Fuji X-T1 Review - Ken Rockwell

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Fuji X-T1 16MP, 1.5x sensor, OLED finder

Intro Specs Performance Compared Usage Recommendations More

Fujifilm X-T1 (15.3 oz./435 g with battery and card, about $1,300) and XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS (58mm filter). enlarge. I got mine at Adorama; I'd just as well have gotten it at at Amazon or at B&H. It comes both as a body-only and as a kit with the excellent 18-55 lens.

This free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. It helps me keep adding to this free website when you get anything through these links — but I receive nothing for my efforts if you take the chance of buying elsewhere. Thanks for your support! Ken.

June 2016 Fuji Reviews Fuji Lenses LEICA Reviews All Reviews

NEW: All Fuji Cameras Compared.

Sample Images from Yosemite 16-18 May 2014

Mirrorless vs. DSLR cameras

Rear, Fujifilm X-T1. enlarge.

Top, Fujifilm X-T1. enlarge.

Sample Image Files

NEW: Sample Images from Yosemite 16-18 May 2014

The Half Dome as Seen from Glacier Point, Yosemite National Park, 7:59 PM, 17 May 2014. Fuji X-T1, Fuji 55-200mm at 148mm, f/5 at 1/38 hand-held at Auto ISO 200, Athentech Perfectly Clear. bigger.

Yosemite Valley, 10:22 AM, 16 May 2014. Auto ISO 400 and Auto DR 200, Fuji 10-24mm at 10mm at f/22 at 1/60, Athentech Perfectly Clear. bigger.

Palm Fronds, 02 May 2014, 4:51PM. (X-T1 at Auto ISO 200, standard color mode, +2 color saturation, XF 56mm f/1.2, f/4.5 at 1/1,000, Perfectly Clear.) Full-resolution file from camera-original JPG. Remember that only some of the frond is actually in focus.

Tokyo at ISO 6,400, 08 May 2014. (X-T1 at Auto ISO 6,400, Velvia mode, +2 color saturation, XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS at 18mm, f/2.8 at 1/125, focus on bottles on wall, Perfectly Clear.) Full-resolution © file.

Stairwells at ISO 3,200, 08 May 2014. (X-T1 at Auto ISO 3,200, Velvia mode, +2 color saturation, XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS at 18mm, f/2.8 at 1/125, Perfectly Clear.) Unprocessed Camera-Original © file.

Sharp enough? 03 May 2014. (X-T1 at Auto ISO 200, standard color mode, +2 color saturation, XF 56mm f/1.2, f/5.6 at 1/340, Perfectly Clear.) Unprocessed Camera-Original © file.

Flowers at ISO 400, 08 May 2014. (X-T1 at Auto ISO 400, Velvia mode, +2 color saturation, XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS at 55mm, f/11 at 1/125, Perfectly Clear.) Full-resolution © file.

Sharp Jewelry, 12:44PM 03 May 2014. (X-T1 at Auto ISO 200, standard color mode, +2 color saturation, XF 56mm f/1.2, f/9 at 1/400, Perfectly Clear.) Unprocessed Camera-Original © file.

Sharp fabric, 4:34PM, 03 May 2014. (X-T1 at Auto ISO 200, standard color mode, +2 color saturation, XF 56mm f/1.2, f/5.6 at 1/210.) Unprocessed Camera-Original © file.

Merced River, Yosemite Valley, 7:43 AM, 18 May 2014. Fuji 55-200mm at Auto ISO 200 and Auto DR 100, 67mm at f/5.6 at 1/170 handheld, Athentech Perfectly Clear. bigger or full-resolution from camera-original JPG.

Water running through rocks at base of Yosemite Falls, 7:57 AM, 18 May 2014. Fuji 55-200mm, manual ISO 100, 115mm at f/16 at 1/8 handheld, Athentech Perfectly Clear, split-toned print, vignetting added deliberately to keep your eyes from wandering off the print. bigger or full-resolution from camera-original JPG.

Here's a very short HD video from the X-T1.

Introduction top

Intro Specs Performance Compared Usage Recommendations More

Adorama pays top dollar for your used gear.

Good Missing Lens Compatibility

The Fuji XT-1 is what a Japanese camera should be: tiny, tight, precise, fast, quiet, easy-to-use and extremely well made out of all metal. It's not another offshored-to-China excuse made out of plastic.

See all those dials? They're real engraved metal. It's trivially easy to set ISO, advance mode, aperture, shutter speed, exposure compensation and even the metering mode directly, because each of these functions has its own dedicated, single-purpose dial — just like a real camera!

