Introduction
New: we've added a page on the X-T1's dynamic range expansion feature – and there's much more to it than just some in-camera JPEG processing.
Fuji's latest compact system camera takes a slight departure from the other CSCs in its range, as, rather than the flatter design of the Fuji X-E2 and Fuji X-Pro1, the X-T1 goes all-out DSLR-like in its appearance.
It's packed with dials and buttons, while its gorgeous retro look will surely have a wide range of photographers drooling to get their hands on one. It recalls the size and operation of classic film SLRs in the way that most modern D-SLRs don't.
One of the biggest impacts the change in design has is that the electronic viewfinder has shifted into the centre of the camera from its rangefinder-like corner position.
We've seen lots of buttons before - and liked it - on Fuji X series cameras, so it's unsurprising that Fuji has continued that tradition with the XT1.
Much of the XT1's specification is shared with the X-E2, in terms of internal design at least. Most importantly, perhaps, it shares the same excellent APS-C format 16.3 million-pixel X Trans CMOS II sensor and EXR Processor (you'll also find these in the Fuji X100S).
Despite using the same processor as the X-E2 and X100S, the X-T1 is compatible with UHS-II SD format cards, meaning it can shoot continuously at a maximum rate of 8fps (frames per second) for up to 47 fine JPEG files or 23 simultaneous raw and JPEG files. Rather than stopping after the buffer becomes full, the X-T1 can still continue to shoot at 3fps until the card fills up – slower SD cards are also compatible.
The previous Fuji cameras claimed some impressive operation speeds, and as with the X-E2, the X-T1's start-up time is claimed at 0.5 seconds, while it has a shutter lag of 0.05 seconds. However, the 2.36 million-dot EVF has a refresh rate of 54fps in normal and low light conditions and it has a claimed response time of 0.005 seconds for a smoother view of moving subjects. This compares favourably with the X-E2 and Olympus E-M1, which Fuji claims have response times of 0.05 and 0.029 seconds respectively.
Although the X-T1's viewfinder has the same dot-count as the X-E2's, it is bigger and has a magnification factor of 0.77x – according to Fuji the highest of any digital camera. This makes it possible for a dual image to be shown to help with manual focusing. The whole image can be displayed on the left in the finder while a magnified section on the right shows Fuji's Focus Peak Highlight or Digital Split Image view.
Like the X-E2, the X-T1 has a three-inch 1,040,000-dot screen, but is mounted on a tilting bracket for easier viewing when shooting landscape orientation images from high or low angles. This screen can also display the split image view mentioned above.
The LCD also has a tempered glass cover for additional outdoor protection.
Lens Modulation Optimiser technology is included in the X-T1. This tailors the processing of each image depending upon the specific lens, focal length and aperture used. It corrects diffraction blur for sharper images from edge to edge, and it's compatible with Fuji's whole XF lens line-up.
One of the key benefits introduced with the X-Trans CMOS II sensor is its dedicated phase detection pixels that are used by the camera's hybrid autofocus (AF) system. Consequently, the X-T1 can use either contrast or phase detection depending upon situation – it makes the selection.
When the X-E2 was launched Fuji claimed that at 0.08 seconds it had the world's fastest phase detection autofocus speed amongst digital cameras, with a 4/3-inch or larger sensor. This honour is now shared with the X-T1.
The X-E2's AF system improved dramatically upon the X-E1's and the X-T1 has the same technology, including the ability to select points around the frame when shooting in a continuous AF mode – something not possible in the first X-series CSCs.
As is starting to become increasingly popular, the X-T1 has Wi-Fi connectivity built-in. In addition, there's a new Fujifilm Camera Remote app for iOS and Android devices that allows the camera to be controlled remotely by a smartphone.
Other specification highlights include a native sensitivity range of ISO 200-6400, with JPEG only expansion settings taking it to ISO 100-25,600; full HD movie recording at 60 and 30fps and the usual collection of Fuji Film Simulation modes and Advanced Filter options.
