Medium format is becoming more attainable by modern photographers. It’s also not necessarily just for portraits and landscapes. You can photograph events and photojournalistic assignments with medium format now. The autofocus has improved a lot. And what’s better is that a lot of the time, you don’t even really need to edit the images. It’s so nice to get your live back in that way! We dove into our Reviews Index to find the best medium format cameras around. And yes, we tested all of them.
The Phoblographer’s various product round-up features are done in-house. Our philosophy is simple: you wouldn’t get a Wagyu beef steak review from a lifelong vegetarian. And you wouldn’t get photography advice from someone who doesn’t touch the product. We only recommend gear we’ve fully reviewed. If you’re wondering why your favorite product didn’t make the cut, there’s a chance it’s on another list. If we haven’t reviewed it, we won’t recommend it. This method keeps our lists packed with industry-leading knowledge. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Pro Tips for the Photographer Considering Medium Format Cameras
Photographers who want medium format cameras should consider these:
- Slower aperture lenses will give you more shallow results than their direct full-frame 35mm competitors.
- Even the best Medium format cameras have autofocus that’s slower than full-frame cameras. But they’re still usable.
- Yes, all of these are Fujifilm cameras. And that’s because they actually put a bigger emphasis on medium format than other brands.
- These cameras have incredible weather sealing. We’ve tested them, and we know.
- The price of medium format has come down quite a bit. Granted, this isn’t true medium format as it’s not even a 645 sensor.
Fujifilm GFX 100S
Tech Specs
- 102 megapixels 43.8×32.9mm CMOS Sensor
- X processor 4 (4:2:0 10bit / 12bit ProRes Raw 4K/30p)
- 5.0fps Continuous Shooting with AF-C / 64Gb DRAM
- New Smaller Shutter & IBIS in smaller & Lighter weight body
- Up to 6.0 stops Sync. Lens/IBIS / 4K30p non-crop recording
- 100% Phase Detection AF up to -5.5EV @ F1.7/ F13~16
- All of the features from X-T4 and GFX100
- DIS for Movie / ProRes Raw 12bit Output
- 400 Megapixel Multiple Shot, Drone & Gimbal support
- GFX S (shooting) style Body H150 x V104 x D44mm
- New Battery NP-W235 in grip makes the body thinner
- Weather and Dust resistant, Freeze Proof to -10°C
- Initial Shipment: Feb/Mar 2021
- Launch Price: US $5,999
In our review, we state:
“The Fujifilm GFX100S is a fantastic camera loaded with features, including a 102 Megapixel sensor. With a new IBIS system, this Medium Format camera is just as comfortable on the streets as it is in a studio. Images are gorgeous, the ergonomics are great, and build quality is much improved over older models. It’s well priced at $5,999 and will appeal to many photographers.”
Fujifilm GFX 50S II
Tech Specs
- 54.1MP CMOS Sensor Large Format (44x33mm)
- Quad-core CPU X-Processor 4 with Latest FW
- Mode Dial Controls
- Weather Resistant
- 3.0fps Continuous Shooting
- Full HD/30P, 4:2:0 8-bit (SD/HDMI)
- Contrast Rapid AF of .272s
- Lowlight Priority AF -3.5EV / 14 Stop Dynamic Range
- New Nostalgic Neg. Film Simulation
- IBIS with 6.5 Stops of Stabilization, more than GFX100S
- Fixed 3.9M-dot EVF (0.77x Mag. 50fps refresh)
- NP-W234 (440 frame) battery. Same as “X-T4 Battery”
- 205MP Multi-Shot Pixel Shift / Drone-Gimbal Support
- New 35-70mm f4.5-5.6 WR kit lens
In our review, we state:
“Fujifilm isn’t completely redesigning the medium format system; they’re building upon what has worked well for them. The sensor is pretty great, but it isn’t new. It is paired with the newer X-processor 4 for improved performance. In-camera skin-softening within the GFX50s II is very usable and drastically cuts down on editing time in post. The second iteration of the camera has also gained an impressive 6.5 stops of IBIS. That’s an extra 1/2 stop better than the flagship GFX100s. For medium format, that’s the best on the market.”
Fujifilm GFX 50R
Tech Specs
- Rangefinder style
- Compact and lightweight body
- Weather resistant structure
- 43.8×32.9mm 51.4MP CMOS medium format sensor
- X-Processor Pro
- 2.36M-dot touchscreen LCD back panel
- FUJINON GF Lens
In our review, we state:
“As we reported previously, the Fujifilm GFX 50R can resist quite a bit of abuse. We took it into the rain for a long time and it was just fine. Despite lots of moisture and rain getting around the camera and the lens, they combo just kept working. On our Instagram, we shared photos and more results. We’re very convinced that the Fujifilm GFX 50R is capable of doing pretty much everything that you need within reason. It isn’t submersible, but it can take some of the worst weather that may come its way.”