The rumored Fujifilm GFX50S MK II is expected to be Fuji's next big camera launch –and the medium format camera's release date appears to have just been leaked.
The ever-reliable Nokishita has spotted that an unreleased camera, whose codename is the same as the one Fuji Rumors has previously tipped to be the Fujifilm GFX50S MK II, has just passed FCC (Federal Communications Commission) certification in the USA.
This certification usually points towards to an imminent official launch, but the documents unusually contain a request for "short-term confidentially" on details until August 27. Nokishita has taken this to mean that the GFX50S MK II's launch will happen on that date, but Fuji Rumors isn't so sure.
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- Read our in-depth Fujifilm GFX100S review
Fuji Rumors, which has a pretty reliable track record with both X-series and GFX leaks, says it "wouldn’t place my money on an August 27 announcement", but hasn't yet revealed why.
Still, it's another pretty big clue that Fujifilm's next medium format camera is pretty far down the launch pipeline and could arrive not long after the landscape photographer-pleasing Fujifilm GFX100S, which landed in January.
Like the GFX100S, the GFX50S MK II is expected to be significantly smaller than its predecessor. According to Fuji Rumors, "the size should be close to the GFX100S", which should make the 51.4MP much more suitable for handheld shooting –particularly if it does, as expected, also get in-body image stabilization (IBIS).
Happy medium
So what exactly can we expect from the Fujifilm GFX50S? If you're not familiar with the GFX series, they're an innovative range of medium format cameras, which have sensors that are around 1.7x larger than the chips inside the best full-frame cameras.
The reason the GFX series is so interesting to pro photographers is because it's helped reshaped the whole concept of medium format cameras, which have traditionally been too large and expensive to be used outside the studio. Cameras like the GFX100S, and the rumored GFX50S MK II, are helping to significantly reduce both the size and prices of these medium format cameras, and so broaden their appeal.
But while the Fujifilm GFX50S MK II is likely to deliver incredible dynamic range and be suitable for handheld shooting, it's expected to have compromises, too. Like its GFX50S predecessor, it's rumored to use a 51.4MP sensor that lacks the on-sensor phase-detect autofocus that you'll find on most mirrorless cameras.
If so, that'd mean it'd still struggle to capture fast-moving subjects, and would again be most suitable for landscape shooting or studio work. Then again, we found the Fujifilm GFX50S' autofocus speed to be pretty decent, and its successor could be a tempting option if it's price tag is right.
While the GFX50S arrived for $6,500 / £6,199 when it launched in 2019, its successor seems more likely to cost closer to the Fujifilm GFX 50R ($4,500 / £4,000) if it does indeed use the same sensor as its predecessor. We're looking forward to seeing the official details closer to that rumored August launch date.
- Read our in-depth Fujifilm GFX 50S review
