Digital Medium Format Thread

[imattersuk]

I will add that I took my 50S II into the HOP Covent Garden and they did a factory reset and no difference. They then checked their demo model and it was the same. There’s quite a few reports on the web about this issue. The answer apparently is to buy the 100S as the sensor readout is faster.

Interesting that LCE initially thought it was a faulty unit until we tried another one in the shop. The manager also said since I had raised the issue he checked his 50R and it was similar, something he hadn’t noticed prior so maybe it’s one of those once you’ve seen it you can’t unsee it things.

When focussing on Waterloo bridge it looked like there were snakes running along the side, very weird and totally unusable for me. The EVF is worse than the screen but same effect on both.

 

[Mr Perceptive]

I will add that I took my 50S II into the HOP Covent Garden and they did a factory reset and no difference. They then checked their demo model and it was the same. There’s quite a few reports on the web about this issue. The answer apparently is to buy the 100S as the sensor readout is faster.

Interesting that LCE initially thought it was a faulty unit until we tried another one in the shop. The manager also said since I had raised the issue he checked his 50R and it was similar, something he hadn’t noticed prior so maybe it’s one of those once you’ve seen it you can’t unsee it things.

When focussing on Waterloo bridge it looked like there were snakes running along the side, very weird and totally unusable for me. The EVF is worse than the screen but same effect on both.

I suspect that my eyes have got such a slow readout that I’ve not noticed!

 

[SFTPhotography]

Gutted, I'm not going to be ready in time for these deals. Although after seeing an example of the 50SII EVF I think I want to do more research.

I think for many reasons you are better with the 100s.

Namely the resolution really lifts it well above that of the best 35mm systems, and the on sensor phase detect AF system will be vastly superior. I also suspect it'll hold its value better being the most desirable model.

Depends what you want to use it for but I am guessing outdoor scenes - is EVF read out that important, say it lags a little - does it matter given you'll likely be using it on a tripod, maybe with a geared head for ultimate precision and control. Precisely no-one is using these as action cameras.

Do you even need to use the EVF on these things -I've tried a few mirrorless cameras and found the EVF's highly dislikable, but you can just use the rear screen like you would live view on a DSLR and probaby for tripod shooting (this is only how I shoot) my solution to the issue.

Indeed I am tempted, but money isn't quite there yet but I know the 3 lenses I would take and they would all be perfect for my needs.

 

[imattersuk]

I suspect that my eyes have got such a slow readout that I’ve not noticed!

Me trying to focus…..

 

[trevorbray]

@gman
Gotta say that Pete @imattersuk alerted me to the EVF on the 50Sii. I still bought it. Happy with it. I only use the EVF for framing. Non issue for me. I figured it’s all about the Sensor. Have to say that I’m a very deliberate shooter when using this camera. So far I’ve not used it on a tripod.

 

[dancook]

I didn't take photography too seriously with Louise and dogs in tow.. but I did have a lovely weekend !

Canterbury, Whitstable, Dungeness

 

[trevorbray]

@dancook Magic Dan

 

[dancook]

@dancook Magic Dan

thanks Trevor

 

[trevorbray]

Stopped off on my way home yesterday and grabbed a couple of early evening shots of a very Quiet Guildford
I've been having conversation with myself over continued ownership of the GFX now that i have the Fuji X-H2.
Conversation over. these files are so flexible. So clean.
Not great pictures but prove to me I need to keep and use this camera more often.

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Lazy Guildford High Street by Trevor, on Flickr

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Tunsgate by Trevor, on Flickr

 

[Mr Perceptive]

Stopped off on my way home yesterday and grabbed a couple of early evening shots of a very Quiet Guildford
I've been having conversation with myself over continued ownership of the GFX now that i have the Fuji X-H2.
Conversation over. these files are so flexible. So clean.
Not great pictures but prove to me I need to keep and use this camera more often.

GFX50SII and X-H2S - sell the rest and reduce your X series lens count - buy some more GFX glass.

I'm now down to (digital) GFX50S + X100F - obviously I'm keeping the original X100 as well (for odd nostalgia outings). but its quite liberating having less choice

 

[trevorbray]

GFX50SII and X-H2S - sell the rest and reduce your X series lens count - buy some more GFX glass.

I'm now down to (digital) GFX50S + X100F - obviously I'm keeping the original X100 as well (for odd nostalgia outings). but its quite liberating having less choice

Haha. Guess I’d better cross the X-T5 off my list then..

 

[Mr Perceptive]

Haha. Guess I’d better cross the X-T5 off my list then..

You'll probably buy it to cross off the X-T5 in your "I-Spy Book of Fuji Cameras I have owned" - probably worth 50pts

You seem to working your way through the I-Spy Book of Fuji X-Series Lenses I have owned" as well...........................

