How Fujifilm Could Give Us X-S20 Tracking Smartness on X-T5, X-H2 and X-H2S (and Clarifying a Misunderstanding)

My Firmware Wish

So, I told you here that the Fujifilm X-S20 will have an improved automatic subject detection tracking feature.

In short: no matter what’s in your frame, bird, car, person, animal, train, insect or whatever is part of Fujifilm’s trackable subjects (list here), the Fujifilm X-S20 will automatically recognize it and track it.

That’s not possible on higher end models Fujifilm X-H2, X-H2 and X-T5, where you have to always tell the camera in the menu what you would like to track and change it every time you want to track something differently.

In that article, I also expressed my wish for this AUTO mode to come to other 5th generation cameras via firmware update.

And I also have an idea how Fujifilm implement it on our cameras, but first I have to clarify something.

The Misunderstanding

The AUTO feature on the X-S10 (and X-S20) will do much more than just recognizing the subjects to track.

It will also recognize if it’s sunset, night, tripod, landscape, macro etc and adjust all the settings accordingly (even pick the film simulation it thinks works best).

So it’s a full fledged auto mode like on a smartphone, and to me it makes totally sense that a base model like the X-S20 offers it, because it’s a camera that’s also aimed to people who want to upgrade from smartphones, and having that option can help to make the switch less intimidating.

And here comes the misunderstanding:

Some of you wrote me and told me it makes no sense to have such a full AUTO mode also on high end Fujifilm cameras.

And guys, I agree with you. I also want to pick my film simulation, my aperture and so forth by myself.

What I was referring to was only the AUTO scene detection mode. So the option to let the camera recognize by itself what’s the subject to track in my frame, without me needing to go all the time to go into the menu and switch subjects.

And I also have a solution on how this could work on Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2 and X-H2S.

The Solution

Fujifilm could add the option AUTO in the “Subject Detection Settings” menu and that’s it. Above you can see a rendering I made of how this would look like.

Once set on AUTO, the camera will automatically pick which subject to track (people included).

And of course, it would not affect your film simulation, aperture, ISO or other values, like the AUTO on the X-S10 and X-S20 mode dial does.

Fujifilm, you have the software capable to do that (as the X-S20 will show). Now it’s just a matter of will to bring it to us higher end Fujifilm camera users.

Fujifilm Facebook Groups

Fujifilm X-S20 Coming with Dedicated VLOG Icon on PSAM Dial

Trusted sources have informed us that the Fujifilm X-S20 will have a dedicated “VLOG” icon on the PSAM dial.

The fact that Fujifilm will give the VLOG a dedicated spot on the mode dial tells us a lot on who Fujifilm is also targeting with this camera.

The Fujifilm X-S20 looks like the perfect fit for Fujifilm’s brand new TG-BT1 tripod grip.

Fujifilm X-S20 Rumor Recap

TO BE CLEAR: the image you see above shows a Fujifilm X-S10. I just edited into the X-S10 mode dial the icon “VLOG”. But I frankly have no idea how the various items on the PSAM dial will be organized, nor do I know for example how many C-modes will be offered. All I know is that I have been told, somewhere there is VLOG printed on it. So I created this image to make sure everybody understands what I mean.

Fujifilm Facebook Groups

RUMOR: Fujifilm X-S20 Coming with Smarter Subject Tracking than X-T5, X-H2 and X-H2S (Automatic Subject Detection)

Fujifilm X-S20 vs X-T5/X-H2/X-H2S

There will be a new king in the Fujifilm X world when it comes to subject tracking smartness, and it will be the Fujifilm X-S20 (which is coming on May 24).

Why?

Because the Fujifilm X-S20 will have an extended automatic subject/scene detection mode compared to the one already available on the Fujifilm X-S10.

Let me explain.

When you rotate the mode dial of the Fujifilm X-S10 to AUTO, the X-S10 will automatically recognize the scene (landscape, macro, night, sunset, sky, etc) and adjust camera settings accordingly. And I believe it even sets the film simulation automatically based on which one it thinks would work best for that scene.

I hear you: unless you are a beginner who just switched to a real camera from a smartphone, you can live happily also without this feature.

But the thing is that the Fujifilm X-S20 will bring this AUTO switch to the next level.

The Fujifilm X-S20 will be capable to track all the subjects that the Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2 and X-H2S can already track:

The difference?

