Fujifilm X-T3 Mirrorless Camera Review: An Inconspicuous Breakthrough

⇡#Key Features

⇡#New sensor

Of course, the sensor is one of the defining characteristics of any camera. The Fujifilm X-T3 uses a new back-illuminated 26.1-megapixel APS-C X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor. Its specifications suggest that the X-T3 will produce a less noisy picture at high ISOs. What’s more, the base value of light sensitivity has also changed compared to earlier models — from ISO 200 to ISO 160. According to the manufacturer, information from the new sensor is read 10 times faster. The burst shooting speed of the new model has increased to 11 frames per second when shooting with a mechanical shutter and 30 frames per second with an electronic one.

New processor

In addition to the new sensor, the X-T3 features a new quad-core X-Processor 4. Fujifilm claims it is 20 times faster than the original X-Processor in the X-Pro1 and 3 times faster than the X-Processor Pro first introduced. in the X-H1 chamber. Thanks to this, the performance of the camera is significantly improved when shooting both photos and videos.

⇡#autofocus

The manufacturer claims that the X-T3 uses a fundamentally new autofocus algorithm, which provides much more accurate and faster focusing, including when shooting complex scenes. The system is hybrid, with a combined phase and contrast sensors totaling 425 (remember, the previous X-T2 model had 325), which provide 99 percent vertical and horizontal frame coverage when using spot autofocus. The zonal and wide tracking modes provide slightly less coverage of 91% horizontally and 94.5% vertically. Sensor sensitivity has also been improved to -3 EV compared to the previous model’s -1 EV, and the X-T3 focuses much more confidently in low light.

⇡#Display

The Fujifilm X-T3’s 3.2-inch, 1.04 million-dot LCD is pretty standard for this class of camera.

An important change: Fujifilm finally equipped the LCD with a touch coating, which was sorely lacking in the previous model. Touch control is not available when navigating the main menu, while other functions are available: navigating through the quick menu, focusing, shooting by touching, scrolling photos during playback.

The display, as before, can tilt up or down, the 180-degree rotation mode, beloved by bloggers and admirers of the selfie genre, did not appear here. But it is possible to turn it to a vertical position when pressing a key.

⇡#Electronic viewfinder

The Fujifilm X-T3 from the Fujifilm X-H1 and GFX 50S inherited a 3.69M-dot (1280×960) OLED electronic viewfinder. It is slightly smaller in size than the X-T2, with an increase of 0.75x compared to 0.77x. The viewfinder is also now slightly further away from the body to make it easier for the user to avoid accidental touches on the touch screen while shooting.

The default refresh rate is 60fps, which is a good value. At the same time, it can be further increased to 100 frames per second when the «forced mode» is activated. It is important to note that the resolution of the X-T3’s viewfinder remains the same in all modes.

⇡#Battery and Camera Charging

The X-T3 uses the NP-W126S lithium-ion battery, familiar from a number of other Fujifilm cameras. Claimed performance to full discharge is 390 frames (according to the CIPA standard). According to my observations, this figure corresponds to reality and is even somewhat underestimated, and if the frame preview is turned off, the camera can last much longer. In general, the battery life was enough for me for a full day of walking around the city in a fairly intense shooting mode or for an intense two-hour photo shoot in the studio. Of course, in case you do several photosets in a row, you need to have spare batteries or purchase an additional handle VG-XT3. Fujifilm designed the grip so that the camera can easily switch between batteries.

The battery can be charged either using a special charger or directly in the camera via the USB port. Simultaneous charging and shooting is not available.

⇡#Design and ergonomics

In terms of camera design, Fujifilm follows a tried and true pattern with a distinctive retro flair: often two-tone finishes, lots of analog controls, obvious references to film cameras from the last century. The X-T3 model has not fundamentally changed in this regard.

The durable camera body is made of magnesium alloy and is dust and moisture resistant. The X-T3 is available in two color variations: all black and the same black and silver (the latter, in my opinion, turned out to be the most stylish).

