Truth about sensor formats | with Michael Clark & GFX 100S

Bigger isn't always better. No more than a Ferrari is the best car for picking up supplies at the hardware store. There continues to be a great deal of rhetoric online that centres around the mega pixel race. Want to know the difference between big and small sensors?
We put the 102 mp GFX 100S to the test alongside a 61mp Full Frame camera, and a 26 mp APS-C. We tested and explored the practical differences along with a very in-depth conversation with Michael Clark - one of America's most trusted adventure and commercial photographers.
One caveat, is that due to length some information has been omitted. One example was exploring the latitude between the 16 bit & 14 bit files. I wasn't satisfied with the results - feeling like I really needed a professional retoucher to guide me through it. It's also worth mentioning that "16 bit" isn't true 16 bit. It's 15.4 and rounded up. Which may also be the reason we don't see as big of a change as we'd like.
Ultimately I believe that it is the cleanliness of the image (minimal shot noise) and the lenses that give MF it's look above any other factor.
**Error correction/Notice. The Sony image at 9:30 is actually the GFX 100s image (you can see that it's identical to the GFX image). This was likely caused due to a file naming issue and I didn't catch it in the edit. My apologies for the error.
_________________________
Big Thank you to Michael Clark for being part of this video: www.michaelclarkphoto.com
Camera's used or referenced in this video:
The Fujifilm GFX 100S at Vistek:www.vistek.ca/...
Sony A7RIV at Vistek: www.vistek.ca/...
FujiFilm X-T3/X-T4 at Vistek: www.vistek.ca/...
www.vistek.ca/...
Nikon Z6ii at Vistek: www.vistek.ca/...
Nikon Z7ii at Vistek: www.vistek.ca/...
#MediumFormat #FullFrame #APS-C

[@PhotoJohn80]

I’ve been doing commercial photography for 20 years and I can say the GFX 100s is the first camera I’ve personally used that gives me the IQ of film without having to spend over 10 grand on a phase one back. Such a game changer for people that don’t have 30 grand plus to spend on phase one

[@vistek]

Thanks for the great comment, John!

[@alles_wird_Token]

That's true and I agree with you, but don't forget that the GFX has a mid-fomat crop sensor. So you can't compare a 645 sensor 1:1 with a 44/33 sensor. The handling of the GFX is brilliant compared to a Phase One, but the focus stacking, the image effect and the possibilities to work with ultra-short flash sync times speak in favour of Phase One. If I didn't have a camera system yet, I would probably get into the GFX ecosystem, but I would never dip my Phase One system into the GFX. Still, I think it's great that fuji is delivering such a performance here!

[@moviebufftexas5277]

Excellent. Like “the growing film community” trope - sensor size is the product of a marketing machine. It is wonderful to see a real discussion about how irrelevant sensor size is to 90+% of the population. Part of my work includes fine art prints that are very large and I too use a GFX. But most of my work is online and my XT3 is more than enough camera for the job. When out with my XT3 I get questioned every once in awhile by sensor snobs about why I don’t shoot full-frame (usually a Sony fanboy) and my answer is always the same - “I am too busy making money with what I have to think about changing.”. First time I have seen the channel - but I will be back. Thanks!

[@vistek]

Thank you MBT! Great comment!

[@stevebendelack3935]

By far the best advice from any piece i have seen on KZbin.And it ids not even close.The sheer number of very poor camera KZbinrs,often supported by very mediocre image making is a shame.This piece however,superb,straightforward,with terrific images.Thank you.

[@vistek]

Thanks for the great comment, Steve! 🙏

[@Don-yf6yo]

I watched my share of gear videos so I generally avoid them now. I've definitely also watched a lot of videos comparing or discussing sensor sizes, and most of those are not that insightful or helpful. But I must give you props for producing this video which offers a discussion of sensor size based on practicality, which is actually helpful and insightful.

[@vistek]

Don, thank you very much for such a wonderful and thorough comment. Appreciate it!

[@maxmeier532]

You cant really discuss full format vs Fuji medium format without acknowledging that the name medium format in this case is misleading. It's a marketing term just for the reason that it's so much smaller of what most people think of when they think of medium format which is a throwback to film days. You think of 6x6 or 6x9. Not 4,4 vs 3,3 which is Fuji MF size in cm. Just google pictures to compare sizes. Full frame is about 2,2x ASP-C size. Medium Format is about 1.65x Full Format size. And people are still not sure in what situation full frame is crucially better than FF. Fuji certainly is of the opinion that Full Frame isnt inherently better than APS-C. If at all, bigger sensor size in Fuji MF really only matters to professionals or super enthusiasts who print big, and probably as Clark said, the final product has more to do with other things than sensor size, depending on the situation (i.e. lighting), like bitrate, used lens, and even printing paper, printer quality etc.

