After weeks of leaks and rumors the Fujifilm X-T4 has finally been officially announced – and the mirrorless all-rounder is very much theSony A6600 and Panasonic GH5 rival we expected it to be.Perhaps just as interesting for anyone eyeing up a new mirrorless camera, though, is the news that the X-T4 won't be replacing its predecessor, theFujifilm X-T3.

That camera will remain on sale as a more affordable alternative to its new sibling, so look out for further price drops on the older model.But back to the X-T4.

The main reason it's shaping up to be one of the best all-round cameras you can buy is because it brings two major upgrades in the form of in-body image stabilization (IBIS) and a fully articulating touchscreen.Together, these significantly boost its appeal, particularly for video shooters.

That five-axis IBIS mechanism can apparently provide 6.5 stops of stabilization when you use it with 18 out of Fujifilm's total collection of 29 XF / XC lenses.In the real world, that means the ability to shoot run-and-gun videos without necessarily needing a gimbal, and also the freedom to take handheld stills with long shutter speeds.

The cherry on the X-T4's video cake is that it can also shoot Full HD video at 240fps for a super slow-mo effect.(Image credit: Fujifilm)Beyond those additions, the X-T4 brings two other big physical improvements over the X-T3.

Its new NP-W235 battery will last for 500 shots per charge (or 600 shots in 'Economy mode'), which is a significant boost over its predecessor's 390-shot rating.

The only downside is that anyone with existing NP-W126S batteries won't be able to use them in the X-T4.The other big design improvement is a new shutter mechanism.

This brings a couple of benefits: one is that, like theFujifilm X-H1, the X-T4's shutter is much quieter (around 30% less audible than the X-T3), which is a bonus for street or wedding photographers, but perhaps more significant is that it allows the X-T4 to shoot at an impressive 15fps in continuous mode when using its mechanical shutter – that's seriously fast, and could put it right up there with thebest mirrorless cameras for shooting sports and action, assuming its autofocus can keep up.Talking of which, Fujifilm says a new phase detection AF algorithm will indeed boost the X-T4's autofocus speed, along with its tracking performance and Face / Eye AF.

We'll have to wait until our full review to see if that bears out.(Image credit: Fujifilm)So are there any downsides to the X-T4? It's a slight shame that it uses the same 26.1MP X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor and X-Processor 4 combination as its predecessor, although it is a tried-and-tested combination that produces great results.The viewfinder also has the same 3.69-million dot resolution as before – which is good, if not class-leading – and the X-T4's body has also had to grow a little to accommodate that IBIS system and new screen.

It's 5mm deeper, 2mm wider and 68g heavier than its predecessor.

On the plus side, this creates room for a slightly larger built-in grip. Naturally, the X-T4's body becomes even bigger when you attach its optional VG-XT4 battery grip (below).

This houses two extra batteries, which means you can get around 1,450 shots from a charge, with the batteries automatically switching when one runs out. (Image credit: Fujifilm)With or without this grip, the X-T4 certainly brings a generous helping of new features, but a final factor that might sway you is price.

It'll be available body-only for $1,699 / £1,549 (around AUS3,050) in black or silver from April 2020. There'll also be a couple of lens bundles available.

Buying an X-T4 with the excellent XF18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS will set you back $2,099 / £1,899 (around AU$3740).

Or if you'd prefer to get the camera with the new XF16-80mm f/4 R OIS WR Lens then that will cost you $2,199 / £1,949 (around AU$3,840).Once you get to these kind of prices then many will start to consider whether it's worth going for a full-frame camera like the Nikon Z6 or Sony A7 III instead.

This depends a little on which existing lenses you have (if any) and the kind of photography you like to do, but we'll be bringing you our thoughts on how the Fujifilm X-T4 compares to its closest rivals in our full review very soon. In the meantime, you can check out our hands-on review of the Fujifilm X-T4 for our initial impressions of this exciting new all-rounder. uWZhLLLLV7pTiY7vKZFYTC.jpg?#