What’s This?

So, “what’s this?” some of you may be asking. It’s the Fujifilm EVF-TL1 viewfinder tilt adapter for the GFX 50S and GFX 100. It’s attached between the removable electronic viewfinder and the camera body and allows you to tilt the eyepiece up to 90⁰ upward to use the camera in a waist-level/chest-level viewfinder mode or pitched ±45⁰ when in portrait orientation. It gives the EVF far more versatility to be used in awkward positions where you’d normally have to resort to using the 2½-way rear LCD.

The EVF’s design generally provides better image quality compared to an exterior mounted LCD by blocking ambient light and through magnification of the viewfinder display. A combination of high pixel density and smaller individual pixels, when compared to a larger display with a less than or equal number of pixels, will provide a smoother and more accurate look under magnification and benefits focus greatly. The inclusion of a diopter also contributes to increased comfort and capability for those who use corrective lenses, or for those who lack 20/20 vision but don’t need them. Simply put, using the viewfinder makes it easier to focus accurately due to superior image quality compared to the rear LCD.

As sensor pixel density increases, focus becomes even more critical as the increased resolution will expose any misses in focus. Greater resolution becomes less forgiving.

The articulation allows you to use the EVF more often, like when using a tripod above eye level in portrait orientation, a configuration used for single-row panoramas. Another frequent orientation is at ground level… instead of laying prone to use the EVF, or resorting to an LCD that’s easily washed out by a moderately bright day or even by reflections at night, I can now use the EVF in a top-down configuration.

Another benefit to this adapter is that it pushes the eyepiece further rearward, giving more clearance to your nose. This can make it more comfortable to use either eye without having to tilt the camera and roll the eye upward to prevent your nose making contact with the rear LCD.

Despite being right-eye dominant and having decades of firearms training, I’ve begun to use my left eye more for critical focus as old age has begun to reduce the visual acuity of my right eye, both in absolute acuity and the slowing of focus from near to far and back again. It’s become both easier and faster for me to use the EVF with my left eye while using my right eye above the camera for ranging and composition, negating the growing slowness of my right eye’s ability to transition.

The real pain point is the $569 price tag. It’s what kept me from buying it sooner as I would argue against its single use. I finally decided the capability provided outweighed the total cost. It’s expected to arrive next week and I will put it through its paces then. The more I get into macro photography, the more it becomes a justifiable purchase for me.

At least it’s fully compatible with the GFX 100, giving me precedent to hope it will continue to be adapted to further GFX camera bodies, thus providing long term value.

One a side not: I wish the GFX 100’s 5.76 million dot, 1.92 megapixel, 1600×1200 EVF OLED microdisplay was fully compatible on the GFX 50S. It works, but resolution is downscaled to the original 3.69 million dot, 1.23 megapixel, 1280×960 output. I assume it’s due to limitations of the older display controller within the GFX 50S and can’t be overcome through firmware, otherwise Fujifilm would’ve done so and offered the new EVF for sale as an upgrade accessory.

I’ll be sure to post a review of the EVF-TL1, my findings, and how well it fits into my shooting style and habits when it arrives.