Whether you like or hate them, Fujifilm’s APS-C-based mirrorless cameras produce pictures you possibly can’t get wherever else. More than sensor measurement, autofocus pace, or every other characteristic, this can be a mark of an incredible digital camera. It’s why I’m at all times excited when Fujifilm churns out a brand new mannequin.
The newest is the Fujifilm X-T4, an replace to the corporate’s flagship APS-C mirrorless digital camera, the X-T3. It additionally shares some similarities with the Fujifilm X-Pro3 rangefinder, particularly within the internals, however the X-T4 leads with new options by and thru, from the design, styling, and general expertise of utilizing it. If taking pictures with the X-Pro3 harkens again to the period of movie, the X-T4 looks like one thing from the longer term.
What’s New
The X-T4 is solidly constructed, with an all-metal design that retains all of the mechanical controls you’d anticipate from the model. Fujifilm’s film-era physique design is wrapped round a powerful new shutter mechanism, with in-body picture stabilization and a completely articulated rear touchscreen that may be rotated so it will not get scratched in your bag.
The very first thing Fujifilm followers will discover in regards to the X-T4 is the brand new shutter mechanism. Its improved damping has produced a satisfyingly slight shutter snap, even in mechanical mode. It’s quieter than the “silent” mode on different cameras I’ve used. The extra vital improve is the burst taking pictures charge, which may now hit 15 frames per second (fps) with autofocus. That’s with the mechanical shutter—in the event you want to use the digital shutter, you possibly can go as much as 20 fps (matching its predecessor, the X-T3).
What’s simply as spectacular is the pace at which the X-T4 can clear its buffer, the place the place picture knowledge is saved earlier than it is saved to the reminiscence card. There are cameras on the market with bigger buffers, however as soon as the X-T4’s buffer is full, it clears in lower than two seconds, which implies there’s nearly no lag when taking pictures shortly. Sport and portrait photographers, this can be a digital camera value trying out.
The in-body picture stabilization (IBIS) is one other welcome addition. Combined with a stabilized lens, Fujifilm claims a 6.5EV correction. In observe, between the IBIS, stabilized lens, and excessive ISO choices, I didn’t encounter any low-light conditions I could not hand-hold.
Speaking of low gentle, taking pictures indoors to check the brand new IBIS made me discover my favourite factor in regards to the X-T4: the dynamic vary. The superb vary of tones I acquired, even with JPEG information, was frankly astounding. Even in harshly lit night time scenes, the spotlight roll-off is extremely clean.
The autofocus algorithm has been improved to think about shapes and colours as effectively. The leads to nonetheless pictures are wonderful, even in low gentle, the place the X-T4 could be very correct. Interestingly, the autofocus system is similar because the X-T3, which implies Fujifilm may theoretically deliver the brand new algorithm to the X-T3 in a firmware replace.
As with all main new cameras from Fujifilm, the X-T4 introduces a brand new Film Simulation mode. This time round it is Eterna Bleach Bypass, which is a coloration impact designed to imitate the Eterna movie coloration profile when processed with a bleach bypass. It’s one of many extra heavy-handed movie simulation modes Fujifilm has launched, producing pictures with very low saturation and distinction.
The X-T4 additionally will get all of the up to date tone controls Fujifilm launched with the current X-Pro3, together with a brand new characteristic that permits half-step changes in highlights and shadows. It could be time-consuming to arrange, however as soon as I dialed in presets the best way I wished them, I by no means felt the necessity to do any post-processing on my pictures.
Normally the straight-out-of-camera pictures are JPEGs, they usually nonetheless are, however the X-T4 provides a brand new choice to output 8- or 16-bit TIFF information utilizing the in-camera RAW conversion software program. It’s an attention-grabbing solution to get a picture that is acquired Fujifilm’s RAW processing—so it matches the movie simulation, which some software program wrestle to do—however is not a compressed JPEG. Be warned that the ensuing 16-bit TIFFs are large, about three instances the scale of the RAW file.
Finally, the X-T collection cameras have at all times devoured up batteries, to the purpose that it is protected to say battery life had nowhere to go however up. The excellent news is, it did go up. I went a number of days taking pictures nonetheless pictures while not having to change batteries. Even taking pictures 4K video, I managed to get about two hours out of a single battery.
Video Improvements
Most of the enhancements to the X-T4 are aimed on the hybrid nonetheless and video shooter. I would not hesitate to say that is one of the best digital camera in the marketplace proper now for anybody who continuously switches between nonetheless and video seize.
There are a number of small however extremely helpful adjustments that make it a lot simpler to change taking pictures modes. The first is the decrease collar of the shutter pace dial, which is now a handy and quick solution to swap between photograph and video modes.
This dial additionally highlights an attention-grabbing change in Fujifilm’s menu settings. When you’re in photograph mode and also you head into settings, you may solely see still-image-related settings. Switch to video mode and you will solely see settings for video. It’s a pleasant separation—similar to the menus of the Leica SL2—that makes it tremendous easy to change forwards and backwards with a very totally different set of settings.
The large video distinction over the X-T3 is the brand new 240-fps full HD video seize, providing you with 10X slow-motion footage. This does incur a roughly 1.3X crop, however Fujifilm has helpfully included a setting to use that crop to all video modes. It means you possibly can shoot slow-motion footage, swap to 4K, and preserve taking pictures with out worrying about having to reframe the scene or change lenses.
Another good improve is the flexibility to report video redundantly to each SD playing cards directly for backup precaution. But it is not all rosy. The headphone jack is gone, so you may want to make use of the USB-C to three.5-mm adapter (included). Also, when taking pictures movies the autofocus typically hunts. It continuously misplaced my topic when each I and the topic had been transferring. But when it really works, the X-T4 shoots splendidly cinematic footage.
The grip can also be nonetheless too small. It’s barely larger than its predecessor, but it surely’s woefully undersized for a physique of this measurement. It was most annoying when taking pictures in portrait orientation, the place I nervous I would drop the digital camera holding it one-handed. Put it this fashion: The physique is heavier than my Sony A7II, however the grip is a fraction of what you get on the Sony.
How troublesome that is will rely somewhat on the scale of your arms. I’ve lengthy fingers, so maybe it bothers me greater than it might others, however frankly, the X-T4 grip appears small even in my 5-year-old’s arms.
Worth It?
The X-T4 physique is $1,699, which is $200 greater than the unique worth of the X-T3. You may get a equipment with the 18-55mm F/2.8-4.zero OIS lens, which is what Fujifilm despatched me, for $2,099. That’s a superb bit of cash for a digital camera with an APS-C sensor. For comparability, the Sony A7RIII, a full-frame digital camera, is usually on sale for about $2,200. Nikon’s full-frame Z6 can be purchased for round $1,800, too.
Still, this can be a near-perfect digital camera for the kind of photographer who desires one of the best of each worlds—nice stills and good video. If you’ve got acquired a Panasonic GH-5 for video and one thing else for stills, the X-T4 is sweet sufficient to interchange each. But for somebody who hardly ever does video work, the X-T4 is a much less compelling improve over the X-T3. If you are primarily a stills shooter and desire a Fujifilm digital camera, the X-T3 could be the higher purchase, because it’s cheaper.
However, the X-T4’s in-body stabilization undoubtedly opens up prospects for low-light taking pictures that you simply simply received’t get from its predecessor.
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