Fujifilm GFX100 II: Now has a 4-Shot Pixel Shift

Fujifilm GFX100 II

The Fujifilm GFX100 II has a 4-shot pixel shift mode, which Fujifilm calls “accurate color” mode.

Four-shot pixel shift mode is absent on my GFX100S. Perhaps a firmware update will change that? Firmware for GFX100S still at v2.02 as of this writing.

It captures 4 images (slowly, too slowly), and saves them. On the computer, you then use the godawful (no drag and drop!) Fujifilm FUJIFILM Pixel Shift Combiner.app to turn them into a DNG file. There is no in-camera way to do this AFAIK.

But there is a big gotcha, which presumably stems from Fujfilm’s perspective that this is an “accurate color” capture: all lens corrections are applied including distortion correction.

And that’s the rub: with distortion correction doing its stretching/resampling of pixels, the sharpness gains of pixel shift appear to be mostly lost. Or at least I could not tell the difference compared to a single frame processed in Adobe Camera Raw.

* Decision made, now it’s about figuring out how to get it done (cost).

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Fujifilm GFX100 II: Why is it Stopping Down the Lens continually, when shooting aperture is f/1.7?

The Fujifilm GFX100 II has already had quite a few firmware bug fixes. So maybe this is a bug.

Stopping down ruins the view and makes noise

Fujifilm GFX100 II

With the 55/1.7 mounted and the shooting aperture set to f/1.7, the GFX100 II is keeping the lens stopped down to f/5.6 or so. This is seen at a glace—just look at the front of the lens.

This behavior makes no sense and misleads on what the taken image at f/1.7 shot would look like. It is a sort of anti-preview of depth of field!

Moreover the GFX100S does NOT behave that way—the lens is always wide open. And AFAIK, all the GFX cameras always leave the lens wide open unless the DoF preview button is pressed.

Adding annoyance to all this, the lens makes quite a fuss when the shutter is half-pressed—that lens diaphragm is far from quiet. The whole affair feels klunky and obnoxious, like some crappy circa 2006 camera.

I’ve gone through all the settings and the user manual, and I cannot find any way to fix this behavior so that the camera behaves like the GFX100S.

* Decision made, now it’s about figuring out how to get it done (cost).

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Fujifilm GFX100 II vs Fujifilm GFX100S vs Sony A7R V — the Choice is Clear

For various reasons, I’ve shot the Fujifilm GFX100S almost exclusively for the past few months, and now the Fujifilm GFX100 II is on tap for a few weeks in the mountains, along with the stunning new Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7, a must-have lens IMO.

Fujifilm GFX100 II

I hadn’t shot the Sony A7R V much for a few months, but I did so today and suffice it to say that I had gotten used to the Fujifilm total image quality and now I feel like I can’t go back. Meaning that if I put in the trip planning, the hiking, the effort, then shooting it on 35mm feels like poor value.

The Sony A7R V is a very fine camera, and I own it. It’s still my recommendation for the 35mm format. But at this point I strongly prefer the Fujifilm offering for landscape, and it’s not just the resolution; it’s the total imaging quality and to a minor extent, the 4:3 aspect ratio.

Adding to the pressure, already I’ve concluded that the GFX100 II is a necessary transition from the GFX100S*: its images consistently seem nicer than the GFX100S (to be proven, ideally), its EVF makes it so much easier to use, and its responsiveness is also much improved. I don’t see how I can get used to all that and then return to my GFX100S without feeling quite annoyed.

Some products give me a sense of relief to send back. And some just the opposite.

* Decision made, now it’s about figuring out how to get it done (cost).

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Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II — Initial Assessment

I like to save my readers money, time, aggravation.

See my original thoughts from a few weeks ago on what one might expect from the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II, based on what Sony called out as changes/improvements. Suffice it to say that I rarely end up in a different place than what seemed likely.

For my short but incredibly important* assessment of the Sony FE 16-35mm f/2.8 GM II, based on comparing to the Sony FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM (no examples shown yet). see the initial impressions section of the Sony FE 16-35/2.8 GM II introduction page.

* Important if you have any intention of doing the kind of photography that I do.

Sony Wide Angle

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Fujifilm GFX100 II: Animal Eye AF, Mackerel Tabby

This page discusses Eye AF behavior as used for animals eg my cat, Tigger*.

How well does animal Eye AF work?

Shot handheld* on the Fujifilm GFX100 II using the Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR, which gave the camera the very best odds of success (eg latest camera technology with a lens shot wide open at f/1.7). Results with older and/or slower lenses and/or Fujifilm GFX100S are likely to be less good.

Fujifilm GFX100 II: Animal Eye AF, Mackerel Tabby

Includes 9 images and discussion of success/failures.

* Cheap to persuade: a few dried minnows and he’s good eg Vital Essentials Freeze Dried Dog Treats @AMAZON. Vs daughters, who prefer large bills or they have other things to do.

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f1.7 @ 1/420 sec handheld IBIS=on electronic shutter, ISO 80; 2023-09-29 09:21:50
Fujifilm GFX100 II + Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR @ 45.3mm equiv (55mm)
RAW: Enhance Details, vignetting corrected, AI Denoise 10

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Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 Examples: Garden (GFX100 II)

These examples shot for initial evaluation on the Fujifilm GFX100 II.

Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 Examples: Garden

Some examples handheld with IBIS, and some focus stacks.

The 55/1.7 is a pretty awesome lens, unlike most of its prime-lens peers.

And the GFX100 II seems to have a distinctly better look to its images than the GFX100S... I’m really starting to want one already.

