[2351HD]

I tried the GFX today and here are my thoughts:

- it's light, but feels unbalanced compared to the Z
- it does not sit in the hand as well as the Z. It's harder to keep a solid hold on than the Z is. The weight is behind the grip, not in front of it.
- it does not feel lighter than the Z really. It is lighter but not noticeable in use.
- grip is not as comfortable
- the rear thumb dial is in the wrong position, should be moved to the left because when you turn it to the right with your thumb, your thumb hits the protruding grip part on the right side. It was a real PITA.
- AF is nothing special with the 63mm lens
- overall feel is not as good as the Z, feels somewhat toy like but still good.
- EFV is great, wish the Z had an option for this
- 5 shutter options are excellent, wish the Z had them
- after-shot lag is terrible in EVF, so slow, you just get a black screen for a couple of seconds after the shot
- the 120 macro is freaking huge and heavy, really off putting and unbalanced
- 120 macro AF seemed fast and OS was good.
- tilt screen seems like it would be easy to break

I can see why it's getting traction though. If you had not shot a Pentax 645, the feature set of the GFX would seem very compelling.

After using it the salesman was waiting with baited breath for my praises but I just said I was surprised that it wasn't as good as I had hoped.

I am glad it's out because Pentax will have to raise their standards. Things like Fujis careful attention to the various shutter modes and the EVF are a real boon.

[Royce Howland]

Good thoughts. I'm sure some will have a different take, but your view is similar to my own.

Personally, I'm still amazed at how all-around good even my 645D's feel (and are) when I pull them out to use them. And of course my Z, which built on that and added most of what we'd expect from a modern CMOS-based camera. They just feel and act like really well thought out, enjoyable, highly shootable work horses. I have been wanting a small companion camera with equivalent image quality but much lighter weight & more compact, and ideally bringing along some option for lens movements via something like the Hasselblad HTS. I still might end up with either an X1D or a GFX. But having played with both of them for a bit, neither one of them screamed "I must have this camera right now!" But that's exactly what the 645D did to me when I tried my first one a few years back, and I still feel that way today, in particular about the Z.

So I withdrew the order I had placed for an X1D, and refrained from placing one for a GFX. I'm going to wait and see. Maybe one or the other of these cameras will grow on me... especially if I become convinced the HTS will work well with either one. But right now what I really want is to keep shooting my Pentaxes. I'm going to order the 28-45mm that I've been holding off on, because I see that for me it makes sense to continue investing in the Pentax 645 system, rather than starting into either one of the other systems at this point.

What I hope is that both of the new mirrorless cameras do well in the marketplace to add more vitality to this segment, and that Pentax responds by pressing forward with their own innovations on a perhaps more lively schedule. Hasselblad may be in trouble, so who knows what will happen with them. But Fuji should have the chops to push things forward fairly aggressively.

[normhead]

Thanks for posting, it's alway interesting to hear what the "z" owners are thinking. We get so tired of all the hype.

[mikeSF]

I have no interest in trying it as it represents a lateral move, possibly a slight downgrade to me, but my first impression of the form factor is that it probably feels uncomfortable of off balance in the hand.
And then until there are a full complement of lenses, why the heck would someone want to make do until more are released?

[surfar]

why the heck would someone want to make do until more are released?

You could say that about the K1, we are making do UNTIL a full? compliment of lenses is available.


During this year there will be 6 native lenses by Fuji, the native H adapter will make the Fuji built Hasselbad lenses useable.Fotodiox is releasing 10(TEN)adapters for different mounts.I think theres enough glass to carry on with.


Others who have handled the GFX are more than complimentary about the feel.


Its NEW and for me and probably lots of others...its wait and see, then go and feel.

[normhead]

You could say that about the K1, we are making do UNTIL a full? compliment of lenses is available.

Ya, but you'd be making it up.
My K-1 lenses.
DAF 28-105, DA 35d, 40 XS, FA 50 1.7, FA 50 macro 2.8, Sigma 70 macro, Tamron 90 macro, DA* 60-250, DA* 200, Tamron SP AF 300 2.8 LD [IF],

Less useful lenses, FAJ 18-35, FA 28-200, A 400, Sigma 70-300 not as good as the top level lenses but still as functional as any non-fiji lens with an adapter.

ANd I'm not counting 3 or 4 M or M42 lenses that you'd probably count as lenses you could adapt.

Lenses I can add when funds permit... DFA 15-30, DFA 70-200, DFA 150-450, DFA 100 macro, 31 ltd. 43 Ltd. 77 ltd. two of those three being lenses Fuji is unlikely to ever match. Not every designed lens is a great lens. If you think Fuji is catching up with K-1 capability anytime this century, you are badly mis-informed. And to a certain extent that's expected. The K-1 will always be the more flexible system.

Buy the end of this year there won't be a fraction of what I already have for my K-1.

Fine wait and see and go feel, but I hardly see how fabricating lies about K-1 usability improves your cred as a proponent. As you will note, there are posts above from folks who have gone and seen. And who don't have to spout fabrications to make a point.

I guess it's easier to just lie about K-1 functionality than it is two say "A fuji with three lenses (or 6 lenses maybe by the end of the year will be a completely functional system." Most of us would start laughing right there.

Others who have handled the GFX are more than complimentary about the feel.

