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Forget Nikon RED cameras – Fujifilm just announced a medium format GFX Eterna cinema beast

Pabio November 12, 2024

Fujifilm’s first-ever cinema camera is called the GFX Eterna
Release date planned for 2025
It will feature the same 102MP medium format sensor as the GFX100 II

Fujifilm announced the development of its first ever cinema camera, the Fujifilm GFX Eterna, scheduled for release in 2025.

Fujifilm’s official statement doesn’t provide a lot of information, but it has enough to give us an idea of what to expect and what we’re excited about. It even includes the very first images of the medium format beast, which you can see below.

It will use the exact same 102 MP medium format CMOS II HS sensor and the same X-Processor 5 engine as the Five Star GFX100 II. This expensive mirrorless camera relies more on video than watered down. GFX100S II. However, the new GFX Eterna will go even further than the hybrid GFX100 II – which, in addition to 8K video skills, is also a great camera – as a filmmaking tool in its own right.

Its name, Eterna, is an obvious nod to one of Fujifilm’s most popular film simulations, a color profile that Fujifilm describes as “Based on ETERNA, a film designed for films, this simulation mode Film minimizes saturation to ensure that no colors stand out. It provides extremely smooth tonal gradation in highlights and deep shadows to prevent clipping and reproduce a cinematic look.

Along with the announcement of the GFX Eterna, Fujifilm is developing a 32-90mm powerful zoom cinema lens and a GF to PL mount adapter – the latter is an industry standard lens mount. We don’t yet know the list price of the GFX Eterna, nor that of the lens, although to give you a rough idea, the GFX100 II launched at $7,499 / £6,999 / AU$12,599.

Fujifilm GFX Eterna camera on multicolor background with radar graphics overlay

(Image credit: Fujifilm)

A shake-up of the film industry?

Like Nikon with the purchase of the RED camera, Fujifilm is seeking to disrupt the independent cinema market with a completely different offering. Its larger medium format sensor is an obvious selling point over industry staples like the RED Komodo digital camera and the Blackmagic Ursa series. However, its market debut might leave cinema stalwarts skeptical.

On the other hand, Nikon is surely leveraging the RED name and the cinematic technology it has owned since acquiring RED for its future video-focused cameras, including the coveted color profiles developed by RED. Fujifilm is new, using its own sensor technology, which might be enough to entice professionals to give it a try. While its widely recognized cinematic simulations could potentially gain acclaim in this part of the industry historically closed to newcomers.

To be one of best video cameras in this professional field, Fujifilm must develop Eterna hardware wisely. It will of course need the inputs demanded by professionals, including an XLR input for serious audio equipment and built-in ND filters, which are probably essential. There is also work to be done to create cinema lenses for the GF mount, which are currently all photography lenses by design.

However, when it comes to the GFX Eterna, I would have every confidence that Fujifilm would create something pretty special the first time around.

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Mondor Festival

Forget Nikon RED cameras – Fujifilm just announced a medium format GFX Eterna cinema beast

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