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f1.7 @ 1/55 sec handheld IBIS=on electronic shutter, ISO 80; 2023-09-29 08:45:58
Fujifilm GFX100 II + Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR @ 45.3mm equiv (55mm)
RAW: Camera ASTIA, WB 5400°K tint 21, +20 Whites, +10 Clarity, +10 Vibrance

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f1.7 @ 1/90 sec IBIS=on electronic shutter, ISO 80; 2023-09-29 08:06:32
Fujifilm GFX100 II + Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR @ 45.3mm equiv (55mm)
RAW: Camera ASTIA, Enhance Details, vignetting corrected, WB 6300°K tint 20, +20 Whites, +10 Clarity, AI Denoise 10, +10 Vibrance

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Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 Aperture Series: Picnic Table, Pumpkin and Sunflower Heads (GFX100 II)

Snow in the Eastern Sierra tonight—and I ought to be there already, but the last of my gear showed up only today—bummer. Initial work like this gives me confidence in what the lens can deliver out in the field.

This aperture series from f/1.7 to f/11 evaluates overall performance of the Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 on a near-distance scene for sharpness, focus shift, field curvature, secondary color.

Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 Aperture Series: Picnic Table, Pumpkin and Sunflower Heads

Includes a 22-frame focus stack at f/9 which shows the peak potential of the lens across the frame from the near to far sides of the table.

The 55/1.7 is sure to be a crowd-pleaser—it is a cut way above the other primes near its range.

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f9 @ 1/7 sec electronic shutter focus stack 22 frames, ISO 80; 2023-09-29 08:38:36
Fujifilm GFX100 II + Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR @ 45.3mm equiv (55mm)
RAW: Camera ASTIA, vignetting corrected, WB 7000°K tint 20, push 0.17 stops, +20 Whites, +10 Clarity, AI Denoise 10

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Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7: Distortion and Distortion Correction

The Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7, does quite a good job on distortion.

Fujifilm GF 55m f/1.7 WR: Distortion

Analysis shows corrected vs uncorrected, including crops that show the loss of sharpness and micro contrast when distortion correction is used.

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f8 @ 1/80 sec, ISO 80; 2023-09-29 08:59:11
Fujifilm GFX100 II + Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR @ 45.3mm equiv (55mm) RAW: Enhance Details, AI Denoise 10

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Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7: Excessive Focus Breathing

I’m already liking the Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7, but one thing that is off-putting is an extreme degree of focus breathing, which makes it unattractive for both video footage and focus stacking.

Fujifilm GF 55m f/1.7 WR: Focus Breathing

Example shows a range of focused frames, as well as how the focus breathing excessively crops a focus-stacked image.

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f9 @ 1/7 sec focus stack 22 frames, ISO 80; 2023-09-29 08:38:36
Fujifilm GFX100 II + Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR @ 45.3mm equiv (55mm)

[low-res image for bot]

Fujifilm GFX100 II: Initial Impressions

Fujifilm GFX100 II | Fujifilm GF 30mm f/5.6 TS | Fujifilm GF 110mm f/5.6 TS | Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR.

Fujifilm GFX100 II

I’ve started adding points to these pages:

Fujifilm GFX100 II: Usage Tips

Fujifilm GFX100 II: Bugs and Issues

Fujifilm GFX100 II: First Impressions

Sadly, Fujifilm has done nothing to improve all sorts of bugs and issues—as I noted in yesterday’s post. Same bad behaviors as with the Fujifilm GFX100S.

And one new and exceptionally annoying and interfering behavior with the 55/1.7 that does not occur on the GFX100S. A behavior that does not just mislead, but interfere with composition. I sure hope it’s a bug, because few things are as obnoxious as this one.

CLICK TO VIEW: Ultimate Fujifilm Medium Format

The OWC Atlas Pro Ultra CFExpress Type B and OWC Atlas Pro SDXC cards are working flawlessly in the GFX100 II (as with the GFX100S). Part of the quicker camera response is likely due to a considerably faster card slot with the type B card eg 5X faster.

Download speed is insanely fast with the OWC Atlas FXR (much faster than all USB-C SSDs!).

Recommended OWC Atlas cards for Fujifilm

Fujifilm Medium Format wish list • Deals on Fujifilm

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Fujifilm GFX100 II: Best EVF Yet?

Fujifilm GFX100 II | Fujifilm GF 30mm f/5.6 TS | Fujifilm GF 110mm f/5.6 TS | Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR.

Fujifilm GFX100 II

Just arrived last night, the Fujifilm GFX100 II whose EVF will change your expectations for what an EVF should be, with 1.0X magnification and a 9.44 megapixel OLED experience. Those two things together make for an incredibly high quality enjoyable view while operating the camera. The rear LCD is also quite good, as good as any out there.

The EVF of the GFX100S and predecessors always felt terrible (smeared low-res low-contrast lousy color), but the GFX100 II banishes that feeling to the best in the industry.

Operational enjoyment and utility of this EVF is so compelling that I feel like I want to upgrade just for that alone!

For example, eight feet (2.5 meters away) using the 55/1.7, at 100% magnified Live View, I can easily distinguish small type on a book (nearly invisible to naked eye)-and the difference between the individual letters of a word in small type—it is easy to see which specific letter is in focus and that the others are not. I can tell exactly where focus is, and without any eyestrain or effort. WOW.

No other camera I’ve ever used can match this ease of use. The Sony A7R V with its 9.44MP EVF is pretty close but with 0.9X magnification. The GFX100 II viewfinder is better.

Kudos to Fujifilm for getting the EVF right. It reduces the stress of trying to focus accurately while raising the hit rate on captures. For that reason plus the sheer enjoyment factor, it is a compelling upgrade.