[@wc3415]

I can get a 100 magapixel image with my iphone, shooting in panorama mode

[@PhilGregoryFX]

First time viewer of this channel and my opinions on this video, for constructive feedback purposes. I don't subscribe to channels or like videos willy-nilly, unless they actual warrant it and tick my boxes. This video did exactly that, and as a result I did like and subscribe. I would like to explain to the content creator why I took this rare step and what it was that persuaded me that this channel was worth watching again. There was none of the usual bs that most other channels, like the naff and nonsensical intro of 'whats up guys', and self promotion and sponsorship plugs in the first 3rd of the video, rather, he just gets straight into the content, which I found really refreshing. Displaying explanatory text at the start and speakers names worked well, and saved us 20+ seconds of unnecessary and awkward intros and explanations, whereas using text on screen to communicate to the viewer just made the video flow better and made the information easier to digest. I doubt all these subtleties and design considerations were done by accident and it shows a mature and confident style that just works well and is non-pretentious or offensive. So nice to be able to watch a video without ads and sponsorship in my face, and also to gain so much quality knowledge that I did not know before, it really boosted my understanding of the subject. It's getting harder to find such quality videos on youtube these days as they are getting drowned out by the 'Hey, what's up' and affliliate focused crowd, which is starting to feel like 90% of the suggestions that the KZbin algorithm presents to me. So hats off to the content creator for making many clever design choices and producing such a great watchable video.

[@vistek]

Phil, thank you so much. We have a small channel, for a number of reasons. I don’t always think what we make has the same level of integrity (because sometimes there are competing factors), but overall I try to make content that I would want to watch. Every time I make a video I ask myself - if I was just sitting at the bar with a friend, what would I say? And then I try to make my videos that. I’m not always right, I don’t always have all the facts - but I try to get as close to the truth as I can. Because I don’t use click bait titles, nor have the resources or energy for a fancy studio or shoots - I really have to just rely on making videos that feel real, and not some sugar coated sponsored message. I’m happy that my perspective resonated with at least one person. Thank you for your super kind and thorough comment. It is beyond simply being appreciated. 🙏🙏

[@vistek]

Ok…maybe this video was a bit click baity. But overallllll….

[@GoodLifeInSpain]

Great video. Most of my work is for magazines and / or web publication, so, in theory, the mega pixel count shouldn't matter. But, in many ways it does for the very simple reason that at some point...maybe years later...I will end up printing an image that really speaks to me and I feel compelled to hang in my home. When that happens, I'm always thankful that I had a decent sized sensor. That said, when Fujifilm first introduced the X-T1 mirrorless camera with a 16.3mp crop sensor, I decided to take it along with me on a trip to India. Last year, I printed a few of them fairly large (around movie poster sized) and, damn, the print quality was extremely impressive even for the most discriminating eye. Now, even though I have a Leica Q2 with a 47.3 full frame sensor, I find myself, more often than not, reaching for my Fujifilm X-T4 with a crop sensor. In many ways, this topic is like chasing your tail. There's no easy answer, except to say that most so-called "expert" KZbin reviewers who are pixel peepers are talking out of their asses.

[@jamespulver3890]

I agree - I found for the landscapes I was shooting, my 80D crop sensor made great images. I printed many at 11x17 and many on Canvas at 16x20. They really look good, even SooC jpeg for those uses IMHO. I only went full frame in the R5 because Canon didn't really have a 80D R equivalent with all the cool mirrorless eye AF etc tech. What's most interesting to me is I wanted the R5 not really to improve my Landscape game, but to improve my birds, people and family pet game. I wanted the 45 MP so I could crop in to make up for the "loss of reach" in FF. I also started cropping more again with people pictures. Landscapes are by definition "slower" in that you usually get time to frame up the picture you want, and you sit and then wait for light if you need to. You can often go back again. With animals and people (for candid shots) you don't really get that. The other thing I'm noticing with the switch is I actually usually wanted the deeper DoF of APSC, and have to pay attention on the R5 to stop down and then get more into manual mode. With the 80D I could slap it in shutter priority, and be pretty sure I'd have a usable DoF at f2.8 - this isn't the case always with the R5. And if I do aperture Priority the SS will often go to slow. All that said, I have also gotten some amazing landscape shots with the R5 (for me amazing anyway). Though then one of the uses I do is Zoom backgrounds, and I find Zoom will crop your 45MP image but wouldn't crop the 24MP. So now I have to resize the jpegs for more uses.

[@hubey]

If you shoot on an x trans sensor (Fuji APS-C not GFX which is Bayer) and you care about image nuances like detail, colour and tonal gradations, contrast, white balance etc, you can't use Lightroom, it butchers them. That's why there's such a difference in colour, contrast and detail in the portrait from the XT-3 to the GFX100S. If you opened them in Capture one the XT-3 would look closer to the GFX 100S.

[@axeffect2293]

Fujifilm APS C doesn't have a conventional bayer sensor. which is WHY Lightroom butchers it.

[@joshuachubbphotography]

Great video. I switch from FF to APS-C back in 2018 and have been very happy. For my type of work FF would be a luxury not a necessity.

[@ceaschannle5752]

Luxury means better, idk if downgrading is something to be content about.

