Architectural Captures With The GFX50S II

I can remember the first time I shot with a Fujifilm camera, to this day it has ruined me for any other brand. The ergonomics, ease of use and this feeling of not wanting to put the camera down are always something present. Fujifilm seems to understand the nostalgia felt by those of us who used to shoot film and is instilling it in those who have only shot digital. For me, they just keep creating cameras I can’t wait to shoot with.

As a GFX 50R user I was ecstatic when Fujifilm got in touch and asked me if I was interested in shooting with the new GFX50S II and GF35-70mmF4.5-5.6 WR combination, truth be told I could not wait. This is an exciting release and has got me reconsidering my choices.

Since I am a photographer on her feet all day I need my equipment to be compact, light and most importantly portable. Having suffered a couple of injuries throughout my photographer life it is even more essential that I pair down my shooting equipment without compromising too much on quality and fortunately with the GFX system the way it seems to be going, I won’t have to.
With the easily customisable button functions of the Fujifilm bodies, I made quick work of setting up the camera to a point where I could shoot with it intuitively. As someone used to a rangefinder layout, the GFX50S II was a quick adjustment and that’s all.

My small and square hands fit perfectly into the GFX50S II body, its ergonomics, design and comfort have been well thought out. I found myself able to carry and shoot for longer, gaining some shots I might have missed beforehand. Matched with the flexibility, size and weight of the GF35-70mmF4.5-5.6 WR lens, the lens allowed me to capture shots quicker, experiment with focal lengths more freely and is definitely a creative option for shooting in the city. I couldn’t believe how compact and light this lens is, something I value over having a wider aperture, my photography does not utilise wide at all. I always wanted the best quality lenses and felt they were always big and heavy due to having a wide aperture incorporated. The GF35-70mmF4.5-5.6 WR is the perfect fix and a great option for those of you out there like me, who sit somewhere between F8 – 16 most days.

I have never really thought or sought after stabilisation in a camera, however knowing the GFX50S II has 6.5 stops of IBIS I thought I had to give it a go and see if I was right in thinking I don’t need it. So it seems I was wrong!! The IBIS really enables hand-holding and ‘getting that shot’ from an angle that possibly a tripod would not go. I found this especially valuable as daylight faded or I ended up in a building’s shadow and I managed to get a shot that otherwise, I would have missed. Again Fujifilm’s design and functionality gave me all the tools I needed to create whatever I wanted. A great tool for city architecture captures on the fly and when you want to or have to be a bit more discreet. At one point I was hand holding insanely slow shutter speeds and thinking ‘this is not right’ but the shots look sharp!

So after I discovered the IBIS’s value I have to now mention the battery life as I was thinking this could be where I lose out. However, I remain surprised if not a little shocked. I would spend an entire day shooting stills, with IBIS turned on also going through menu options/modes and struggled to drain a battery. This alone for me, someone who is often alone and not always able to source power is vital, also means I can carry less extra power so again less weight, which I am always grateful for in the eternal struggle for weight and gear.

Going through the shooting menu I saw this new function ‘Clarity’ and looking into it, it does increase the definition of out of focus objects in your shot. I used this quite a few times in frames where I knew I was not able to use an aperture small enough to get a really deep depth of field. Also since I lose a stop of light at least due to maybe a circular polariser or ND filter I found it to give me a little edge to my captures.

Fujifilm film simulations and colours I have always raved about and as a regular ASTIA simulation shooter I have become accustomed to the rich and vibrant colours without too much exaggeration.  However, trying out new simulation modes like Nostalgic Negative mode has me torn! The overall tones of colour and warm feel of the highlights really make a difference I was not aware I needed in the sometimes cold and stark architecture of London, especially as the nights roll in sooner nowadays.  

As a mark one GFX shooter I have to say I didn’t expect improvement on image quality, sharpness or performance or that it would be that noticeable or levelled up but In all truth I found my shots to be clearer, more defined and elevated in comparison. Thanks to whatever magic Fujifilm put into their camera and lenses, for me this is hands down the most exciting, functional and creative 50MP medium-format camera to date. Absolutely no question of performance, quality and size, the GFX50S II and GF35-70mmF4.5-5.6 WR combination is a worthy upgrade. I would easily choose to put this in my bag every day.