Will we see a Fujifilm GFX100S II which incorporates this same EVF? Possibly, but a built-in EVF might not be able to have the same 1.0X magnification.≠

Ultimate Fujifilm Medium Format

Fujifilm Medium Format wish list • Deals on Fujifilm

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$2499 FUJIFILM 20-35mm f/4 GF R WR IN STOCK in Lenses: Medium Format

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Fujifilm GFX100 II: Constipated Software with No Advances in Functionality

Fujifilm GFX100 II | Fujifilm GF 30mm f/5.6 TS | Fujifilm GF 110mm f/5.6 TS | Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR.

The Fujifilm GFX100 II will almost certainly show the same broken Focus BKT behavior as with the Fujifilm GFX100S/100. Or at least I give it low odds of a fix. And they’ve had 5 years to get it right.

Fujifilm GFX100 II

I read the user manual for the GFX100 II today, and what thumped me between the eyes was the total lack of any new and useful software features. You get a few new and (useless to me) video features, but nothing new, no revised thinking, no improved design, no nothin'. Well, maybe I missed something but I am not seeing it.

Little things can make a big difference, and there are also missing features that ought to be there. Fujifilm has made NO PROGRESS WHATSOEVER on improving the firmware:

• Self-timer still restricted either 2 or 10 seconds. Why, when it is so trivial to allow more choices and so useful at times? Sometimes I need 3 seconds or 5 or 15 or 20. And where is the configurability for how many frames and the interval between them, as other cameras offer?
• Self-timer still cannot be canceled by pressing it again during countdown.
• Still cannot assign some functions to some buttons. For example, accessing IBIS on/off MAY NOT be assigned to the Q menu. There are many other abitrary and capricious restrictions that have no basis other than stupidity of design. 90% of the available choices are JUNK devoted to baking-in JPEG processing settings.
• No frame averaging support.
• No “maximum accuracy” AF mode eg CDAF not PDAF in magnified Live View. If Fujifilm marketing wants to masturbate over “surgical accuracy” I can’t stop them, but I want a camera that actually nails it every time for landscape. Maybe the GFX100 II will prove itself, but PDAF has always had shortcomings and how it can beat the GFX100S using the same technology that fails even in the center all too often... dunno.
• No multi-shot high-res mode as with Panasonic S1R or Leica SL2—still stuck with field-unusable pixel shift modes.
• What kind of professional camera ships set to JPG capture only?
• Stupid things like no built-in delay for pixel shift capture. You can actually press the shutter button and the damned thing will immediately start exposing, guaranteeing out-of-register frames.
• Auto-ETTR exposure mode which all cameras should have... but none do.
• Still the inertial coupling between RAW and JPEG: exposure should not be coupled to what the JPEG can tolerate based on the idiotic “18% gray” standard, but what the sensor can capture for maximum image quality.
• No focus shift compensation (other professional medium format cameras have it).
• Why can’t I shoot an aperture series automatically?
• etc

It’s amazing to me how constipated Fujifilm has become on its feature set.

There is no software/firmware innovation with the GFX100 II, there is not even the good sense to mimic useful features from other cameras. Well, at least the hardware is better, including a vastly improved EVF.

Ultimate Fujfilm Medium Format

Fujifilm Medium Format wish list • Deals on Fujifilm

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$2499 FUJIFILM 20-35mm f/4 GF R WR IN STOCK in Lenses: Medium Format

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Fujifilm GFX100 II Firmware Update v1.1

Fujifilm GFX100 II | Fujifilm GF 30mm f/5.6 TS | Fujifilm GF 110mm f/5.6 TS | Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR.

Fujifilm GFX100 II

Firmware version 1.1

Fujifilm already has a firmware update for the GFX100 II (2023-09-26, v1.1). Which is taking forever to download.

• Fixed a display problem when outputting RAW data from DCI-8K video.
• Fixed a problem with the EVF display under certain conditions.
• RAW images taken with GFX100 II may not be able to be developed depending on the development software
• While continuous shooting, camera cannot turn off the power or freeze depending on the following shooting conditions...
• ...
• Fix of minor bugs.

Now if Fujfilm would just fix the broken Focus BKT behavior. They’ve had 5 years to get it right.

Ultimate Fujfilm Medium Format

Fujifilm Medium Format wish list • Deals on Fujifilm

$7499 FUJIFILM GFX100 II Medium Format Camera IN STOCK in Cameras: Medium Format

$2499 FUJIFILM 20-35mm f/4 GF R WR IN STOCK in Lenses: Medium Format

$3999 FUJIFILM 30mm f/5.6 GF T/S Lens (FUJIFILM G) PREORDER in Lenses: Medium Format

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$2299 FUJIFILM 55mm f/1.7 GF R WR Lens (FUJIFILM G) IN STOCK in Lenses: Medium Format

$3499 FUJIFILM 110mm f/5.6 GF T/S Macro Lens (FUJIFILM G) PREORDER in Lenses: Medium Format

Arriving for Review: Fujifilm GFX100 II + Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7

Fujifilm GFX100 II | Fujifilm GF 30mm f/5.6 TS | Fujifilm GF 110mm f/5.6 TS | Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR.

The Fujifilm GF100 II and Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 are on the way and I should have them by Friday. I’ll be testing them in the Eastern Sierra soon. Regrettably, the 30mm and 110mm tilt/shift lenses will not ship until Nov 1.

Fujifilm GFX100 II

The GFX100 II is claimed to have better image quality off-center. Visibly better?

Redesigned microlenses improve light coverage at the corners of the sensor, delivering better image quality and increased AF accuracy at the periphery of the lens.

Marketing claims like these are pretty darn annoying: is it 1/6 stop less noise, better sharpness (how much?), what...? The focusing aspect is such a low bar (terrible in the GFX100S) that any improvement is welcome for AF.