The XT-1 works fast and easy, as a camera should. You don't need a manual to figure it out; it's all right in front of you. Everything just works as you'd expect it to.

Not only is it a top performer, it weighs almost nothing: 435g (15.3 oz.) wet, about the same as a screw-mount LEICA. Great cameras haven't been this light since the 1950s, whoo hoo!

No wonder they are in such high demand that they usually are not in stock! You have to order yours, and be patient. Never buy at retail; Fuji's boxes are unsealed so it's just not worth taking the chance.

The X-T1 completely eclipses the old LEICA M240 by comparison. This Fuji is faster and cleaner, is at least as well made optically and mechanically, it has more and better external controls and ergonomics, has far superior autofocus, and has a decades-better viewfinder — oh, and the LEICA's EVF electronic finder is offshored to China and made out of plastic!

This Fuji X-system is the first serious system designed from the ground-up as digital camera system with no ties whatsoever to film. For instance, the lenses are designed knowing they'll be working with a digital system, and the system automatically works in concert with these lenses to correct lateral color, distortion, light falloff and even diffraction all automatically. There's no way to shoot these lenses off the camera to see how they work without correction; they are intended to work with the camera as a complete system.

The XT-1 has a huge, live electronic finder with eye control, about 15 years ahead of LEICA's plastic EVF on the M typ 240.

Fuji is actually advancing the state-of-the-art in photography, while other brands are just sitting around selling the same old thing. This Fuji actually has dials and a control system that work together, not like the could-have-been-great dials on the Nikon Df.

The X-T1 focuses super fast, and it's super sharp, and unlike a real SLR or rangefinder camera, the XT-1's closed-loop mirrorless autofocus system ensures that focus is dead-nuts perfect every time, especially at f/1.2.

When you use the Fuji, you'll see how they've actually been thinking about how to rethink what a camera should be and add new features that help us get the shot, as opposed to throwing more junk features in our way to help sell more cameras.

The X-T1 has a very different sensor from other brands, and its images look very different. It has no anti-alias filter, so the results are much sharper than from most other cameras.

The X-T1 just shoots, and the results are always super-sharp and well exposed — better than I get from DSLRs, whose exposure and focus aren't always dead-on as they are with the X-T1.

The X-T1 has a wonderful OLED finder, which also doubles for through-the-finder menu setting and playback.

Far better than the defective fixed diopter of the X-Pro1, the X-T1 has a properly adjustable finder diopter.

The Fuji X-T1 is a real camera, made of metal, not plastic, for real photographers.

The X-T1 has shutter and aperture dials. Nikon and Canon don't any more.

The X-T1 has a real exposure compensation dial. LEICA and Nikon don't any more.

The X-T1 has a real ISO dial. LEICA, Canon and Nikon don't any more.

The X-T1 has real exposure mode switches. Nikon and Canon don't any more. Better yet, the Fuji, just like Contax, changes its exposure mode automatically as you turn the shutter and/or aperture rings to A when you want them to set themselves. Set both to A for Professional (formerly Program) exposure mode. Done.

The X-T1 makes movies too. The X-T1 has a built-in manual focus assist loupe.

It drives me nuts shooting a DSLR or LEICA when I can't see my image pop up instantly in the finder after I've shot it — as I do with my X-T1. Yes, there are plenty of plastic consumer Micro 4/3 cameras with LCD finders, but they are not professional grade. Photographers don't do menus. I need a camera with real dials like the X-T1 and fast metal lenses, not a plastic toy.

Good top

Fiat Lux, Pele's, 08 May 2014. (X-T1 at Auto ISO 400, Velvia mode, +2 color saturation, XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS at 55mm, f/22 at 1/60, Perfectly Clear.) Full-resolution © file.

The included tiny hot shoe EF-X8 flash is fantastic. I get better-balanced indoor ambient flash exposures automatically, on the first shot, than with any DSLR or LEICA.

Fantastic flash exposure with included flash.

Fantastic ergonomics optimized for people who know how to shoot; a perfect shooter's camera with all the right knobs in the right places.

Exceptionally sharp and undistorted images, due to no anti-alias filter on the sensor and super-sharp lenses optimized for the Fuji sensors and the camera's DSP.

Extremely well built by any standards. Unlike most of the disposable plastic (but expensive) cameras I review today, the X-T1 is all-metal with engraved markings, and so are its lenses. It's better built than anything today from Nikon or Canon, and the same or better as LEICA — for a fraction of the price.

