputation with firmware updates. :-)
Another great video Julian, thanks.
Having owned Fuji cameras since the launch of the X-Pro1 my experience of aftersales has been very good. Firmware updates not only fixing issues but adding new features, and updates continuing for older models too. I took advantage of the free Fuji loan, looks like you got the camera I returned just before the Bank holiday. Agree with all you said, the joystick was disappointing, less so the front/back dials. I did very much enjoy the ergonomics and taking photos with it. Only by using it for a few days did I come to see what you get for the money, and overall I would say the GFX system is good value. It would be a much bigger jump in sensor size for me (coming from X-T4, rather than Z7), so makes some sense to jump over full frame (using 'man maths'). I am still considering it, but the one big issue is size/weight over the X system, and right now I don't feel I have any practical use for such a big sensor/imagine size. Then I consider that the images I take now will be around for decades to come and the size may be of use in the future. One thing that puzzled me was my CPL was having less effect that I would typically see on my X system, I was using a new CPL (to me), but wondered if you noticed this and could it be due to the dynamic range in the GFX than I'm not used to? There are now some great used deals on Z7's and other full frame options, which would make a new medium format camera a lot more expensive still currently though.
Cheers Rod, good to know you've had positive experiences from your Fujifilm ownership. Interesting you also tried out the GFX100S.....handy that free loan service! Can't way I noticed any difference on the impact of the CPL though. I used my Kase K9 CPL on both the river and Dalwish Warren shots and it seemed to preform as it normally does. Z7 bargains....you could buy a Z7 and a range of lenses for the cost of just the GFX100S body....it's good to have choice though! :-)
@@jbairdexp The Kase CPL I have was not big enough for the GFX glass - so thanks for confirming it probably was down to a cheaper CPL I was using.
Should have said, I use the Kase K75(?) system, great for Fuji mirrorless as smaller (and cheaper) and works great with X system. K9 as you say would be fine with GFX glass.
Excellent review and some great photographs. The detail in the photographs with this camera and the 23 mm lens is just stunning. I agree that it may not be worth the price and weight premiums, but I’d still like one.
Thanks Jim....I'd still like one as well, just not convinced I should sell an organ for it. :-)
@@jbairdexp Agreed. Anyway, my organs aren’t that valuable.
Interesting to hear your thoughts and though I've only a 50S I still get a bit of the Wow factor when I nail focus front to back and see the detail. Also having a penchant for LEs I couldn't give up the ease of dialling in say 4 minutes and also makes me laugh when I see people post 242 seconds like those 2 seconds matter LOL
Thanks Andrew, dialing in a long exposure time seems such an easy thing to implement....it almost had me trading in my Z7 for a Z7 II....almost. :-)
I had the D850, a great camera indeed. I found the size and weight to be something I did not want. When the Z 7 came out I jumped at the opportunity and made the switch, I find the image quality to be fantastic and as well as the S lenses. Like you, I would see no compelling reason to switch to the GFX100s for image quality, certainly would not want a heavy camera again. Besides landscapes I also should wildlife, more often birds, more of them around. So heavy equipment is something to avoid. Good personal review, thanks for sharing.
Thanks Glen....I didn't find the weight of the D850 and lenses an issue....until I got the Z7 and realised how light my bag could be! :-)
When I feel confident that my photographs can and should be printed at more than two meters wide, I'd then consider one of these. Until then, my 36MP sensor will provide ample resolution for a meter wide print. For anything larger there is always the 4X5. Good video BTW.
Thanks, glad you liked it. :-)
Really interesting video, and great to hear your thoughts on this Julian. I've had the GFX100S in my mind as being the 'ideal' landscape camera for me, but we need a system that's good for wildlife as well as landscapes, so we'd end up having to use this alongside our current system! I've been worrying a bit about the price of upgrading to the R5, given the this isn't much more expensive, but your comments about it not being a huge leap on make me feel a bit better about that now! Sam.
Thanks Sam. It all depends where you are coming from. Finding a camera that is a big jump in quality from the Z7 is a big ask. It will be the same with the R5...depends what your current camera is....anyway, I'll try and not convince you to spend your money! lol
I guess the idea with that much resolution is you don’t need every focal length, use whatever you have a little wider than the scene you want to end up with and crop in post
True to a certain extent, but that doesn't help me if I wanted to go wider than 23mm (18mm FF).