The weight of the camera with a battery and a complete lens is 869 grams, dimensions are 133 × 93 × 59 mm. The camera is comfortable in terms of weight and dimensions, you don’t get tired of walking all day with it, it easily fits even in a standard women’s bag. The lenses for this system are also, for the most part, very light and compact; Fujifilm traditionally plays this advantage of crop cameras perfectly.

The camera has a small protrusion for gripping the right hand. In combination with a non-slip skin-like coating, it turned out to be enough for me that working with the X-T3 did not cause tactile inconvenience. However, for photographers with larger hands, the manufacturer has provided an optional metal overlay that makes the front ledge more impressive.

The controls are located in a way already familiar from the previous model. On the front panel we see a mount with a lens release button, a programmable button, a sync contact socket, a focus mode switch, a first selector dial and an autofocus backlight diode.

On the left side are USB Type-C, micro-HDMI, microphone input and headphone output.

On the right side are two slots for SD memory cards. Each supports UHS-II/V90 cards, which are essential when shooting 4K video or 30fps burst shooting. At the user’s choice, photos and videos can be recorded to the cards in parallel or sequentially. You can also assign one card for photo recording and another for video, or you can record on one RAW image and the other in JPEG format. Such a flexible setting is certainly very convenient.

The top panel contains the following controls, from left to right: ISO selector combined with drive mode switch, hot shoe with diopter adjustment selector, shutter speed setting selector combined with metering mode switch, shutter release button with camera power lever, reprogrammable button Fn and exposure compensation dial. The selectors are equipped with a locking function, so the user does not have to worry that accidental movement will make unnecessary adjustments to the camera settings.

On the top of the rear panel are the playback and delete buttons, the viewfinder, the exposure lock and autofocus buttons, as well as the second selector dial. Most of the area is occupied by the display. To the right of it there is a quick menu call button, an autofocus point selection joystick, a five-way navigation key (the central part of which is responsible for calling the main menu, and the arrows for various additional functions). At the very bottom is a button for changing the mode of displaying information on the display.

Almost all buttons on the Fujifilm X-T3 are customizable; the menu clearly shows the function of which of the buttons we are setting at the moment.

For me, working with analog controls is always pleasant due to the visibility and tactility of this approach. In this case, I can call the size and arrangement of functional elements successful, and the ergonomics of the camera as a whole — well thought out. Among the selectors and other controls, none are too tight or overly sensitive.

The 23mm and 56mm lenses I tested also have a Fujifilm system-specific control, the aperture ring. Thus, all the main shooting parameters can be set by the «analog» method.

Like other Fujifilm cameras, the X-T3 has a handy quick menu called by the Q button and contains 16 positions that the user can configure depending on which options are most in demand. In my opinion, Fujifilm’s quick menu is well organized. Let me remind you that now you can also navigate it using the touch screen.

The main menu has also retained its previous structure: on the left we see the icons indicating the main sections, on the right — the items of the corresponding section, which, when activated, open in a new tab. The menu is quite voluminous, since the Fujifilm X-T3 is a serious device with the ability to fine-tune many parameters. If this is your first camera of this class, you may need to refer to the manual to find out the meaning of some points. However, in general, everything is organized logically and intuitively. There is also a “My Menu” section, transferred from the previous version of the X-T2, where the user can add the most requested functions — this element, in principle, partially duplicates the quick menu.

⇡#Wi—fi and Bluetooth

Like most modern cameras, the X-T3 is capable of connecting to mobile devices via Wi-Fi. The camera also has a built-in Bluetooth LE module, which automatically searches for a nearby smartphone or tablet for subsequent Wi-Fi connection. To operate the camera via a smartphone, the user needs to install the FUJIFILM Camera Remote app (available for iOS and Android).

The process of connecting the camera to a mobile device is easy and fast. In addition to the convenience of transferring images from the camera to a smartphone (for example, for instant publication on social networks), a Wi-Fi connection is very convenient for remote shooting — for example, when you shoot subject compositions, you do not need to go up to the camera mounted on a tripod every time to track see what the changes look like — this can be done by holding a mobile device in your hand.

