Fujifilm reveals its GFX50S II large format and X-T30 II mirrorless cameras

Generally, products launched together are aimed at more or less the same bunch of users — but here Fujifilm’s got something for professionals, as well as people on their way to becoming professionals. Meet the GFX50S large format camera and the X-T30 II mirrorless cam. 

The GFX50S II is positioned as the most affordable large-format shooter in the GFX range, while it features the always handy In-body Image Stabilisation (IBIS). On the other end of the spectrum, the X-T30 II is lightweight and improves on its predecessor’s image quality and autofocus performance.

GFX50S II: For the professionals

The completely mirrorless Fujifilm GFX50S II is the successor to the company’s successful GFX 50S from 2017. It’s powered by a 51.4MP large-format sensor which measures 55mm diagonally (43.8 mm x 32.9 mm) 

“This large size allows for a wide dynamic range and a high signal-to-noise ratio. The resulting image reproduces deep tonality and texture from shadows to highlights, delivering image clarity with minimal noise even when taken in low light,” Fujifilm details in a press release. 

It’s also fitted with improved autofocus when it comes to face- and eye detection thanks to its more powerful X-Processor 4 image-processing engine. This, combined with the massive sensor, gives the GFX50S II the ability to produce a shallow depth of field. Don’t forget that the GF lenses add an edge-to-edge sharpness to images that’ll trump any iPhone pic. 

This one’s probably reserved for the professional production geeks out there, as it comes at an expected retail price of R83,000 when it lands in SA in October 2021. 

X-T30 II: For the wannabe professionals

Okay, professional photographers can really use whatever they want. The price difference here is huge, however, and the X-T30 II will be one helluva affordable mirrorless shooter come its launch date in October.

The X-T30 II brings the same compact body design found on its predecessor but features some upgraded insides. Here you get a high-speed AF improvement and “image quality equivalent to the flagship Fujifilm X-T4,” according to the press release. 

It’s fitted with a 26.1MP X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor made by the company, and the same X-Processor 4 high-speed image processing engine found in the big-boy detailed above. The fastest recorder AF speed on this tiny cam is 0.02 seconds, while it’s also capable of AF tracking. 

This one’ll land in SA at an estimated retail price of R15,500 for the body, or R21,500 with the 18-55mm lens attached.