The whole Fujifilm GFX 50S II in Florence series is available as a playlist: ua-cam.com/video/6PcVN7fpEes/v-deo.html - 4 episodes so far, 2 more to go.
Love to see people doing POVs here, I did two during the summer and I was really satisfied with all of the photos. Great video, love your photos! Cheers
Thank you so much. I am grateful for the appreciation and immensely proud that you visited my hometown and came back "really satisfied" ☺️ I'm showing a lot of Florence in this mini series so I hope all the videos match your expectations. Thank you!
Thanks a lot Jeff! The simulation was the new Nostalgic Neg released together with this new GFX 50S II but I don't think Fujifilm have made it available to other models as well yet. With the other settings, no software was compatible with the RAW files before the camera's public release so I could not review them. That's why you can't find them in my GFX50S II videos. But I don't think I ever went slower than 1/250s for street and had the aperture between f5.6 and f8 depending on the situations, adjusting the ISO for the available light.
Interesting. The info next to the pictures is correct, as per the EXIF data. Sometimes, like at 2:13, I have retraced my steps to get back where I shot the photo - but that is the exception in this video, not the norm. And I have switched lenses a few times: I had the 35-70mm, the 50mm and the 110mm in Florence... I suppose I just didn't shoot much video content with the other lenses 😅
Mate, I've had a drone for 4 years now 🤣 The timelapse at the end is taken in P mode as the lenses are much bigger than my usual and I didn't have filters for them. And that's from the JPEGs, I haven't even graded the RAWs yet. I think the camera responded well (as expected with its dynamic range). Cheers. I'll see you soon ☺️
@@fabienb oh did you ?Well no surprise I didn’t know that as if it’s over 250g you’re respectably not flying it in London👍🏻 It seems P mode on it worked great
I never fly in London, not even in my back garden because I live in Zone 1. And actually even the footage in Florence is not from the recent trip because regulations have changed there... Many just fly anywhere but you and I respect the rules 👍🏻
Hi Jordan. No I haven't had any issues with the AF speed and it's one of the features that has benefitted considerably from the new processor in this Mark II version. One problem I have with Fujifilm, but I have seen it happen with other brands as well, is when there is foliage in the background and I have continuous AF on: the foliage distracts the sensor and it becomes much easier to miss. It's happened in a few videos here too: with the X100V, XT2, XT4 and in photos I shot with this GFX 50S II. But like I said, it happens with other brands too.
This is so nostalgic. I miss Florence. 😍 I really love that city, too. I would love to go back there one day. I love all the colors in your photos and videos. So glad to have found your channel. I love that you always add the type of lenses you use while taking street photography. Do you only use GoPro to vlog? This might be too much to ask, but would you mind vlogging with Samyang 12mm Af fuji lens? :) You're amazing! 😍
Bonjour! Sorry it took me so long to get back to you! And thank you so much for sharing your love for my hometown Florence 😍! Vlog and iPhone are the main cameras I use to vlog. I tend not to use the Fuji or else because my arm gets tired after a while, even though the system is so light. Can't imagine how people do it with DSLRs! Also, when I vlog I normally show my camera when I shoot so that means I would need to have 2 in my hands! 😅 The 12mm could be interesting for vlogging though. Maybe :)
I know, right? To be fair, I believe they are made for different purposes, but Leica is more like a status symbol. I really can't say much about the Leica though, because it's the only camera brand I never shot with (not on purpose), but sometimes I feel the same way you do.
Hmmm, some nice deep streets, however I find you seriously underexposed the shots - why? in order to get more saturated colors? It's a bit of a cheap trick... At 10:39 I find it particulary strong. Does not look like a sunny day at all, more during a solar eclipse.
Oh my, what a great question. Thank you. It is a mix of factors and sometimes I'm just being over-cautious in trying to not blow up the highlights. But the majority of times this is deliberate: the photos are shot this way, not edited. The answer will be rather long and I suppose a video is now due as well, but I'll try to keep it within reasonable length. When I decided to dedicate myself to photography full time, I was fighting my way out of anxiety and depression and I was very much uncomfortable among other humans. In a way, to create such strong shadows was a means to shy away from a human connection: no eye contact, no faces. Then, while travelling a lot around the globe, I started to realise how different was the light in every place I visited, and I wanted to make this light the very subject of my photos. So even when you see the photo you refer to, my subject is not the guy moving into the light: it's the shape that the light creates when it hits his body. Or how this shape breaks another, sometimes tiny and fragile like the narrow wedges of light that are often in my photos. And in my mind, the way I can make this stand out is by erasing other details with a strong bold shadow and lots of contrast. I also come from years of Graphic Design so to break down everything into shapes comes naturally. There's a lot more complexity to it, in the way I see the light, as a consequence of my philosophical studies. I don't know if I'm conveying my vision effectively, you might think that I'm rubbish at producing what I just described and that's fair enough. But that's where I'm coming from. It doesn't mean I only shoot this way... My product photography, my commercial work, my landscapes, travel, etc are fun, colourful, with plenty of details. And also I'm in a much much better place with myself right now. But this is where this style of mine originated and I hope it makes sense to you and answers your question.
