Digital Medium Format Thread

The Fuji medium format "rangefinder" has been announced today:
www.fujifilm-x.com

GFX100RF | Cameras | FUJIFILM X Series & GFX - UK

Large format photography has never been so portable. It weighs approximately 735g, making it the lightest in the GFX series.
www.fujifilm-x.com www.fujifilm-x.com

It's not for me - for a small travel camera, the X100 series is good enough, and the 35mm (28mm equivalent) lens on the new MF camera is a bit wider than I like. It will be fun to see what people do with it, and fair play to Fuji for releasing it
 
I have to say, even though I have no "need" for it and on paper a GFX-100sii or similar would be "better".... I do like the look of that.

It's gone now, but I had the original X100 10 years and that was a great camera. Though at those prices it would be cross-shopping a Fuji and Leica...
 
Cuchulainn said:
The Fuji medium format "rangefinder" has been announced today:
www.fujifilm-x.com

GFX100RF | Cameras | FUJIFILM X Series & GFX - UK

Large format photography has never been so portable. It weighs approximately 735g, making it the lightest in the GFX series.
www.fujifilm-x.com www.fujifilm-x.com

It's not for me - for a small travel camera, the X100 series is good enough, and the 35mm (28mm equivalent) lens on the new MF camera is a bit wider than I like. It will be fun to see what people do with it, and fair play to Fuji for releasing it
Click to expand...
With decent subject recognition I am super interested. Don’t have the wedge to preorder. Must watch a few videos.
 
Mr Perceptive said:
Trevor, the lens really isn't fast enough for you (and you know that!)
Click to expand...

That's also what really puts me off. Having had the Q2r for a while now, I am actually really starting to like it. Also having previously owned a GFX (50sii) I know the merits of it but I think I would rather stick with the Q in this instance.
 
trevorbray said:
You know me too well.
How about for you ?
Click to expand...

Nope - can't see this doing anything better than the Q3 - I don't need more megapixels, the 4:3 aspect ratio sensor would be nice though. The lens isn't fast enough, it has too many buttons and dials, it doesn't have an IP weather resistance rating, I'd question the build against the Leica (yes the top plate is a big bit of Aluminium but what about the rest?) and its a little bit ugly (in the same was an X-Tx0 is uglay compared to at X-Tx), the body is quite thick, the macro mode doesn't go in as close, the app is nowhere near as good as the Leica one.......should I go on..... :ROFLMAO:

If it had an F2.8 or faster lens then I would be a lot more interested. I wouldn't be worried about IBIS either as its only the equiv to 4 x 24MP Fuji APSCs and the leaf shutter means that handholding for slower shutter speeds won't be an issue.
 
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View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEWckJv1jHU

5H6DssQ.jpeg
 
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Cuchulainn said:
Really interesting video - much better idea of what Fuji might have been aiming for with this. Definitely not for me, but I do hope it finds a mark - it would be a real pity if it led to Fuji losing an appetite for trying things out!
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Yes, that's what I thought. - It could be the start of a new FUJI cam series with different lenses (longer - faster) ...
 
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Mr Perceptive said:
Nope - can't see this doing anything better than the Q3 - I don't need more megapixels, the 4:3 aspect ratio sensor would be nice though. The lens isn't fast enough, it has too many buttons and dials, it doesn't have an IP weather resistance rating, I'd question the build against the Leica (yes the top plate is a big bit of Aluminium but what about the rest?) and its a little bit ugly (in the same was an X-Tx0 is uglay compared to at X-Tx), the body is quite thick, the macro mode doesn't go in as close, the app is nowhere near as good as the Leica one.......should I go on..... :ROFLMAO:

If it had an F2.8 or faster lens then I would be a lot more interested. I wouldn't be worried about IBIS either as its only the equiv to 4 x 24MP Fuji APSCs and the leaf shutter means that handholding for slower shutter speeds won't be an issue.
Click to expand...
This is spot on...........but @trevorbray will buy one anyway :ROFLMAO:
 
Cuchulainn said:
The Fuji medium format "rangefinder" has been announced today:
www.fujifilm-x.com

GFX100RF | Cameras | FUJIFILM X Series & GFX - UK

Large format photography has never been so portable. It weighs approximately 735g, making it the lightest in the GFX series.
www.fujifilm-x.com www.fujifilm-x.com

It's not for me - for a small travel camera, the X100 series is good enough, and the 35mm (28mm equivalent) lens on the new MF camera is a bit wider than I like. It will be fun to see what people do with it, and fair play to Fuji for releasing it
Click to expand...