[@christyack9430]

Amazing video. Thanks so much for detailing the differences between sensor size and where it can be important. As someone who just got into the Fuji X system, I am wondering what that next jump looks like and I love discovering (after watching this video) that there are many cases where it won’t be necessary. The conversation about iPhone megapixels and the print mediums is absolutely invaluable information in its distilled form, which you guys nailed. The one other thing I love that you guys noted is that it takes months and sometimes years to dial in to a camera or a camera system. From canon to Sony and now Fuji, I love that even the top level pros agree that it takes a lot of time and dedication to get what you want out of these systems, because after all, it is art! Thanks so much for this invaluable info! It is incredibly helpful! 😊

[@vistek]

Thank you for the lovely comment!

[@mistric5951]

Quality of these photos is out of this world

[@vistek]

Thanks Mistric!

[@ejacks3]

Very good video gentlemen, It's all about the right tool for the right job. I would have love to see you include the Micro Four Third system in your discussion however.

[@vistek]

Thanks Eric. My apologies for the exclusion. It was due to time constraints - but the physics remain in place for people to make their predictions about the MFT system (smaller lenses, faster continuous etc).

[@ejacks3]

@@vistek No worries! Great video anyway!

[@joestrahl6980]

@@vistek as a MFT shooter I too would have appreciated inclusion. There are so many times MFT is excluded and then fanboys of other systems wonder why MFT folks are "defensive." Otherwise, thanks for the informative video and discussion

[@phredziphell8242]

brilliant interview ... what is refreshing is that Mr. Clark exhibits no false modesty - he is an expert with massive experience. Thank you for sharing! I am saving up for this Fuji.

[@vistek]

Thanks Phred! Super appreciate the comment!

[@MikeLikesChannel]

Gotta say, I shoot a 50Sii as a full amateur, dad ‘tog. It’s brilliant, and it was $1800 used with the 35-70 kit zoom. We now live in a world where medium format digital is available to those of us amateurs who make near $0 from photography.

[@vistek]

What a great deal! Totally agree. Great time to be a photographer - amateur or pro!

[@goglea]

One of the best videos on youtube and probably on internet about Fujifilm GFX 100S and Medium Format Thank you for sharing all this inspiration Now i know for sure i want one and few lenses for it

[@cameraprepper7938]

I have done photography since 1979, both as a hobby photographer and a pro. I have used many types of cameras, in analog 35mm cameras to 4"x5" and 5"x7" cameras, my most used camera was 6x6 Hasselblad which I loved. In 2007 I slowly started to use DSLR cameras with APSC cameras, now I use full frame 61 megapixels cameras which I am more happy using than my 6x6 Hasselblad camera. I think today the full frame size sensor cameras and Lenses are the most versatile system. I am thinking of a larger format, but if I get a larger format, then I will wait for fx a Fuji GFX 150s with 150 megapixel. My photography covers nature, wildlife, birds, macro, landscape, portrait, street/urban/architecture and art.

[@filibertkraxner305]

Yup. All of that made perfect sense. Excellent video. I shoot a GFX50R for portraits and dance (in a studio setting). If I shoot a dance performance as it happens, I prefer a Leica M. It's just my preferred tool in that scenario: faster and you see your subject coming into frame etc.

[@vistek]

Thanks Filibert!

[@nelsonclub7722]

Which shows in your Instagram - also your landscapes are very gently done

[@icogicog8287]

Nicely done and all points are very thoughtfully made. In the end it a artistic and emotional choice in any case. We all love the system we have embraced and spent money on. Hopefully re

[@vistek]

Thank you for the comment, Icog.

[@Dggb2345]

Thanks again for this interview. For a long time and commercial ie journeyman Hassie owner to pivot to Fuji is in my estimation a big deal.

[@vistek]

Thanks Richard!

[@alertsquirrel]

I shoot a Pentax 645z and absolutely love it. She's old, heavy and, slow. But I actually enjoy that most of the time. That's not to say that I don't have some gripes. But for me, I think the most important part is that I don't have to treat it like the high end piece of equipment that it is - it's built like a tank. I'm fairly certain that I could fend off a grizzly with the damn thing.

[@Dggb2345]

Shooting for the crop. Is there a standard approach, such as, using a zoom, shot the crop (In camera) then zoom out for coverage. Also, my experience has shown that the cameras checked out over the weekend at the rental house are the happening units. Hasselblad’s last weekend were sitting all weekend without a date whereas Fuji 100s was unobtanium.

[@sophietucker1255]

I don't have the GFX 100 but I do have a 50SII and it has served me well. Since I have a very nice Hasselblad 503CX system and lenses I went the adapted route on the 50SII. Yes they are all manual focus and manual or aperture priority but I shoot mostly landscape and some portrait so the slower setup doesn't mess up my workflow too badly. I do have the 35-70 kit lens for the 50SII and again for my type of shooting it has been a rather nice lens. I do see a resolution and color difference with the Fuji that I don't see with my Canon EOS R but nothing so bad that I'd use one over the other if I had too. The Canon is faster with Canon lenses when focusing than the Fuji 35-70 but is for me the only really measurable difference

[@scotttucker9613]

This was a great video and interview. Well done! I have my first GFX coming in a few weeks with the 100S II and I’m so stoked.

[@vistek]

Thanks for the great comment, scotttucker9613!