 

[trevorbray]

You'll probably buy it to cross off the X-T5 in your "I-Spy Book of Fuji Cameras I have owned" - probably worth 50pts

You seem to working your way through the I-Spy Book of Fuji X-Series Lenses I have owned" as well...........................

Yeah. That 50mm f1…..

 

[imattersuk]

@trevorbray That shot above was mighty close to LCE Guildford, have you been gear fondling again ?

 

[trevorbray]

@trevorbray That shot above was mighty close to LCE Guildford, have you been gear fondling again ?

I’ll admit to slowing down as I passed it.

 

[trevorbray]

One more from my quick evening shoot
ISO 1250 no noise reduction

OKA by Trevor, on Flickr

 

[Mr Perceptive]

Birks of Aberfeldy by David Yeoman, on Flickr

 

[trevorbray]

Anyone like cars ?

The Meeting by Trevor, on Flickr

 

[bobman]

Anyone like cars ?

The Meeting by Trevor, on Flickr

Takes me back to when I had a Laser Blue 111s, great fun!

 

[TimHughes]

I don’t often post on Instagram and usually it’s event photos using canon. Here’s one with GFX 100. Rachel Portman on her way to collecting a music award a couple of months ago.

 

[TimHughes]

@Topsy here are the results of this evening's 24 x 65 GFX 50R "travel cam" as Hasselblad XPan mini project. Turned out to be a lot of fun. At one stage I took the 50R into the camera shop to sell. I'm glad I retrieved it before it got snapped up . 8 / 14 pics

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[TimHughes]

remaining 6 / 14 pics

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[Mr Perceptive]

Manchester Old And New by David Yeoman, on Flickr

 

[dancook]

Chilly evening at Wisley Glow

 

[huffy]

@Topsy here are the results of this evening's 24 x 65 GFX 50R "travel cam" as Hasselblad XPan mini project. Turned out to be a lot of fun. At one stage I took the 50R into the camera shop to sell. I'm glad I retrieved it before it got snapped up . 8 / 14 pics

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Great selection of shots, it seems that the guys at MPB cameras had the same idea for alternatives to the Hasselblad xpan.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13i3hfoDlQQ

 

[TimHughes]

Great selection of shots, it seems that the guys at MPB cameras had the same idea for alternatives to the Hasselblad xpan.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13i3hfoDlQQ

thanks! Thanks to @Topsy for the idea. I'll definitely be using this mode again. With the film presets in camera that fuji offers there's really nothing to do in post processing, which for fun pictures is another bonus.

 

[TimHughes]

Another 65x24 B&W, this is a fun format

 

[Topsy]

Another 65x24 B&W, this is a fun format

Addictive.

 

[mstphoto]

Just wondering - would the GFX 50sii be better than the Sony a7R4a?
It would be mainly for landscape.
I have an itch that needs scratching
Thinking I could sell the a7R4a + 24-105 and perhaps the 12-24 to fund the GFX + new kit lens

 

[trevorbray]

Just wondering - would the GFX 50sii be better than the Sony a7R4a?
It would be mainly for landscape.
I have an itch that needs scratching
Thinking I could sell the a7R4a + 24-105 and perhaps the 12-24 to fund the GFX + new kit lens

You need David @Mr Perceptive or @Topsy
Take a look at post 877 I think it is. Not quite a true comparison but it might help.

 

[Mr Perceptive]

Just wondering - would the GFX 50sii be better than the Sony a7R4a?
It would be mainly for landscape.
I have an itch that needs scratching
Thinking I could sell the a7R4a + 24-105 and perhaps the 12-24 to fund the GFX + new kit lens

You need David @Mr Perceptive or @Topsy
Take a look at post 877 I think it is. Not quite a true comparison but it might help.

Mike

Its a close call, and quite a subjective one.

There are some good promotional deals on the GFX at the moment which obviously can help the argument with some man-maths (something that @trevorbray excels at!!)

With regard to the image output, there is 'something' about the larger format images, IMO you expect resolution and detail, but the GFX gives you more tonality and depth within the images, as someone once put it, you look at a FF image but you look into a GFX image. The 4:3 aspect ratio opens up a different view as well, I find that I have less of a requirement for wide angle lenses and there are a lot more portrait format opportunities, where you get a large image cropping to an eye pleasing 5:4 ratio.

There are some disadvantages, cost of glass (though Sony GM glass (and Canon RF) gives it a good run for its money in the £££ stakes) and the physical bulk of the equipment. It's relatively slow as well in the AF department. The zoom lenses don't have the range of FF glass, so you need more of them to cover the equivalent in FF. I actually went with 3 primes to cover my main focal range (24-50mm FF), the GF30, GF45 and GF63 and have added an GF100-200 for longer focal lengths. @Topsy has a more complete selection of zooms.

