Does Medium Format Suck? Medium Format vs APS-C: Fujifilm X-H2S vs GFX 50S Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 เม.ย. 2023
- Hi, I'm Tom Wright,
If you are wondering how medium format compares to APS-C, this video is for you. I put the Fujifilm GFX 50S and the Fujifilm X-H2S to the test in various situations and see how they differ in image quality, autofocus, dynamic range, low light, and video features. The GFX 50S has a larger sensor and higher resolution than the X-H2S, but is it worth the extra cost and size? Watch the video to find out which camera gives you more control over your photography!
I visited a photo art gallery in Los Angeles and saw amazing photos, scratch that, art work, with my son. When we were done my son asked why I didn’t wonder about camera they used. Told him I was just in awe and caught up in the moment. When u see a photograph and u can stand there for a while. That’s good photography.
I’d agree.
Cameras are fun, they enable us to craft the way an image looks but ultimately I really do think that should only matter to the person making the photo.
My portfolio is made over years and multiple camera systems.
In the end it all just looks like me.
There are so many videos about photography; I have watched lots of them. Few (if any) are as thought-provoking as this! Thank you.
I'm glad it helped! honestly I have been getting a little frustrated with all the gear for it's own sake talk on here. I wanted to provide an alternative.
Your philosophy around critical focus or lack there of might’ve just snapped me out of my recently relentless pursuit of critical focus. These are wonderful shots, and this was a really fantastic watch. Thanks for sharing!
Also, great comparison between the sensors. Seems like the main general difference in image quality is how each sensor renders the feel of depth, otherwise they’re almost identical in every other way.
It’s a trap we can all fall into. If something can be measured it can be “better” and marketers can use that to make you feel like you need more.
It’s no wonder we can get caught up with making “perfect” images and sometimes forget that we can use focus as an expressive tool.
Interesting points on focus. A really nice pace to the video. Thanks Tom
Thanks Richard, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Great vid Tom. I used to shoot all my commercial jobs with a Canon 5D4 and it's a brilliant camera. However I completely vibe with your comment ref working for an image and slowing down. I purchased a used GFX50r and I'm loving it, it sounds cliched but I feel that I'm connecting more and it's a case where a piece of kit has inspired me to do more. The lenses are very sharp and I do 'soften' the look a lot in post. I'll probably start looking at older lenses and maybe that 65mm Mitakon. I use the GFX on 80% of my commercial shoots now, it's surprising how fast and in-tune you can become with even a slower contrast-detect focus system if you practice enough. I'll prob keep my Canon but that XH2s could be a great addition to my Fuji combo.
The XH2s is honestly under rated. People see the 26mp sensor and assume the 40mp sensor would be a better match, it’s going got to be my fav workhouse camera ever.
The GFX though is just plain perfect. It’s slow in a really intentional way and it really gives me a sense of connection to my subject. Especially with non-native and 35mm lenses it really shines.
Fuji have a 55mm 1.7 due out this year and that’s gonna be high on my wish list too.
Have you tried to adapt your Canon EF lenses on the Fuji? There are AF adapters but I don't know how well works the combination
I bought the Mitakon 65 mm f1.4 for my GFX 50Sll. Quite heavy, an actual sensor size coverage for medium format, but despite what many seem to report on it I found it fairly straight forward to manual focus with peaking and punching in magnification. My lens is very sharp but dof is extremely narrow so I think many attribute softness to the lens, very nice roll off to the dof. Equates to a 50/52 mm f 1.0 , I think? It really makes you think where to best utilize the lens and that look it’s not an all rounder for sure. Thanks for the video
I have been interested in that Mitakon too! I ended up choosing the Voigtlander because it was so much smaller and lighter, I'm ultimately glad I did because I love the combination of a wider field of view and a super fast aperture.
I don't think you can go wrong with either honestly!
Thanks for watching.
I have to say this video is well done and spot on. I recently acquired a fujifilm gfx 50R and had similar desires to create more character in my images and make my workflow more methodical. What surprised me is how much the freedom of cropping a frame has become enjoyable. For the past few years I have challenged myself to compose for the entire frame… that may have been rooted in my knowledge that apsc files degrade quickly when cropping. I’m enjoying creating new compositions knowing that I can essentially zoom in on my edits with minimal loss of image quality. Currently using my vintage 1980s series e Nikon lenses, the mitakon 65 f1.4 and the gf 50mm f3.5. Love them all for different reasons. The GFX system has been incredibly rewarding thus far and it’s only been just over a month for me.
Not gonna lie that sounds like a lot of fun! I crop almost all my images on the GFX to 67 but not usually to change the reach of lenses. I’ll give it a go for fun 👍🏻
been watching youtube videos on this same topic, you explained it the best.
