Selling my Fujifilm GFX 100s for Leica SL2-S

[Smogg]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Gfx 100s + 35-70 is an ideal combination as a backup and for use in bad weather when you fear for your favorite camera. It is unlikely that you will find something lighter in weight and smaller in size. The Leica SL will be significantly heavier if you try to match it with lenses that cover the same focal length and provide comparable quality. I specifically bought the G100s II + 35-70 for rain, snow and unsafe places when I want to protect my X2Ds. I understand why you don't like Fujifilm (personally, It feels like a crude LEGO creation after using premium cameras), but this camera produces good results and doesn't need to be taken care of as much as the main camera, which is exactly what is required from a backup camera .

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[Jon Warwick]

3 hours ago, chrismuc said:

I use the S1R and GFX100, all with primes. The S1R (sensor aka SL2) is very good, but the GFX100 is another level. The GF primes 23, 45, 63, 80, 110, 250 are IMO on Otus/ SL Apo level, together with the resolution of the sensor multiplied with its extreme latitude (DR), it creates so clean files that can be adjusted in ACR within larger limits than any camera I used and prints up to several meters wide are possible with crazy detail sharpness. 
I use the S1R with Sigma iC and Art lenses, when I still want high resolution but don’t want to carry so heavy. 
I personally would not work with a camera like the SL2s or S1 which are still on the heavy and large side if the output is only 24 MP.

If that resolution is sufficient, I go really light & small using a  X-E4 with light lenses, perfect for traveling.

 

This is broadly the conclusion I came to, ie, if happy to carry the weight of an SL + APO prime, I might as well just use medium format digital. In my case, GFX100S + GF55mm.

However sharp an SL APO lens might be (and I’m not convinced it’s sharper than, say, the GF55), I think the overall system is key, and there’s a lot to be said for landscapes and large prints of having the high horsepower of a 100mp medium format behind the glass. 

For light and small, I barbell it with an M11. 

[Smogg]

There is another factor: if you have large hands, then you will find it more comfortable to hold the SL than the GFX100s. On the GFX100s, the depth of the grip is a little lacking for me; the outer phalanx of the fingers sticks into the body and the overall hand grip turns out to be weak. I don't have the SL now, but I remember it being comfortable, similar to the X2D. X2D+35-75 is about the same convenience for me as G100sII+35-70, although formally the weight of these combinations is very different.

 

P.S. Sorry I'm a bad drawer😂

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Edited July 13, 2024 by Smogg

[JohnQ]

I have both the sl2-s and the 100s. I would not sell either. The 100s is sharper imo, but the colour I don’t find quite as pleasing. The Fuji lenses are stunning. I prefer my m11 to either of the other cameras not because sharpness is better than the Fuji but it’s more fun to use and so much lighter. Never had a freeze.

[jaapv]

3 hours ago, Smogg said:

Gfx 100s + 35-70 is an ideal combination as a backup and for use in bad weather when you fear for your favorite camera. It is unlikely that you will find something lighter in weight and smaller in size. The Leica SL will be significantly heavier if you try to match it with lenses that cover the same focal length and provide comparable quality. I specifically bought the G100s II + 35-70 for rain, snow and unsafe places when I want to protect my X2Ds. I understand why you don't like Fujifilm (personally, It feels like a crude LEGO creation after using premium cameras), but this camera produces good results and doesn't need to be taken care of as much as the main camera, which is exactly what is required from a backup camera .

The SL is IP rated...

[helged]

2 hours ago, FlashGordonPhotography said:

No. That's not the issue with the SL3. Not even close. The camera NEVER reformats the card by itself. Ever. The SL3 does not have freeze issues.

The issue is:

If you don't turn the camera off before removing the battery the camera *may* *sometimes* overwrite *some* files on restart with new images that use the old file numbers. The *issue* happens on restarting the camera and taking new shots. So even if the camera did freeze (which HAS NOT happened in this case) you can use common sense and not lose files.

Things you can do to not have this issue:

1. Turn the camera off before removing the battery. No problems. Continue as normal.

2. If you didn't do no.1 then you can;

a. Remove the cards and the cycle the power on/off. Use a different card and continue as normal.

Do either of these and you will not lose files. The camera won't explode. Carnage will not ensue. 

People. Please avoid as best as possible, making stuff up or having a guess. The issue is known and there's a workaround. The above just freaks people out even more and is unnecessary. And some muppet looking for views will make a video about it, and it'll become *fact*. If in doubt read the official Leica press release on the problem. Also noting it's a serious bug and a few people have lost clients images. This is bad. But most people have not had a problem because they just don't use the camera in a way to make the problem occur. I tried for weeks to make it happen before it finally did. Once.

Gordon

 

+1. Whereas SL3’s battery issue is real, the problem is nonexistent for, I presume, many/most users. Zero problems on my side.

[Smogg]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

1 hour ago, jaapv said:

The SL is IP rated...

But GFX is not so painful to break/lose😂

[jaapv]

Insurance? 

