Fujifilm in 2024: 6 Cameras and 4 Lenses Propel Fujifilm to Superb Year

Fujifilm was prolific this year, launching four new digital cameras, including the hyper-popular X100VI, a pair of new Instax instant cameras, and four new lenses (although it’s more like three).

Fujifilm’s Quartet of Digital Cameras Cover Nearly All the Bases

Four long years after the X100V hit the streets, Fujifilm returned with its highly anticipated sequel act, the Fujifilm X100VI. The jump to 40 megapixels proved compelling for photographers, as the premium compact camera has been nearly impossible to find in stock since it launched in February. This is despite Fujifilm significantly expanding its production capabilities before launch and increasing manufacturing again within a few days of the X100VI arriving.

So the X100VI is popular, but is it good? Yes, very much so. It is a very capable imaging device that is also extremely fun to use.

“The X100VI is popular because it deserves to be. The upgraded 40-megapixel sensor and in-body image stabilization make the X100VI the most usable X100-series camera yet,” writes PetaPixel‘s Editor-in-Chief Jaron Schneider of the X100VI, which he selected among his favorite photo gear of 2024.

“But perhaps most importantly, the X100VI is fun… the X100VI is the kind of camera that can reignite that love of taking photos again. It certainly did that for me,” Schneider concludes.

The fun doesn’t stop there. About three months after announcing the X100VI, Fujifilm unveiled the GFX100S II, its lightest and most affordable 100-megapixel medium-format camera yet. Arriving only eight months after the flagship GFX100 II, the GFX100S II offers many of the same features in a more portable design and at an absurdly low price. As PetaPixel wrote in May, “For photographers who only care about stills and prioritize image quality over all else, good luck finding a better camera than the new GFX 100S II.”

PetaPixel‘s Chris Niccolls was a big fan of the original GFX100S thanks to its smaller body design. The GFX100S II feels and looks familiar, but there are substantial improvements on the inside, including a newly-engineered 100MP sensor, higher-resolution electronic viewfinder, more performant in-body image stabilization, faster shooting, and much better autofocus performance, to name just a handful of updates.

“The GFX 100S II is going to make more practical sense as a medium-format camera to far more people than any other option out there,” Niccolls concluded.

Even though the GFX100S II is undoubtedly a great value in the medium-format space, it is still far out of reach for most photographers. The Fujifilm X-T50 announced at the same time is a much more accessible camera. With its somewhat controversial dedicated Film Simulation dial, the stylish camera combines the X-T5’s 40-megapixel X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor and the compact size of something like the X-T30.

The X-T50 is targeted at beginner and entry-level photographers while maintaining the photo chops required to take great images for users of all skill levels. It’s not a tremendous hybrid camera for burgeoning content creators, but that’s okay, because Fujifilm has something new for them, too.

Enter the Fujifilm X-M5 announced in mid-October. The lightest camera in the X Series, the sleek new X-M5 ditches the electronic viewfinder but promises high-quality photo and video features for hybrid shooters.

For us, the X-M5 missed the mark a bit. “The Fujifilm X-M5 gets some stuff right but lacks the few essentials that I would want to make it an ideal entry-level camera,” Niccolls writes in PetaPixel‘s X-M5 Review. He concludes that while the camera is missing some features photographers may covet, the X-M5 remains an “excellent choice” for video-oriented users on a budget.

Two New Instant Cameras

Before getting to Fujifilm’s new lenses, it’s worth taking a brief detour into the very lucrative world of instant photography, where Fujifilm has long been a dominant force thanks to its Instax lineup.

This year, Fujifilm unveiled a pair of new Instax cameras, each living at opposite ends of the size spectrum. The first new camera, the Instax Mini 99, features classic styling and shoots on Fujifilm Instax Mini film. The camera includes new Color Effect and Brightness Control dials, new shooting modes, a vignette switch, three focus modes, and a nice detachable grip that screws into the tripod mount.

In his hands-on time with the camera, Niccolls emphasized its fun factor. He lauded the Instax Mini 99 for its thoughtful design, enthusiast-oriented features, and accessibility. The Instax Mini 99 is so much more than a toy camera. “I was definitely having fun the whole time though and there is something to be said for that,” Niccolls concluded.