Claims to be weather sealed.

Adds Wi-Fi.

Extraordinarily good auto white balance in crummy light, much better than DSLRs.

Great highlight rendition; the Auto Dynamic Range feature really helps hold the highlights regardless of the conditions.

Superb color rendition for people, events and portraiture.

The "Velvia" option is hugely improved from earlier attempts. While nothing tops shooting real Velvia or a top-tier brand (Nikon or Canon) DSLR for shooting places and things, this X-T1 is Fuji's best so far.

Missing top

There's no RGB histogram, but the X-T1's fantastic highlight rendition means you don't need to watch for clipping individually in each channel as you do on other cameras. I don't use this on other cameras, but the X-T1's blinking highlight option works just fine instead.

There's usually no Program shift available most ways that you can set the camera, but that's not a problem, since all you need to do is flick the aperture or shutter dial instead.

No threaded cable release socket like the X100S, X-E1 or xPro-1.

No zero detent on the compensation dial.

No GPS.

No second card slot.

There's just a battery icon, no percentage displayed.

Next Model

I predict the next model will fix or add:

Second SD card slot (there's practically a cutout for the second card right now).

Battery percentage indication.

Standard threaded cable release socket.

Self-timer mode added to drive mode dial.

Lens Compatibility top

Fujifilm X-T1. bigger.

The X-T1 uses Fuji's X-mount XF and XC lenses.

The X-T1 can use LEICA and other brands of lenses cave-manually with a Lens Adapter, but don't use anything other than the Fuji XF lenses if you want to get the performance of which this system is capable. Fuji's lenses are optimized to work with the camera's DSP to optimize them.

When used with random lenses on an adapter, the XT1 has manually-set controls to correct distortion, color edge shading and falloff correction. Each corner's color shift set can be set individually for use with lenses like the 12mm Voigtländer, but honestly, you're kidding yourself if you're using a $30 adapter to use a $500 lens on a $1,300 camera.

If you really want to shoot, use the right lenses. Fuji's lenses are extraordinary; LEICA's are no better optically, and tend to be worse because the camera's DSP can't optimize them further.

Specifications top

Intro Specs Performance Compared Usage Recommendations More

Lens Mount

Stainless-steel Fuji X-Mount.

Flange focal distance: 17.7mm.

Electronic aperture.

Electronic focus.

Sensor

Unique non-Bayer color array that eliminates the need for an anti-alias filter and yields much sharper images compared to other camera, but limits what software can open the RAF raw files.

23.6 mm x 15.6 mm DX.

1.5:1 aspect ratio.

16 MP.

4,896 x 3,264 pixels native.

Ultrasonic cleaner.

Image Sizes

L: (3:2, 16 MP) 4,896 x 3,264, (16:9) 4,896 x 2,760, (1:1) 3,264 x 3,264.

M: (3:2, 8 MP) 3,456 x 2,304, (16:9) 3,456 x 1,944, (1:1) 2,304 x 2,304.

S: (3:2, 4 MP) 2,496 x 1,664, (16:9) 2,496 x 1,408, (1:1) 1,664 x 1,664.

I love the square crop!

Not only do I love shooting in the square, square icons grow to be much larger than rectangular icons in most image sorting and Finder applications.

Automatic internally-stitched panorama: L : 9,600 x 1,440 (14 MP) and M 6,400 x 1,440 (9 MP).

ISO

ISO 200 ~ ISO 6,400.

Pull mode to ISO 100, push to ISO 12,800, 25,600 and 51,200.

AUTO ISO 200 ~ 6,400.

AUTO ISO sets the slowest shutter speed at 1/(equivalent focal length), or 1/50 second with the normal 35mm f/1.4 lens.

Dynamic Range Options

100%, 200%, 400%, or AUTO (100%-400%).

Finders

No Optical viewfinder.

Electronic viewfinder

Eye-control activation.

0.5"

2,360,000-dot color OLED. (X-Pro1 is only a 1,440,000-dot color LCD.)

38º diagonal/31º horizontal apparent angle. (X-E1 is 25º apparent angle.)

100% coverage.

23 mm eye point.

Autofocus

TTL off-the-sensor autofocus for zero AF error.

Phase and contrast detection.

Only uses one AF area at a time, but you can move that area all over the frame.

AF Illuminator.

Light Meter

TTL.

256-zone matrix, spot or average.

Shutter

Metal focal-plane.

