Introduction

Ease of Use

If you've ever wanted an X100-series fixed lens camera but been put off by the "small" APS-C sensor, then the new GFX 100RF is the ultimate upgrade, albeit one that costs many £$ more.

Clearly taking inspiration from 2024's X100VI, the 100RF somehow squeezes a medium-format sensor that's 4x bigger than an APS-C sensor into a body that's not that much larger or heavier than its popular APS-C sibling, whilst expanding further on the X100VI's distinctive design philosophy.

Unlike every GFX-series camera before it, the 100RF eschews the GFX interchangeable lens mount in favour of a fixed 35mm lens that provides an effective focal length of 28mm in full-frame terms.

Ditching the large GFX lens mount is the principal reason why this new model is so much smaller than its peers, weighing in at 735g with an SD card and battery, which is considerably less than the GFX50R even without a lens fitted.

Measuring 134 x 90 x 77mm, the 100RF even compares pretty favourably to the X100VI, which weighs 521g and measures 128 x 75 x 55mm.

Whilst this new GFX is obviously heavier and larger than its close APS-C relative, its size and heft definitely falls within the realms of being completely manageable on a day-to-day basis, and some users may actually find the larger footprint easier to handle.

There is an obvious trade-off of this particular GFX model in that you lose the versatility of being able to change the focal length by fitting a different lens.

For those photographers who desire more than just an effective 28mm wide-angle focal length, Fujifilm have somewhat offset this obvious limitation by providing easy access to three extra focal lengths - 36, 50 and 63mm - achieved by activating the Digital Tele-Converter function to crop into the 102 megapixel sensor.

The "extra" 36, 50 and 63mm focal lengths produce 66, 31 and 20 megapixel images respectively, so while you only get the full 102 megapixel resolution at the native 28mm setting, having the additional 36mm / 66mp, 50mm / 31mp and 63mm / 20mp on-board genuinely adds to this cameras versatility.

This is especially true because Fujifilm have incorporated a brand new digital teleconverter lever on the front of the 100RF which falls under your right forefinger and makes it a cinch to toggle between the four focal lengths.

This spring loaded lever moves left and right, toggling through the four options as you go, with 45, 63 and 80 displayed onscreen (but not 28) and the effective crop also clearly shown in the viewfinder/LCD screen.

It would have been nice to have a quicker way to return to 28mm, for example pushing the lever in, rather than having to toggle backwards, and the lever is completely redundant in video mode as you can only activate the various crop modes for stills.

On the whole, though, this is a very welcome, brand new addition to the X100 blueprint that we'd also like to see incorporated on the X100VII.

A less welcome change to the X100VI is the front command dial, which sits above the digital teleconverter lever and is similarly sized. Despite having a knurled textured grip, this dial is trickier to locate and use than the corresponding dial on the X100VI, and it's also no longer clickable either.

Stacked directly above the digital teleconverter lever on the bottom and the front command dial in the middle is the On/Off switch, into which is set the springy shutter release that's threaded to accept a soft shutter release button, just like on the X100VI.

More controls that have been inherited from the X100VI include the rocker lever located to the right of the lens barrel which by default adjusts the viewfinder mode, the exposure compensation dial on the far-right of the top-panel with +-3EV and Custom settings, and the large, tactile shutter speed dial with 1-4000th sec, Timer and Bulb settings.

Cleverly set into the shutter speed dial is the ISO speed dial, which is accessed by lifting up the outer ring. Rather surprisingly on such an expensive camera, though, the action of this ring was somewhat loose and inaccurate.

I also found it disconcerting that there was no click when moving through the ISO speeds, unlike the shutter speeds, which made it necessary to keep looking to find out which value I'd actually selected.

Having said that, if you typically shoot in manual mode you'll love being able to clearly see the aperture on the lens barrel and the shutter speed, ISO speed and exposure compensation on the top panel - all of the key exposure settings available at a glance without having to look at the LCD screen.

Completing the top panel is a flash hotshoe with multi-function support for various accessories as well as flashguns and a tiny, unmarked, customisable Function button to the right of the shutter button which by default turns face detection on and off.

Turning to the rear of the camera and there are more familiar X100-series controls in the form of a larger, chunky, knurled rear command dial, a shared AEL/AFL button, a tiny Quick menu button, and a thumb-operated AF joystick which proved to be a little "spongy" in use.

Below this is a column of four self-explanatory buttons - Menu/OK. Display/Back, Play and Drive/Delete. The latter one is the most important for videographers, as sadly the GFX 100RF doesn't have a Still/ Movie switch for changing between stills and video. Instead the Movie mode is buried away at the end of the Drive menu, just like on the X100VI, which has always been rather incongruous.

