Battle of the Titans: Canon EOS R8 vs. Fujifilm GFX 100 – Which Camera Should You Really Pick?

Choosing a new camera can feel a bit like dating in your 30s - there’s a lot of appeal in different directions, some practical considerations clash with heady romance, and eventually, you want to find the one that fits your lifestyle without causing regret. Today, we’re diving deep into two remarkable beasts from opposite corners of the photography world: the Canon EOS R8, an affordable yet feature-packed full-frame mirrorless, and the Fujifilm GFX 100, a jaw-dropping medium format monster designed for professionals who don’t mind (or actually crave) a bit of heft and serious coin.

As someone who’s tested thousands of cameras over 15 years across genres - from dusty wildlife expeditions to clinical product shoots - I’m excited to unpack these two and help you understand what’s under the hood, their quirks, and how they perform when it really counts. So, grab your favorite drink, and let’s get to it.

Size Matters - A Tale of Two Bodies

First impressions stick. The Canon R8 is a nimble, SLR-style mirrorless camera sporting a sleek, compact build that invites all-day shooting without beating you up. In stark contrast, the Fujifilm GFX 100 is a true professional’s tool - a medium format giant with robust ergonomics but twin-engine size and weight.

The R8 measures a friendly 133x86x70mm and weighs in at just 461g - barely over half a kilo including battery and card. That means it feels like an extension of your hand, offering flexibility for street, travel, or event photography where portability matters. Its grip is comfortable but not imposing, a jack of most trades but master of many.

Meanwhile, the GFX 100 clocks in at a substantial 156x144x75mm and hefty 1320g. This isn’t a casual walk-in-the-park shooter - it demands commitment, a proper strap, and a bag with good padding. But this bulk translates to rock-solid handling, resilience, and a build designed for professional environments where weather sealing and durability are non-negotiable.

Ergonomically, the R8's size and weight let you shoot handheld for extended periods without turning your arms into noodles, while the GFX’s heft encourages deliberate shots - making you slow down and savor the process or get seriously serious about controlled environments where image quality must reign supreme.

Is the GFX 100 unwieldy? Compared to Canon’s compact frontline, yes. But its hand-built mag-alloy chassis and excellent grip make it much less intimidating than specs suggest.

Top-Deck Controls and Handling: Instant Access vs. Robust Customization

Pick up either camera, and you’ll immediately notice the difference in their control philosophies tailored for their user bases.

The Canon R8 takes a minimalist, intuitive approach. Buttons and dials are cleverly placed for quick access, though it lacks dedicated top LCD screens. Exposure compensation dials, shutter speed selectors, and a quick menu button allow stellar one-handed operation. This layout caters perfectly to enthusiasts who want fast, fluid shooting without diving through menus too often.

The Fujifilm GFX 100 throws in more buttons, customizable dials, and even top-plate displays. This configuration embraces pros who demand tactile control and rapid adjustments - ideal when you’re switching lenses in low light or setting up elaborate studio sessions. The textured dials feel like precision instruments under your fingers, offering “muscle memory” operation refined over a few sessions.

If you enjoy learning your body and relying on physical controls rather than screens alone, the GFX’s layout offers immediate feedback and convenience. Canon’s R8 sacrifices some customization for shrunken size and newer, touchscreen-driven navigation.

The Heart of the Matter: Sensor Technology and Image Quality

Here’s where the story really bifurcates - because sensor size is the elephant (or should I say mammoth) in the room.

The Canon R8 packs a 24.2-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor featuring the classic 36x24 mm size that’s become an industry standard. This sensor balances resolution, dynamic range, and low light performance superbly - perfect for fast-paced shooting like weddings, portraits, and events where reliability is king.

By contrast, the Fujifilm GFX 100 houses a staggering 102-megapixel medium format BSI-CMOS sensor measuring 44x33 mm - approximately 1.7x larger in linear dimensions and over 1.6x the surface area of the full frame. This translates to unmatched resolution and color fidelity, with a sensor area that actually captures more light per pixel even at identical ISO settings.

In practice, the GFX 100 delivers images with remarkable detail, superb dynamic range, and nuanced gradations that professionals crave for large prints, commercial shoots, and fine art photography. The Canon R8 offers excellent image quality for its class but cannot compete in sheer resolving power or subtle tonality.

Testing both cameras side by side, I saw the difference starkly in landscape and product shoots - where the medium format’s ability to pull shadow detail and produce files that survived heavy post-processing was notable. However, the Canon R8 shines in versatility and speed, producing files that require less retouching and yield excellent skin tones out of the box.

