Fujifilm GFX 50R vs Samsung NX200: A Deep Dive into Two Rangefinder-Style Mirrorless Cameras

When deciding between cameras from vastly different eras and classes like the Fujifilm GFX 50R and Samsung NX200, it’s important to move beyond the spec sheet and understand how each performs in the real world. Whether you’re a seasoned professional seeking medium format quality or a passionate enthusiast looking for an affordable mirrorless entry, this detailed comparison will equip you to make an informed choice aligned with your creative goals.

We’ve put these two rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras side-by-side, examining everything from sensor technology to ergonomics, autofocus systems, and real-world shooting versatility. Our insights come from years of camera testing and practical experience, giving you a trustworthy, in-depth guide.

Getting Acquainted: Design, Build, and Handling

Physical Presence & Ergonomics

The Fujifilm GFX 50R and Samsung NX200 are both rangefinder-style mirrorless cameras, but their sizes, weights, and handling approaches couldn’t be more different.

The GFX 50R is a medium format camera, so it’s bulkier and heavier, crafted for handling large sensors and professional-grade lenses. The body exhibits a retro aesthetic with robust build quality and environmental sealing, suitable for challenging conditions. Its grip and control placement are optimized for comfort during extended shooting sessions, important when dealing with high-resolution files demanding precision.

On the other hand, the NX200 is a compact, lightweight mirrorless aimed at enthusiasts stepping up from compact cameras or DSLRs. It feels easily pocketable with more minimal controls. However, lack of weather sealing and a smaller grip may limit comfort and durability in tougher environments.

Control and Interface

Looking closer at the control surfaces:

The Fujifilm features plenty of dedicated physical dials for shutter speed, ISO, and exposure compensation, letting you adjust key camera settings quickly without diving into menus - ideal for professional workflows or creative shooting on the fly.

Conversely, the Samsung NX200 relies more heavily on menu navigation and fewer physical buttons, which fits its more casual shooting intent but can slow rapid shooting adjustments.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Camera

Sensor performance is foundational to image quality. Let’s examine their specs and what that means for your photos.

The Fujifilm GFX 50R uses a medium format 51MP sensor, which is approximately 4x larger in surface area than the APS-C sensor in the Samsung NX200. This large sensor size translates to several practical benefits:

• Improved resolution and detail: The 51MP sensor captures incredibly fine details, making it outstanding for landscape and studio photography where pixel-peeping matters.
• Better dynamic range: Larger sensors typically handle shadows and highlights more gracefully, offering more post-processing latitude.
• Superior high ISO performance: Bigger sensor photodiodes collect more light, resulting in cleaner low-light images.

At 20MP, the NX200’s APS-C sensor still produces crisp images suitable for everyday use and enthusiast needs but can’t compete with the sheer quality afforded by medium format hardware.

Screens and Viewfinders: Seeing Your Frame

How you compose and review images affects your shooting experience dramatically. Here’s how the two cameras handle it:

The GFX 50R features a large tilting touchscreen LCD with very high resolution, perfect for critical focus checks and reviewing images in detail. Its built-in high-resolution electronic viewfinder (EVF) covers 100% of the frame, providing accurate framing and a bright, detailed view, which is crucial for studio or outdoor portrait work where precise composition matters.

By contrast, the NX200 has a fixed OLED screen with modest resolution. It lacks a built-in EVF, meaning you must rely on the LCD or purchase an optional external viewfinder. While the OLED technology offers vivid colors and good contrast, the smaller size and fixed position limit flexibility in bright conditions or creative angles.

Autofocus Systems: Speed and Accuracy in Real World

Reliable autofocus (AF) performance is critical, especially if you shoot moving subjects or events. Here’s an in-depth look:

Both cameras rely on contrast-detection autofocus, which tends to be slower and less predictive than modern phase-detection systems. However, the Fujifilm’s 117 focus points provide more coverage and finer control, with face detection and tracking modes available for portraits and moving subjects.

The Samsung NX200’s 15 points limit focusing precision and make it less agile at tracking dynamic subjects, which is reflected in its limitation of not offering AF tracking.

This means for wildlife, sports, or fast-action shooting, the GFX 50R offers better (though not top-tier) AF capability, while the NX200 is more suited to stationary subjects and controlled environments.

Burst Shooting and Response Time

Action shooters need fast burst rates to capture peak moments:

While the NX200 can shoot at 7 fps, helpful for some sports or casual wildlife photography, the GFX 50R caps out at 3 fps, befitting its medium format design focused on image quality over speed.

The higher burst in the NX200 feels more responsive during quick action, but low frame rates on the GFX should not deter you if your priority is image fidelity rather than fast sequences.

Lens Ecosystem and Compatibility

Lens choice directly influences creative options. Both cameras come with proprietary mounts.

Although the Samsung NX mount boasts a larger native lens lineup, including many affordable options, the overall system is discontinued, limiting future lens purchases and support.

The Fujifilm G Mount, while with fewer lenses, offers meticulously engineered optics designed to extract maximum quality from the medium format sensor. These are generally larger, more costly, and specialized but deliver exceptional performance for portraits, landscapes, and commercial work.

Battery Life & Storage: Practical Considerations

Comparing power and media features:

The GFX 50R offers roughly 400 shots per charge and has dual card slots enabling overflow, backup, or RAW/JPEG separation, which is a professional feature critical for reliability on important shoots.

