Just a little note before the start of this review, we have always thought about doing little write ups for other photographers, reviews and such of the gear that we use, so here is the first, of hopefully many more.
Enjoy!
FUJI XT1 Review
Fuji XT1 with the XF35mm f1.4
I’ve been a Canon DSLR shooter since the beginning of this photography career. I never had a specific reason why it was Canon, it was just the first digital camera I ever used. Across the years I’ve witnessed many shooters jump from Canon, to Nikon, from Nikon to Canon searching for “the better camera.” The grass is always greener on the other side mindset has never been for me when it comes to camera equipment, I’ve known Canon gear from the get go, I know the good points, the bad points, and everything in-between.
When Fuji’s mirror less cameras started making noise back when the X100 was released, it was a very tempting option for a point and shoot, grab and go camera… but like always I was set in my Canon ways and didn’t ponder the option that much further. But always in the back of my head was this nagging need for an awesome camera that hit the marks on size, portability, ease of use, and of course image quality. Having a tight little camera package, that takes subpar images really doesn’t get you very far.
My first experience with the Fuji best game camera was having the opportunity to borrow the X100s in the early spring of 2014 when we traveled with to the Dominican Republic for a wedding. Having a small child, the thought of juggling a full size DSLR, along with a baby, and all the baby gear was not very high on my priority list.
Being able to travel with the kid, all of his stuff, and a super light camera was amazing! I didn’t shoot a ton with the X100s, but when I did, I was always super happy with the results. There were of course a few sticking points, not being able to change out the lens, the focus was a little hit or miss now and again (especially trying to hit focus on a small moving child,) and the size of the camera… yes I know point and shoot bodies are supposed to be small, but I have large hands, and this sometime made holding the camera difficult. But all told, I was super impressed.
Then the Fuji XT1 announcement hit. This got me super excited. A larger body, with available battery grip, weather sealing, interchangeable lenses (yes I know there were options before like the X-PRO,) awesome image quality, and built like a tank. I was oh so very excited.
Camera Body + Build //
This camera feels amazing in hand (especially with the grip if you are large handed like me) and the build feels rugged, and strong. Almost like you could probably drop it, pick it up and keep shooting… but don’t do that on purpose. All the dials that control the exposure are tight, and and don’t move unless moved.
The control pad on the back (for controlling focus points or whatever you choose to set them to) are on the smallish size, but I think a lot of that has to do with the physical size of the camera body.. it would be tough to increase their size much more.
The LCD screen on the back for viewing images / shooting, is vivid and contrasty, and then there is the electronic view finder which is an absolute treat to shoot with, especially with the exposure simulation, which makes seeing what the final image will look like absolutely awesome. The swivel on the rear LCD is also awesome for those times you need to shoot at a super low / high angle.
Shooting from above with the swivel rear LCD
The battery life… well thats probably the worst part of the camera. I’m used to shooting with the 5DMK3 with a battery grip on, and comfortably being able to shoot 2-3 weddings without changing the batteries. On the Fuji XT1, you’re doing pretty darn good if you can squeeze out 300-400 photos on a single battery.
Using The Camera + Image Quality //
Using the camera is an absolute treat. Personally I always shoot this camera in single shot mode, which is a big change from my DSLR shooting which is always in burst mode. I’ve found I use this camera a lot more in situations where I don’t need burst, say for example still life, single shot portraits, or when I need to shoot a shot from above with the swivel LCD.
I can’t say I’ve tried using the camera in a “I need a lot of images fast with moving subjects” scenario quite yet, like when the bride is coming down the aisle, for that I always go with what I know I can trust to nail the shot in my DSLR.
One of the biggest hold out points for me to use a camera that wasn’t a full size DSLR was image quality. Being a full time photographer I shoot everything RAW, so I can’t talk about the JPEG quality to much, but that being said, I am always blown away by the images that come out of this camera.
A sample JPEG from the XT1 – The Spinner on a Lockheed Elektra – Classic Chrome Preset In Camera
Putting the images side by side there is no decreeable difference. The RAW files that the Fuji XT1 produces are absolutely gorgeous. You would be pretty hard pressed to be able to tell the difference if that were put side by side and you didn’t know which shot came from where. This camera does great when it comes to image noise, though I have yet to really crank the ISO in subpar lighting conditions.
Canon 5DMK3 w/ 85mm + Fuji XT1 w/ 35mm
Auto focus is great on this camera as well. I haven’t played a lot with manual focus, but I do love the focus assist on the electronic view finder where it will zoom in so you can check your focus.
Lenses //
A good camera is no better then the glass you put in front of the sensor, and Fuji has produced some actually amazing glass. I have personally shot with both the XF35mm 1.4 (50mm equivalent on a DSLR) and the XF56mm 1.2 (85mm equivalent on a DSLR)
These two lenses are amazing. The lens build quality, the color reproduction, and the contrast are picture perfect (pun intended) I shoot a lot with my 5DMK3 and 85mm 1.2 which weighs in at a hefty 3-4lbs with the battery grip on the camera, compare that to what basically feels like nothing in the Fuji XT1 and the 56mm and its a total no brainer to pick this camera lens combo up and shoot away.
The glass that Fuji is producing is worth every penny.
Flying through the mountains near Kelowna, British Columbia. XT1 w/ XF 35mm 1.4 through the plexiglass canopy with the propeller spinning in front.
Conclusion //
I love this camera and i used it a lot on baby photos and you can see some here on the Gerber baby contest winners page. Plain and simple its amazing to shoot with, for me shooting in single shot mode rather then burst mode, it slows down my shooting and helps me to think about what I’m shooting. In my mind I almost treat shooting with the X-T1 to be almost more like shooting film, where every frame counts. I don’t hesitate to pull this camera out during paid work, and as a personal shooter, its absolutely amazing.
Of course there are short falls, the battery life being the biggest one, but of course there are lots of options out there for inexpensive batteries on Amazon.
Would I buy the Fuji XT1 again? Heck yes!