Fujifilm’s X-M5 Is the Lightest in Its X-Series of Mirrorless Cameras
Fujifilm’s new X-M5 is a dinky and stylish beginner mirrorless camera with a focus on video, delivering sharp 6K video recording in color-rich 10-bit. It also features 4K up to 60fps for cinematic half-speed effects, plus open gate video recording, which means the camera can take information from the full height and width of the 3:2 sensor, rather than being restricted to 16:9 or wider.
In terms of photographic specifications, the X-M5 naturally has a lot in common with the X-S20. The sensor offers a standard sensitivity range of ISO 125-12,800, extendable to ISO 25,600. Shutter speeds cover 30sec to 1/4000sec, or as fast as 1/32,000sec using the electronic shutter.
Continuous shooting is available at up to 8 frames per second using the mechanical shutter, 20fps with the electronic shutter, and 30fps with the electronic shutter and a 1.25x crop.
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Subject detection covers animals, birds, cars, motorcycles and bikes, airplanes, and trains. As usual for Fujifilm, human face/eye detection is also available, as a separate but mutually exclusive option.
Video features are impressive for the price, with the X-M5 capable of 6.2K 30p ‘open gate’ recording, which uses all the sensor pixels for cropping to different aspect ratios in post-production. The camera can also record in 4K at up to 60fps, or Full HD up to 240fps. Uniquely, there’s also an option to record vertical Full HD video while holding the camera horizontally.
While many of the X-M5’s video modes use the full sensor width, chances are you’ll want to enable digital stabilisation, which imposes a 1.32x crop. This will take the 15-45mm kit zoom from 23mm equivalent at the wideangle end to 30mm.
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In terms of recording times, the camera should keep going for up to an hour at 25 °C and is compatible with Fujifilm’s add-on fan unit for extended durations at higher ambient temperatures.
There is also no longer a built-in flash, another signal that this is more a video camera than a stills one. I find it hard to really care about this, but would have a few years ago at university when a lot more of my photos were at night, but, with tiny hotshoe flashes or LEDs increasingly affordable, there are certainly quick and easy ways around this.
Stylistically, the X-M5 isn’t a huge departure from the original Fujifilm X-M1. Available in either black or silver, the X-M5 follows the same design as Fujifilm’s other classically styled cameras like the X-T5 or X100VI, with its faux-leather wrapped metal body and dials up top – and despite the lower price, the camera feels excellent in the hand.
At $799 / £799 / AU$1,449 for the body only or $899 / £899 / AU$1,649 with a Fujifilm XC 15-45mm lens, the Fujifilm X-M5 might just be the best value camera you can buy right now.
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