Field guide
A field guide for the GFX 100S II
A working photographer's setup, doctrine, and technique for the Fujifilm GFX 100S II — written to be read once at home, then carried into the field. The directory below maps 21 field-guide documents and 2 linked editing guides. If this is your first visit, start with the orientation guide.
GFX 100S II · Field Guide + Editing Guides
Master Index —
The Complete Suite
This index maps every document in the GFX 100S II field guide so you can choose the right page fast and move from setup to field use.
- Read the settings overview once.
- Use walkthroughs while configuring banks.
- Open addenda when specialist techniques apply.
Section 0 · Orientation
Reading Guide
Start here. This guide tells you which document to open, and when — so the rest of the suite below can be approached as a reference rather than a wall of links.
| Situation | Reach for | Why |
|---|---|---|
| New to the system First time setting up the camera |
GFX Settings Overview Read from beginning to end | Understand the main choices before touching the menus. The settings overview explains the checks used by the walkthroughs. |
| Configuring a bank for the first time Setting up C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, or C6 on the camera |
Relevant bank walkthrough Open alongside the camera, work through sequentially | Menu-order walkthroughs follow the exact sequence of the camera menus. No hunting for settings; every page maps to a camera screen. |
| A setting in a walkthrough doesn't make sense | GFX Settings Overview Find the relevant section by subject | The settings overview contains the longer reasoning. The walkthroughs compress it into camera-menu steps. |
| Planning a landscape session with near foreground | C1 Focus Stacking Addendum Parts II, III, IV, V before the session | Part II tells you whether the scene needs stacking. Part III sets up the camera. Part IV is the field sequence. Part V is the lens guide. |
| Post-processing a focus stack | C1 Focus Stacking Addendum Parts VI and VII | Complete Lightroom → Photoshop workflow with Helicon Focus and Zerene Stacker comparison and decision table. |
| Planning a Pixel Shift session | C6 Pixel Shift Addendum Parts III, IV, V, VI, VII before the session | Parts III–IV confirm the subject and conditions are suitable. Part V is the vibration test. Part VI selects the lens. Part VII configures the bank. |
| After a Pixel Shift session — processing the files | C6 Pixel Shift Addendum Parts IX and X | Part IX covers the Fujifilm Pixel Shift Combiner round-trip in detail. Part X covers Lightroom adjustments specific to combined files. |
| A Pixel Shift session produced unexpected output | C6 Pixel Shift Addendum Part XI — Failure Modes | Six failure modes with specific signatures and fixes. Identify the pattern in the output, find the corresponding failure mode, apply the remedy. |
| Before an architectural commission | C5 Architecture Walkthrough Sections on Verticals, Lenses, and Workflow before the menu configuration | The Verticals section and Workflow section are conceptual preparation for the session. Read them before configuring the bank, not after. |
| Executing C5 focus stacking on location Need a short operational sequence while shooting |
C5 Focus Stacking Field Checklist Use full sequence I–VII in the field | The checklist is the procedural capture companion. It applies the C5 addendum decisions in a short gate-by-gate order under field pressure. |
| C5 stack failed or looked soft Need diagnosis and root-cause correction |
C5 Architecture Focus Stacking Addendum Chapter VIII — Failure Modes | Use the addendum for failure signatures and correction logic; use the checklist to re-run capture with corrected settings and sequence discipline. |
| Before an indoor sport or crossfit event | C4 Bank Spec Addendum first, then C4 Walkthrough Shutter-speed guide · Walkthrough for camera configuration | The shutter speed selector in the spec document is the creative pre-visualisation tool. The walkthrough is the configuration tool. Both before the event. |
| Something in the field is behaving unexpectedly | GFX Settings Overview Section 12 — Where This Setup Breaks | The failure modes section documents nine predictable failure conditions with their causes and fixes. |
| Before firmware updates or after menu wording changes | Firmware and Version Baseline Post-update recheck | Use this before treating the manual as current after a body, lens, Lightroom, or Pixel Shift Combiner update. |