The camera does at least swap between dedicated in-camera menu systems when you change modes, so you don't have to scroll through excessive video options when all you want to do is photography, and vice versa, and the menu system for both disciplines is really well laid out.

Just like the GFX 100S II, the 100RF can record DCI 4K/30P or 1080/60p 4:2:2 10-bit video with no crop and up to 100 minutes of battery life in 4K.

There is a Digital IS mode available for video which can help stabilise hand-held footage, albeit with a 1.32x crop. Combined with a compatible HDMI recording device from Atomos or Blackmagic Design, 12-bit RAW video output can be recorded as Apple ProRes RAW or Blackmagic RAW. It also offers the F-Log 1/2 profiles with up to 14+ stops of dynamic range.

There are two brand new controls which you won't find on the X100VI, There's a new AF mode switch with S/C/M settings set flush into the rear of the camera, and perhaps more excitingly a control that we've never encountered before.

This is the brand new aspect ratio control, which looks like a large flat wheel set into the rear of the camera and has a knurled edge that lets you switch between the nine different aspect ratios, with the current one displayed from above in a small window.

This wheel has a very stiff action so there's no danger of inadvertently selecting the "wrong" ratio. 4:3 is the native ratio that utilises all 102 megapixels, with the eight other options (3:2, 16:9, 65:24, 17:6, 3:4, 1:1, 7:6, 5:4, and a custom option) all cropping into the sensor and only working for stills, just like the digital tele-converter.

By default choosing an aspect ratio other than the native 4:3 displays black bars around the blank areas of the frame, but you can more usefully change this using the rocker lever located to the right of the lens barrel which by default adjusts the viewfinder mode. Note that this system is also used for the various digital teleconverter focal lengths.

There's also a dimmed setting or one with white lines, both of which still display what is directly outside the current frame, therefore making it easier to see what may be about to enter the frame. These modes are very much like the optical viewfinder experience of the X100 and X-Pro series cameras.

Speaking of viewfinders, the GFX 100RF does not have a hybrid electronic/optical viewfinder like the X100 and X-Pro. Instead it inherits the excellent EVF from the GFX100S II which has a magnification of 0.84x, refresh rate of up to 100fps, and resolution of 5.76 million dots.

This simplifies the use of the GFX 100RF whilst undoubtedly making it cheaper to produce from Fujifilm's point of view, and the clever viewing mode system that mimics the hybrid optical viewfinder largely makes up for its absence.

Also notably absent on the 100RF is any form of stabilisation, either optical via the lens or in-body, which again makes it easier for Fujifilm to keep the camera small, light and (relatively) affordable.

This contrasts markedly with both the GFX 100S II which features five-axis in-body image stabilization (IBIS) that provides a compensation rating of up to 8 stops when certain specified lenses are used, and the X100VI which provides around 6 stops of compensation for both stills and video.

On the GFX100RF you'll need to be much more careful when using slower shutter speeds hand-held to avoid lack of sharpness, something that is compounded by the 102 megapixel sensor. It also means that this model doesn't have the 400-megapixel Pixel Shift Multi-Shot mode offered by other GFX cameras, which employ the IBIS unit to produce those composite images.

This camera actually has two kinds of shutter, mechanical and electronic. When using its mechanical leaf shutter, it has a top shutter-speed limit of 1/4000th second in all shooting modes.

The use of a leaf shutter has two main benefits. It can sync flashes all the way up to 1/4000th second, whereas the focal plane shutter on the GFX100S II is limited to 1/125th, and it helps eliminate vibrations, which somewhat negates the lack of stabilisation when hand-holding the camera at slow shutter speeds (but not completely).

The 100RF offers exactly the same AI subject detection auto-focus modes as the GFX 100S II which allow you to choose between animals, birds, automobiles, motorcycles and bikes, aeroplanes and trains. There's no Auto option as featured on recent X-series bodies though, so you do have to specifically choose which of those you want to track from the Subject Detection Setting menu, but you can easily register different settings to the camera's various custom modes.

The GFX100RF has a very similar 2-way tilting LCD screen to the X100VI that makes it easier to shoot at both waist-level and whilst holding the camera above your head. It can be tilted down to 45˚ and pulled further away when turned upwards, but you can't tilt it out to the side, which would have been ideal for video use.

The panel is higher resolution, though, 2.1M dots on the GFX100RF versus 1.62M dots on the X100VI, while the 4:3 aspect ratio perfectly matches the medium-format sensor so you don't get any black bars above and below the frame as on the APS-C models.

Fujifilm have also gone to great lengths to effectively hide the LCD panel by making an incredibly thin screen that sits flush against the rear of the camera. Indeed, if it wasn't for the slight indent and tab in the bottom left corner that's used for pulling it outwards, you'd probably think that the screen was fixed in place.

