The Fujifilm GFX50R is a Great Entry into Digital Medium Format

Recently I had the chance to play around with a friend of mine's Fujifilm GFX50R. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the camera the GFX50R is a rangefinder style, compact digital medium format camera. Released in 2018 this sleek digital medium format camera was an "affordable" entry point into the medium format space. Debuting at a price of around $4,500.00 the GFX50R boasted a then new 51.4 CMOS sensor paired with the X-Processor Pro. The camera was capable of making beautiful high resolution images and had the capabilities of shooting up to ISO 102000! With that massive sensor came the ability to produce some truly wonderful imagery if ultimately at the cost of speed. This camera is and was true to the digital medium format range as it is not a speed camera. You won't be utilizing this camera for sports photography but if you're shooting portraits it's hard to find another digital medium format camera that has the same bang for the buck. 

As a photographer I've always been enthralled with the concept of shooting digital medium format. I own and shoot with a Hasselblad 500CM medium format film camera and the process of using and shooting that camera has been a real joy. The most glaring problem with shooting digital medium format is typically the pace of shooting and the cost. Digital medium format cameras can run you tens of thousands of dollars and that's just not something I'm in a position to be able to use. That's why when my friend handed me over his GFX50R I was so excited to try it! This camera since it's a few years old can be bought used in the $3,000.00 range depending on condition. In terms of an entry point into digital medium format that is a much more digestible price point. The Fujifilm GFX100 is the obvious upgrade to the GFX50R and has nearly 3x the price tag to go along with it. While some of the tech in the camera is obviously outdated, and it is at times very slow to use, I found the overall experience of shooting the GFX50R to be a real treat. 

In terms of size and capability this camera really is the best bang for your buck. It's relatively small size compared to its sensor makes it easy to take around with you and shoot, whether you're in studio or out about shooting landscapes. It's not a fast camera but if you have the background of shooting film, there is a lot of ease of use that's fast relative to its analog friend. Picking one of these cameras used is a great way to get an entry point into digital medium format and can help ease the burden of the cost. Overall I had a lot of fun with this camera over the hour or so I shot with it, it has really peaked my interest into digital medium format and may have created a bug in me to pick one of these cameras up.