[hansvons]

2 hours ago, Jon Warwick said:

However sharp an SL APO lens might be (and I’m not convinced it’s sharper than, say, the GF55), I think the overall system is key, and there’s a lot to be said for landscapes and large prints of having the high horsepower of a 100mp medium format behind the glass. 

I read the printing-large argument quite frequently. It's probably the most often-heard argument for the GFX series as being the best system for landscape photography for the price. However, given the number of those systems in the market, I can't imagine an equivalent of massive prints hanging on walls. For reference, a 44" x 33" print at 200DPI, which is the maximum human vision can resolve at a 100cm viewing distance (primarily kids), would require a 60MP sensor - if the resolution was part of the artwork's theme (often it's probably not).

Being guilty of pixel-peeping myself, I would attribute much of the resolution race to the joy of endlessly zooming into one's photos digitally without printing large, like immense, way beyond 44". But that, of course, does not sound reasonable. 

 

[Chaemono]

SL3 has the best IQ for WB and tonality/texture of any SL camera IMO and separates the subject better than SL2-S. 

 

[KenLW]

13 hours ago, Archiver said:

SL2S with APO 35 was an eye opening experience

I am tempted to buy the SL APO 35 with Lumix S5 just to try things out. Do you think I could get 99% of image with the APO + Lumix S5 combo? I am pretty sure the SL APO lens are tuned for the SL system which also applies lens profiles automatically. With that said, S5 seems to have similar color rending as SL2s with Panasonic lens at least.

[KenLW]

13 hours ago, robb said:

multishot feature on the sl2 and sl2-s.

Yes! I heard multishot is very good if I need extra megapixels for landscape. 

[KenLW]

12 hours ago, chrismuc said:

I use the S1R and GFX100, all with primes. The S1R (sensor aka SL2) is very good, but the GFX100 is another level. The GF primes 23, 45, 63, 80, 110, 250 are IMO on Otus/ SL Apo level, together with the resolution of the sensor multiplied with its extreme latitude (DR), it creates so clean files that can be adjusted in ACR within larger limits than any camera I used and prints up to several meters wide are possible with crazy detail sharpness. 
I use the S1R with Sigma iC and Art lenses, when I still want high resolution but don’t want to carry so heavy. 
I personally would not work with a camera like the SL2s or S1 which are still on the heavy and large side if the output is only 24 MP.

If that resolution is sufficient, I go really light & small using a  X-E4 with light lenses, perfect for traveling.

 

I have always wanted to buy some GF primes to try them out but because I am deciding whether or not I should sell the system, I have not yet brought any prime lens. I have the Hasselblad XCD 38mm f/2.5 V lens with my 907x CFV 100c. I don't think the 38mm is the sharpest lens but none of the full frame setup I have used could not get close to this level of image quality and latitude. I assume GF + 110 should have a similar image quality as my Hasselblad setup or better because 110 is probably the sharpest digital medium format lens. This is exactly why I was wondering if I should really sell my GFX for SL2s + APO because for the price of one used APO, I could buy two GF primes or one Hasselblad prime.

For a really light & small setup, I found a good deal when the XT50 was launched so I plan to use the XT system as backup camera for traveling. And the lens selection and pricing of the XF system is amazing. I just brought the Viltrox 75mm Pro 1.2 for < $500. I feel like the image quality from the XT50 + Viltrox is as good as any Sony + GM setup and maybe enough getting close to the GF + kit lens level if you don't compare the images and just post on social media. The full frame / medium format setup will definitely have more micro contrast. 

I would still appreciate the Leica look and construction with the SL2 + APO setup though. I am willing to sacrifice some image quality for that. I like using Hasselblad or Leica as my main camera because of their looks.

[KenLW]

12 hours ago, FlashGordonPhotography said:

No. That's not the issue with the SL3. Not even close. The camera NEVER reformats the card by itself. Ever. The SL3 does not have freeze issues.

The issue is:

If you don't turn the camera off before removing the battery the camera *may* *sometimes* overwrite *some* files on restart with new images that use the old file numbers. The *issue* happens on restarting the camera and taking new shots. So even if the camera did freeze (which HAS NOT happened in this case) you can use common sense and not lose files.

Things you can do to not have this issue:

1. Turn the camera off before removing the battery. No problems. Continue as normal.

2. If you didn't do no.1 then you can;

a. Remove the cards and the cycle the power on/off. Use a different card and continue as normal.

Do either of these and you will not lose files. The camera won't explode. Carnage will not ensue. 

People. Please avoid as best as possible, making stuff up or having a guess. The issue is known and there's a workaround. The above just freaks people out even more and is unnecessary. And some muppet looking for views will make a video about it, and it'll become *fact*. If in doubt read the official Leica press release on the problem. Also noting it's a serious bug and a few people have lost clients images. This is bad. But most people have not had a problem because they just don't use the camera in a way to make the problem occur. I tried for weeks to make it happen before it finally did. Once.

