Amateur Photographer - UK (2021-11-13)

38 http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk

Fujifilm

GFX 50 S II

Fujifilm’s latest 50MP model makes medium format

digital more usable and affordable than ever before.

Andy Westlake puts it through its paces

I

t’s just five years since

Fujifilm revolutionised

medium format digital with

the launch of its GFX 50S.

This camera provided 51.4MP

resolution and mirrorless

architecture for £6,200 body-only,

which was a groundbreaking

price at the time. Since then, the

GFX system has gone from

strength to strength, with the

GFX100S that appeared earlier

this year offering 102MP for

£5,500, in a body that’s similar in

size to a full-frame DSLR. Now

with the GFX50S II, Fujifilm has

brought the price of entry even

lower, to just £3,500 body-only, or

£3,900 with the new matched GF

35-70mm F4.5-5.6 WR kit zoom.

Despite its name, the GFX50S

II isn’t based on the original GFX

50S. Instead, it employs the

same sensor, but places it into

the exact same body as the

GFX100S, while mating it with the

updated X-Processor 4. As such,

it promises fine image quality in a

proven camera design.

Of course,even this sub-£4,000

price point is still a long way off

being mass-market. But it makes

the GFX50S II look competitive

with high-resolution full-frame

cameras such as the 45MP

Canon EOS R5, 45.7MP Nikon

Z 7II or 61MP Sony Alpha A7R IV,

which launched for £4,200,

£3,000 and £3,500 respectively.

As we’ll see, it’s somewhat less

of an all-rounder, but for certain

subjects that benefit mostly from

raw image quality, it’s a really

interesting alternative.

Features

In essence, the GFX50S II offers

the same imaging specifications

as the older GFX 50S and the

flat-bodied, rangefinder-style GFX

Testbench CAMERA TEST

For and against

Excellent image quality

Compact, portable design

Effective in-body stabilisation

Superb in-camera colour

processing

Quiet operation

Image-quality advantage

over high-end full-frame

isn’t clear cut

Tiny exposure compensation

button

Slow continuous shooting

Data file

ALL

PRI
CES

ARE
AP
PROXIM

ATE
ST
REET

PR
ICES

At a glance

£3,500body only

£3,900 with 35-70mm F4.5-5.6

l 51.4MP medium format sensor

lISO 50- 102 ,400 (extended)

l 3.69m-dot EVF, 0.77x magnification

l 3.2in, 2.35m-dot tilting touchscreen

l 5-axis in-body image stabilisation

Sensor 51.4MP CMOS, 43.8x32.9mm

Output size 8256x6192

Focal length mag0.8x

Lens mount FujifilmG

Shutter speeds 60min – 1/4000sec (mechanical);

60min – 1/16000sec (electronic)

Sensitivity ISO 100- 12 ,800(standard),

ISO 50- 10 2,400 (extended)

Exposure modes PASM, 6x custom

Metering Multi, spot, average, centre-

weighted

Exposure comp +/- 5EV in 0.3EV steps

Cont shooting 3fps

Screen 3.2in, 2.35m-dot tilting LCD

Viewfinder 3.69m-dot OLED, 0.77x

AF points 117 or 425

Video Full HD up to 30fps

External mic 3.5mm stereo

Memory card 2x UHS-II SD/SDHC/SDXC

Power NP-W235 Li-ion

Batterylife 455

Dimensions 150x104.2x87.2mm

Weight 900g