Fujifilm’s GFX ETERNA is a medium-format cinema camera that integrates the company’s legendary ETERNA film simulation profiles with a sensor larger than full frame.
I wrote about the GFX ETERNA a few months ago, prior to the launch, and ended with skepticism about certain things. The camera is now real, with official specs, pricing, and a clear statement of intent.
This article is my take, built on what’s public and the questions that matter to me most for practical filmmaking.
The 7 Most Unique Things about the Eterna 55
In a crowded camera landscape, Fuji is a late entrant. What makes the Eterna 55 unique?
There are two things unique to the camera that differentiate it from rest of the pack:
- 43.8mm X 32.9mm sensor with open-gate capture up to 48 fps.
- 20 in-camera Film Simulations, 10 downloadable Film Simulation 3D-LUTs tuned for F-Log2/F-Gamut C, and storage space for up to 16 LUTs.
These are interesting features, no doubt. Here are the rest of the important specs:
- Max resolution is 8192 x 4320. Here are the important formats:
- 8192 x 4320 up to 24p
- 7680 x 4320 up to 30p
- 5440 x 2868 up to 30p
- 4776 x 2688 up to 30p
- 4096 x 2160 and UHD up to 60p
- 2048 x 1080 and 1080p up to 60p
- Internal electronic variable ND from ND 0.6 to 2.1 with very fine steps (ND 0.015) and minimal color shift.
- Dual base ISO of 800 and 3200. Full ISO range is 400 to 12,800.
- Best internal codec is Apple ProRes HQ.
- 14+ stops of dynamic range.
- PL mount adapter included in the box.
- Autofocus with GF lenses, with face/eye and subject detection
- 35 mm, Super 35, dedicated anamorphic options and real-time de-squeeze.
- A 5-inch, 2000-nit main LCD plus independent 3-inch side monitors so the operator and assistant can monitor simultaneously.
- A four-point optical low-pass filter optimized for filmmaking to help suppress moiré and false color while keeping detail pleasing.
- Internal NP-W235 for about 30 minutes of battery life and hot-swap support when changing external power.
- Has support for V-mount batteries.
- Records to CFexpress Type B.
- Dedicated handle with controls.
- Comes with accessory points, both 1/4-20 and 3/8-16.
- IEEE802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wireless transmitter.
- Has Genlock and Remote ports, in addition to SDI and HDMI ports.
- Rolling shutter from 20ms to 10ms.
- Dust and water resistant body (IP rating not given).
- Weight is about 2kg excl. battery and card.
- There are no XLR inputs.
- Maximum power consumption: 49W
- Price is 16,499.95.
Why is it called the Eterna 55? Maybe it’s because the diagonal of the sensor is 55mm? Just a guess.
Now let’s ask the hard questions.
1. Do you need the height?
The Eterna’s 44 mm × 33 mm open-gate capture is its main selling point. According to Fujifilm:
GFX ETERNA 55 introduces the filmmaking community to the tallest digital filmmaking sensor that has ever been available for purchase on the open market…
The native 4:3 Open Gate format echoes back to the filmmaking legacy of 4-perf Super 35mm, but at a scale nearly 1.7x larger. This sensor height brings a great range of format flexibility and opportunities to create larger than Full Frame images with spherical lenses, or images of epic cinematic scale when paired with anamorphic lenses.
John Blackwood, director, Product Marketing, Electronic Imaging Division and Optical Devices Division, FUJIFILM North America Corporation
Here are the sensor sizes of some of its competitors:
- Eterna 55: 43.8 mm X 32.9 mm
- Red Raptor XE: 40.96 mm x 21.6 mm
- Canon C400: 38.4 mm x 20.2 mm
- Arri Alexa LF Mini: 36.7 mm x 25.54 mm
The Eterna 55 indeed has the tallest height. There are two potential advantages:
- You can shoot vertical video and still get a full frame size without having to rotate the camera.
