The Fujifilm GFX 100S is rumored to be "about as big" as the current Fujifilm GFX 50S – but it will have a 100MP sensor
(Image credit: Fujifilm)
UPDATE: There has recently been new reports regarding the Fujifilm GFX camera that's rumored to be arriving in 2021. According to Fuji Rumors, the new GFX camera will be called the Fujifilm GFX 100S. Fuji Rumors states that the decision to title this upcoming camera the 'GFX 100S' rather than the 'GFX 100R' seems to indicate that it will be "DLSR styled and not rangefinder styled".
While a DSLR-styled GFX 100S sounds interesting, the rangefinder design on some Fujifilm cameras is extremely popular. The Fujifilm GFX 50R was the smallest and lightest medium format camera for quite some time and a Fujifilm GFX 100R would have been quite incredible. The odds are that it's probably quite difficult to produce a small rangefinder-style medium format camera with IBIS (in-body image stabilization). In the meantime, however, a smaller version of the current GFX 100, could still be great for a wide range of customers.
ORIGINAL: New rumors suggest that Fujifilm is working on producing a significantly smaller 100MP medium format GFX camera. This new body will apparently be a similar size to the Fujifilm GFX 50S, with the benefit of having an in-body image stabilization (IBIS) unit included as well.
The current Fujifilm GFX 100 has an IBIS unit that's currently too big to fit in the smaller Fujifilm GFX 50S cameras. This is actually one of the primary reasons why the Fujifilm GFX 100 is so comparatively large, as it needs room to fit the IBIS technology inside.
Fortunately, this may not be the case for long, as a report from FujiRumors confirms that Fujifilm has managed to substantially reduce the size of both the camera and the IBIS unit. If this intriguing rumor turns out to be true, then medium format photographers will soon be able to have the compact body of the Fujifilm GFX 50S and the megapixel power and IBIS of the Fujifilm GFX 100.
Interestingly, this isn't the first time that Fujifilm has had to reengineer an IBIS unit to fit a smaller body. In 2018, Fujifilm produced the Fujifilm X-H1 in response to its inability to place an IBIS unit in the latest update to the X-T series, the Fujifilm X-T3. The X-H1 was significantly larger and heavier than the beloved X-T series, which left some photographers unhappy. Luckily the Fujifilm X-T4 was released in April 2020, boasting IBIS and a similar body to its compact predecessors.
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It seems like Fujifilm is looking to do the same with its medium format system of cameras. At present, the Fujifilm GFX 100 could be considered unwieldy when compared to its smaller brothers. However, that might not be the case for long…
Usman is a commercial and architectural photographer based in West Yorkshire, who has been working professionally for over seven years. He has also spent over four years as a writer for the biggest photography sites in the world, including Staff Writer for Digital Camera World, senior staff writer for FStoppers, and tech writer for Petapixel.
With a particular interest in technology developments, high-resolution imaging and the high-end cameras, Usman has been on the cutting edge of camera news as well as writing features about medium format systems and global shutters, and has reviewed some of the latest Leica cameras as well as a tripod that’s even taller than Andre the Giant!