⇡#Camera in action

I had the opportunity to test the Fujifilm X-T3 in different conditions: during the day in cloudy and sunny weather, in the evening, indoors, in the studio. The overall impression is that the camera is very versatile and suitable for various genres. It’s hard to single out an unambiguous direction in which the X-T3 is clearly in the lead — it has its pluses for both portrait and landscape shooting; it may also be of interest to fans of reporting.

The camera came with three lenses for testing: Fujinon XF 18-55mm F2.8-4 R LM OIS, Fujinon XF 23mm f/2 R WR and Fujinon XF 56mm F1.2 R.

⇡#Shooting in JPEG

Despite the fact that I almost always shoot in RAW, evaluating the performance of a JPEG camera is also important — after all, for example, photojournalists often do not have the opportunity to spend time on processing. And in general, with our ever-accelerating pace of life, you often want to share pictures instantly, and not wait for a free evening to sit in a RAW converter. I must say right away that the in-camera JPEG processing left a very pleasant impression — this is a proprietary feature of Fujifilm. First, the pictures, even those taken with the supplied 18-55mm f/2.8-4 lens, are very sharp and detailed. Secondly, the color rendition looks natural. The shots don’t have the high contrast or excessive saturation that other cameras’ JPEGs often do, but there’s no skew to the other extreme — an overly boring, «faded» image. Everything is very balanced. Below you can see examples of JPEG files directly from the camera.

Dynamic range in JPEG also made a good impression: when shooting in difficult lighting conditions, the camera is able to work out details in both shadows and highlights. Here, for example, the texture of the mountains is clearly visible, while the sky is not “knocked out” in overexposure:

In addition, the use of high-aperture optics gives the image a remarkable volume. I can’t help but note the beautiful (albeit very soft at full aperture) pattern of the 23mm f/2.0 lens:

⇡#Film simulation

The Fujifilm X-T3 has an interesting feature that has become entrenched as a proprietary «chip» of the company — imitation of various types of film. I would say that this is a more delicate way of toning photos without special effects, but allows you to add atmosphere without losing naturalness. This option will be of particular interest to those who prefer shooting in JPEG and want to diversify their shots without going into the intricacies of processing and color settings. Below you can see the same scene shot with all available film simulation types.

⇡#Focusing

Of course, the new autofocus system is one of the strengths of the camera. I especially appreciated her when working in the portrait genre. The camera has a face and eye recognition system, and in the menu you can set the priority of the left or right eye.

The only nuance that I would like to fix is ​​that you cannot set the priority of a specific person in group shooting (this option is implemented, for example, in the Sony a7 III camera). Otherwise, everything works great — autofocus is tenacious and literally «sticks» to the model’s eyes, quickly responding to any position changes. This option is very convenient, for example, when shooting children who are in constant motion. I, however, had the face and eye detection mode turned on all the time with any portrait shooting. Even in difficult conditions — in low and mixed lighting, with bright objects in the foreground — the camera worked out scenes confidently, focusing quickly and accurately.

When shooting landscapes or still lifes, there were no problems either — sometimes, of course, it’s worth “prompting” the main object to the camera by manually setting the autofocus point, and not relying entirely on automation. In this case, the camera quickly finds the subject and focuses. The X-T3 did not have such problems as when shooting with the Fujifilm X-T00 camera, which in low light sometimes cannot “catch” on the desired object for a long time, despite focus confirmation.

The camera performed well in the tracking focus mode. For example, the frame below was shot in difficult conditions — at night at a slow shutter speed; object in motion. At the same time, we get quite good sharpness (unfortunately, there is no built-in stabilizer in the X-T3, so you have to rely on the strength of your hands) and accurate focus:

For those who are not accustomed to relying on automation and resort to manual focusing (this is true, for example, for lovers of macro photography), the new Fujifilm camera also provides convenient options — for example, a proprietary development of the company called «Digital Microprism», which clearly demonstrates to the user when the subject is in focus and when it is not. There is also a well-known “Focus-peaking” option, which demonstrates the edges of objects in sharpness using color highlighting.

