Fujifilm GFX100RF review: the X100VI is all grown up

After the unrelenting success of the Fujifilm X100VI, it's not a surprise that Fujifilm is returning with even more compact cameras. While many (myself included) predicted or hoped that we might first see something more affordable in the X-Series range to sit underneath the Fujifilm X100VI, Fujifilm had some very different plans with its first-ever GFX medium format compact camera.

But what is GFX medium format? For photographers who might be new to Fujifilm's GFX lineup, the key takeaway is that the GFX sensor is nearly four times the size of the APS-C sensor found in the X100VI – and notably larger than the full-frame sensors used in Canon, Sony, Nikon and Lumix cameras.

With this larger sensor comes a higher resolution, with the GFX100RF having an incredible 102 megapixels to play around with. Yet despite the larger sensor, Fujifilm seems to have done the impossible and made a large format camera with a 35mm f/4 fixed lens that is physically not much larger than its APS-C counterpart.

But if you have already started writing the eBay listing for your X100VI, I would hold off for just a second. There are a few compromises to get the body down to this impressive size including the omission of both IBIS and the optical viewfinder – and the camera costs $4,899, which is a fair bit more than the $1,599 X100VI. But is that medium format resolution worth it? Read on to find out...

Fujifilm GFX100RF: Specifications

Fujifilm GFX100RF: Price

The GFX100RF carries a price tag of $4,899 / £4,699 / AU$8,799. Medium format was never going to come cheap, add to it a fixed lens capable of rendering 102MP, and build quality and style to rival the most beautiful modern cameras, and you're going to get an expensive package.

However, this does make the 100RF the cheapest camera in the current GFX lineup. The next closest model is the GFX 100S II which sells for $4,999. While that doesn't include a lens, you do get IBIS, and the choice of GF lenses makes it a much more versatile choice should you get bored of the fixed 35mm f/4 lens on the GFX100RF.

In terms of compact competitors though, the GFX100RF is considerably more expensive than the APS-C equipped Fujifilm X100VI ($1,599), but a far fairer contender is the Leica Q3. Also in the premium compact space, with a fixed lens, but a full-frame sensor. The Leica Q3 is the more expensive option at $6,295, but you do get IBIS, f/1.7 aperture, and 8K video for that price.

Fujifilm GFX100RF: Design & Handling

In either its stealthy black or classic silver options, the GFX100RF is a stunning camera. Yes, the camera looks like the X100 range, but it feels more elevated with the top plate made from one block of aluminum with sharper edges. The process of making each camera involves over five hours on the production line, with four of those hours spent grinding out the top plate alone. This is a level of care and precision that is only rivaled by a select few premium cameras from luxury brands like Leica and Hasselblad.

I was honestly a little awe-struck when I first got hands-on with the camera by just how compact it is. The camera measures only 90.4 x 133.5 x 76.5mm (HxWxD) and weighs just 735g (1.62 lbs), which is less than the weight of a GFX 50R body or a Fujifilm X-T5 and XF 16-55mm kit lens. It truly is remarkable.

Putting the 100RF next to the X100VI it's hard to tell the difference at a glance from the top or side angles, only from the front, with the 100RF’s taller body and missing OVF cutout does the GFX100RF give itself away. Fujifilm's engineers have done a fantastic job of shrinking this GFX camera down, yes there are sacrifices with IBIS, no OVF, and a slightly underwhelming maximum aperture, but I’d say the gains in design are more than worth it. This is the first medium format camera I would actually consider carrying around with me day-to-day and is really a game-changer for the system.

Where the GFX100RF does let itself down on size though is up front with the lens, or more – its accessories. On its own, the lens is incredibly compact, but when you add the adapter ring and lens hood this makes the lens around two-three times the original length, it isn’t unwieldy, but it feels unnecessarily large and diminishes the overall effect of such a compact lens. The hood is optional, so of course you don’t have to use it. I don’t generally use a hood or adapter ring, and I kind of wish Fujifilm just made a larger lens with a larger aperture and left the hood out of the box.

Despite being a compact camera, the 100RF is not short of manual controls, and as ever for Fujifilm cameras – many of the controls are customizable so you can set the camera up as you like. The GFX100RF has an exposure compensation dial, front and rear control wheels, a two-way lever on the front with short and long presses, an additional button on the front lever, an AEL button, and a custom button on the top. Focus can be switched between single, continuous, and manual with a dial on the rear. While other functions can be accessed through the Q menu button on the rear.