[@mariowanagat1412]

If you shoot editorial work you have to deliver image files which allows for that. If a editor has not enough room for creativity in terms of cropping to there liking, they most likely not develop this relationship to choose your services again. The tonality and all that is simply a different league. So even if you just use it for the net , it’s still noticeable. You don’t need and it’s not practical either, to shoot NG stuff with it but wherever you can use it. It is for professional photography, people who understand what it is there for not for amateurs thinking Sony is a beauty.

[@knekker1]

Apologies for the perhaps silly question, but what is "NG stuff"?

[@JamesWilliam70]

As for sensor size and my macro photography, the higher the resolution the better, so the sony R series is my choice so far, as Fuji GFX don't have a dedicated 1:1 Lens or even a third party 2x lens. For street photography the Fuji X-T2 with a 16mm 1.4 is great as i prefer a journalistic style and for wildlife photography i still use the old Nikon D500 with a 200-500mm.

[@bushbeatnik4480]

same as it ever was...use the right tool for the best possible outcome. If that is any format 50 mpx and up, also budget a new computer and massive storage solutions at the same time.

[@TheEtbetween]

Honestly speaking this was the best!

[@vistek]

🙏🙏🙏

[@josephasghar]

This is a really fine assessment of competing systems.

[@vistek]

Thank you Joseph!

[@charlesjames9783]

Great video. I love image quality but my customers don’t. I use Canon for the autofocus and durability of the gear. I’m blown away by the image quality. The problem is that my customers wouldn’t pay extra for it. Sometime good enough is what’s needed. Most are looking at them on their phone anyway.

[@vistek]

Thanks for the great comment! Yes, where your photos end up, matters!

[@simonelezzi]

I have read it has issues to sync with profoto flash and other fast sync, is it true?

[@adventure_photo]

Great discussion with a lot of valuable insights! Thanks 👌

[@vistek]

Thank you adventure_photo!!

[@jean-philippeperetti8463]

Great video. But I must say that all this "what gear is best" isn't all that important to me because, our combined income is far from 6 figures (in Canadian dollars) so I buy whatever I can afford. The GFX line is out of reach. Same thing with the 7R series. For my needs and budget, the X-T4 is a more than capable camera.

[@Gundolf300]

What lenses are used for those aps-c photos?

[@acrapid7845]

Interesting. How can we see 16bit on up to 12bit monitors?

[@vistek]

You can't really. No more than you can see a car's engine by it driving past you. You can sometimes see evidence of it, but fundamentally its hidden and allows you to bring levels back into a digital 8 bit space or for printing.

[@WMedl]

No, but you can use it during processing the raw images....

[@charlesnetzler2262]

I was so gutted when this camera came out after owning the GFX100, although the GFX100 paid itself off but I would've loved to have the smaller form factor just for making long days and travelling easier. Sadly where I bought the GFX100 wasn't interested in trading in for the s as the s pretty much had the gfx100 beat in every way including price. Ah well since covid I ended up selling it since I cant travel for work anymore and bought the R5.

[@dct124]

*The one camera sensor they didn't cover was the Foveon sensor from Sigma SD Quattro. Those cameras output epic quality. Tonal range, Bit Depth, SNR, ADC, and Micro Contrast set MF apart from all digital formats. The lenses are the meat and potatoes, which can be adapted to smaller formats. Chroma noise, Color noise, and Hot pixels are the most popular disadvantages of past small sensors. That's all but been eliminated on current APS-C. 8mp I think is the bare minimum mp size for 99% of professionally paid work, unless you require 0 cropping, SOOC, and posting online, newspaper or a billboards. AI can technically allow lower, unless you value your time. The Olympics photo agencies currently use higher res images for Getty or other stock sites so now they all shoot bigger file sizes. MF easily looks better than APS-C and FX. I can't tell the difference between FX and APS-C. Just my opinion, the D200, D700 and DF images look better than every Canon, Sony, Fuji, Pentax and Nikon ever made. Leica's and the Panasonic XH-1 are special.

[@chrissyjames7711]

any prints i use my bronica and film , still cant be beat by digital .

[@meatbyproducts]

His advice mirrors mine for people I teach photography to. Glad people are actually putting out the info. My daily camera is 24mp full frame Sigma fp but I have D850 for higher resolution and the d500 for action.

[@ounkeo]

I got the GFX100S and I could immediately see the quality difference. It's in the subtle way that everything transitions into every other part, whether it is from highlight or shadows or anything in-between. There are people who literally cannot see the difference and believe it's just bias, but I suspect they really can't see it because they physically cannot see the difference; the same way some people cannot see different shades of different colours if it is subtle enough. For example, white can come in so many shades, yet some people cannot see the difference whatsoever. I highly suspect that is what's happening when people say they see no difference between FF and MF. They are just unable to see the difference.

