REVIEW: My Thoughts on the X-T1 after 10,000 images in 2 Months
For me the Fujifilm X-T1 is a game changer, pure and simple; this is the camera that made me decide to put my Nikon DSLR gear up for sale, which is a huge step for someone like me. Two months and 10,000 shots into ownership of the Fujifilm flagship camera, here are my thoughts, both good and bad.
First I have to point out that I use Fuji cameras because they are the perfect tools for working with for my style of photography. I am not paid by Fuji, I don't have any deals with Fuji, I just enjoy using their cameras and lenses. They are tools of my trade and they allow me to get the best images I can.
Now that is out of the way, here are the things I like and the things that could be better on the X-T1. I still haven't fully tested all of the systems on the camera yet (timelapse for example) but the functions I have used have, on the whole, impressed me. For my style of photography, mirrorless cameras are now a direct rival to DSLRs and, in some instances, actually ahead.
What do I like about the X-T1?
Well where do I start? My photography covers landscapes, automotive, street and travel, with wildlife and sport also a major consideration, and I have shot all of these genres with the X-T1 over the past two months
Size: The size of the camera is the most obvious place to start, it is so much smaller than the Nikon D800, even with the battery grip attached. I travel a lot on aircraft, 38 flights so far since January 2014, and the size of my photographic kit I travel with is a major consideration. I usually travel with the X-T1 + X-Pro1 + 6 lenses (14,18,35,60, 10-24 and 55-200) + all the kit I need to support this (memory cards, batteries, chargers, leads, mic, remote releases, tripod, etc) which all fits nicely into a Lowepro Pro Runner backpack along with my laptop (see image at the bottom of the page).
VG-XT1 Battery Grip: For me the VG-XT1 battery grip is a "must have" for two reasons. The most important is the extra battery it carries, allowing me to keep shooting when one battery is exhausted (more on this later). The second reason is the extra profile the grip adds to the X-T1 and with my big hands I find using the camera with the grip more ergonomically satisfying. Of course you still have the option of removing the grip if you want a smaller, more stealthy, camera.
EVF: The Electronic View Finder on this camera is amazing and anyone who still thinks EVFs are second best needs to look through the eye piece of an X-T1. While it does get grainy in low light, the advantage for me having an EVF is the fact what you see through the viewfinder is what you get as a result. Unlike an optical viewfinder you can immediately see the exposure, how much shadow detail there is, whether you have blown highlights BEFORE you take the shot. With a DSLR you either have to shoot with the 'Live View' mode or you have to take the shot, review, and then compensate accordingly.
Manual Focus: A result of the amazing EVF is the ability to manual focus with ease, thanks to the Dual Mode. In manual focus the screen is split in the main screen with a small box out screen to the right which is a magnified part of the scene wherever you have placed the focus point. This allows you to check the focus very accurately and is great where you have very shallow depth of field and challenging lighting conditions where the AF might struggle.
Auto Focus: I have found the AF on the X-T1 to more than up to the job, especially in the follow focus department. It is accurate and is rarely fooled unless the lighting conditions are challenging (ie dark or very little contrast in the subject). I have got used to the situations where the AF is not going to cope and will adjust accordingly. AF-C test at Le Mans HERE
Frame Rate: 8 frames per second is very useful to have but I do tend to shoot single frame unless the situation demands - like the recent visit to Bass Rock, taking pictures of the Gannet Colony. see the images HERE.
X-Trans II sensor: This Fuji sensor just gets better and better and is an improvement over the sensor in the X-Pro1. Don't get me wrong on this point, the X-Trans sensor in the X-Pro1 is not second best by any stretch of the imagination, the X-T1 sensor is just the next step in the evolution.
Dials and Controls: A lot has been written about the manual dials and controls on the X-T1. While the design is not 100%, I love the retro look of the camera and the dials allow me to check the settings at a glance without looking into the viewfinder or diving into the camera menu. The exposure compensation dial is in the right position for my right thumb and I can alter the settings without taking my eye away from the viewfinder.
WiFi: Wow, this is absolutely brilliant. The Android app is brilliant and allowed me to get closer to the Gannets on Bass Rock than I would have otherwise been able to. I will be doing a full test on the app in the coming weeks but my initial tests have proven that being able to control the camera remotely is a very useful tool.
Tilt Screen: Having a tilt screen has been seen as the mark of an amateur/entry level camera. This is actually the first camera I have owned that has this facility and what a useful bit of kit it is when shooting low or above your head. Some photographers may still sneer at cameras with this facility but in my opinion they are wrong and anything that makes my life easier getting the shot has to be a good thing.
Panoramic Mode: I did a blog on this a couple of weeks ago and while this mode is a bit 'hit and miss' on the X100 and X-Pro1, the panoramic mode on the X-T1 is a huge improvement. While it still isn't 100%, especially is difficult lighting conditions, the ability to shoot a panoramic image quickly is very useful and something I did for the FIAWEC social media sites at Le Mans last week.
