The Fujifilm GFX 50S II is the perfect introduction to medium-format mirrorless photography. The image sensor is 1.7x bigger than a standard 35mm full-frame sensor and boasts a staggering 51.4MP in stills resolution. Combined, this allows for stunning, highly detailed images that can be blown up to enormous sizes without losing quality.
With a genuine saving of $800 at three of the big camera retail players, Adorama, B&H Photo and Amazon, this could be the time to buy. While the discounted price of $3199 still isn't by any means cheap, a 20% saving is not to be sniffed at if you've been holding out for a good deal, and astonishingly it sits at the cheaper end of the prestigious medium-format market.
One notable characteristic of this camera is the lack of dedicated ISO and Shutter Speed dials. Instead, the dials have been replaced with one PASM dial allowing six custom setups. There is also a dedicated switch to flick between movie and stills shooting. If you're used to dials, this may take some getting used to, but once you've mastered it, you'll appreciate the simple one-handed operation.
A large LCD monitor on the top shows you all the vital settings (rather than having individual dials for each). This makes the body sleeker and less cluttered. There is also a dedicated switch to flick between movie and stills shooting.
The rear LCD screen is a 3.2-inch touchscreen with a three-directional tilt. Though we are generally big fans of fully articulating screens, the three directions to which you can angle this screen will cover most bases, especially for astrophotographers.
The impressive 6.5 stops of 5-axis in-body stabilization (IBIS) system means you can shoot at much slower shutter speeds than you would dare to without this technology. It isn't crucial to carry a tripod around in case of unfavorable lighting conditions, because the IBIS means you can achieve sharp longer exposures without one. You can also achieve focus at up to -3EV.
The Fujifilm GFX 50S II has impressive face and eye detection, useful if you're shooting weddings or special events with lots of people, where you want to quickly focus on someone's face to capture that fleeting moment of emotion. The autofocus and tracking are fast and accurate, so you can be assured of pleasing results if using this camera for sports, wildlife or action photography as well.
Like the XT-30 II mentioned earlier, the GFX 50 II comes with inbuilt film simulations and stills filters, so you can create and enhance your videos and photos without them ever leaving the camera, minimizing post-shoot processing and speeding up sharing time.
Overall, this compact and portable medium-format camera can do just about anything you want it to. It can also be used in all environments thanks to its weather-resistant construction.
Check out our Fujifilm X-T4 review for a more affordable mirrorless option from Fujifilm and the Fujifilm XT-30 Mk II which would suit budding travel photographers with a modest budget.
Be sure to check out Space.com's Black Friday deals page, or our guide to the Best cameras for photos and videos, Best cameras for astrophotography or Best Mirrorless Cameras for more mirrorless camera inspiration and deals.
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