Firmware version 1.1

Fujifilm already has a firmware update for the GFX100 II.

Now if Fujfilm would just fix the broken Focus BKT behavior. They’ve had 5 years to get it right.

Ultimate Fujfilm Medium Format

Fujifilm Medium Format wish list • Deals on Fujifilm

$7499 FUJIFILM GFX100 II Medium Format Camera IN STOCK in Cameras: Medium Format

$2499 FUJIFILM 20-35mm f/4 GF R WR IN STOCK in Lenses: Medium Format

$3999 FUJIFILM 30mm f/5.6 GF T/S Lens (FUJIFILM G) PREORDER in Lenses: Medium Format

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Nikon Nikkor Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena

The Nikon Nikkor Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena fills out a gap in the Nikon mirrorless lens line. It looks like a very fine lens, totally high-end.

CLICK TO VIEW: Nikon Mirrorless Kit for Landscape, etc

But will it perform as well as the Sony FE 135mm f/1.8 GM, which is blissfully free of the focus shift and field curvature that bedevil far too many Nikon lenses? For example, I cannot recommend the Nikon Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.2 S as a general-purpose lens due to its unstable zone of focus, though it is beautiful at f/1.2.

• Full-Frame | f/1.8 to f/16
• Fast, Lightweight Telephoto Prime
• Multi-Focus System
• Round Bokeh from Edge to Edge
• ED, SR, and Aspherical Elements
• Programmable Linear Focus Ring
• Customizable Control Ring
• ARNEO and Meso Amorphous Coatings
• Dust- and Water-Resitant Design

Nikon Nikkor Z 135mm f/1.8 S Plena

OWC Deals on Laptops and More

First off, the new Fujifilm GFX100 II has one CFExpress Type B slot and one SDXC card slot, so you might want to pick up one of each of the ultra-high-speed OWC cards and the OWC FX card reader (much faster than all USB-C SSDs!).

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CLICK TO VIEW: OWC SDXC

CLICK TO VIEW: OWC Card readers

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Having an Intel-based Mac around is important for compatibility with certain older software, and these are very low prices for a 16-inch display.

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Adobe Camera Raw Enhance Details + AI Denoise: Works Great on older files eg Leica M9

Exciting for photographers in general, the Leica M9 advanced the state of the art to a compelling resolution of 18 megapixels, at a time when Nikon was at 12 megapixels (Nikon D3s) and the 12.7MP for the Canon EOS 5D Mark II. It was a no-brainer for high-resolution fans like me. Yet while that 18MP seemed huge in 2009, here in 2023 it will not even fill a 6K display.

The M9’s files tended to be noisy, particularly in the outer zones at wider apertures, even at base ISO. But the promise of raw DNG captures and better and better raw-file conversion has long been a reason to shoot RAW instead of JPEG.

How well does Adobe Camera Raw Enhance Details + AI Denoise work on Leica M9 files?

Really well—you just got a camera upgrade for photos you shot 14 years ago (2009)!

Below, this image had its lateral chromatic aberration corrected, micro contrast enhanced via Enhance Details, and sensor chroma noise greatly reduced without loss of any sharpness (AI Denoise = 20, a setting of 10 is my default but this image was extra noisy).

Flooded Tuolumne Meadows, dusk

f1.4 @ 1/500 sec, ISO 160; 2010-06-09 20:24:29
M9 Digital Camera + Summilux-M 24mm f/1.4 ASPH
ENV: Puppy DOme, altitude 8100 ft / 2469 m, 42°F / 5°C
RAW: Enhance Details, LACA corrected, vignetting corrected, AI Denoise 20

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Below, this image had its color fringing corrected, micro contrast enhanced, etc. Leica M9 18 megapixels never looked that good before. The image detail remains competitive with many modern cameras up to 24 megapixels.

Upper Tenaya Creek

f8 @ 1/1500 sec, ISO 160; 2010-06-09 13:21:50
M9 Digital Camera + Leica 24mm f/1.4 Summilux-M ASPH
ENV: Tenaya Canyon, altitude 7800 ft / 2377 m, 65°F / 18°C
RAW: LACA corrected, AI Denoise 10

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Fujifilm GFX100 II: Now Shipping and in Stock

I will review the GFX100 II as a priority when the B&H Photo loaner camera arrives... in a day or two I hope.

The Fujifilm GFX100 II looks like a very nice upgrade, the belly-poking EVF aside.

But I’m not seeing much upgrade interest as yet.

Maybe at $7499 the price is too off-putting and with a feature set that most existing users don’t really need (TBD)—though the EVF upgrade surely will make a huge difference in the feel of the camera. I myself am not too sure what to see to raise the funds with. I will have to figure that out over the next month or so as I review it.

Ultimate Fujifilm Medium Format

Fujifilm Medium Format wish list • Deals on Fujifilm

$7499 FUJIFILM GFX100 II Medium Format Camera IN STOCK in Cameras: Medium Format

$2499 FUJIFILM 20-35mm f/4 GF R WR IN STOCK in Lenses: Medium Format

$3999 FUJIFILM 30mm f/5.6 GF T/S Lens (FUJIFILM G) PREORDER in Lenses: Medium Format

$999 FUJIFILM 35-70mm f/4.5-5.6 GF WR IN STOCK in Lenses: Medium Format

$2299 FUJIFILM 55mm f/1.7 GF R WR Lens (FUJIFILM G) IN STOCK in Lenses: Medium Format

$3499 FUJIFILM 110mm f/5.6 GF T/S Macro Lens (FUJIFILM G) PREORDER in Lenses: Medium Format

Fujifilm GFX100 II, top view

iPhone 15 Pro Max 48MP DNG: Smeared Detail-Free Garbage

I shot a couple of DNG on the iPhone 15 Pro Max tonight.

