The camera design of the GFX ETERNA 55 was developed under the theme: “A large format camera that doesn’t feel big and remains highly practical.”
The camera body contains an electronic ND filter, but because it must cover a large format sensor, the filter inevitably becomes as large as—or larger than—the sensor itself. The front of the camera therefore needed to secure physical space for both the large format sensor and the ND filter, resulting in a front size designed to be just large enough to accommodate them. From there, the development progressed by arranging the side panels and the rear ports as efficiently as possible to minimize the overall body size.
The “削ぎのデザイン (Sogi Design),” first adopted in the GFX100 II, was also used in the GFX ETERNA 55. This design approach visually reduces bulk by shaving off unnecessary corners from what would otherwise be a simple cube. For this camera, the shoulders and bottom surfaces were aggressively trimmed, forming an octagonal shape. This gives the body a more compact and tightened impression. Moreover, the Sogi Design contributes to greater durability: when the camera accidentally falls over, the sloped surfaces prevent the control parts from directly touching the ground.
Additionally, great importance was placed on user feedback emphasizing that “shooting must not be interrupted.” The cable layout was therefore completely re-examined. In the early mockups, connectors and cables lacked a unified concept, causing cables to run erratically in multiple directions. Users pointed out that such a layout risked snagging and stopping a shoot, and urged the team to make the cable area flatter. As a result, both the monitor cable and control cable layouts were redesigned. Even with a monitor cable attached, the top surface remains flat, and the rear control cable does not protrude from the body—allowing worry-free operation without snagging.
The monitor now adopts a new 5-inch size. After extensive user interviews, 5 inches was chosen as the ideal size—large enough for usability yet not obstructive. The display achieves 2,000 nits of brightness, ensuring excellent visibility outdoors in bright sunlight. Using a “direct-lit” method with densely packed mini-LEDs, the monitor produces even light diffusion with no unevenness. The greatest advantage of a 5-inch display is that it provides a sufficiently large live view while still leaving room around it for status information. The UI was redesigned so that interface elements do not overlap the image, enhancing visibility even further. Color reproduction was also refined to allow composition, focusing, and color checking to be completed on this single display. It enables a level of monitoring performance that eliminates the need for external monitors and maintains optimal mobility.
Furthermore, the camera is equipped with 3-inch LCD panels on both sides. Users can check the same status and menu information from either side of the camera. This was designed with the typical shooting scenario in mind where the camera operator and assistant stand on opposite sides. With independent displays, the workflow becomes far more efficient and reliable than sharing a single panel. Although adding two side panels involved significant cost and design challenges, the GFX ETERNA 55—as a later-generation model—prioritized delivering features truly needed on professional sets. The design breaks away from conventional notions of video cameras and incorporates every available technical advantage.
For the UI design, the guiding principle was “to make the obvious feel obvious.” The goal was for users to pick up the camera and intuitively understand how to operate it without hesitation. Rather than seeking novelty, the design emphasizes intuition and universality. To remain a tool loved in film production for many years, it focuses on essence rather than trends. A camera is a tool—its ease of use is what makes it beautiful. The GFX ETERNA 55 embodies that philosophy.