[@dreacul]

Before starting to do photography I was more of a person who prefered using his free time drawing, spending hours just drawing, everyday, every single pause no matter how short it was and the thing I wanna say with this is that, there are people reviewing pencils or expensive pens for drawing but you know, no matter how expensive is that thing in the end the way u draw a line on the paper is all about you not the pen and I can draw the same shits with both an old ink and pen from my grandpa and an expensive fountain pen. It is all about what you're doing with the camera not the senzor. Recently I discovered Xpro-1, God is a beauty, slow a.f. but it suits my photos and that's it. Friends who wanna start doing photos and come to me to ask me about what should they get I always tell them this analogy with the pencil, because they already watched 177236817 clips on youtube praising this camera and that and so on.

[@smaakjeks]

That's a good lesson and analogy. To me, it's a matter of gear being a question of time vs money. With cheaper gear, you can still get great shots. But usually it means being more patient and investing more time to get it. If you have gear that allows for longer distances or darker conditions or more frames per second, you may not have to spend as much time to get the shot you want. Example: bird photography. *Cheap gear:* APS-C camera with 70-300mm f4.5-6.3 lens. You have to wait for the bird to come to you, and maybe hide with camouflage. You have to get enough light and maybe try several trips before you score. *Expensive gear:* FF camera with 600 f4 lens with stabilisation. Now you can work from farther away, in worse light, and maybe nail it in a single trip. But, even if you have the money for expensive gear, think of the amazing places you can go with that money, taking the cheap stuff instead. Would you rather go to a different continent with a serviceable camera and adequate lens, or would you rather have equipment that would make NASA blush, but taking pics in your yard?

[@adeguntoro]

ahhh...speaking about printing. can i use standar ink type printer to print photo on photo paper ?

[@OrdLee]

Is it possible that the X-T3 shot miss focused even though the focus box turned green (from the landscape shot) ? I often encounter this kind of soft image when photographing at infinity or even when I already set it up to the lens f stop limit (where it does not experience a lens diffraction) and the box turned green. The weird water painting effect is also apparent on the your X-T3 shot that also a signature of an x-trans sensor since the day of an x-pro1 (I use this one btw for more than 7 years and the water color effect is by far the most frustrating thing that comes from an x-trans sensor)

[@vistek]

Hi Liandro, the X-T3 is spot on. I took several AF shots and then an MF shot to ensure I eliminated any of those variables.

[@godsinbox]

I sold my xt3 because focus was always off. eyeAF was eyebrow in focus, eyeball was blurry. MF was also off. shot double reciprocal rule and didnt get many keepers

[@OrdLee]

@@vistek and do all of the shots from X-T3 show the same result like the one the print? thanks in advance

[@YannickKhong]

Awesome sensor recap video! Fuji needed Capture One :) to get that "resolution" back. It's a well known fact that Adobe doesn't play well with RAF...

[@memcrew1]

That’s true for the xtrans sensor Fuji, not the bayer sensor GFX line.

[@monduli]

Great interview - thanks a lot! I've subscribed!

[@vistek]

Thanks Buzz!

[@user-rm1dg2qe4x]

The close up of the portrait shot shows the GFX 100S image in place of the A7RIV 9:30

[@vistek]

Yes, it was an error. Sorry about that.

[@patbollin]

Fantastic Video. Great insights. I'm no pro. I"m totally amateur/Hobbyist, so now if only I could figure out what kind of photographer I want to be, then, armed with the knowledge in this video, maybe I can figure out what kind of camera I need. In the meantime, I'll probably keep overbuying. Not a GFX, though. That's way too rich for my blood.

[@vistek]

Thanks for the great comment Pat! Agreed - that it's certainly not for everyone (even too rich for my blood, but I'm lucky enough to get to use them from time to time).

[@LyndonPatrickSmith]

Great video! I like this guy’s perspective and his work. But did you discuss his use of APS-C or did I miss it? I think the Fuji X-Pro3 was mentioned as a camera he used but that’s about it. This video seemed to be about MF vs FF, which is great. But when does Michael use his XPro? Travel? Family? Non-paying gigs? Thanks.

[@vistek]

Hi Lyndon. I had to remove a bunch of stuff for pacing/timing. The only thing we really wanted to communicate is the relation of sensor size to performance. The larger your photo sites, the cleaner the image, but the slower your camera will be to operate. You can see the X-T3 near the end when I demonstrate the speed difference in continuous shooting modes. I can't speak for Michael, but I suspect he uses it for pleasure/travel etc. That's what the X-Pro series is amazing for. Thank you for your comment!

[@LyndonPatrickSmith]

@@vistek Thanks for the reply. I definitely agree there's some more mojo with that MF sensor. The quality difference is subtle yet profound.

[@JeraCravoMyself]

Michael is great! Lots of knowledge! Great video!

[@vistek]

Thanks JCRB!

[@alfredconqueror4422]

Amazing video! I haven't seen nothing like this! Thanks! Is the 14 bit file of the Z7II similar to A7R4 in terms of skin color?

[@vistek]

Thanks Alfred! I have no idea, but the colour science out of the those two cameras are quite different. I actually did a video last year comparing the Z6II colour (which would be the same at the 7) to a Sony camera. It's our Z6II video, if you want to look for it.

[@WMedl]

If you shoot in raw color is constructed by the raw editor used - of course based on the triangle of lens, sensor, processor!

