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GFX Eterna 55: Bringing Fujifilm to Digital
- Author: Sam Jorgensen
Fujifilm and Cine Visuals Present: Fujifilm GFX Eterna 55 and Fujinon GF 32-90mm
Cinematic Heritage
Fujifilm has a rich history in the filmmaking world. Founded in 1934, the company has been a key innovator in the development of both physical film and digital technology in the motion picture and photography industries. In September of 2023, Fujifilm released their most impressive medium format sensor yet – the GFX 100II. With a commitment to continue their innovative legacy, and rising to meet the demands of the market, they took their incredible sensor and did a full overhaul. Creating an incredibly lightweight build that meets all the demands of cinema, the GFX 100II sensor was placed into a cinema body camera. Coming out in October 2025, they named it the Eterna 55, nodding to their past with the famous Eterna film stocks and looking toward the future with the incredible 55mm large format sensor. A key draw are the Film Emulation LUTs that Fujifilm photography cameras have become known for. These LUTs have been upgraded and streamlined for the Eterna 55 and bring all the knowledge of Fujifilm’s film stock creation into the digital cinema world.
In October 2025, Fujinon released a new zoom lens to pair with their cinema camera. Known for their high-end sharp zoom lenses, Fujinon released the GF 32-90mm zoom lens. In 1940, Fujifilm broke into the optical world. Seeing that optics would not only be a major player in the film industry, but in the world of medicine, robotics, and other growing fields, they decided investment into this venture was key. Fujifilm created a subsidiary that would eventually come to be known as Fujinon. Major advances in broadcast and zoom technology were invested into their glass. In 1972 they made the first ever camera lens to incorporate EBC technology – Electron Beam Coating – which finely tuned multilayer coatings on the glass to increase contrast and greatly minimize ghosting and flares. Fujinon is a well-established name in the world of lenses and particularly crisp zoom lenses that retain a filmic quality without reduction in performance.
Image Fidelity & Focus
Image quality is sharp and yet gently filmic. Fujifilm’s legacy in film has been passed down into the Eterna 55. F-Log2 C brings a dynamic range that gives cinematographers the tools they need to craft beautiful lighting conditions, capture filmic color rendition, and gentle handling of skintones. Fujifilm offers ten film emulation LUTs that have become ubiquitous with their cameras that are built-in to the camera’s ecosystem. An additional 16 LUTs can be loaded onto the camera. Furthermore, the F-Gamut C covers 81% of the ACES, giving a native robust and powerful color gamut. The film emulation LUTs as well as F-Gamut C allow for quick post-production workflows with beautiful visual rendition while F-Log2 C offers flexibility in dynamic range and post-production.
Recording codecs are among standard top of the line. Integrated with Apple ProRes, a tried and true staple in the industry. Apple ProRes 422 HQ, 422, 422 LT, and H.256 are the offered codecs. Apple ProRes allows cinematographers great latitude of information without long downloading speeds. For workflows that shoot great deals of footage and need to preserve storage space, but still want high performance, this is an incredible boon.
Sharp, high contrast glass with minimal distortion or aberration is a signature of Fujinon glass. The Fujinon GF 32-90mm provides a neutral tonality while capturing smooth and natural color rendition. The lens has an excellent image right out of the gate, but also gives a latitude that allows room in post for cinematographers to bring the color to the spot the project needs. The parfocal nature of the lens provides focus that is smooth and consistent with buttery focus and zoom rings that make pulling to be precise and clean.
Handling & Adaptability
The Eterna 55 is built for filmmakers. Taking the well-regarded GFX 100II sensor and placing it into an ergonomic cinema package. The camera body is lightweight and durable, allowing for complex studio builds or all day run-n-gun productions. Weighing about 4.5 lbs and having dimensions of approximately 4” x 5.4” x 6.9” the camera is fit for a multitude of productions. With menu screens on both sides of the camera, both operators and assistants have easy access to the camera controls and settings. The Eterna 55 includes a large crisp 5-inch LCD on-camera monitor. Additionally, the native Fujifilm G Mount comes with an ARRI PL mount adaptor that provides a vast range of compatibility with various cinema lenses. To summarize, the camera is ready to shoot right out of the case.
With impressive dual native ISO capabilities, the Eterna 55 works in a wide range of lighting conditions. From those that are well-lit and controlled to low lighting spaces that offer little control, the Eterna 55 can handle it. Dual native ISOs of 800 and 3200, as well as a standard range of 400-12800 (and an expandable range of 100-25600) means the Eterna 55 is a lifesaver in any lighting condition.
To accompany the Eterna’s user-friendly disposition, the Fujinon GF 32mm-90mm weighs a mere 4.74 lbs – that’s including 25 optical elements separated into 19 groups all designed to provide an image circle to cover the Eterna’s large format sensor while maintaining a parfocal rectilinear zoom. Incredibly impressive. A setup with this zoom lens, the Eterna 55, a battery, and accessories easily weighs under 13 lbs. A leader in light-weight, portable high-end large format cinema cameras. This design gives operators the ability to shoot all day. Furthermore, the lens has image stabilization built-in allowing for rugged run-n-gun handheld shoots to capture immaculately smoth footage in tight situations.
Image Circle
With its incredible large format sensor, the Eterna 55 has a massive 43.8mm x 32.9mm sensor area, or 55mm diagonally. Utilizing the impressive technology developed for the GFX 100II, and hailing back to the age of Fujifilm’s Eterna film stock, this incredible camera is aptly named the Fujifilm GFX Eterna 55. With an inspiration toward medium format photography and 65mm cinema shooting, the Eterna 55 shifts the typical 5-Perf 65mm format of 52.63mm x 23.01mm with a 2.2:1 aspect ratio to a 1.33:1 or 4×3 aspect ratio. Native 4×3 aspect ratios are treasured by filmmakers due to the versatility of that size for various aspect ratios and lenses. For cinematographers wanting to shoot anamorphic, this means they can use the entire sensor rather than a cropped version, if they so choose.
In order to allow filmmakers to take the Eterna 55 and run, Fujinon accompanied the new camera with a lens that could completely cover its large sensor. The Fujinon 32-90mm gives an image circle that completely covers the Eterna’s sensor. Fujinon themselves state the lens is equivalent in feeling to that of a 25-71mm on a 35mm sensor – a familiar range for filmmakers that covers traditional wides to close-ups. For those more keen on angle of view, this lens at its widest gives an 81 degree AOV and when zoomed all the way in has a 33.8 degree AOV.
Flare & Bokeh
While focusing on capturing accurate and beautiful color rendition, the Eterna 55’s sensor has an incredibly filmic quality about it. Due to the built-in Film Emulation LUTs as well as its F-Log2 C, the Eterna is able to capture and enhance flares and other aberrations for artistic looks or diminish them for projects that need clean and focused control. With a diagonal sensor size of 54.5mm, the Eterna creates the space for large, creamy bokeh when lenses are wide open and deep space for wide shots that need breath.
With a smooth 13-blade iris, the Fujinon 32-90mm provides a continuously smooth and circular bokeh. Consistent and crisp, the bokeh gives a cinematic background in a subtle way that guides the focus back to the subject. Flares are kept to a minimum to allow an edge-to-edge clarity even in chaotic situations where flares would otherwise be difficult to maintain. The multilayer HI-EBC coatings that Fujinon is famous for coupled with three aspherical elements allows for sharp imagery from end-to-end of the zoom barrel.
The Fujifilm GFX Eterna 55 and the Fujinon GF 32-90mm are available for rent at Cine Visuals. For inquiries or testing appointments email info@cinevisuals.com or call (323) 244-2552.