The successor to Fujifilm’s GFX 100S, its 2021 medium format camera is the aptly named GFX 100S II with excellent performance but low speed. The new model is $1,000 cheaper, smaller, lighter, and (shocker) features AI to improve autofocus.
The Fujifilm GFX 100S II uses a 102MP high-speed sensor and X-Processor 5 processing engine. The company says its medium format sensor is about 1.7 times larger than a 35mm full-frame sensor. Its body weighs around 883g (including battery and memory card), making it the lightest in the range.
The camera features “advanced” in-body image stabilization that allows for up to eight-stop, five-axis performance. This can improve its image quality when using longer exposure times.
Fujifilm says it has improved the sensor’s pixel placement design to achieve a standard ISO80 sensitivity. “When the sensor’s sensitivity is set to ISO80, the camera can capture images with greater dynamic range and less noise than the previous model when shooting in 16-bit RAW mode,” the company wrote in a press release. This should lead to better low-light performance, autofocus accuracy, and overall image quality.
The camera’s sensor has an improved micro-lens design that improves light efficiency at its edges. Fujifilm says this gives better image quality and autofocus accuracy at the edges than its predecessor.
Like almost all of the latest tech gear, Fujifilm uses artificial intelligence in its products – in this case, AI-based subject detection. Fujifilm says it can automatically recognize animals, birds, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, planes, trains, insects and drones and focus accordingly. The company claims its advanced autofocus predictive algorithm and continuous shooting speed of up to seven FPS make it better at tracking high-speed subjects. Autofocus was one of our top picks Engadget’s review of the GFX 100Sso it will be interesting for us to see if these claims hold up in practice.
On the video front, the new camera supports 4K / 30P 4:2:2 10-bit videos (for more accurate color reproduction) when using the internal SD card. Equipped with F-Log 2 profile for improved dynamic range. Its compatibility increases with support Apple ProResbut only when using an external solid-state drive connected via USB-C.
The Fujifilm GFX 100S II costs $4,999 or €5,499 in Europe. It’s cheaper than the $7,500 GFX 100 II, trading some extra video benefits for less of a hit on the wallet. You can order from Friday Fujifilm website.