[@AsaNole]

Why is it that at 13:15 it says ISO NA? Can someone kindly explain what this means?

[@vistek]

Hi Nuno, it just means “not available”. The ISO data wasn’t in the meta data.

[@Kdkjdjewerdnxa]

Lightroom and Fuji don’t really work well together.

[@castielvargastv7931]

I often hear this but why?

[@diotough]

@@castielvargastv7931 It's their demosaicing and the way it handles the X-Trans sensor pattern. You can make it work but it's a hassle and it won't be as good as with CaptureOne for example. However, what you can do is converting the RAF files to DNG files and then work in Lightroom. That'll work without any issues. Personally, making the switch to C1 was well worth it. It basically eliminates 99 out of 100 occasions to open and image in PS for me.

[@MartinV.]

great video!

[@vistek]

Thank you!

[@JL-vk1rs]

great video, very informative!

[@vistek]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@doozledumbler5393]

Full frame mirrorless are getting cheaper these days so better off going for that over APS-C.

[@hildebrand142]

you put thought into this. thanks. (subscribed)

[@mattflynn6328]

I invested into the GFX merely for the tonal range the sensor can capture. I have no need for 50mp. I wish Fuji would make a MF camera with 20MP.

[@georgesmith3022]

Fuji promotes aps-c as the best cameras and then goes on to produce a medium format camera.

[@johnadams3038]

I'm not really convinced about the perceivable difference between 14-bit (full-frame) and 16-bit (medium format). In fact the human eye can detect around 10-million tonal differences, could be more less, but you get the point. I really really doubt you can ever guess the difference between 14-bit and 16-bit and the sensor size doesn't play a role at all. You will never ever see any difference because all your devices like smartphones and tablets have screens that are 10-bit at most. I'm pretty sure that printing machines aren't 14-bit or 16-bit.

[@vistek]

Hi John. You're right to feel that way. I've had the same apprehensions myself. After working with professional colourists in the video world, and after speaking to a very reputable colour scientist - the best information that I've gathered is really about all those bits being hidden. It's not necessarily that our eyes can see the difference immediately, more so that the information is there at our disposal to manipulate. I can say, first hand that when it comes to very find gradient detail, I have noticed slightly better performance in the GFX image than other cameras (not comparing to Phase One or Hasselblad). But is this enough of a difference to matter? I think that lands us in the philosophy department more than the mechanics.

[@johnadams3038]

@@vistek Well I just wonder when you go on to post anything on the internet or on some app on your phone it is always going to be rendered at 8-bit in sRGB color space. Considering this I just wonder how much you can use that advantage of 16-bit RAW files.

[@BackPa]

14:55 I am sure file sizes are wrong...

[@vistek]

They are 100% correct. I made absolutely certain that the files sizes were consistent across multiple shoots.

[@BackPa]

@@vistek I do not think photos can have milibits. Even one pixel need more space. Correct is MB, not mb. It is a hudge diference!

[@Juventinos]

thing is.. once you see the Hasselblad 60, 100 or even 50 H system photos you are done. spoiled for life. I'm getting a fuji gfx as a day to day camera, but god damn it that big sensor from the Hasselblad spoils you.

[@DiarrheaBubbles]

I really just like the low light performance you get from a bigger sensor. Otherwise the crop sensor is plenty.

[@iron_recluse]

Wow all of those shots though…

[@tedtedsen269]

do i need this,do i need that, i don't need to take photos at all but its fun but i don't NEED to

[@nossingo]

Honestly I've never heard anyone say "rhetoric" like that in my life!

[@matthewfinnigan3862]

I love how full frame users go on about sensor size compared to aspc but as soon as you bring up medium format suddenly sensor isn’t important anymore.

[@charlesjames9783]

@@matthewfinnigan3862 it’s not that it’s not important, it’s that there’s a lot involved in Medium format. It is built for professional print work but doesn’t have the bells and whistles needed for Bird and most wildlife photography. You have more control in a studio where space and lighting are ideal. Getting focus isn’t an issue. Wildlife you need speed and have little control over the environment.

[@mgammill]

I use gfx 100s and moved from Lightroom to capture one. I found a tremendous difference of my raw images between the two. Capture one renders the Fuji stuff a million times better. I’ve seen it myself.

[@anonymousl5150]

That's because x-trans sensor is very dumb and Fuji always insist on using it (developed by Sony and has not proven to be better in any way)

[@i35photo]

@@anonymousl5150 GFX doesn't use an X-Trans Sensor.

[@rickkoloian4179]

Just a thought, but could the XT3 results have been affected by LR which reportedly does not process Fuji RAW files as well as Capture One or X-Transformer? Would a Nikon, Canon, or Sony crop sensor camera have provided different results in LR? The late David Thorpe had said crop sensor cameras could compete with FF in prints up to 36 inches. Thanks,

[@hartmut-wilms]

Great video! However, I guess that only a few people will understand the „magic of medium format“, because all they do is to publish their pictures on the web. You do not need MF or this resolution for the web. Thus, if you do not print your pictures, do not spend your money on MF gear. But if you print your pictures, you‘ll be in for an image quality that you won‘t get on any full frame camera, including Leica. And I am not referring to ultra large prints. The difference is visible in normal sized prints, too.

