A new journey begins… the Fujifilm GFX 50S

Part II: About doubt, life and fate

Note: This is a multi-part series about my way to and my thoughts on the Fujifilm GFX medium format system. This second part, however, is not really about it, but about something that is much more important: It’s all about life.

What has happened so far: Link to part I

Yes, I had decided against an entry into the world of digital medium format and thus against the purchase of a Fujifilm GFX 50. And I was quite sure about that… so, pretty sure… OK, at least relatively sure. Too expensive, too big, too heavy, not useful enough for me. And, apart from that, why constantly the question of further equipment? Didn’t I have enough equipment anyway and usually too little time and too little focus to do the really important thing? By that I mean going out and making pictures.

But as if by magic, my eyes again and again kept falling on one of the printed test shots I had recently made with the borrowed GFX 50S. This picture is anything but particularly valuable from a photographic point of view, but the quality and depth of the colours, the unbelievable richness of detail and the smooth transition to the blurriness still catch everyone’s eye. Should it be this medium format look that I didn’t believe in for logical reasons? Hm, but I made a decision, didn’t I?

And then, one morning, I noticed a classified ad online, which offered a Fujifilm GFX 50S for sale – a practically unused camera and at a very fair price. I asked and it turned out that there was not only the camera to buy, but also the GF 45mm which I wanted anyway. I spontaneously decided to take a look at it and took the two-hour drive on me. What happened then not only moved me literally to tears. It was also the decision to buy this camera including the 45mm lens without any further considerations.

It turned out that this camera belonged to a photographer who bought it during a serious illness as a motivation to overcome that illness. Sadly, however, the disease won the battle. Life isn’t always fair! And now I was standing there with this story, with this camera in my hands, and the thoughts were just buzzing through my head. But one of those thoughts just told me that this was a sign. This camera just had to create something so that it wouldn’t just remain a random purchase, one technical device among many. I felt obliged to do something with it and somehow honour this story – and the idea why it was owned.

Does that sound weird? I don’t know myself, but at least in that one moment it was a more than clear decision for me. And now I’m standing here, daring to take the step towards digital medium format, and I’m nervous and a little astonished about myself…

Let’s see where this path will lead me. However, no matter where that goes, one thing will always accompany me: Whenever I pick up this camera, it will remind me of its history. Not in a sad sense, but in a hopeful and respectful one. I also don’t want to forget that it is a great privilege to own and use such a camera. And for that I am very grateful…

I would like to close this part with a short – and by the way the first – visual story made with this camera, which was actually only meant as a small test. Anyway, I like it…