Fujifilm has launched its first sub-$1,000 digicam in a lengthy whereas and resurrected the 11-year outdated “M” branding with the $799 X-M5. With that worth, it is primarily aimed toward photographers on a funds or vloggers trying to step up from a smartphone. Fujifilm movie lower a number of options like a viewfinder (EVF) to get to that worth level, however it does have the corporate’s newest 26-megapixel X-Trans 4 CMOS sensor and first rate video specs.
For a digicam with out a viewfinder, the X-M5 ought to deal with fairly properly. It has back and front management dials, together with a high setting dial that features a new “Vlog” mode. It additionally comes with the identical movie simulation dial discovered on the X-T50, to assist social media customers and creators create cool images straight out of the digicam.
When in vlog mode, you get a full GUI interface on the touchscreen for simple entry. That features issues like a “portrait enhancer,” background defocus and product precedence, a lot as we have seen on Sony’s vlogging merchandise.
For vloggers, it has a 3-inch, 1.04-million dot totally articulating rear show that is hopefully vibrant sufficient to make use of in daylight (as a result of, once more, no EVF). There are each headphone and microphone ports for vloggers, however they don’t seem to be situated on the left as regular. As an alternative, Fujifilm positioned the three.5mm mic enter on the rear (the place the EVF would often go) and the headphone port on the proper facet. That is to keep away from having the show hit the mic or headphone cable when it flips out, as can occur on different cameras.
You will by no means mistake it for a sports activities digicam, however the X-M5 can shoot 8 fps bursts with the mechanical shutter, or an impressive 20 fps in digital mode (each with steady autofocus). It could possibly seize an honest 82/60 compressed RAW frames in these modes earlier than the buffer fills, once more very respectable for such a small digicam.
Video can be fairly robust, with 6.2K open gate 3:2 seize, 4K 60p and Full HD at as much as 240 fps (these specs match the X-T50 as you might have observed). There is a little bit of crop for 4K 60p (1.18x) and FHD previous 120fps (1.29x) however in any other case all the pieces is one-to-one.
One other factor lacking is in-body stabilization so the X-M5 is restricted to what the lens supplies or digital stabilization. Within the latter mode, there is a minimal 1.32x crop for 4K 30fps video and a big 1.44x when taking pictures 4K 60p. The small physique additionally has overheating limitations when utilizing LP (lengthy play) recording, however these might be lowered with a $200 fan attachment.
Different options together with three inside microphones that permit for encompass sound-like seize, a 9:16 quick film mode for TikTok creators, high-speed film switch, as much as 440 frames of battery life and a single UHS-I card slot.
I could not perceive what Fujifilm was considering when it launched the X-T50 for $500 greater than the X-T30 II. Now we all know — it is hoping funds patrons will gravitate towards the X-M5 as a substitute. It goes on pre-sale at the moment for $799 and Fujifilm additionally unveiled the 16-55mm f/2.8 (24-70mm full-frame equal) lens promoting for $1,199 and XF500mm f/5.6 tremendous telephoto (750mm equal) now on pre-order for $2,999.