[@vistek]

Thanks for the great comment Hartmut!

[@okitasan]

Hypothetically wouldn’t MF quality be noticeable on web if you’re viewing a gallery on a large 4K monitor?

[@hocadidilyocuttCAP]

Eh, no

[@crinosil]

Or actually the magic of 100mpix, BSI and good lenses… the magic is in the resolution, bit depth and dynamic range… which exist in some FF sensor/lens combinations too…

[@ThePaze86]

@@okitasan try it! Watch homepages from photographers with cameras over full frame and answer yourself! My oppinion: their is different but not everybody can see it. The photographers has to use the advantages of the sensor and you need a good monitor. ;-)

[@HansBaier]

I'm still very satisfied with my Olympus PenF

[@55whiplash]

I love mine as well, I also have the om-d 5 3 and it's a nice upgrade for me when I attempt to shoot birds in flight.

[@crinosil]

Well…they do say that size doesn’t matter… except in porn.

[@exturkconner]

I'm a big fan of micro four thirds. It's a shame Olympus is out of the mix now. They did some great work over the years.

[@art_means_artificial]

Hans Baier very interesting! keep us updating!

[@thomasclosier2590]

Love pen f best looking camera period

[@MrAndyStenz]

I love my D850 bodies I’ve shot with for years… but the GFX 100S does have something special and once I saw those files on my screen (and out of my printer) I was ready to toss the D850 bodies in the heap (I won’t, I still use them… right tool for the right job and all). But yeah, the GFX 100S is a beautiful camera.

[@soda5730]

Yep. I have a level down on both (D810 and GFX 50S) and feel the same way. The biggest downside of the GFX is that you still need to use your other cameras and you don't really want to.

[@meatbyproducts]

I love my D850. But it might be having gone to war with it and all. But it has been one of my favorite cameras ever

[@sergeantcrow]

The 'buffer' on my Medium Format camera is how fast I can wind the knob to next frame and cock the shutter...

[@Leicashootr]

Nice commercial. I like my Leica M10M and M10P light weight and compact, they are just fine ❣️

[@o.l4890]

If the xt2 is a poor mans camera idk what poor means anymore

[@thestefsterbun1820]

10:40 says it all and well said btw. I have been trying to talk myself into selling my 100S and just using my XT4. Cost aside, It's lighter, smaller and way more convienent. But... everytime I take it out and get it back to post, I end up being dissapointed and I used to LOVE the images the XT4 produced. Once you go GFX... very hard to look at anything else.

[@ridealongwithrandy]

Good stuff! For my needs, my Olympus EM1X is just fine :)

[@vistek]

Thanks Randy! You got a great camera there!

[@AdamMuise]

The computational photography options on that are amazing (live ND, live comp, etc). Nice camera!

[@yourtallness]

My empirical observation from the GFX 50R compared to the 24 Mp FF & APS-C bodies I have access to or even the D850 I used to own (which has APS-C level pixel pitch) is that noise at ISO 100 appears nonexistent and gradients are incredibly smooth, there are no blotches of pixels to be seen in skies or surfaces.

[@sbrazenor2]

I always suffer from the GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). I know I don't need anything better than what I already have, but sometimes I still want to upgrade because another 'better' option exists.

[@johnspijkers7368]

Like Michael I have been shooting with Nikon camera's for 30+ years. Since a couple of months I own a GFX100s and used it for a couple of shoots. And the GFX files definitely look different. It is hard to put it in words, but what I think what comes closest is that the Nikon files look sharp but harsh and the Fuji files look sharp but smooth.

[@vistek]

Thanks for the insightful comment, John!

[@burritobrosvideos8060]

Nah

[@sphaera3809]

I’ve gone from Fuji X to GFX and it is just amazing… It does slow me down a little on the streets, but when I’m able to capture a magical moment, the image quality just make it mind blowing… I love my 50R and can do so much with it, it’s such a versatile system… I use it for astrophotography, street, portrait, reproduction, macro, etc… And as a bonus it works really well with Mamiya 645 lenses.

[@friendlyhuman4905]

I have a Mamiya 645 AFD and lenses, didn’t realize they were compatible! Do I need some type of adapter to place on GFX body?

[@sphaera3809]

@@friendlyhuman4905 yes, you need an adapter, and set the camera to work without a lens. With AF lenses I don’t think you’ll be able to adjust the aperture though (it will always be wide open)… I only use older Mamiya 645 manual lenses.

[@felixlechat1780]

Which lens did you ise for marco photo with a GFX? Thx

[@dannydiazphoto]

Thank you for making this video it was so informative and bringing in a well experienced professional photographer such as Michael was icing on the cake. You can tell the difference between someone who just grabs a camera and reads the specs versus a professional with decades of experience. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@vistek]

Thank You Danny!!

[@Yulfi]

Thanks for putting this together. Too many people online take to their social media to spew incorrect info on this topic, but I like the way you went about doing this because you brought in an expert, spoke facts, and were objective.

