Fujifilm has announced the GF30mm F3.5 R WR, a wide-angle prime for the company’s GFX medium-format mirrorless cameras. The lens, which has a focal length equivalent to 24mm, is weather-proof, resistant to dust and moisture and can be used in temperatures as low as -10°C. It uses an internal focus system for silent autofocusing and minimises focus breathing down to 0.05%, making it a good choice for videography, the company claims. The AF system can also track subjects in constant angle of view even when the focusing position shifts, says Fujifilm.

Other features include 13 lens elements in ten groups, including two aspherical elements and two ED elements, to control aberration and minimise distortion. Another big selling point is portability; the lens weighs a relatively light 510g and measures 99.4mm with a maximum diametre of 84mm. The supplied hood can be also be reverse-attached to the lens to further reduce bulk. The GF30mm F3.5 R WR will be available on the 30th July, with the price expected to be £1649.

GFX firmware fiesta
Fujifilm also announced a wide-ranging series of firmware updates for the three cameras in the GFX series: the 50S, 50R and 100. Highlights include more Film Simulation modes, including Classic Neg, simulating colour negative film traditionally chosen for snapshots. The GFX 100 will also get the Eterna Bleach Bypass mode, which simulates the eponymous film-processing technique, while the GFX 50S and GFX 50R get the Eterna mode, which replicates the colours and tonality of Fujifilm’s motion picture film.

AF performance tweaks mean the GFX 100 will now be able to use phase-detection AF in low-light conditions down to -5EV. The new firmware will also add Low Light Priority AF-S mode to the GFX 50S and GFX 50R, which increases the time the autofocus has to work, improving AF accuracy in low light.

Face/eye detection accuracy and stability are also improved when shooting groups of people, and this applies to all three models. Other improvements include the addition of the Auto mode to focus bracketing in all three models, enhanced gimbal/drone compatibility for the GFX 100 and ProRes Raw video output for this camera, too. Full details of the firmware updates, and information on updating your camera, can be found here.