The only major bugbear I had with the GFX100RF was with the joystick on the rear. Similar to other GFX cameras, the joystick size has grown from the X100VI, and it has a grippy texture on top which are both welcome improvements as I find the X100VI stick a little dainty. However, the joystick is so temperamental to use. A huge percentage of my inputs were just not being recognized by the camera, and I had to press the joystick several times over. This was a frustration shared by all the other reviewers I chatted to with the camera and wasn't limited to my device.

Controls inherited from Fujifilm’s X-series rangefinders include the much-loved dual shutter speed and ISO dial. If you haven't used this then it's just a really lovely little bit of engineering where you can spin the dial to change the shutter speed, but pop up the dial and twist and you can change the ISO through the little window on the dial. It's one of the main hallmarks of Fujifilm’s rangefinder cameras and it's really welcome to see it here.

But in a break from the X100 series, there are a couple of brand-new dials on the GFX100RF. Top of my list for the new features is the digital zoom lever, which can digitally crop images to simulate three additional focal lengths (45mm, 63mm, 80mm) adding a bit more versatility to the lens. Sure, the same effect can be achieved on other cameras, or on the X100VI by twisting the lens ring, but I am finding it far quicker and easier to use the lever on the 100RF, which then leaves the lens ring free for manual focusing (or flicking through film simulations).

Digital crops are permanent on jpeg files, however raw (.raf) files are always saved at the full width of the sensor. Crop data is saved in the raw but can be undone in editing software like Lightroom or CaptureOne. The way the camera handles digital zoom has also been improved. You can still do the classic method of filling the frame as you zoom. But there is a new Surround View that shows you the full area of the sensor but darkens the parts that will be cropped out. This makes it a lot easier to frame shots with dynamic movement and unpredictable subjects that will move in and out of frame. I really love this new view and it is now top of my wishlist for the next firmware update for my X100VI.

One of the major new additions is a new dial for changing the aspect ratio. Options available are; 4:3, 3:4, 3:2, 16:9, 1:1, 65:24, 5:4, 7:6, and 17:6 which hark back to aspect ratios from classic Fujifilm cameras of the past. However, as with digital zoom, each crop will reduce the resolution of your images. Combined with zoom, a panoramic photo shot at an 80mm equivalent crop is down to around 10MP from the original 102MP.

Like digital zoom, this only permanently affects jpeg files, but it saves a step in the editing process if you are keen to get images in use right away. How much you value this dial really depends on your shooting style. I have already heard panorama fans going gaga over this, and for those who like to visualize their crop while they take the image, this dial will be magic. For me, the camera was pretty much locked to 4:3 as I prefer to shoot with the full width and crop later in editing – but I can appreciate Fujifilm adding genuinely useful new controls to its camera bodies.

The dial itself is angled so it is flush against the rear of the camera and doesn't easily turn by accident, so you can be pretty assured you won't accidentally slip into the wrong aspect ratio mid-shoot, but it is easily in reach of your right thumb while holding the camera.

For the viewfinder, Fujifilm has opted for a 5.3m-dot OLED viewfinder. Yes, I would have loved this camera to have the hybrid optical viewfinder (OVF) and electronic viewfinder (EVF) design from the X100/X-Pro cameras, but I won’t complain about it too much as I completely understand for the size and price Fujifilm was aiming for why this didn’t make the cut. The EVF on the 100RF though is very good, clear, and easy to see with a good refresh rate.

The screen is only a two-way tilt mechanism, so won't flip or spin around for selfies. The purpose of this camera doesn't really call for a fully articulating screen, but despite that, I am disappointed that the vertical flip screen from the X-E range hasn't found its way to new cameras for those who do want to do the occasional selfie or vlog with this street/travel focused photography camera.

Fujifilm GFX100RF: Performance

What else can I say about the 102-megapixel sensor in the GFX100RF other than wow? In good light, the resolution and detail from this sensor are incredible. This is especially apparent when using the digital zoom in the lens. Even at the maximum 80mm equivalent crop in-camera, the output is still incredibly detailed, and getting the files into editing, I found I could comfortably crop in even further than that and still have plenty usable files for lower-res applications like social media or web.

The only downside to all that resolution is the file sizes that come out of the GFX100RF are huge. Raw files clocked in at over 100MB and jpegs weren’t far behind with full 35mm shots at between 50-70MB per image. I easily filled up the 128GB SD card I had in the camera and then some, which put a real strain on my storage. Where I tend to be liberal with the amount of “keepers” from my X100VI, with the GFX100RF I am finding I have to be a lot more cutthroat.

