Budget does not always mean bad
Nothing beats the convenience of a smartphone’s ability to take photos, but a compact digital camera still takes higher-quality pictures, writes Blayne Slabbert.
Despite most people using smartphones for their photography, digital camera companies are still releasing new models to entice buyers.
Many of these models are now mirrorless, which means they don’t have a mirror inside like traditional DSLR cameras so they’re much smaller and lighter.
One of the main players in the mirrorless market is Fujifilm, which has released several models over the past few years as it seeks to take on old-school giants such as Canon and Nikon and other mirrorless manufacturers such as Sony, Olympus and Panasonic.
The company has transformed itself in the past decade and has become a well-respected and trendy camera brand.
The latest Fujifilm model is the entry-level X-T100 which was recently released in New Zealand.
It costs $1180 and includes a 15-45mm lens along with Fujifilm’s retro design.
Design
While it doesn’t look much different from other cameras in the Fujifilm family, its build quality is not as good.
Everything is plastic as opposed to the metal and magnesium partly used in the two better models.
But it still feels good in your hand and all the buttons and dials have a good feel to them.
One feature I’m not a fan of is the budget 15-45mm lens. While it takes sharp photos, it has a power zoom lens more commonly found on compact cameras. The good news is that you can upgrade it to any of the other dozens of Fujifilm lenses.
The other noticeable design feature is a tilting touchscreen that can also flip sideways to face the subject, which is great if you like taking selfies.
Features
It sits near the bottom of Fujifilm’s interchangeable lens lineup and has a 24-megapixel sensor, but not the same one that features in its higher-end consumer models such as the X-T20 or X-T2. However, both those cost a lot more.
But the X-T100 still takes great pictures and it would be hard for most people to tell the difference when photographing a portrait or landscape in good lighting.
However, if you like shooting sports or images in low-light, then the more expensive models perform much better.
The X-T100 also has 4K video, which produces four-times the resolution than high-definition (1080p). However, it has limited use as it can only record at slow frame rates. Don’t let that put you off as the HD recording produces goodlooking videos that beginner photographers will appreciate.
To match its rotating viewfinder, the X-T100 has extra self-timer options for those who take a lot of selfies.
Another feature to be aware of is how fast it can take photos. It manages up to six frames per second which is too slow for fast moving sport but OK for capturing your kid playing fun football. If you want to do more action sports photography then look at the X-T20 which has 14fps.
Using it
The X-T100 is for the new photographer, rather than an experienced amateur.
This is shown with a mode dial for sports, portraits and landscapes. While some photographers may sneer at these it makes it easier for someone new to photography.
Want to take pictures of your kids (or pets) running around? Switch it to sports mode to get a faster shutter speed. Having the camera do the work for you means you can concentrate on things like good composition.
However, if you do want to progress, it has all the usual advanced settings, such as aperture priority or full manual mode.
Like the X-T20, it has a touchscreen which can be used to pinch and zoom, flick through photos or you can tap it to focus. This makes it an easy transition for people used to using smartphones to take photos.
The rear buttons and dials are more simple than most cameras but newbies will still find it confusing.
The solution to this is to just use the mode dial on top and the Q button which brings up a quick menu so you can change the most common settings such as ISO, timer and file size.
The options in the quick menu can also be customised to make it even easier.
The main menu is easy to read but you’ll need patience and the manual to work your way through it.
Verdict
Nothing beats a smartphone for convenience when it comes to photography since it is always in your pocket.
But if you want to take higher quality pictures that are more considered, then it’s best to use a DSLR or mirrorless camera.
These types of cameras also produced higher-quality images that will still look great many years from now.
The Fujifilm X-T100 is a great choice for doing that, and it has an affordable price. The company is investing a lot into its technology and lenses and this camera is a great place to start.