The Fujifilm GFX100 ($9,999.95, body only) is unlike any medium format camera that's come before.
It's the first we've seen with on-sensor phase detection focus, a feature that puts it on par with full-frame systems for capturing moving subjects, along with in-body stabilization to curb blur.
Its imaging and video capabilities both qualify as incredible—you get 100MP images and 4K using the entire frame width.
If you're in the market for a medium format camera, the GFX100 should be at the top of your list, and earns our Editors' Choice.
The Medium Format Landscape
Medium format has always had a rather nebulous definition, dating back to the film days.
The 35mm format was pretty stringent—a 24-by-36mm frame for the most part, panoramic models notwithstanding.
But medium format can refer to anything larger than 35mm and smaller than a 4-by-5-inch large format negative; most use 120 format roll film.
In the digital world, medium format has settled into two main sensor sizes.
There's the 33-by-44mm chip used by the GFX100 and other bodies that sell for $10,000 or less, and the larger 54-by-40mm format offered by high-end models like the $50,000 Phase One XF IQ4 150MP.
The difference between the two sensor sizes is akin to the split between APS-C and full-frame cameras at the lower end of the market.
But there's a much larger gap in price between the GFX100 and equipment from Phase One, while you can get a full-frame 35mm camera for not much more than one with an APS-C sensor.
Sensor size isn't the only thing that separates the GFX100 from its pricier competition.
The Phase One XF system is made up of two discrete components—an SLR camera and a modular back that houses the image sensor and processing engine.
Leaf shutter lenses are also available, which can sync with off-camera flashes at much shorter speeds than the GFX100's focal plane shutter.
Are those worth a $40,000 delta?
The GFX100 makes a compelling argument for spending less on your medium format camera.
Its sensor may not be as large as the IQ4 150MP, but it handles much better.
Likewise, the short distance between sensor and mount allows you to attach any number of lenses.
Fujifilm markets an official adapter for Hasselblad H glass, and another to use the GFX as a digital back for large format cameras.
And with third-party adapters, like the ones I used from Fotodiox for my vintage Hasselblad V lenses, you can attach practically any manual lens to the GFX100.
Body Design
The GFX100 is about the same size and shape as a 35mm SLR with an integrated vertical shooting grip, like the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II and Nikon D5.
It measures 6.4 by 6.2 by 4.1 inches (HWD) and weighs 3.1 pounds.
It's finished with a two-tone look.
The exposed metal is steel gray with a bit of texture, with the bulk of the body wrapped in black leatherette.
The body itself is magnesium alloy, standard fare for pro cameras, and offers full protection against dust and splashes.
Fujifilm's weather protection is top-notch, so you should feel free to use the GFX100 in practically any condition.
It's not waterproof, of course, so you shouldn't submerge it, and as with any camera, take care to clean its exterior well after any exposure to salt water.
The GFX sports two shooting grips—one that's decent and a second that is downright disappointing.
When you work with the body in landscape orientation, your right hand wraps around a modest, but comfortable grip with a leatherette covering.
It's mostly straight, with an indentation for your index finger, but no natural rests for your other digits.
I don't find it as comfortable as the grip on the 50MP GFX 50S, which is still available for around $5,500.
The vertical grip, which you use when holding the camera in portrait orientation, is less than good.
It's not covered in the leatherette, is too narrow, and is just uncomfortable to use, especially if you've got a bigger lens attached.
Typically, vertical grips are built to mirror the ergonomics of their horizontal counterpart exactly, which makes Fujifilm's design choice here even more puzzling.
Controls and Ergonomics
Fujifilm may have missed the target with the vertical grip, but overall the camera's physical controls are well thought-out.
Dual function buttons on the front serve the same function by default.
They're placed so you can reach them comfortably with your middle finger via either orientation.
They're programmable, with loads of functions—seven pages worth—assignable to either.
I set them both to activate magnification as a manual focus aid; you can split the buttons to perform different functions if you want to.
The Drive button is on the left side of the top plate.
It's surrounded by a locking control dial—you need to hold down the button next to it to turn it—which changes the capture mode between stills, multi-shot bracketing (more on that later), and movies.