| Before travel, rental use, or a paid commission | Settings Backup, Cards, and Recovery Recovery protocol | Export or document the bank state, choose the correct dual-card policy, and know how to recover when the camera drifts. |
| Using strobes, speedlights, LED panels, or tethered review | Flash and Continuous Light · Connectivity and Tethering Bank compatibility | Lighting and connection states are session states, not always-on bank defaults. These references keep them from contaminating field capture. |
| Shooting at night or with Bulb mode Star trails, light painting, long exposures |
Night and Bulb — Technique Addendum Bank choice map, then the relevant section | Night work on the GFX is bank-agnostic — correct bank depends on the session. Bank choice map covers C1 through C6. Long Exposure NR, star trail geometry, Bulb prerequisites, and the electronic vs mechanical shutter decision for exposures beyond 30 seconds. |
| Editing files after any session RAW-to-colour pipeline in Lightroom Classic |
Lightroom Classic — GFX Editing Guide Foundation sections first; stream profiles per bank | Covers the RAW baseline, rendering pipeline order, lens correction, white balance, tonal range, detail settings, and bank-specific editing priorities for all six streams. Pixel Shift round-trip adjustments documented separately. |
| Converting files to black and white Moving from Lightroom Classic into Silver Efex |
Dimensionality in Monochrome Lightroom prep first; Silver Efex as the rendering stage | Defines the sequence that prevents tonal collapse: Lightroom as the colour negative, Silver Efex as the conversion stage. Per-lens rendering notes for each GF lens, worked examples with decision annotation, and six failure mode signatures. |
Section I
Bank Architecture
Six custom banks — each a complete camera persona, not a preset. The mode dial is a declaration of intent. Rotate it before lifting the camera.
Landscape &
Architecture Detail
Architecture Detail
GF 20–35mm F4 · GF 100-200mm for long compression
Architecture
GF 20–35mm · GF 45–100mm · GF 100-200mm
Pixel Shift
Multi-Shot
Multi-Shot
GF 80mm F1.7 · GF 100-200mm for distant static subjects
Section II · Layer 1
Settings Overview
Read once before building the banks. This chapter explains the main choices behind exposure, focus, stabilisation, shutter type, button layout, lens roles, and failure checks. It is organised by subject, not by menu location.
Settings overview · All banks · Foundation document
GFX 100S II · Settings Overview
The foundation chapter covers exposure placement, histogram use, minimum shutter speeds at 102 MP, IBIS technique, the base configuration shared by all banks, button assignments, lens behaviour, aperture choices, the three primary streams, Pixel Shift, Focus Bracketing, Interval Timer, and failure checks. Use it when a walkthrough setting needs more context.
The overview and the walkthroughs do different jobs. The overview explains the reasoning; the walkthroughs give the menu sequence. Read the overview once, then use the walkthroughs as the operational reference.
Section III · Layer 2
Menu-Order Walkthroughs
One document per bank. Each follows the exact camera menu sequence — IQ page 1 through page 4, AF/MF page 1 through 3, Shooting, Flash, Setup, Network — in the order the menu items appear on your camera at 8 items per page. Every active setting carries a rationale row explaining why. Open the relevant walkthrough when configuring a bank, keep it open as you move through the menus, close it when the bank is saved.
C1 · Landscape · GF 20–35mm · GF 100-200mm for long compression
C1 Landscape
Setup Walkthrough
Setup Walkthrough
The tripod-anchored deliberate bank. Zero-compromise, maximum resolution. Key C1-specific decisions: Classic Chrome preview over Velvia (prevents the false optimism of a saturated preview); IS MODE OFF as critical (the most common silent IQ failure in landscape work); FOCUS priority for AF-S (a soft landscape at 102 MP is unusable — the camera waits for confirmation); Long Exposure NR OFF (field time at golden hour is too valuable). Documents the 2-second self-timer with SAVE SELF-TIMER SETTING ON, AF+MF workflow for hyperfocal precision, and Focus Check for in-field verification. AE Bracketing and Focus Bracketing are documented as available tools within C1 — not saved defaults, but configured per scene. The GF 100-200mm F5.6 is treated as the prudent long-compression extension when ridgelines, woodland layers, or subjects across water still feel too loose at 100mm.