@@fabienb Oh Fabien, thank you for the long and honest answer. I really thought this was meant to mainly show off the DR and saturated colors in the best interest of Fujifilm, but your explanation makes totally sense. Interestingly enough, I can totally relate to what you say about shadows, silhouettes, and "wedges of light". I like this contrasty images, and, years ago I was in India with my camera where I loved to shoot in similarly deep, dark streets, even narrower than in Florence. At the time, funny enough, I had a Fujifilm S5pro, which, at the time, was the only camera that successfully took care of an enhanced dynamic range. In Old Delhi, in the very deep & narrow streets , it was so dark they partly needed electric bulbs, but here and there yet single sun beams hit the ground as well. Which made exactly the silhouettes and shades you talk about. The S5pro could cope with it, albeit at it's limits. Put this together with the wonderful Fuji colors, I love the photos, they are a bit like your's only less clean and more chaotic, due to the nature of India. I still have those pics online, but I cannot put external links in here (get deleted by Google). There you have it. Thanks again for your answer :-)
@@bernios3446 I really enjoyed having had the chance to word it out so thanks again for your curiosity. India has been on my radar for so long and I still haven't been able to visit, which is a real shame considering all I love in this world and the photos that I shoot. It will happen eventually. Maybe I'm just scared I will never be able to leave once I step foot there... The description of the street you mention sounds exactly like something I'd love to lose myself in :) Thank you.
I really appreciate this video, and the shots. Thank you. I am currently on a Sony A 7iii and am somewhat bored with the images it makes. This is the camera that has my eye right now, but I am a bit scared to jump to another system, and medium format. I am worried that it will be slow and frustrating for portraits, and street, and family shots. Do you think so? Thanks again
Thanks a lot for the appreciation! The jump from a fast mirrorless to medium format may be a bit of a shock indeed, like playing a different game with different rules. And if speed is something you absolutely need then it might take time to adjust... It's really just physics: being the sensor almost twice as large, the shutter needs to travel twice the length to close and take the photo so there's a limit to the speed it can travel. The 100S is powerful enough to do so in a mirrorless-like fashion (up to 6-7 photos per second) but the 50S II not so much (2-3) and older models definitely not (less than 1). My recommendation would be to try and rent it for a couple days to appreciate if it can work for you before you make the big jump.
@@fabienb grazie molte, caro amico. I’ve now done just what you suggested, and have rented this camera and a Nikon to test against my Sony. Your photos are wonderful. Thank you for sharing.
You are too kind, thank you ☺️ I hope you find what you look for. In terms of quality, medium format is unbeatable but it's not everyone's cup of tea. Just don't be discouraged and keep testing 👍🏻
What an ugly city ;) what time of day did you shoot and what months/week? light looks quite amazing and really works well with that old city vibe how did you enjoy handling the much larger camera (compared to your regular xt ones)? your hot take on the image quality (compared to xt series)?
☺️ This was during the second half of July (and the photo was before lunch time). I spent the whole month in Florence with the new camera and absolutely enjoyed it. The new GFX cameras have a smaller body that is only slightly larger than the XT4 and the experience is very similar so it wasn't much of a problem. I do talk about my hands-on experience a couple videos back so you can watch that for more details ☺️ The image quality is incomparable as the sensor is more than twice the size. The XT series keeps pushing quality of APS-C sensor to the max, but medium format is in a completely different ballpark. But then it's behind APS-C in terms of speed and a few other features.
@@fabienb guess i have to binge watch your older videos ;) would you say it would pay off for you to do street photography with the gfx given the size not being that much of an issue?