- You can shoot a larger anamorphic format.
As for vertical video, can you imagine anyone spending $16,499 to shoot in a vertical format just to get a little more shallow DOF? I can’t imagine there’s much demand for that.
And as for anamorphic, it sounds great on paper. Except, here are the image circle numbers of a few popular full frame anamorphic lenses:
- Atlas Mercury: 36.7 mm × 25.54 mm
- Cooke Anamorphic/i: 36 mm x 24 mm
- Blazar Remus and Cato: 36 mm x 24 mm
So, where’s the lens that can actually take advantage of the full sensor height of the Eterna 55? You do get a bit more height than the Red Raptor XE and Canon C400, but not by much. At least not enough to invest in the full system only for that.
So my question is: Do you really need the height for anything practical? Maybe. However, I would bet most professionals don’t.
2. How important are Fuji Simulations?
As far as I’m concerned, this is the defining USP of the Eterna, and all Fuji cameras in general.
If you’re a huge fan of the Fuji look (as I am), it is an enticing prospect. However, the reality is, unless the image quality is as good as the Arri Alexa, it isn’t that big of a USP.
You can take any RAW footage and apply LUTs, film simulation apps, or build your own to create the Fuji look. That’s exactly what I did for my film A Count of Ten (Gin Ke Dus):
People have been doing this for ages. So, the simulations only take on importance if the image quality and codec make it relevant. Let’s look at the codec first.
I can’t imagine that in this day and age a $16,500 camera records only in ProRes HQ, without even offering ProRes 444 or 444 XQ. It’s hard to accept, especially when even the lower end of the cinema market now records in RAW.
External RAW at this price is a non-starter, which leaves us with image quality. Fuji has released a couple of shorts that highlight the dynamic range and colors of the Eterna 55:
I’m not going to comment on the storytelling. My main interest are the dynamic range and colors. And I’ll be blunt.
The colors are great, but I’m seriously disappointed with the highlight roll-off. The camera shows a video look in blown-out areas, and when the dynamic range is stretched it becomes obvious. This kind of highlight behavior feels more like a sub-$5,000 camera.
Based on this, I don’t think the film simulations are valuable-enough to spend $16K on. What’s left? We have one more question.
3. Are the frame rate and resolution options good enough?
What can I say? 8K in 30p and 4K in only up to 60p. Sorry, Fuji. Not in today’s market.
Look, the days of camera-worship are over. A professional investing in a system has to ask whether clients will demand it and what return it can deliver over three to five years.
I don’t see enough demand for the ETERNA 55, given its image quality and weak internal recording options compared to the alternatives. Here’s a quick comparison to put things into perspective:
| Camera | 8K | 6K | 4K | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eterna 55 | 30 fps | 30 fps | 60 fps | $16,499 |
| Canon C400 | n/a | 60 fps | 120 fps | $8,499 |
| Canon C50 | 30 fps** | 60 fps | 120 fps | $3,899 |
| Red Raptor XE | 60 fps | 80 fps | 120 fps | $14,995 |
| Blackmagic URSA Cine 12K | 144 fps* | n/a | n/a | $7,695 |
**In 7K
You get the idea. Enough said.
Is the camera hopeless?
Of course not. It has a well-thought-out body with a large LCD, V-mount, PL-mount adapter and built-in ND filters. I have no doubt functionally it’s a great professional camera body.
However, all that comes after image quality and the look. Even if Fuji had priced it at $8,000 I would have qualms about recommending it for any project. How could Fuji have made this an exciting prospect? Here are my thoughts:
- Internal RAW
- Better highlight roll-off
- Less than 10ms rolling shutter across the board
- $7,500 price-point
The ETERNA 55 is not for everyone, and it doesn’t try to be. It only makes sense if someone is willing to pay for the extra sensor height while accepting a less-than-stellar dynamic range and clipping in the highlights.
I don’t know many clients or producers like that. Do you?