C2 · Portrait · GF 80mm F1.7
C2 Portrait
Setup Walkthrough
Setup Walkthrough
The bank where the GFX makes its strongest claim to irreplaceability. Key C2-specific decisions: Astia/Soft preview (more accurately represents how the 80mm renders skin at wide apertures than Provia); Min Shutter Speed 1/200s — the most critical Auto ISO sub-setting in the system (the camera's AUTO would set ~1/100s, insufficient at f/1.7 on 102 MP for any subject motion); EFCS with the outdoor bright-light caution documented (at higher shutter speeds, test for artifacts and switch shutter type or use ND if needed); AF-C SET 2 (moderate tracking for portrait subject tempos, not the aggressive SET 4 of sport); Face Detection ON + Eye Auto with the specific failure mode at f/1.7 documented. The DC motor constraint is explained before the AF section. Aperture character guide: f/2 as bank default, f/1.7 as deliberate aesthetic choice.
C3 · Street / Documentary · GF 45–100mm
C3 Street & Documentary
Setup Walkthrough
Setup Walkthrough
The bank defined by the Electronic Shutter and its ethical implications. Key C3-specific decisions: Electronic Shutter as primary (silence in documentary is the method, not a preference — both Electronic Shutter sound settings must be OFF); ACROS or Classic Neg. preview (ACROS forces tonal reading in complex colour environments — choose and commit); Zone AF with AF-C SET 1 (conservative tracking holds the subject through crowd interruptions — opposite of sport's SET 4); Face Detection ON within the Zone (Face Detection has no Human Subject Detection competitor on this camera — it is the primary intelligent layer); Self-timer OFF as Critical (saved self-timer in C3 is a session-destroying failure, not a minor inconvenience); Flicker Reduction OFF in Electronic Shutter (if artificial-light banding appears, switch shutter type rather than expecting Flicker Reduction to stay available). The pre-focus hyperfocal technique is documented.
C4 · Indoor Sport · GF 45–100mm · GF 100-200mm when reach is required
C4 Indoor Sport
Setup Walkthrough
Setup Walkthrough
A bank for indoor sport when the aim is motion, rhythm, and available-light atmosphere rather than maximum frame rate. Key C4 decisions: S mode because shutter speed controls the look of motion; MECHANICAL Shutter as Critical because LED banding makes Electronic Shutter unsuitable; Wide/Tracking + Face Detection ON because Face Detection is the human-tracking layer with Wide/Tracking as fallback; AF-C SET 4 for aggressive subject tracking; 117 focus points for tracking speed; and Pre-AF ON as a session exception for the finite duration of sport work. The addendum gives the shutter-speed zones from Freeze through Impressionist.
C5 · Architecture · GF 20–35mm primary · GF 100-200mm for remote detail
C5 Architecture
Setup Walkthrough
Setup Walkthrough
The bank for the most exacting clients in photography. Key C5-specific decisions: Provia/Standard preview (colour accuracy over mood — the only bank where the preview must represent material colour faithfully); ISO 80 (the GFX 100S II's true base ISO — not 100 — for maximum dynamic range on the tripod); Electronic Level as Critical Setup item (not an occasional reference — the primary compositional instrument, continuously visible in the EVF throughout every composition); Framing Grid (6×4) active alongside the level (the vertical alignment reference against building geometry); White Balance precision (fixed Kelvin for exterior; Custom WB from grey card for interior — Auto WB is explicitly prohibited for interior bracket sequences); Flash compatible (unique among C-banks — interior architecture regularly uses supplementary light; MECHANICAL shutter required); AE Bracketing for interior HDR documented in detail; IS MODE OFF as Critical. Extended sections on converging verticals, the GF tilt-shift lenses, lens selection, including the GF 100-200mm F5.6 for remote architectural detail, and the three-shot architectural assignment workflow.