The NX200’s battery life is shorter and lacks dual storage, which may impact workflow robustness.

Connectivity and Extras

The Fujifilm GFX 50R stands out with modern connectivity options like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, enabling straightforward image transfer and remote control, a boon for tethered workflow and mobile editing.

The NX200, released earlier, lacks built-in wireless, which is a disadvantage in today’s connected workflows.

Real-World Photography Across Genres

Let’s explore how these cameras perform across popular photography disciplines.

Portrait Photography

• Fujifilm GFX 50R: Exceptional skin tone rendering thanks to Fuji’s renowned color science. Large sensor and medium format lenses deliver smooth, pleasing bokeh and remarkable detail, promoting professional-quality portraits. Effective face and eye detection assist in critical focusing.
• Samsung NX200: Offers decent portraits with good skin tones but limited bokeh control due to smaller sensor and lens choices. AF points are fewer, affecting subject tracking in dynamic situations.

Landscape Photography

• GFX 50R: Dominates here. Medium format sensor resolution and dynamic range let you capture sprawling detail and subtle shadow tone gradations. Weather-sealed body allows work in light rain or dust.
• NX200: APS-C sensor is competent for landscapes but can’t match medium format detail. No weather sealing limits outdoor use in challenging conditions.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

• GFX 50R: Moderate AF and low burst rate hinder action shots but large sensor aids in overall image quality.
• NX200: Faster burst and lighter body make it better for casual wildlife or sports, but AF limitations reduce tracking reliability.

Street Photography

• GFX 50R: Heavier and less discreet; slower AF makes candid shooting harder.
• NX200: Compact, light, and quick enough for street, especially with smaller primes.

Macro Photography

Neither excels in macro straight out of the box but adaptability to lenses varies:

• GFX 50R: Can produce ultra-high-res close-ups with specialized lenses.
• NX200: More affordable macro lenses available but resolution limits ultimate detail.

Night and Astro Photography

• GFX 50R: Larger pixels excel at high ISO with cleaner images.
• NX200: Decent up to moderate ISO but suffers at extreme low light.

Video Capabilities

• GFX 50R: Full HD 1080p up to 30fps, with mic and headphone jacks for audio control; no 4K video.
• NX200: Also shoots 1080p but with lower bitrates and no audio ports.

While neither is primarily video-oriented, the GFX’s audio connectivity aids vloggers who want quality sound.

Travel Photography

• GFX 50R: Bulk and weight challenge portability, but image quality rewards careful travel photography.
• NX200: Smaller size and lighter weight perfect for travel, with decent versatility.

Professional Work

• GFX 50R: Dual cards, weather sealing, high-res files, and color accuracy meet professional demands.
• NX200: Good amateur tool, not suited for heavy professional workloads due to aging tech and limited durability.

Putting It All Together: Performance Ratings and Recommendations

Fujifilm GFX 50R front Fujifilm GFX 50R screen back Samsung NX200 screen back

Looking at overall practical outcomes, here are summarized benchmarked scores:

And genre-specific performance:

Who Should Choose the Fujifilm GFX 50R?

• You’re a professional photographer or serious enthusiast investing in ultimate image quality.
• Your primary work involves studio, portrait, or landscape photography with prints or commercial applications requiring extensive detail and color fidelity.
• You need a robust, weather-sealed camera with a professional workflow, including dual card slots and advanced customization.
• You’re willing to trade speed and portability for medium format resolution and dynamic range.
• You want a camera that supports tethered shooting and wireless remote control.

In practice, the GFX 50R performs beautifully in controlled environments where image quality is paramount and slower shooting pace is acceptable.

Who Should Consider the Samsung NX200?

• You’re an enthusiast on a budget wanting an entry-level mirrorless with a decent sensor.
• You want a small, lightweight camera ideal for travel, street shooting, or casual family photography.
• You desire faster burst modes for informal action or wildlife shooting.
• You plan to shoot in good lighting conditions without demanding extreme low-light performance.
• You’re comfortable with an older system and understand it limits future expansion.

The NX200 remains a solid option for beginners wanting to explore mirrorless photography affordably, although its discontinued status means you should carefully consider long-term investment.

Final Thoughts and Buying Tips

• The Fujifilm GFX 50R is a highly specialized tool. It rewards patient photographers with spectacular image quality but demands suitable lenses, accessories, and a higher budget.
• The Samsung NX200 shines as an affordable stepping stone into mirrorless photography but with clear limitations in speed, durability, and future support.

Accessorize Wisely

For either choice, investing in fast lenses, high-speed cards, and quality batteries will enhance your shooting experience. If possible, test these cameras hands-on at local retailers to feel their ergonomics and user interface in person.

Explore Your Creative Intentions

Ask yourself:

• What subjects do I shoot most often?
• How important is image quality versus portability?
• Will I need video or more advanced connectivity?
• What is my lens budget and system longevity?

Answering these will help you pick the camera aligning best with your photographic journey.

Choosing between the Fujifilm GFX 50R and the Samsung NX200 ultimately shapes your creative possibilities. Armed with this knowledge, you’re ready to take the next step - whether diving into the exquisite world of medium format or confidently stepping into mirrorless photography.

Happy shooting!