Thank you! I’m glad it helped!
Really interesting, thank you !
Glad you enjoyed it! Love making these thought piece videos.
I shot a Fuji GA645 for *years* until Kodak decided $1/click for Portra was acceptable 🤦♂️
I’m sooo ridiculously happy with my GFX 50Sii and X100V duo. Anything those two don’t do, my iPhone can.
That GA is a real GEM I’m a little envious of that setup! The GFX line is stunning for sure.
Great video Tom! How do you get these nice colors? Do you use a specific preset?
Hi! I actually teach colour correction and workflow to professional photographers.
My colour process is different depending on the job/situation. In this case I was trying to emulate film.
I love the narrow DOF that the medium format gives. Using manual focus helps me to slow down and concentrate on what I am shooting too. Anyone prefer to use a tripod, regardless of camera, for the same reason?
I love slowing down but for me I only use tripods for video. For stills I'm 100% about moving to get the frame I want. Love that others work differently though!
The human brain is very good (and sort of enjoys) filling the blanks in. It's why it is so enjoyable to hear good music, and predict the next notes you'll hear. The same algorithmic joy is derived from a slightly tighter than normal frame on an image, or just a hint of fuzz where the focus isn't exactly perfect. I think that lack of critical focus is visual melody for the brain to take over on.
Fully agree. To err is human.
Great video as I shoot fuji too and use both Fuji crop and Fuji medium format! Fuji gfx image’s definitely have more 3d pop and contrast than the Fuji apsc does! My Fuji xh2 how ever does produce lovely punchy images too with its 40mp sensor but my gfx50r is fantastic with the gf45 and my gf80mm where the images have a lovely more organic look to them and the fall off is amazing, voigtlander lenses are amazing which I use on my Fuji crop cameras
That’s an amazing selection of cameras for sure! I have tried the XH2 but didn’t like the colours as much as the XH2s, it’s still a stunning camera for sure though.
Voigtlander don’t get the recognition the should.
Amazing optics.
So well said!
Thanks Jenna
did u use the internal film simulation for these shots? look really good
I never use the built in film simulations. These are all edited RAW files. I teach post production
Very interesting video but you kind of "cheated" using the 58mm f1.4 because it is a FF manual lens and most of the AF GFX lens are pretty "slow " like Fuji G 63mm f2.8 that is equivalent at FF 50mm f2.2 and there aren't any AF faster options. What lens did you use on X-H2s? Thanks and happy Easter
The 80mm 1.7 and the upcoming 55mm 1.7 would give more of a shallow depth of field than the current crop of 2.8 primes but honestly I wanted the GFX to have more of a classic rendering.
The 58mm 1.4 really makes this camera worth it for me honestly.
I’m using the 33mm 1.4 LM on the XH2s and honestly it’s incredible. Modern performance with plenty of character.
@@bytomw hi there. I used 35/1.4 on Fuji. Love that lens. Right amount of sharpness and contrast and great microcontrast… not as contrasty like the 35 Fujicrons… when focus close wide open, it has the glow that some older Leica lenses are famous about. For the new 33/1.4, which I don’t own, can you share what character do you see, since you mentioned it has plenty of character. Just try to learn. Thanks.
Its dangerous ti chase perfection 😮... but I get the premise it is interesting comparing two Fujifilm cameras and it actually doesn't matter a lot what Fujifilm camera you use you will get similar colours out of the base camera as you will with the Fujifilm x T5 right up to gfx cameras I have been thinking about a gfx 50 camera recently for landscape photography would be my dream camera dream camera
Honestly the 50s and some of the native GFX glass would be lovely for that! I’d see if you can rent on from fujifilm.
In the UK at least they have a test drive program so you can try before you buy.
Couldn't you do the same job with a Fullframe camera + an older, manual focus lens?
You could get close for sure, at this level it's all about preference.
The GFX 50s is super similar in price to a lot of used full frame options but you get a different look and feel at the cost of usability.
I agree with in one point - but disagree in another.
Agree: To transport the mood, the atmosphere of a scene is often much more important than the technical perfection of the image like sharpness. If one one consults all those uncountable forums and videos about photography it's mostly about gear and technical quality. But this is not the essence in photography.
Disagree: In the first part of your video you claim how much you like your medium format camera for expressing that mood. In the second part you compare it with a APS-C camera: And oh my!, there ist almost no difference, except a little more background-blur in the MF- picture. So what? With full frame and a fast prime (with F1.8, 1.4 or 1.2) you can produce atmospheric images which are hardly distinguishable from a medium format photograph. That's why I see no reason to complement my Nikon Z full frame- system with a medium format camera - the additional aesthetical value is not big enough.
Best regards from Switzerland.
That's why photography is amazing. We all get to make these judgments for ourselves.