[@vistek]

Thank you for the great comment Citizen Yülfi. I'm happy to hear that my intent was well received.

[@mayankbaunthiyal]

It is a bit misleading to say all GFX camera's pixels are bigger, as per my calculation Nikon Z6 pixel density is 2.8 Mpx/cm2 vs 7.07 Mpx/cm2. Which means Nikon Z6's pixel is much bigger. I use Nikon Z6 and Z9, I have found that Nikon Z6 images are generally nicer than Z9 in challenging conditions. Mostly because # of pixel/cm2 are less, i.e. pixel are larger. Barring the resolution, it would have been more interesting to compare say a 24 Mpx BSI FF to a 100Mpx GFX. You may be surprised how close the FF files can come.

[@calvinatdrifterstudio8438]

Larger sensors offer this very clean and low noise look. The downside is really the lens options. Personally, I really like the 35mm focal distance, but it ends up being way to wide on a full frame. 50mm makes faces look really weird in my opinion.

[@vistek]

Thanks for the comment Calvin!

[@ivormorris8142]

Truthfully I actually forgot what megapixel my camera was until I saw this video

[@xMotivationFix]

Amazing video! Finally something informative on this subject!

[@insightphoto]

do the general public really do that much pixel-peeping? Really? And if they do pixel peep then why are they doing that? For me, as an artist and commercial photogrpapher, it's much more about subject, composition and lighting NOT pixel quality

[@Hush99]

Maybe this is something that's been lost with the digital age, but as someone who shoots 6x7 medium format on an RB67, medium format pictures simply have a look to them. Since the image sensor is so much bigger than a regular full-frame equivalent, a 90mm lens will crop like a 45mm full-frame equivalent, but will still have the lens compression of a 90mm. Stellar for portraits. And for lack of a better description, pictures simply look "bigger" on a medium format camera. And that's before you factor in the added dynamic range that comes with a bigger sensor/negative.

[@georgesealy4706]

Yes, I love my GFX100. It does have something special.

[@vistek]

Thanks for the comment George!

[@pickneyjoshua9295]

This was so interesting, informative, and factual! You just got yourself a subscriber.

[@vistek]

Thank you Joshua! Really appreciate your support!

[@BrianKilgoreCanada]

Well done, with the sense that both men were knowledgeable and realistic. -- BAK

[@vistek]

Thank you, Brian!

[@intrinsiccinema7374]

I remember watching a guy on KZbin about 2 years ago and confessed that he purchased a RED camera and said the images did nt come out good because he did nt know how to use it properly, so people raving about their what camera they have does nt mean anything when you dont know how to use I respect holly during the 40's to 90's they know lighting

[@burritobrosvideos8060]

It really came down to editing for me. The medium format cameras have more color information. N9t having color shifting while raising shadows or pulling down highlights is a savior for editing.

[@BrianSFischer]

I shoot with a 645z, and it's wonderful. I don't need 102mp, but, IBIS and up-to-date lenses make the Fuji tempting.

[@aLittlePal]

645D user here. feeling the same on GFX.

[@BRZDR]

My first Dslr was a Pentax K-x and it was glorious. Got it used for cheap, it took AA batteries!, and I fell in love with photography. Moved to the Pentax K3 in 2014 and it's still my work horse. I travel and shoot with the Pentax KP. He is absolutely correct about knowing your system and knowing your cameras interfaces. Fall in love with whatever camera system you have and your pictures will be better for it.

[@k.j.h.68]

09:45 A7RIV and GFX is the same Pic...

[@Huginn1000]

+

[@andy-berndt]

This was definitely the best video about pros and cons of sensor sizes! Great work!

[@vistek]

Thanks Andy!!

[@trojanhman8136]

As a beginner photographer, I am very happy with my used Nikon d700. The more I learn, the more I understand that this is probably the best stills camera for the money.

[@neerajnongmaithem392]

Dayum you call yourself a beginner and have a d700, I still use my d5100 🥲

[@Lu-gm9mx]

@@neerajnongmaithem392 luckily for you, full frame is getting cheaper, get on it.

[@mattflynn6328]

That D700 is an amazing camera. 12mp is enough.

[@amermeleitor]

I hope Nikon one day will use a 44mmx33mm sensor in its Z mount.

[@vinhsanity]

The GFX100 and 100s has such a subtle highlight falloff that’s amazing. But the average client won’t notice unless there’s a side by side. I’m still holding off for a few years before going GFX though

[@castielvargastv7931]

Customer does not need to nitice it but they will notice the picture being very very good and this is what counts

[@ladydara7446]

I am still waiting to see someone shoot butterflies with a GFX100S, a subject where you always want more detail.

[@godsinbox]

living butterflies? woah

[@acmdv]

I'd take the soon to be announced Fujifilm GFX 50SII over a Sony, Canon or Nikon Full-Frame. I use an X-T4 which suites me just fine for most of what I shoot, but that extra resolution, pixel colour depth and sensor size of the GFX system is what draws me to the medium format system rather than a full-frame option even with a similar or higher MP count.

[@smaakjeks]

13:18 - Oh wow, I love this image!

[@1985recon]

Yeah...that one is special.