Fujifilm X-T3
The X-T2 has been succeeded, but how has Fujifilm made one of its finest cameras in the X-series better? Michael Topham investigates
Michael Topham tests Fujifilm’s latest model, an update to the X-T2
Over the past six years, Fujifilm has been refining its X-series system, yet it’s the X-T series that continues to generate the most interest from users who’d like the traditional shape of a DSLR combined with the charm of Fujifilm’s classic styling in a smaller, lighter body. The recipe of beautifully sculpted handgrip, centrally positioned viewfinder and intuitive layout of buttons and dials has been so successful, it’s led to other models like the X-T20 and X-T100 being made to ensure an option for all types of users and budgets. For those who want the best X-T-series camera that money can buy, the X-T2 has been the model to choose. When it arrived in 2016 it changed people’s perception of the speed associated with mirrorless cameras and remains a great all-rounder. Two years on and in keeping with Fujifilm’s two-year product cycle, the X-T3 has arrived, but can it continue to win photographers over, become the huge hit the X-T2 was, and tempt people away from taking the full-frame mirrorless route?
Features
Rather than employing Fujifilm’s 24.3-million-pixel X-Trans CMOS III sensor, the X-T3 houses a newly developed 26.1-million-pixel APS- C X-Trans CMOS 4 chip. This fourth- generation sensor has a back-illuminated structure, excludes a low-pass filter and partners with Fujifilm’s latest X- Processor 4 to offer advanced processing capabilities. Previously, ISO 160 was only available as extended ISO, but now it’s part of the native range, spanning from ISO 160-12,800 (expandable to ISO 80-51,200).
The X-T2 was a speedy performer, but thanks to its new processor the X-T3 manages to trump what its predecessor was capable of. Compared to the X-T2, which could shoot at up to 8fps out of the box, the X-T3 can now shoot at up to 11fps using its mechanical shutter, or up to 30fps by activating the electronic shutter. Another benefit of the X-T3 is that it can shoot at these speeds without the need of a vertical power booster, allowing it to be fast while remaining small and lightweight. Unlike the X- H1, the X-T3 doesn’t offer a continuous medium (CM) mode on its drive dial, but there is a continuous low mode (CL) that permits a maximum speed of 5.7fps – the same speed the camera is capable of shooting at in live view and a slight increase on the X-T2’s 5fps. The start-up time and shutter release lag remain the same as before at 0.3sec and 0.045sec, respectively. Like other X-series models, there’s a mechanical focal plane shutter with a 1/8,000sec limit and the option to extend this to 1/32,000sec using the totally silent electronic shutter – a useful feature for times when you’d like to work discreetly. Fujifilm has also been busy improving the rolling shutter phenomenon that’s associated with electronic shutters and says this issue has been halved compared to previous generations.
The X-T3’s 3.69-million- dot EVF with 0.75x magnification is the same EVF you’ll find on the X- H1 and an improvement on the X-T2. It offers a display time lag of just 0.005sec and a refresh rate of 100fps when the camera’s power management is set to Boost. In normal mode the EVF’s refresh rate is 60fps. Users who like to shoot sports, wildlife and action will welcome the way the X-T3 provides blackout-free high-speed continuous shooting of up to 30fps with AF/AE tracking. Below the EVF you get a similar 3in, 1.04m- dot three-way tilt screen as the X-T2. The difference here is that it now supports the same level of touchscreen control as the X- H1, allowing you to adjust settings from the quick menu, shift the AF point around the frame and swipe through or magnify images from a touch of your finger. As for manoeuvrability, it tilts up and down, plus it can be flipped out by 60° to aid high and low shooting when composing in portrait format.
Significant changes have been made to the X-T3’s autofocus system too. While the X-T2 and X- H1 had 0.5-million phasedetection pixels on the sensor, the X-T3 now has four times as many, or 2.16 million to be precise. The number of selectable AF points has also increased. There’s a choice of either 117 selectable AF points laid out into a 9x13 grid, or there’s a 425-point layout consisting of a 17x25 grid. Those who like to be very specific with positioning of the AF point are likely to choose the latter, and there’s the option to choose between a total of six AF target sizes in single-point AF mode and three in Zone AF mode. Like the X-T2 there is single-point, zone and wide/tracking AF modes and five autofocus custom settings with three user-adjustable parameters to refine focusing characteristics in AF- C mode. If this wasn’t enough, the X-T3’s low-light autofocus sensitivity has extended from -1EV to -3EV and the X- Processor 4’s high
processing speed and improved phase- detection algorithm allows the camera to refocus and meter approximately 1.5x more frequently than existing X-T models. The good news for those who like to shoot people pictures is that the performance of face- detection has also been refined. Eye- detection is available in AF- C mode and you get the option to prioritise which eye you’d like the camera to focus on.