C6 · Pixel Shift · GF 80mm F1.7 · GF 100-200mm for distant static subjects
C6 Pixel Shift
Setup Walkthrough
Setup Walkthrough
The bank for controlled, zero-movement precision work where colour accuracy and multi-frame resolution gain justify a slower method. Key C6-specific decisions: Pixel Shift Multi Shot on the DRIVE button as the defining mode; Electronic Shutter as mandatory; IS MODE OFF as a hard prerequisite because the IBIS actuators are occupied by the shift sequence; Provia/Standard preview for neutral colour judgment; and focus verification before drive-mode engagement because the full sequence fires automatically once the bank is committed. The walkthrough configures the bank. The addendum governs whether the subject and conditions deserve it.
Section IV · Layer 3
Technique Addenda
Nine technique addenda cover specialist work that does not belong inside the menu walkthroughs — specific techniques, field decisions, and failure-mode handling. Use the walkthroughs for camera setup; use these pages when the situation calls for more than the bank defaults.
C4 · Bank Specification Addendum
C4 Indoor Sport & Artistic — Bank Addendum
The C4 companion page explains how to use the indoor sport bank. It includes the four-zone shutter speed selector (Freeze / Dynamic / Blur / Impressionist), lens choices, monopod technique for each shutter zone, and the full settings summary table. Read this before the C4 walkthrough if you want the shooting decisions before the menu settings.
C1 · Technique Addendum · 8 chapters
The complete focus stacking reference for C1 Landscape work at 102 MP. Opens with the physics of diffraction at the GFX pixel pitch — why f/16 actively degrades the sensor's greatest strength, and why f/8 stacking is the solution rather than a compromise. Eight chapters: physics of diffraction at 102 MP; aperture map (f/5.6–f/16+); when to stack and when a single frame is correct (six scenario pairs); complete camera setup for Focus BKT AUTO and MANUAL modes; nine-step field execution sequence; lens-by-lens guide with specific frame count tables; complete Lightroom → Photoshop post-processing workflow; dedicated software comparison (Helicon Focus Method A/B/C vs Zerene Stacker PMax/DMap); six failure modes with field fixes. Ends with the client proposition — the print-scale quality argument for the practice.
I · Physics & Diffraction · II · When to Stack · III · Camera Setup ·
IV · Field Execution · V · Lens by Lens · VI · Post-Processing ·
VII · Software · VIII · Failure Modes
C6 · Technique Addendum · 11 chapters
The complete Pixel Shift reference, from Bayer interpolation to Lightroom adjustments for combined files. It uses a static mountain subject to show why geological detail and monochrome channel mixing can benefit from Pixel Shift. Eleven chapters: Bayer interpolation; 4 vs 16 frame mode; subject selection; required capture conditions; vibration testing; lens selection; C6 bank configuration; field and studio sequence; Fujifilm Pixel Shift Combiner; Lightroom adjustments; and failure modes.
I · Physics · II · 4 vs 16 Frames · III · Subject Selection ·
IV · Non-Negotiables · V · Vibration Test · VI · Lens Selection ·
VII · C6 Setup · VIII · Execution · IX · Combiner Software ·
X · Lightroom Processing · XI · Failure Modes
C6 · Field Checklist
The on-location companion to the C6 Pixel Shift Addendum. Print or keep open on-device during a session. Six sections: vibration test sequence (tripod, IS/OIS, mirror shock, remote release — the four conditions that must be confirmed before triggering); DRIVE-button mode decision (4-frame vs 16-frame with subject and time criteria); IS/OIS confirmation checklist for active OIS lenses; remote release confirmation; at-scene execution sequence (framing lock, focus lock, trigger discipline, post-capture review); and software-ingest workflow for the Fujifilm Pixel Shift Combiner. Use when the addendum has already been read and the settings are already built — this is the field execution reference, not the learning document.
