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 p.24 #18 · Fujifilm GFX100RF Discussion and Image Thread | |
tuomkok wrote:
But definitely I know that I do not buy a 100mp sensor camera just to crop it heavily. For that there are so many better (and cheaper) option available.
Everyone is different and have different use cases. I can only speak for myself.
I've said most of this elsewhere, but the more I think about it, the more I think I've come to understand why I'm buying this camera.
I own a Bronica SQ, 6x6 medium format camera.
I'm no good with the square format. I've tried, it's just hard for me (I keep trying though). One amazing thing though is the freedom to crop any aspect ratio afterwards and maintain tons of surface area for high quality prints.
You can go to 4:3, 16:9, 4:5, landscape to portrait without even rotating the camera, moving the camera from the tripod, crop in much tighter than your original shot, and still have higher image quality than 35mm film.
My understanding is that this is actually the norm, the rule, not the exception, in the commercial studio photography world, at least in the film days.
It can be, but isn't necessarily about magical "medium format" quality. It certainly isn't about shallow depth of field - full frame film options are better for that. It's about using the advantage of medium format by being able to crop and retain high print quality.
For me, the GFX100RF is no different, but in a digital, EDC package. Especially since it has the fixed lens.
I think there are many people who will hesitate to crop because they enjoy extreme, life-like detail. That's wonderful, and sometimes this camera can and will produce that. My father likes that, I don't begrudge him his X2D 100c.
But this camera is not only about that, and I think one can enjoy this camera more if they're not overly fixated about that.
It's clear that the designers aren't focused solely about that, given the dials and controls. I think the designers know the fun from their history of medium format cameras, the fun of X-Pan (sorry, TX), the craziness of Texas Leica 6:9, 645, challenge of 6x6, the history of 6:7, the pure insanity of 617, etc., etc.
Again, I just want a WCL because I've always wanted to shoot an X-Pan (sorry, TX) 45mm. Over the decades of my photography, I've always wanted to get good at WLF TLR style 6x6 street portraits (I've tried, I'm no good, but I keep trying). I've always wanted to shoot a Texas Leica. I want to channel my inner Richard Avedon. I like shooting my little X100V, whether with OVF, tilt LCD, or one handed, Tatsuo Suzuki style. Early on in my journey, I started with the 16:9 aspect ratio on my little Leica D-Lux 3. Lately, I've been bored with 3:2 and have been enjoying 4:3.
Now there's this camera that does all of that in one compact package.
I'm the last person who is in the market for a 44x33mm camera. I'm quite happy with my 24 megapixel GRIII, M10-P, X100V, etc. I never print bigger than 36 x 24 inches 72 dpi, 17 x 11 inches 300 dpi, 4K screen. I don't pixel peep. I know how to make my workflow sharpen images to give a highly-detailed yet natural, "medium format" look, if I want that.
Traditionally, I haven't been cropping my digital shots more than just the borders of my shots a little bit. Maybe I'll crop from 28mm equivalent to 35mm equivalent on my GRIII if I really need to, and it's right for that shot. It's rare though.
And yet I have a GFX100RF on pre-order for the reasons above.
And somehow, I think I am in the target market for this camera. Maybe not the marketer's target market -- because I was never in the target market for a Q3, M11 or even 40 megapixel X100VI.
But I'm certainly in the target market for the designers of the GFX100RF, the same designers that gave us that aspect ratio dial and crop dial.
I thought hard about this one -- I didn't want to spend $5k on a camera where I would be cropping most of that sensor that I "didn't really need (or want)". I dislike working with the 200 megabyte files from my dad's camera.
But then I saw one of the promo videos where one of the Fuji ambassadors talked about having, as part of their creative process, choosing their aspect ratio in the field and composing their shot that way, and that just resonated with me. I want to try that, and it's been a long time since I've been interested in a new camera.
I'm looking forward to the freedom of cropping digital. That *is* the advantage of medium format, at least for me.
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