Fujifilm X-M5 Review: Autofocus is A Great Surprise – PhotoTrend

One of the most prestigious French photography websites, PhotoTrend, has now published its Fujifilm X-M5 review.

I will only highlight what they said about its autofocus.

And yes, they do talk very good about it.

And yes, there are people who told you the X-M5 autofocus is total garbage.

And yes, they based their judgments on 1.5 seconds of video extrapolated from hours of launch video.

And yes, that’s not really a smart way to judge the autofocus.

Why?

Well, look at the Sony A1II.

There have been lots of A1II launch videos, and when I looked at the one of Tony Northrup, I saw the Sony A1II occasionally focusing on hats and shoulders rather than faces and eyes as you can see in this screenshot and this screenshot – video here.

Now I could extract those few seconds of video and go out and claim the Sony A1II struggles to track eyes. But I won’t do that, because it would not be fair towards the Sony A1 II.

It’s better to wait for full reviews with production cameras. And today we have one, from Phototrend. You can trust them or not.

My personal position is: I am curious about what reviewers say, but I will wait for my X-T5 AF boost firmware to make final judgements.

With that said, here is what Phototrend says about the Fujifilm X-M5 autofocus.

Thanks to the X-Processor 5, the Fujifilm X-M5 benefits from the latest autofocus improvements. And we might as well say it: the latter bluffed us several times.

From a technical point of view, the body has an AI-doped hybrid AF, with 425 AF points (and 117 selectable positions). But above all, it takes advantage of the intelligent detection / tracking modes of the subject, already present on the other boxes in the range.

And in the field, the detection and monitoring of the subject are very effective. Humans or animals: the eye is detected instantly, even when the subject occupies only a small place in the frame. A point that portraitists (and lovers of wildlife photography) should appreciate.

In addition, the box always offers modes dedicated to birds and vehicles (trains, cars, planes, motorcycles). Enough to seduce fans from all walks of life. Especially since the detection is extremely effective.

In plain language: the autofocus of the X-M5 is very efficient. In general, the development is carried out without delay. Pumping phenomena are very rare, even in (very) low light. Caution, however, with certain zooms or fixed focal lengths (especially a little old), whose AF motorization can sometimes be less fast.

Finally, note that the number of “false positives” is particularly low. Fujifilm would therefore have corrected the few small problems suffered by the X-S20.

You can read the full review in original French language at phototrend.

Fujifilm Launches X Deals in Europe

Fujifilm has launched new Fujifilm X deals in Europe. They pretty much match the deals in USA, although there are some differences.

The deals are instant rebates in UK and I think also in France, but they are cashback deals in Germany, which means in Germany, after your purchase, go to this page and claim your money back.

If you buy at Amazon, make sure to buy gear shipped and sold by Amazon to access the Cashback. But attention: Amazon Germany is listed among the official retailers, but not Amazon France. In UK its an instant rebate and that works also on Amazon UK.

I have not yet found the deals listed in Italy and other countries, so make sure to check out the conditions in your country before purchasing. Select the promotion in your country on this page here. And you can always give your local retailer a call, they also know all the details of the deals.

Deals in Europe

Cameras

Lenses

Deals in USA

Cameras

Zoom Lenses

Prime Lenses

Fujinon XC15-45mmF3.5-5.6 Firmware Update Fixes Unintentional Sinking and Ejecting of Lens

It’s not the firmware we are all waiting for, but it is an important update for all those who purchased the Fujinon XC15-45mm as a kit with their Fujifilm X-T50 or Fujifilm X-M5.

Fujinon XC15-45mmF3.5-5.6 ver.1.11 – download here
The firmware update Ver.1.11 from Ver.1.10 incorporates the following issue

  • A software issue is improved that the lens Improved the phenomenon of the lens automatically sinking and ejecting unintentionally when used with X-M5 or X-T50.

Fujifilm X-M5 Autofocus Test Tidbits

It’s still not easy to find proper autofocus test regarding the Fujifilm X-M5.

