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5 minute read
Make Movies with GFX
How GFX cameras provide next-level video performance, as well as versatile options for creative filmmaking
For today’s creatives, video can be just as important as stills, and so would-be filmmakers need diverse and powerful options alongside the best quality. The GFX System has them covered. And just as with stills, the advantages of the larger format sensor and Fujifilm’s pedigree in colour science are plain to see. But on top of that, these cameras also have the build, handling, connectivity, stabilisation, and variety in output that videographers need on demanding shoots. Let’s look at what makes GFX great for video.
Greater size, higher quality
Though people often look to the resolution of video in rating what a camera can offer, that’s only half the story. Whether it’s a maximum of DCI4K 4096×2160 or UHD 3840×2160 on the GFX100 and GFX100S, or 1080p Full HD output on the GFX50S II, beyond those pixel dimensions the sensor size and the area of it being used to record is vital in generating the greatest quality. All GFX cameras use the full 43.8mm width of the sensor area for movie recording, rather than capturing video from a cropped portion as inferior models do. And in fact, not only is the GFX System’s recording area physically larger than full-frame cameras, but it’s also greater than most professional cinema cameras today.
As well as the G Format sensor’s physical size, these cameras produce their video from a huge original resolution. The recording area of GFX100 and GFX100S is over 60 million pixels and on GFX50S II it’s over 30 million. When downsampled from that high-resolution source, footage has greater detail, improved noise performance, better accuracy in colour and tone than smaller, lower resolution sensors can deliver.
That full sensor readout has another benefit, too. Cameras that sample their footage from a cropped portion of the sensor also give a cropped view through the lens. This means that the effective focal length of any lens you mount is changed. The field-of-view is reduced, and wider optics are needed to replicate the look you’d otherwise get when shooting stills. So, while on GFX cameras there’s a natural crop at the top and bottom, taking it from the standard 4:3 ratio of the sensor to a 16:9 or 17:9 format, hybrid photographers won’t need to rethink their lens choices each time they move from stills to video and back again.
More bit depth, cleaner colours
For professional videographers, alongside the recording area and the original resolution of the downsampled footage, its bit depth is just as important in defining quality. As a refresher, 8-bit video is limited to 256 steps or gradations per red, green, and blue colour channel, for a maximum of 16.8 million colours. That sounds like a lot, but 10-bit video uses 1,024 gradations per channel, adding up to a maximum of over 1 billion colours.
While it can be difficult to detect the difference between 10-bit and 8-bit in regular footage – particularly as most displays are 8-bit in nature – it comes into its own when needing to make dramatic or creative changes to colour and contrast in editing and grading. This is because, as tonal values are pushed and pulled around, there’s simply more information to play with, and as footage is brightened or darkened, unrealistic ‘steps’ can appear, especially in areas that are means to have smooth gradations, like skies, or a defocused background. GFX100 and GFX100S bodies can record in 10-bit 4:2:0 format internally and this increase makes for more subtle gradations in colour and tone when required.
Expanded options
In the same way, GFX cameras can make use of different recording profiles to aid manipulation in colour grading or give a cinematic look straight out of the camera. GFX100 and GFX100S offer F-Log encoding, which is characterised by a very low-contrast profile that preserves the widest-possible dynamic range and keeps detail in the highlights and shadows. Those two cameras also offer Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) output, which can create broadcast-ready footage for high dynamic range as well as regular TVs, and which also offers lots of editing potential.
For a more streamlined workflow, giving a cinematic look straight out of the camera, GFX100, GFX100S and GFX50S II offer the ETERNA and ETERNA Bleach Bypass Film Simulation modes. ETERNA’s look is based on film used for motion pictures and gives users footage with minimised saturation and very soft tonal gradation in highlights and shadows areas, which prevents clipping and results in a classic Hollywood look. The Bleach Bypass version increases contrast but keeps the saturation low for a more dramatic look.
F-Log
ETERNA Film Simulation
And for the very highest-end applications, both GFX100 and GFX100S can shoot ProRes Raw video when an external recorder is attached via the HDMI port. This unprocessed 12-bit footage comes direct from the sensor and provides the greatest latitude in exposure and colour grading. ProRes Raw can also be recorded simultaneously with Film Simulation, F-Log or HLG for the ultimate in post processing flexibility.
Steadier shooting with IBIS
In professional filmmaking you’ll likely use accessories, like gimbals, cranes, or sliders to control the smoothness of camera movement, but the in-body image stabilisation (IBIS) within GFX50S II, GFX100 and GFX100S can keep things looking smooth when hand holding the camera, too. Using IBIS gives a subtly different look to mechanically stabilised footage: it’s a little more natural, but still without vibration, so it’s a great feature to have in your filmmaking arsenal.
Within your GFX camera’s Movie mode there are also independent options to control the manner of stabilisation, including IBIS/OIS + DIS which adds digital image stabilisation to the mix. This increases the smoothness by analysing footage and cropping it very slightly. Another option, IS MODE BOOST, improves the smoothness of footage even further, with suboptions for hand holding, panning, and tracking situations.
More options for easy filmmaking
All GFX cameras also offer a blend of modes and features for easier moviemaking. For instance, there’s full 180º shutter functionality, so rather than picking a shutter speed that’s as close as possible to the frame rate, filmmakers can set a specific 1/48 sec when shooting at 24fps, or 1/96 sec if they want a harder look with less motion blur.
The range of focusing tools is also complete. You can shoot in manual focus using the MF ASSIST modes like focus peaking to make sure your scene is sharp right where it needs to be. Or take a back seat and use the range of AF modes like eye and face detection AF which is a gamechanger in keeping moving subjects in focus, especially when working at very wide apertures. You can also use Touch AF to pull focus from one area of the scene to another, just by lightly pressing on the corresponding part of the screen. In all cases, the speed of transition in focus can be set to your own preference.
And on the physical side, GFX100, GFX100S and GFX50S II all have built-in mic inputs and headphone outputs for monitoring sound, along with weather-resistant body designs that mean you can plan your videography even in the most inhospitable of environments.
Video lenses for GFX
Of course, your GFX camera body is only one part of the picture: the recording device. Your lens choices will greatly affect the way your movies look and feel, and those choices are vital in how you communicate ideas and stories with an audience. Fortunately, the GFX System isn’t short of lens options for video, either.
GF lenses cover 23mm to 250mm in prime models and 20mm to 200mm in zooms, so there’s very little limit to your framing options. You can cover a wide mix of shots from wide to close up with primes like GF30mmF3.5 R WR, GF63mmF2.8 R WR, GF80mmF1.7 R WR, and GF110mmF2 R LM WR, and enjoy the subject separation their wide maximum apertures allow. Or you could cover all the bases with the lightweight GF45-100mmF4 R LM OIS WR and still pick out subjects against a blurred background.
The other option is to use dedicated cinema lenses, those designed specifically for the needs of the moving image. These optics offer consistency and accuracy in framing and focus that isn’t required in stills, for instance letting you zoom in or out without affecting the point of focus, focusing from close to infinity without changing the framing, and using stepless apertures so exposure can be changed in a smoother way. If you want to mount cinema lenses on your GFX camera you’ll need an adapter, such as a PL to GF converter. With this you can mount not only Fujifilm’s own Premista lenses, like the 28-100mm T2.9, but also a whole world of other optics, including many retro-design that can add a unique expression to your movie.
Explore the full range of GFX System products online and find your nearest FUJIFILM Authorised Retailer here.