It supposedly allows multiple exposures; I never tried.

8 FPS (fast) and 3 FPS (slow), but no AF or exposure changes.

1/4,000 ~ 1/4 second in PROGRAM and Aperture-Priority modes.

To 30 seconds in Manual (T) mode.

To one hour in Bulb (B) mode.

10 s or 2 s self timer (hidden inside the Q button)

Maximum speed with flash (sync): 1/180.

Flash

Fujifilm X-T1 with included EF-X8 Flash, ready to fire.

Included EF-X8 flash: GN 8 meters, 26 feet, at ISO 100. (11 meters, 37 feet, at ISO 200).

Dedicated hot shoe.

Rated for up to 300V sync voltage.

PC sync terminal.

1/180 sync.

Audio

Stereo mic.

2.5mm stereo mic input.

Linear PCM stereo.

Video

1,920 x 1,080 @ 59.94p and 29.97p, up to 14 minutes per take.

1,280 x 720 @ 59.94p and 29.97p, up to 27 minutes per take.

H.264.

File Formats

Photos

JPEG

RAF raw.

RAF+JPEG

Video

.MOV files.

Storage

SD, SDHC or SDXC (UHS-1) slot.

Data Communication

USB 2.0.

HDMI mini connector.

Rear LCD

Flips up and down, but not sideways and can't fold over for its own protection.

3" LCD.

1,040,000 dots.

100% coverage.

Power

Battery

Fuji NP W128 Battery.

NP-W126 Li-Ion battery (same as X-Pro1 and X-E1).

Rated about 350 shots without flash.

Charger

Fuji BC-W126 Charger.

BC-W126 (same as X-Pro1 and X-E1).

Corded, uses common "∞" shaped plug end.

100~240V, 50-60 Hz.

Made in China by JET.

Rated 13~21 VA input, 8.4VDC 0.6A output.

Quality

Bottom, Fujifilm X-T1. enlarge.

Made in Japan.

Die-cast magnesium top and bottom covers.

Environmental

14 ~ 104°F (-10 ~ 40°C).

10 ~ 80% RH, no condensation.

Size

5.0 x 3.5 x 1.8 inches WHD.

129.0 x 89.8mm x 46.7 millimeters WHD.

(Minimum depth: 33.4 mm/ 1.3 in.)

Weight

15.343 oz. (435.0g) measured with battery and card.

Fuji rates it as 15.4 oz. (440g) with battery and card, and 13.7 oz. (390g) stripped naked.

Colors

Black only as of May 2014.

Includes

Fujifilm X-T1 Digital Camera Body.

EF-X8 flash.

Li-Ion Battery NP-W126.

Battery Charger BC-W126.

Shoulder Strap.

USB Cable.

Body Cap.

Metal Strap Clip.

Hot Shoe Cover.

Clip Attaching Tool.

Vertical grip connector cover.

PC Sync terminal cover.

CD-ROM (Viewer software, RAW File Converter etc.).

Owners Manual.

Fuji Warranty.

Optional Accessories

Dedicated all-leather case BLC-XT1

Vertical battery grip VG-XT1

Hand Grip MHG-XT

Dedicated flashes EF-X20, EF-20, EF-42

Protector filters PRF-39, PRF-52, PRF-58, PRF-62 and PRF-72

DC coupler CP-W126

AC adapter AC-9V

LEICA M Mount Adapter

Remote release RR-90

Stereo Microphone MIC-ST1

Announced

27 January 2014.

Promised

February 2014.

Prices, USA top

June 2016:

X-T1 body only: $999.

X-T1 and 18-55mm kit: $1,399.

August 2015:

X-T1 body only: $1,299.

X-T1 and 18-55mm kit: $1,699.

Spring 2014:

X-T1 body only: $1,299.

X-T1 and 18-55mm kit: $1,699.

Fuji X-T1 box.

Performance top

Intro Specs Performance Compared Usage Recommendations More

Overall

As covered above, the T-X1 combines great handling with exceptional construction quality, all at a reasonable price, and can produce outstanding images if you're talented, and sometimes even if you're not.

Autofocus

General

There is no instant manual-focus override; you always have to move a switch to get between the focus modes.

It's easy to move the AF sensor any place in the frame, far better than DSLRs which put all their AF sensors only in the middle of the frame.

Your chosen AF sensor position is saved and recalled with each focus mode. If you use the center sensor in AF-S, the left side sensor in AF-C and the upper right in Manual, each will still be there when you switch back.