In addition, an external microphone may be connected for better sound recording during video, but the X-T1 has a 2.5mm port rather than the standard 3.5mm port.
Build quality and handling
Whereas both the Fuji X-Pro1 and the X-E2 have a rectangular rangefinder-like shape, the X-T1 is closer to a DSLR in styling. Instead of the flat top, there's a pretty pronounced hump when the EVF sits. The fingergrip is also more prominent and rounded.
Aimed squarely at the traditionalist, there are more direct control dials on the top plate of the XT1 than on other X series cameras too.
Fuji has used cast magnesium alloy for the X-T1's body shell, giving it a solid – and weighty – feel. In addition, 80 seals are in place to keep out dust and moisture, which makes it weatherproof when a weatherproof lens is attached.
During 2014, Fuji is set to launch three weather-resistant zoom lenses to complement the X-T1. At the moment, the Fuji lens range is good, but a little limited, so it's nice to see the company expanding this line-up. These will be the XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 R OIS WR, XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R OIS WE and the XF 50-140mm f/2.8 R OIS WR. The XF 18-135mm will be the first lens to market and is expected to go on sale in June.
Rugged credentials are boosted further by the tempered glass over its LCD and its ability to function in temperatures as low as -10C, the same as the Olympus OM-D E-M1. This is a camera designed to be heavily used in a variety of different conditions, which shows Fuji is actively chasing the "prosumer" market.
Landscape photographers should also particularly benefit from this camera, especially those that like to go out in all conditions.
Fuji has also produced an optional battery-grip (Vertical Battery Grip VG-XT1) which is also weatherproof. This takes one battery and there's no need to remove the camera battery or remove the battery-bay cover to connect it.
Both the fingergrip and the thumb-rest on the back of the X-T1 have a textured, rubber-like coating, which not only has a high-quality premium feel, but gives it great purchase. Due to the weight of the camera, it's fairly unlikely you'd be using it one-handed for long stretches of time, but if you do, the chunky grip makes it feel secure in the hand.
Some people will prefer the rangefinder-like design of other X series cameras, but some would argue that the fatter grip here makes it better suited for use with longer lenses. Fuji says that more telephoto optics will be introduced in the not too distant future.
There will be those that still don't trust the idea of an electronic viewfinder, but the XT1's 2.36 million-dot device is very good - and it's huge. It doesn't suffer from lag in the majority of conditions, although we did find that on a couple of occasions, when locking onto focus and recomposing, the viewfinder momentarily lagged behind.
We think the benefits of an electronic viewfinder outweigh this tiny criticism though. Using an EVF allows you to see how changes made to settings will affect the image in real-time, while the fact that a preview image pops up (if you set it so) helps you to determine whether or not you've nailed the shot without having to constantly remove the camera from your eye all the time. You also have a 100% field of view, so you can be sure that there won't be any stray artefacts creeping into the shot that you didn't notice in composition.
Helpfully, the exposure information and shooting data displayed around the image in the EVF rotates to remain readable when the camera is turned for shooting upright images. It's a simple thing, but it's very helpful in practice. There's also the option to turn off information display altogether so that the image fills the EVF screen.
Alternatively, there's the dual view which enables Fuji's Focus Peak Highlight or Digital Split Image to be seen on the right of the screen when focusing manually. This works well, making it clear which areas are sharp while allowing the full scene to be seen on the left of the EVF.
The XT1's tilting screen feels pretty sturdily built. It's not quite as helpful as an articulating or vari-angle screen, but it keeps the camera's overall size down and it's better than having a fixed screen – most high-end DSLRs have fixed screens. When shooting landscape format images from low or high angles it's very useful, but not quite as handy for portrait format images.
The screen itself has 1.04 million dots which give it a nice clear image. It doesn't suffer particularly badly from glare or reflections, but of course having the viewfinder to use in such situations is particularly useful.