Worst file quality I have seen in a DNG, ever. Smeared detail-free crap in a 93MB file. OMG what a farce. 48 megapixels (quad Bayer is a turd technology) downsampled to 12 still looks like crap.

I’ll shoot something in brighter light tomorrow to double-check, but the shot I took had highly favorable pleasing light just as the sun went down and looks nice overall, but pixel quality is garbage.

I don’t know what people are smoking to think it’s even a tiny fraction of a real camera.

That said, iPhone 15 Pro Max images look nice on the phone and will do fine at Instagram size.

Video quality is the same crap level stuff.

I think I’ll just stick to HEIC and JPEG and accept what I get. I am not going to waste my storage on 93MB DNG files that are basically a manure pile.

Delayed to Nov 1: Fujifilm GF 30mm f/5.6 TS + Fujifilm GF 110mm f/5.6 TS

Fujifilm GFX100 II | Fujifilm GF 30mm f/5.6 TS | Fujifilm GF 110mm f/5.6 TS | Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR.

I was disappointed today to see that the shipping dates of the Fujifilm GF 30mm f/5.6 TS and Fujifilm GF 110mm f/5.6 TS have both been pushed back to November 1.

Which in terms of Eastern Sierra shooting means missing the prime autumn season and going into into the start of the cold-and-maybe-closed season.

The Fujifilm GF100 II and Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 still say Sept 26 for shipping.

This creates quite the headache in terms of loaner gear timing.

In particular, the GFX100 II is claimed to have better image quality off-center, which makes it all but essential for evaluating the 30/5.6 TS and 110/5.6 TS.

Ultimate Fujfilm Medium Format

Fujifilm Medium Format wish list • Deals on Fujifilm

$7499 FUJIFILM GFX100 II Medium Format Camera IN STOCK in Cameras: Medium Format

$2499 FUJIFILM 20-35mm f/4 GF R WR IN STOCK in Lenses: Medium Format

$3999 FUJIFILM 30mm f/5.6 GF T/S Lens (FUJIFILM G) PREORDER in Lenses: Medium Format

$999 FUJIFILM 35-70mm f/4.5-5.6 GF WR IN STOCK in Lenses: Medium Format

$2299 FUJIFILM 55mm f/1.7 GF R WR Lens (FUJIFILM G) IN STOCK in Lenses: Medium Format

$3499 FUJIFILM 110mm f/5.6 GF T/S Macro Lens (FUJIFILM G) PREORDER in Lenses: Medium Format

Fujifilm GFX100 II: What Features will Really Matter the Most?

I will review the GFX100 II as a priority when the B&H Photo loaner camera arrives (late September if all goes well). It is due to arrive September 27 if all goes by plan.

Which features really matter the most in the Fujifilm GFX100 II? I focus here on what matters to me as a landscape shooter which also applies to architecture or similar; if you’re doing portraits or sports (glutton for pain?) then your assessment might be slightly different.

CLICK TO VIEW: Ultimate Fujifilm Medium Format

The visual experience

The way I interact with the camera is a big deal: the EVF. A high-res EVF with a wonderful 1X magnification EVF makes everything more enjoyable and easier. Easier to focus, easier to compose/view, much more pleasurable to use. That feature alone could completely change how the camera feels. And feel/enjoyment matter a lot, no matter the task. A blackout-free shutter and half the sensor transit time will all contribute to that feel.

Fujifilm GFX100 II, rear view

Focus stacking speed

Fujifilm has halved (roughly) the sensor readout transit time. What that means is that automated focus stacking via Focus BKT could in theory go twice as fast. That is a HUGE deal when things are windy, by cutting down the double-image problem of trees and grasses moving in the wind. But it might be that it goes no faster, being dependent upon focusing motor or some such—will know soon.

Of course, Focus BKT remains an ill-conceived disaster of design and implementation that has cost me many many hours of manual work, and whether Fujifilm has an intention of fixing their broken software... dunno. I still don’t know if they are even aware of it, or if they are, whether they just reject it via cognitive dissonance shit sandwich in a cognitive commitment bun.

Sensor noise

Hard to evaluate, but the GFX100S is pretty damned noisy at ISO 100 in things like blue sky, so much so that I now regularly use AI Denoise even at ISO 100. The GFX100 II with its newer sensor and base ISO 80 might make an appreciable improvement. 16-bit images might finally be worth the bother?

OWC Atlas CFExpress Type B

CFExpress Type B

Internal card speed with CFExpress Type B such as OWC Atlas CFExpress should be at least 5X faster, so that a 10-frame focus stack can take 2/3 second to write to card instead of 3-4 seconds. Plus, downloads should be way faster than the fastest USB-C SSD, a nice plus at the end of a long day hiking. Plus capacity is up to 2TB and will get to 4TB.

CLICK TO VIEW: OWC SDXC Camera Cards at MacSales.com

CLICK TO VIEW: OWC CFExpress Type B Camera Cards at MacSales.com

CLICK TO VIEW: CF Express at B&H Photo

CLICK TO VIEW: SDXC at B&H Photo

Better image quality?

The “Redesigned microlenses improve light coverage at the corners of the sensor” is interesting. Does this affect noise or sharpness or both or... what exactly?

Autofocus

Fujifilm has a very low bar to raise here—awful performance with the Fujifilm GFX100S, which is terrible on precision and accuracy, frequently claiming focus acquisition when it is obviously not good. Thus any improvement is very welcome, but I’m skeptical that the “surgical accuracy” claim is anything but marketing hype.

