New is the aspect ratio dial, which offers 4:3, 3:2, 16:9, 17:6, 3:4, 1:1, 7:6, 5:4 and 65:24 modes (the latter a nod to Fujifilm’s TX-1 panorama camera). The GFX100RF also has a switch on the front that allows you to select zoom levels of 28mm, 35mm, 50mm and 63mm (full-frame equivalent). These gradually lose resolution due to cropping, from 100MP at 28mm to 20MP at 63mm. Bokeh also decreases as the sensor size decreases.
The 3.15-inch 2.1-million-pixel rear screen only tilts up and down, but it’s fine for the camera’s primary task, which is street photography. While sharp and detailed, the 5.76-megapixel electronic viewfinder sadly lacks the X100 VI’s signature hybrid screen that lets you switch between optical and electronic screens. However, it does offer three modes to support the aspect ratio wheel and simplify composition. One shows only the selected crop, another shows the entire scene with a border around the crop, and the third shows everything outside the crop at 50% opacity.
The GFX100RF’s battery life is excellent, with up to 820 shots per charge, or around 100 minutes of 4K video recording at 30fps. For me, that meant almost two days of use, which is better than almost any other (non-DSLR) camera I’ve tested. The camera also has two UHS-II memory card slots, as well as microphone, headphone, microHDMI and USB-C ports. The latter allows not only data transfer and charging, but also video recording on the SSD.
Performance
The GFX100RF is essentially a GFX100S II in a compact body, so performance is comparable with burst speeds of up to 6 fps. However, each RAW file has a maximum size of 150 MB and JPEG files are 70 MB, so you can fill up your memory cards even at slower speeds. Terrible Quickly. However, this camera is definitely not designed for sports or wildlife, so I didn’t do a lot of burst shooting.
The autofocus is reliable when taking single shots, but becomes slightly slower when taking continuous shots. Using AI eye and face detection modes provides reliable eye focusing, but it’s not as fast as the Sony and Canon systems. It also supports animal, bird and vehicle tracking, which allowed me to capture clear shots of ducks floating on the Seine in Paris.
The GFX100RF offers mechanical and silent electronic shutter modes. However, shutter lag is a big issue with this sensor in quiet mode and with fast-moving subjects. Fortunately, the mechanical shutter prevents this and is practically imperceptible.
The built-in ND filter can reduce light by up to four stops, allowing you to shoot on sunny days while retaining some bokeh. The main problem, however, is that this is not the case. Enough Light. The minimum aperture of f4 is simply insufficient and the lack of stabilization exacerbates the problem, as there is a risk of blurry images at slow shutter speeds. In low light, you may need to bring a tripod, which is not ideal for a compact camera.
Image quality
The GFX100RF’s aspect ratio and zoom options are useful and fun. Some budget shooters may prefer to take 100-megapixel photos with a full sensor and simply crop them later in post-production. But with the GFX100RF, you can have your cake and eat it too. You can apply as many crops, zooms and film simulations as you want and save them as JPEG files for easy sharing. So if you need to go back and edit something, you also have the full 100MP RAW image as a backup (although of course your memory card fills up faster if you shoot both).
Fujifilm GFX100RF review
Like the GFX100S II, the GFX100RF leads the way in terms of detail and sharpness. The colors are attractive and the RAW files have a high dynamic range, allowing for easy adjustment in Lightroom. And of course, Fujifilm’s film simulations give you colorful and nostalgic options, like Reala Ace or the spectacular black and white look of Acros, straight from the camera.
The GFX100RF also offers beautiful bokeh, with an f4 aperture that equates depth of field (but not light focus) to around f3 for a full-frame camera. Like other GFX models, the large sensor produces more spectacular images than full frame for portrait, landscape or street photography.
But like I said, something goes wrong when the lights go out. With no options lower than F4 and no stabilization, I relied on a high ISO to increase exposure. The GFX100RF isn’t bad in this area, with manageable noise up to around ISO 8000, but given the other factors, it’s not high enough. For these reasons, the GFX100RF is less versatile than it could be.
video
The GFX100RF can handle 4K widescreen and 4K DCI at up to 30fps and relatively high bitrates, as long as you have a fast UHS-II SD card. You can also record ProRes footage at much higher data rates, although this requires recording directly to an SSD via the USB Type-C port.
Autofocus for video is decent, but not very fast, so ideally your subjects don’t move too much. AI-based face and eye detection makes it easier to focus when shooting people, but can also cause noise if your subjects are running.
Videos have amazing quality and bokeh that only a large sensor can provide. Like the GFX100S II, the GFX100RF captures video across the full width of the sensor in most modes, but with pixel binning that reduces quality. The sharpest video comes with a 1.32x crop, but this reduces the image quality benefits of a large sensor.
Video on the GFX100RF has one thing that stills lack: digital stabilization. This compensates for hand-held camera shake, but the excessive rolling shutter limits your ability to move the camera quickly.
Colors are attractive and easy to adjust, especially when using Fujifilm’s 10-bit F-Log or F-Log2 modes to increase dynamic range. And of course, Reala Ace, Acros and other film simulations are available in video mode to create amazing looks straight from the camera.
Summary
Fujifilm’s GFX100RF, at $4,899, is a powerful camera with incredible image quality, but it’s hampered by a lack of low-light performance. It’s also an expensive niche product that, unlike Fujifilm’s popular X100 VI, only appeals to a small group of photographers.
The main competitor in this space is Leica’s Q3, which has a smaller 60MP full-frame sensor and a higher price of $6,735. However, the Q3 has a much faster 28mm f/1.7 lens, a smaller rotary shutter, a single UHS-II SD card slot and up to 8K video. It also has Leica’s seal of quality, something very important for people who spend that much money.
However, the GFX100RF is pleasant to use and offers several innovations, such as the aspect ratio wheel. While there may never be a mass market, I think these types of products push the industry in new directions and start conversations that get new people excited about photography. While I would never buy one, I’m glad the GFX100RF exists for these reasons.
(tagToTranslate)Fuji film(s)aspect ratio(s)panoramic camera(s)Steve Dent
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