Here at FujiRumors, we discussed many times about what Fuji could improve via Firmware on current cameras or via hardware in future models. And thanks goodness, Fujifilm has shown many times, that they listen to feedback coming from the X-shooter community.
But, of course, the system is not perfect, and there are still things that could be improved. And since I love what Fujifilm did over the last years and I want future models to be even better than current ones, today I’ll share my main two complaints with the X-T1.
FLIMSY DOOR
I’m pretty annoyed by that flimsy X-T1 accessory door that bends and makes weather sealing useless! And, looking at this FXF Thread here, I’d say that I’m not the only one with this problem.
I won’t send it in for repair, since I don’t know if the new door will be better.
I’d really appreciate if Fujifilm would tell us more about this issue.
- Is this a sporadic problem of certain X-T1’s? I don’t think so, but I’d like to hear Fujifilm on that.
- Did Fuji recognize the problem and do newer X-T1’s come with a better accessory door?
- If I send it in for repair, can I be sure that this problem won’t occur anymore with the new door? Some of us would have to pay for a repair, so please let us know if it’s worth to send it in.
The graphite versions seems to have no issue.
I’ve tried to contact several Fuji services around Europe, but I did not get a clear answer on that. So, Fujifilm, I think we X-shooters should be better informed about the real dimensions of this problem and the efficiency of an eventual repair.
If you have the same problem, I invite you to contact your local Fuji support and, as milandro suggested here, contact also the Fujfilm headquarter and send them the link to this thread.
WAXY SKIN TONES
Don’t get me wrong. Fuji JPEGs are fantastic. More and more of my keepers are OOC JPEGs.
But there is one thing that, IMO, could be improved: Skin tones at hight ISO!
Ok, maybe you like the jpeg engine used in X-TransII cameras and the skin tones at high ISO, so you can stop reading here. But I’m one of those fellow X-shooters, who think there is space for improvement.
That’s not an issue if you shoot RAW. It’s also no problem if you keep lower ISO settings in JPEG’s. The so-called “waxy skin tones” are limited to JPEG at high ISO. The reason? Noise reduction seems to work too aggressively.
The good thing is, this is fixable via Firmware update. Here are two possible solutions:
- allow to turn down noise reduction even more than currently possible
- introduce in the menu the voice “classic jpeg rendering” (or whatever), which will render skin tones at high ISO like the X-Trans I X-series camera JPEG engine! You can then select what you prefer, the X-TransI or X-TransII cameras jpeg engine
To know more about it and see some samples, we have a “Stop the Waxing” thread dedicated to this issue here.
52 Responses
I must add cross selector and overall the function buttons…they don’t feel right as well. They are better on other models.
Chosen photo samples are priceless ????
The boy clearly does not like photos taken of him with waxy skin-
Door is a warranty issue. Just send it in.
in USA the warranty is of 1 year. There might be many, who already are out of warranty.
BTW the http://aki-asahi.com/ guy said that he’s going to produce custom covering skin for the X-T1 soon, i’m definitely going to buy a new one and change mine…
That is good news! Thanks
Props for posting about the elephant in the room/waxy skin tones, Patrick. You are brave.
I got a “new” door. But it is getting weak too. So there is no benefit to send it in…
My new door also didn’t stay straight very long…
Door on my X-T1 seems OK so far. It is the Graphite Edition, but whether the door is actually different I’ve no idea. Seems more likely that the problem hasn’t shown up on Graphite Edition cameras because none of them are very old yet. Mine’s 8 months.
I doubt Fuji wants to fix waxy files. There have been hundreds threads about this issue over world’s forums for 3 years already, and Fuji was deaf on so many requests, though this issue is very easy to fix via firmware update with just adding -/+5 NR. I found Fuji offered best jpgs in first cams X-100/X-Pro1, X-E1 – that was the reason I bought Fuji. The newer X-Trans the better RAW files but the worse jpgs in my view. Even colours has changed, they look more artifical now, with pushed magneta cast – seen also on attached above images – and even lower ISO are washed from details. I really do not understand why Fuji spoiled so great jpegs rendered in first cams… and why its top cam does not offer Custom Modes, no 1/2, 1/3EV bracketing…
Maybe PDAF pixels are culprit ? And Fuji needed to apply stronger noise reduction to hide the PDAF array ?
But Sony has PDAF and offers -/+5 NR, all other cams offer it too – Oly, Panasonic, Nikon incluing NR Off.
There aren’t that many PDAF pixels.