IBIS

For handheld shooters and that includes me for landscape, improved IBIS is a big plus. I cannot alway shoot on a tripod, so anything that extends the shooting envelope is very welcome.

Video features

Zero value to me, and marginal anyway: you cannot even get full-frame 8K unless you go all the way to 2.35:1 aspect ratio—or you can get 1.7:1 but only when sensor is cropped to 35mm format. Far inferior platform vs a Sony A7R V or similar.

Fujifilm GFX100 II: Cameras Arriving, Reader Comments

I will review the GFX100 II as a priority when the B&H Photo loaner camera arrives ( September 27 if all goes well).

Fujifilm GFX100 II

Gabriel S writes:

Got my camera yesterday, did a quick test in the studio, do not see any real dynamic range improvement, grain level is also very similar but the viewfinder is breathtaking , really fantastic !! adobe software opens the raw files but seems not to be updated for the new version.

DIGLLOYD: agreed, the dynamic range improvement should only be subtle—1/3 stop by exposure (=1/9 stop less noise) and maybe 1/3 stop better on sensor eg maybe barely enough to notice, but potentially better in character.

EVF: sounds like what I expected, and worth the upgrade price alone if you like that sort of thing, as I do. I have to figure out what to sell to raise money...

CLICK TO VIEW: Ultimate Fujifilm Medium Format

Fujifilm GFX100 II, top view

Parallax-Free Shift-Lens Stitching for 168 megapixel Images on Fujilm GFX 100 II, GFX100S, etc

Fujifilm GFX100 II | Fujifilm GF 30mm f/5.6 TS | Fujifilm GF 110mm f/5.6 TS | Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR.

CLICK TO VIEW: Ultimate Fujfilm Medium Format

Fujifilm GF 30mm f/5.6 TS

Reader Brian K writes:

One thing I noticed about the GF 30mm shift, it has a collar that allows the lens optics to remain in place and to shift the camera body to the sides. That is the proper way to do a shift pano, like you would if using a view camera, not the body remaining fixed and the lens moving.  It appears though that the new GF 110mm TS does not have that feature.

A few years back I bought a Fotodiox Hasselblad to GFX TS adapter, I had a camera machinist attach a mount to the front half of the shift collar allowing the optics to remain fixed and the camera body to be shifted. Seems like Fuji was thinking along the same lines with the 30mm, shame they did not do that for the 110mm.

DIGLLOYD: correct, I mentioned this in my earlier post.

What Brian is referring to here is that the lens collar allows keeping the entrance pupil of the lens in a constant position, which eliminates all parallax. The entrance pupil is often erroneously referred to as the “nodal point”. When the entrance pupil stays in the same position, there is no parallax.

Workaround for the 110/5.6 TS, which lacks a tripod collar

Acratech screw-knob clamp, showing
15mm offsets to be used for counter-shift

In spite of its lack of a tripod collar, the 110/5.6 TS can still be used for parallax-free shift-lens stitching.

This requires (1) a high quality clamp (larger sizes are better) engraved in millimeters, and (2) a camera plate with a marking for centering vs the clamp (even a scratch will do). To achieve a parallax free set of images:

1. Take one image no shift.
2. Shift the lens (eg 15mm).
3. Counter-shift the camera within the clamp, in the opposite direction.
4. Repeat in the other shift direction (assuming the goal is the full 168MP stitched image).
5. In Photoshop, layer the images, then join the images (Auto Align then Auto Blend).

With this technique, the entrance pupil remains in the same position (or close enough) so that parallax is avoided.

A high quality clamp like the Really Right Stuff B2 Pro II or Acratech heads are ideal so long as they have engraved 1mm markings.

IMO, lever clamps suck in general (problems sooner or later) and particularly for this purpose, as they are harder to move the rig while doing the counter-shift. Screw-knob clamps are 'bulletproof' and allow these easy counter-shift adjustments. I use the Acratech Panoramic Head as shown at right, in its battle-worn state after some years. The Really Right Stuff B2-Pro-II 60mm Screw-Knob Pro Clamp is also an outstanding choice.

Acratech Heads

Tripods/Heads/Brackets wish list • Deals on Really Right Stuff

$418 Acratech GP-ss Ballhead OUT OF STOCK in Accessories: Tripods and Support

$510 Acratech GXP Ball Head with Knob Clamp IN STOCK in Accessories: Tripods and Support

$480 Acratech GXP-SS Ball Head with Arca-Type Compatible Standard Kno… IN STOCK in Accessories: Tripods and Support

$480 Acratech Panoramic Head with Arca-Type Quick Release (Classic Kn… IN STOCK in Accessories: Tripods and Support

Really Right Stuff Clamps

Tripods/Heads/Brackets wish list • Deals on Really Right Stuff

$70 Really Right Stuff B2-mAS Screw-Knob Clamp with 1/4"-20 Screw (3… IN STOCK in Accessories: Tripods and Support

$100 Really Right Stuff B2-Duo Sliding Screw-Knob Clamp (60mm) IN STOCK in Accessories: Tripods and Support

$100 Really Right Stuff B2-Pro-II 60mm Screw-Knob Pro Clamp IN STOCK in Accessories: Tripods and Support

Fujifilm GF 35-70mm f/4.5-5.6: the #1 All-Around Best Lens for Fujifilm Medium Format

Fujifilm GFX100 II | Fujifilm GF 30mm f/5.6 TS | Fujifilm GF 110mm f/5.6 TS | Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR.

Fujifilm GF 30mm f/5.6 TS

I am so impressed with the Fujifilm GF 35-70mm f/4.5-5.6—no other lens in its range offers better performance, it is compact and lightweight, etc.