As we have come to expect from Fujifilm, the color output from the camera is outstanding. The GFX100RF also has access to all 20+ film simulations Fujifilm has released to date, and for recipe makers, it has the full suite of settings for bringing your X-Series recipes to GFX – although you might find they need some small tweaks as the GFX processes some colors with ever so slight differences.

In good light, the lens performs really well. Images are clear and sharp, with good contrast. The autofocus is also on par with other Fujifilm cameras. It's very good, but it isn’t quite competing with Canon and Sony. But the lens is nearly silent though when focusing and barely hunted. When using manually selected points, the focus was quick and snappy. The 100RF also has recognition and tracking for the latest subjects including human faces and eyes, animal/bird faces and eyes, insects, and a range of vehicles. All of which I could test worked well, although the focus isn’t nearly as sticky as other brands.

Battery life is incredible. I managed to do two full days of shooting (all photos with no video) on just two batteries. The 100RF is CIPA-rated for over 800 shots, and while I wasn’t quite getting that high, I averaged around 500-600 shots on a battery.

I do find the choice to go with a maximum f/4 aperture a little disappointing both as it limits the subject isolation achievable with the lens as well as quality in low light. As I mentioned earlier, I really wouldn’t have preferred if Fujifilm went for a wider aperture, even if that resulted in a larger lens. There is no getting around the fact that in low light, the mediocre aperture combined with the lack of in-body image stabilization does affect what images you are able to capture. Although, silver lining – it is nowhere near as bad as I feared.

I was shooting at night on the streets of Prague with only street lamps and shop fronts for lighting. I could get shots at around 1/25 using an f/4 aperture and ISO 3200 handheld with no tripod or other assistance to prop myself or the camera up – but my hit rate was pretty dreadful. If I took five or six shots in succession then usually one was steady, but that isn’t really a sustainable way of shooting all the time in low-light. For comparison I can get down to a full second comfortably at the same settings on my X100VI with IBIS, and with a pretty much one hundred percent hit rate.

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There is also the option of pumping the ISO, which is pretty useable to 6400, but at 12800 images start to show some pronounced grain – although this can be wiped away with a lot of AI software now, it is an additional processing step, and if you just want to use the jpegs straight out of the camera isn’t an option.

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So is IBIS the Achilles heel of the GFX 100XF then? Well, it depends on how much you shoot at night. I don’t really go out at night a lot with my camera, so as a sacrifice to make the camera as small and lightweight as it is, I can certainly live without IBIS – but if you are mostly a night owl then you might have a very different opinion.

Fujifilm GFX100RF: Sample Images

Fujifilm was generous enough to take me to the launch of the GFX100RF at its X-Summit event held in Prague in Czechia (formerly the Czech Republic). These images were all shot around the city in a range of lighting conditions from dawn until dusk (check out the nighttime images in the section above). These are all RAW files taken directly from the camera with no processing beyond making them smaller for display on the web.

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Fujifilm GFX100RF: Verdict

The GFX100RF is an impressive achievement from Fujifilm. I think represents a genuine marvel of engineering, incorporating the incredible 102-megapixel GFX medium-format sensor into the smallest and lightest medium-format camera yet. Considerably smaller than the GFX 50R or 100S models and not far off the size of the coveted X100VI – this is the first time I would ever consider a medium format camera as an everyday carry.

Styled almost like an upscaled X100VI, the build quality is stunning and feels so good in the hand with a precision-engineered top plate that feels as premium as you'd get from luxury brands.

Image quality from the 102MP sensor is simply exceptional, with Fujifilm’s renowned color science and film simulations delivering richly detailed photographs that retain outstanding clarity even when significantly cropped down. The camera's digital crop is excellent, even a simulated 80mm crop still yields 17MP files.

However, the compact nature does introduce a few compromises, notably the absence of in-body image stabilization (IBIS) and the modest f/4 aperture. While these design decisions effectively contribute to the camera’s impressive portability and handling, they introduce challenges in low-light situations, necessitating steadier hands or higher ISO settings. Although it's really only make or break for the keenest of nighttime photographers.

Despite these minor drawbacks, the GFX100RF remains an extraordinary option for photographers who value exceptional medium-format quality in a truly portable package.

Alternatives

Leica Q3
This premium compact from Leica might have a full-frame sensor instead of a medium format one, but offers a much wider f/1.7 aperture, IBIS, and 8K video – in a smaller package. However, the Leica does cost over $1000 more.

Fujifilm X100VI
This might be limited to an APC-C sensor, but a wider aperture, IBIS, and higher resolution 6.2K video are all in its favor – as well as "only" costing $1,599.