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Create Cinematic Footage with the GFX System

Discover the advanced features that make cameras like the FUJIFILM GFX ETERNA 55 perfect for discerning filmmakers

The visual language of cinema is built on nuance and intention – meticulously controlled colour palettes meet with carefully selected optics to create footage that feels immersive and emotional. This is where the GFX System offers something genuinely different for filmmakers. GFX System cameras record a wider and taller image, bringing a whole new perspective to the world of full-frame lenses, while delivering trusted colour fidelity and skin tone rendition based on decades of film stock manufacturing.

In this article, we’ll explore how filmmakers can leverage the strengths of GFX System cameras like the hybrid FUJIFILM GFX100 II and the FUJIFILM GFX ETERNA 55 dedicated film-making camera to create truly cinematic footage.

Get creative with lenses

Lens choice has always been central to cinematic storytelling. Beyond framing, lenses can shape the depth, texture and emotional feel of an image. With a large format sensor, the GFX System expands these creative possibilities considerably.

A shallower depth-of-field is often the most immediately recognisable aspect of a cinematic look, gently separating subjects from their surroundings. Using a larger sensor allows you to use longer focal lengths for the same angle of view, enhancing edge roll-off and spatial depth. But just as important is freedom of choice – the ability to select lenses for their unique character without being constrained by sensor size.

Third-party lenses

Thanks to its generous sensor size and flexible recording formats, the GFX System opens the door to an enormous ecosystem of third-party lenses. Using a PL to G Mount adapter, filmmakers can work with a wide range of cinema glass, from vintage optics prized for their distinctive rendering to the most recent releases.

GFX ETERNA 55 allows its imaging areas to be adjusted to suit the lens in use. Filmmakers can record in 4:3 Open Gate for maximum flexibility in post-production. Recording at 3840×2880 pixels provides a generous canvas for a wide range of final deliverable aspect ratios.

The full height of the sensor is especially powerful when paired with anamorphic lenses. Rather than cropping to force a format, the 4:3 sensor allows classic and modern aspect ratios to be achieved naturally, using the optical characteristics of the lens itself. A 1.8x anamorphic lens delivers a cinematic 2.39:1 image, synonymous with CinemaScope, while a 1.33x anamorphic produces a clean 1.77:1 frame for standard television and streaming delivery.

Because the entire 44mm x 33mm sensor area is utilised, Open Gate recording preserves resolution, lens character, and compositional freedom. It enables reframing, multiple deliverables, and future-proof masters, all without compromise.

Further flexibility is offered with cine recording formats such as Premista, 35mm or Super 35 to match smaller image circles.

Fujinon lenses

FUJINON GF Lenses allow filmmakers to take full advantage of the GFX System’s large sensor while retaining modern autofocus performance. Fast primes such as the FUJINON GF55mmF1.7 R WR (44mm full-frame equivalent) and GF80mmF1.7 R WR (63mm full-frame equivalent) deliver exceptionally shallow depth-of-field with smooth, natural bokeh while still benefitting from the advanced subject detection autofocus found in both the GFX ETERNA 55 and GFX100 II.

To achieve these wide-iris looks on set, exposure control is an important piece of the puzzle. The GFX ETERNA 55’s built-in electronic variable ND filter makes it easy to work with large-aperture lenses wide open while maintaining a cinematic shutter angle, even in bright conditions.

The GFX ETERNA 55 also comes with a PL Mount Adapter G, enabling use of industry-standard cinema optics, including high-end lenses from the FUJINON Premista Series, for productions that demand absolute consistency and mechanical precision. Similarly, GFX100 II accepts third party mount adapters enabling you to attach a wide variety of optics.

Be intentional about colour

Since the dawn of colour film, the approach to colour rendering has remained a hugely important consideration for filmmaking.

From the selection, treatment and development of analogue film stocks to the extensive digital colour processing that forms a key part of the modern filmmaking workflow, advanced creatives have always approached the question of colour with steadfast intention. And for GFX System users, there is excellent latitude for experimentation.

Film Simulations

Fujifilm’s approach to colour is rooted in more than 90 years of film manufacturing experience. This heritage is reflected in the 20 Film Simulations available on the GFX System, including ETERNA, which is based on the famous Fujifilm motion picture film emulsion designed to achieve natural colours with restrained contrast and optimised for the rise in digital workflow.

These Film Simulations can be used as creative starting points or refined into custom looks, enabling filmmakers to achieve characterful, film-inspired footage straight out of camera. It’s particularly useful for fast turnarounds or projects that benefit from a consistent on-set look.

F-Log and RAW

For productions that require maximum flexibility, GFX System cameras offer advanced Log and RAW recording options.

Both the GFX ETERNA 55 and GFX100 II support F-Log2 and F-Log2 C, Fujifilm’s new wide-dynamic-range Log profile that makes use of the F-Gamut C colour space. Delivering over 14 stops of dynamic range, these Log profiles are compatible with ten Film Simulation LUTs, bringing Fujifilm’s iconic analogue-inspired colours into a professional post-production workflow.

Both cameras can record Apple ProRes 422 HQ internally at resolutions up to 8K/30p or 4K/60p, balancing image quality with editing efficiency. The GFX ETERNA 55 can also shoot 4K/48p in Open Gate giving a final output resolution of 3840 x 2880. For more demanding workflows, both cameras can output ProResRAW or Blackmagic RAW via HDMI (or SDI for the ETERNA 55), for debayering on external devices.

Get inventive with movement

Modern cinematic language relies heavily on motion. From subtle handheld takes to complex rigged camera manoeuvres, movement can add energy, realism or emotional momentum to a scene.

Working handheld

Large format cameras no longer mean static takes. The GFX100 II features up to 8.0 stops of in-body image stabilisation (IBIS), making handheld work significantly more practical even in demanding conditions. When paired with the optically stabilised FUJINON GF32-90mmT3.5 PZ OIS WR, steadiness improves further, while the lens’s power zoom function enables smooth, repeatable zooms.

On the GFX ETERNA 55, the included dedicated control handle allows zoom, focus or iris adjustments via a side-mounted dial, supporting fluid operation when working quickly or in tight environments. Both cameras are also weather-resistant (excluding the GFX ETERNA 55’s battery attachment terminal), making them reliable tools for outdoor and location-based filming.

Rigging

Despite their large sensors, GFX System cameras remain impressively portable. The box-style body of the GFX ETERNA 55 weighs approximately 2kg, which is remarkably light for a cinema camera and ideal for rigging on gimbals, cranes or vehicle mounts.

Multiple 1/4in-20 and 3/8in-16 mounting points on the body and handle allow accessories to be attached without the need for extensive cages, streamlining set-ups and expanding creative possibilities. Whether mounted to a shoulder rig or integrated into a complex grip system, the GFX ETERNA 55 adapts easily to a wide range of styles – which means the sky is literally the limit when it comes to creative camera moves.

Built for cinematic storytelling

The GFX System brings the large format aesthetic into modern filmmaking with a level of flexibility that suits everyone from solo operators to full-scale productions. While the GFX100 II offers a powerful hybrid option for filmmakers who move fluidly between stills and video, the GFX ETERNA 55 represents Fujifilm’s most complete expression of cinematic intent.

Designed from the ground up for motion picture work, it combines large format image quality with professional codecs, adaptable lens support and thoughtful on-set ergonomics. Whether you’re a director of photography shaping your next feature or an owner-operator looking to elevate your visual language, the GFX System rewards those who love filmmaking.

Learn more about FUJIFILM GFX ETERNA 55 and read the full specifications here.