As we would expect with a camera in Fuji's X-series, the X-T1 has traditional-style exposure controls and the top-plate has dials aplenty. On the left as you hold the camera for use, there's a sensitivity dial that runs from L1 to H2 with numerical settings labelled from 200-6400, plus an A for automatic option. There are marks for the 1/3-stop points between the whole stops.
There's a lock button at the centre of the sensitivity dial which must be pressed before it can be rotated to prevent accidental changes to the exposure settings. Directly underneath this dial, a second dial allows the drive mode to be selected. As well as single and continuous (high and low) shooting, this gives access to the bracketing, self-time and Advanced Filter options, plus Motion Panorama mode. It can be fairly easy to accidentally knock this dial when changing the ISO speed via the dial above it, but it's something you'll probably get used to with time.
On the right of the camera's top plate, there are two chunky dials. Nearest the EVF is the shutter speed dial. Like the sensitivity dial, this has a central lock button, but it only comes into play when the dial is rotated to A for automatic. If you have this dial set to automatic, but control the aperture, then you're shooting in shutter priority mode.
The dial can be rotated unfettered between the numeric values (1-1/4000 sec with whole stop-markings but 1/3 stop settings) and T (Time) and B (Bulb settings). Another dial under the Shutter speed dial allows the photometry (metering) mode (multi, spot and centre-weighted average) to be selected. This seems to be stiffer than the drive mode dial, and because of the positioning, we didn't find this was accidentally changed along with shutter speed.
Towards the far right end of the top-plate, within easy reach of the thumb, is the exposure compensation dial. This has settings running from -3 to +3EV. It doesn't have a lock, but it's fairly stiff so reasonably likely to stay in position.
Like Fuji's other X-series cameras, pressing the Q button on the back of the X-T1 activates the Quick Menu. This provides a speedy route to key features such as the Film Simulation and white balance modes. You simply navigate to the option you want and then use the rear command dial to adjust the setting.
Naturally, this is backed up by a full menu which has the usual Fuji X-series design and is fairly straightforward.
The camera isn't NFC enabled, but it does have Wi-Fi connectivity. After initial set-up, the camera connects quickly and easily with an iPhone. Fuji's new Camera Remote app (also available for Android) can be used to adjust a pretty extensive array of camera settings including shutter speed, aperture, exposure compensation, sensitivity, Film Simulation mode, white balance and Macro (closer focusing), as well as the flash and self-timer options. The AF point is set with a tap of a finger on the phone's screen.
Once the app is in control of the camera, the dials are over-ridden. It's also possible to switch the camera to shooting video via the phone.
You can also use the app to transfer images you've already taken straight over to your phone ready for sharing to social networks and so on. We found this to be a very straightforward process, and a nice touch when shooting out in the field and wanting to share quickly.
Performance
As the XT-1 uses the same sensor and processor as the X-E2, we had pretty high hopes for this camera, given that the X-E2 was one of our favourites of last year.
True to expectations, the X-T1 has put in an excellent performance. Images are full of detail, especially at the lower end of the sensitivity run. The lack of anti-aliasing filter helps to facilitate this level of detail, and happily it doesn't bring with it moire patterning, thanks to the design of the sensor.
Colours are reproduced beautifully. Fuji's film simulation modes are useful for changing the look of your images. Shooting in Provia mode is generally recommended for everyday shooting, but if you want to boost the saturation and contrast a touch for deeper colours, switching to Velvia is also a good choice. If you need tones to be a little more neutral, Astia is useful. It's also nice to use the Monochrome modes – shooting in raw format means you have a colour version of the image should you need it later down the line.
The camera's all-purpose metering mode occasionally has the tendency to underexpose slightly, so you need to dial in some positive exposure compensation to get a more balanced image. We found that JPEG images also tend to have quite a limited dynamic range, meaning that highlights can be a little blown out at times although the contrast straight from the camera is generally good. This is the kind of camera which is aimed at experienced enthusiasts, so it's likely that kind of user will be working with raw files in post-production to rectify these problems.