On the X-T5, X-H2 and X-H2S, every time you want to track a different subject, you have to go into the menu and select the subject you want to track (car, bird, animal, etc). And if you want to track a person, you have to disable subject tracking and enable face/eye tracking.

But that’s not how it works on the Fujifilm X-S20.

In fact, the Fujifilm X-S20 will be capable to track it all automatically. It will simply recognize what’s in your frame (a child, a dog, a bird, etc) and start tracking it without any need for you to go into the menu and make specific selections.

The automatic subject detection is actually something that fellow Fujifilm X shooters requested since the X-H2S was launched and I am happy to see that Fujifilm figured it out and will soon offer it on the Fujifilm X-S20.

Of course my hope now is that Fujifilm will release a firmware update that will bring this tracking smartness also to the Fujifilm X-T5, X-H2 and X-H2S.

I mean, it would evade any logic if the base model X-S20 would have this feature but higher end Fujifilm models not.

A firmware update urges. Thank you Fujifilm.

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Fujifilm X-T4 Discontinued (in Addition to X-Pro3, X-E4, X-T30II, GFX50R, GFX100)

Fellow FR-readers saw it coming already.

The Fujifilm X-T4 had been removed from the Japanese Fujifilm store back in September 2022 and also stores overseas started to mark it as discontinued.

Well, now it’s also time for BHphoto & Co to remove the Fujifilm X-T4 from their store, hence it’s now marked as discontinued also there.

The Fujifilm X-T4 joins lots of other Fujifilm cameras that are already marked as discontinued, such as the Fujifilm X-E4 (we reported back in March here), the X-T30II (we reported here), the Fujifilm X-Pro3 (we reported here), as well as the Fujifilm GFX50R and the Fujifilm GFX100.

But, trust me guys, don’t expect a Fujifilm X-Pro4, Fujifilm X-T40, Fujifilm X-E5, Fujifilm GFX50R replacement and Fujifilm GFX100 replacement to drop all on May 24, just because they are now discontinued.

The Latest and Greatest

Is This Really All We Will Get? – FUJIFILM CAMERA ROADMAP 2023

Let’s have a weekend chat… and try to give an answer to a question I often get.

The story is this:

Back in March Fujifilm Spain displayed this camera roadmap, where they show two more cameras coming in 2023.

So the question I get often these days is: is this really all we will get in 2023? Two cameras and no more?

I can understand your skepticism, especially considering that even during the Covid pandemic Fujifilm has launched an average of 3 to 4 cameras a year, as we calculated in this article.

And if Fujifilm really was to launch two cameras only, then FujiRumors readers already know which ones these will be:

So what’s my take on this?

First off: it is not clear if the roadmap displayed by Fujifilm Spain refers to X series cameras only (hence APS-C cameras) or if it includes also GFX cameras.

If it was for X series only, then it we would get 2 X series cameras (one of them being the X-S20) and at least one GFX camera (as we rumored here).

The Spanish website Fujistas, who shared the roadmap and was present at the event, actually reported on them as being “two X series cameras“. So that would mean two APS-C cameras. So there is one I never rumored before that would still come in 2023.

But even if Fujifilm Spain’s roadmap would include the GFX cameras, than I’d not be 100% sure that all we get are really only 2 cameras.

Why?

Because internal roadmaps get regular updates and are often changed depending on the need of the moment. Fujifilm might postpone a camera launch, but can also anticipate its announcement. This depends on lots of things such as their own state in terms of development of new models, but Fuji can also look at what competitors are doing and in case step on the gas and work on releasing new gear faster.

I mean, cameras can even get totally canceled from a roadmap and then find their way back into it, as it was the case with the Fujifilm X-E4 for example.

Same happens with lens roadmaps, which are public. Fujifilm can announce and even show mockups of roadmap lens (remember the XF33mmF1.0?) and then cancel or change it. Other lenses get delayed, other never appeared on any roadmap, but suddenly hit the market (lots of the MKII lenses for example).

That’s why I personally would take any camera or lens roadmap with a grain of salt.

If it really was the most up to date roadmap and it would include also GFX cameras, then FujiRumors basically already told you which cameras will come in 2023.

But if’s only for X series or not the most up to date roadmap, then this means I have still some work to do to find out which other cameras could come in 2023.

In any case, stay tuned on FujiRumors. As soon as I can tell you something reliable, I will post updates here on the blog and on my YouTube channel.

Fujifilm Facebook Groups