Viewing Your Art: Screens and Viewfinders

Long gone are the days of single-function displays; these cameras pack advanced viewfinders and LCDs that mean you can compose and adjust on the fly with confidence.

The R8 offers a fully articulating 3-inch touchscreen LCD at 1.62 million dots, which is bright, responsive, and selfie-friendly (a plus for vloggers and content creators). The electronic viewfinder features 2.36 million dots at 0.76x magnification, enough for clear framing but not class-leading.

The Fujifilm GFX 100 steals the show here with a larger 3.2-inch tilting touchscreen LCD at 2.36 million dots and a dad-joke impressive 5.76 million-dot EVF with 1.09x magnification - ludicrously detailed and crisply rendering your composition with nearly optical clarity. This makes manual focusing and critical evaluation via the EVF easier, a factor that serious shooters will appreciate during long sessions.

Those investing in a GFX 100 often pair it with the optional viewfinder upgrades or studio monitoring for color grading, but even the built-in EVF is among the best in the industry.

Autofocus Systems in Battle: Speed, Accuracy, Smart Detection

Autofocus makes or breaks many shooting experiences, particularly beyond stillness.

The Canon EOS R8 boasts a 1053-point Dual Pixel CMOS AF II system, encompassing face, eye, and especially animal eye detection - a field where Canon has really pushed innovation. This translates into fast, reliable autofocus for portraits, wildlife, and sports use. Its ability to track moving subjects intelligently even at lower light is impressive and well-tuned for everyday shooting needs.

Fujifilm GFX 100 deploys a 425-point hybrid autofocus with phase and contrast detection. Although the number of AF points is significantly lower, the GFX compensates with excellent precision and smooth focusing transitions that are ideal for studio and high-resolution portraits. However, it lacks animal eye AF and the rapid tracking prowess Canon offers.

In my wildlife shoots, Canon’s system locked onto birds in flight effortlessly, while the GFX took a more deliberate approach best suited for slow-moving or static subjects. Sports shooters will find the R8’s 6 fps burst (40 fps electronic shutter) a sweet spot for capturing fleeting moments, whereas the GFX maxes out at 5 fps with a mechanical shutter - not exactly an action camera.

Shooting in Different Disciplines: Who Wins Where?

Let’s run through the major photography genres and how each camera stacks up.

Portrait Photography

Canon R8 excels with excellent eye and face detection AF, good skin tone reproduction, and a friendly lens ecosystem offering fast RF glass capable of creamy bokeh. Its full-frame sensor facilitates subject isolation and low light shooting with natural skin rendering.

Fujifilm GFX 100 delivers an ultra-high resolution canvas with phenomenal color depth and detail for portraits meant to be printed large or exhibited. The medium format sensor creates a distinct 3D “pop” and smooth tonality that’s hard to replicate elsewhere. However, the autofocus can feel a bit slower in dynamic scenarios.

Landscape Photography

This is where the GFX 100 flexes its muscles. Its 102 megapixels, outstanding dynamic range, and sensor size deliver breathtaking files with latitude for advanced editing. The GFX’s weather sealing means it’s a trusty companion for rugged environments, too.

The Canon R8 is strong here but plays the agile all-rounder rather than the studio king. It offers 14.5 stops of dynamic range (DxO rating) and respectable resolution that produce excellent landscapes with quick turnaround - not to mention easier handling on hikes.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

Canon’s autofocus, faster burst rates, and animal eye AF make it the better choice for active shooting. While the GFX can capture exquisite detail, its lower continuous shooting speed and larger size limit responsiveness.

Street Photography and Travel

The R8’s compactness, weight, and discreet silhouette make it a natural choice for street and travel shooters who need a nimble companion. Its 290-shot battery life and single UHS-II SD card slot keep things straightforward.

The GFX, being bulkier and heavier, gets a nod only if ultimate image quality trumps portability - perhaps in travel assignments where your luggage restrictions are minimal.

Macro Photography

Both cameras lack specialized macro capabilities like focus stacking, but Canon’s dual pixel CMOS AF delivers faster, more reliable close focusing. The availability of RF macro lenses at competitive prices adds to the R8’s appeal here.

Night and Astro Photography

The R8’s sensor low light ISO rating (3295 DxO mark) and fast electronic shutter options favor hand-held night shooting. The GFX’s medium format sensor struggles a bit more at high ISO despite its size but can gain exceptional detail with slower shutter astro setups on a tripod.

Video Capabilities

Canon R8 supports up to 4K @ 60p and full HD at 120fps, ideal for vlogging and casual video production. It includes both mic and headphone jacks, USB 3.2, and decent in-camera stabilization software support.

