Fujifilm GFX100 II Review: 102MP Medium Format That Handles Like a Modern Hybrid

Medium format used to mean slow, heavy and fussy. Big sensor, amazing files, and a camera you used on a tripod with a lot of patience. The Fujifilm GFX100 II, launched in September 2023 at about $7,500, pushes back against all of that. It has a 102MP sensor much larger than full frame, and it also shoots 8 frames per second, records 8K video and has modern subject-detection autofocus.

The sensor measures 43.8 by 32.9 millimeters, about 1.7 times the area of a full-frame chip. More area means more light gathered, smoother tonal transitions and a look that’s hard to fake with smaller formats.

Video review: Christopher Frost

The files

102 megapixels of detail, with excellent dynamic range and color. Landscapes hold detail from deep shadows to bright skies. Studio portraits and product shots have a depth and smoothness that stands out at large print sizes. A pixel-shift mode combines multiple frames into a 400MP image of still subjects.

In-body stabilization is rated at 8 stops, which makes handheld shooting at 102MP practical in decent light.

Faster than medium format has any right to be

8 fps with the mechanical shutter. Subject-detection autofocus for people, animals, birds and vehicles, a big step up from the earlier GFX bodies. It won’t replace a sports camera, but for street portraits, events and travel it keeps up.

The removable viewfinder has 9.44 million dots and 1.0x magnification, one of the best views in any camera. There’s a three-way tilting rear screen and a top status LCD.

Serious video

8K at 30p (with a crop), 5.8K anamorphic-style cinema modes up to 60p, 4K at 60p, internal ProRes 422 HQ, 422 and LT, and recording directly to an external SSD over USB-C. 12-bit raw goes out over HDMI to Atomos or Blackmagic recorders. For productions wanting a large-format look on a budget, it’s a strong option.

Card slots are one CFexpress Type B and one SD UHS-II. The NP-W235 battery is good for about 540 shots by CIPA.

The catches

Price and weight. Around $7,500 for the body, and about 1 kilogram with the viewfinder attached. GF lenses are big and expensive too.

102MP files are huge. You need fast cards, lots of storage and a powerful computer.

Autofocus and burst speed are good for medium format but behind full-frame flagships like the Nikon Z8 or Canon R5 Mark II.

Who should buy it

Landscape, architecture, fashion, studio and fine-art photographers who print large. Commercial shooters who need maximum detail for clients. Filmmakers who want large-format video without cinema-camera prices.

If you want the same sensor in a smaller, cheaper body, the GFX100S II costs much less and drops some speed and video features. If you mostly shoot action, stay with full frame. For the best image quality you can carry around comfortably, the GFX100 II is hard to beat.