Generally, the X-T1's automatic white balance system is very impressive, helping the camera to produce very accurate colours, even under artificial lighting conditions. We tested the camera in Chinatown, London, where lots of neon lights and unusual colours were a good test for colour accuracy, and we were very pleased with the results (see the sample images page to take a look).
We found that out of focus areas of JPEG images taken with the X-E2 could be a little painterly when viewed at 100% – probably as a result of the camera attempting to sharpen areas that shouldn't be sharp. Thankfully, we've struggled to find evidence of this happening with the X-T1 JPEG images, so perhaps Fuji has tweaked an algorithm to reduce this problem. As such it doesn't worry us too much.
Out-of-focus areas are rendered beautifully, with some lovely bokeh on display. We were using the 23mm f/1.4 lens for the majority of this test, which is a delightful lens, providing a 34.5mm field of view (35mm equivalent), so it's a great classic focal length. Fuji produces some excellent prime lenses, and we also used the 60mm f/2.8 macro optic. We have used the 18-55mm f/2.8-4 "kit" lens with the X-E2 before, which is a good choice for a more versatile lens.
At the time of its release, Fuji claimed that the XT-1 offered the world's quickest autofocusing speeds for cameras with an APS-C sized sensor. That accolade has since been claimed by the Sony A6000, but focusing speeds are still quick – especially in good light.
Focusing speeds drop in lower light conditions, and if you're taking pictures of something which is likely to change position between shots – such as a person – in lower light conditions, the camera can be quite slow to refocus. In this case, switching to continuous autofocusing mode is a good option as it performs a little better in low light.
We don't think that this camera is as fast to focus as DSLR when shooting through the viewfinder, but it is certainly faster than a DSLR shooting in live view mode, something which this camera is essentially always doing.
Speaking of lower light conditions, noise in images is very well controlled at higher sensitivity settings. At ISO 800, noise is virtually non-existent. There is some small degree of image smoothing in JPEG files, but on the whole, detail is retained very well. Examining images shot at ISO 1600 reveals more noise is present, but it's not problematic at normal printing and web sizes.
Image quality and resolution
As part of our image quality testing for the Fuji X-T1 review, we've shot our resolution chart. These images were captured using a full-production sample of the camera.
If you view our crops of the resolution chart's central section at 100% (or Actual Pixels) you will see that, for example, at ISO 100 the Fuji X-T1 achieves a score of 28 (line widths per picture height x100) in its highest quality JPEG files.
For a full explanation of what our resolution charts mean, and how to read them, check out our full explanation of our camera testing resolution charts.
Examining images of the chart taken at each sensitivity setting reveals the following resolution scores in line widths per picture height x100:
JPEG
ISO 100 Score: 28 Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 200 Score: 28 Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 400 Score: 26 Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 800 Score: 26 Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 1600 Score: 26 Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 3200 Score: 24 Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 6400 Score: 24 Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 12,800 Score: 24 Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 25,600 Score: 22 Click here for full-resolution image.
Raw
ISO 200 Score: 32 Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 400 Score: 32 Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 800 Score: 32 Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 1600 Score: 30 Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 3200 Score: 28 Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 6400 Score: 28 Click here for full-resolution image.
Noise and dynamic range
We shoot a specially designed chart in carefully controlled conditions and the resulting images are analysed using DXO Analyzer software to generate the data to produce the graphs below.
A high signal to noise ratio (SNR) indicates a cleaner and better quality image.
For more more details on how to interpret our test data, check out our full explanation of our noise and dynamic range tests.
Here we compare the Fuji X-T1 with the Fuji X-E2, Panasonic GX7, Olympus OM-D E-M1, Canon 70D and Nikon D7100.
JPEG signal to noise ratio
The X-T1 performs very well for signal to noise ratio indicating that images have a relatively low level of noise.
