Last Updated on 05/23/2019 by Mark Beckenbach
We spoke with Justin Stailey at Fujifilm USA about the new Fujifilm GFX 100 and exactly why it needed image stabilization built into the camera.
With 102 Megapixels at the heart of the new Fujifilm GFX 100 camera, there is a very justified reason for having image stabilization built into the camera. While traditional medium format users wouldn’t necessarily think this, Fujifilm has been working hard to change the way we think about the larger sensor space. So with the Fujifilm GFX 100, they brought image stabilization to it partially because it’s a camera designed to be handheld and used for professional lifestyle work. So while you can still use this camera in the studio or locked down onto a tripod to shoot a landscape, the image stabilization helps you to do things like adventure and sports photography.
In the above video, Justin speaks about what the Fujifilm GFX 100’s image stabilization is all about. One of the biggest things is that, due to the high megapixel count, they have to stabilize the sensor. When someone shoots handheld, they’re bound to shake, even slightly. Due to the resolution, they will get images with camera shake. The image stabilization, which we demo in the video, fixes that issue. Then, combine this with the very fast autofocus for a medium format camera and you’ll be able to do things like using the Fujifilm GFX 100 on a mountain while rappelling with a climber. Mix all this in with the fact that the Fujifilm GFX 100 is weather sealed and it has the potential to be an absolutely amazing camera.
As Justin states, IBIS works well for wide angles. When it comes to longer focal lengths, Fujifilm believes that it is still better to work with lens-based stabilization in conjunction with image sensor-based stabilization.