Fujifilm's GFX 50R integrates a mid-size sensor into a rangefinder type housing

Fujifilm has announced an even more advanced, opulent and captivating solution: the 51.4-megapixel GFX 50R, which combines a mid-size sensor with a range finder body.

We rightly believe that full-frame cameras constitute the high-end and professional level of photographic equipment, but there is still one more step and the average format. Fujifilm's mirrorless GFX camera system – which debuted at Photokina 2016 with the GFX 50S – is built around a sensor 70 percent larger than a full frame format / 35 mm. To date, you can buy a GFX 50S at $ 5,850, body only, but the freshly unveiled and streamlined GFX 50R will be significantly cheaper, with a cost of $ 4,500 at launch in late November.

Photo: Fujifilm

Photo: Fujifilm

Photo: Fujifilm

By eliminating the faux-pentaprism hump that housed the generously sized electronic viewfinder of the 1950s, Fujifilm has reduced its medium-range shooter to its most portable format. You still get an OLED EVF on the new 50R, and the body is still waterproof, but now it's lighter than 145 grams (5.1oz). The thickness of the camera has been reduced by an inch compared to its predecessor, which requires the sacrifice of the monochrome LCD display at the top. The tradeoff is obvious: smaller and less comfortable orders are the price to pay for much smaller dimensions.

Photo: Fujifilm

Fujifilm will not replace the 50S by the 50R: the company seems convinced that it has drawn enough a line of differentiation between the two cameras to find a receptive audience for both. "The GFX 50R is a lighter, more compact model in the medium-format mirrorless system," said Yuji Igarashi, general manager of Fujifilm's imaging division in North America. . "As a sign of this desire to take medium-size shots on more portable applications, the GFX 50R also adds Bluetooth connectivity, allowing you to transfer photos to a nearby smartphone or tablet.

There are not many differences in specs between Fujifilm's mid-size cameras, but it's nice to see the digital interface of the new 50R getting upgraded to USB-C. This is the least we can expect from a new product so expensive.

The Fujifilm GFX 50R will go on sale at the end of November for $ 4,500.