If you mainly shoot over a fairly narrow range of focal lengths and have an itch to scratch then I'd say go for it. Fuji do 48hr test drives on the equipment and with some clever date selection you could get one on loan from 23rd of Dec for the whole of the Xmas period (pick up in early Jan).

The GFX is not for everyone, but if it works for you then its a great system. Its certainly cured my GAS, I've had no itches to scratch for the past year or so, and in fact have started selling off gear that I don't use, and soon in the digital world I'll have just GFX and a couple of X100 series cameras.

 

[imattersuk]

Mike

Its a close call, and quite a subjective one.

There are some good promotional deals on the GFX at the moment which obviously can help the argument with some man-maths (something that @trevorbray excels at!!)

With regard to the image output, there is 'something' about the larger format images, IMO you expect resolution and detail, but the GFX gives you more tonality and depth within the images, as someone once put it, you look at a FF image but you look into a GFX image. The 4:3 aspect ratio opens up a different view as well, I find that I have less of a requirement for wide angle lenses and there are a lot more portrait format opportunities, where you get a large image cropping to an eye pleasing 5:4 ratio.

There are some disadvantages, cost of glass (though Sony GM glass (and Canon RF) gives it a good run for its money in the £££ stakes) and the physical bulk of the equipment. It's relatively slow as well in the AF department. The zoom lenses don't have the range of FF glass, so you need more of them to cover the equivalent in FF. I actually went with 3 primes to cover my main focal range (24-50mm FF), the GF30, GF45 and GF63 and have added an GF100-200 for longer focal lengths. @Topsy has a more complete selection of zooms.

If you mainly shoot over a fairly narrow range of focal lengths and have an itch to scratch then I'd say go for it. Fuji do 48hr test drives on the equipment and with some clever date selection you could get one on loan from 23rd of Dec for the whole of the Xmas period (pick up in early Jan).

The GFX is not for everyone, but if it works for you then its a great system. Its certainly cured my GAS, I've had no itches to scratch for the past year or so, and in fact have started selling off gear that I don't use, and soon in the digital world I'll have just GFX and a couple of X100 series cameras.

Brutal so early in the day...........but well deserved

 

[trevorbray]

Brutal so early in the day...........but well deserved

I’m watching you two…

 

[imattersuk]

I’m watching you two…

Makes a pleasant change, you're usually busy opening the "offer must end soon" emails

 

[Topsy]

Mike

Its a close call, and quite a subjective one.

There are some good promotional deals on the GFX at the moment which obviously can help the argument with some man-maths (something that @trevorbray excels at!!)

With regard to the image output, there is 'something' about the larger format images, IMO you expect resolution and detail, but the GFX gives you more tonality and depth within the images, as someone once put it, you look at a FF image but you look into a GFX image. The 4:3 aspect ratio opens up a different view as well, I find that I have less of a requirement for wide angle lenses and there are a lot more portrait format opportunities, where you get a large image cropping to an eye pleasing 5:4 ratio.

There are some disadvantages, cost of glass (though Sony GM glass (and Canon RF) gives it a good run for its money in the £££ stakes) and the physical bulk of the equipment. It's relatively slow as well in the AF department. The zoom lenses don't have the range of FF glass, so you need more of them to cover the equivalent in FF. I actually went with 3 primes to cover my main focal range (24-50mm FF), the GF30, GF45 and GF63 and have added an GF100-200 for longer focal lengths. @Topsy has a more complete selection of zooms.

If you mainly shoot over a fairly narrow range of focal lengths and have an itch to scratch then I'd say go for it. Fuji do 48hr test drives on the equipment and with some clever date selection you could get one on loan from 23rd of Dec for the whole of the Xmas period (pick up in early Jan).

The GFX is not for everyone, but if it works for you then its a great system. Its certainly cured my GAS, I've had no itches to scratch for the past year or so, and in fact have started selling off gear that I don't use, and soon in the digital world I'll have just GFX and a couple of X100 series cameras.

Hi Mike, @mstphoto, I agree with David @Mr Perceptive as he says I have a different set of lenses but am happy with them. I started with the 32-64 and 120, as soon as it was available I added the 23mm then when the 100-200 came out I traded my 120 for it (nothing wrong with the 120 but I wanted the flexibilty of the zoom. Finally this year when the 20-35 came out I traded my 23mm for it again nothing wrong with the 23mm I just wanted the felxibiliy of the zoom.

I am a landscape shooter with this gear and TBH if I had to I could live without the 100-200 but I keep it because sometimes I want something a bit longer, also it gives me a good option for filling the frame with small objects, not a Macro but close enough for my needs. Here is an example.



The one thing I couldn't live without though is the Tilt Adapter for the EVF I use it all the time it's surprising how versatile it is for lower and higher viewpoints, of course it doesn't fit on the newer 50 S2 or 100 S though and when I found that out I got a second 50S and Tilt adapter as back up in case the worst happens.