AF is extremely accurate, since it works directly from the sensor and compensates for any mechanical or optical errors. See how easy it is to get pinpoint focus:

Katie coloring, 03 May 2014. Fuji X-T1, Fuji 56mm f/1.2, f/1.6 at 1/160 at ISO 100 with EF-X8 flash, Athentech Perfectly Clear. Bigger or Full-resolution.

Crop at 100% from above. If this is 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, the complete print would be 35 x 24" (1 x 0.7m) at this same high magnification. Complete full-resolution image.

AF-S

AF is super-fast for still shots.

AF is not quite as fast as DSLR, but it's very close. It's more than fast enough for most shots in AF-S (focus and lock) mode.

AF-C

AFC (continuous) works poorly — unless you make some setting changes in the menus.

Paradoxically as shipped, the X-T1 can't track much of anything in AF-C mode, but once AF-PRE is set to ON, while the finder image is always hunting for focus, actual images are wonderful.

The AF system can't track between sensors as a subject moves around the frame.

I can catch my kids with the X-T1 with no problems:

Ryan and his Razor 360 FlashRider sparking tricycle, 04 May 2014, 12:23 PM. (Fuji X-T1 with included EF-X8 flash, at Auto ISO 200, Standard color mode, +2 color saturation, Fuji 56mm f/1.2, f/16 at 1/180, Perfectly Clear.) bigger.

Manual Focus

There is no instant override.

You usually have to move the switch on the front of the camera to switch between manual and auto focus, unless your lens lets you do this by pushing or pulling the focus ring to swap modes. You never can just grab the ring for instant override as many DSLRs allow.

Manual focus is by-wire, meaning the focus ring isn't connected to the lens. It's connected to a computer which in turn moves the lens sort of in the same direction as you're turning the ring, at least with Fuji's XC and XF lenses.

Finder

The OLED EVF finder is fantastic. It's big, bright, sharp, colorful and clear — and it has no visible delay! It's image appears to be in real time, so no need for an optical finder anymore.

Its colors are a little more vivid than you'll actually see on a calibrated monitor. The rear LCD is closer to correct.

Playback doesn't rotate as you turn the camera, but the finder's data rotates as you're shooting verticals.

The data is blue on gray for shutter and aperture, so sometimes it can be less legible.

The focus scale always reads to 10cm even if your lens won't focus that close.

Far better than the defectively designed fixed diopter of the X-Pro1, the X-T1 has a properly adjustable finder diopter control. It tends to wander and need resetting with use.

The X-T1 has marvelous automatic eye-control, so the rear LCD or electronic finder come up automatically depending on how you're holding the camera.

There are two slightly different image magnifications available, NORMAL and FULL. NORMAL is smaller and squeezes the image inside the data along the top and bottom, while FULL lets the image grow a little, but you'll possibly have data covering it on top and bottom. I prefer FULL.

The switchable level and grids are very helpful in getting level shots.

Flash

There is nearly no shutter delay; it's the same as a DSLR.

Included EF-X8

Fujifilm X-T1 with included EF-X8 Flash, stowed.

The perfect little EX-F8 flash is included!

It's easy to flip up or down for on or off.

It locks automatically as slid into the shoe.

It's self powered from the camera, no flash batteries required, and recycles quickly.

The flash doesn't work in CH or CL modes.

Flash exposure is perfect!

It's good only to a few feet in daylight, but indoors, wow! The entire programming of the XT1 is optimized to give gorgeous, well-balanced results like the X100S, far better than I get from DSLRs unless I spend a lot of time twiddling. With the X-T1, there's no need to twiddle; I just get marvelous flash results. The images look natural as they should, not forced as fill-flash shots often do with DSLRs.

Katie and the macaroni and cheese Ryan heated for her, 03 May 2014. Fuji X-T1, Fuji 56mm f/1.2, f/1.8 at 1/140 at ISO 200 with EF-X8 flash, Athentech Perfectly Clear. Bigger or Full-resolution.

Hot Shoe or PC Terminal

Rated to 300V.

Image Quality

See the images above? Like the skin tones? The X-T1 is fantastic for skin, and it balances so well with the included flash it's unreal; as good as the world-leading X100S, just with less range due to the slower sync speed of the X-T1.

The images are also sharper than with most DSLRs since the magic Fuji sensor needs no anti-alias filtering.

Shutter

The shutter is quiet!

It will be silent in a corporate meeting environment and everywhere else. The only place it's too loud is at the symphony. The only camera quieter is an iPhone or the X100S.

