I Inadvertently Bought My Dream Panoramic Camera | Fuji GFX 50sii aka "Digital XPan"

Oops. I bought a new digital camera to fit one set of wants, and it accidentally filled a completely different set of wants. Let's talk about how the Fuji GFX is the perfect panoramic camera for me. #megafooj #fujifilmgfx
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Throw more pennies at me by browsing these links of gear I used to make this video
Fuji X-T4 - amzn.to/3agUynt
Fujinon XF18-55mmF2.8-4 R LM OIS - amzn.to/37aTUor
Tascam DR-40 - amzn.to/2OfEKFM
Oktava MK-012-01 Microphone - amzn.to/32rfwLW
Aputure MC - amzn.to/2HTXdsc

[@clickroach]

Just posting some panoramic photos I've shoot with this setup over here: www.kpraslowicz.com/portfolio/casual-panoramas

[@dawster1949]

You’ve no idea how helpful this video has been! I’m crazy about the panoramic format. I had an XPan back in the day, had a few of my fave cityscapes shot on it re-scanned recently and marvelled at how large I could print them. Until I started thinking about how much better a 6x17 negative would be. I’ve spent much of my Christmas break thinking about blowing a ton of cash on my dream Fuji GX617 until you reminded me of what I already have…a GFX 50R with a nice set of lenses including the 23 (which gets used every day for my work shooting interiors etc.). The grass is always greener and all that, but since watching your video I’m looking at all my Fuji files again and realising all the flexibility, clean, sharp pixels of that set-up will never be matched by me dragging a huge 617 everywhere and waiting for weeks for scans showing what an expensive waste of film I’ve just achieved. Nothing can replace the wonderful XPan viewfinder experience (except for the surprise distracting element in the bottom right of each image where the lens blocked the view), and those lenses made the sharpest light stars I’ve ever seen. But, in 2023, for all practical purposes I reckon the Fuji is about as good as it gets. Thanks for such an inspiring, no-nonsense video!

[@RayLombardi]

Hi K, interesting reasoning mate. Not always possible, but I've also stitched several pictures together, not only to make a pano, but to 'bump up' resolution. The X-Pan did that using two, 35mm frames side by side after all. Had one of those by the way. Now I've got the GFX 100II, and I love using the 65x24 but hate loosing 50MP! So what do I do? Whenever possible, I take 3 pictures and stitch them together. It works like a charm. It is more work, but being digital, it's the computer working! Nothing compared to using film...Cheers for your video, very entertaining!

[@2Future4U]

this was like going on an LSD trip..suscribed!

[@MatthewJTalas]

I have thought about going beyond 35mm and 6x9 film, but the costs really go up. When you factor in lenses, lens cones, center filters etc., it starts to become competitive with something like a Fuji GFX 50S II. You can probably still get into 6x17 film for less money, but at a certain point it gets hard not to consider medium format digital.

[@clickroach]

I've actually never operated with a center filter on my 617. I don't think I ever was able to find one for sale of the proper size when I would look. Having to manually adjust for not having one was pretty annoying and i'm super happy that the fuji lenses are just more or less even across the frame so I don't have to deal with fixing that in post.

[@rflagg3]

It seems my Fuji XT-5 does not have this feature? Instead, I can shift to "panoramic" mode, and then take the photo by moving the camera in an arc from beginning to end of frame; not the same as composing it all before snapping photo. 😑

[@AaronAnalog1]

From now on I’ll be referring to my GFX as MEGA-Fuj 😂 Great video! Geek out over my GFX pano video if you’re into it.

[@geofff6671]

I don’t see much point in medium format digital for 24 inch prints. Even APS-C has more than enough resolution for that print size. But so long as you are happy…..

[@AveryDelMiller]

Another camera video???! I signed up for more beer POVs 😤

[@clickroach]

Pick a camera and I'll do POV of pouring a beer into it. _(no I won't)_

[@GreggObst]

I bought a GFX 50Sii back in March in preparation for a new project, hoping to use it for color panoramics but just couldn't connect with the electronic viewfinder. It's an incredibly capable camera but I'm used to traditional optical viewfinders so I ended up returning the GFX and getting a used Nikon D850 and lenses for the color panoramics. All my other work remains with 5x7 and 4x10 film for the foreseeable future. It's awesome that you got a solution that works for you and the results are obviously what you were hoping for.

[@Zobeid]

I believe the Hasselblad X1D and X2D support this aspect ratio, and so do the Panasonic full-frame models, the Lumix S1, S1R, S5 and S5 II. The PanPan! It almost seems like a secret nobody talks about. If you ever need massive resolution and pixel count for an image, you might give the new AI upscaling tools a spin. I was skeptical, but some the better ones (like Topaz) really work. Also, a lot of software now has "horizontal perspective" and "vertical perspective" tools that help with things like simulating a straight-on shot of a building.

[@franciscovarela7127]

Interesting panoramic option.

[@normtesch1126]

so do you live in the up or were just up here shooting

[@erossphelps]

Nice. Would recommend the Cambo Actus G. Great for panorama, although not as portable but with lots of movements.

[@Nobody-Nowhere]

The correct answer would be the famous Conflict 45AF

[@cedmundsCTU]

I share your passion in recalling how sucky APS is. I enjoyed the novelty of it but I'm glad it's no more having put a roll though last year

[@clickroach]

Every time I flip though our family photo albums it is so apparent when the change from 35mm to APS happened. Everything goes from looking good to ... not.

[@cowboyyoga]

Hey! It seems like this camera has much more then I gave it credit for. And yep, film does have it's place, but digital also has some great advantages! ))) Thanks for the video!

[@velvia7880]

You want ultra W I D E panoramics? Get a Noblex 150 / 175 or a Widelux

[@bengreenbadger]

Always funny and informative, cheers for the tip! Currently im use my pentax 67ii with the 55mm as a pano camera which works well (even made a DIY mask for the viewfinder). I tried using the Mamiya6, but the neg is to small.

[@clickroach]

Totally agree on the 6. I caught myself looking at a Mamiya 7 plenty of times to get that wider negative.

[@chevy2die]

What do you do for a day job? Something with photography?

[@clickroach]

Software

[@GettingNegative]

MegaFuj? More like MegaSlooge!

[@mattcampbell3857]

i turned this video off after a minute. the arm movements are not endearing.

[@nelxonmiranda]

You need more hands.

[@robertleidner9703]

How many drugs are you on?

[@clickroach]

Nice try cop.