Fujifilm released its first camera priced under $1,000 long and resurrected the 11-year-old “M” brand. with the X-M5 for $799. At this price, it is primarily aimed at photographers on a budget or vloggers who want to move away from the smartphone. To reach this price point, Fujifilm has dropped a few features such as the viewfinder (EVF), but it uses the latest 26-megapixel X-Trans 4 CMOS sensor and decent video specs.
For a camera without a viewfinder, the X-M5 performs quite well. It has front and rear control dials, as well as a top setting dial that includes a new “Vlog” mode. It also features the same film simulation dial found on the X-T50 to help social media users and creators create cool photos straight from the camera.
In vlog mode, there is a full GUI on the touchscreen for easy access. This includes things like 'portrait enhancement', background blur and product priority, similar to Sony's vlogging products.
For vloggers, it comes with a 3-inch, fully articulating, 1.04-million-dot rear display that's hopefully bright enough to use in sunlight (since, again, there's no EVF). For vloggers, there are both headphone and microphone ports, but they are not placed on the left side as usual. Instead, Fujifilm placed the 3.5mm microphone input on the back (where the electronic viewfinder is usually placed) and the headphone port on the right side. This is to avoid the display hitting the microphone or headphone cable when it is deflected, which can happen with other cameras.
You'll never mistake it for an action camera, but the X-M5 can shoot at 8fps continuous shooting using the mechanical shutter, or at a blazing 20fps in electronic mode (both with continuous autofocus). In these modes it can capture decent RAW frames with 82/60 compression before the buffer fills up, which is again very decent for such a small camera.
Video is also quite good, with 6.2K open-gate capture in 3:2 format, 4K 60p, and Full HD at up to 240fps (these specs match the X-T50, as you may have noticed). For 4K 60p (1.18x) and FHD above 120 fps (1.29x) there is some clipping, but otherwise everything is individual.
Another thing missing is in-body stabilization, so the X-M5 is limited to what the lens or electronic stabilization provides. In the latter mode, the crop is at least 1.32x for 4K 30fps video and a significant 1.44x for 4K 60p recording. The small case also has limitations regarding overheating when recording to LP (long play) discs, but these can be reduced by attaching a $200 fan.
Other features including three internal microphones for capturing surround-like audio, 9:16 short video mode for TikTok creators, fast video transfer, battery life up to 440 frames, and one UHS-I card slot.
I couldn't understand what Fujifilm had in mind by releasing the X-T50 for $500 more than the X-T30 II. Now we know – we hope budget buyers will gravitate towards the X-M5 instead. Pre-orders start today for $799, and Fujifilm also announced the 16-55mm f/2.8 lens (24-70mm full frame equivalent) for $1,199 and the XF500mm f/5.6 super-telephoto lens (750mm equivalent) available for pre-order now for $2,999.
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