@@bosiefoobar In my street photography I like to capture the exact moment when someone moves between light and shadow. When the movement starts from a lit position it's easy, but if a person comes from the shadow it's much harder because with my settings I can't really see them, so I often rely on burst mode. As much as the GFX 50S II has improved since the Mark I version, 2-3 photos per second is not always fast enough so right now I would only use the 100S for street photography (7 photos per second). I also shoot a lot more video now, because, you know: UA-cam ;) And the GFX 50S II is too limited. In fact I don't talk about video at all in this mini-series.The 100S on the other hand is extremely capable and now even supports Blackmagic RAW, so again that would be my choice. Having said that, I would only recommend the GFX system to someone who likes to print their images regularly and possibly large (for themselves or clients). It's not an expense I would justify if the output is only social media. Even with the benefits in quality, low light, etc, it's overkill. :) But it's now small enough to be a viable option, for sure. See it in my hand at 3:34... It's compact! :)
@@fabienb thank you for the thourough follow up. shooting video for youtube on a 100S seems overkill too though ;) yea, i noticed the compactness at 3:34 but mostly of the lens. I haven't kept up with the gfx system but assumed incorrectly that it has by far larger lenses. that almost looks like a pancake ;)
@@bosiefoobar yes, so Fujifilm have now managed to shrink the size of the body with the 100S and 50S II (exact same body) and some lenses are also quite compact. The 50mm you saw there is probably the smallest but the new 35-70mm kit lens is almost as small. They are of course much larger though, I think the smallest filter thread for the lenses I had with me was 82mm ☺️ I think Fujifilm is moving to the right direction, as the improved portability means that medium format doesn't have to be relegated in a studio or on a big tripod anymore :)
The whole Fujifilm GFX 50S II in Florence series is available as a playlist: ua-cam.com/video/6PcVN7fpEes/v-deo.html - 4 episodes so far, 2 more to go.
What a beautiful place, I really must visit, great images btw Fabien 👌
You most definitely should! It doesn't require a long stay to appreciate most of it... come on do it!
Love to see people doing POVs here, I did two during the summer and I was really satisfied with all of the photos. Great video, love your photos! Cheers
Thank you so much. I am grateful for the appreciation and immensely proud that you visited my hometown and came back "really satisfied" ☺️ I'm showing a lot of Florence in this mini series so I hope all the videos match your expectations. Thank you!
Grande... Mi piace molto il tuo modo di fare street...
Grazie mille davvero! Mi raccomando se hai domande non esitare ☺️
Your pictures are great. Can you share your settings, AF, film sim setting (if any), etc.
Thanks a lot Jeff! The simulation was the new Nostalgic Neg released together with this new GFX 50S II but I don't think Fujifilm have made it available to other models as well yet. With the other settings, no software was compatible with the RAW files before the camera's public release so I could not review them. That's why you can't find them in my GFX50S II videos. But I don't think I ever went slower than 1/250s for street and had the aperture between f5.6 and f8 depending on the situations, adjusting the ISO for the available light.
Good spot / city for street photography there Fabien
Mate, Florence is amazing for everything! ☺️ You should visit!
@@fabienb Hope to some day mate
Great city abd great video 🤗📸
Thank you Mehmet. Now post your 1-minute Florence! I want to see it!
@@fabienb it is coming this tuesday 😊
Ooooohhhhh finally!
Why is every picture stated (at least the first few minutes of the video) with a 35-70 lens, but in the video one can see the 50mm 3.5?
Interesting. The info next to the pictures is correct, as per the EXIF data. Sometimes, like at 2:13, I have retraced my steps to get back where I shot the photo - but that is the exception in this video, not the norm. And I have switched lenses a few times: I had the 35-70mm, the 50mm and the 110mm in Florence... I suppose I just didn't shoot much video content with the other lenses 😅
When did you get a drone ? Cool shots and that timelapse at the end so good
Mate, I've had a drone for 4 years now 🤣
The timelapse at the end is taken in P mode as the lenses are much bigger than my usual and I didn't have filters for them. And that's from the JPEGs, I haven't even graded the RAWs yet. I think the camera responded well (as expected with its dynamic range). Cheers. I'll see you soon ☺️
@@fabienb oh did you ?Well no surprise I didn’t know that as if it’s over 250g you’re respectably not flying it in London👍🏻 It seems P mode on it worked great
I never fly in London, not even in my back garden because I live in Zone 1. And actually even the footage in Florence is not from the recent trip because regulations have changed there... Many just fly anywhere but you and I respect the rules 👍🏻
My favourite shot is at 11.40 and it's not a street photo, but I don't think you are surprised. :D
I don't think I am ☺️ Thanks Rob!
