More camera releases and announcements as of quarter 2 in 2025. Obviously, I haven't used these cameras myself, so this is just a bunch of my opinions based on the specs and what I've seen online.
Check out the video on YouTube with a lot more information:
Leica SL3-S:
Fujifilm X half:
Fujifilm X-E5:
Ricoh GR IV:
OM Systems OM-5 Mark II:
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Leica SL3-S
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| The new Leica SL3-S full-frame mirrorless camera. |
First up, we've got the Leica SL3-S. If you're into expensive cameras and you specifically want a Leica, this is for you. It looks pretty nice and has that classic Leica control scheme. Spec-wise, it's a 24-megapixel camera that is very similar to something like the Panasonic Lumix S5ii. I wouldn't be shocked if they share some components or the two companies collaborated on it.
I don't really have a strong opinion on their cameras because they're just out of my ballpark. One nice thing is that it does shoot DNG RAW, and it has a ton of movie modes, so it seems like Leica's example of what they can do with video.
DNG, or Digital Negative, is an open, lossless raw image format developed by Adobe. Unlike proprietary raw formats from camera manufacturers (like .CR2 from Canon or .NEF from Nikon), DNG is designed to be a universal format for long-term archival of digital photos.
Fujifilm has been busy with some interesting, and I'd say unique, new cameras. They definitely get props for trying something different, even if I'm not personally a huge fan of their design choices.
Fujifilm X-Half
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| The Fujifilm X-Half camera, showcasing its vintage, vertical image format design. |
The Fujifilm X-Half camera is unique. That's definitely the description I would use for it. It's a vertical format camera, which is something you need to know you want before buying. It's also kind of pricey for what you get; in the United States, it's about $850. Though, some of that could be reflecting the tariff situation happening as of the writing of this article.
It has a one-inch type sensor, and it tries to create a 'feel' of a film camera with features like a winding lever-type device you need to use after every photo as far as I can tell. On the back, it has a cool secondary screen that shows you which virtual "film" you're using as well as giving you extra setting access because it's also a touch screen. It's an interesting mix of functions and design, but I'm not a big fan of this fake film photography experience in a digital camera. It doesn't seem to benefit anyone since it's not the actual experience of using a film camera.
Fujifilm X-E5
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| The Fujifilm X-E5 mirrorless camera in silver. |
Another new camera from Fujifilm is the X-E5. This is a continuation of their X-E series, which is kind of like an X100 but with an interchangeable lens mount and without the hybrid optical viewfinder. This is a great option for people who want that X100 style but with more flexibility.
It's nice that it has a flip-forward screen, which adds some versatility. However, I just don't understand Fujifilm's pricing these days. With the new 23mm f/2.8 lens, it's listed at $1,900. While the camera has a 40-megapixel APS-C sensor, I'm not sure how much benefit you get from that much resolution on this sensor size.
An APS-C sensor, or Advanced Photo System type-C, is a common image sensor format found in many digital cameras. It's smaller than a full-frame sensor but larger than a Micro Four Thirds or one-inch sensor, offering a good balance between image quality, camera size, and cost. The crop factor is generally around 1.5x (specifically 1.6 for Canon sensors and 1.52x for most others).
The Ricoh GR IV
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| What the Ricoh GR IV should look like. |
Ricoh did announce the GR IV, which is very cool for fans of the series. From what's been announced, it doesn't seem to be a huge difference from the previous model. I think this update might be more of a situation where they were having difficulty finding parts for the GR III and had to update it just to keep producing it.
There are some nice little updates. It now has 5-axis image stabilization instead of 3-axis, and the autofocus will hopefully be faster and more accurate. One of the things I was hoping for, weather resistance, is not going to happen.
Probably the most interesting new feature is that it has approximately 53GB of internal storage in addition to a microSD card slot. I'm very curious if you can do an instant backup, saving photos to both the internal memory and the card at the same time. That would be a key feature for me. I wish it was 128GB, but 53GB is serviceable.
New Lens Releases
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| The new Sony FE 50-150mm f/2 GM lens, priced at $3,898.00. |
Besides cameras, there are a few interesting new lenses showing up. Leica has a new 28-70mm f/2.8, which, for Leica, doesn't have a terrible price. Fujifilm also released a new compact 23mm f/2.8 lens.
Probably the most interesting one I've seen is Sony's FE 50-150mm f/2 GM lens. It has a large f/2 aperture throughout its range, which is impressive. You get a really interesting focal length, starting at 50mm instead of the more typical 70mm for a telephoto zoom. This could make it more versatile for things like portrait work. Of course, it is an expensive lens, coming in at around $4,000.
OM System OM-5 Mark II
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| The OM System OM-5 Mark II camera with a lens attached. |
I also noticed the OM System OM-5 Mark II was announced. The main benefit of OM System (formerly Olympus) cameras is often their rugged, weather-resistant build. However, looking at the specs, I have some questions about the value. The camera body is listed for $1,200, which is a lot for a Micro Four Thirds camera with a single card slot. The video functionality is also limited to the H.264 codec. It just doesn't seem worth the price in my opinion, but of course, I haven't used it.
So that's a quick look at some recent camera releases. There's a decent amount of new gear showing up, which shows the dedicated camera industry is still going somewhere.