Fujifilm has had a great year, but it doesn’t seem to be over yet. According to some strong rumors, she is planning to launch Fujifilm X-T5 next month – and the mid-range multifunction camera is likely to be the most exciting camera of the year.
The source of this speculation is, as always, reliable Fuji rumors (Opens in a new tab), with the site claiming that Fujifilm “will announce the Fujifilm XT5 in November” and that the camera will also ship in the same month. There is a degree of certainty about these claims that is rarely misplaced.
So why is the X-T5 the biggest camera launch this year? After all, we’ve seen some pretty cool newcomers since January – and two of them were model Fujifilm X-H2S and the Fujifilm X-H2. throw in Canon EOS R7 And the Canon EOS R10 for still images and Panasonic Lumix GH6 and the Sony FX30 for video, and it’s already been a big 10 months for an industry apparently beset by supply chain problems.
The great potential of the X-T5 is that, of all the major launches this year, it could be the best fit for photographers. Since there aren’t any major spec leaks for the X-T5, the word “can” does a lot of effort in this sentence. But the promise is crystal clear when you look at the models XT is likely to borrow its talents from.
Present Fujifilm X-T4 Continue to rise in our guide to best photography cameras. When it launched in 2020, our review stated that “no other camera in this class matches the low-light performance of the X-T4 or resolved detail”. That claim will now be contested by the Canon EOS R7, but the X-T4 remains a good value for its $1,699/£1,549/AU$2,999 price tag.
But the X-T5 is likely to bring significant changes, including a new sensor. according to Fuji rumors (Opens in a new tab)This wouldn’t be the “stacked” APS-C chip in the X-H2S, but the 40MP chip inside the X-H2. It’s good news; We’re wrapping up our testing of the X-H2 and (spoiler alert) it sets a new standard for APS-C sensors.
So how will the X-T5 differ from the X-H2, which costs $1,999 / £1,899 / AU$3,399 (body only)? The main differences appear to be in the controls and the more amateurish setup of the X-T5. The X-T5 is expected to adopt Fujifilm retro discs to change settings such as ISO and shutter speed, rather than the X-H2’s ‘PASM’ (Program, Auto, Shutter, Manual) approach.
The mid-range X-T5 is also sure to be less inclined to do better than the X-H2 in some key areas. Expect to see dual SD card slots, instead of the faster and more expensive CFexpress, as well as a smaller grip, a poor electronic viewfinder (maybe 3.68 million dots in the X-T4), limited video recording times, and the lack of an optional battery grip. All of these things should theoretically get the X-T5 in the ballpark for the X-T4’s launch price of $1,699/£1,549/AU$2,999.
This combination of features won’t make the Fujifilm X-T5 completely unique. But the trump card compared to its competitors is likely to be the variety of high-quality glass available from Fujifilm, and increasingly from third-party brands …
The glass is greener
Choosing the right camera should always include looking at the system’s lenses to see if they are the best match for the subjects you want to photograph. Sony continues to offer the best range of glass for full-frame cameras, and Fujifilm is now moving into pole position for APS-C cameras.
The range of lenses available for X-mount certainly isn’t ideal – there’s a gap on the longer end of some telephoto primes like the XF300mm f/4, XF400mm f/4 or XF500mm f/5.6. More importantly for the X-T5, the system still needs more “Mark II” lenses like the recent XF56mm f/1.2 R WR to make the most of its 40MP resolution, even if You are called Fuji (Opens in a new tab) That 20 lenses present can derive “maximum benefit” from their extra detail.
However, some major X-series primes have now been updated – including the XF23mm f/1.4 R LM WR and the XF33mm f/1.4 R LM WR. More importantly, X-mount has now been opened up to allow third-party manufacturers to fill in some of the gaps, or offer cheaper alternatives to Fuji’s own lenses. For example, Viltrox recently launched an excellent XF13mm f/1.4 lens for astrophotography, while Sigma launched things with its three main lenses.
Here the Fujifilm X-T5 could have an advantage over one of its closest competitors, the Canon EOS R7. The EOS R7 is an excellent camera with great autofocus – an area the X-T5 may struggle to match – making it one of the Best wildlife camera about its price. But it’s also hampered by a lack of original lenses, combined with Canon’s baffling decision to keep its RF mount closed to third-party manufacturers.
With Sony seemingly uninterested in making a mid-range mirrorless camera for photographers — even if a hybrid version of the Sony FX30 is now likely — the X-T5 might be as close as we get to a workhorse focused on still images at an affordable price. price this year.
As always, the proof will be in the test, and there are plenty of ways Fujifilm can snatch the mid-level of jaw-dropping jaws with the X-T5. But if you’re a keen photographer in the market for a new camera, November could end the year with an unexpected loud bang.