Fujifilm X-M5 Review: Autofocus is A Great Surprise – PhotoTrend

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One of the most prestigious French photography websites, PhotoTrend, has now published its Fujifilm X-M5 review.

I will only highlight what they said about its autofocus.

And yes, they do talk very good about it.

And yes, there are people who told you the X-M5 autofocus is total garbage.

And yes, they based their judgments on 1.5 seconds of video extrapolated from hours of launch video.

And yes, that’s not really a smart way to judge the autofocus.

Why?

Well, look at the Sony A1II.

There have been lots of A1II launch videos, and when I looked at the one of Tony Northrup, I saw the Sony A1II occasionally focusing on hats and shoulders rather than faces and eyes as you can see in this screenshot and this screenshot – video here.

Now I could extract those few seconds of video and go out and claim the Sony A1II struggles to track eyes. But I won’t do that, because it would not be fair towards the Sony A1 II.

It’s better to wait for full reviews with production cameras. And today we have one, from Phototrend. You can trust them or not.

My personal position is: I am curious about what reviewers say, but I will wait for my X-T5 AF boost firmware to make final judgements.

With that said, here is what Phototrend says about the Fujifilm X-M5 autofocus.

Thanks to the X-Processor 5, the Fujifilm X-M5 benefits from the latest autofocus improvements. And we might as well say it: the latter bluffed us several times.

From a technical point of view, the body has an AI-doped hybrid AF, with 425 AF points (and 117 selectable positions). But above all, it takes advantage of the intelligent detection / tracking modes of the subject, already present on the other boxes in the range.

And in the field, the detection and monitoring of the subject are very effective. Humans or animals: the eye is detected instantly, even when the subject occupies only a small place in the frame. A point that portraitists (and lovers of wildlife photography) should appreciate.

In addition, the box always offers modes dedicated to birds and vehicles (trains, cars, planes, motorcycles). Enough to seduce fans from all walks of life. Especially since the detection is extremely effective.

In plain language: the autofocus of the X-M5 is very efficient. In general, the development is carried out without delay. Pumping phenomena are very rare, even in (very) low light. Caution, however, with certain zooms or fixed focal lengths (especially a little old), whose AF motorization can sometimes be less fast.

Finally, note that the number of “false positives” is particularly low. Fujifilm would therefore have corrected the few small problems suffered by the X-S20.

You can read the full review in original French language at phototrend.

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Topaz and Luminar Launch Black Friday Sales

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TOPAZ

Topaz has launched their Black Friday offer, which will end December 2.

Full details at the dedicated Topaz Black Friday page.

For New Users

Get every app, 12 months of updates, plus Cloud Credits for $299 (54% off)
Includes:

  • Gigapixel 8 + 12 months of updates ($99 Value)
  • Photo AI 3 + 12 months of updates ($199 Value)
  • Video AI 5 + 12 months of updates ($299 Value)
  • 200 Free Cloud Credits ($50 Value)

For Existing Users

Upgrade and unlock the latest features across all our apps for just $199.
Includes:

  • 12 months of upgrades for Gigapixel ($79 Value)
  • 12 months of updates for Photo AI ($119 Value)
  • 12 months of updates for Video AI ($179 Value)
  • 200 Free Cloud Credits ($50 Value)

There are even more deals available at the dedicated Topaz Black Friday page.

LUMINAR

You can now save up to 84% on Luminar software until December 1.

You can check out all details at the dedicated Skylum deal page.

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SIRUI 40mm T1.8 1.33X Super35 Autofocus Anamorphic Lens for Fujifilm X Mount Coming

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Anamorphic autofocus lenses are the next big thing when it comes to cine lenses.

We already reported about the BLAZAR APEX 35mm T1.8 and a 50mm T1.8 1.33x anamorphic autofocus lenses which will also come for Fujifilm X mount (see a review by CineD below in video or at their website here).

Now also Sirui is entering this space with its own offering: the SIRUI 40mm T1.8 1.33X S35 autofocus anamorphic lens. The lens is now listed at Indiegogo and the campaign will go live on November 25.


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Could This be the Wide Aspect Sony Sensor of the Fujifilm TX-3 Panorama Camera?

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We have told a while ago that Fujifilm is currently considering to launch the digital successor to the XPan/T-X series in 2028

For now we will simply call it the Fujifilm TX-3, as of the digital successor to the Fujifilm TX-2 film camera.

Well, in these days I am getting emails from fellow FR-readers pointing me towards two wide aspect ratio sensors offered by Sony: the 1.4″ 16.41MP IMX901 and the 1.1″ 12.38MP IMX902

Now, I don’t think it will be any of those sensors, because the specs sheet say these are C-mount compatible sensors.

But if our sources are accurate, the Fujifilm TX-3 will use a much larger sensor.

In fact, based on the last info we got, Fujifilm is deciding if they should use two stacked APS-C X-Trans sensors or a cropped GFX Bayer sensor.

So my answer to the question if the IMX901/2 could be the sensor used for the Fujifilm TX-3 is “I don’t think so“.

But of course this is an ultra-long term rumor. It’s hard to predict the precise specs of a camera that might come 4 years from now. So I just can’t rule out anything at 100% for now.

All the sensor details at sony-semicon.

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Fujifilm’s Upcoming Half Frame Camera: Welcome to Diptych Heaven!

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Look guys,

the Fujifilm 1″ half frame camera is largely a mystery for me just as it is for you.

There is little I know about, except for the fact that it has a 1″ sensor and that Fujifilm will very likely market it as a half frame camera.

Will it be something like a digital version of the Pentax 17 half frame?

Or maybe look more like the Yashica Samurai X3.0?

I don’t know.

And since I do not know how Fujifilm is going to pull this off, it is complicated for me to judge this camera and especially if the term “half frame” is appropriate or not.

But I am doing my homework, and here is a little update I can give you guys.

From what I’ve heard, Fujifilm’s new half-frame camera will allow you to press the shutter twice to create a single image—essentially enabling diptych photography. You’ll press the shutter once for the first half of the image and again for the second half of the frame.

Diptych photography lets you get creative by placing two images next to each other, allowing for interesting comparisons or storytelling. You can show contrasts, highlight connections, or offer different perspectives, making it a great way to engage viewers and add depth to your images.

Down below I’ll share a few videos about diptych photography.

In film, half-frame cameras are traditionally well suited for diptych photography. However, with Fujifilm’s upcoming model, it’s unclear whether this effect will be achieved using a vertically-oriented 1″ sensor or if the camera will use a horizontal sensor, reading half of it with the first shutter press and the other half with the second, similar to how traditional 35mm half-frame cameras function.

My best guess is (not rumor) is that it’s done with a vertical sensor, but at this point I don’t really know that.

What I know is that the concept of this camera, which might focus on diptych photography, is a typical use case found in half-frame film cameras. Hence I guess that’s also why Fujifilm will market it mainly as a half-frame camera.

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