Im looking into buying a medium format camera in the future and was comparing my options in the market. Im not looking for something brand new and looking to buy used. During my research, I found out that the Fuji GFX 50s ii, Hasselblad X1D 50c ii, and the Pentax 645z had the same sensor. I am seeing opinions that the hasselblad is too cumbersome to use as you have to use the menu to change anything, and the Pentax does have better color compared to the GFX but much bigger. Im at crossroads on these cameras and need some advice/opinions about them. thanks.
I am going to simply add that 50mp medium format is not going to be significantly better than newer model 45 or 60 mp full frame mirrorless. First the latest generation of full frame lenses are simply stellar optically. Next, the newer full frame sensors have better DR than the 50mp gen MF sensors. Point here is if you want to get into medium format, save yourself time, money and frustration and get a 100mp or larger camera or back. These sensors will have better DR than the older 50mp, but you’ll want the best glass you can buy to get all 100mp has to offer. It’s a dollar bill rabbit hole, but it’s where you have to go to get the maximum output.
For me, the Pentax seems to be suffering from its owner and they seemed to have abandoned Medium Format with no current model. Not to mention the 645z is gi-normous. The Hasselblad just too pricey despite the damn sexy looks. So my evaluation was pretty quick. I like the look of Medium Format images and sign up for the compromises that must be made. I have a mixed bag of native and adapted lenses and feel there is a place and time for each. I started with the 50S and now have the 100S.
thank you all for your advice. I am noticing that people are either recommending the 100mp over the 50mp version or have had regrets about it. is it really worth spending about an extra 1k for that version? I recently bought an SL2-S for general photoshoots and wanted to get a medium format for landscape and cityscapes.
theredkni463 wrote:
thank you all for your advice. I am noticing that people are either recommending the 100mp over the 50mp version or have had regrets about it. is it really worth spending about an extra 1k for that version? I recently bought an SL2-S for general photoshoots and wanted to get a medium format for landscape and cityscapes.
I guess that depends on how you feel about that $1k. The 50SII has stabilization but not phase detect AF (only contrast detect). I felt that the 100S AF is only marginally better in good light but AF is not strength of anybody's Medium Format so marginally better is a step in the right direction. The extra resolution is nice for cropping and digital "zooming" is pretty effective on the 100Mp sensor. But in side by side identical photos without cropping or pixel peeping its going to be difficult to impossible to tell apart. I resold my 50S for within a couple hundred of what I paid for it used after the 100SII came out and values dropped on the 100S.
SGinNorcal wrote:
I guess that depends on how you feel about that $1k. The 50SII has stabilization but not phase detect AF (only contrast detect). I felt that the 100S AF is only marginally better in good light but AF is not strength of anybody's Medium Format so marginally better is a step in the right direction. The extra resolution is nice for cropping and digital "zooming" is pretty effective on the 100Mp sensor. But in side by side identical photos without cropping or pixel peeping its going to be difficult to impossible to tell apart. I resold my 50S for within a couple hundred of what I paid for it used after the 100SII came out and values dropped on the 100S....Show more →
I mean i could save up a bit more to get the 100S if it does indeed have the phase detection. my SL2-S does not and it sometimes does have trouble with autofocus in darker areas but I do not shoot fast moving subjects. the fastest moving subject is probably maybe fashion runway shots so it should be okay. I assume the 100S will outperform the SL2-S even. other from that, how is the lens selection like on the GFX systems? I do own a X-pro 2 and do have X lenses but dont know much about any third part GFX lenses.
The 100S ain't an action camera. I have one, I would not bother with people walking with it. theredkni463 wrote:
I mean i could save up a bit more to get the 100S if it does indeed have the phase detection. my SL2-S does not and it sometimes does have trouble with autofocus in darker areas but I do not shoot fast moving subjects. the fastest moving subject is probably maybe fashion runway shots so it should be okay. I assume the 100S will outperform the SL2-S even. other from that, how is the lens selection like on the GFX systems? I do own a X-pro 2 and do have X lenses but dont know much about any third part GFX lenses....Show more →
I have a GFX 50R and had a 50SII and 100S. The 100S does indeed have phase detect AF, and it’s faster and more accurate. Small AF points, subject detection, and continuous AF… all are better. Significantly. The 50R and 50SII are a little worse than your XPro 2. The 100S is possibly a little better.
If you’re going to shoot people at all, I’d say the phase-detect GFX bodies are a significant upgrade, and will result in fewer misses if your subjects are not completely stationary.
Lens selection is an adventure in medium format. You can have either very expensive first-party lenses, or adapt (often full frame) lenses with varying results. If you browse the Alternative GFX Lens thread, you’ll find many great options.
As a landscape shooter, I’ll specifically warn you: Telephoto selection on medium format is poor. Fuji has the 100-200 and 500/5.6. I use a Canon 70-200/4, which is only decent on GFX. Many others use the Canon 100-400II. The situation is a far cry from full frame or APS-C, where you have tons of great options out to 400mm or longer. If you shoot telephoto landscapes, you might want to avoid medium format.
I enjoyed using my 100S and 32-64. It did a great job. But I also get great results from my XE5. I’d rather have good AF, a small pack, and a lot of money in my wallet, than some extra megapixels.
These days, I only use my 50R “for fun”, with some old Rokkors.
