Fuji GFX100RF Thoughts and Review
I can’t remember ever being as frustrated with a camera as much as I was with the Fuji GFX100RF. How’s that for not burying the lede? But let’s start from the beginning.
The Fuji GFX100RF is a $5,500 compact(ish) medium format camera that is probably best thought of as a bigger brother to the extremely popular Fuji X100 series. To keep the camera a reasonable size, they fitted a fixed 35mm f4 prime lens to the body. The sensor utilizes a 4:3 aspect ratio to produce enormous 102 megapixel images. For those that are familiar with the X100, the RF largely operates the same in regards to its dials, levers, screens, and menus.
It should be said that I am not a Fuji camera person. I’ve owned two versions of the X100 over the years, as well as the goofy little X-half that quickly got returned, and I could never really develop an attachment to any of them. Honestly, I think that Fuji cameras were designed to shoot JPEG, and I’ve always been more comfortable with RAW images. The RF doesn’t feel any different. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
The Good
The GFX100RF is a beautiful piece of design. It looks every bit as good as its brethren in the larger Fuji stable. Quality wise, it feels like an X100. For those that might have thought that it would have had the heft of Leica with the $5500 price tag, it doesn’t. That’s not a knock, but I had that question before I held it, so that’s for anyone else that might be wondering.
Just like other Fujis, the GFX has access to Fuji’s beautiful image recipes. If you don’t want to bake them into your JPEGs, you can still access them in Lightroom as Profiles when editing your RAWs. My personal favorite has always been Classic Chrome, though I also used Astia, Classic Neg, and Astos in these images. I genuinely think this is such a cool feature for Fuji cameras, and while it is maybe not worth the price of entry, it should at least be counted as a great value.
I really liked the GFX’s unique aspect ratio dial. This was a new challenge for me, and I think this was my favorite part of the camera. In over twenty years of shooting, I’ve rarely deviated from the standard 2:3 aspect ratio of full frame and ASPC cameras. Fuji chose to include a diverse range of options, many of which were used by cameras in the company’s past. Personally, I was drawn to wide cinematic ratios like 16:9 and 17:6. Because of the size of the sensor, these crops still contain plenty of information for printing.
The Bad
The weak point of this camera is the lens. I understand why it's necessary (size), but ultimately I found it to be pretty boring and difficult to use in the way that I enjoy shooting. For my everyday carry cameras, I prefer lenses with character, and access to low apertures. With the widest aperture at f4, I felt like I was constantly wanting for light.
That’s not to say that it can’t make beautiful images. I’m not even close to being a landscape photographer, and I’m stoked on some of these. But I don’t feel like the lens added anything here that any other modern lens couldn’t have managed stopped down to f5.6 or f8. At this price point, that’s disappointing.
But Andy, you aren’t paying for the lens, you’re paying for the sensor! And that’s absolutely true. Some people love the benefits of medium format. I’m not sure that I do. The cropping is a neat party trick, but thinking of a dozen different aspect ratios is overwhelming. The bokeh is fine, but you aren’t getting much of it at f4.
And that’s ultimately what kept me from loving this camera, and revealed weaknesses in my shooting. Over the years, I developed a habit of romanticizing limitations. I force myself down one path, and make the best out of that path.
That’s what I expected out of the Fuji GFX100RF, but really, this camera offers its user so many options. From the aspect ratio dial, to the crop lever to simulate other focal lengths, to Fuji’s different color profiles; there’s always some other variation of a shot to think about. It’s too much to think about, for me.
For someone, this camera is a dream come true. I can imagine hiking with this camera and a travel tripod is a dream for landscape photographers on the go. I think there’s a good case to be made to use this as a street photographer. The ability to find a dozen shots within one shot makes for such an interesting approach to photography.
I’m glad Fuji made this camera, and I’m glad they did such a good job with it, despite the necessary limitations to bring it to market. I’m thankful for the opportunity to try it out in the ever-impressive Smoky Mountain National Park. For all of you Fuji enthusiasts, the guys and girls still paying over sticker for the X100, this one’s for you. There’s nothing else like it, and in today’s copycat world, that’s something to be celebrated.
But it ain’t for me.
The Fuji GFX100RF was rented from lensrentals.com at my own expense.