If you want to hand hold the GFX maybe one of the newer ones is a better option though as they have IBIS, @trevorbray uses his very well hand held but I hardly ever use mine hand held so am not the best to advise.

Hope this helps.

 

[TimHughes]

For what it’s worth, that maybe is not a lot….I have Canon and Fuji GFX systems.

For personal projects I’ll pick up the GFX 9 times out of 10. I find the results it produces better and the shooting experience more fun. The 1 time out 10 I don’t pick it is due to a limitation, often AF speed/reliability, for which Canon R5 is much better. For paid work I use GFX for studio work and occasional landscapes.

The two models I have are 50R rangefinder style - my favorite travel camera and a backup for the 100 with tilt evf for studio and landscape.

Based on your needs, wants and budget the choice is yours….

 

[Topsy]

The two models I have are 50R rangefinder style - my favorite travel camera and a backup for the 100 with tilt evf for studio and landscape.

AKA a digital Hasselblad X-Pan.

 

[SFTPhotography]

Just wondering - would the GFX 50sii be better than the Sony a7R4a?
It would be mainly for landscape.
I have an itch that needs scratching
Thinking I could sell the a7R4a + 24-105 and perhaps the 12-24 to fund the GFX + new kit lens

I'd probably try reach for the GFX100s.

It has the on sensor phase detect AF like your Sony - and would be significant upgrade in resolution rather than a small reduction.

Lens wise, they have you covered with the 20-35, 45-100 and 100-200 zooms. Realistically that's a big range of field of view covered by zooms of similar cost to F2.8 trinity on FF. Only the body is more expensive.

 

[mstphoto]

I'd probably try reach for the GFX100s.

It has the on sensor phase detect AF like your Sony - and would be significant upgrade in resolution rather than a small reduction.

Lens wise, they have you covered with the 20-35, 45-100 and 100-200 zooms. Realistically that's a big range of field of view covered by zooms of similar cost to F2.8 trinity on FF. Only the body is more expensive.

Thanks for your thoughts and advice, Guys
I've done a lot of thinking since posting my question here.
Ideally, I would like 24mm - perhaps 200mm but money is going to be the major problem.
I could probably stretch to the GFX 50sii + lens as it seems to be at a good price with £700 off until next month
At the moment, I'm living off my savings and drawing down a wee bit of my personal pension until Govt. pension kicks in in 9 months time.

Steve
That range of lenses would suit me well.
The GFX 100s certainly ticks all the boxes but at a cost
My computer wouldn't look at the files from the 100s - it slows to a snails pace with the 61mp a7R4a!!
I think my next purchase is going to have to be the computer
I'm thinking of pushing the boat out and getting the Mac Studio.
That should cope with the larger files

Talking of files, how would the GFX 50sii files compare to the a7R4a's?

Its still an itch that I hope to scratch in the future but in the meantime I'll hold on to the Sony

Thanks again

 

[SFTPhotography]

Thanks for your thoughts and advice, Guys
I've done a lot of thinking since posting my question here.
Ideally, I would like 24mm - perhaps 200mm but money is going to be the major problem.
I could probably stretch to the GFX 50sii + lens at the moment.
At the moment, I'm living off my savings and drawing down a wee bit of my personal pension until Govt. pension kicks in in 9 months time.

Steve
That range of lenses would suit me well.
The GFX 100s certainly ticks all the boxes but at a cost
My computer wouldn't look at the files from the 100s - it slows to a snails pace with the 61mp a7R4a!!
I think my next purchase is going to have to be the computer
I'm thinking of pushing the boat out and getting the Mac Studio.
That should cope with the larger files

Talking of files, how would the GFX 50sii files compare to the a7R4a's?

Its still an itch that I hope to scratch in the future but in the meantime I'll hold on to the Sony

Thanks again

The 50s fiiles are smaller than your Sony - they're only 8256x6192 and yours is 9504 x 6336 ( I think) so it'll handle them better.

The 100s files are 11648 x 8736 so on their short side they are longer than a D850/645z/GFX50 is long. In a 4:3 crop in portrait on a GFX100s you'll get a bigger file than a 4:3 crop in a landscape from a A7R4. Incredible. That said, your camera has more resolution than my camera and I don't feel lacking.

Mac Studio will be fine - and your photography is only as good as the weakest link in your system be that you, your camera, your lenses, your tripod, your computer, even your car.


Re 200mm 35mm equivalent, you can get there with a GFX but there's an expensive 250mm prime. The three zooms get you to 16-164mm equivalent losing 28-35mm equivalent. Not perfect, but workable.

I will upgrade to this, but when I am unsure. I want to relocate to Spain so have more pressing commitments.