Fujifilm has announced a new wide-angle prime lens plus the biggest firmware upgrade in the history of the GFX System.
The new Fujinon GF30mm f/3.5 R WR lens. (Source: Fujifilm.)
Designed for the GFX Large Format camera system, the new Fujinon GF30mm f/3.5 R WR lens is a compact and lightweight wide-angle prime lens. Covering a focal length equivalent to 24mm in the 35mm film format, it features an internal focus system that enables fast and silent autofocusing and reduces focus breathing down to just 0.05 percent, making it a great lens for videography. The optical design consists of 13 lens elements in ten groups, including two aspherical elements and two ED elements. The high-performance lens groups are positioned to control various aberrations, especially distortion, in order to achieve excellent, edge-to-edge sharpness. The lens delivers an impressive amount of detail and is compatible with 100MP sensors.
Weighing just 510 grams and measuring 99.4 mm in length with a maximum diameter of 84 mm, its slimline design balances well on a GFX camera. The lens is weather-sealed at nine locations, making it dust and weather resistant. It can also be used in temperatures as low as -10°C. It will be available late July, 2020 at leading photographic stores and selected retailers for an RRP of AU $2,799.
Three years after the launch of the GFX 50S, Fujifilm is offering a complimentary major firmware upgrade for the GFX System, which will bring substantial advances in image quality, autofocus (AF) performance and expandability. Key areas of improvement include:
Enhanced image reproduction
The number of Film Simulation modes for all three models have been increased. The new firmware will add “CLASSIC Neg” mode, simulating colour negative film traditionally chosen for snapshots, to all three cameras. The GFX 100 will also receive the “ETERNA Bleach Bypass” mode, which simulates the film processing technique of the same name, and the GFX 50S and GFX 50R will receive the “ETERNA” mode, which replicates the colours and tonality of FUJIFILM’s motion picture film.
The “Smooth Skin Effect,” featured on the GFX 100, will be added to the GFX 50S and GFX 50R, smoothing the appearance of human skin, which is ideal for portraiture.
The “Color Chrome Blue,” which adds depth to colour and tonal reproduction in blue skies and other primarily blue subjects, will be added to the GFX 100.
Improving AF performance
The GFX 100 will now be able to quickly and accurately use phase-detection AF in low-light conditions down to -5EV. The new firmware will also add Low Light Priority AF-S mode to the GFX 50S and GFX 50R, which increases the time AF has to work, improving AF accuracy in low light.
The firmware will enhance Face / Eye AF performance for all three models. Face / eye detection accuracy and stability are improved when shooting groups of people, which makes portrait photography easier than ever before.
The Auto mode will be added to focus bracketing in all three models. You can now specify the start and end points and shooting interval, and the camera will automatically determine the number of frames and steps required.
Expanding functionality
In all three models, the new firmware will allow users to adjust exposure settings (shutter speed, aperture value, ISO sensitivity, exposure compensation) from a computer when shooting stills and use software that supports some tether-shooting functions.
In all three models, more photo-editing applications will support the import of rating information assigned in camera.
For the GFX 50S and GFX 50R, the maximum number of photos that can be saved in each folder on an SD card will increase 10 fold from 999 to 9,999.
Gimbal / Drone compatibility
When using the GFX 100 with compatible Gimbal / Drone that supports these functions, users will be able to start / stop video recording, specify exposure settings for video (shutter speed, aperture value, ISO sensitivity and exposure compensation) and make manual focus adjustments.
RAW video data output to ATOMOS NINJA V field monitor-recorder
GFX100 will be able to output maximum 4K/29.97p 12bit RAW video data using HDMI to an ATOMOS NINJA V, in Apple ProRes RAW. New firmware for NINJA V will be released by ATOMOS. RAW video data gives maximum flexibility for exposure adjustment or colour grading in post-production for professional videographers.
Simultaneous output of RAW with Film Simulation / F-Log / Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) is also available.
Click here to go to the Support page and download the new firmware.
