Fujifilm GFX100RF Capsule Review: A Beautiful Disappointment?

by David Schloss

posted Friday, June 13, 2025 at 10:23 AM EDT

Fujifilm's new GFX100RF is a camera that evokes a golden age of photography, but it’s both powerful and confusing all at once

As a medium format camera with a compact, Leica-like body, the GFX100RF blends analog-style controls with cutting-edge tech at least on paper. But Fuji also makes head-scratching decisions that may leave photographers torn.

It's a particularly strange camera to have used. My father was a commercial photographer, and I grew up with analog cameras like the Nikon F, Leica M-series, and Hasselblad. Analog controls are in my photography DNA, and I love the look and feel of this camera.

But I also value the features that modern cameras use. The functionality of even today's entry-level cameras is mindblowing. The idea of combining state-of-the-art digital capabilities with analog controls has made me appreciate Fujifilm's cameras. I owned each of the first four X100 cameras, and while they weren't my everyday shooters, I took them on trips, errands, and days out hiking in the woods.

I was excited about the idea of combining the excellent functionality of the Fujifilm GFX lineup (which I love) with a Leica-style design.

In practice, the camera is too compromise-laden for me to use, and a major oversight prevents me from recommending it, even for hardcore Fuji shooters.

Watch Our Full Hands-on Review Video

In my video review of the Fujifilm GFX100RF, I explore the things I love about this camera, the things that give me pause, and the several serious issues that I find particularly heartbreaking.

A Questionable Function-Follows-Form Design

The GFX100RF stands out with its retro aesthetic, invoking the spirit of Fujifilm's X100 series and Leica's minimalist style. It is a striking camera. Fujifilm is known for its analog controls and tactile dials, and the GFX100RF doesn’t stray from that aesthetic. For photographers who value manual controls and a classic shooting experience, it's deeply satisfying. At its heart is Fuji through and through.

However, the camera's form-driven design doesn’t always match its function. While it feels like a street photographer's dream, it isn't quite cut out for that.

With no in-body image stabilization (IBIS), a fixed 28 mm-equivalent lens, and inconsistent autofocus, its real-world performance sometimes falls short, sometimes it falls way short.

The Good: What Works Well

The GFX100RF has many good features. The analog dials feel fantastic, the aperture ring has a satisfying click, and the camera's customizability is superb. Fujifilm's popular film simulations are, of course, in this camera, offering JPEG shooters instant access from Acros to Velvia.

Another standout feature is a built-in ND filter, especially for wide-open shooting in bright conditions. Having used the Sony ZV-1, which featured a variable ND filter, I wish every camera had one of these features.

You also get the benefit of a 102-megapixel medium format sensor, which promises massive resolution and dynamic range on paper, particularly if you're shooting in RAW. However, that’s not always how it works out.

The viewfinder and LCD are both sharp and nice to use, even in bright sun, though the LCD is limited to basic up/down tilting.

The Bad: Missing IBIS and Autofocus Woes

The most glaring omission is IBIS. For a $5,000 camera, the lack of stabilization is a huge drawback, especially when paired with a fixed f/4 lens. While offering full-frame-equivalent depth-of-field of an f/2.8 lens, that aperture still collects light like an f/4. You’ll often need slower shutter speeds, a problem without stabilization.

Autofocus performance is another concern. Real-world testing showed that focus accuracy is inconsistent. Whether it's the lack of IBIS, limited lens motor tech, or the AF system itself, many images ended up soft, and it was difficult to diagnose why.

The GFX100RF seems to focus less accurately than the traditional GFX system and even less accurately than Fujifilm's current APS-C cameras.

Medium Format, But at What Cost?

Medium format traditionally means big sensors, pixels, and image quality. However, with 102MP packed into the sensor, the pixel pitch is reduced, negating some of that dynamic range advantage.

Pixel pitch is simply the size of a pixel. The larger the pixel, the more light it can gather. You can think of it like putting a glass and a bucket outside during a rainstorm. The cup and bucket will capture the same amount of rain in height, but the bucket catches more by volume and weight.

In digital sensors, that volume of water is the dynamic range. The bigger the pixel pitch, the more light it gathers, the better the dynamic range.

All else equal, a medium-format sensor has a bigger pixel pitch than a full-frame camera. A 102-megapixel full-frame sensor would have a smaller pixel pitch than a medium-format sensor because medium-format sensors have more area to spread out those pixels.

However, a 60-megapixel full-frame sensor would have a similar pixel pitch to the 102-megapixel sensor in the GFX100RF. Many full-frame sensors are used in cameras with superior autofocus and IBIS.

Additionally, the fixed 28 mm-equivalent lens feels like an odd compromise. It’s not wide enough for landscapes, nor long enough for portraits, and the inability to swap lenses limits the camera's usefulness.

If you compare the GFX100RF to something like the Sony a7CR with a pancake lens, you can get a smaller, lighter camera than the GFX100RF with much better autofocus, and you’d be able to swap lenses too.

Final Thoughts: Love the Idea, Not the Execution

The Fujifilm GFX100RF is a camera you want to love. It is a gorgeously designed piece of gear that brings me back to the analog era of my childhood.

But its compromises, especially the lack of IBIS and underwhelming autofocus, are hard to ignore.

If form and experience are your top priorities and you can work within its limitations, it may be the perfect camera for you. But if performance and reliability are your primary needs, more capable and versatile options are available at lower price points.

Fujifilm GFX100RF Pros and Cons

Pros

- Beautiful, Leica-inspired design
- Excellent manual dials and tactile controls
- Built-in ND filter
- Fuji film simulations with customizable settings
- 102MP medium format sensor (in theory, very high resolution)

Cons

- No in-body image stabilization
- Inconsistent autofocus performance
- Fixed 28 mm-equivalent lens limits versatility
- Real-world image quality doesn’t match 102MP expectations
- High price compared to more versatile full-frame options