As we would expect, it produces almost identical results to the X-E2, with which it shares a sensor. It's fairly closely matched to the Panasonic GX7 at the lower end of the sensitivity scale, beating it at the top end of the run. It beats all of the other cameras on the test, but it is fairly closely matched to the Olympus OMD-EM1. The DSLRs in the test, the Canon EOS 70D and the Nikon D7100 sit significantly below the X-T1 at the higher end of the scale.
Raw signal to noise ratio
As you can see, all of the cameras in this test put in a very similar performance for raw signal to noise ratio performance. However, the Panasonic GX7 is - just about - the top performer.
JPEG dynamic range
As already mentioned in the main body of the review, JPEG images from the X-T1 have quite a low dynamic range, and this is reflected by the labs results here. As we'd expect, again, it's an almost identical performance to the X-E2. Although the other cameras appear to put in a better performance, it's also an indication of the pleasant saturation and contrast in images straight from the X-T1, which give them a more pleasing, if sometimes less accurate, look.
Raw dynamic range
Again, the X-T1 is almost identical to the X-E2 on this chart. It is also beaten by most of the other cameras on the test, aside from the Canon EOS 70D, of which it is very similar. We suspect that when the X-T1's raw files are compatible with Adobe Camera Raw we will find the they have greater measurable dynamic range - just as we did with the Fuji X-E2.
Sensitivity and noise images
JPEG
Full ISO 100 image. See 100% crops below.
ISO 100. Click here to see full-resolution image.
ISO 200. Click here to see full-resolution image.
ISO 400. Click here to see full-resolution image.
ISO 800. Click here to see full-resolution image.
ISO 1600. Click here to see full-resolution image.
ISO 3200. Click here to see full-resolution image.
ISO 6400. Click here to see full-resolution image.
ISO 12800. Click here to see full-resolution image.
ISO 25600. Click here to see full-resolution image.
Raw
ISO 200. Click here to see full-resolution image.
ISO 400. Click here to see full-resolution image.
ISO 800. Click here to see full-resolution image.
ISO 1600. Click here to see full-resolution image.
ISO 3200. Click here to see full-resolution image.
ISO 6400. Click here to see full-resolution image.
Image samples
Click here to see the full resolution image
Colours are represented beautifully, even when the camera is photographing something which might sometimes present a problem, such as artificial and neon lights.
Click here to see the full resolution image.
Detail is very finely resolved by the camera's sensor, which doesn't have an anti-aliasing filter. We haven't found any examples of moire patterning.
Click here to see the full resolution image.
We found that some out of focus areas could have a painterly effect in JPEG images from the X-E2, but it seems as if Fuji has worked towards fixing that problem as out of focus areas are much more natural looking from the X-T1.
Click here to see the full resolution image.
Tones are vibrant and pleasing, being mostly accurate but erring on the side of warm for a nicely saturated look.
Click here to see the full resolution image.
Noise is extremely well controlled at ISO 800. It's only when examining an image like this at 100% that you can see some examples of image smoothing in some areas.
Click here to see the full resolution image.
Fuji produces some excellent prime (fixed length) lenses for the X-mount. The 23mm f/1.4 gives an equivalent focal length (in 35mm terms) which is close to the classic 35mm and makes for a good walk around lens. The company has a couple of zoom lenses, and is planning to add more to the range in the next couple of years.
Click here to see the full resolution image.
Sometimes, JPEG images can have a tendency to feature blown out highlights.
Click here to see the full resolution image.
The X-T1 has a decent variety of creative options, including the ability to create panoramic images in camera.
Click here to see the full resolution image.
Generally, the all-purpose metering performs well to produce a balanced image. Occasionally you may find the camera underexposes and you need to dial in some extra compensation.
Click here to see the full resolution image.
Using a lens like the 23mm f/1.4 allows you to keep sensitivity right down. Noise is extremely well controlled at mid-high ISO settings.