It's a shame it doesn't have an OVF - I think it looks a bit 'odd' and plain on the front..... Perhaps I'm just used to the X100 style.

And Fuji, seem to be referring to it as a 'large format sensor' or is that just crafty wording because it's larger than '35mm'?
 
LeeRatters said:
It's a shame it doesn't have an OVF - I think it looks a bit 'odd' and plain on the front..... Perhaps I'm just used to the X100 style.

And Fuji, seem to be referring to it as a 'large format sensor' or is that just crafty wording because it's larger than '35mm'?
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Hi, they use "large format sensor" because they used to sell proper FUJI Medium Format cameras such as these :



P5260692-p20-c.jpg



P5260693-p20-c.jpg



P5260694-p20-c.jpg



P5260695-p20-c.jpg
 
LeeRatters said:
Yeah I know they did. But the GFX range is 'medium format' isn't it?
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No. It is marketing medium format - at best. Medium format uses film with a width of 60mm. Hence, a digital sensor should have one side with at least 60mm.

Others I would call "Super-Kleinbild" > (24 x 36) ...
 
justpix said:
No. It is marketing medium format - at best. Medium format uses film with a width of 60mm. Hence, a digital sensor should have one side with at least 60mm.

Others I would call "Super-Kleinbild" > (24 x 36) ...
Click to expand...

Then that makes it worse..... My old Bessa shoots in 9x6 or 4.5x6 - the GFX100RF (and other GFX's) has a sensor of around 44mm width which is smaller than MF but labelled as a 'large format sensor' - In my mind, I've always classed large format as sheet film. And the Hasselblad X2d with the same sensor as the GFX are labelled as 'medium format' ......

The GFX range appears to be generally referred to & known as 'medium format' - but Fuji appear to call it 'large format'

Strange.
 
LeeRatters said:
Then that makes it worse..... My old Bessa shoots in 9x6 or 4.5x6 - the GFX100RF (and other GFX's) has a sensor of around 44mm width which is smaller than MF but labelled as a 'large format sensor' - In my mind, I've always classed large format as sheet film. And the Hasselblad X2d with the same sensor as the GFX are labelled as 'medium format' ......

The GFX range appears to be generally referred to & known as 'medium format' - but Fuji appear to call it 'large format'

Strange.
Click to expand...

Hi, this is marketing. One makes strong statements - and hopes to find gullible customers.

Some people even accept the term digital zooming ...
 
LeeRatters said:
Yeah I know they did. But the GFX range is 'medium format' isn't it?
Click to expand...
I get the impression it's considered "small" medium format with a sensor size of 44mm x33mm. Same as the Hasselblad X2 cameras (and Pentax digital)

Leica digital have sensors 45mm x30mm, and still fall into the "small" medium format category

Current Phase One and the now discontinued Hasselblad H digital cameras are considered "full size" medium format cameras with sensors of 53.4mm x 40mm.

Hasselblad V series medium format film cameras had a frame size of 56mm square and Mamiya 645 film cameras had a frame size of 56 x41.5mm, In the film days "large format" was reserved for sheet film cameras with film sizes larger than 6 x 9 cm. As an aside, until Phase One bought Mamiya, their cameras were built for them by Mamiya.

At one time Phase One (like Hasselblad) had cameras with both sensor sizes, but stopped making the 44mmx 33mm sensor cameras when they struck a deal with Fuji, and decided the smaller medium format sensor cameras were no longer direct competition to their full size medium format cameras. This allowed Capture One to support the "non-competing" Fuji (and later Pentax) digital medium format cameras.