Thanks for your review Julian. It’s a lovely camera but lighter weight is very important to me. Price aside my use case would have to be either very close to a car or in a studio. I wish more cameras had the tilting viewfinder like the gfx50s and gfx100 and a very old Minolta A2 I still have in the cupboard.
Thanks for watching Andy...my first digital camera was the Minolta A1 :-)
@@jbairdexp nice, unbelievable how small the rear screen was compared to what we have now. My first digital was the Nikon 990 then Canon D30, largely driven by my personal desire to drop film ASAP.
A great video Julian. I'd love to see a side by side capture of the same photograph to see the detail between your own Nikon compared to the Fuji, and then zoom in to see if and when any detail gets lost. Just a thought. Thanks my friend, Tony
Thanks Tony. This was one of the limitations of only having the camera for a couple of days. There wasn't really the time to do side by side comparisons with the Z7. All I could do is compare similar shots from my library and from those I couldn't see an immediate and dramatic difference. It might be there, but I'm not going to loose any sleep over it. :-)
@@jbairdexp Amazing but when I say that regarding APSC against 35mm format I get flack. You need to let the pixel peepers loose lol.
@@iaincphotography6051 Perhaps that's my problem, I'm not much of a pixel peeper! lol
Great interesting vlog Jules! I think most of us passionate landscape full frame photographers would admit to looking at medium format as an upgrade option! cost and weight would be most peoples negatives I think, once again this shows no camera is perfect! last year I upgraded to the Canon R5 and although to me it's amazing its certainly not perfect!
i've owned a few Fuji x cameras over the years and 2 little things that always impressed me is, as you mentioned, the ability to take a long exposure over 30 seconds without going into bulb mode and the other is when you turn the camera into vertical mode all your settings looking at the lcd rotate too! finally I was sure from Emsworthy you would have visited Bowerman's Nose!
@They Caged Non I know right! my canon rotates settings info through the Evf but not on the lcd which for landscape is super handy. I did suggest it through the canon website but never heard anything back.
The screen rotation in portrait is great specially as my knees are not as good as they used to be. One reason I like the XT3 better than the XT4
Thanks Tom! You are right, no camera is perfect. Most of us live with a the niggles of our current camera. I hadn't considered the feature of the settings rotating when you rotate the camera! I had to check to Z7 to see if it did that....it doesn't, but I'd never noticed before....funny what you get used to isn't it. The reason I didn't Bowerman's Nose is because I'm making a video there in the very near future. ;-)
@@jbairdexp look forward to that one then!👍🏻
Thank you for a very informative and honest review. This looks like a very desirable camera system and if I could afford to buy one I probably would. However, that being said, I would probably become disenchanted with both the weight and size pretty quickly. As I get older I'm finding that smaller lighter systems work better for my needs and the GFX would probably end up sitting at home most of the time. As the old saying goes....the best camera is the one you have in your hands.
Thanks Peter. Desirable it is for sure. But as you rightly say, the best camera is one you have :-)
Another enjoyable video Julian . What a beast of a camera great review really enjoyed your easy to follow review . Lovely images how do you think detail wise to your Z7 ? take care Trev
Cheers Trevor....from my brief time with the GFX100S I couldn't see any significant increase in detail....certainly not enough to spend £12k :-)
Thanks Julian, a really interesting analysis. Nice to see someone giving a really honest assessment about this camera, worts an' all. One question. Did you find it a challenge getting the depth of field you wanted without getting lens diffraction from having to use a really small aperture?
You bring up a very good point Paul. The strange things that I have notice on Medium format lenses (through watching detail reviews) is that they have the same behaviours as full frame (pro) lenses i.e very good wide open, sweet spot in-between F4-F8 and diffraction at F16. This is strange because to get enough of the depth of field, in one shot, F16-F22 will be your staple. So underutilised the full greatness of said lens and sensor. This was the deciding factor in Aaron Reed returning his GfX 100 for the then Sony A7R4 (now R5).
Thanks Paul. No particular challenge with DoF. I already knew that smaller apertures were probably required, but can't say I noticed any problems with diffraction.