No- if you read the linked forum thread you will see it has nothing to do with the sensor or the RAW image itself. The problem is 100% afterwards in the JPEG processing engine.
You can make a poll for abount stoping waxing.
I never use the door.
I never ever used it and anyways it has the same flimsy issue…
Who expects great skin tones on iso6400 from OOC Jpeg?
Waxy skin appears already from about 2200iso, on 3200is is already terrible.
Shoot RAW!
The point is that you shouldn’t have to. There’s working around a problem, and then there’s fixing it.
Why drive a porsche when you can drive a more powerful 18 wheeler, right? I mean why shoot jpeg and be done when you can spend your precious time in front of a computer trying to emulate what the previous generation of x-cameras did for you instantly?
I can use X30 if I want to shoot jpeg. Jpeg never give me the result I want.
Part of the complain is that the first generation X-Trans cameras didn’t have this problem. Fuji changed the JPEG processing for the second generation; the first sign was that people were complaining about shadows clipping quicker, and this I think was the second.
Who? The people who used to have it. (X-100, X-Pro1, X-E1, X-M1 and X-A1 users) That’s who expect great skin tones at ISO 6400 straight out of the camera. And they are mad at fuji for depriving them of that jpeg heaven should they upgrade to a camera which can actually focus faster than they can manually. I for one, will not upgrade until that mess is fixed.
I have X-E1. I don’t shoot people at high iso…it’s useless.
Odd. Works just fine for me with an X100.
People who have children and want to document their family life without blasting flash around and who don’t want to spend time on the computer to edit RAWs. Since flats/houses are often rather dark and children usually move too fast for f1.2 you’ll often need to use high ISO. There’s no reason not to have great skin in the JPEG files if the detail is there in the RAWs.
The door on my X-T1 has become very distorted. Even more irrupting, the skin is delaminating. I called Fuji, $160 to repair the Door and replace the skin. My camera is about 1.5 yrs old. 🙁
That is unacceptable. I don’t care if it’s out of warranty. This shouldn’t happen.
I’d love to have an option to switch the JPEG rending to X-Trans I mode, not only for the skin rending at ISO above 1600, but also for the overall look. Actually, I frequently contemplate about switching back to the X-E1 because I really liked the JPEGs better.
And I might have actually made that move, even though the X-T1 is a much better camera in many aspects for me. But with the workaround (limiting ISO to 1600, underexpose by 1 or 2 stops, then reprocess the RAW in the camera with + 1 or 2 stops), I can live with the skin JPEGs from the X-Trans II. I only have to force myself to not think about how great it would be to have the X-Trans I JPEGs on the X-T1 … ;o)
I hope Fuji is going to fix the RAW conversion issues in the new generation sensors that are coming. I get it, jpegs look beautiful straight out of camera but I dislike shooting jpegs and I’m quite sure many other people prefer RAW format and the ability of pulling more out of the files.
No problem on my X-T1, so far, but after quite a few issues I wasn’t blown away by the X-pro1’s capability to survive a daily use. Plastics & rubbers including from the handgrip and LCD cover were quite dispointing and not up to the same quality of a mainstream DSLR. I had the feeling the X-T1 was a bit better in this respect but clearly, Fuji is not a Japanese Leica when it comes to material choice and finishing.
True. I regularly check a Taiwanese forum. People there noticed that imported Fuji products seems to be inferior in QC than local dealer product. It’s likely Fuji set different QC standards for different regions of the world.
One guy wanted to buy a XF1655 and he first went to get imported version. But they opened 3 new lens and they are kinda have dust from factory. So he gave up and went to a dealer. They randomly picked one and it was totally fine. I actually got my hands on 3 XF 16-55 from B&H. I kinda tend to agree with him.
I can’t understand how a company like Fuji film would even consider to deliver inferior products to different markets, in particular releasing a new product like the X-series were in those days. I’m living in Europe – my X-Pro1 + 35 & 18mm in those days belonged to the first batch that had arrived in my country – not sure where it originated from but I always purchase gear in the normal reseller network. I don’t want to repeat the story but I have not been a very satisfied Fujifilm X-series owner until I replaced my problem-prone X-Pro1 by the X-T1. Still – working with quite a few other cameras Fujifilm hasn’t become my primary system – and I doubt that will ever be the case. Though I admit that Fujifilm is in the digital world the closest I can get to a roll film kind of image ‘feel’.
Their film simulation kinda works very well for JPEG shooters. But I guess I am just getting used to RAW, which makes their color rendering useless.
