Fujifilm X100T Review

The Fujifilm FinePix X100 was a camera that represented a significant step forward for the industry since it was one of the first big sensor prime lens cameras to garner broad acceptance.

Its classic appearance, which was blatantly stolen from a particular German camera manufacturer, was justified by the exceptional image quality that its 35mm equivalent f/2 lens was capable of producing.

It was also an unusual example of a camera whose manufacturer continued to develop it for a significant time after it was released to the public. As a result, the original Fujifilm X100, when updated to the most recent firmware, is a far more capable camera than the version that was released initially by Fujifilm.

Remarkably, development on this project has continued even after the Fujifilm X100S, which is of the second generation, was released.

See: Best Memory Cards for Fujifilm X100T

To produce the X100T, Fujifilm has maintained the process of improving, refining, and evolving its previous cameras. As a result, on has a striking resemblance to the first model; behind the surface, it conceals a plethora of improvements, alterations, and new components designed to make it an even more significant advancement than what came before.

It is difficult not to recognize the use of the kaizen methodology, a Japanese term for continuous improvement. It is often used in Fujifilm’s approach to developing its X line of cameras.

Therefore, at its core, the X100T is similar to its predecessor, the X100S, in that it has a CMOS sensor with 16 megapixels, an X-Trans color filter array, and an outstanding lens with a focal length of 23 millimeters and an aperture of 2. However, practically everything beyond that has been redesigned, reevaluated, or improved upon.

Fujifilm X100T Viewfinder enhancements

The hybrid viewfinder, which has been overhauled, is perhaps the single most significant modification to the camera. The X100’s innovative viewfinder, which offered both an electronic and an optical mode and allowed for the superimposition of shooting settings, was one of the reasons for the camera’s popularity.

The finder of the X100T has been upgraded to include a 2.3 million dot LCD, and it also has a ‘tab’ that can pop up in the optical finder to darken it. This makes it possible for projected information to be viewed clearly in all lighting settings.

This tab notifies the user that the Digital Split Image manual focus technology of the camera may be used in conjunction with the optical viewfinder mode to provide an experience similar to that of using a rangefinder for manual focusing.

Cleverly, it has been added without needing additional control points: the small lever on the front of the camera that switched to the electronic viewfinder in earlier models can now also be nudged to the left to engage the in-viewfinder tab. Again, this allows the in-viewfinder account to be used without additional control points.

Fujifilm X100T Added capabilities

Additionally, the X100T comes equipped with a completely electronic shutter mode. The maximum shutter speed may now reach an amazing 1/32000 of a second thanks to this improvement, making the operation completely quiet. Furthermore, because using the electronic shutter exposes the user to the possibility of rolling the shutter, they can toggle it on and off depending on their preferences.

There have also been significant improvements made to the X100exposure T’s capabilities. For example, the ring that controls the camera’s aperture has been updated so that it may now be adjusted in 1/3 f-stop increments, as opposed to the full stops that were available on earlier iterations of the camera.

The exposure compensation dial has also been modified to extend to +/- 3EV. This is a feature that previous users had requested, and it has been included as a result of their requests. The X100T also maintains the ability to apply for exposure compensation when using Auto ISO in manual exposure mode. This enables the user to choose the shutter speed, aperture, and image brightness while allowing the camera to handle the rest of the work. This is the other significant change in terms of exposure control.

Fujifilm X100T Video modifications

Even though the X100video T’s characteristics have been upgraded, we are not yet convinced of the camera’s utility as a video recorder. However, it now has a wider variety of frame rates. In addition, it provides a better degree of control over video by providing settings such as shutter priority and aperture priority, as well as manual focus with peaking.

It is possible to record 1080p video at a bit rate of up to 36Mbps while capturing up to 60 frames per second. In addition, for the first time, there is a stereo microphone jack; however, to our great dismay, it is of the less common 2.5mm variety.

The videos captured by X-Trans cameras like the X-E2 and the X-T1 have not left a positive impression on us. It would appear that the architecture of the X-Trans filter does not lend itself to being sub-sampled for video capture, or at the very least, not with the levels of processing that Fujifilm has been utilizing.

Unfortunately, the X100T is still powered by the same NP-95 battery used in its forerunners (and, for that matter, in cameras dating back to 2006’s FinePix F30 Zoom). This means that the maximum number of shots that can be taken on a single charge remains at around 330 when the EVF mode is selected.

As may be anticipated, switching to optical viewfinder mode significantly reduces the drain on the battery. One further improvement is that the USB port on the camera may now be used to power the device while it is being charged.

And in contrast to other companies, Fujifilm has not used this feature as a pretext to charge customers more for an additional charger; instead, one is provided in the box with the camera itself. This makes it simple to keep the camera set and have a fully charged spare battery.

