Fujifilm today announced three new products at their X Summit:
- The new X-M5 compact camera (APS-C)
- A revised 16-55mm f/2.8 II
- The long-awaited 500mm f/5.6 OIS
The new X-M5 comes with the older 26mp sensor and no EVF. It appears to me as Fujifilm's interchangeable lens camera response to vlogging type cameras, such as the Nikon Z30 or the Sony EV series. At US$800, slots in as the lowest cost model in the XF lineup. Fujifilm's words: your "first interchangeable lens camera, or compact everyday camera."
The revision of the mid-range zoom was expected, but perhaps not in as trimmed and lightened form as it turned out. With a 37% weight reduction, Fujifilm claims the new version is optically better, too. Win win.
Meanwhile, the 500mm finally gives the X-H2S users a truly long reach (762mm equivalent; the Fujifilm APS-C is not exactly 1.5x) in a not-too-expensive form (US$3000).
In additional X Summit news, it appears that Fujifilm is revising software for their X-H2, X-H2S, and GFX100 II cameras, particularly to address what many of us felt were autofocus shortcomings (compared to competitors).
