Scenes Seen… Analog Therapy Tag Along: The GFX 50R & Historic Occoneechee Speedway Trail.
Subtitle: A digital camera with a soul.
First off, that subtitle…
A bold statement. But one I stand behind.
This is not a spec-driven assessment. On paper, it does not impress.
- No IBIS.
- Contrast only AF.
- No eye detect AF.
But… Specs are not everything.
This is an across-media stills camera Venn diagram camera.
With its rangefinder-ish form factor and excellent manual AF aid…
…it became not only a viable option to the Leica M I had…
…but surpassed it.
Why?
I am glad I imagined that you asked.
In addition to mimicking a rangefinder experience, slap on the GF50mm f/3.5 and you have a viable alternative to the gor-jus GFX 100RF.
Throw on a fast GF lens, and you have a nearly peerless portrait solution.
Slap on a vintage lens, and the images have a wonderful film-like look to them.
And with 50MP there is plenty of resolution to spare when you want a bootleg X-Pan experience.
The lens this day.
A lens purchased to replace an M mount lens that I liked. But I moved on from that lens once I no longer had any M mount camera bodies. And this has been an excellent replacement. One that also works with a favorite SLR.
Anyhoo. Enough of that.
The setting.
Historic Occoneechee Speedway Trail. One of my analog therapy/film test haunts.
This day I took it along while testing a new film to me.
The pics.
Thoughts.
A wonderful pairing. One that completely satisfied my one time obsession with M mount rangefinders.
Happy capturing.
-ELW
Eric L. Woods 