And here it is, part 2 of riflessifotografici’s X-T1 review. After Max Angeloni (part 1), now also Donato Chirulli shares his X-T1 findings on the Italian review site here (English version).
New FR-readers, who don’t know riflessifotografici, may be warned: if you are looking for pages over pages of mere specs, pixel peeping, technical data and graphics, then this is not the kind of review you should read. But, if what you’re looking for is a real life review, a review that doesn’t need many words, but just the right words to reveal the good and the bad of the X-T1 and with beautiful images, then check it out here.
“The X-T1 is the closest thing to a reflex that I’ve used since that day in 2009. For the first time since I started to use CSC cameras I haven’t had that subtle and almost unconcious feeling to have a slightly lesser camera compared to a DSLR. Pictures were good, sure, but sometimes the AF system, sometimes the viewfinder, sometimes the responsiveness left something to be desired…You know what I mean. Trust me when I say that the X-T1 won’t let you feel like that.
[…] The Ev compensation and shutter speed dial would have had a better feeling if swapped, at least for me. Too many times I found myself changing the EV compensation while I wanted to change the shutter speed. […] My third complain is shared with some of the other X-series cameras (i.e.X100S) and is related to the impossibility to shoot RAW on a double exposure, a feature that the X-E1 has…Why is it missing on the X-T1?
[…] What else should I say before leaving room to the image gallery? Not that much, to be honest…I have just one thing to say: at this point I think Fuji should focus on a weather sealed 300mm lens (as bright as possible, I would say F3,5) in order to fill what is the only “hole” in the Fuji lenses lineup.”
Fuji X-T1 in stock check: [shopcountry 21553]
14 Responses
I love all the great reviews this camera is getting. I would agree with most of what is said, to be sure.
However, being a macro shooter, I have to take issue with the idea that a 300mm lens is really the only lens missing in the lineup. Yes, we have the 60mm macro, but it’s not 1:1. Without a 1:1 native macro lens, the lens line is lacking. I have the 60, and find it optically great. But the af is pretty bad, even with the x-t1 and all firmware updates.
So while I agree that a good tele is sorely needed, I would argue for another, real macro lens as well, and hopefully one with better af.
I would have to agree on the lack of native macro. I’m assuming (and hoping) that the price drop on the current macro indicates a version 2 is coming. But that is just wishful 🙂
I so wish that were true. No macro lens on the roadmap. And the price drop is on a bunch of Fuji lenses; not just the 60mm.
Don’t forget the Zeiss Touit 50mm 1:1 macro
True, I haven’t forgotten. It’s not a Fuji lens, but it’s 1:1. However, it’s a little short. 60 is even a little short. I wouldn’t pay $1k for a 50mm macro. But yes, it exists.
Who needs AF in macro mode? Non-macro limiter won’t hurt, but AF?! Even Canikon offerings suck at macro AF (but they have limiters, so their AF is pretty fast in the “normal” range).
Well you just answered your own question, Trenton. I would obviously need it sometimes if I’m using the lens for a purpose other than macro (and since the Fuji is not only not 1:1, but for quite some time was the only real ‘portrait’ length lens we had in the Fuji lineup, it would stand to reason it would be used for other purposes). Yes a limiter would have helped.
Second, I’ve used macro lenses with af that sucked far less than the Fuji 60 (many of them, actually), and I do occasionally find use for af in insect macro photography and the like. I often do use manual, and the x-t1 makes that even easier, but that doesn’t mean a macro lens simply shouldn’t be required to have a reasonable af speed. Macro lenses will always be slower to af, but they don’t have to be abysmal, and shouldn’t.
I know, I own this lens too. Used it for portraits. Hate the AF.
But what surprised me was XF60’s performance with extension tubes. Noise reduction algorithm goes completely nuts, SOOC Jpegs are unusable (obviously, the camera thinks that the lens has been mounted without any tubes and… something goes really wrong, even at the base ISO).
For a super zoom, I am looking for Fuji to make a 200-400 f/4 ois with internal 1.4 extender, yeah, just like Canon. and on the Fuji 1.5 crop it would be a 300-600-840. Now that is a super zoom. I have found after shooting kids soccer and lacrosse that this is what I need in one lens.
Good review. I think his comments about speed dial positioning are really good. That said, if you don’t shoot fully manual you may not agree as you will use the Exposure Compensation dial more.
I think Fuji have found their three top end cameras, X-E, X-T & X-Pro and these only really need to be updated every 1-3 years (tech depending). Especially as they keep improving them via firmware. Their time should now be spent filling out their lenses, flash system and accessories. If they do, they will truly have an X System. There are too many other mirrorless systems that are merely cameras with half dozen average lenses.
“…sometimes the AF system, sometimes the viewfinder, sometimes the responsiveness left something to be desired…”
IMHO this is unfortunately still true in all the three areas mentioned compared to a pro/semi-pro FF DSLR and also in the user interface there are still things to wish for compared to a pro/semi-pro FF DSLR.
I would also like Fuji to get their processes in better shape to provide higher quality. For me currently the statistics shows that two out of four cameras needed a return to the store including the X-T1 + 18-55.
However, despite the problems I see, I still really like the light weight concept, and the X-T1 + 18-55 is the best from Fuji so far, meaning that I will likely make a new try a month or two later when Fuji hopefully has got better control over quality. Even if that is not the case I may at least get lucky and get a camera and lens without defects this time. 🙂
…”I think Fuji should focus on a weather sealed 300mm lens (as bright as possible, I would say F3,5) in order to fill what is the only “hole” in the Fuji lenses lineup.”…
Not the only hole… No prime lens after 60 mm…
For me, I would like an 85-90mm f2.0-1.4 prime. Right now I use a Nikkor 85mm/1.8 AF-D along with the 35mm/1.4 and a X100S. Probably still need to add either the 14mm or 18mm to my lens lineup but a slightly longer prime than the 60mm is something I would like to see in the lineup.
A 16/1.4 R and a 55-135/4 R LM OIS would be two nice additions to the lens lineup IMO. A 55-135/4 can be made smaller and lighter than the 50-140/2.8 and should at the same time be made better optically corrected than the 55-200/3.5-4.8 and consequently sharper.