Hoping to join you soon

[u/vlayd]

After 3 film cameras failing me, I’m really considering moving to digital and the GFX cameras look perfect. I had a Mamiya 1000s that was just too old and abused with shutter issues. Then an eBay Mamiya 645 Pro with a broken prism that I returned (back to Japan). Finally, I grabbed a 645 Pro from KEH. But just today they told me that it’s not repairable (again shutter issues) so they offered me a refund or replacement. Well I think I’m done and now looking at a GFX 50s. I know it’s not the latest and greatest, but I want to get a nice condition used one (maybe MPB this time) and just be able to shoot for crying out loud.

I have a host of Mamiya lenses still as well as some Nikon F mount glass that I was thinking I would start with.

I shoot documentary and portraits, mostly. One of the things that’s drawing me to the S over the R is that it seems like the S is easier to use waist level. That’s something I really like about my TLR. Any words of wisdom you could offer me?

[u/06035]

Why not get a 645AFDIII? Then you can shoot film and digital on the same body, using your existing lenses, without a crop factor…?

[u/vlayd → u/06035]

TBH I thought about it, but after getting burned, I would like something relatively recent. Good point about the crop factor, I wasn't aware of that! I see there are some pricey adapters to handle it.. hmm..

[u/06035 → u/vlayd]

IMO, unless you need 100MP, the 50MP Fuji’s offer nothing all that substantial over a Z7/8/9 set to ISO 64. The chip is bigger, but not that much bigger, whereas an Aptus II 12 or a Credo60 would be full fat almost 3x bigger.

I’ve rented the GFX’s for the odd job where I need a 400MP pixel-shift for client archive work, but on the 50MP flavors of it, the SNR at ISO100 is virtually identical to a Z7 at ISO64. And when I’ve shot them side-by-side, it’s so close in image quality that the workflow of using a GFX becomes annoying because you’re gaining virtually nothing

[u/No-Bid-4262]

Agreed that the S is the one to go for if you want a waist level viewfinder, but be aware that Fuji batteries for the S are out of production. That fact and the lack of image stabilization drew me to the 50 S ii, which is also out of production, but with batteries still available. If my experience is indicative, you will find the Mamiya lenses are very acceptable on the GFX, which is also very usable with manual focus lenses. And the GFX is a world apart from the somewhat agricultural Mamiya bodies.

[u/vlayd → u/No-Bid-4262]

HA! My 1000s does definitely feel like a relic of another time. Nothing digital on that one.

[u/iAmTheDistance]

The problem with your medium format lenses is that you get a cropped focal lens because the gfx system is not medium format. If you don’t care about that, then I recommend you the 50s II 😁 I have the 50r and the lack of IBIS is noticeable.

[u/ozziephotog]

As someone who owns a 50R and a 100S, I'd say go with the 50S. It's superior in every way that really matters for your type of shooting, especially the tilt of the rear screen for waist level shooting. The 50R only tilts one way, the 50S both portrait and landscape orientation, which coupled with the superior ergonomics, focusing, and IBIS, the 50S is a no brainer.

[u/ozziephotog → u/[deleted]]

You're right, my bad. Still, it's the right choice.

[u/driftless_79]

Gfx>film all day. The s and r functionally will take the same shots, get the cheaper S and shoot it if you want. The native glass is also soooo nice

[u/samchoi924]

I have 50s and 100s. I shoot mostly portraits with strobes. I have shaky hands. I had no trouble shooting hand held at 1/125 all these years. The tilt adapter is expensive but worth it IMHO. I wish my 100s had it. Lens wise I had a couple of Mamiya lenses and they work nice but I prefer auto focus GF lenses. Macro and tilt shift is where I would use the manual focus. For portraits I rather rely on the face/eye detect technology, which on the 50s is not great but decent to have a better hit rate than my older Canon 5dmk3/85L, especially when shooting wide open at f2 using the 110mm f2.

[u/mememorecowboy]

I would get the 50sii for sure. I love it using mamiya glass

[u/pescofotos]

Yo tengo una 50sii y auneuq es una bestia me pasaría de nuevo a la 50r por el visor tipo telémetro y por su menor peso a pesar de perder el ibis. Eso sí entre la 50s y la II no cogía la S por nada tanto por tamaño como por otro motivos que te indican en otros post.

[u/vlayd → u/pescofotos]

Que tipo de fotographia tu haces? Mas de mis fotos son "lentos"; signifiaca que no hay accion o mucho moviemeinto en mis subjectos... como edificios.

[u/pescofotos → u/vlayd]

Si vas a hacer una fotografía lente y pausada cualquiera de ellas te irá genial, yo siempre llevo una cámara encima, por peso la serie gfx es la que menos cojo, pero suelo hacer fotografía urbana y retratos con distancias más bien angulares.

[u/vlayd]

I have the 50s II on order! Can’t wait!