CH is fast and quiet.

Trigger pull is as expected, with the usual slight detents. There's some horizontal play in the button; this is no LEICA M3.

Ergonomics

As covered at the top, ergonomics are superb. Just pick it up and go! Having real metal dials for everything puts this Fuji a class far above today's slop from Nikon, Canon, LEICA and everyone else.

It takes a second or two to wake up, and you're ready to go.

The OK button is also the MENU button, hooray!

The PLAY button is on the wrong side, requiring a second hand.

The self-timer is hidden until you use the Q button. It inexplicably was left off the advance mode dial.

The rear quad controller is unmarked because you can program each of those four buttons to do what you want!

You also can program two other FN buttons to do what you want, for a total of six programmable buttons.

I wish the Movie button was reprogrammable. I never use movies and would like to use the Movie button for something else instead.

The Advance mode has its own dial, but it's marked in the finder only in some modes and only in microscopic letters.

There's no detent at zero on the compensation dial; you have to stop and look at the display to reset to zero.

It has a superb solid metal grip built in. The grip feels swell in my hands. This tiny camera always feels stable.

The flat, flush focus assist and Q buttons are hard to find by feel; the X-T1s will improve these.

It tends to reset picture controls by itself sometimes. I have no idea why.

The lens release button is hidden near the bottom of the lens on the grip side. This makes it harder to find instinctively, and also means that it's less likely some miscreant will steal your lens when you're distracted.

The status LED is invisible on the right side of the camera away from the finder; you won't see it if your eye is on the finder.

The shutter-speed knob locks at A; you have to press its center button to unlock it.

The X-T1 works even with the card and battery door open or broken-off.

There's a rear LED whose color tries to tell you things, but it's invisible when the camera is held to your eye. It does light in orange while the shutter is open for long exposures.

The default dial positions are incorrectly colored red. They should be fluorescent green for "go" for setting Auto ISO, Auto aperture and Auto shutter speed.

Metering and Exposure

It's always perfect, far better than DSLRs.

The only way to fool it is shooting white paper filling the frame in indoor light, which comes out gray. No worries; it's trivial to flick the compensation dial.

The finder doesn't let you see how it will overexpose if you've run up to past 1/4,000 in auto exposure, and it has no safety shift. You'll have to watch for the red numbers signifying "out of range" or look at the playback to see what's happening if you're trying to shoot at f/1.2 in daylight and running out of shutter speeds.

Auto ISO

You can set minimum and maximum ISO and the slowest shutter speed.

There is no auto slowest-speed setting.

Auto DR (dynamic range)

Oddly mine never goes beyond DR 200. My other Fujis go to DR 400 whenever they need to; while on the XT1 I need to set DR400 manually if needed.

High ISOs

High ISOs look great. ISO 6,400 may look a little smudged, but the noise is never objectionable.

You can program either of the ISO dial's H1 and H2 positions to any of ISO 12,800, ISO 25,600 or ISO 51,200.

Video (Movies)

I dind't play much with it, but here's a very short HD clip as a sample.

LCD

It's tempered, uncoated glass.

It tilts, but won't swivel and can't flip over for its own protection.

Playback

Playback works well.

Zooming from the data screen just zooms; there is no zoom and no RGB histogram.

Zoom doesn't fill the 4:3 finder, but does fill 3:2 rear LCD.

There's no diagonal scrolling.

It needs a setting to hold Image Review if you keep the shutter held down.

Super fast advance through multiple images.

Data

NORMAL LARGE JPGs (16 MP) are about 3.5 MB.

NORMAL MEDIUM JPGs (8 MP) are about 1.3 MB.

Files are set to 72 DPI.

The calendar works for years 2000-2050.

The dial works backwards for setting clock numerical entries.

The card is formatted improperly as "Untitled." It should be titled FUJI XT1.

Fuji mentions an App for Wi-Fi, but the Apple App store showed me three different Fuji apps. I have no idea which we are supposed to use. The app I tried didn't work although it did seem to connect via Wi-Fi. I didn't play any further; when I need images I need them in a commercial way and piddling on an iPhone doesn't do it for me. I put them on my Mac Pro and work from my 30" monitor if I'm selecting and sending images.

Rotation flags are set accurately.

The automatically-selected Auto ISO reads properly in Media Pro, my favorite sorting tool.

Power and Battery

There's an orange dot on the battery, so it's easy to put it in the right way even in dim light.