Fuji X-T1 dynamic range expansion
Dynamic range is very important for digital cameras. Too many shots are ruined by highlight 'blow-out', where bright parts of the scene just come out a solid white. This happens a lot with backlit photos and landscapes under bright skies.
Shooting raw files will help because these have a little more dynamic range than JPEGs, and you can around 1EV of highlight detail with some careful processing in Adobe Camera Raw or other raw converters. But that small gain in highlight detail is not always enough.
The Fuji X-T1 looks no better than average in our dynamic range test, but it has a special feature which deserves a closer look – dynamic range expansion.
Fuji has introduced many different types of dynamic range expansion technology in the past, from the double-pixel design in its SuperCCD SR sensor, found in the FinePix S3 Pro and S5 Pro, to the SuperCCD EXR pixel-doubling technology in its more recent compact cameras.
The X-T1 uses a more conventional dynamic range expansion system, but one that still delivers a claimed 400% improvement. Previous Fuji sensors used complex photosite configurations to gain the extra dynamic range, but the X-T1's sensor appears instead to rely on a simpler technique we've also seen on other cameras, such as Pentax D-SLRs – selective ISO adjustment.
The clue is in the way the X-T1's dynamic range and ISO settings are linked. If you set the dynamic range to the regular 100% setting, you can use any ISO you like, right down to the X-T1's 'base' ISO of 200. If you want to apply 200% dynamic range, however, you need to set the ISO to 400 or above (1EV above the base ISO). And to get 400% dynamic range, the ISO has to be set to 800 or above (2EV above the base ISO).
This suggests that the camera is using the higher ISO for the darker areas in the scene, but holding it back for the brighter parts.
However it works, it does it 'invisibly' – there are no HDR-like 'glow' effects around objects, and the image contrast and tonal depth seem unaffected.
It does look as if all the extra dynamic range is added at the highlight end of the scale, which is where most photographers would probably want it anyway.
There are very good reasons for using a process like this for 'expanding' dynamic range, mainly because ISO adjustment happens at a very low level, before the image is even converted into digital raw data.
Some won't like the idea that they're being forced into using a higher ISO, but there is a way to keep this to a minimum – if you set the ISO to auto and the dynamic range setting to auto, the camera will only increase the dynamic range & ISO by as much as it needs to, and for most scenes it will probably shoot at the base ISO with no dynamic range expansion at all.
The X-T1 is not the only Fuji to have this feature. You'll find it on many other models too, including the entry-level X-A1 and even the X20 and high-end compacts.
It makes for an interesting comparison with Nikon's Active D-Lighting system, which sets out to do a similar thing but is more of an exposure/post-processing trick. In Nikon's system, the exposure is reduced to make sure of capturing highlight detail, then the shadows and darker areas of the scene are lightened.
Nikon's Active D-Lighting system does not affect the raw files (although the initial exposure may be altered), and the D-Lighting effect is applied in software.
With the Fuji system, however, the expanded dynamic range is incorporated into the raw files. At first glance, the images look the same when they're opened up in Adobe Camera Raw, but if you reduce the exposure or pull back the highlights, it soon becomes clear that the 'expanded' raw files have a lot more highlight detail.
Here are some tests we carried out ourselves to check the results.
These three JPEGs were taken with the dynamic range set to 100%, 200% and 400%. You can see that the shot with 100% dynamic range has lost most of the sky to overexposure, the 200% version has more cloud detail and the 400% dynamic range holds on to the most highlight detail. The only area still overexposed here is around the naked sun on the barn's roofline.
So far, this proves very little – the camera could simply be applying some clever JPEG processing on raw files which are actually no different to each other.
When the raw versions are opened in Adobe Camera Raw they do, initially, look identical. The differences only emerge when you start reducing the exposure to recover the lost highlight detail in the sky.
