Fujifilm’s GFX ETERNA is a medium-format cinema camera that integrates the company’s legendary ETERNA film simulation profiles. That’s a unique selling proposition..
According to Fujifilm:
Both the “GFX 102MP CMOS II HS” sensor and “X-Processor 5” are the latest technologies featured in the mirrorless digital camera “FUJIFILM GFX100 II”
The GFX100 II doesn’t have great video features to write home about:
- 43.8 x 32.9 mm sensor with 5-axis image stabilization.
- Via HDMI: 12-bit 4:2:2 Apple ProRes RAW or Blackmagic RAW in resolutions of up to 8K 30p.
- Internally: Apple ProRes 10-bit 4:2:2 in resolutions of up to 8K 30p.
- Video ISO from 100 to 12,800.
- Full width of the sensor only up to 4K 60p.
- G-mount, but a lens adapter from G to PL mount lenses is in the pipeline.
- Variable Electronic ND from ND0.6 to ND2.1
- Internal NP-W235 battery compatibility (with hot-swapping) and external power supply.
- Cards: CF Express Type B and SD cards
We don’t know how much the image quality of the Eterna will deviate from the GFX100 II (Amazon, B&H) because Fujifilm said they use the same processor. Can they unlock full frame 8K or at least 6K? Can they give internal RAW recording?
Now, Fujifilm has released comprehensive specification updates for the GFX Eterna. Does this new information substantially alter my earlier stance?
What’s New: The June 2025 Updates
Fujifilm recently detailed several crucial updates to the GFX ETERNA:
Sensor Versatility:
The Eterna now explicitly supports multiple sensor modes:
- 4:3 open gate – the ability to shoot in 4:3 sensor mode enables anamorphic capture and re-framing options.
- GF DCI
- Premista DCI
- 8K “dot-by-dot” readout, and
- a Super 35 crop mode
This range transforms the camera from a large-format specialist into a versatile filmmaking tool capable of adapting to various cinematic scenarios and lens types.
Advanced Codec Support:
Fujifilm has wisely expanded internal codec options to include
- ProRes (422 HQ, 422, LT, Proxy)
- 10-bit H.265
- 12-bit RAW and 10-bit via HDMI
Internal ND, Dual ISO, and Robust Monitoring
The variable ND implementation is significant. Dual ISO at 800 and 3200 is par for the course nowadays.
Microlens OLPF (Optical Low-Pass Filter):
This shows a commitment to reducing moiré – a concern with high-resolution, large-format sensors.
Film Simulations and 3D LUT Support:
Film Simulation profiles are directly integrated into video workflows. There are over 20 cinematic looks, including the ETERNA profile (duh). There is also downloadable custom LUT support for these profiles in F-Log2:
- ETERNA
- ETERNA BLEACH BYPASS
- PROVIA
- VELVIA
- ASTIA
- REALA ACE
- Classic Chrome
- Classic Negative
- ACROS
Enhanced Workflow Features:
The updated specs also confirm advanced framing guides (including custom frame markers), multi-camera synchronization via Bluetooth (Atomos/TG-BT1 AirGlu), and detailed UI enhancements optimized explicitly for professional cinema workflows.
The LCD Monitor is a 5-inch touchscreen LCD display with a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits.
Clearly, Fujifilm has been carefully listening to filmmakers’ requirements (or reading my initial thoughts on the camera).
Let’s look at how these technical advancements translate practically.
Does All This New Information Shift My Original Stand?
Mmmm…. Not really.
With the recent updates, Fujifilm has taken clear steps toward addressing professional cinema needs.
The camera definitely has cinema-features now, but most of them are already present in most cinema cameras. There’s nothing explicitly wow or groundbreaking here.
The biggest concerns are:
- The price. Fuji still hasn’t hinted at it. I’m pretty sure it won’t be that high, but how low can they go? The GFX100 II costs about $7,500, so the Eterna will be priced north of that. That’s a hard sell, is all I’m going to say.
- Readout speed. It’s a high resolution 100MP sensor but without the full output for video. How bad is the rolling shutter artifacts going to be? It’s the first thing I will test when I get my hands on the camera.
- Lens mounts. The fact that there’s no native PL or LPL mount shows maybe Fujifilm is just testing the waters with a minimum viable product. There aren’t enough Fuji lenses for professional cinema workflows.
- Dynamic range. To be honest, the video quality of the GFX100 II (Amazon, B&H) is nothing spectacular (it’s great, but so is every other camera in 2025). The sensor is larger than full frame, but not by much, and definitely not enough to rival 65mm.
- Low light performance. It won’t trouble many cameras already available in the market.
- Why Prores HQ? For a cinema camera being limited to HQ is not really a good idea. You need Prores 444 or higher.
I’m skeptical if these concerns will be overcome in any meaningful way. How’s this camera going to beat the Sony FX3, Canon C80, Blackmagic PYXIS or Red Komodo-X?
The GFX Eterna has one unique thing going for it – Fuji’s legendary film profiles. But really, if that’s the only USP, you can learn to grade to get close enough results with RAW data from other cameras. I did just that with 8K RAW from the Canon EOS R5 for my film:
Still, let’s wait for real world tests. But this update hasn’t made me any more optimistic.
What do you think?