On the left-hand flank of the camera is a single plastic flap that houses the 3.5mm microphone and headphone jacks, USB-C port and Micro HDMI connection.

The GFX100RF can be powered and charged via the USB-C connection, which is useful if you're out and about and have a compatible power-bank to plug the camera into. It uses the newer Type C standard which also allows it to be used as a port for a external headphones via an adapter and as a standard UVC/UAC webcam.

This camera features both built-in wi-fi and Bluetooth connectivity. The latter option creates a constant, low-power connection between the camera and a smartphone/tablet to transfer images and video using the Fujifilm Camera Remote smartphone app.

The former allows you to remotely control the camera via either a 2.4Ghz or 5GHz wi-fi connection using a smartphone or tablet and the Fujifilm app, and transfer images and video from one device to the other.

On the right-hand flank is a lockable door that houses not one but two UHS-II SD memory card slots, which compares very favourably with the single SD memory card slot on the X100VI that's housed in the battery compartment on the bottom of the camera and which only supports the slower UHS-I standard.

Along with a threaded tripod mount, the battery compartment is located on the bottom of the camera. The GFX100RF uses an NP-W235 lithium-ion battery which provides 820 frame battery life according to stringent CIPA standards, which compares favourably to the X100VI and is very good for what is ostensibly a compact camera.

Just like the X100VI, the Fuji GFX 100RF is weather-sealed, something that further adds to its versatility as a go-anywhere street camera.

There is quite a big catch, though - whilst the camera body is fully weather-sealed out of the box, the lens isn't, requiring the fitting of the PRF-49 protective filter with the AR-X100 adapter ring to fully protect it from the elements.

Fujifilm have said that they didn't want to make the camera bigger and more expensive by making the lens weatherproof out-of-the-box. While this is commendable, having to fit accessories that make the camera bigger and heavier isn't exactly an ideal solution for anyone who want to shoot in the rain or dusty environments.

They do at least provide these accessories in the box, though, unlike the X100VI where they're expensive optional extras, and they also include a high quality rope-style shoulder strap and a very nice lens hood and cap.

Image Quality

All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 102 megapixel SuperFine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 50Mb.

The Fujifilm GFX 100RF produced images of outstanding quality during the review period.

This camera records noise-free JPEG images from ISO 40 all the way up to ISO 6400, with significant noise first appearing at ISO 12800.

The faster settings of ISO 25600 and 51200 are still usable, although we'd suggest avoid using the highest available setting of 102400 if possible.

The RAW files were also excellent, exhibiting more noise than the JPEGs but still producing very usable images from ISO 40-12800.

The Dynamic Range settings subtly improve detail in the shadows and highlights, while the various Film Simulation modes successfully emulate popular Fujifilm film stocks from the past, with the recent addition of Reala Ace bringing the total number to 20.

Noise

There are 13 main ISO settings available on the Fujifilm GFX 100RF, with the standard range running from ISO 80-12800 and the expanded range from 40-102400. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting for both JPEG and Raw formats.

JPEG	RAW
ISO 40	ISO 40
ISO 80	ISO 80
ISO 100	ISO 100
ISO 200	ISO 200
ISO 400	ISO 400
ISO 800	ISO 800
ISO 1600	ISO 1600
ISO 3200	ISO 3200
ISO 6400	ISO 6400
ISO 12800	ISO 12800
ISO 25600	ISO 25600
ISO 51200	ISO 51200
ISO 102400	ISO 102400

File Quality

The Fujifilm GFX 100RF has 3 different JPEG and HEIF file quality settings available, with SuperFine being the highest quality option for both formats, and it also supports Raw, with three levels of compression available. Here are some 100% crops which show the quality of the various options, with the overall file size shown in brackets.

SuperFine JPEG (39.1Mb)	SuperFine HEIF (14.4Mb)
Fine JPEG (17.8Mb)	Fine HEIF (6.8Mb)
Normal JPEG (9.4Mb)	Normal HEIF (4.2Mb)
Raw Uncompressed (208Mb)

Dynamic Range

The Fujifilm GFX 100RF has three dynamic range settings - 100% (on by default), 200%, and 400% - and an Auto setting if you want to let the camera take control.

These settings gradually increase the amount of detail visible in the shadow and highlight areas, with the side-effect of more noise appearing in the image.

Note that you can't actually turn this feature off. You also need to set the ISO to at least 320 if you want to access all three settings.

100%
200%
400%
Auto

Film Simulations

The Fujifilm GFX 100RF offers 20 different film simulation modes to help replicate the look of your favourite film stock from the past.

Provia / Standard

Velvia / Vivid

Astia / Soft

Classic Chrome

Reala Ace

Pro Neg. Hi

Pro Neg. Standard

Classic Neg.

Nostalgic Neg.