All I can say about Fuji service is that in nearly a decade of using Fuji cameras and lenses (many of them) I only had to use it once , as they had a recall early on on the GFX 100. Gone and back in less of a week with an additional year of warranty added to booth. The GFX systems in fantastic but not for everyone. And I do agree with the comment about ultra wide. To which I would add ultrafast for astrophotography. In the end the choice of this system is about ultimate image output at a price that is the lowest in the industry at this time
Thanks for watching and that is good to hear about Fujifilm service. Agree with your comments on the GFX system. :-)
Law of diminishing returns..... good point.
Yep, it's not to say that it's not better, but the gap is smaller and price bigger. :-)
@@jbairdexp Yes I think its worth the extra cost for the smallish gain though because when you are at the top end of anything, including our own biology in sporting events every inch gained requires an exponentially greater effort. The cost is genuinely worth it if you want that small gain because the effort that's gone into making it is enormous.
@@tonyhayes9827 "Marginal gains...." to quote the Ineos (Team Sky) cycling team. :-) They spent a lot of effort on apparently small things, but the results speak for themselves. :-)
@@jbairdexp Excellent and kudos to them
Hi Julian: This was a very interesting video for your to prepare. It seems this this camera is becoming a very popular camera for landscape photographers. One thing that I haven't heard much about in the camera is the weather seal qualities? Finally, I enjoyed seeing your images of the 'red barn' and the 'blue bells'. What is the peak time for the 'blue bells' in your area? Keep well! Cheers, Keith
Hey Keith, always nice to read a comment from yourself. Both the camera and lenses are weather sealed, but even if it had been raining I wouldn't have been testing that out! lol Bluebells around here are difficult to predict. My local woodland is almost a full month ahead of Dartmoor. But it's also not something I photograph a lot, so don't have a lot of detailed knowledge. It's been a case of luck rather than planning! :-)
Interesting and honest
Thanks Ian. :-)
I had my eye on this camera but not as much now! I should get a printer perhaps, or a new PC, or a new camera bag...perhaps a lottery ticket!
lol, a lottery ticket is always handy....but I reckon you'd love a printer. :-) Don't get me wrong, the GFX100s is a stonking camera, but you always have to look at how much better it is over your current camera, and how much the improvement is worth to you.
@@jbairdexp I listed to the Take a View podcast recently and I am becoming more and more sold on a printer!
I'm shooting a video with Chris Sale over the weekend about printing...it might just push you over the edge ;-)
Are you using iso 200 because of the Dynamic Range 200% setting?
No. I used ISO 200 because I wanted a shorter exposure time than I could get at ISO100 and I didn't want to change my aperture. :-)
Super Camera ....images are peerless in quality. Colour and tonal gradation is superb. As a system with a selection of lenses it's not much bulkier and heavier than my old Lumix S1R + mixed Leica/Lumix lenses. OIS makes it usable handheld even with at long zoom and 109mpx. It is however unforgiving of poor technique and you do need to mentally adjust to the difference in DOF due to the sensor size/lens focal lengths compared to FF. Out of camera RAW files require very little processing ..... DR is incredible and often exceeds the adjustments available in LR so I've rarely needed to use bracketed images. You can forget noise up to iso 800 and above that it's easily processed out and the downsizing for all but huge prints effectively makes it vanish. Although theoretically diffraction starts about f8/11 with most lenses it really isn't noticeable till f22 plus. Downsides: ..... the zoom ranges are a bit idiosyncratic, limited, and overlap, plus the primes have very variable filter sizes which is a pain for landscape. Battery life could be better ..... but they are tiny and quite cheap so carrying a couple of spares is no big deal. Takes a fair bit of setting up initially to get things to taste, but after that is a pleasure to use.
Thanks for watching Steve. Most higher range cameras these days offer outstanding image quality, and the GFX100S is no different. I thought the raw files were a pleasure to work with. :-) All cameras have their little quirks and niggles, but that didn't stop me enjoying the GFX100S. :-)
What are those boots? I spend a lot of time in creeks
Hi Kevin, they are Muck Boots (Arctic Sport) - you can see me talk about Muck Boots in this video th-cam.com/video/MUzKIx6Fb8w/w-d-xo.html
My guess is the difference will show when printing massive prints. Ie six feet and bigger maybe.