645z owners? Others who have no experience with 645? What others?
Reviewers who like to be sent free gear?
Ya, they always tell the truth.

One or two posts from forum users with experience is worth a hundred reviews, in my opinion.

[biz-engineer]

- it does not sit in the hand as well as the Z. It's harder to keep a solid hold on than the Z is. The weight is behind the grip, not in front of it. - it does not feel lighter than the Z really. It is lighter but not noticeable in use. - grip is not as comfortable

That's always a problem: portability goes against usability. It is not only the case for the Z versus GFX, it's also the case of compact MILC and DSLR with confortable grip. The compact MILC with standard prime or slow zoom is nice to have because it fits into a small bag. But as soon as a larger lens is used, the compact body is uncomfortable in use.

[surfar]

ANd I'm not counting 3 or 4 M or M42 lenses that you'd probably count as lenses you could adapt.

HA HA HA, you have one lens that's actually designed for the K1....sorry I cant list all mine that work on the K1...lost count but last time I counted it was around 60.Ive bought more since.

Reviewers who like to be sent free gear?

Ive read a lot from those guys and watched plenty of YouTube,But NO.....if you go over to the Fuji forums theres reports from Fuji users that have MF experience.Some own the Z. AS well as the X users who like the feel.

One or two posts from forum users with experience is worth a hundred reviews, in my opinion.

Well, theres 2 opinions so far from Z people who have handled it....Do you really think other Z users will post here and reveal that they they like it and are willing to buy into Fuji?

---------- Post added 03-09-17 at 06:17 AM ----------

My K-1 lenses. DAF 28-105

Is that the Daffy Duck model?....

[mikeSF]

You could say that about the K1, we are making do UNTIL a full? compliment of lenses is available.

that doesn't even make sense. are you implying all the FF lenses with "older coatings" are not good enough to use with the K-1??

During this year there will be 6 native lenses by Fuji, the native H adapter will make the Fuji built Hasselbad lenses useable.Fotodiox is releasing 10(TEN)adapters for different mounts.I think theres enough glass to carry on with...

again, why would i buy this when the lenses aren't ready?

[surfar]

that doesn't even make sense. are you implying all the FF lenses with "older coatings" are not good enough to use with the K-1??

YES and no....The film era lenses aren't made to repel the elements which is the reason I'm invested in Pentax Dslrs, undoubtedly they produce great images on the K1.

again, why would i buy this when the lenses aren't ready?

Well, only you can answer that...I cant think for you.


However, with the MF lenses you own you could hire the Fuji and adapters and see and feel what its like.

[Rondec]

To me, it comes down to the question of if someone likes an EVF or not. That tends to be a really polarizing thing. If you like an EVF, you are probably satisfied to use third party lenses in manual mode and it is probably fine.

HA HA HA, you have one lens that's actually designed for the K1....sorry I cant list all mine that work on the K1...lost count but last time I counted it was around 60.Ive bought more since.






Ive read a lot from those guys and watched plenty of YouTube,But NO.....if you go over to the Fuji forums theres reports from Fuji users that have MF experience.Some own the Z. AS well as the X users who like the feel.






Well, theres 2 opinions so far from Z people who have handled it....Do you really think other Z users will post here and reveal that they they like it and are willing to buy into Fuji?

---------- Post added 03-09-17 at 06:17 AM ----------



Is that the Daffy Duck model?....

Regardless of whether the lenses were specifically designed for it, the K-1 does have zooms that cover 15-450mm (I own the DFA 15-30, 24-70, and DFA *70-200) and primes that cover 31, 43, 50, and 77. Certainly, it is slightly better coverage than the Fuji and even if some of the lenses are rebadged Tamrons, they auto focus and meter smoothly without requiring an adapter.

[mikeSF]

YES and no....The film era lenses aren't made to repel the elements which is the reason I'm invested in Pentax Dslrs, undoubtedly they produce great images on the K1.


Well, only you can answer that...I cant think for you.


However, with the MF lenses you own you could hire the Fuji and adapters and see and feel what its like.

good idea. hey, these comments were not intended to sound provocative, just me talking out loud here. Thanks for your responses.

[surfar]

good idea

All good, glad ive sparked an interest....I make pictures with a few systems, not MF(yet)though.....I can go out today and buy Z/Fuji/Hasselbad/Phase 1....if I like.....but ive got to find the one that fills an area where I can see a use.


When I walked in the shop to "feel" the K1, it was with no intention of buying.....after a DEMO, I envisaged how it fitted with me and bought it. Without doubt the best camera I own right now, the down side is the lack of weather sealed primes to use on it.

[Fcsnt54]

Thanks for posting, it's alway interesting to hear what the "z" owners are thinking. We get so tired of all the hype.

Oh please give it a break, I cant help but laugh at this comment.

[surfar]

Regardless of whether the lenses were specifically designed for it, the K-1 does have zooms that cover 15-450mm (I own the DFA 15-30, 24-70, and DFA *70-200) and primes that cover 31, 43, 50, and 77. Certainly, it is slightly better coverage than the Fuji and even if some of the lenses are rebadged Tamrons, they auto focus and meter smoothly without requiring an adapter.

That's great ....none of those lenses appeal to me except the 70-200 maybe.....I shoot primes 24/40/50/70/100/200/500 none are weather sealed though,thats the reason for the "full? compliment" remark....I want primes that repel the elements like bodies do.