I got mine used for just $500 and it rocks—better value than any other lens I own on any platform. Seriously, it is worth 4X that price if you are a Fujifilm medium format shooter. Actually, IMO it makes the system viable, a system otherwise pretty darn awkward.

Shoot it at f/8 or f/9, get the focus right and you won’t do better with any other lens in its range and likely worse. The trick is getting a good lens sample like mine.

Normally I’d say you might buy a camera for a really special lens. I said that about the Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 APO-Distagon when it arrived a decade ago. But it was also a fixed focal length and a PITA to lug about. But the GF 35-70mm is in its own class of versatility/portability/solid performance, an unbeatable combination for real-world photography.

CLICK TO VIEW: Ultimate Fujfilm Medium Format

Also worthy of praise is just how terrific a job Photoshop does in assembling panoramas.

Below, a 7-frame 300-megapixel panorama assembled wonderfully, excepting one flaw which might not be evident at first glance, and was unavoidable.

Did I get the white balance wrong on some frames here? Nope—that color change is part of the geology of this area. The granite-type bedrock at left has more iron in it and it abuts a fault zone that turns to metamorphic rock.

Subscribers can view the full resolution image at 300 megapixels on the examples page.

Conness Lake #2

f9 @ 1/240 sec, ISO 100; 2023-08-30 16:08:27
Fujifilm GFX100S + Fujifilm GF 35-70mm f/4.5-5.6 WR @ 57.6mm equiv (70mm) RAW: Enhance Details, AI Denoise 10

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Fujifilm GF 30mm f/5.6 TS: Contemplating Tilt + Shift with Another Scene

Fujifilm GFX100 II | Fujifilm GF 30mm f/5.6 TS | Fujifilm GF 110mm f/5.6 TS | Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR.

Fujifilm GF 30mm f/5.6 TS

Following along after Fujifilm GF 30mm f/5.6 TS: What would Tilt do for this Scene and Others Like It?, here is another example.

CLICK TO VIEW: Ultimate Fujfilm Medium Format

What would tilt do for us here? With any luck, a single frame at f/9 with about 0.5° of tilt would get sharpness near to far without the need for focus stacking.

Do the controls of the GF 30/5.6 TS allow partial degrees of tilt reliably? Is there any way to repeat a given tilt? It does not look like the tilt control is as nice as what I’d want: 1/3° engraved markings for repeatable action. Put in focusing terms, the “tilt throw” looks marginal. Hopefully it is centered on the optical axis, it looks like it is.

Of course this is at 22mm, but the point holds, just at 30mm.

But perhaps even more compelling: tilt could be combined with shift for a seamless 168-megapixel shift-lens stitch. It would be a wider aspect ratio of 2.24:1 but a similar horizontal angle of view and of course much higher resolution.

I am very likely to go back and perform just that experiment in early October!

Subscribers can view the full resolution images or on the examples page.

Mt Conness summit is seen at far right. This basin is very popular, about a 2 mile hike one way and about 500 feet of vertical gain. It’s a gorgeous place.

Conness Lakes Basin

f8 @ 1/140 sec electronic shutter focus stack 2 frames, ISO 100; 2023-08-30 15:21:51
Fujifilm GFX100S + GF20-35mmF4 R WR @ 18.2mm equiv (22.1mm)
ENV: Conness Lakes, altitude 10500 ft / 3200 m, 70°F / 21°C
RAW: Camera ASTIA, Enhance Details, LACA corrected, vignetting corrected, WB 5150°K tint 21, push 0.33 stops, +20 Whites, +15 Dehaze, +10 Clarity, AI Denoise 10, +10 Vibrance

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Adobe Camera Raw Enhance Details with AI Denoise Seems to Work Magic, for Single Frames or for Focus Stacking

Some readers might recall the various artificial problems generated by Adobe Camera Raw Enhance Details over the years eg Fujifilm GFX100: Crosshatching Artifacts using Adobe Camera Raw Enhance Details, which led to my abandoning Enhance Details technology back in 2020.

I’m not sure what changed or when (I saw no announcement), but things seem to be working very nicely now. That said, there could still be problem images that I have not noticed.

In recent months, I’ve been using Adobe Camera Raw Enhance Details along with its AI Denoise feature on most of my Fujifilm GFX100S images. I almost always shoot at ISO 100 and benefits are there right at base ISO because any typical scene always has something fairly noise eg the blue sky in the image below, shadowed areas, etc.

• Enhance Details improves fine detail rendition subtly and is generally always worth it, though it cannot undo the damage caused by stopping down too much eg f/11 instead of f/8 or f/9.
• AI Denoise = 10 along with Enhance Details improves fine detail rendition while greatly reducing noise in some areas, such as blue sky.
• AI Denoise = 10 applied to images for focus stacking seems to be a no-brainer winning strategy; it removes noise that might otherwise impair focus stacking results by confusing noise with image detail.

What I do not like is having to generate enormous images, work with them, then clean up the mess. Adobe is apparently working on some kind of improvement to that shitty workflow.

Below, Enhance Details + AI Denoise=10 drastically reduces noise in the sky, and subtly improves all of the fine rock detail—really excellent.

Conness Lake #2, view to Mt Conness Eastern Ridge

f9 @ 1/160 sec electronic shutter focus stack 2 frames, ISO 100; 2023-08-30 17:16:29
Fujifilm GFX100S + Fujifilm GF 35-70mm f/4.5-5.6 WR @ 28.8mm equiv (35mm)
ENV: Conness Lake 2, altitude 10600 ft / 3231 m, 65°F / 18°C
RAW: Camera ASTIA, Enhance Details, LACA corrected, vignetting corrected, WB 5250°K tint 21, +20 Whites, +15 Dehaze, +10 Clarity, AI Denoise 10, +10 Vibrance

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Fujifilm GF 30mm f/5.6 TS: What would Tilt do for this Scene and Others Like It?

