It's been six months since Fujifilm's last mirrorless camera launch, but the camera giant is expected to return with a big bang in a couple of weeks – and the latest rumors suggests Fuji will launch two new cameras on September 2.
According to the reliable Fuji Rumors, the two new models will be a Fujifilm X-T30 II (a follow-up to the Fujifilm X-T30, one of the best travel cameras you can buy) and the hotly-anticipated medium format Fujifilm GFX 50S Mk II.
That won't be it either, with separate rumors claiming the cameras will be joined by the arrival of a Fujinon XF23mm f/1.4 MKII lens. That prime lens, which will apparently come with weather-sealing, would be the ideal companion for the X-T30 II, so it would make sense for it to make its debut at what's expected to be a Fujifilm X Summit.
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So what can we expect from the X-T30 II and GFX50S MK II? There are no rumored specs for the former yet, but the 'Mark II' name suggests it'll be a fairly incremental upgrade on the original Fujifilm X-T30, which arrived back in February 2019.
The most likely scenario is that the X-T30 MK II will have similar specs to the more recent Fujifilm X-E4. That camera combined the company's latest 26.1MP X-Trans APS-C sensor and X-Processor 4 to deliver the same autofocus performance as the Fujifilm X-S10 and the ability to shoot 4K/30p video. Some physical tweaks, like a tilting touchscreen, are also probably on the cards.
We know a little more about the Fujifilm GFX 50S MK II, thanks to some earlier rumors. That medium format camera is expected to be a cross between the specs of the original Fujifilm GFX50S and the body of the more recent Fujifilm GFX100S. This would make it ideal for landscape shooters and studio work, too.
According to a post from Fuji Rumors back in June, the GFX 50S MK II could also be the most affordable GFX series camera so far, with an expected price of around $3,999 / £3,800 / AU$6,550 price tag. That's still not exactly cheap, but it would be very impressive for a medium format camera, which have until recently cost at least three times that.
Analysis: 'Mark II' launches are a sign of the times
Some might be disappointed that both of Fujifilm's rumored cameras are 'Mark II' models, which are typically considered incremental updates rather than genuine successors.
It's certainly true that hopes have been high for a Fujifilm X-T40 for some time, and an X-T30 with in-body image stabilization (IBIS) would be considered by many to be the ultimate travel camera. The X-T30 MK II rumors have likely put that idea to bed for now, as IBIS would be a serious upgrade.
Yet history also tells us that there's great variation in what we can expect from a 'Mark II' camera. The Canon EOS M50 Mark II, for example, is the worst-case scenario – a new model that feels like it should have been a firmware update.
But the GFX 50 S MK II rumors suggest it could be a significant upgrade that introduces a new concept to the GFX series: the first sub-$4,000 medium format camera in its lineup. Considering that price has been the main GFX barrier to entry for most people, that's a big deal – even if it does end up lacking phase-detect autofocus.
So despite the lack of huge leaps – which would perhaps be understandable in the current camera climate – we remain optimistic that the rumored X-T30 II and GFX 50S MK II could still deliver some compelling new photographic treats for us to play with next month. Whether either will be available to buy during September, though, remains to be seen.
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