So all we have for now are little tidbits here and there, mainly coming from Asian countries, which are traditionally the main market for the X-M (or perviously the X-A) line.

I will share two videos below.

The first is (I think) a Chinese video. Click the play button below to start the video right at the AF section. Here is what we can notice and what the guy said:

  • lens used: Fujinon XF 33mmF1.4
  • cat tracking seems to work fine also when the cat moves in a busy space and behind some obstacles
  • the guy runs towards the camera and says (if the translation is accurate), that the accuracy is 80-90%, with most of the images out of focus only when the subject was very close to the camera
  • it seems that the entire episode is filmed on X-M5

The second video comes from Brazil. I share it because the reviewer covers half of his face with the hand, but the X-M5 does not get distracted and keeps focus on the eye. In fact, you can see the eye box jump to the left eye as soon as the right eye is covered by the hand. So at least this issue seems to be solved.

In a third video below we see the AF tracking in video, which does not look very convincing. Or, as the autor of the video, Matt, said: “Personally think [autofocus] it’s not as bad as some people were worried about, but definitely still not perfect.”

First conclusion: it’s better in tracking cats than humans :)

Of course I am kidding. We really do not have many elements in our hands to make a proper judgement. But the Fujifilm X-M5 should ship in about 10 days (November 21 according to stores), so I guess soon enough we will have a much better understanding of its AF performance.

And maybe we will get the promised autofocus firmware update before that, so that we can judge the new AF on our own 5th generation cameras.

Fujifilm X-M5: “Whatever Fujifilm Did, Autofocus is as Good as on my Sony” – Dangerous Overpromise?

A couple of weeks have now passed since the announcement of the Fujifilm X-M5.

And so far the big controversy has not yet received a final answer: how good is the autofocus on the Fujifilm X-M5?

Now a new Fujifilm X-M5 hands-on review has been published by PavSZ (see above).

In his video, he says the X-M5 autofocus is much better than the one on the Fujifilm X-S20.

And when asked about it in the comments to his video, he says multiple times that he shoots also Sony cameras, and that the X-M5 is just as good as Sony in terms of autofocus.

The problem?

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How Many Cameras and Lenses Does Fujifilm Release Every Year? And What it Could Mean for 2025

Some asked us how much gear Fujifilm releases every year.

So we decided to check back the last 3 years (2024 included, since there won’t be any more announcements) to see what the current pace at Fujifilm is. Below are the results.

Gear released in 2024 – 4 cameras and 4 lenses

Gear released in 2023 – 2 cameras and 4 lenses

Gear released in 2022 – 3 cameras and 4 lenses

So, overall we see: we get 4 lenses a year for X/GFX system combined.

2024 was more focused on the X series with 3 lenses for the X system and only one lens for the GFX system.

As far as cameras goes, we can get 2 to 4 cameras a year.

What does it mean for 2025?

CAMERAS in 2025:

As of today, the state of the rumors as far as cameras coming in 2025 goes is the following:

If Fujifilm maintains the pace it set in 2024, there could be room for one or maybe even two more camera releases in 2025, considering that the 1″ sensor camera might not be counted in the lineup we discussed earlier, which focused solely on APS-C and medium format models.

LENSES in 2025:

Fujifilm has quite consistently released around four lenses each year, combining both X and GFX series models.

So far I have no rumors about future lenses, which means you have four slots you can fill in with your wishes. :)

If anyone out there can maybe give us a hint on future X and GF lenses, feel free to reach out to FujiRumors. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Overall, 2025 remains a significant mystery, but I’m hopeful that our trusted sources (and maybe some new ones) will be able to shed light on some of the unknowns and provide insights that will make us even more excited for what’s to come.

Until then, keep shooting, keep enjoying life… and every now and then, keep checking in on FujiRumors ;).