Eterna / Cinema

Eterna Bleach Bypass

Acros

Acros + Yellow Filter

Acros + Red Filter

Acros + Green Filter

Monochrome

Monochrome + Yellow Filter

Monochrome + Red Filter

Monochrome + Green Filter

Sepia

Multiple Exposure

The Fujifilm GFX 100RF's Multiple Exposure drive mode allows you to take two consecutive photos and combine them into one.

Focal Range

The 35mm fixed focal length provides an angle of view of 40 degrees, which is equivalent to 28mm on a 35mm full frame sensor.

35mm

Digital Tele-Converter

The Digital Teleconverter Lever on the front of the camera toggles between the native 35mm and cropped 45, 63 and 80mm equivalent focal lengths (28, 35, 50 and 63mm in 35mm terms).

35mm

45mm

63mm

80mm

Aspect Ratios

The Aspect Ratio dial lets you quickly select a frame shape, with nine different options available.

4:3

3:2

16:9

65:24

17:6

3:4

1:1

7:6

5:4

Chromatic Aberrations

Chromatic aberrations, typically seen as blue or purple fringes along contrasty edges, were not very apparent in our test shots, only appearing in very high contrast areas.

Vignetting

With the lens set to its maximum aperture of f/4, there is only some very mild light fall-off in the corners in both the JPEG and Raw files.

Distortion

The Fujifilm GFX 100RF exhibits very mild barrel distortion in both the JPEG and Raw files, which you may need to correct in post-processing.

Sunstars and Flare

The GFX 100RF's lens produces nice sunstars when stopped-down to f/22, as shown below, and flare is fairly well controlled when shooting directly into the sun.

Macro

The Fujifilm GFX 100RF offers a minimum focusing distance of 0.2m/0.66ft, which is fairly useful for macro subjects despite the wide-angle focal length.

Bokeh

Bokeh is a word used for the out-of-focus areas of a photograph, and is usually described in qualitative terms, such as smooth / creamy / harsh etc.

In the GFX 100RF's lens, Fujifilm employed an iris diaphragm with 9 rounded blades, which has resulted in fairly appealing bokeh despite the slowish maximum aperture of f/4.

We do realise, however, that bokeh evaluation is subjective, so we've included several examples for your perusal.

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Fujifilm GFX 100RF camera, which were all taken using the 102 megapixel Superfine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The Fujifilm GFX 100RF enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Fujifilm RAW (RAF) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movies & Video

Product Images

Conclusion

Fujiflm have successfully created a new photographer-focused camera that will appeal equally to current X100-series and GFX owners thanks to its clever blend of features and design from both platforms.

For the former, the 100RF offers all the benefits of a much larger, much higher resolution sensor in a body that's not unmanageably bigger or heavier. For the latter, it provides almost the full GFX experience in a much smaller, lighter shell that makes it a true all-day companion.

It should also prove seriously tempting for anyone remotely interested in the more expensive Leica Q 43 with its 35mm full-frame sensor or other high-end compacts, not that there are too many of those.

The 100RF represents a pretty incredible feat of engineering, somehow squeezing a medium format sensor into a compact body that comes across like a chunky X100VI.

The fact that it has dual memory card slots, excellent battery life, great electronic viewfinder, excellent 28mm fixed lens and a plethora of external controls only adds further to its considerable charm.

Sure, there are inevitably a few spoilers, most notably the complete lack of stabilisation and slow maximum aperture of f/4 which makes good technique even more important, but the leaf shutter and the clean ISO performance both help out at slower speeds.

Some may bemoan the absence of the X100VI's hybrid electronic/optical viewfinder, but the excellent EVF on the 100RF makes the camera simpler to use and cheaper to produce.

Fujifilm have also intelligently leaned into the digital tele-converter and aspect ratios, providing new well-thought out controls and generally making them a more integrated part of the camera as a whole.

Although it offers 4K/30p video and 5fps burst shooting, the GFX 100RF is very much a thinking photographer's camera, one that lends itself to a more considered approach thanks to the complete suite of exposure controls that are available.

Value depends entirely on your own point of view. The 100RF is some £$3000 more expensive than an X100VI, but £$300 cheaper than a GFX 100S II without a lens. The Leica Q3 43 is a whopping £5900 / $6895 but does have a much faster lens.

Overall, we're smitten by the GFX 100RF. Its unique blend of medium-format image quality, compact lightweight body, well-thought out controls and surprising versatility more than make up for a few quirks. If it suits your particular photographic vision of landscapes, cityscapes and travel, then definitely add it to your (very) short-list...

Ratings (out of 5)
Design	5
Features	4.5
Ease-of-use	4.5
Image quality	5
Value for money	4.5

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Listed below are some of the rivals of the Fujifilm GFX 100RF.

Review Roundup

Reviews of the Fujifilm GFX 100RF from around the web.

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