I get about 250 shots before I get any partial charge warnings.

The great news is that it's got enough power for me to shoot all day without needing to carry a backup.

There's just a battery icon, no percentage displayed.

The battery icon (meter) is very "loose," meaning that it's simply measuring voltage and not counting the actual charge in and out. This means that if you see a lower indication and turn the camera off for a while, some charge may appear to grow back temporarily. Moral: always carry a charged spare.

Compared top

Intro Specs Performance Compared Usage Recommendations More

NEW: All Fuji Cameras Compared.

Fuji X-T1 versus the X-Pro1

Both use the same 16MP sensor, XF lens mount, slow shutter speed ranges and battery.

Otherwise, the XPro-1 is a dinosaur today. It's way behind the X-T1 in overall speed and the quality of the finder. The X-T1's EVF is so good it eliminates any need or advantage of an optical finder.

The X-Pro also had a big problem with the finder, needing you to buy a fixed diopter just to make it visible.

Forget the old X-Pro. It was Fuji's first X-mount experiment.

Fuji X-T1 versus the Fuji X100S

The Fuji X100S is functionally about the same as the X-T1, but smaller and lighter with a better shutter, a dual optical/electronic finder and fantastic fixed 23mm f/2 ASPH (35mm equiv.) lens.

To be perfectly honest, the only reason to buy the X-T1 is if you need to swap lenses. If you're happy with the one lens of the X100S (I am), there's no need for the X-T1. The X-T1 is for people who want a bigger camera onto which they can attach more lenses.

The leaf shutter of the X100S lets its built-in flash synchronize to about 1/2,000, letting it work great in daylight, while the focal plane shutter of the X-T1 is over ten times slower (1/180), so it has much less fill-flash range.

Fuji X-T1 versus Sony

None of the Sonys impress me long-term. Sure, the A7 and other NEX have their cute features and amateur admirers, but Sony's cameras need work. They do stupid things like not opening the lens wider than f/4 in Program mode, the Sony lenses aren't very good in general, Auto ISO lacks programmability, and a zillion other little things that pros need that keep Sony cameras out of my bag.

By comparison, Fuji's lenses are spectacular and the Fujis can be set up to work the way an experienced photographer needs them to.

Usage top

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General

Want free live help? Call Fuji at (800) 659-FUJI (3854) and press the options for professional camera help. You'll probably get Steve Pulhamus who is an expert on these cameras.

Hold MENU to lock buttons.

Focus

To move a focus point, hold the AF button (probably the bottom button of the quad controller depending on how you program it) and press the four rear directional buttons. Press DISPLAY for the center AF point after pressing the (programmed) AF Select button. Then press OK to use the selected point.

To change the AF spot size, hold the AF button and rotate the rear dial.

Press FOCUS ASSIST to zoom into the selected AF point, either while shooting or on playback. When playing, it's smart enough to swap among different AF points as you swap images!

AF-C Continuous Tracking Autofocus

At default settings, AF-C doesn't work. Strange, but true, you have to reset a menu item to get it to work:

Press MENU OK button > SHOOTING MENU > AUTOFOCUS SETTING > set PRE-AF to ON.

When PRE-AF is ON, the X-T1 is always trying to focus even if you're not touching it, but more importantly, now all my AFC shots actually are in focus.

Weird is that the image in the finder is always hunting in and out of focus, but fear not, the actual images are almost all perfect when you've got PRE-AF set to ON. Next year maybe Fuji will fix the hunting problem, but so what if it hunts before we take the picture; the key is that the AFC images are now in focus when shot.

I'd turn PRE-AF back OFF in AF-S, since it sucks battery power. Sadly the X-T1 isn't smart enough to let us set PRE-AF differently for one mode or the other.

Manual Focus

The focus ring push-pulls on some lenses to select Auto or Manual focus, otherwise, move the lever on the front of the camera.

Forget the manual focus ring. Instead, tap the AF-L button for spot manual focus in manual focus mode. It will focus immediately on the subject, and hold it indefinitely.

Macro Mode

The macro setting often doesn't do anything with many lenses like the XF 56mm f/1.2, but once activated, it can't focus to infinity for normal shots, making this a useless feature.

Try it with your lens, you may or may not get different results with different lenses. Only some lenses will focus more closely in this mode.

Self Timer

Tap the rear Q button and look in the lower left.

The self-timer inexplicably wasn't put on the drive mode dial where it belongs.

Image and File Settings

I prefer to set JPG NORMAL, not HIGH. The images look the same, and take up half the space on my card and computer.