As well as offering an excellent stills specification, the X-T3 has the most impressive video spec we’ve seen from an X-series camera. It’s Fujifilm’s first model to feature broadcast- quality 4K/60p 4:2:2 10-bit HDMI output and 4K/60p 4:2:0 10-bit internal recording to an SD card. Both can be recorded simultaneously, letting videographers capture backup video or conduct 4K/60p internal SD card recording while monitoring 4K/60p footage. Videographers will also appreciate its 200Mbps bitrate (100Mbps and 50Mbps are available) when shooting 4K/60p 4:2:0 10-bit footage, and supported formats include the widely used H.264/ MPEG- 4 AVC as well as H.265/ HEVC. Flat F-log video recording to the card is available in 4K and Full HD video formats for accurate colour grading in post-production, plus there is a dedicated video menu where all the video settings are grouped together. All existing film simulation filters can be used in stills and movie mode and the X-T3 inherits ‘Eterna’ from the X- H1, which mimics the feel of old Fujifilm film stock, producing a look with low contrast and low saturation with soft shadows.
Build and handling
The X-T3’s design and build quality has changed very little, which is testament to the X-T2 and how well it was received. If you were asked to identify the X-T3 from the X-T2 by feel with your eyes closed, you’d likely find this difficult. First impressions count for a lot and within seconds of picking it up you realise you’re holding onto a solid and robust camera that’s constructed to a high standard. Like the X-T2, the X-T3 strikes an excellent balance between small form factor and feeling substantial enough in the hand that it doesn’t feel fiddly or awkward to use. The magnesium alloy body it’s built around is sealed against moisture and dust, providing reassurance when the weather takes a turn for the worse. Persistent drizzle at a game of cricket was a good test of its wet-weather resistance and although no harm was caused, the touchscreen didn’t respond well to the wet conditions and was far less responsive than in the dry. Anyone who shoots in the rain will favour the AF toggle to shift the AF point around the frame, which can also be used to work around the quick menu and change settings in combination with the rear dial. Like the X- H1, the X-T3’s touchscreen can’t be used to navigate the main menu so there’s room for improvement here.
Having independent dials to control shutter speed, ISO and exposure compensation makes it a pleasure to operate. The only difference to these dials is they now adopt the cross-sectional shape of the X- H1’s dials, with ISO 160 squeezed in between the ‘L’ and ISO 200 settings. The quick access drive mode and metering mode switches directly below the ISO and shutter speed dials are inherited again, but now they’re just that little larger, making them that bit easier to find and operate. Just as we saw via a firmware update for the X-T2, X-T3 users can make ISO adjustments via the front dial once the ISO dial setting (A) is set to Command. It means you’re not forced to pull your eye away from the viewfinder to glance at the ISO dial on the top plate at the cost of missing a shot. Another option added to the X-T2 via firmware that’s available on the X-T3 out of the box is an Auto option for the minimum shutter speed in the ISO Auto setting. The camera then defines the minimum shutter speed automatically based on the focal length of the lens used.
A few other minor tweaks have been made around the body. The EVF’s dioptre can now be locked to avoid unintentional adjustments and the terminal cover is now fully removable for uncompromised access to the four interface ports. It’s great to see the X-T3 offer a 3.5mm headphone socket directly below the 3.5mm stereo mic input too. Better still, the X-T3 has a widely used USB Type- C port that supports in-body battery charging on the go. Power consumption has been improved on the X-T3 too,
with 390 shots being the maximum from a single charge in normal performance mode. Those who don’t want to be caught short of power are recommended to buy a spare battery, or look at the optional VG-XT3 vertical battery grip (£299). This houses two extra batteries in addition to the one in the body, and increases the battery life to 1,100 shots. It’s supplied with an AC adapter that allows the inserted batteries to be recharged in two hours provided you have access to mains power.