Gordon

 

Sounds good! Thanks Gordon for the detailed explanations! Let me change my original post to "If you don't turn the camera off before removing the battery the camera *may* *sometimes* overwrite *some* files on restart with new images that use the old file numbers." instead "SD card reformat issue". The severity is a completely different level if the camera is overriding some files v.s. reformatting the whole sd card. (Update: I can't change the original post so hopefully people read all the helpful comments here to get an idea of the real issue)

Your suggestions for 2a make sense to me. For 1, if the camera is frozen, sometimes you can't turn it off unless you remove the battery. This should be true for most of the digital camera out there and is based on one of them comments from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSMNFAtkcSo. Of course people have experience with camera freezing and I don't know if people exaggerate about "daily freezes".

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

 

Edited July 13, 2024 by KenLW

[KenLW]

11 hours ago, Smogg said:

Gfx 100s + 35-70 is an ideal combination as a backup and for use in bad weather when you fear for your favorite camera. It is unlikely that you will find something lighter in weight and smaller in size. The Leica SL will be significantly heavier if you try to match it with lenses that cover the same focal length and provide comparable quality. I specifically bought the G100s II + 35-70 for rain, snow and unsafe places when I want to protect my X2Ds. I understand why you don't like Fujifilm (personally, It feels like a crude LEGO creation after using premium cameras), but this camera produces good results and doesn't need to be taken care of as much as the main camera, which is exactly what is required from a backup camera .

Yeah, this is exactly the reason why I kept my GFX 100s + 35-70. It is good enough weight for even a few hours of hikes and the image results are really unmatched for the same weight. Also, I don't need to baby it like my Hasselblad. I am sure you don't want to hike in the snow with you X2D, haha! The 907x is the worst. I went to take some photos near the coast the first day I got the camera, and I immediately noticed there were spots in the images after I got home. Luckily I just needed to blow off some dusts but it definitely means 907x is not weather sealed as advertised.

[KenLW]

9 hours ago, Jon Warwick said:

This is broadly the conclusion I came to, ie, if happy to carry the weight of an SL + APO prime, I might as well just use medium format digital. In my case, GFX100S + GF55mm.

However sharp an SL APO lens might be (and I’m not convinced it’s sharper than, say, the GF55), I think the overall system is key, and there’s a lot to be said for landscapes and large prints of having the high horsepower of a 100mp medium format behind the glass. 

For light and small, I barbell it with an M11. 

GFX 100s + GF55mm sounds like a dream combo for the best image quality and relatively good low light performance. The M11 used price also made me wonder if I should get a used SL2 + used APO because they cost the same as a used M11. However, with the M11, I still need a weather resistant backup camera so I will need to keep my GFX 100s around instead of trading it in.

[KenLW]

8 hours ago, Smogg said:

There is another factor: if you have large hands, then you will find it more comfortable to hold the SL than the GFX100s. On the GFX100s, the depth of the grip is a little lacking for me; the outer phalanx of the fingers sticks into the body and the overall hand grip turns out to be weak. I don't have the SL now, but I remember it being comfortable, similar to the X2D. X2D+35-75 is about the same convenience for me as G100sII+35-70, although formally the weight of these combinations is very different.

 

P.S. Sorry I'm a bad drawer😂

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

Wow! Your drawing looks amazing! I did considered getting the XCD 35-75 before but the interesting part is a used XCD 35-75 lens costs as much as a used GFX100s + 35-70 so I kept the GFX100s system as backup. I don't have very large hands so the GFX grip was OK for me! I went with the 907x instead of X2D because I want to use it with my Hasselblad 500 C/M. However, the ergonomics of the 907x is not that good so I do wish I have the grip of X2D instead. 

[KenLW]

8 hours ago, JohnQ said:

I have both the sl2-s and the 100s. I would not sell either. The 100s is sharper imo, but the colour I don’t find quite as pleasing. The Fuji lenses are stunning. I prefer my m11 to either of the other cameras not because sharpness is better than the Fuji but it’s more fun to use and so much lighter. Never had a freeze.

Yeah, GFX 100s takes amazing images but has became a little bit boring.

[Advertisement]

Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[KenLW]

7 hours ago, hansvons said:

I read the printing-large argument quite frequently. It's probably the most often-heard argument for the GFX series as being the best system for landscape photography for the price. However, given the number of those systems in the market, I can't imagine an equivalent of massive prints hanging on walls. For reference, a 44" x 33" print at 200DPI, which is the maximum human vision can resolve at a 100cm viewing distance (primarily kids), would require a 60MP sensor - if the resolution was part of the artwork's theme (often it's probably not).

Being guilty of pixel-peeping myself, I would attribute much of the resolution race to the joy of endlessly zooming into one's photos digitally without printing large, like immense, way beyond 44". But that, of course, does not sound reasonable. 

 

I don't print often but more resolution is helpful for landscape especially with the GF 35-70 kit lens because I can just crop instead of carrying a telephoto with me. 

[KenLW]

2 hours ago, Chaemono said:

SL3 has the best IQ for WB and tonality/texture of any SL camera IMO and separates the subject better than SL2-S. 

 

This is very good to know! Thanks for sharing!