I set Color +2 High, which is still pretty tame.

The VELVIA film simulation is pretty good. Try it for photos of places and things.

I set AUTO ISO 6,400; even at ISO 6,400 if needed, the X-T1 looks fine.

I set Auto Dynamic Range (AUTO DR). Set this way, the X-T1 increases ISO as needed (to ISO 800 even in daylight) to retain highlight detail, all automatically as needed. it's a huge benefit; be sure to turn it on to AUTO.

"Save Data Setup" are where the menu options for how data is stored are hidden, for instance, setting file numbering.

Long Exposures

The EVF or rear LCD will count-down seconds during long exposures, but neither counts-down the time during which it shows "processing..." as a second equally-long dark-frame is recorded for automatic noise reduction.

During Bulb exposures, the display counts-up the actual exposure. Likewise, the camera will sit and "process" a dark frame for an additional time equal to the original exposure, but it won't count that for you.

Panoramas

Panorama mode is on the drive mode dial on the top left.

Funny Color Modes

The ADV (advanced) setting of the top left advance mode dial lets you select various childish image mucking-up options.

Video

Movie shooting starts and stops by hiting the red button next to the shutter button.

Controls

To check or reset what an Fn button does, hold it down for a few seconds.

"Custom Settings" just save and recall image settings, not camera settings.

To find or set the PLAY menu, you have to be playing an image when you press MENU.

Custom Settings

These are in the top left when you tap the rear Q button.

THese save and recall only the image settings like color and shadows. THey don't save anytning about how the camera shoots or even the image size. All they do is save what's similar to what kind of film you're shooting.

You can program BASE and C1 - C7 in the menu system, or just change them form the Q screen.

Once programmed, you can recall them by tapping Q, be sure to select the upper left with the four-way buttons, and then turning either dial until your choice (BASE or C1 through C7) is displayed.

Lens adapters

Forget Lens Adapters. Now that Fuji has a complete line of lenses, the Fuji lenses are superior both optically and ergonomically to adapting LEICA or other lenses with adapters.

The Fuji lenses are extraordinary, and they also have full focus and exposure and diaphragm automation, all lost if you waste time adapting LEICA lenses or others to the X-T1 — and no adapted lens will work in concert with the cameras image-processing DSP for optimum results.

You can't get better than Fuji's lenses, and other lenses, even awesome LEICA lenses, won't autofocus or open and close their diaphragms for you as you shoot and focus.

With other lenses, manual focus might not be that much of a problem, but you'll have to open and close the aperture by hand every time you want to focus or shoot or focus. LEICA's 35mm f/1.4 ASPH FLE isn't any better optically than Fuji's 35mm f/1.4, for instance.

Playback

Playback and EVF options are hidden in MENU > Screen Set up. Once here, selecting the Focus Check option auto-zooms the finder in manual focus mode.

Built-in Projector

Not really, but hold the camera upside-down, light-up the electronic finder and adjust the eyepeice diopter and you can focus a larger image on a screen as projected out the eyepeice in a very dark room!

Recommendations top

Intro Specs Performance Compared Usage Recommendations More

The X-T1 is a fraction the price, size and weight of a Canon 5D Mark III or Nikon D800, and it's a very serious camera. Get one, I did! It's so much better than any of my digital LEICAs.

The Fuji X100S is functionally the same thing with a fixed lens. If you're not wanting to schlep a bunch of lenses around, just take your X100S with you instead.

The X-T1 doesn't replace a DSLR for sports and action. Likewise, for my most serious nature and landscape work, I prefer the color palettes of my Nikon and Canon DSLRs. For everything else, the X-T1 is a blast, especially for people pictures.

I use the LEICA strap. The plastic gizmos on the LEICA strap that integrate so well with LEICA cameras may mar the X-T1's finish. I use electrical tape to protect my X-T1, more diligent people might use Fuji's provided strap lugs, tools and protectors with other straps instead.

If you've found the significant time and expense I've incurred to research and share all this information for free, this website's biggest source of support is when you use these links to it at Adorama or at Amazon when you get yours. It comes both as a body-only and as a kit with the excellent 18-55 lens. Using these links or or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything is what helps me keep adding to this free website for everyone's benefit — but I receive nothing for my efforts if you take the chance of buying elsewhere.

Thanks for helping me help you!

Ken.

More Information top

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Fujifilm's Fuji X-T1 website

Fuji X-T1 Press Release

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