Fujifilm X100T Quality of the Image

The image quality of the X100T is identical to that of its predecessor, the X100S. The JPEG compression settings, however, have been altered. What the X100S referred to as ‘Fine’ has been relegated to ‘Normal,’ and a lower-compression option has been introduced as ‘Fine.’

That is very encouraging news in the vast majority of ways. The X100S could take excellent photographs and had what is widely considered the industry’s most excellent color rendering. At most working distances, the lens is exceptionally sharp, even when fully open; it is only up close that the lens begins to lose some clarity.

Fujifilm X100T Final Verdict

To go back to the two perspectives I said, you might look at the camera in one of two ways: either as an update designed for marketing or as a substantial iteration. I can’t bring myself to be as skeptical as I used to be because the changes, taken as a whole, seem to be of such a significant nature (and entail extensive re-engineering of the body and viewfinder).

Even if the updated viewfinder does not contribute significantly to the overall shooting experience, this camera is a notable improvement over the X100S due to the addition of the Classic Chrome film mode, built-in Wi-Fi, improved buttons, and increased customization options.

Because of its intuitive viewfinder and straightforward controls, it continues to be the only product on the market that can provide the same level of image quality while still delivering an enjoyable shooting experience. The image quality of Sony’s RX1 is superior, but the camera is even slower to focus, it does not have a viewfinder, and it costs twice as much as its predecessor.

Suppose the native 35mm equiv field-of-view isn’t to your liking. In that case, there are even conversion lenses with a field of view equivalent to 28 and 50 millimeters available to you (although shooters interested in 28 millimeters might want to consider the Ricoh GR if they are willing to work from Raw).

Fujifilm X100T Specs

Body type	Large sensor compact
Sensor
Max resolution	4896 x 3264
Other resolutions	4896ｘ2760,264 × 3264, 3456ｘ2304, 3456ｘ1944, 2304 × 230, 2496ｘ1664, 2 96ｘ1408 , 1664 × 1664
Image ratio w:h	1:1, 3:2, 16:9
Effective pixels	16 megapixels
Sensor size	APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm)
Sensor type	CMOS
Processor	EXR Processor II
Color space	sRGB, Adobe RGB
Color filter array	X-Trans
Image
ISO	Auto, 200-6400 (expands to 100-51200)
Boosted ISO (minimum)	100
Boosted ISO (maximum)	51200
White balance presets	7
Custom white balance	Yes
Image stabilization	No
Uncompressed format	RAW
JPEG quality levels	Fine, Normal
File format	JPEG (Exif v2.3)RAW (RAF quizEquiv)
Optics & Focus
Focal length (equiv.)	35 mm
Optical zoom	1×
Maximum aperture	F2
Autofocus	Contrast Detect (sensor)Phase DetectMulti-areaCenterSingleContinuousFace DetectionLive View.
Autofocus assist lamp	Yes
Digital zoom	No
Manual focus	Yes
Normal focus range	50 cm (19.69″)
Macro focus range	10 cm (3.94″)
Number of focus points	49
Screen/viewfinder
Articulated LCD	Fixed
Screen size	3″
Screen dots	1,040,000
Touch screen	No
Screen type	TFT-LCD
Live view	Yes
Viewfinder type	Electronic and Optical (tunnel)
Viewfinder coverage	92%
Viewfinder magnification	0.5×
Viewfinder resolution	2,360,000
Photography features
Minimum shutter speed	30 sec
Maximum shutter speed	1/4000 sec
Maximum shutter speed (electronic)	1/32000 sec
Exposure modes	Program AEShutter priorityAperture priorityManual exposure
Built-in flash	Yes
Flash Range	9.00 m (at ISO 1600)
External flash	Yes (hot-shoe)
Flash modes	Auto, forced, suppressed, slow synchro, commander
Continuous drive	6.0 fps
Self-timer	Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Metering modes	MultiAverageSpot
Exposure compensation	±2 (at 1/3 EV steps)
AE Bracketing	±3 (at 1/3 EV, 2/3 EV, 1 EV steps)
WB Bracketing	Yes
Videography features
Resolutions	1920 x 1080 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p)
Format	H.264
Microphone	Stereo
Speaker	Mono
Storage
Storage types	SD/SDHC/SDXC
Connectivity
USB	USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
HDMI	Yes (micro-HDMI)
Microphone port	Yes
Headphone port	No
Wireless	Built-In
Wireless notes	802.11b/g/n with smartphone control
Remote control	Yes
Physical
Environmentally sealed	No
Battery	Battery Pack
Battery description	Lithium-Ion NP-95 rechargeable battery & charger
Battery Life (CIPA)	330
Weight (inc. batteries)	440 g (0.97 lb / 15.52 oz)
Dimensions	127 x 74 x 52 mm (5 x 2.91 x 2.05″)
Other features
Orientation sensor	Yes
Timelapse recording	Yes
GPS	None

Fujifilm X100T Pros & Cons