Why Medium Format Makes Sense Once more

The Fujifilm GFX 50R pulls you into medium format for a cause that has nothing to do with chasing megapixels. It’s about seeing the body the proper method earlier than you press the shutter.

Coming to you from Craig Roberts of e6 Vlogs, this reflective video follows Roberts’ shift again to medium format with the Fuji GFX 50R, a 2018 digicam that also holds its floor. Roberts began with 35mm movie in 1986, moved by 6×7 and 6×9, even shot 6×17 panoramics, then settled into digital full body, Micro Four Thirds, and APS-C. Now he circles again to a bigger sensor, not for decision bragging rights however for format. The GFX 50R provides him a local 4:3 ratio and, extra importantly, the 65:24 crop mode that echoes the previous XPan look. That framing possibility adjustments the way you stand, the way you wait, the way you commit.

Roberts makes it clear he doesn’t want medium format for each day work. He shoots APS-C with Fujifilm for many issues and is snug there. The 50-megapixel sensor within the GFX 50R isn’t wildly past the 40 megapixels within the X-T5, and he prefers it that method. He doesn’t need the majority or recordsdata of the 100-megapixel fashions. He needs the expertise of composing in that broad panoramic body in digicam, handheld, within the second. No stitching ten frames later. No informal crop as an afterthought. You both see it in that ratio otherwise you don’t.

That’s the place his stance will get agency. If you depend on stitching or plan to crop later with out committing to the body on location, Roberts pushes again. He talks about utilizing a easy black card masks over the LCD within the DSLR days, even putting one in a waist-level finder on medium format movie. Mirrorless made it simpler, however the precept stayed the identical. You block out what doesn’t belong and power your self to compose with intent. The 65:24 mode within the GFX 50R removes the workaround and builds that self-discipline instantly into the digicam. You elevate the digicam and the world is already formed into an extended, slim slice.

The GFX 50R additionally mirrors the rangefinder-style design of the Fujifilm X-Pro2, with the viewfinder pushed to the facet. It feels acquainted within the hand, simply bigger. There’s no in-body picture stabilization, and even newer fashions don’t provide the whole lot. Roberts accepts the tradeoffs. He purchased the digicam used, saved expectations tight, and focused one function: handheld panoramics composed in actual time.

He additionally touches on what occurs after seize. Instagram isn’t variety to excessive broad frames. The pictures shrink, lose presence. That leads Roberts to speak about presenting panoramics in different codecs, together with a brand new zine undertaking that pairs the pictures with the tales behind them. Not simply the ultimate picture, however the considering, the strategy, the hesitation earlier than the shutter.

If you’ve been cropping broad from normal frames and calling it shut sufficient, this video could nudge you to rethink the way you see earlier than you shoot. Check out the video above for the complete rundown from Roberts.