Fujifilm Launches Mirrorless Digital Camera “FUJIFILM X-M5”

FUJIFILM X-M5 Mirrorless Digital Camera
– The lightest model in the current X series
– Equipped with a full range of functions for both stills and video
– Perfect for everyday photography

October 14, 2024

TOKYO, October 14, 2024 – FUJIFILM Corporation announces the global launch of the “FUJIFILM X-M5” (X-M5), from middle of November 2024. The X-M5 will be the latest model in the X Series, offering outstanding image quality, compact and lightweight body.

The X-M5 weighs approximately 355g*1, making it the lightest*2 camera in the X series. The X-M5 is equipped with a full range of functions, including subject detection AF that can detect moving objects such as animals and cars using AI, and 6.2K/30P movie recording function, making it possible to shoot both still images and movies.

The X-M5 is the ideal camera for a wide range of users, from first-time digital camera users to photography enthusiasts, with a compact size that makes you want to carry it with you every day and a wealth of shooting functions, while maintaining the high-quality appearance that is the hallmark of the X series, further expanding the joy of photography.

The X-M5 is equipped with the back-illuminated 26.1-megapixel “X-Trans™ CMOS 4”*3 sensor and the “X-Processor 5” high-speed image processing engine, enabling high-quality shooting. The dial is located on the top surface for switching between “Film Simulation” modes, which allows users to enjoy various color tone expressions as if they were changing photographic films. Combined with the AUTO mode on the mode dial, even first-time digital camera users can easily enjoy the richly colored image creation that is unique to Fujifilm.

In addition, powerful digital image stabilization, a high-performance built-in microphone, and in-camera SD card recording at 6.2K/30P 4:2:2 10bit support comfortable video recording. The newly added “9:16 Short Video Mode” in “Vlog Mode” makes it easy to shoot the vertical videos that are popular on social media.

*1 Including battery and memory card
*2 For current X series models.
*3 X-Trans is a trademark or registered trademark of FUJIFILM Corporation.

1. Product features
(1) Compact and lightweight body and product design that makes you want to enjoy shooting

▪ It weighs approximately 355g and measures approximately 111.9mm in width, 66.6mm in height, and 38.0mm in depth. The extremely lightweight and compact body for a mirrorless digital camera makes it easy to carry around and enjoy photography every day.
▪ Despite its compact size, the camera has the high-quality appearance of the “X series”. Symmetrically placed dials on the top surface of the warship section highlight the beauty of the camera.

▪The Film Simulation dial is conveniently placed on the lek shoulder of the top face. Users can easily switch between a total of 20 Film Simulation modes according to the subjects and scenes, making it easier to enjoy a variety of color tones in both still and moving images.
▪ The top right features a mode dial. In AUTO mode, the camera automatically recognizes the optimal shooting mode for the scene, allowing even first-time digital camera users to easily capture high-quality stills and videos.

(2) Equipped with a high-performance sensor and high-speed image processing engine to achieve high image quality and high-performance AF

▪ The X-M5 is equipped with the back-illuminated “X-Trans™ CMOS 4” sensor with approximately 26.1 megapixels and the latest high-speed image processing engine “X-Processor 5”. This allows for high image quality photography with low power consumption.
▪ The camera features the subject detection AF, developed with deep learning technology, in addition to the existing Face / Eye AF. AI is used to add the ability to detect animals, birds, cars, motorcycles, bicycles,
airplanes, trains, insects and drones*4
▪ The latest AF predictive algorithm provides high tracking performance for moving subjects and high precision AF in low-contrast environments.

*4 Set the Subject Detection Selng to “BIRD” when you want to detect insects and to “AIRPLANE” when you want to detect drones.

