You can't go wrong with the weather-resistant Fujifilm X-T1 mirrorless camera

Introduction

With its twin dials and decidedly retro looks, the X-T1 continues Fujifilm’s fine run of retro-inspired cameras, and offers users a professional-quality body with the size and weight savings of a mirrorless option. Fujifilm says the X series represents the pinnacle of photographic technology married with the appeal of traditional styling, and it certainly seems to be living up to this claims with the X-T1.

We first had a look at the X-T1 back in February, at which time Fujifilm had yet to release a weather-sealed lens to go with the camera, so it was hard to say what shooting with a fully weatherproof mirrorless camera would be like. With the recent introduction of the Fujinon XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS weather-resistant zoom lens in June though, we now had a full weatherproof system to put to the test.

Design & handling

Measuring 129 x 90 x 47mm and weighing in at just 440g (body only, with batteries) the Fujifilm X-T1 is easily lighter than pretty much every other “professional” series camera out there, though your choice of lenses will ultimately determine the total weight. For example, the Fujinon XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 WR OIS lens we had for this review weighs just 490g, so the combination gave us the equivalent of a 27 to 206mm reach with optical stabilization for just under a kilogram!

Thanks to its full magnesium-alloy construction, the camera feels incredibly solid in our hands; and while it may be the one of the largest mirrorless cameras in the market now, it’s still quite a bit smaller than other pro level DSLRs. We really think pros will take to this camera, not only because it's easy to pack, but their overall load will decrease at the same time when you factor in lighter tripods and lenses. This applies to nature or extreme sports photographers too, who often need to stay nimble with their gear.

Fujifilm says that no less than 75 seals keep the X-T1 dust and water-resistant, and freeze-proof up to -10^oC. Handling-wise, we think the four-way directional pad needs to be either raised more, or made larger. There simply isn’t enough button area for a good tactile feel if you’re wearing gloves, and it’s also a limiting factor for selecting your autofocus point if you’re using single autofocus mode.

We must say we have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the interface of the X-T1. While the control dials place most settings at your fingertips, you need to depress the center locking button to adjust them. This prevents accidental changes, but also takes a bit of getting used to, which means you’re likely to be bringing the camera down from your eye every time you want to make changes.

Also, when it comes to focusing, you have to first press a button to activate AF area selection mode; each directional-pad also acts as a custom button, so trying to move the AF point (as you would on other cameras) brings up the associated menu instead. This is something Fujifilm has already noted though, and a firmware patch is coming in December to solve the issue, so kudos to them for taking early feedback into consideration.

Another thing we love about the X-T1 is the OLED electronic viewfinder (EVF). Bright, clear, virtually lag free (Fujifim says 0.005 second), and with a magnification ratio of 0.77x, this 2.36 million-dot EVF is probably the best EVF we’ve looked through to this point. Fujifilm has also smartly added the option to automatically re-orientate the shooting info when you rotate the camera, and their dual screen manual focus certainly makes manual focusing a lot easier compared to some of the other implementations we’ve seen. Plus, the screen swivels up and down so you don't have to crane your neck or lie down on the floor just to compose your shot when you need that awkward angle.

When focusing manually, the X-T1 automatically zooms in to the center of what you’re trying to focus on in the viewfinder, making it easy to see if you’re actually in focus. Also, when shooting in “Full” mode, the X-T1 stretches the display across your entire field of view, placing the shooting info on the top and bottom of the screen.

We must also note how we like that the X-T1 comes with both a traditional hotshoe and a flash sync port for use with traditional flash units. It doesn’t have a pop-up flash, but it ships with a hotshoe mount flash (the EF-X8) that raises up higher than most pop-up flashes we’ve seen, which helps eliminate red-eye. While we like that it folds down flat, we do wonder how many people will lose the EF-X8 in their pockets or camera bags.

Image gallery

The sample photographs below were shot with the Fuji X-T1 camera with the XF 18-135 f/3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR lens.  The photos have not been post-processed and are copyright to SPH Magazines. They are provided for your reference only and we ask that you do not reproduce them elsewhere. Click for the full-resolution images. 

Overall, the X-T1 is a camera that won’t leave you wanting for more, especially if you’re not the type to make large prints, and with the ever-maturing Fujinon lens line-up, this is a keeper for years to come.

Very good performance

Once we got used to its quirks, the X-T1 is a joy to photograph with. Most of the important settings are accessible through the top control dials and in the case of aperture, on the lens control ring. It's a small touch that harkens back to the days of film, and makes for quick changes without any menu-diving. Autofocus is fast and accurate, shutter lag is negligible (Fujifilm rates it at 0.05 of a second), and the in-built camera systems are accurate enough that you can easily leave it on auto for most scenarios.

What’s more, this camera is incredibly responsive. It starts up fast (0.5 second), does a maximum burst rate of 8fps (through the viewfinder), and it's a great compact option for sports/nature photography, though there's one caveat - the Phase Detect Auto Focus point is in the center of the frame, so you’ll have to keep your subject roughly centered to ensure that the continuous AF works optimally. Compatibility with UHS-II format also ensures speedy writing of data to the SD card.

If you need to control the camera remotely, Fujifilm’s excellent Camera Remote app gives your smart device full control over the X-T1, as long as you shift the dials off “A” before you begin. The connection is fairly simple to set up, and once connected, you get a real-time live view feed of what the camera is seeing, with the ability to adjust pretty much every option available on the camera.

Weather testing

Play

We also took the chance to test Fujifilm’s weather resistance claims by putting the X-T1 and XF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 WR OIS combination through a series of tests. To simulate dust and snow, we threw flour at the X-T1, while continuing to take pictures. We also ran it under a rain shower to simulate rain, again using the Camera Remote App to take pictures as water from the shower head came pouring down.

Finally, we left the X-T1 in the freezer for about 15 minutes while leaving the video function on. We’re glad to report that the X-T1 came away unscathed after all these tortures, so we’re pretty sure they will handle the elements just fine. Of course, fogging of the lens will definitely occur with change in temperature, just like any other camera.

We really like it

The thing that impresses us the most about the Fujifilm X-T1 (which costs S$1,999 for the body only) is the sheer responsiveness of the camera. It starts up fast, locks on to subjects quickly, and has a rapid continuous shooting rate that’s comparable to high-end mirrorless and DSLR cameras.

If you’re a fan of Fujifilm colors (check out the sample images in the previous page if you haven't), you’ll be perfectly happy using JPEGs straight out of camera. There are film simulation looks (e.g., standard Provia, vivid Velvia, and Astia) and fun effects like toy camera and miniature, as well as a panorama mode for some simple in-camera fun. Both the EVF and LCD are among the best that we’ve seen, and its weather resistance features are simply icing on the cake. All these coupled with the excellent line-up of prime lenses Fujifilm has assembled leave us with no doubt that the X-T1 is a worthy consideration for any photographer. Good job, Fujifilm.

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