Fujifilm Claims Its New Camera Is 'More Than Full Frame'—What Does That Really Mean?

Fujifilm has added a new mirrorless camera to its portfolio, and the company is hyping it up with some curious claims. The GFX100RF is the brand's first digital camera in the GFX series that comes with a fixed lens system. Curiously, Fujifilm is claiming that its latest offering is "more than full frame."

Well, that's because the biggest draw here is the massive 102-megapixel large-format sensor, which is roughly 1.7x bigger than the unit you will find on an average 35mm full-frame image sensor. That means you get some inherent perks here, such as a higher dynamic range with wider tone capture capability, improved low-light performance, and better depth output with more granular subject separation.

Fujifilm says its new offering is the lightest GFX-based camera system it has ever created atop a large-format sensor platform. The underlying Fujifilm GFX 102MP CMOS II HS image sensor tags alongside the X-Processor 5 image processing engine and adopts a next-gen pixel architecture that provides better autofocus and low-light imaging output.

The GFX100RF also marks the first time that an aspect ratio dial has been kitted at the back of the camera. While that is convenient in itself, Fujifilm has also added two new presets viz. 3:4 and 17:6 formats for an added dash of framing versatility. Over at the front sits a digital tele-converter lever that allows three-stage focal length adjustment, beyond the native 35mm preset and going all the way up to 80mm.

The GFX100RF comes equipped with a FUJINON 35mm fixed focal length lens with an F4 aperture. Notably, the lens has been created exclusively for this camera, and to reduce the overall footprint, it ditches the focal plane shutter in favor of a leaf-style shutter system. Another first for the GFX lineup is the in-built 4-stop ND filter, which offers unprecedented versatility with aperture and shutter speed adjustments.

The lens architecture is also special. The Fujifilm GFX100RF adopts a 10-element layout, which includes a pair of aspherical lenses and utilizes a new nano-GI coating to minimize reflection artifacts in the peripheral areas. Thanks to the compact chassis, one can get as close as 7.9 inches to a subject. Simply put, this versatile camera is also ready for some macro indulgence, as well. The only big omission is in-body image stabilization, which is a shame for a camera with an eye-popping MSRP of $4,899.95 USD. Stabilization was apparently skipped to reduce the overall footprint. At a slightly higher premium (and more bulk), the Fujifilm GFX 100S ii will put IBIS into the mix.

On the video capture front, this camera can shoot 10-bit 4K 30fps videos and allows direct cloud upload, as well. The retail package comes with a PRF-49 protective filter, an adapter ring, and a metallic lens hood. The overall kit is astonishingly stylish, thanks to a generous use of metal for carving out the upper half of the body. Fujifilm says the GFX100RF will hit the shelves in late April.