Possibly yes. I could have also done with more time with the camera as well. Thanks for watching, :-)
Hi Julian,
A very interesting video.
Lots of features on the camera, but it should have for the price.
I don't think the camera and lenses warrant the price tag.
Thanks Tim. I guess it all depends how value you put on these things.... as I said in the video, the price gets higher, but the feature gaps get smaller :-)
Price: yes it’s high but compared to what? A hassy? A IQ140 where the body starts at 40k, is huge, is not water resistant, only shoots 1 frame per second - if it doesn’t lock up first requiring a hard boot? No thanks.
Compared to full frame, yes it's expensive. But that's just from my perspective and everyone's perception of where value can be gained will vary. :-)
Good review, Julian. Thanks for being so honest at the end of your review in regards to the incremental increase of quality over your Z7. I have seen so many reviews exaggerating the improvement to justify their purchase. I am currently on a D850 and had the similar questions if the investment at $15K (American) is worth twice the price. The larger format side-by-side would obviously show an improvement, but this does not appear to be a game changer. Better to spend more time pushing for better content and composition than to be focusing on the latest and greatest new technology, a common trap that so many photographers fall into. A new camera will not make you a better photographer.
Thanks David. I think there would be a bigger gap between the D850 and the GFX100S, but that would be less about image quality and more around the features and capabilities of the camera. However, the Z7 is more of a natural, and cost effective transition from the D850. Agree that a camera will not make you a better photographer, but it can often improve the experience of capturing a photograph. Moving from the D850 to the Z7 didn't make me a better photographer, but the process of capturing an image became a little easier and enjoyable. :-)
@@jbairdexp Thanks for the reply Julian. Curious as to your thoughts on what makes the Z7 easier and enjoyable. I considered the Z7 II, but opted for the 850 given reviews and feedback from my network. Will wait for the Z8 and more lenses to appear before I switch to the new technology. Frankly, while the 850 is superb, I don't see a huge significant difference it and my 810 (still use as a backup and a great companion with the 810), other than the screen resolution, focus stacking, and focus peaking. Again, better to focus on spending time on improving composition and content than to be jumping to the latest technology, IMO. I often recommend to my colleagues to take a class on drawing or painting to better understand the fundamentals on composition rather than looking for new hardware tools. Cheers.
Join Fuji FPS for fast turnaround with repairs and loaners. Came level of service as Canon and Nikon pro support.
Just out of interest, ss it a paid service, or is their qualification criteria?
at the same time. if you could reshoot your baby pics with a higher end camera of today, would you spend 10k. i would. the 100s has more mpx and 16bit and you can get more out of those files then you would from a 24pmx 12 bit image. i am sad that i traded in my Nikon's for Sony, just saying. for video sony is great but for images i would pic aNikon D850, Z7 III that will come out later this year or even better a 100S.
Would I spend £10K to reshoot my baby pics? Errr, probably not. :-) I think a Z7 III is much more likely at this stage than a Z8. I'm not sure Nikon would want to potentially cannibalise Z9 sales with adding Z8 into the mix (assuming a Z8 was a similar approach to the D5 and D850). :-)
Yes. Yes it is...
Possibly it is....if you can afford it :-)
@@jbairdexp I own the 50r and the 100s and love them both- im heading up to the Arctic circle for two months in a few weeks and my 100s will be my primary and 50r my backup. Also packing my XH1
I’ve owned Fuji DSLR since 2002 with the finepix S1 pro, the S2 pro both were a frankencamera between Nikon and Fuji. Both cameras worked with Nikon lenses. Anyway the Fuji service center that I use in Edison NJ is and has been AMAZING for me on the SINGLE time my camera needed service- which speaks to the quality! Since my first Fuji XE1 all the way to my current 100s if I’ve needed them to help with any settings I couldn’t figure out they were great on the phone. I used to own several Nikon D800 and D800e bodies and unfortunately had to deal with Nikon service on Long Island. To call Nikon service a joke would be giving them way too much credit. Service was awful at best. Long story short I’m very, very happy w Fuji service.