(3) 6.2K/30P video recording and other extensive video func^ons

▪ The X-M5 can record 6.2K/30P 4:2:2 10-bit video onto an SD card inserted in the camera, and also supports extensive video functions including 4K/60P and 1080/240P capability.
▪ The camera is equipped with powerful digital image stabilization. It is effective not only for minor camera shake but also for large shaking that occurs when shooting video while walking.
▪ For the first time in our digital camera lineup, three built-in microphones are equipped. You can choose from four microphone directivity options: surround, front, back, or front & back, depending on the situation. The camera is also the first to feature a steady-state noise reduction function, which reduces noise that continues to ring at a certain frequency, such as air conditioning noise.
▪ Vlog mode allows users to change shoo^ng conditions intuitively by touching the LCD. Improvements in the number and placement of icons make video recording even more intuitive. In addition, the new “9:16 short movie mode” allows users to easily shoot vertical videos popular on various social media and smoothly share the captured content.
▪ New bit rates of 8 Mbps and 25 Mbps have been added to the bit rates that can be selected in the “Media Recording Settings” when shooting video. This shortens the transfer time to external devices such as
smartphones, and contributes to shortening the ^me required to upload captured video directly to social media.

2. optional accessories

Cooling Fan “FAN-001″*5 (already on sale)
▪ This cooling fan can be attached to the rear panel of the camera body without a cable, supporting long hour shooting and video recording in a high-temperature condition. The power can be supplied to the fan from the camera body
Tripod Grip “TG-BT1″*6 (already on sale)
▪ This grip enhances mobility and camera’s hold while adding tripod functionality. Users can comfortably take self-portraits and low angle shots, where it is normally difficult to hold the camera in position. As a tripod, the TG-BT1 can be used for a wide range of love fujiru mors applications from group shots to tabletop still.
*5 Compatible models are FUJIFILM X-M5, FUJIFILM X-H2S, FUJIFILM X-H2, and FUJIFILM X-S20.
*6 Compatible models are FUJIFILM X-H2S (Ver.3.00 or later), FUJIFILM X-H2 (Ver.1.2 or later), FUJIFILM X-T5 (Ver.1.00 or later), FUJIFILM X-T4 (Ver.1.70 or later), FUJIFILM X-T3 (Ver.4.50 or later), FUJIFILM X-S20, FUJIFILM X-S10 (Ver. 2.60 or later), FUJIFILM X-T30 II (Ver. 1.20 or later), FUJIFILM X-T30 (Ver. 1.50 or later).

Fujifilm Launches “FUJINON Lens XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR II”

Fujifilm Launches “FUJINON Lens XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR II”
– The new large-aperture standard zoom lens offers improved descriptive performance
– 37% lighter than its predecessor
– New function “Smooth aperture control” suited for movie recording

October 14, 2024

TOKYO, October 14, 2024 – FUJIFILM Corporation announces the launch of the “FUJINON Lens XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR II” (XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR II) globally from end of November 2024. The lens is a new lineup of the “XF lens” interchangeable lens lineup for the mirrorless digital camera X Series that offers outstanding image quality and compact size and weight.

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Fujifilm Confident in New Autofocus – Says It’s “Nailed” Ahead of Early November Firmware Release – REPORT

Fellow Fujifilm shooter photorabz was at the Salon de la Photo photography fair in Paris.

There he had the chance to talk to Fujifilm reps about the upcoming firmware updates and this is what he was told (video below):

  • Fujifilm is working on the firmware since May
  • the firmware is for X-H2S, X-H2, GFX100 II, X-S20, X100Vi, X-T5 and maybe also the X-T4
  • Fujifilm told him that this time they nailed it very well
  • Fujifilm is very happy with this new firmware and they are very optimistic
  • the firmware will be announced on October 14, but it will be released, he thinks, in early November

As usual, I believe it only when I see it.

And actually, we might already see the newest AF algorithm in action with the X-M5 on October 14.

EXCLUSIVE: Fujinon XF16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR II Press Release and Product Images Leaked

A kind source (THANKS!) has passed us the full press releases and specs sheets for the upcoming gear.

Down below you can read the press release for the Fujinon XF16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR II.

A message to the source: Thanks a lot. You have been instantly elevated to the elite team of trusted sources. If you want, you can contact me again anonymously and give yourself a nickname, so I can eventually recognize you in future if you decide to contact me again. Thanks so much!

Press Text

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