Fujifilm GFX100RF Puts 102MP Into Your Pocket

Medium format photography is typically a pursuit that’s left to professionals and serious photo hobbyists, simply because using a camera with an image sensor that’s nearly double the size of a full-frame chip makes for bulky bodies and lenses, and proves to be an expensive upgrade to boot. Fujifilm is addressing some of these complaints head-on with the world’s first fixed lens medium format digital camera, the GFX100RF, which is smaller and lighter than any option with interchangeable lenses, though far from inexpensive at $4,899.95.

Conceptually the GFX100RF is quite similar to the Fuji X100VI, which uses a smaller format (APS-C) sensor, but a similar fixed lens. We’ll have to wait and see if the market has the same reaction to a medium format version. The X100VI debuted last year to huge acclaim and has proven so popular that it remains on back order status more than a year after its introduction.

Largest Sensor in a Fixed-Lens Camera Yet

Most professional, interchangeable lens cameras use a full-frame sensor, one that’s matches the size of the 35mm film photographers ran through their SLRs and compacts prior to the digital revolution. Fujifilm takes a different approach with its GFX line, opting instead for a medium format chip that at 33x44mm is about 1.7 times the size of full-frame. The extra surface area translates to photos with more gradual fall-off between focus and background, greater color depth, and of course more resolution.

(Credit: Fujifilm)

The GFX100R promises to do the same, but in a body that can slide into a jacket pocket or hang by your side all day without putting a strain on your shoulder. At around 3.6 by 5.3 by 3.0 inches (HWD) and 1.6 pounds, it’s a decently small, light camera when you take its 102MP BSI CMOS medium format sensor into account. Impressively, Fujifilm manages to work in a corner-positioned electronic viewfinder into body as well.

There are some trade-offs to consider when mulling against a larger, interchangeable lens camera like the GFX100S II ($4,999.99, body only). For one the GFX100RF doesn’t leave room for a stabilized image sensor, and of course its prime 35mm F4 lens is permanently attached. The lens includes an integral leaf shutter to reduce vibration during capture and to sync with external flashes at speeds as short as 1/4,000-second, plus a 4-stop neutral density filter that you can engage to cut incoming light for long exposure imaging.

The lens sees a wide angle view, about the same as a 28mm prime on a full-frame camera, but with a 102MP sensor backing it there’s ample room to crop in for a tighter angle and still walk away with plenty of megapixels. The GFX100R includes a thumb wheel to enable a digital step zoom for 45mm, 63mm, or 80mm coverage. The sensor uses a 4:3 aspect ratio, slightly boxier than the 3:2 used in full-frame cameras, but there are a range of alternatives available. Almost every camera supports cropped aspect ratios via a menu setting, but Fuji actually puts a hard dial on the GFX100RF to change between them. The dial includes typical settings like 3:2, 1:1, and 16:9, as well as less used ones like a panoramic 65:24 (2.7:1), and a 5:4 crop that’s perfect for making 8-by-10-inch prints.

(Credit: Fujifilm)

Fujifilm likely had travel use in mind with this camera, after all only a dedicated few will want to carry a bigger camera like the GFX100S II around when stepping out to make the images photographers typically go for when visiting a new place. The wide angle prime lens is a clue here, it’s perfectly suited for landscapes, architecture, museum interiors, and slice of life documentary images. Thankfully the GFX100RF is weather sealed, so you can use it on a rainy day, and has an excellent 820-exposure CIPA battery rating, enough for most photogs to get through a full day, and dual UHS-II memory card slots make it easy to save images to two cards for data redundancy if you want.

We also like the Fuji’s JPG engine. While the GFX100RF is capable of full-quality 16-bit Raw imaging, photographers can also set it to record ready-to-share JPGs processed using Fuji’s Film Simulation color engine. These film looks are also available for movies; the camera rolls at up to 4K30 with 10-bit 4:2:2 color. The flat F-Log2 profile is also available for video editors who are savvy enough to work with color correction tools in the editing room.

(Credit: Fujifilm)

Pricing and Availability 

The GFX100RF costs $4,899.95 in your choice of an all-black or two-tone black-and-silver finish. The camera is bundled with a 49mm protective lens filter, hood, strap, and lens cap. Orders open in the US on April 24, but the camera may be available to buy in other regions ahead of that date.

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About Jim Fisher

Lead Analyst, Cameras

Images, and the devices that capture them, are my focus. I’ve covered cameras at PCMag for the past 13 years, which has given me a front row seat for the DSLR to mirrorless transition, the smartphone camera revolution, and the mainstream adoption of drones for aerial imaging. I have extensive experience with every major mirrorless and SLR system. As a Part 107 Certified drone pilot, I’m licensed to fly unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for commercial and editorial purposes, and am knowledgeable about federal rules and regulations regarding drones. You can find me on Instagram @jamespfisher.

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