As for quality control, people in different parts of the world have different tolerance and different degree of reliance on service. Also using environment is different. Fuji is still a small company in consumer digital cameras.
I was in Paris last week and thought that I’d just call in the Fnac electical store on the Champs-Élysées, as it’s bound to have all the latest cameras on display as the store is in such a prime location. In actuel fact it was probably one of the worst Fnac shops i’ve ever been in for cameras. Anyway, I headed over to the Fuji cameras section and immediately spotted an X-T1, which looked like it had been to hell and back. Obviously it had been there since it’s launch and had been handled by every Tom, Dick and Harry. The rubber accessory door was C shapped it was so warped and on the right side it looked like a snake just starting shed it’s skin with all the rubber coming off. You just can’t believe that the store wouldn’t have changed it over, I mean who’s going to be keen to buy a Fuji after seeing that.
Another, I look back at my Xe1 and love the Jpegs, would have kept that camera if it could have focused on my 2 year old. Xt1 much better focus but not so good JPEGS, I know this is about JPEGS but can I also suggest Power Management be broken down into Focus boost and Fast start up, I understand when you turn the camera off, it stays on ready to pounce. I sometimes want to fast focus but also want to turn the camera off to save battery. I’d like Focus Boost On/Off, Fast Start up. Off 5,10,20 mins.
I completely agree about the door, Patrick. It’s hard to imagine someone seeing a prototype with that flimsy door on an otherwise well built body and thinking, “Yes, this door will work great!”
Maybe instead, someone said “no no, this will be quite sufficient and look how much money we saved”.
I’ve send it for repair and after couple months the door is becoming flimsy again…
Did they charge you money for the repairs? Did they change the door itself or just repaired somehow…
They’ve changed the door for free under warranty
I have the door problem too. But it didn’t happen the first few times I opened it.
I know it doesn’t necessarilg belong here, but in English, we write:
The size of something,
Or
The SAME size AS someting,
As in:
It will have the same sensor as the x-pro1.
But not:
It will have the same sensor of the x-pro1.
For your info, in case you write it again as a headline 😉
I’m running the biggest fujifilm community ‘fujipeople’ in Korea. One of our members said door problem to us and he discussed this issue with fujifilm Korea. They fixed this free and he shared this case with our comminity member. And as I know fujifilm promised to fix this problem with free cost to users having same problem. Their resoponse was so fast and kind. So we all members were so touched by fujifilm and we think this company is so customer-oriented.
Fuji Japan also knows this and i think you can have same service like us in your country.
I know you can not read this but anyway i put link. It was written by Korean about this issue.
http://m.cafe.naver.com/ArticleRead.nhn?clubid=24616738&menuid=13&articleid=50723&query=%ED%9B%84%EC%A7%80%ED%95%84%EB%A6%84
I’m Korean fujifilm user and i’m also running the biggest fujifilm community ‘fujipeople’ in Korea. One of our members raised same issue about door to fujifilm korea. And we recieved answer right after asking fujifilm Korea. It was super fast response.
Fujifilm Japan decided to fix this problem without cost. i mean it is free to fix. We
already shared this our members and it was enough to complement their bold decision. So I think you can have same service in Euroup.
This is the post by our member jayjay23. It was written by Korean and I know
you can not read this but anyway i put the URL below.
http://cafe.naver.com/fujipeople/50723
For a brief moment I thought you were referring to the wax skin problem which affects all current X cameras, not just the T1. Alas, the euphoria was short lived…
Sorry to make you confused. it was about the door problem.
Well, here’s a follow up from the post from Korean Fujifilm users. I had that flimsy door problem amd I swear i used that door just once whrn I first gott he camera and never used it. When I asked fo warrant service Fuji gave me an answer that connecter cover getting flimsy is user’s fault so it’s not going tobe covered by the warrant service…..and I got mad…so.. I aske all the users in our ‘fuji community’ to see if this is my only problem or not..and found out it has happened quite a few times to our members. Consequently, Fijifilm Korea Srvice manager asked Japan Fuji headquarters about this issue and confirmed me that they will change their customer service rules and it will be covered through warrant service. So If they charge you money they should change their policy immediately. Though I still have a concern about the quality of the covrer itself which means that will the cover stay firm without changing the material itself. If the quality or the material itself is the problem I stongly believe that Fuji should recall all the X-t1s and replace that damn doors. Well I didn’t open the door at all this time and never will……if it becomes flimsy again…I’ll be biting the Fuji CS department again…GR..