I did mention in the video I prefer the process of the GFX and tried to stress that it's only a subtle difference between the two.
I also prefer the lens rendering from the Voigtlander on the GFX but the 33mm 1.4 fuji is also lovely to my eye.
I personally think that smaller return is absolutely worth the effort but if you don't that's good too!
@@bytomw By the way: I like the images very much you made with the GMX and the Voigtländer 58mm F1.4 👍I only have doubts if this is only possible with a medium format camera. As the difference between MF and APS-C is subtle, one can conclude the the difference to FF is even smaller.
If that’s the case I have another comparison between the R5 with 50mm 1.2 and GFX.
Hallo Tom, wenn du willst, dann kannst du gerne mal einige ausgedruckte Bilder in 90 × 60 cm bei mir anschauen. Einige sind mit Mittelformat aufgenommen, andere mit APSC. Der unterschied ist für mich deutlich zu sehen. Selbst bei einer relativ schlechten Druckqualität, die im Falle eines JPEG Formates, die feinen Farbabstufungen der Mittelformat Kamera gar nicht zum Ausdruck bringen kann. Ein Faktor, der oft vergessen wird. Was nützt mir 14 oder 16 Bit, wenn ein Ausdruck dann nur acht Bits hat? Insgesamt ist natürlich eine Nikon Kamera und die absoluter Vorrang der Nikon Objektive. Eine ganz ausgezeichnete Wahl. Beste Wünsche aus Zug. Volker
Haste ver los ojos, se nota demasiado la diferencia de medium format
I honestly think it looks massively different even on wider shots. That said it’s what you like that matters.
I have a95l 42" qd oled 4k won diffrebce medium format is huge
And are you using any of the film simulations ?
I don’t. I love my final look but it relies on the raw files.
Just quick question: when you “compare the colors”, were you comparing with the RAW files with your presets, or jpgs straight out of camera?
For example when you said the GFX skin colors are better than canon, or compared between XH2 and GFX. Just want to know the reference point
In all examples I edited the RAWs to my taste. When I say something has “better” skin tone I normally mean that’s is giving me the result I want with essentially no additional correction after my normal workflow.
With canon I had to do more with the XH2s and GFX I have to do next to nothing.
Hope that helps.
@@bytomw That makes a lot of sense. Thanks and I do agree too! So far I have experienced the Fujifilm and Sony RAWs are much easier to edit when comparing with Canon for my own workflow.
I have noticed some TH-camrs don’t mention what they are comparing with when talking about the “color differences”. And most of the time turned out to be the JPGs straight out of the camera. That’s frustrating lol
Actually in Lightroom the profiles are designed to do this job in theory.
The idea is that “adobe standard” makes every camera look the same. In practice it’s not typically the case. Canon, Sony, Fuji and Leica all render differently after the raw processing and profiles.
But you can get them close for sure 👍🏻
So then you probably wouldn't recommend the GFx50 as a unit stills photography camera? Because of the lack of absolutely fedility to reality?
I would recommend the GFX to anyone honestly it’s amazing. I would however recommend a native lens rather than the adapted ones I have been using if you want a more “real” look.
Where on earth did you get a GFX 50s for £1,000??? The cheapest I’ve ever seen one is £1600.
I picked it up used from a studio photographer that had just upgrade to the Mark II.
Bro there's not even a coffee in this video.
That’s accurate… I’ll fix it next time a record.
The only real benefit of medium format is the absurd resolution, u tried the 50mpx pointless one
The sensor is also physically larger. Larger capture medium means I can get shallower depth of field and a wider FOV with my lenses compared to full frame.
I mainly use a 58mm 1.4 that’s equivalent to a 42mm f1. You can’t get that on full frame.
I’d you’re talking about the native Fuji 2.8 prime lenses for the GFX I agree.
Thanks for your video a lot ! i love fujifilm, and i am more like a still photographer, trying to capture mood rather than absolute sharpness. In fact i prefere to down a little sharpness and add some grain to my digital RAW files, it brings me back to my film camera aesthetic... I am currently on an X100V but i am really thinking to upgrade on medium format... Fuji make it "affordable"... weel it is a kind of an investment let's say.... but on your images side by side, i can see overall better dynamic range of MF, light and shadow transitions are more smoother , as well as color transition
I see what you see too Pierre there is a little more on the Fuji medium format file vs the smaller sensor but it’s subtle.
I’m actually considering selling my X100V because since getting the GFX I have wanted to use it for everything!!
@@bytomw yeah it's subtle you're right, and for most common people they will never notice it and don't care, maybe years of picture's observation and well let's say... perfectionism, make us research that kind of subtility which will make the difference when people will look at your work without even notice the technical aspect haha!
Exactly right 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