The level of customisation on the X-T3 is even better than that on the X-T2. You can assign settings to one of six customisable function buttons, or utilise the touchscreen and set up different swipe gestures to one of the four touch functions. I set up wireless communication to the Fn1 button on the top plate to initiate a faster pairing with my mobile devices running the Fujifilm camera remote app and found the swipe right T- Fn3 touch function is worth a try. This instantly accesses the X-T3’s large indicators mode and makes exposure variables and icons around the screen and EVF larger – great for those who may struggle to read Fujifilm’s fairly small on-screen settings. In total you can set 48 settings to the X-T3 function buttons and if you’re one for using back-button focusing, you’ll want to assign the AF- ON to the AE- L button.
Performance
The X-T2 presented a big leap in performance over the X-T1. With the X-T3, Fujifilm’s objective has not only been to make autofocus faster, but increase the accuracy and responsiveness for the type of user who demands first-rate AF when shooting high-speed action, sport or wildlife, which often involves fast and erratic movements through the frame. The wider spread of phasedetection AF pixels combined with quick data processing has enabled this and constitutes a lightning-fast autofocus performance no matter what size or position the AF point is at in the frame. The full potential of this was realised at Goodwood motor racing circuit, where the Zone and Wide/tracking AF modes were used with the X-T3’s high-speed burst settings. The X-T3 wasn’t out of its depth when it was asked to focus continuously on cars approaching head- on at high speeds before negotiating a tricky chicane. It successfully managed to acquire sharp focus from the first frame, rarely dropping focus during subsequent frames captured at 11fps and 20fps. This phenomenally impressive AF performance, combined with blackout-free continuous shooting at up to 30fps all adds up to make the X-T3 a seriously capable camera for high-speed shooting, but despite Fujifilm’s best efforts,
rolling shutter artefacts do continue to persist when using the electronic shutter – something that was observed in a few of my images where I was panning with cars at high speed.
It’s not just with high- speed subjects that the AF has improved. Performance of face- detection AF has taken a giant leap forward, far surpassing the responsiveness of the X-T2. This is immediately obvious when Face/ Eye detection is turned on. It does a good job of recognising faces right into the far corners of the frame, both in AF-S and AF- C modes. Eye- detect AF is effective at determining the crucial point of focus on a face too, with a yellow square inside the green face- detection box clearly revealing which eye it’s locked onto. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s as good as Sony’s sublime Eye AF, but it’s a big step in the right direction and will be of great use to anyone who shoots static or moving portraits under pressure.
For the majority of my testing, two Toshiba Exceria Pro 32GB SDHC UHS- II cards, capable of a 240 MB/s write speed, were loaded into the twin card slots. With these the X-T3 sustained 40 raw files being taken at 8fps and 36 raw files at 11fps before the buffer became full. Turning the electronic shutter on, I managed to shoot 34 raw files at 20fps (without 1.25x crop) and 33 raw files at 30fps with the 1.25x crop. Switching across to Fine JPEG saw the X-T3 reach 145 frames at 11fps using the mechanical shutter and 79 frames at 20fps with the electronic shutter. This number reduced to 60 frames at 30fps.
The performance of the X-T3’s EVF is splendid. It displays a sharp and accurate view while faithfully representing colour as seen by your eyes. Shooting settings automatically rotate in the EVF based on the shooting orientation and although the idea of swiping your thumb across the screen to move the AF point when the EVF is raised to your eye might sound good, it’s not as fast or precise as using the AF toggle. The ‘normal’ 60fps refresh rate is perfectly adequate for general shooting and helps to keep power consumption low, but for tracking, panning and times when you want a smoother viewing experience you’ll certainly want to engage the performance boost mode, which is assigned to the button below the Menu/OK button as default. In playback mode you’ll notice that by double tapping an image it presents a magnified view based on the focus point, which is useful for analysing sharpness, and the design of the screen, especially for low-angle work in both orientations, gives it an advantage over models such as the X-T20.
Fujifilm’s cameras are known for their faithful colour rendition and the results straight out of the X-T3 in JPEG and raw formats capture true-to-life colour. The TTL 256-zone metering system rarely misjudges scenes and with exposure compensation only a thumb flick away it’s easy to dial in exposure when it’s needed. Users can be confident leaving white balance to its AWB setting to render natural colours, and there’s a new option that allows you to assign AWB lock to any function button. If you’d like to get creative, or add extra impact to your shots in- camera, the X-T3’s suite of 16 film simulation modes can be found from the Quick Menu.