Fujifilm didn’t stop there. A few months later, it announced the Instax Wide 400, a big new instant camera with a chunky grip, big built-in lens, and 3.4 x 4.25-inch instant print size.

While the Instax Mini 99 successfully bridged the gap between ease-of-use and enthusiast-oriented controls and features, the Instax Wide 400 goes all-in on beginners. There are almost no manual controls, which is a shame. However, the Instax Wide 400 may be perfect for people who want to think about composing the shot and nothing else. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

Four (or Is it Three?) New Lenses

2024 proved to be an interesting year for Fujinon glass. In May, Fujifilm announced the GF 500mm f/5.6 R LM OIS WR super-telephoto lens for its GFX medium-format cameras. This lens is the longest GF lens yet and shockingly compact and lightweight, given its 396mm-equivalent focal length.

“Shooting wildlife with a Fujifilm GFX is a new experience that I did not expect, but the 500mm makes it a possibility,” Chris Niccolls wrote in PetaPixel‘s GF 500mm f/5.6 Review. With significant advancements in performance and autofocus across the recent GFX cameras, Fujifilm is carving out a brand-new path in the medium-format space: sports and wildlife photography. The new GF 500mm lens plays a significant role in this new endeavor and is an excellent performer.

We’re going slightly out of order here, but the GF 500mm f/5.6 reappeared in October in the form of the XF 500mm f/5.6 R LM OIS WR. Built on the same optical design and chassis as the GF 500mm, the XF 500mm delivers a 762mm-equivalent focal length on APS-C X Series cameras. While the GF version is black, the XF one is light gray. Otherwise, the only other tweak here is the different lens mount, which results in a more tapered back of the lens.

Credit: Fujifilm

The GF 500mm f/5.6 performed great on medium-format GFX cameras and their large image circle, so it should come as no surprise that the XF version is even better since it relies only on the central portion of the image circle — where sharpness is best.

Staying out of order so the video above makes sense, Fujifilm also announced the XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR II in October. The lens shrinks down the popular 16-55mm f/2.8 from 2015 and gives it a modern optical design and performance. Much has changed in the past decade or so in terms of optical engineering, so Fujifilm determined it was time to bring its professional standard zoom lens up to speed.

The XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR Mark II (left) is much smaller and lighter than the original 16-55mm f/2.8 (right) | Credit: Fujifilm

The new “Mark II” version is smaller, lighter, faster, and sharper than its celebrated predecessor. What more can you ask for?

The fourth new Fujifilm lens of 2024 was released alongside the X-T50 in May, the XF 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8 R LM WR. Teased in February when Fujifilm announced the X100VI, this new lens is the replacement for the legendary XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 zoom, arguably the best and most influential kit lens ever made.

The new kit lens is wider at the wide end, shorter at the long end, and slower. As Niccolls said, “The new Fujifilm XF 16-50mm f/2.8-4.8 has very big shoes to fill indeed.” Unfortunately, the lens doesn’t universally succeed and is not an obvious improvement over its venerable predecessor.

“Somehow I don’t imagine that this new lens will inspire the same cult status that the older 18-55mm will, but I do think it will be seen as a respectable workhorse lens going forward,” Niccolls explains.

Grading Fujifilm in 2024

While not every new release was a home run, Fujifilm had a very productive and strong 2024. The X100VI is an obvious highlight, although it’s a shame the camera is not easier to find at MSRP. The GFX100S II is a very strong value and an excellent choice for photographers who care deeply about image quality and are willing to pay for it.

As for the lenses, the new 500mm f/5.6 prime is dynamite for both GFX and X Series camera systems, and the16-55mm f/2.8 Mark II is a very welcome upgrade to a lens that has been long in the tooth since Fujifilm started releasing 40-megapixel cameras.

2024 will be a tough act for Fujifilm to follow, but if the last few years are any indication, the company is well up to the task.

Image credits: Featured image created using an asset licensed via Depositphotos.