The right of the top plate is dominated by an OLED display.
It's backlit for better visibility in dim light—a button to its left activates the light.
You can cycle through different display settings using the small unmarked button to its right—there's an engraved line between it and the display, the only visual indication that the two are tied together.
Display options include an information screen that shows exposure data, the shooting mode, white balance, file format, and the film emulation mode, along with number of shots left on your memory card and battery life.
You can switch to an alternative view that is limited to exposure data, but shown as virtual control dials that turn as you adjust the shutter speed, ISO, aperture, or EV.
The third view is a live histogram.
The other unmarked top button sits ahead of the display toggle.
It's slightly larger, and flatter, so you can feel it out by touch.
It toggles the shooting mode by default, via the standard P, A, S, and M options.
You will need to set your on-lens aperture control ring to its A position to access Shutter Priority in the camera, though.
A long press of the control button locks your shutter speed so it can't be changed, with a second long press disengaging the lock.
The EV compensation button is farther ahead and is set at the same slight angle as the shutter release button.
The release is a two-stage design, with a half-press activating autofocus and a full press firing the shutter.
The On/Off switch surrounds it.
These controls, along with front and rear dials, are mirrored on the vertical grip.
The Delete button is off by itself, on the rear plate, right below the Still/Multi/Movie wheel.
When it's attached, the EVF eyecup juts out right next to it, so it's a little bit difficult to reach, but you don't want to hit Delete by accident.
The focus control switch is at the right of the EVF, with settings for Single, Continuous, or Manual focus.
The rear control wheel is a little farther to the right.
An unmarked function button (it turns Face and Eye Detection on and off by default) and the Q button sit all the way to right, but aren't flush with other rear controls.
They're on the raised nub that forms the rear thumb rest.
There's an AF-ON button on the rear, at the top of a column just to the right of the LCD.
It's a little closer to the right than others in the column.
There's an eight-way focus joystick below it, along with AE-L, Menu/OK, Disp/Back, and Play buttons.
AF-ON, AE-L, and the focus joystick are mirrored as vertical controls, but the others aren't.
That leaves just one button unaccounted for, the unmarked control to the left of the vertical orientation AE-L button.
It toggles the camera's Boost Mode, which can improve the refresh rate of the EVF or autofocus performance speed, but at the cost of battery life.
I'm generally favorable to the layout of the buttons.
My thumb struggles a bit to reach AF-ON, though photographers with bigger paws won't have an issue.
But despite liking the layout, the feel of the buttons is disappointing.
They're generally a little small, with a mushier touch than what I'm used to on a camera that is decidedly professional.
The focus joysticks, in particular, are uncomfortable to use, especially when compared with the flatter designs used on high-resolution 35mm cameras like the 60MP Sony a7R IV and 45MP Nikon Z 7.
For all the technology that Fujifilm has managed to include, it could have done a bit better job with the basics here.
The largely unmarked control scheme may turn off some photographers.
I struggled to get a handle on it at first, but I did get used to it after a couple of weeks with the GFX in my hands.
With a little bit of time, muscle memory will kick in, assuming the GFX100 ends up being your primary imaging tool.
You may struggle a bit if you're thinking about adding the GFX to your kit, but don't want to give up your 50S or 50R.
The previous entries in the GF family use physical dials, a different control philosophy than what we see at work here with the GFX100.
This is likely a pro photographer problem—not a lot of enthusiasts are in the financial position to own multiple medium format bodies.
Viewfinder and LCD
The GFX100 includes a removable viewfinder and an articulating LCD in its design.
The EVF is one of the best around.
It's an OLED, so you don't have to worry about color tearing effects when panning to follow action.
It's big, with a 0.86x magnification rating, and exceedingly crisp thanks to its 5.76-million-dot resolution.
It's also removable, which can make the big camera a bit easier to squeeze into a camera bag, or to give you a better view of the tilting rear display from above.
The EVF doesn't articulate on its own, but you can add the $560 EVF Tilt Adapter to give it horizontal and vertical articulation.
The LCD is a 3.2-inch panel with touch support.