How is the auto focus speed? Did it present any issues?
Hi Jordan. No I haven't had any issues with the AF speed and it's one of the features that has benefitted considerably from the new processor in this Mark II version.
One problem I have with Fujifilm, but I have seen it happen with other brands as well, is when there is foliage in the background and I have continuous AF on: the foliage distracts the sensor and it becomes much easier to miss. It's happened in a few videos here too: with the X100V, XT2, XT4 and in photos I shot with this GFX 50S II. But like I said, it happens with other brands too.
This is so nostalgic. I miss Florence. 😍 I really love that city, too. I would love to go back there one day. I love all the colors in your photos and videos. So glad to have found your channel. I love that you always add the type of lenses you use while taking street photography. Do you only use GoPro to vlog? This might be too much to ask, but would you mind vlogging with Samyang 12mm Af fuji lens? :) You're amazing! 😍
Bonjour! Sorry it took me so long to get back to you! And thank you so much for sharing your love for my hometown Florence 😍!
Vlog and iPhone are the main cameras I use to vlog. I tend not to use the Fuji or else because my arm gets tired after a while, even though the system is so light. Can't imagine how people do it with DSLRs! Also, when I vlog I normally show my camera when I shoot so that means I would need to have 2 in my hands! 😅
The 12mm could be interesting for vlogging though. Maybe :)
Why anyone would pay 6000-7000 for a Leica, or a mirrorless full frame when you can have a gfx monster is beyond me
I know, right? To be fair, I believe they are made for different purposes, but Leica is more like a status symbol. I really can't say much about the Leica though, because it's the only camera brand I never shot with (not on purpose), but sometimes I feel the same way you do.
Hmmm, some nice deep streets, however I find you seriously underexposed the shots - why? in order to get more saturated colors? It's a bit of a cheap trick... At 10:39 I find it particulary strong. Does not look like a sunny day at all, more during a solar eclipse.
Oh my, what a great question. Thank you.
It is a mix of factors and sometimes I'm just being over-cautious in trying to not blow up the highlights. But the majority of times this is deliberate: the photos are shot this way, not edited. The answer will be rather long and I suppose a video is now due as well, but I'll try to keep it within reasonable length.
When I decided to dedicate myself to photography full time, I was fighting my way out of anxiety and depression and I was very much uncomfortable among other humans. In a way, to create such strong shadows was a means to shy away from a human connection: no eye contact, no faces.
Then, while travelling a lot around the globe, I started to realise how different was the light in every place I visited, and I wanted to make this light the very subject of my photos. So even when you see the photo you refer to, my subject is not the guy moving into the light: it's the shape that the light creates when it hits his body. Or how this shape breaks another, sometimes tiny and fragile like the narrow wedges of light that are often in my photos.
And in my mind, the way I can make this stand out is by erasing other details with a strong bold shadow and lots of contrast.
I also come from years of Graphic Design so to break down everything into shapes comes naturally.
There's a lot more complexity to it, in the way I see the light, as a consequence of my philosophical studies.
I don't know if I'm conveying my vision effectively, you might think that I'm rubbish at producing what I just described and that's fair enough. But that's where I'm coming from.
It doesn't mean I only shoot this way... My product photography, my commercial work, my landscapes, travel, etc are fun, colourful, with plenty of details. And also I'm in a much much better place with myself right now. But this is where this style of mine originated and I hope it makes sense to you and answers your question.
@@fabienb Oh Fabien, thank you for the long and honest answer. I really thought this was meant to mainly show off the DR and saturated colors in the best interest of Fujifilm, but your explanation makes totally sense. Interestingly enough, I can totally relate to what you say about shadows, silhouettes, and "wedges of light".
I like this contrasty images, and, years ago I was in India with my camera where I loved to shoot in similarly deep, dark streets, even narrower than in Florence. At the time, funny enough, I had a Fujifilm S5pro, which, at the time, was the only camera that successfully took care of an enhanced dynamic range. In Old Delhi, in the very deep & narrow streets , it was so dark they partly needed electric bulbs, but here and there yet single sun beams hit the ground as well. Which made exactly the silhouettes and shades you talk about. The S5pro could cope with it, albeit at it's limits. Put this together with the wonderful Fuji colors, I love the photos, they are a bit like your's only less clean and more chaotic, due to the nature of India. I still have those pics online, but I cannot put external links in here (get deleted by Google).
