Fujifilm GFX 100S for Portrait Photography
Models, lighting at the Fujifilm GFX system demo in Vancouver
Fujifilm GFX System Demo - Vancouver
I attended a Fujifilm GFX system demo in Vancouver last week. Four stations were available complete with Profoto lighting and models ready for you to try out either the Fujifilm GFX 100S or Fujifilm GFX 50S II for portrait photography. Fujifilm also had a station set up for still photography.
It was great to chat with Bill Luong, Guy Francis, and Ramin Shahidian from Fujifilm, and fantastic that such an event now can be part of our daily lives. Nothing beats hands-on experience with gear and talking to like-minded photographers. Something that has been difficult to do in the past two years.
Fujifilm GFX 100S, GF 80mm f/1.7 R WR @ f/3.2, ISO 125, Fujifilm Pro NEG. Std. film simulation, white balance 5300
Fujifilm GF 110mm f/2, GF 80mm f/1.7, or GF 63mm f/2.8 For Portraits?
Since I now had the opportunity and all three lenses in one spot I thought it would be interesting to try out the Fujifilm GF 110mm f/2 R LM WR, Fujifilm GF 80mm f/1.7 R WR, and GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR to see if I could pick a favorite.
Keep in mind, time was limited and yet I did not feel rushed for this quick test. Recently I reviewed the Fujifilm GFX 50S II and unfortunately, the autofocus speed was not the best for a portrait session I conducted in my living room. A model light would have helped but due to this issue, I decided to use the GFX 100S for the photos in this post.
Fujifilm GFX 100S, GF 110mm f/2 R LM WR @ f/4, ISO 125, Fujifilm Pro NEG. Std. film simulation, white balance 5300
First of all, I can report the autofocus abilities in the Fujifilm GFX 100S are better than in the GFX 50S II. I did however have issues with the camera picking the wrong eye when using eye-detect autofocus and it felt like my flow was hampered somewhat. I decided to use a manually picked spot for my AF-point and then had no issues.
Next, let us address the fact that 100 megapixels create insanely sharp images, even when zooming in to 100%. Below is a crop of the photo seen above.
Fujifilm GFX 100S, GF 110mm f/2 R LM WR @ f/4, ISO 125, Fujifilm Pro NEG. Std. film simulation, white balance 5300. Zoomed to 100%. Please click to view a larger image
It proved impossible to pick a favorite in this quick session. I had tried them all previously and I like them all for different reasons. The GF 110mm has the 85mm full-frame equivalent field of view and you can work from a comfortable distance from your model.
The GF 80mm f/1.7 is a great all-rounder in this segment while the GF 63mm f/2.8 is the less expensive and more portable and lightweight option. If you are debating these three lenses I encourage you to check out my individual lens reviews. Please see the links below.
Fujifilm GFX 100S, GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR @ f/4, ISO 125, Fujifilm Pro NEG. Std. film simulation, white balance 5300
The photos in this post are made using the following photography gear.
Links to my reviews:
Fujifilm GFX 100S
Fujifilm GFX 50S IIFujifilm GF 110mm f/2 R LM WR
Fujifilm GF 80mm f/1.7 R WR
Fujiifilm GF 63mm f/2.8 R WR
