I officially made the jump to the Fujifilm GFX50Sii 3 months ago, so I felt like it was a good time to reflect on the choice, share my thoughts on the camera and lens I’ve been using, and discuss whether I’m really happy with my decision.

Why?

I had always looked at the GFX system as the endgame system for me, but also not one that I could justify spending the money to jump into. If you know anything about the GFX system, it’s probably that it’s very expensive. So, when I was presented an opportunity to trade up/into the system, I didn’t hesitate, sort of.

I had been trying to sell my Fuji X-H1 body for awhile, but hadn’t really gotten any bites or much interest. Granted, I didn’t do a whole lot of work to facilitate selling, I had just listed it on Facebook marketplace and figured I’d see if I got any bites. So, browsing marketplace one da, I stumbled upon someone local selling a GFX50sii body for a fairly reasonable price, but not reasonable enough to justify actually buying it. I ended up sending a message asking if there was any interest in a trade, and we ended up agreeing on a swap of the GFX50sii for my Fuji X-H1, viltron 75mm, and Fuji 100-400mm lenses.

Shooting Experience

So far, the biggest difference I’ve found in shooting between the Fuji X Series (X-H2 & X-T50) is the speed. The X-H2 for example, can rattle off 20 frames per second when shooting in Continuous High. The GFX50Sii, however, can only do 2.2 frames per second in Continuous High. This doesn’t mean a whole lot in the grand scheme of things, but what it does mean, is that I have to slow down, and take my time when shooting. The X-H2 is great on CH, because I can fire off up to 20fps and know I’m going to get the shot that I want/need. That isn’t an option on the GFX, and that’s ok. It’s part of what makes shooting with the GFX such a fun experience. I’m forced to slow down, compose, and think about the shot more. I’d be lying if I said this hasn’t been a challenge, but it’s a welcome one. I get very comfortable in routines, so anytime I can mix those up, I’m better for it.

Image Quality / Editing

The image quality from this camera is just fantastic. If you don’t already know, the GFX line has a 44 x 33mm medium format sensor, which is a much larger sensor than the 35mm full frame, and even larger than Fuji’s X series sensor, a 24x16mm APS-C sensor. The subject separation is really what sets medium format apart from everything else. Editing the files is a new experience as well, there’s a ton more data to work with, so I’m learning as I go how to apply my personal look to these massive files. That’s a potential downside for some, the file sizes from the GFX come in around 120mb. Doesn’t sound like much, but when you start dumping the day’s photos into Lightroom, it can quickly become GB’s worth of files, so something to consider if you’re in the market.

Setup / Build Quality

Camera setup is very similar to the X series cameras. Menus are, mostly, the same and the buttons and dials all feel familiar. If you’re comfortable with a Fuji X Series camera, you’ll be comfortable with a GFX as well. The build quality is great, nothing on the camera feels cheap or shortsighted. The weight (900g) without a lens is pretty significant, so carrying it around all day can feel like a bit of a chore, compared to the X-H2 (660g). Add the 390g 35-70mm lens and it’s a big system, but a worthy one.

Regrets

The only regret I have from the trade, and the only thing that made me hesitate for a second, was the 100-400mm lens. That lens was a staple for my X series cameras, and used a lot. It’s super sharp, and having a long zoom provided a lot of flexibility that I definitely miss, but I’d do the deal again in a heartbeat. Pros far outweigh the cons.

Final Thoughts

The GFX50Sii has definitely earned it’s way into my regular rotation. It is just too much fun to shoot with, and has become the first camera I want to grab when going out to shoot/explore. The hunt has already begun for more lenses, so this will definitely be a long term system for me.