CKrueger wrote:
...
As a landscape shooter, I’ll specifically warn you: Telephoto selection on medium format is poor. Fuji has the 100-200 and 500/5.6. I use a Canon 70-200/4, which is only decent on GFX. Many others use the Canon 100-400II. The situation is a far cry from full frame or APS-C, where you have tons of great options out to 400mm or longer. If you shoot telephoto landscapes, you might want to avoid medium format.
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JadedWriter wrote:
The 100S ain't an action camera. I have one, I would not bother with people walking with it.
I’ll disagree with you here, or perhaps you were exaggerating to make a point? While the GFX 100s isn’t what I’d call a great action camera, with the 45-100 mounted it easily tracked my grandkids running around the yard or park.
This thread popped up at the right time.
I had the XCD 50 and XCD 50 mk2 w/ 30, 45, and 90mm lenses from the original release. I spent about 4 months with the gear and shot almost exclusively with it during a 10 day road trip. The cameras and lenses were great, but in the end the performance was only marginally better than my Nikon Z9 and Z8 cameras. By the time I stopped down to f/8 or f/11, the benefits seemed inconsequential.
With the latter on the table, I'm now looking at the GFX 100 (original recipe). I realize the camera is large and "old" by current measures, but I've read that the difference in sensor resolution and dynamic range is not huge when compared to the current iterations. The original GFX 100 can be had for less than $3000, so it seems like a bargain for anyone looking to do high resolution landscape photography. In addition, the lenses I want are considered very good and significantly less than the Hasselbald equivalent optics.
Not really exaggerating. I'd never use this system for anything movement based that I'm getting paid for. The fps rate, plus black out of the burst also is a reason why I wouldn't bother. Jack Flesher wrote:
I’ll disagree with you here, or perhaps you were exaggerating to make a point? While the GFX 100s isn’t what I’d call a great action camera, with the 45-100 mounted it easily tracked my grandkids running around the yard or park.
Im looking into buying a medium format camera in the future and was comparing my options in the market. Im not looking for something brand new and looking to buy used. During my research, I found out that the Fuji GFX 50s ii, Hasselblad X1D 50c ii, and the Pentax 645z had the same sensor. I am seeing opinions that the hasselblad is too cumbersome to use as you have to use the menu to change anything, and the Pentax does have better color compared to the GFX but much bigger. Im at crossroads on these cameras and need some advice/opinions about them. thanks....Show more →
We might be able to give more targetted advice if you explained why you wanted a medium format camera. As most have alluded to, medium format digital are slow and cumbersome systems to work with. It suits landscape and studio work. It is poorly suited as a general every day shooter. I've got a GFX 50sii because I wanted something with more resolution than Fuji APS-c for landscapes and I like the way Fuji cameras work. My AF and FPS needs are not great and can be done by an XT-5 Had I not had a preference for Fuji, I probably would have gone with either Sony, Nikon or Canon FF.
Geoff D F wrote:
We might be able to give more targetted advice if you explained why you wanted a medium format camera. As most have alluded to, medium format digital are slow and cumbersome systems to work with. It suits landscape and studio work. It is poorly suited as a general every day shooter. I've got a GFX 50sii because I wanted something with more resolution than Fuji APS-c for landscapes and I like the way Fuji cameras work. My AF and FPS needs are not great and can be done by an XT-5 Had I not had a preference for Fuji, I probably would have gone with either Sony, Nikon or Canon FF....Show more →
Thanks for your insight. So in other words it would be a great addition to an exsisting setup if one were to have a everyday camera. I do own an SL2-S for that purpose so I guess it wouldnt be bad to buy a medium format.
There is absolutely no reason to get into MF if money is tight unless you really, really want it. It will not make you a better photographer. Enjoy your gear; it is great as it is. Take a workshop or two instead for a dramatic leap in your photography!
theredkni463 wrote:
Thanks for your insight. So in other words it would be a great addition to an exsisting setup if one were to have a everyday camera. I do own an SL2-S for that purpose so I guess it wouldnt be bad to buy a medium format.
Assuming you already own lenses for the sl2, it seems to me purchasing an sl3 would make far more sense. 60mp behind quality lenses is not giving up much of anything to 100mp MF.
As a sometimes GFX shooter, I agree with the above posts. It makes more sense to invest further in an SL3 or lenses for that system than add a medium format digital to your kit.
I feel like unless you're buying the latest sensor and first-party lenses, the only reason to chase MF digital is the potential advantage it can give you in DoF control. The used market price for Fuji MF bodies (in most markets) is just as inflated as their APS-C line, so it's still not a value option. Might be easier to just slap a superspeed Chinese lens (mitakon, etc) in front of a contemporary full frame Sony, Nikon or Canon.
ISO1600 wrote:
I feel like unless you're buying the latest sensor and first-party lenses, the only reason to chase MF digital is the potential advantage it can give you in DoF control. The used market price for Fuji MF bodies (in most markets) is just as inflated as their APS-C line, so it's still not a value option. Might be easier to just slap a superspeed Chinese lens (mitakon, etc) in front of a contemporary full frame Sony, Nikon or Canon.
How many cameras have aperture on the lens, ISO and shutter speed on dials, decent ergonomics, good price, etc.? GFX, X-system, and Leica M?