There you have it. Thanks again for your answer :-)
@@bernios3446 I really enjoyed having had the chance to word it out so thanks again for your curiosity.
India has been on my radar for so long and I still haven't been able to visit, which is a real shame considering all I love in this world and the photos that I shoot. It will happen eventually. Maybe I'm just scared I will never be able to leave once I step foot there... The description of the street you mention sounds exactly like something I'd love to lose myself in :) Thank you.
I enjoyed that Fabian. That city 😍, that light 😍. Those photos 😍. 👏👏👏
Thanks mate, you're really kind. Glad you enjoyed it 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I really appreciate this video, and the shots. Thank you. I am currently on a Sony A 7iii and am somewhat bored with the images it makes. This is the camera that has my eye right now, but I am a bit scared to jump to another system, and medium format. I am worried that it will be slow and frustrating for portraits, and street, and family shots. Do you think so? Thanks again
Thanks a lot for the appreciation! The jump from a fast mirrorless to medium format may be a bit of a shock indeed, like playing a different game with different rules. And if speed is something you absolutely need then it might take time to adjust... It's really just physics: being the sensor almost twice as large, the shutter needs to travel twice the length to close and take the photo so there's a limit to the speed it can travel.
The 100S is powerful enough to do so in a mirrorless-like fashion (up to 6-7 photos per second) but the 50S II not so much (2-3) and older models definitely not (less than 1).
My recommendation would be to try and rent it for a couple days to appreciate if it can work for you before you make the big jump.
@@fabienb grazie molte, caro amico. I’ve now done just what you suggested, and have rented this camera and a Nikon to test against my Sony. Your photos are wonderful. Thank you for sharing.
You are too kind, thank you ☺️ I hope you find what you look for. In terms of quality, medium format is unbeatable but it's not everyone's cup of tea. Just don't be discouraged and keep testing 👍🏻
What an ugly city ;) what time of day did you shoot and what months/week? light looks quite amazing and really works well with that old city vibe
how did you enjoy handling the much larger camera (compared to your regular xt ones)? your hot take on the image quality (compared to xt series)?
☺️ This was during the second half of July (and the photo was before lunch time). I spent the whole month in Florence with the new camera and absolutely enjoyed it.
The new GFX cameras have a smaller body that is only slightly larger than the XT4 and the experience is very similar so it wasn't much of a problem. I do talk about my hands-on experience a couple videos back so you can watch that for more details ☺️
The image quality is incomparable as the sensor is more than twice the size. The XT series keeps pushing quality of APS-C sensor to the max, but medium format is in a completely different ballpark. But then it's behind APS-C in terms of speed and a few other features.
@@fabienb guess i have to binge watch your older videos ;)
would you say it would pay off for you to do street photography with the gfx given the size not being that much of an issue?
@@bosiefoobar In my street photography I like to capture the exact moment when someone moves between light and shadow. When the movement starts from a lit position it's easy, but if a person comes from the shadow it's much harder because with my settings I can't really see them, so I often rely on burst mode.
As much as the GFX 50S II has improved since the Mark I version, 2-3 photos per second is not always fast enough so right now I would only use the 100S for street photography (7 photos per second).
I also shoot a lot more video now, because, you know: UA-cam ;) And the GFX 50S II is too limited. In fact I don't talk about video at all in this mini-series.The 100S on the other hand is extremely capable and now even supports Blackmagic RAW, so again that would be my choice.
Having said that, I would only recommend the GFX system to someone who likes to print their images regularly and possibly large (for themselves or clients).
It's not an expense I would justify if the output is only social media. Even with the benefits in quality, low light, etc, it's overkill. :)
But it's now small enough to be a viable option, for sure. See it in my hand at 3:34... It's compact! :)
@@fabienb thank you for the thourough follow up. shooting video for youtube on a 100S seems overkill too though ;)
yea, i noticed the compactness at 3:34 but mostly of the lens. I haven't kept up with the gfx system but assumed incorrectly that it has by far larger lenses. that almost looks like a pancake ;)
@@bosiefoobar yes, so Fujifilm have now managed to shrink the size of the body with the 100S and 50S II (exact same body) and some lenses are also quite compact. The 50mm you saw there is probably the smallest but the new 35-70mm kit lens is almost as small. They are of course much larger though, I think the smallest filter thread for the lenses I had with me was 82mm ☺️
I think Fujifilm is moving to the right direction, as the improved portability means that medium format doesn't have to be relegated in a studio or on a big tripod anymore :)