⇡#Continuous shooting and buffer

How many frames in a row the camera is able to shoot before “freezing” is influenced by various factors — the type of shutter with which the shooting is being carried out, the selected frame size and quality. According to official information from Fujifilm, the X-T3 has the highest performance among the X-series cameras. When shooting with a mechanical shutter at 11 frames per second, for example, the camera is theoretically capable of outputting a series of 36 uncompressed RAW files. When shooting faster with the electronic shutter, this amount decreases slightly. In the course of my work with the camera, I resorted to continuous shooting several times, the longest series was 44 frames (in RAW + JPEG format of the highest quality; mechanical shutter was used).

⇡#Shooting at high ISO

The ability of the camera to operate at high light sensitivity is one of the key indicators, since not everyone works in studios where the issue of lighting is solved very simply. Full-frame mirrorless cameras from Canon, Nikon, Sony released in 2018 set a pretty high bar, and it was interesting to see what the Fujifilm X-T3 with an APS-C sensor could answer. As you would expect, up to ISO 800, all shots look great — detailed and not noisy.

The frame below was taken at 1600 ISO. Everything is still good with details: we can see the texture of the material from which the flower is made, and all the small “grains” in the sharpness zone. At the same time, in order to distinguish the emerging noises, it is necessary to zoom in on the image. When comparing in-camera JPEG and RAW converted at default settings, a slight difference in noise can be seen in areas with a relatively «smooth» texture, such as the blurry area behind a flower. In the RAW file, the noise is more noticeable, but again, only if you zoom in on the frame and take a closer look. The work of the in-chamber noise reduction is very delicate here, the main textures were not affected.

Left — in-camera JPEG, right — RAW converted with default settings

We slightly increase the ISO — up to ISO 2500. Still no noise is visible, nor a strong difference between RAW and JPEG. By the way, I note that the photo was taken at a shutter speed of 1/15 s — despite the lack of a built-in stabilizer or support, it turned out to achieve good sharpness when shooting with a 23 mm lens:

Next is a scene shot at ISO 6400. Here you can already clearly see the difference between what we see in a RAW file and in JPEG. In RAW, noise is clearly visible, and it can no longer be said that they do not affect the perception of the image. In JPEG, the software noise reduction system coped well with them, and for this plot, a slight drop in detail is not critical, but, for example, a portrait with the same settings can already come out too “smoothed”.

Left — in-camera JPEG, right — RAW converted with default settings

ISO 12800, in principle, can be considered working, if we are not talking about serious commercial shooting, but, for example, about frames posted on social networks. Again, a lot depends on the plot — somewhere it is more important to preserve more details, even if there is noise, somewhere you can programmatically suppress noise without spoiling the overall impression of the image.

Below you can see examples of shooting a test scene at different ISO values:

Download RAW files (414 MB)

⇡#Shooting in RAW and dynamic range

To appreciate the camera’s dynamic range and RAW editing capabilities, I selected several scenes with complex contrast lighting. Looking at the in-camera JPEGs of these shots, we notice excessively deep shadows and/or overexposed areas. Our task is to restore them in such a way that we can see maximum details in both light and dark areas of the frame. Working with landscape shots left a good impression: the Fujifilm X-T3 does not lose to competitors here. Shadows are lightened effectively, without the appearance of pronounced noise. Light areas also «stretch» with dignity. Naturally, it will not be possible to restore very deep overexposures, but more expensive cameras are not capable of this either. Examples of processed images can be seen below. On the left — in-camera JPEGs, on the right — RAW, converted with settings to taste:

When processing portrait shots in Adobe Camera RAW, I noticed a peculiar effect, noticeable when carefully examining the texture of the skin. Alas, today this is an inevitable flaw when combining cameras with X-Trans CMOS sensors and Adobe products:

