Landscape photography often means balancing image quality and gear convenience. This becomes especially challenging when considering fixed-lens cameras, but one might rise about the rest.
Coming to you from Jason Friend Photography, this thoughtful video examines the Fujifilm GFX100RF medium format camera, a compact, fixed-lens model that raises big questions about practicality and quality. Friend takes you along on an early-morning shoot, revealing first-hand the challenges and advantages of working with such specialized equipment. He candidly expresses mixed feelings, particularly regarding the fixed 28mm-equivalent lens and whether it limits or liberates creativity. One striking moment is Friend’s discussion about how the camera handles cropping. Unlike standard models, the GFX100RF encourages you to use built-in crop modes to simulate different focal lengths, from full frame to micro four-thirds equivalents. This opens significant creative possibilities but also sparks debate on whether cropping from 100 megapixels justifies the camera's hefty price.
Key Specs
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100-megapixel medium format sensor (16-bit RAW)
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Fixed 28mm-equivalent lens (49mm filter thread via adapter)
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Built-in 4-stop ND filter
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ISO Range: Native 80–12,800 (extended 40–102,400)
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Shutter Speed: Mechanical up to 1/4,000 sec; Electronic up to 1/16,000 sec
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Aspect Ratios: 1:1, 3:2, 4:3, 5:4, 7:6, 16:9, panoramic (65:24)
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Video Capabilities: DCI 4K recording up to 30 fps at 10-bit
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Display: 3.2-inch, 2.1M-dot 3-way tilting touchscreen LCD
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Viewfinder: 5.76M-dot OLED EVF with 0.84x magnification
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Weather-resistant body
Friend also highlights the physical handling quirks of the GFX100RF, particularly the joystick. While responsive, it felt uncomfortable to use, an issue that could affect extended shooting sessions. Nonetheless, what sets the camera apart is its panoramic capabilities, reminiscent of the legendary Hasselblad XPan. Friend admits nostalgia for the panoramic format and appreciates the camera’s dedicated aspect-ratio dial, making panoramic photography intuitive. However, he also emphasizes that despite the camera’s compactness, it doesn’t deliver the tactile shooting experience he enjoys from other Fujifilm models like his GFX 50R.
Beyond image quality and versatility, Friend evaluates the practicality of the GFX100RF as an everyday tool. He points out that despite its size, it might not replace smaller, more flexible cameras like his Olympus PEN-F or Fujifilm X-E5. This leaves him—and potentially you—questioning whether the benefits of medium format justify the trade-offs involved in size, fixed focal length, and cost. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Friend.
To me the title of this article is misleading. Are we talking about a jacket with large pocket? This camera will not fit into a pocket of any jeans I wear. The title implies this camera is quite small. It isn't.
And another video that tries to explain to me why a 50 litre hard case is not suitable for climbing Mount Everest. Obviously the Fuji GFX100RF overtaxes many "photographers" when it comes to using the camera for what it is intended for.
Seems to me that there is value in reviewers commenting on a camera’s performance but criticising the concept of a particular camera is pointless. If it doesn’t do what you want, then buy something else. It’s not like there’s a camera shortage.