Back in mid-May of this year, Fujifilm released two new cameras and lenses at the X Summit in Sydney: the X-T50 plus XF16-50mmF2.8-4.8 R LM WR and the GFX100S II plus GF500mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR. I was very fortunate to have been invited to test out all the new gear a few days ahead of the announcement at a press event held by Fujifilm UK at Port Lympne, an incredible hotel, safari park and wild animal reserve boasting sweeping views of Romney Marsh and the Kent coast. I felt a mixture of excitement to be combining both my love of photography and animals, and apprehension in the face of using some gear that I wasn’t particularly well acquainted with.
I don’t think I’ve ever even held a camera from the X-Tx line let alone shot with it, but I do own an X-T2 so felt confident in being able to handle the X-T50 without any problems. These days, I lean towards the more rangefinder-esque cameras in the X Series (I have and regularly shoot with the X-E3 and X100V) but I was keen to find out what the shooting experience would be like with the X-T50. I was also intrigued by the new ‘kit’ lens offering, the XF16-50mmF2.8-4.8 R LM WR, particularly since I’m such a massive fan of the now-discontinued XF18-55mmF2.8 R LM OIS.
The second camera and lens combination was daunting. My only experience of shooting with the GFX was when I tested out the GFX100 II at the X Summit in Stockholm for a few hours in September last year. While the styling of the GFX in terms of its buttons and dials feels akin to that of the X Series, its size and weight (not to mention its cost!) have meant that it’s a line of cameras that I have never considered for myself. My experience with super telephoto lenses at that point was non-existent and I did wonder whether my measly arm muscles and chronically aching neck, back and shoulders were going to prevent me from being able to use the GFX setup much! Still, I was determined to make the most of being at Port Lympne and try my hand at a new-to-me genre of photography…
This is an excerpt from an article by Stephanie Baxter in issue 100 of FUJILOVE MAGAZINE (July 2024). Subscribers, you can find this article by downloading this issue from your subscriber area.
You will find the remaining part of this article in FUJILOVE MAGAZINE.
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