Best Lenses for the New GFX 100mm S Camera

[Michael Erlewine]

I have decided to sell some stuff and order a GFX 100 S medium format camera. I won't have a ton of money for lenses at first. If any of you can,here are my questions?

What is the best all around best-corrected, sharpest, and fast lens for the GFX?

What is the best adapter for mounting NIkon F-mount lenses to the GFX?

Is there an adapter to mount Nikon Z7 lenses to the GFX?

Any other things I need to know?

I am still keeping my Nikons, but would like to explore 100 mpx

Thanks.

[Akira]

I’m afraid I haven't tried any of the GFX lenses, but the newest 80/1.7 would be a good candidate, even though it wouldn't come cheap.

As for adapting Z lenses on GFX, there should be no hope unfortunately, because the flange back of GFX is as much as 10.7mm longer than that of Z mount.  An adapter has to have some auxiliary optical system to compensate for that.

[Jack Dahlgren]

What is the best adapter for mounting NIkon F-mount lenses to the GFX?

Is there an adapter to mount Nikon Z7 lenses to the GFX?

Any other things I need to know?

I am still keeping my Nikons, but would like to explore 100 mpx

The most important thing to know is that your Nikon lenses on the GFX will be limited by image circle so likely you will achieve similar results on GFX as you do on Z7 (I'm guessing sensor site density is similar between the two and GFX has more pixels because it is larger). This may lead you to working in a square format when using F mount lenses. I personally like square format. It allows a different range of compositions.

Usable image circle gets worse the larger the aperture - same as vignetting.

Image circle is usually smaller on shorter lenses, but sometimes longer lenses can have limitations such as baffles etc.

I expect image circle to be more tightly controlled on newer lenses, but that is just speculation on my part.

In my youth I much preferred medium and large format because of the large negatives. However, I'd say that modern 24x36mm digital sensors surpass results I got from 120 film.

Those are the things I'd think about. I'm interested in hearing about your experiences!

[Snoogly]

This may be of some help.

https://fujilove.com/adapting-nikon-f-mount-lenses-to-your-fujifilm-gfx/

https://fujilove.com/laowa-magic-format-converter-gfx-focal-increaser/

[Jack Dahlgren]

You got me interested so I started looking at the camera online. Looks like the sensor is not all that much bigger ~44x33 so maybe my talk about image circle is not as important as I thought it might be.
My brain is stuck in a world where "medium format" is 60mmx60mm, or even 60x70 or my favorite 60x90.

[Akira]

You got me interested so I started looking at the camera online. Looks like the sensor is not all that much bigger ~44x33 so maybe my talk about image circle is not as important as I thought it might be.
My brain is stuck in a world where "medium format" is 60mmx60mm, or even 60x70 or my favorite 60x90.

Jack, considering that the image sensor is 1.26x larger than a full-frame diagonally and it moves around to stabilize the image, your concern should not be all that redundant.

[BEZ]

You got me interested so I started looking at the camera online. Looks like the sensor is not all that much bigger ~44x33 so maybe my talk about image circle is not as important as I thought it might be.
My brain is stuck in a world where "medium format" is 60mmx60mm, or even 60x70 or my favorite 60x90.

Jack,
You can get digital cameras with sensors closer to traditional "medium format" sizes. But unfortunately they cost a lot more money, as you would expect.

[Jack Dahlgren]

Jack,
You can get digital cameras with sensors closer to traditional "medium format" sizes. But unfortunately they cost a lot more money, as you would expect.

My first medium format camera (Yashica-mat) cost $0.25. My second (Pacemaker Speed Graphic 2 1/4 x 3 1/4) cost $150. My last (Rollieflex Automat K4A) was $110
My first 4x5 was $35

None had Autofocus or video so I can see why they cost a bit more now.

[BEZ]

My first medium format camera (Yashica-mat) cost $0.25. My second (Pacemaker Speed Graphic 2 1/4 x 3 1/4) cost $150. My last (Rollieflex Automat K4A) was $110
My first 4x5 was $35

None had Autofocus or video so I can see why they cost a bit more now.

Your forth "medium format" camera, could be a phase one XF Q4 150mp.

A snip at $48.000.00 ?

[Jack Dahlgren]

Your forth "medium format" camera, could be a phase one XF Q4 150mp.

A snip at $48.000.00 ?

Price will be substantially lower in 40 years. I dare say it might even be priced comparably with my other vintage cameras, though I can't be certain that it would still work.

[BEZ]

Price will be substantially lower in 40 years. I dare say it might even be priced comparably with my other vintage cameras, though I can't be certain that it would still work.

Well I don't imagine I will find out. I can't be certain I will still work either then.

[Roland Vink]

I have decided to sell some stuff and order a GFX 100 S medium format camera. I won't have a ton of money for lenses at first. If any of you can,here are my questions?

What is the best all around best-corrected, sharpest, and fast lens for the GFX?

What is the best adapter for mounting NIkon F-mount lenses to the GFX?

Is there an adapter to mount Nikon Z7 lenses to the GFX?

Any other things I need to know?

I am still keeping my Nikons, but would like to explore 100 mpx

Thanks.

I'd keep your Nikon mount lenses and wait for the next high-resolution from Nikon. Buying into the Fuji system will be very expensive and the range of native lenses is comparatively limited. I am not sure if there are any which have the qualities you are after (there might be, I just don't know much about the system). It is possible some of your highly corrected enlarging and other special purpose (non f-mount) lenses could be adapted but you still wouldn't have much to choose from. Just my 2 cents.

[Erik Lund]

I'd keep your Nikon mount lenses and wait for the next high-resolution from Nikon. Buying into the Fuji system will be very expensive and the range of native lenses is comparatively limited. I am not sure if there are any which have the qualities you are after (there might be, I just don't know much about the system). It is possible some of your highly corrected enlarging and other special purpose (non f-mount) lenses could be adapted but you still wouldn't have much to choose from. Just my 2 cents.

Completely agree, especially the F-mount lenses will be useless on this GFX body due to the too small image circle so heavy vignetting and smearing will be ruining the image unless you crop it heavily down to full frame size. Only one F-mount lens will do the job the PC-E 19mm f/4,,,

[rosko]

I've noticed there is already a plethora of converters for this camera on ebay.

Also I've noticed many medium format lenses including apo lenses coming from the film era and relatively cheap. (mamiya 645, Hasselblad, Arri, pentax 645, contax 645, ect)

Even large/medium format apo lenses.

The only issue would be an electric diaphragm which leave the lens fully open with no possibility to stop down. ( but I know that wouldn't bother you as you mostly work with focus stacking at full aperture).

I am thinking about the beautiful and ridiculously cheap now Zeiss contax apo makro 120mm f/4 and its electric diaphragm.

Also, the large format field offers large choice of gems which you would use the sharpest area (center) of each lens...

Francis.

[Michael Erlewine]

The best Nikon glass is really good, IMO, except of much of the glass in the last decade or so until we reached these last few years. The GFX glass, by reading about it and talking to some users is OK, maybe good, but not at the level of what I am used to and have carefully collected. That, and the need for a wider image circle finds me staying with the Nikon gear I have (which I planned to keep anyway), and I’ll just wait for Nikon to catch up, which they eventually (probably) will.