Fuji service- second to none
Good to know. Cheers Geoff. :-)
A serious landscape photographer wjo wants to hump up from full frame to medium format does not need to spend $6K bucks for the body alone. Get a GFX 50R for less than half ($3K) or even its more advanced version, the GFX 50S II, for $4K. The GFX 59R costs the same as your FF Nikon Z7 and the GFX 50S II costs just a couple of hundred dollars more than The Z7 more advanced model, the Z7 II. Moreover, lanscape photographers are not really interested in the smaller FF camera sensors' faster focusing capabilities nor in their faster frame rates bursts nor the latest tech advances in AI focus tracking animals and fast moving cars. Furthermore, a GFX 50R is relatively as light as as a Z7, just 65grs heavier or about half as heavy than the GFX100.
So, Julian, be smart and get rid of your Z7 and get a GFX 50, R or S. You end up with a finer camera for landscapes, at the same price level.
Well perhaps I'm not a serious landscape photographer or indeed smart. :-)
@@jbairdexp Indeed and indeed not worthy of my time. Your readers, on the other hand, are smart enough to see clearly why they have, or will have, bought a medium format camera instead of ANY other smaller sensor camera, same price range, unable to reach the optimal performance values in the most shiny elements for landscape photography as MF excels.
Without trying to start a debate about the merits of various sensor sizes, it is fairly safe to say that in the realm of landscape photography, bigger is better. Dynamic range, ability to work with a variety of wide-angle lenses, lower noise levels, and sheer image quality are all benefits of larger sensor sizes, whereas longer reach and a more compact form factor are the main benefits of smaller sensors and, as such, are not hugely beneficial to landscape shooting.
Resolution
Along with sensor size, high-resolution sensors are also favored by landscape photographers due to their ability to decipher fine details more clearly and produce image files that hold up better to larger print sizes. A high-resolution sensor's main drawbacks are a typically lower usable ISO range, which does not truly affect photographers working from a tripod, and larger file sizes that slow down the overall workflow, which is also not a bad thing when you take into account the considered pace of landscape photography.
Optical Low-Pass and Anti-Aliasing Filters
A beneficial side effect of higher-resolution sensors, and those with denser photodiode structures, is the ability to remove the conventional optical low-pass or anti-aliasing filter from the sensor's construction. Many cameras completely remove this filter, and others introduce a secondary filter or technology to negate the effect-either way, this omission leads to sharper imagery at the expense of potentially running into issues with moiré. Luckily, instances where moiré can occur are seldom seen in nature.
Image Stabilization
Seen in both camera bodies and lenses, image stabilization is a feature that is seldom used for landscape shooting due to the omnipresence of tripods, in many instances. However, for the times when handheld shooting is a must, or preferred, image stabilization can be beneficial since it permits working with slower shutter speeds-and, subsequently, smaller apertures for increased depth of field.
Mirror Up and Vibration Reduction Functions
An oft-used function to better ensure sharp imagery when working with long exposure times, a mirror up setting is a necessity for landscape shooting. Additionally, many cameras now incorporate electronic front curtain mechanisms or other vibration reduction technologies to lessen shutter shock for sharper results.
ISO Sensitivity
Converse to the end of the sensitivity range most people look at when camera shopping, for landscape shooting a low minimum ISO value can be a boon for shooting in bright outdoor conditions with smaller aperture values without having to resort to neutral density filters. While typically not a make-or-break spec on a camera, sensitivities of ISO 100 or lower can certainly aid a landscape photographer's process.
@@ricardoduarte6589 Nicely copied from the B&H website. :-)
There is no doubt that it is a fantastic camera and if photographing was my living I maybe consider it but not now, having landscape photographing as a hobby it is overkill for me. It is like take the Ferrari to ASDA to shop some milk when a Ford Escort can do the same job.For £12000 I can do some serious travelling instead.
That's a fair point....you could do a LOT of travelling with £12K. :-)
Since portability and weight is the most important feature to me, this system isn’t interesting. It’s also not healthy for my wallet.
Not many people need their wallet to go on that kind of diet do they! lol
@@jbairdexp That joke flew over my head, terribly sorry. But 6000 dollars is a lot of money for most people, it sure is for me. It’s pricey and heavy, two important aspects which makes me not interested. I don’t like using and carrying tripods either, so a lightweight system is key for someone like me.
@@listonheinz9103 lol, no worries. :-)