A month later than planned, but Fujifilm has confirmed that this year's X Summit 2023 will be held on May 24
(Image credit: Fujifilm)
Fujifilm has taken to YouTube to announce that there is a new date for this year's X Summit – May 24, and this year the event will be held in Bangkok. The X Summit is usually held annually (although there were two in 2022) and is a celebration of all things Fujifilm, and a chance for Fujifilm to announce the development of new products in its ever-growing lineup of cameras.
Year-on-year Fujifilm has not disappointed, consistently announcing huge product launches at its X Summit events. At the 2022 X Summit in New York last September, Fujifilm launched the Fujifilm X-H2, its most ambitious and advanced APS-C camera to date. So what can we expect to see at the first X Summit of 2023?
See the annoucement from Fujifilm in the above video (6:00 mins).
Fujifilm's camera offerings are now quite extensive, delivering cameras in its APS-C sensor XF mount range for a range of photographic styles, as well as GFX medium format cameras, and we can't ignore the unstoppable Instax range of instant cameras. Is there space for a brand new line of cameras, or with many existing cameras crying out for an update, is it more likely that we see a new version of a current model?
Let's take a look at some of the most likely (although highly speculative) things we might see.
Rangefinder revolution?
If there will ever be a successor to Fujifilm's premium rangefinder – the Fujifilm X-Pro3 – has been an endless source of debate, but this would be an obvious choice to upgrade with an X-Pro4 (or potentially X-Pro5) featuring Fujifilm's latest 5th generation sensor and processor recently added to the Fujifilm X-T5 that offers enhanced autofocus performance, faster shooting speed and a big resolution bump to 40 megapixels.
Similarly, another rangefinder camera overdue an upgrade could come is the Fujifilm X-E4, which has seemingly been discontinued in many stores around the globe, leaving us wondering if it is the end of the line for the X-E range, or if Fujifilm is, in fact, gearing up for a May announcement of an X-E5.
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New GFX camera?
And it's not just Fujifilm's X series of cameras that might see an announcement. Fujifilm's GFX cameras are continuing to push the megapixel ceiling, with the Fujifilm GFX 100 camera currently topping out at an impressive 100 megapixels (or 400 megapixels if you count sensor shift technology).
Might we see a new megapixel monster that pushes this even higher, or perhaps Fujifilm have found new ways to shrink their medium format tech even further, as they achieved with the Fujifilm GFX 50S II?
New lenses?
Finally, there is also a long list of lenses, both new and updates to current aging models, that could be announced at the event. With three lenses coming out of last year's event, could we see more new lenses to take advantage of Fujifilm's hugely improved autofocus algorithms and increased resolution?
We are already aware of the development of a Fujinon XF8mm f/3.5 R WR as it was the final lens on Fujifilm's existing lens roadmap, so we might see it make its debut at this year's X Summit. Otherwise, rumors of other Fuji lenses have been quiet, although we hope Fujifilm has some surprises and a new updated roadmap for the future.
Stay tuned! With only a few weeks to go, we don't have long to wait to see what Fujifilm has in store!
Gareth is a photographer based in London, working as a freelance photographer and videographer for the past several years, having the privilege to shoot for some household names. With work focusing on fashion, portrait and lifestyle content creation, he has developed a range of skills covering everything from editorial shoots to social media videos. Outside of work, he has a personal passion for travel and nature photography, with a devotion to sustainability and environmental causes.
