The FUJIFILM GFX ETERNA 55 pays homage to ETERNA, the company’s final motion picture film stock. By naming this new camera after ETERNA, Fujifilm aims to carry forward its legacy and deep commitment to cinematic expression through film.
Founded in 1934 with the goal of producing domestically made motion picture film, Fujifilm began exporting its products in the 1960s, contributing significantly to the global film industry. The company released ETERNA 500 in 2004, followed by ETERNA 400 and ETERNA 250, 250D in 2005. These film stocks were widely used in various productions. However, with the rise of digital technology, Fujifilm discontinued its motion picture film production in 2013.
Despite the industry’s shift to digital, Fujifilm has long harbored the desire to once again energize the cinema world. While developing digital still cameras, the company steadily advanced its video recording technologies. In 2016, Fujifilm introduced 4K video recording to its X Series with FUJIFILM X-T2, and in 2017, released its first large format mirrorless digital camera, FUJIFILM GFX 50S. In 2018, FUJIFILM X-H1 became the first camera to feature the Film Simulation mode that replicated the color and tonal characteristics of ETERNA. These advancements in video recording technology, combined with Fujifilm’s extensive lens development expertise, laid the foundation for creating a dedicated cinema camera.
For over 90 years, Fujifilm has pursued excellence in color through its development of motion picture film. The company believes that color is one of the most powerful tools for creators to express their vision. With GFX ETERNA 55, Fujifilm seeks to empower filmmakers to produce visuals exactly as they intend, tailored for today’s digital era.
The camera’s most distinctive feature is its sensor size. Built upon the large-format sensor developed for the GFX system, GFX ETERNA 55 uses a 43.8×32.9mm sensor—approximately 1.7 times larger than the standard 35mm full-frame (24×36mm). This enables the camera to compress spatial depth into a cinematic 4:3 image, delivering a uniquely immersive visual experience. The large sensor also supports a wide range of formats, accommodating diverse production needs. From GF lenses to PL-mount compatibility, GFX ETERNA 55 supports full-frame, Super 35mm, anamorphic, and other lens types. Additionally, full-sensor open gate recording further enhances the camera’s creative flexibility.
Fujifilm also developed a new optical low-pass filter and ND filters optimized specifically for this sensor, delivering image quality finely tuned for video production. With the 102MP sensor, the camera produces visuals that feel like 4:3 still photographs come to life, enveloping the viewer in a sense of immersion.
The GFX ETERNA 55 uses the custom-built sensor of the GFX100 II.
One of the most significant differences from still cameras is the presence of a cooling fan. Because the GFX ETERNA 55 is designed for filmmaking, it is naturally expected to record continuously. This results in heat generation from the constantly active sensor, and effective heat dissipation is crucial. FUJIFILM’s goal was to enable unrestricted recording time. To meet this goal, additional heat-dissipating metal components were incorporated, and the internal structure was redesigned, distinct from that of still cameras, to withstand long takes.
To further enhance usability for filmmakers, a new dual-base ISO system was developed, allowing ISO 800 and ISO 3200 to be individually fixed and controlled. Additionally, the GFX ETERNA 55 is equipped with native G mount support and a PL mount adapter, enabling compatibility with a wide range of lenses, just like the GFX100 II, making it possible to shoot in various formats. One particularly notable new feature is the 48fps open gate mode. This newly designed drive mode utilizes the sensor’s full light-sensitive area of 43.63mm × 32.71mm, enabling 4:3 aspect ratio shooting with greater vertical resolution and a three-dimensional feel to the image.
The first step in adapting the sensor for filmmaking use was the inclusion of an optical low-pass filter (OLPF) in front of the sensor. The OLPF helps align the separated RGB Bayer pattern more precisely, delivering clean and accurate color information to the sensor. Traditional film captures RGB information across three separate layers, and this low-pass filter emulates that film-like look, achieving a similar visual softness while reducing moiré and false color artifacts.
Another major enhancement is the integration of an internal electronic ND filter designed for large-format sensors. It covers a density range from ND0.6 to ND2.1, enabling seamless light reduction from 2 to 7 stops, with five stops of smooth transition in between. Development of the electronic ND filter began a year prior to the development of the GFX ETERNA 55, with repeated prototyping and input from other departments. One of its standout features is the ability to finely modulate light attenuation in precise 0.05-stop increments (ND0.015). This level of granularity allows nearly imperceptible transitions in exposure, a key strength of the GFX ETERNA 55. Achieving this required detailed individual tuning of each unit, a process Fujifilm has routinely employed since the days of still cameras. Size was another challenge. Larger components are more prone to distortion, so extensive testing was conducted to integrate the system without compromising image quality.
Measuring color with instruments is known as colorimetry, but Fujifilm believes that reproducing colors exactly as measured is not always the right approach when it comes to filmmaking. The color of the sky, the green of foliage, and skintones. According to Fujifilm, they spent decades researching the most pleasing color balance through their experience with motion picture film, photographic film, and digital cameras. The GFX ETERNA 55 is a camera packed with all the color science and expertise that Fujifilm has developed over the years.
The F-Log2 C recording format was developed specifically with this camera in mind. It was designed to capture footage with a wide dynamic range and color gamut. The color space that emerged from extensive trial and error is called F-Gamut C. When aiming to capture a broader color gamut than BT.2020, it wasn’t just about expanding the numerical range; instead, Fujifilm focused on developing a gamut that would offer the most natural and balanced color reproduction for their sensors.
Image processing was also reconsidered to allow more flexibility during post-production. The camera is claimed to retain shadow detail to ensure natural-looking footage even when brightened later. Highlights are said to be rendered with smooth roll-off while maintaining color continuity. This smooth gradation is essential for all kinds of subjects, but skintones in particular are carefully handled.
In terms of sharpness, the GFX100 II, which shares the same sensor, emphasizes ease of use, whereas the GFX ETERNA 55 prioritizes showing the lens character. While the GFX100 II applies a certain level of sharpness from the outset to emphasize the resolving power of GF lenses, the GFX ETERNA 55, equipped with an optical low-pass filter, produces softer, more natural images while still maintaining resolution. Its design preserves the characteristics of the lens used and the atmosphere of the scene as it is.
With over 90 years of experience in film, both motion picture and still, Fujifilm has accumulated extensive knowledge and expertise in color expression. Translating this into the digital realm is one of Fujifilm’s key strengths. Film Simulation features in digital cameras are continuously evolving, and now, with the GFX ETERNA 55, the number of usable LUTs (Look-Up Tables) for video has expanded to a total of ten. These include simulations of positive films like PROVIA and Velvia, bringing expressive possibilities that are unique to digital.