On the right is a picture converted from RAW, on the right is a crop, on which you can notice the features of the transfer of skin texture

Download RAW files (179 MB)

⇡#Shooting video

Video is an area that Fujifilm has paid particular attention to when developing its new camera. Obviously, video capabilities are one of the important competitive advantages of the camera. The X-T3 supports 4K recording at up to 60 frames per second, with a choice of DCI (4096 × 2160) and UHD (3840 × 2160) standards. Video can be recorded in 4:2:2 10-bit color via the HDMI output and in 4:2:0 10-bit color when recorded to a memory card. There is a choice between H.264 or H.265 / HEVC codec with data rates up to 400 Mbps, as well as a choice between All-Intra or Long-GOP recording settings. To record video at 400 Mbps, memory cards that conform to the V60 standard are required.

Download video in original resolution (MOV, 789 MB)

Importantly, when shooting video, the X-T3 uses the full width of the sensor to record oversampled 4K video at frame rates up to 30p. There is a slight crop of 1.18 when shooting 4K/60p, which Fujifilm says is done to keep the scan speed on the sensor high. For slow motion, it can shoot at 1080/120p, although it crops the usable area of ​​the sensor by 1.29x. This feature was also available on the recent Fujifilm X-H1, but it required manually zooming in a bit.

Most of these settings can be used in various combinations with the possibility of flexible customization according to the needs of the user, but there are some limitations. For example, 10-bit recording requires the use of the H.265 codec.

Download video in original resolution (MP4, 1.21 GB)

According to Fujifilm, the camera uses a new noise reduction algorithm, including inter-frame noise reduction in 4K. It is also stated that the camera can capture up to 12 stops of dynamic range when shooting video.

Beyond that, the X-T3 offers a range of tools and features that should be popular with videographers. The camera includes a Fujifilm F-Log gamma profile that can be used both via HDMI and for recording to a memory card. The advantage of the profile is in the extended dynamic range and flexible post-processing options. Note that since the X-T3 has a base ISO of 160, the minimum sensitivity for F-Log shooting has also been lowered to ISO 640 compared to ISO 800 on previous Fujifilm cameras. It is also possible to shoot with the Eterna film profile with reduced image contrast.

Download video in original resolution (MP4, 786 MB)

Movie mode also includes the Silent Control feature found on the X-H1, which makes it easy to access video settings using the touch screen, and also provides a way to save individual settings for taking photos and videos.

In video mode, as well as when shooting photos, the option of face and eye detection is available, so focusing when shooting people is much easier.

⇡#Conclusion

The Fujifilm X-T3 turned out to be a really interesting and well-thought-out camera with the usual hit potential for this series, which is complemented in this generation by very serious video shooting capabilities.

An interesting design combined with modern functionality and the lack of a clearly defined genre orientation of the camera can make it an attractive option for those who have long dreamed of serious technology, but at the same time appreciate compactness and do not pursue a full frame. The camera may also appeal to longtime Fujifilm fans who are in need of a more flexible and advanced tool.

It is without a doubt the most versatile camera in Fujifilm’s history, the only obvious downside being the lack of a built-in image stabilizer due to marketing games, which is left as a unique advantage of the X-H1 model.

Download the first part RAW files (857 MB)

Download the second part RAW files (1.51 GB)

Advantages:

• nice design and thoughtful ergonomics;
• the presence of a touch (and rotary) screen;
• excellent autofocus performance, face and eye recognition system;
• good viewfinder;
• decent battery life;
• great opportunities when shooting video;
• good shooting quality in JPEG;
• Extensive editing options for RAW files.

Flaws:

• no built-in stabilizer;
• it is not possible to charge the camera via cable and shoot at the same time;
• there is no way to set a specific face when shooting in face recognition mode: when shooting a group of people, the camera itself chooses who to focus on;
• artifacts on the skin when processing RAW in Adobe programs.