I · Vibration Test · II · Drive Mode · III · IS/OIS ·
IV · Remote Release · V · At-Scene Execution · VI · Software Ingest
C5 · Field Addendum
A field addendum for focus stacking in C5 Architecture sessions — a distinct geometry from landscape stacking that requires different aperture choices, step size discipline, and software handling. Eight sections: the geometry difference between flat-plane architectural subjects and near-to-infinity landscape subjects; when architectural stacking is actually justified (ideal vs poor subject grid with six pairs); aperture map for flat planes at architectural working distances; C5 bank configuration for Focus BKT; step size by subject distance (four ranges); execution control notes linked to the dedicated C5 checklist; post-processing with Helicon Focus Method A (the preferred method for flat planes) and Zerene PMax; eight failure modes. The architecture-specific stacking discipline differs enough from the C1 Landscape version to warrant its own document.
I · Geometry · II · When to Stack · III · Aperture Map ·
IV · C5 Bank Setup · V · Step Sizes · VI · Field Checklist ·
VII · Post-Processing · VIII · Failure Modes
C5 · Field Checklist
The on-location companion to the C5 architecture focus stacking addendum. Seven sections: suitability gate, stability gate, exact Focus BKT menu path, parameter start points by lens/distance, fixed capture sequence, on-site continuity QA, and post-ingest method branch. Use after reading the C5 addendum: this page is execution control, not theory.
I · Suitability · II · Stability · III · Menu Path ·
IV · Parameters · V · Sequence · VI · On-Site QA ·
VII · Post Ingest
Bank-Agnostic · Field Reference
A filter reference for the current CPL and ND kit. Covers the Hoya 82mm CPL, B+W 72mm CPL, B+W 110 ND 3.0 / 1000x, and B+W 803 ND 0.9, then translates them into practical GFX use: what each filter actually changes, when CPL decisions cannot be recovered in post, ND exposure conversion, thread compatibility, step-up versus step-down discipline, stacking order, vignetting risks, and buying priorities. The page also corrects the filter-size strategy: 82mm is the coherent circular-filter standard for this lens set, while 72mm filters are mainly useful on the GF 100-200mm through a 67-72 step-up ring.
I · Inventory · II · CPL · III · ND Math · IV · Threads ·
V · Stream Use · VI · Stacking · VII · Kit Gaps · VIII · Field Protocol
Bank-Agnostic · Technique Addendum
Night photography and Bulb mode on the GFX 100S II are bank-agnostic — the correct bank depends on the session type, not a dedicated night bank. This addendum documents the technique regardless of bank. Seven sections: bank choice map (C1 through C6 cells with applicable/primary status); long exposure practice (ISO, Long Exposure NR, and the thermal-noise trade-off); star trails (earth rotation geometry, trail length calculation, interval timer steps for gap-free trails); light painting (ambient-first rule, light source comparison, WB note); electronic vs mechanical shutter decision for exposures beyond 30 seconds; Bulb mode configuration (T mode comparison, prerequisites); six failure modes.
I · Bank Choice · II · Long Exposure Discipline · III · Star Trails ·
IV · Light Painting · V · Electronic vs Mechanical · VI · Bulb Config ·
VII · Failure Modes
Section V · Layer 4
Post-Processing Workflow
Two linked editing guides cover the pipeline after capture: a full Lightroom Classic reference for all six capture streams, and a Silver Efex guide for monochrome work. Read the Lightroom guide before establishing import defaults; use the monochrome guide when a file is headed into black and white.