It's bright, with quick access to adjust its backlight available via the Q menu screen.
And with 2.36 million dots of resolution, it's sharper than similar displays on other cameras, helpful for manual focus and image playback.
The screen is mounted on a dual-axis hinge.
It tilts to face up or down, and can also swing to face toward the right.
I found it useful for both handheld and tripod use.
When working at waist level I, preferred to remove the EVF as it obscures the view from above, but doing so only takes a couple of seconds.
The sideways articulation comes in handy when working at low angles in portrait orientation.
There's a second rear display, a narrow monochrome OLED, positioned below the LCD.
It shows the set mode, shutter speed, ISO, EV value, film simulation setting, and white balance by default.
You can dive into the menu and set it to show other information, with discrete display options for stills and video if you'd like.
Additional Features
Most photographers who think about buying the GFX100 are going to take advantage of its Raw imaging capabilities, but you shouldn't discount its JPG output.
Fujifilm offers a number of built-in looks inspired by classic film stocks—Acros, Astia, Classic Chrome, Eterna, ProH, Provia, and Velvia are all included.
Even if you work in Raw, you can process any image using in-camera tools.
This allows you to try out several different looks for an image, just as you would in Capture One or Lightroom.
You're able to save images to memory in your choice of JPG or TIFF format, the latter of which will preserve more color detail and tonality.
There are a number of automated bracketing options.
You can rattle off shots with varied exposure—useful for HDR processing and scenes with vast changes in illumination.
You can also vary ISO, film looks, white balance, dynamic range, and focus points.
An intervalometer is included for time-lapse capture.
GF Lens System
The GFX system debuted in 2016, and currently has nine native lens options—seven primes and two zooms.
You can go as wide as 23mm and as long as 250mm, with a 1.4x teleconverter available to extend the reach of the latter to 350mm.
All of the native lenses support autofocus and offer weather protection.
On the whole, they're larger and heavier than options for 35mm systems—you do need more glass to cover a larger sensor—but there are exceptions like the svelte 50mm F3.5, and the GF 32-64mm F4 zoom isn't that far off from most full-frame 24-70mm F2.8 designs in size, weight, and function.
Third-party options are starting to appear, like the recent Venus Laowa 17mm F4 GFX Zero-D, and you can certainly use other manual focus lenses via an adapter.
But you should be content with a medium format lens system if you're thinking about buying the GFX100.
It may focus and handle like a full-frame camera, but lens options simply aren't as vast.
You can use 35mm format lenses too.
If you opt to use the entire sensor with one attached, you'll be greeted with a vignette in most cases—the image above was shot using a vintage Canon 50mm f/1.2, sold in the 1960s along with the Canon 7 camera, and is uncropped.
There is a 35mm crop mode, which limits the sensor area to that of a full-frame camera, so you won't get a vignette, but resolution drops to about 60MP.
Power and Connectivity
Instead of designing a new battery, Fujifilm decided to use the same NP-T125 battery as the GFX 50R and 50S.
The GFX100 is powered by two of them, which load in a removable tray.
In-camera charging is supported via USB-C, and there is a single external charger included in the box if you want to charge the battery outside of the body.
The GFX100 is rated for 800 shots per charge by CIPA standards.
After some time in the field with the camera, I feel the estimate is on the low side, especially if you mix in some video recording.
Spare batteries are an absolute must for all-day use; they're priced at $120 each.
There are two memory card slots, each supporting the fastest SDXC UHS-II cards.
Tethered capture is an option too, via the USB-C port.
The GFX100 can be controlled using Capture One Pro and Lightroom Classic CC.
In addition to USB-C, the GFX100 includes a micro HDMI port for use with an external recorder.
There are 3.5mm headphone and microphone jacks for audio, a 2.5mm remote connector, hot shoes on both the body and EVF, and a legacy PC Sync flash connector.
The focal plane shutter syncs with lights at speeds as short as 1/125-second, which will disappoint photographers used to working with leaf shutters and their very quick sync speeds.
There are workarounds, of course—you can add a neutral density filter to a lens, so you'll...
