FUJIFILM GFX 100S AND X-E4

Fujifilm GFX 100S and X-E4

Fujifilm has announced two new cameras: the GFX 100S medium format mirrorless camera, and the X-E4 an X series mirrorless APS-C sensor camera body. Both have an impressive specification seen in flagship models, squeezed into a smaller build. The full feature set of the GFX100 has been re-engineered to fit within the smaller, lighter body of the new GFX 100S. In a similar fashion the X-E4 has the same sensor and processor as the flagship X-Pro3, again in a more compact design.

Both camera bodies are more affordable then their flagship counterparts making them lighter on the wallet as well as lighter in your camera bag.

New Fujifilm camera bodies: GFX100S (left), X-E4 (right)

Fujifilm GFX100S Features

The GFX100S has at its heart a 102 megapixel medium format sensor. The sensors in the Fujifilm GFX series are 1.7x larger than the full-frame 35mm sensor seen in Canon, Sony and Nikon flagship bodies. Medium format digital sensors offer a different quality of image closer to that achieved with medium format analogue camera bodies such as the film cameras from Hasselblad, Mamiya and Fujifilm in the past. A large lens mount is needed for such a large sensor and the GFX100S has a reinforced chassis which is 1mm thicker around the mount while the camera is overall 500g lighter than the GFX100. The increased density at the lens mount gives greater support for larger GF lenses.

X-Processor 4 is the engine behind the impressive 102 megapixel sensor. It powers the on-sensor phase detection auto-focus making this camera versatile, accurate and very fast. The shutter unit has been re-designed and the in-body image stabilisation (IBIS) unit is a new design which is 20% smaller and 10% lighter than the IBIS in the GFX100 while delivering 6 stops of image stabilisation.

The large sensor is also capable of recording 4k30p video at 16:9 or 17:9 aspect ratios, and can record 10 bit F-Log to an internal SD card or output 12bit ProRes RAW via the HDMI port to an external recorder. 12 bit RAW footage can be output via HDMI to an Atomos Ninja V recorder to eliminate in-camera image processing and offer you freedom to make decision in post.

Fujifilm X-E4 Features

The Fujifilm X-E4 is a lightweight, rangefinder-styled camera built around the latest X-Trans 26.1MP CMOS 4 sensor and the X-Processor 4. With Fujifilm’s latest sensor and processor combined the X-E4 inherits features from the most recent Fujifilm cameras, including an updated AF system, 4K video recording and fast burst shooting rates. If you shoot to JPEG, there are now eighteen of Fujifilm’s film simulation modes to choose from.

The X-E4 has a tilting LCD screen which can be flipped to 180 degrees for forward facing monitoring. The AF system can achieve focus in 0.02 seconds and uses an advanced tracking algorithm to hold focus on moving subjects.

When recording video the X-E4 oversamples 6k footage to record 4k30p 4:2:0 8-bit in camera, or to output 4k30p 4:2:2 10-bit via HDMI.

SONY A1 Camera

Sony A1

The Sony A1 is a high resolution, high speed, mirrorless camera body with some impressive headline specifications and some remarkable technology under the bonnet. Built for professional photographers and videographers the A1 has something to suit photographers covering everything from weddings to wildlife via sports, portraits and news. Whether used for stills, video or both, there are features that will appeal to everyone.

Sony A1 Features

The Sony A1 specification exceeds any expectation of what a flagship camera body can offer. Sony has thrown out the notion of a trade off between shooting speed and resolution by combining a 50 megapixel sensor and a burst rate of 30 frames per second.

50.1 Megapixel Sensor

The high resolution sensor allows photographers to crop into their images without sacrificing detail. The sensor feeds in to an upgraded BIONZ XR image processor with eight times the processing power of the BIONZ X engines in previous Sony bodies. The 50.1 megapixel sensor exceeds the requirement for 8k video recording (which is 33.1 megapixels in photography-talk).

30 frames per second blackout-free continuous shooting

The impressive processing power of the camera is able to record 50 megapixel images at 30 frames per second while delivering a constant feed of image information to the electronic viewfinder so that you can view your composition throughout shooting. With the capacity to record high resolution still images at 30fps the Sony A1 can also record 8K 30p video and lower resolution 4K 120p for slow-motion.

Fast sensor readout for high speed AF and AE

The new sensor and processor enables 120 AF/AE calculations per second even while recording images at 30 frames per second. This means the Sony A1 will continuously track subjects and can adjust for flickering artificial lighting steadily, while taking a burst of photographs. To put this in context this is twice as responsive as the Sony A9 II camera body, the high speed camera lunched by Sony at the end of 2019. The Real-time Eye AF for humans and animals is improved, and a new Realtime Eye AF for birds has been added to the AF system.

High speed electronic and mechanical shutter

Sony have improved features in both their mechanical and electronic shutter systems. The electronic shutter provides silent and vibration-free shooting. Both the electronic and mechanical shutter offer anti-flicker shooting. For the first time in the Sony Alpha series the electronic shutter is compatible with flash synchronisation up to a sync speed of 1/200th sec. The mechanical shutter synchronises up to 1/400th sec, faster than any other full-frame digital camera.

Connectivity: Wi Fi, Ethernet and SuperSpeed USB

Filing your images, or transmitting footage is fast with a variety of connection options. Sports photographers working in press centres can file images via 1000BASE-T Ethernet LAN connection direct from camera. If you are on the move you can use built-in WiFi to send files from the camera. High Speed USB Type-C connection allows tethered shooting to a PC for smooth transfer of large files.

SONY FE 35MM F1.4 G MASTER LENS

Sony FE 35mm f1.4 G Master Lens

Sony has launched a new full frame G Master prime lens: Sony FE 35mm f1.4 G Master. A wide angle lens in the manufacturer’s premium G Master range, featuring the latest in lens-making technology for exceptionally sharp images. 35mm lenses go hand in hand with reportage style photography; this new lens from Sony is equally capable of recording general views and natural looking portraits.

To see more of the Sony lens range visit our Sony lens guide.

 

Close Focusing

Sony has refined the focus system to deliver a close focusing distance of 27cm which adds product photography potential to an already versatile lens.

This sample image from Sony highlights both the crisp plane of focus that this lens achieves and the smooth de-focused elements both in front and behind the focal plane. The sense of perspective is heightened because of the 35mm focal length.

 

 

 

Professional Build and Controls

Sony G Master lenses are built for professional use and the FE 35mm f1.4 G Master is no exception. The lens has dust and moisture seals to withstand use in tough conditions. The lens also has many controls to make it easier to use:

  1. Focus Ring
  2. Focus Hold button – to lock focus and re-compose or to start continuous tracking focus. This button can be customised in the camera menu to allow fast access to a range of different settings.
  3. Focus Switch Manual / Autofocus
  4. Aperture ring with aperture scale
  5. Aperture click switch – this removes the aperture clicking into each stop for seamless f-stop adjustment ideal for video.

 

 

Smooth Bokeh

The smooth bokeh is another hallmark of Sony G Master lens production technologies. XA lens elements (Extreme Aspherical), improved surface finishing on the elements, and an 11 blade aperture, combine to remove aberrations within out of focus parts of the image for the smoothest blur possible. In the portrait below the bookcase backdrop and lighting elements in the room are outside the plane of focus but the highlights do not have distracting geometric shapes which are produced by lenses with fewer aperture blades.

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