Post-processing · All banks · Colour
The colour editing reference for all six capture streams. Opens with what makes GFX 100S II RAW files different at 102 MP: highlight headroom, shadow latitude, and the implications for tonal placement before import. Documents the full pipeline — profile selection, lens correction, white balance, tonal range, contrast, local contrast, and detail — in the order each decision must be made. Per-stream editing profiles give bank-specific priorities: landscape, portrait, street, indoor sport (with the LED colour cast correction), architecture (the two-step WB sequence before the standard pipeline), and the Pixel Shift round-trip adjustments for combined DNG files. Ends with a complete workflow checklist and critical rules.
I · RAW Baseline · II · Rendering Pipeline · III · Foundation Adjustments ·
IV · Tonal Range · V · Detail · VI · Stream Profiles · VII · Pixel Shift Round-Trip
Post-processing · Monochrome · Silver Efex
A monochrome companion for GFX files moving from Lightroom Classic into Silver Efex, focused on tonal separation, dimensional depth, and the print-ready black-and-white decision sequence. The core argument: Lightroom is the colour negative; Silver Efex is the conversion stage. Doing it in the wrong order collapses the tonal range before the channel decisions are made. Lens-specific rendering notes for each GF lens in the current kit — the 20–35mm's compressed foreground planes, the 45–100mm's mid-range separation, the 100–200mm's telephoto layering, and the 80mm's subject-dominant centre. Worked examples from Kralingse Plas and Kralingen with annotated decision points. Six failure mode signatures with correction strategies.
I · Lightroom Prep · II · Silver Efex Sequence · III · Lens Rendering ·
IV · Pipeline · V · Worked Examples · VI · Failure Modes
Section VI · Layer 5
System References
These chapters cover the support work around the six banks: firmware notes, settings backup, card use, lighting limits, connection settings, maintenance, and lens scope.
System reference · Version control
Records the firmware and software versions used when checking the guide: body firmware, lens firmware, Pixel Shift Combiner, Lightroom Classic, and the post-update checks to run when menu wording changes.
I · Baseline · II · Update Order · III · Post-Update Recheck · IV · Field Log
System reference · Recovery
Defines the backup and recovery layer for the six-bank system: X Acquire backup posture, dual-card recording policy, continuous frame numbering, copyright/IPTC metadata, and an in-field recovery sequence when the camera behaves unexpectedly.
I · Settings Backup · II · Card Policy · III · Metadata · IV · Recovery Steps
System reference · Light
Resolves bank-by-bank lighting compatibility. C2 and C5 can use flash deliberately; C3 and C4 reject it; C6 should be treated as a continuous-light Pixel Shift workflow. This chapter also reconciles the electronic-shutter and flash constraints.
I · Shutter-Light Rules · II · Bank Compatibility · III · Pixel Shift Correction · IV · Workflow
System reference · Connections
Shows when XApp, USB tethering, Frame.io, FTP, and backup/restore are useful. The field default is disconnected unless the connection has a specific job.
I · Connection Posture · II · Modes · III · Bank-Specific Use · IV · After Firmware Updates
System reference · Reliability
Practical care for the kit: NP-W235 planning by bank, weather handling, condensation control, dust prevention, sensor cleaning escalation, lens-cap hygiene, and the post-session routine.
I · Power Planning · II · Weather Handling · III · Sensor and Lens Care · IV · Post-Session Routine
System reference · Scope
States what this guide covers and what it leaves out. It names the current four-lens kit, gives rules for adding lenses, and separates still-photo use from video, dedicated wildlife, and full commercial tethering.
I · What This Covers · II · Current Kit · III · Adding Lenses · IV · Explicit Exclusions
Support the work
This field guide is free to read
Custom banks, setup walkthroughs, focus stacking, pixel shift, system references, and the linked editing guides are all available here. If the guide has improved your GFX 100S II practice, a Ko-fi contribution helps keep it current.