Fujifilm GFX100 II | Fujifilm GF 30mm f/5.6 TS | Fujifilm GF 110mm f/5.6 TS | Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 WR.

It’s terrific to have tilt/shift lens options for the Fujifilm medium format platform.

About tilt

Fujifilm GF 30mm f/5.6 TS

A tilt lens alters the plane of focus relative to the plane of the sensor. With the right subject matter, it affords a massive increase in depth of field that the same aperture would rapidly blur without tilt. A desert playa stretching away, the wall of a building, etc. Such clean-cut applications are rare.

CLICK TO VIEW: Ultimate Fujfilm Medium Format

One significant downside of a tilt lens is that zeroing the tilt could induce a small but noticeable optical tilt or optical swing (ditto for rise/fall); it is after all a mechanical device and as little as 20 microns differential is easily noticeable with a 30mm lens. We might be talking only 50 or 100 microns left/right or up/down, but that’s ample to blur one side. A lot depends on build quality, and what happens over time mechanically.

Example #1 — Conness Lake #2, Mt Conness Eastern Ridge

I am impressed with what the Fujifilm GF 35-70mm accomplished here!

Consider the image below, a fairly typical landscape scene. A single frame focused at INF does a very satisfactory job, but leaves the foreground rock detail soft. However, a 2-frame focus stack is spectacularly detailed from the nearest striation of the glacial polish to the far details, at least insofar as the lens delivers the goods (nicely though some room for optical improvements).

What would tilt do for us here? Possibly tilting to run the place of focus through the middle of the foreground boulder through the middle of the far cliffs would deliver better sharpness, but it might also means the summits would go out of focus—I’m just not sure. I suspect that f/9 would be required for full sharpness and possibly that might allow a single frame capture.

When I get out into the field it will be interesting: can tilting the lens turn 2 or 3 shot focus stack scenes into single-shot scenes using tilt? Or will it mostly just throw subject details out-of-plan and blur them too much?

Consider for example if a tree were nearby, say to the right of the foreground boulder. In that case, tilt would throw the top of the tree very much out of focus, and might be a worse problem than no tilt. Such are the vagaries of a tilt lens vs subject shape.

Logged-in subscribers can view the full resolution images here or on the examples page.

Mt Conness summit is seen at far right. There is an incredible amount of snow here for August 30, more than I’ve ever seen in my lifetime at this time of year. At only 10600 feet on up here, another two winters like the last one would produce ice that would start to glaciate.

Conness Lake #2, view to Mt Conness Eastern Ridge

f9 @ 1/160 sec electronic shutter focus stack 2 frames, ISO 100; 2023-08-30 17:16:29
Fujifilm GFX100S + Fujifilm GF 35-70mm f/4.5-5.6 WR @ 28.8mm equiv (35mm)
ENV: Conness Lake 2, altitude 10600 ft / 3231 m, 65°F / 18°C
RAW: Camera ASTIA, Enhance Details, LACA corrected, vignetting corrected, WB 5250°K tint 21, +20 Whites, +15 Dehaze, +10 Clarity, AI Denoise 10, +10 Vibrance

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When shooting panoramas, tilt is probably not going to be a good idea.

Conness Lake #2, view to Mt Conness Eastern Ridge

f9 @ 1/180 sec handheld electronic shutter panorama 5 frames, ISO 100; 2023-08-30 17:08:06
Fujifilm GFX100S + Fujifilm GF 35-70mm f/4.5-5.6 WR @ 37.6mm equiv (45.7mm)
ENV: Conness Lake 2, altitude 10600 ft / 3231 m, 65°F / 18°C
RAW: Camera ASTIA, Enhance Details, LACA corrected, distortion corrected, vignetting corrected, WB 5250°K tint 21, +20 Whites, +15 Dehaze, +10 Clarity, AI Denoise 10, +10 Vibrance

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$2000 off Apple 2022 Mac Studio M1 Ultra

The 2022 Mac Studio is a fantastic machine. Not quite as fast as the current Apple Mac Studio M2 Ultra but faster than any Mac you ever used before. The M1 Ultra is a lot faster (20 cores vs 10) on some things than the M1 Max. EG the stunningly impressive 2021 MacBook Pro M1 Max that I raved about on my recent trip.

You have to really need the extra speed to spend $2000 more on the Mac Studio M2...!

I recommend a minimum of 64GB memory and 4TB internal SSD, 128GB memory preferred if you you do large jobs like I do (Photoshop, focus stacking, panoramas, etc). And of course memory-hungry Adobe Lightroom. I would strongly prefer 128GB memory over and 8TB-vs-4TB SSD for example because I can add storage but I cannot add memory. Still, 64GB memory will serve most everyone superbly well.

OWC

OWC regularly gets batches of new and used Macs and iPhones and iPads and offers them at deep discounts. Here are some great deals.

B&H Photo

Authorized Apple dealer B&H Photo is still blowing-out some great deals, like the fully loaded Mac Studio M1 Ultra. I would absolutely spend another $500 for 8TB vs 4TB SSD and/or 128GB vs 64GB memory. The memory especially since it is not upgradeable, but external SSD an easily be added for overflow storage.

OWC New and Used Mac Deals

Color Management wish list • Deals on Datacolor

$7199 Apple Mac Studio with M1 Ultra (Early 2022) IN STOCK in All Other Categories

$7999 Apple Mac Studio with M1 Ultra (Early 2022) IN STOCK in All Other Categories

$6799 Apple Mac Studio with M1 Ultra (Early 2022) IN STOCK in All Other Categories