HD Video: For me the video function on the X-T1 is perfect. I tend to shoot driver interviews at the races and the fact that the X-T1 has an external mic socket was one of the selling points. My only gripe is the fact it is a 2.5mm socket rather than a more standard 3.5mm, meaning I have to use an adaptor. The video function is more basic than I had on the Nikon D800 but the 1080P HD videos the Fuji produces are great for what I need them for. Perhaps Fuji can improve the video side on future cameras but the X-T1 is certainly good enough for my work. Driver Interviews from Le Mans HERE
Selector Buttons on the back of the X-T1: A lot of complaints have been made to Fujifilm about the selector buttons not being proud enough and not having enough feel to them. Whether my version was a later model, I don't know, but I don't have this issue with my X-T1. I have not found any issues with using the buttons out when I am working. It might be a problem if I was wearing gloves but then all of the buttons on this camera, the X-Pro1 and even the Nikon D800 would be difficult to use wearing thick gloves. For me the problem that other users have encountered using the selector buttons has not caused me any issues.
So what don't I like about the X-T1?
Video Button: The video button is in a stupid place and I keep hitting it by accident. The problem with this is the camera locks up while it switches to video mode and then I have to stop the recording so the camera switches back to taking stills again. This can take 2-3 seconds and sometimes this means I've lost the shot. The easy thing for Fuji to do is to make this button programmable so I can make it do something else so it doesn't lock up the camera everytime I hit it by accident. It is VERY frustrating!
UPDATE 26 JUNE: Fujifilm have just announced Firmware Update V1.10 which solves this issue - Download HERE. This is yet another example that Fujifilm is a proactive company that seeks to solve issues when raised.
Battery Life: This has probably been the most written about problem with the X-Series since the launch of the X-Pro1. The battery last about 300 shots but my biggest gripe is the fact the battery indicator is almost useless. Once the indicator shows two bars instead of full, I have to get ready to change the battery because I have 20-30 shots at most before the battery is dead.
My solution is to have six battery packs for the X-T1 and X-Pro1 (three for each camera) and also having the battery grip on the X-T1 allows me to keep shooting.
Another problem I have come across using the VG-XT1 grip is when the battery in the grip is exhausted. The camera seems to switch from the internal battery to the battery in the grip and then back to the internal battery. It is like the camera can't make its mind up which battery use. This causes the EVF to go blank for a second and, more importantly, if you are shooting video, the camera stops recording. My solution is to replace the battery in the grip as soon as possible or remove it if I don't have a spare to hand, forcing the camera to use the internal battery.
Front Selector Dial: I wish this dial did more than just control the shutter speed when using 'T' mode. I would prefer to see Fuji update the firmware to make this dial programmable and maybe have the ability to adjust the aperture settings like I had on the Nikon DSLR. This would be very useful when using the zoom lenses which don't have markings on the dials.
USB Port Door: The door / cover for the HDMI / USB / Microphone ports on the side of the camera is very flimsy. This door was the subject of a recall for early X-T1s when there was a light leakage when taking long exposures. Fujifilm identified and corrected the problem immediately but I am happy to report my camera didn't have the problem. However the door is not well made and I am sure at some point it will break if I don't take care. Because I use the microphone port, this door is in use a lot. The door on the memory card slot on the otherside of the camera isn't much better but at least it does feel slightly more substantial.
Conclusion
The X-T1 is an impressive camera and, while not 100% perfect, it demonstrates how far Compact System Cameras have come in a few short years. For me they are the perfect tools for my work.
CSCs are not ideal for every type of photography (professional sports or wildlife photography for example) but as Fuji make longer lenses then perhaps this will change as well. I have proven on this blog that the X-T1 is capable of getting usable images even in these situations when the conditions are right.
For anyone contemplating a Compact System Camera I can highly recommend the Fujifilm X-Series because the positives I have listed above far outweigh the problems I have found. No camera system is perfect for all types of photography, you choose the camera that suits the type of photography you want to specialise in. At the end of the day the X-T1 is my chosen tool of my trade and I certainly don't regret my choice two months and 10000 frames in.
 |
| This is my X-T1 / X-Pro1 kit that I took to Le Mans - all of this fits into a Lowepro 350 Pro Runner backpack |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PLEASE SUPPORT THIS BLOG BY VISITING THE ADVERTISERS ON THIS PAGE
By clicking on the adverts you are helping support this blog - thank you.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ALL IMAGES (UNLESS INDICATED) ARE THE PROPERTY OF MACLEAN PHOTOGRAPHIC AND CANNOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION
MacLean Photographic run Workshops in East Lothian and the Borders of Scotland. CLICK HERE for more details and availability
Jeff Carter is an Official Fujifilm X Photographer and was named as a Fujifilm brand ambassador in June 2015. In 2016 he worked with the company on the launches of the Fujifilm X-Pro2 in Tokyo and the Fujifilm X-T2 in Paris in July 2016. You can view his profile and gallery on the Fujifilm website HERE
Comments
Post a Comment