- Fujifilm South Africa has confirmed the local pricing and availability of two new cameras it unveiled this week – the X-T50 and GFX100S II.
- Both are slated for release in June, but no precise date has been mentioned.
- The new Fujinon GF500mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR super telephoto lens is also launching next month, and is expected to cost around R65 000.
This week Fujifilm unveiled new mirrorless hardware in the form of the X-T50 and GFX100S II.
The Japanese camera maker is waiting little time in bringing both models to South Africa, with the pair slated for release in June, although a precise date has not been mentioned at the time of writing.
Fujifilm South Africa was also able to share recommended pricing for each with Hypertext, but we’ll get to that shortly. First we’ll look at what is on offer from these new professional grade mirrorless cameras.
Starting with the X-T50, which is described as a midrange camera by its manufacturer, but is comparable to the X-T5 in terms of specification and performance. Here the lightweight 438g body of the X-T50 features the same sensor and processor as the flagship unit. Namely a 40.2-megapixel X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor and X-Processor 5.
“As a first for the X Series, the X-T50 now includes a Film Simulation dial incorporated on the top plate. This allows users to easily switch between 20 different Film Simulations, including Velvia, Classic Chrome and the new REALA ACE. Each has unique colour and tone properties, which changes the look and feel of the images to resemble the different types of vintage 35mm film,” adds Fujifilm SA in a release shared with Hypertext.
It also sports an electronic shutter speed of 1/180000 sec., an AI-based subject detection autofocus, and a digital teleconverter function which magnifies images by 1.4x and 2x. Added to this is a 5-axis in-body image stabilisation (IBIS) function capable of up to 7.0-stops, and the ability to record 6.2K/30P.
Shifting to the larger of the two new models, the GFX100S II is the latest in the company’s larger format options. On this front the GFX sensor is approximately 1.7 times larger than a 35mm full-frame sensor.
It also boasts a newly developed 102MP CMOS II high-speed sensor, which is paired with the new X-Processor 5 processor, all of which is housed in a body weighing roughly 883g.
“The GFX100S II offers not only rich tonal expression and three-dimensional rendering capabilities, made possible by the unique characteristics of the large format sensor, but it also features AI-based subject detection, greatly evolving the autofocus from its predecessor. Thanks to improvements to the pixel structure on the sensor, the use of ISO80 as the normal sensitivity is now enabled, capturing images at greater dynamic range and lower noise than with the previous model,” highlights Fujifilm SA.
Other notable aspects include continuous shooting speed of up to 7.0fps and enhancements to the in-body image stabilisation function to achieve a maximum 5-axis performance of 8.0-stops. It can shoot 4K/30P videos too.
Now for the recommended pricing, and Fujifilm SA says the X-T50 is expected to carry a price tag of R26 000 for the body, while the GFX100S II body will cost in the region of R93 500.
Fujifilm has also made us aware of the Fujinon GF500mmF5.6 R LM OIS WR super telephoto lens, which is slated for release next month too. It will retail for ~R65 000.
This lens will be joined for a slightly less specialist Fujinon XF16-50mmF2.8-4.8 R LM WR, which is designed to pair with the aforementioned X-T5, as well as the X-T50, and X-S20 while carrying an RRP of R13 000.
