Fujifilm GFX 50R

Medium-format mirrorless is still a relatively new concept, with the first cameras of the type appearing towards the end of 2016. The initial two models were rather different from each other: Hasselblad's stylish, flat-bodied X1D-50c appealed strongly to photographers looking for medium-format quality in the smallest possible package, while the Fujifilm GFX 50S provided a relatively conventional but bulkier SLR-like design at a more affordable price. Now with its new GFX 50R, Fujifilm has essentially repackaged the 50S into a simpler rangefinder-style body that's similar in concept to the X1D, while striking an unprecedented price point. As a result, it may just have hit upon a Goldilocks formula for medium-format digital.

So what makes the GFX 50R so appealing? First, it uses a 51.4MP medium-format sensor that's 70% larger in area than full frame, and in general, a larger sensor equates to higher image quality. But this still fits into a relatively compact body that's just as easy to carry around as a high-end DSLR. What's more, at £3,999 body only, it's not stratospherically more expensive than the likes of the 45.7MP full-frame Nikon Z 7 or D850.

Of course, a body on its own isn't enough to take pictures, and when you factor in lenses, the GFX system looks less portable and more expensive. This reflects the fact that the system is built around a small collection of absolutely top-quality primes, with just a single zoom. But then you discover the sheer quality