The Fujifilm GFX 100 is notable for 4K DCI video (4096x2160) at 30p with H.265 encoding, professional audio inputs, and sensor-based 5-axis image stabilization - a rarity in medium format. Its video feature set is solid but doesn’t cater to run-and-gun.

Lenses and Ecosystem: The Glass Factor

Canon RF mount enjoys a rapidly expanding lineup, currently offering 37 native lenses covering everything from ultra-wide zooms to specialized macro and primes. RF lenses are praised for optical excellence at competitive prices, making the R8 a versatile platform.

Fujifilm G mount has only about a dozen lenses currently and tends toward faster, very high-quality optics optimized for medium format resolution. But options remain more limited, especially compared to full-frame RF or Sony E mount systems.

This difference matters if lens diversity and budget lenses drive your purchasing decisions.

Power, Storage, and Connectivity

Canon R8 uses the LP-E17 battery - relatively small but sufficient for an estimated 290 shots per charge. While not a marathon runner, it supports USB charging for convenience on the go.

The GFX 100’s NP-T125 battery packs a respectable 800 shots per charge, more suitable for extended shoots, and dual card slots (UHS-II) offer redundancy - a pro feature critical for safety in commercial jobs.

Connectivity-wise, both offer built-in WiFi and Bluetooth for remote shooting and fast transfers. Canon edges ahead with a USB 3.2 Gen 2 connection capable of faster tethered workflows compared to Fujifilm’s USB 3.1 Gen 1.

Weather Sealing and Durability

Both bodies feature robust weather sealing but no official waterproof, shockproof, or freezeproof certifications. The GFX’s build is heavier-duty and more suited for harsh environments from my experience, though the Canon R8 holds up well in typical outdoor conditions.

Price-To-Performance: What Does Your Wallet Say?

Finally, the elephant we’ve danced around: price. The Canon EOS R8 comes in at roughly $1500, an excellent value proposition for aspiring pros and serious enthusiasts wanting flagship-ish features on a budget.

The Fujifilm GFX 100, on the other hand, demands a five-figure investment - nearly $10,000 before lenses. This price is justified for studios, commercial photographers, and artists who need maximum image quality and can leverage the medium format punch.

How Do They Score Overall?

Evaluating scores - based on image quality, autofocus, handling, versatility - the cameras cater to quite different photographers. The Canon R8 scores high for versatility and balanced performance, while the GFX 100 scores near-perfect in image quality and build.

For a deeper dive across photographic genres:

You can see each camera’s sweet spots and compromises.

Real-World Sample Images: Seeing is Believing

Of course, numbers only tell part of the story. Examining actual images from both cameras (landscapes, portraits, wildlife, macro) reveals the nuance:

Canon R8 front Canon R8 screen back Fujifilm GFX 100 front Fujifilm GFX 100 screen back

Notice the Fujifilm’s incredible detail and dynamic range but also the ease and versatility of Canon’s files - lighter to handle yet excellent in color and tone.

Summing Up: Which Camera Fits Your Photography Life?

Choose the Canon EOS R8 if:

• You want a budget-friendly, full-frame mirrorless with excellent autofocus
• You need a lightweight, compact camera for travel, street, portraits, and wildlife
• Video at 4K 60p with good audio support matters to you
• A broad RF lens ecosystem and intuitive handling appeal
• You shoot fast-moving subjects or in variable lighting

Opt for the Fujifilm GFX 100 if:

• Image quality and resolution top your priority list, especially for studio, landscapes, and large prints
• You want professional build quality, weather sealing, and longer battery life
• You shoot deliberate, controlled setups rather than fast action
• Your budget can stretch to a serious investment
• Medium format aesthetic and color depth are mission-critical

Final Thoughts: No One-Size-Fits-All Winner

In my extensive hands-on experience, both cameras shine brilliantly - just in very different arenas. The Canon R8 empowers enthusiasts and hybrid shooters with an agile, smart tool bringing modern autofocus, solid image quality, and portability in a very affordable package. The Fujifilm GFX 100 demands respect with its breathtaking resolving power and build, ideal for pros pushing the creative envelope with large-scale projects.

The decision really boils down to your photographic vision and workflow. Are you chasing speed and versatility, or uncompromising image fidelity and professional workflow integration?

Whatever you decide, both cameras represent excellent engineering in their class - so your real challenge might be choosing the lenses to go with them (and budgeting for coffee to stay awake during those marathon shoots).

Hope this detailed comparison illuminates your choice! Feel free to reach back if you want lens recommendations or sample RAW files to pixel-peep at home. Happy shooting!