GFX100RF review
Over the past year I have been dallying the GFX100RF after selling my x100vi and Nikon ZF. The TLDR is this camera is great for landscape and street photography. It is unassuming and relatively compact while housing a gfx sensor. It's not great for close moving subjects and handheld low light settings. Below is what I value about this camera, in order, and what I continue to struggle with.
GFX files
It's hard to describe the jump in image quality from the x100vi / Nikon zf to GFX. In well lit scenes and well exposed images you would not notice a different imo. Where the gfx files shine are in shadows retrieval and color depth. While one should always try to expose every shot properly the affordance the gfx files gives when shooting underexposed is incredible. Not only can you save details from shadows but you retain the ability to reveal color depth and tonality from an area 2-3 stops under exposed. The megapixel count is a bit excessive but having the latitude to crop and re-frame in post suddenly becomes another creative tool. If anyone is curious I'd be happy to share a raw file so you can experience it for yourself. For my style of photography this sensor alone has been the biggest reason to keep the RF
Shooting experience
The is a mixed bag when comparing other "compact" cameras like the x100 series. For comparison the Nikon ZF body alone weighs more than the RF and the x100 is not significantly more pocketable. The camera needs its own bag and not something I could casually toss in the front pocket of a backpack. It is noticeably heavier than the x100vi but not in a distracting way like the ZF so your mileage may vary. Personally, the exposure dials of the RF, like the x100 series, are my favorite of any camera system. The placement of the EVF allows for one handed quick exposure adjustments while looking through the view finder. Beyond the two control wheels, Fuji gave the RF 7 custom buttons that allow you to tailor your experience. I have my two wheels set to aperture / shutter speed and I use the remaining buttons for focus check, DR-P toggle, film simulations, and white balance. 99% of the time I manually control aperture, shutter speed, and exposure compensation. I set ISO to auto and adjust it with the exposure compensation dial. I have shot this camera is the rain and have found the weather sealing to be adequate. I am not worried to get this camera wet.
Shooting low key
The look of any camera is subjective but the retro-film camera style is great for appearing unassuming and inconspicuous. Pull out an R5 or a GFX100 in a library and people are confused and little cautious. The RF on the other hand does not get the same amount of worried looks. I don't shoot a lot of street photography but the effect it has on strangers is noticeably different than shooting a traditional DLSR style body. It's small enough to fit in a Think Tank Retrospective and it doesn't attract attention.
Cons - AF
The shooting experience is slow and deliberate. The AF is... frustrating. Continuous AF is to be avoided and in single shot AF I have to frequently reset the shutter to get the camera to focus on the eye (despite it putting a focus box on the eye). In most cases, if I have the time, I will shoot manually and turn on focus peaking and focus check. If I don't have time to focus or trust the AF given the lighting conditions I will focus manually at f/5.6 or higher and try to predict subject movement before they enter the depth of field. For general landscapes I can reliable shoot quickly by moving the focus distance to bit past 5 meters at f/5.6 and tighter. Every image was shot in manual focus except for #8
Cons - ibis and skill barrier
This camera was difficult to use, at first. I didn't realize how much I relied on ibis and my Nikon's incredible af to create images. To use this camera to its fullest I had to get better at photography. Learning to stand perfectly still, planting the camera against your face to create multiple points of contact, finding walls and surfaces to lean on for stability, every trick photographers have been using for decades before ibis became necessary to learn. Photo 6 was shot at 1/13th of a second and I probably took 4-5 photos to get a single "clean" shot. The lack of ibis means the photography experience becomes more involved and intimate which is a con given the modern features of ibis but it's aspect of the camera I can live with. I am also blessed to not have any physical limitations that prevent me from shooting this way.
Conclusion
I find the ability to create images with the gfx sensor given its size and weight far exceed the cons mentioned above. The limitations of f/4 and lack of ibis has pushed me to get creative. It would be nice if the lens is faster but I rarely find my compositions lacking because my dof was not shallow enough. The specs on paper are not impressive but in hand it's the camera that makes me the most excited to leave the house and shoot.