C1 still doesn't support Hasselblad, but they have been supporting the new GFX100RF, from the day of its release.
 
myotis said:
I get the impression it's considered "small" medium format with a sensor size of 44mm x33mm. Same as the Hasselblad X2 cameras (and Pentax digital)

Leica digital have sensors 45mm x30mm, and still fall into the "small" medium format category
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When I first started, whole plate sheet film was still a de-facto standard for studio work in many places, 5x4 was considered "compact" and anything wound on a reel was considered small format (although 35mm "full frame" was generally referred to as "miniature").

These terms vary with time and geography, so they never really mean much outside of the current "in crowd".
 
AndrewFlannigan said:
When I first started, whole plate sheet film was still a de-facto standard for studio work in many places, 5x4 was considered "compact" and anything wound on a reel was considered small format (although 35mm "full frame" was generally referred to as "miniature").

These terms vary with time and geography, so they never really mean much outside of the current "in crowd".
Click to expand...
I'm familiar with the term miniature, but never heard, or read about 5x4 being called compact.. For me 10 x 8 was the de facto standard for studio work. And yes small format was used as a generic term for everything that wasn't 5x4 and above, but equally, I can't remember medium format (e.g. Hasselblad, Rolleiflex etc) being directly described as anything but medium format or roll film cameras.

I still can't get my head around "full frame" aren't all formats "full frame".
 
myotis said:
I'm familiar with the term miniature, but never heard, or read about 5x4 being called compact..
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I can't testify as to how wide spread the usage was but I recall it being used by the three London studios I worked in during the 1960s. I have a memory of the first time I ever saw an embossed tape label in use. It was the word "COMPACT" on an enlarger's sheet film holder, which turned out to be for 5x4.

None of the places I worked at used 10x8 but then none of them were in the top echelon.
 
There’s a lot of references to the Leica Q3 when researching the GFX100RF. With that in mind I’d like to know if the Fuji changes the metering according to the crop requirement as does the Leica
Anyone know. I’ve not been able to find any info on it.
 
trevorbray said:
There’s a lot of references to the Leica Q3 when researching the GFX100RF.
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Unsurprising given the price point, feature set, form factor and configuration.

In the past the only other compact fixed lens full frame in the market of the Leica Q series were

- Sony RX1 series (2012, 2013 & 2015)
- Zeiss ZX1 (2018)

The last compact fixed lens film medium format in the market was the FujiFilm GF670 (2008-2014)

Earlier this month Sigma came out with the $2,000 Sigma BF but functionally worse than even a smartphone.
 
LeeRatters said:
Yeah I know they did. But the GFX range is 'medium format' isn't it?
Click to expand...

Well, in the world of digital. I guess so.

If you look at he Fujifilm online blurb they refer to the system and lens giving that "large format look" , because it has a larger than 35mm sensor.
However if you look at Hasselblad's online burb it calls the X2D a "medium format sensor".
Compared to the old 645 film era then the Hasselblad and Fujifilm both have a 0.8 crop because it is a 44x33mm sensor.

As far as I know the only people who currently do a sensor that is classed as Medium Format in a way we know it is Phase One with their IQ4 backs and have a sensor that is 53.4x40mm, which corresponds to the actual image size on a 645 film.

For either Fujifilm or Hasselblad (as in their current X series) to make a camera which has a 53.4x40mm would just price themselves out the market considering that the now discontinued Hasselblad H6D - 100c was £40K+ and the current Phase IQ4 backs are north of £50K.
 
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Knikki said:
As far as I know the only people who currently do a sensor that is classed as Medium Format in a way we know it is Phase One with their IQ4 backs and have a sensor that is 53.4x40mm, which corresponds to the actual image size on a 645 film.
Click to expand...

Leaf made backs with the same sensors (53.4x40), all made with Dalsa sensors
 
I do have a question on post processing.
I'm shooting raw so the film type bnw or colour doesnt seem to make much difference other than seeing in bnw before and perhaps more interesting subjects.

However, may be its the older wide lens (28mm pentax) but the center always seems to be really light, eg in the skys. To recover some of the sky the rest goes meh...
So I wanted to ask if that is just me (bad process settings in lr), the lenses (the vintage having light reflecting too much perhaps) and whether you have any links to settings in lr to get good contrasty results..
 
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