Last Updated on 11/07/2018 by Mark Beckenbach
According to Fujifilm’s Makoto Oishi, the Fujifilm GFX 50R went through a number of big designs and it started with it being a box.
We’ve been anticipating the Fujifilm GFX 50R camera for a little while now and after getting some hands on time with it at Photokina, we were even more intrigued. So at the recent Photo Plus Expo, we had a bit more time not only with the camera, but with Fujifilm’s own Makoto Oishi. Makoto spoke to us in a bit more depth about the camera–stemming from the design, who it is for, and even the autofocus.
Also be sure to subscribe to us on YouTube
According to Makoto, the new Fujifilm GFX 50R is going to have better autofocus than the Fujifilm GFX 50S, at least initially. Firmware updates will come to the older camera, but considering that the Fujifilm GFX 50R is for more dynamic subjects, Fujifilm is ensuring that it’s highly capable.
The Fujifilm GFX 50R takes inspiration from the older Fujifilm rangefinder series which includes the Fujifilm GW690 III. This line of cameras have affectionately been called the Texas Leica series and still have some fantastic optics when it comes to medium format camera bodies. The Fujifilm GFX 50R has weather sealing, a massive mount, and most importantly went through more than 10 designs. It started with a box (more or less) and then there were refinements. In fact, Fujifilm considered making a version of the camera with an optical/electronic viewfinder combo like you see in the X Pro 2, but decided to instead stick with an EVF. The reason: the camera would have otherwise been too huge. As it is, the Fujifilm GFX 50R isn’t all that large, but it’s still quite impressive when you hold it.
We’re still waiting for a full review unit to come in. When we get it, we’re going to do a number of tests involving weather sealing and a number of applications. Considering the fairly low price, we’re pretty excited to see what it can do.