The 100% dynamic range image still yields some highlight data right up to an exposure setting of -2EV – that's pretty good going for any raw file. But the 200% dynamic range image went right down to -3EV before the highlight detail ran out, and the 400% dynamic range version can go down to -4EV before the sky stops yielding any extra detail. This is ties in exactly with Fuji's claimed dynamic range increase.
This following comparison shows the difference in recovered highlight detail at an exposure adjustment of -4EV.
The 100% dynamic range version ran out of usable highlight detail long ago – this is obvious from the muddy highlights and the histogram in the top right corner. The 200% dynamic range version has recovered more highlight detail but it too has reached its limit. The 400% dynamic range version, though is still recovering bright highlight detail even with a -4EV exposure adjustment.
This is due to Fuji's dynamic range expansion mode and the extra 'highlight headroom' you get in raw files anyway. It makes it possible to produce extra-wide dynamic range images like the one below from a single image and with just a few tweaks to the Highlights, Shadows and Clarity slider in Adobe Camera Raw.
Click here to see the full-resolution version.
You may not often need the X-T1's expanded dynamic range, and you might not like the idea of the increased ISO, but the results are extremely good and there are many situations where capturing the full tonal range of the scene is more important, pictorially, than using the lowest possible ISO.
Verdict
We have been big fans of all the cameras in the X series. Fuji really has a handle on producing cameras with retro styling that produce excellent results, and just a few short years after the first in the line, the X-T1 is another wonderful addition to the line-up. Fuji is not short of fans of its style, and it's easy to see why.
Using the X-T1 is quite simply a joy. It's a return to an old-fashioned way of working, but it's less fiddly than the Nikon Df, which is crafted in the same vein. It's also significantly cheaper than that camera – although of course the sensor is smaller.
The XT-1 came with pretty high hopes as it features the same sensor as the X-E2, which scored very highly here (and elsewhere). Happily, we have not been disappointed by the X-E2's image output. Pictures are bright and punchy, with beautifully saturated colours and lots of detail.
There's so much to like about the X-T1 that it's tricky to find something to complain about, which is refreshing. There will be those that bemoan the lack of a second SD card slot, but Fuji says that adding an additional one would have added unwanted bulk to the camera. We're inclined to agree with that, and the availability of cheap, high capacity cards, make this less of a problem than it once was.
Lack of a touch screen is something else we always find amiss, but here on the Fuji, it's not quite so lacking as on other cameras. The button and dial layout is just so intuitive. It's a slightly long-winded process to set an autofocus point, but's it not too bad.
It's good that Fuji has included Wi-Fi connectivity on the X-T1, as it seems to be that some manufacturers think of this feature as for beginner photographers only. Enthusiasts are just as – if perhaps not more likely – to want to share an image they've just taken straight on social networks, so it's nice not to have to wait until you get home to do that. The app (we tested it on an iOS device) is also easy and quick to use, which is always a bonus.
Electronic viewfinders have suffered a bad press in the past, but the X-T1 is one of the best ones on the marker to date. It's clear, bright and functional. And while there are downsides to using an EVF over an optical equivalent, it's also true to say that there are a lot of benefits too, not least a live update of how changes made to settings will affect the final image quality.
We liked
With so much to like about the X-T1, it's difficult to pick just one thing. However, what stands out most about this camera is of course its retro styling and manual control dials and buttons. These not only look the park but make using the camera intuitive, and a joy.
We disliked
Happily this is one of those occasions where it's difficult to pick something to dislike about a camera, but if we have to pick something, it'll be that it doesn't focus as quickly as DSLRs (when using a DSLR's viewfinder), most noticeably in lower light situations. This may or may not be a problem for you, depending on the kind of thing you shoot, though. And you may find other things about the camera which outweigh that problem.
Verdict
Well, Fuji has done it again: produced a camera that is not only beautiful, but is capable of producing some superb images. We can see this being top of many a photographer's lust list, and for good reason – it's top of ours too.
More...