As the popularity of mirrorless cameras rises to previously unseen heights and with every manufacturer giving all they got to take a slice of the pie that is mirrorless camera market, it’s only natural that we should give some attention to Fujifilm and some of their best efforts to come out on top as one of the best around. As you’ll soon come to realize, there are really some quite interesting and diverse offerings in their line-up. So as usual, we’ll start with the most affordable camera and end up with some of the more exotic ones.
It's a compact mirrorless camera with above the average sensor size and a lens with a useful zoom range and maximum aperture. It's built around a 12 megapixel 2/3 inch X-Trans CMOS II sensor with EXR Processor II providing it with all the necessary power. While this sensor isn't as big as the 1-inch sensors we usually find in these types of cameras, it's still noticeably bigger than the 1/2.3 inch sensors found in a lot of cameras in its price range, so we have no complaints here.
The image quality you can expect from this camera is rather good. You can get a lot of detail in your shots at lower ISOs and also benefit from good dynamic range if you end up with some over or underexposed areas in your photos.
The noise performance is also very respectable for such a relatively small sensor and you can get usable images up to ISO 1600. At an ISO of 3200 there's a little too much noise for our taste, but at least the amount of detail retained is still ok if you decide to shoot in RAW. If you aim to get the most detail out of X30, we suggest you use RAW capture when shooting at ISO of 800 or above because the JPEG algorithms apply too much noise reduction at these ISO values and we believe that so much processing really isn't necessary. The same applies to video quality, it's good at normal ISO values while some noticeable noise creeps in at 1600 and 3200.
The body of the X30 is another of its strengths being made out of magnesium alloy and looking very sharp and retro-like. There's also a lot of manual controls available for a compact camera with as much as three dials. There's also a very useful articulated 920,000 dot 3-inch TFT-LCD and a large high resolution 2,360,000 dots EVF - Our only complaint here is the omission of a touchscreen which is a pretty normal affair these days on many cameras. We understand that some corners had to be cut to keep it competitive price wise, we just wish that this wasn't one of these cuts.
The AF system in X30 consists of 49 focus points and its performance is average at best. You won't have many problems with it in regular use, but it can be quite hesitant to focus correctly while you're shooting extreme macro or portrait photos when you aren't holding the camera in landscape. Unfortunately, the situation for video isn't any better and you'll get much better results when using manual focus helped by the focus peaking.
Back on the more positive note, the lens on the X30 is of very high quality; besides having such a useful aperture range it's also sharp, exhibits minimal distortions and is also quite resistant to flare because of Fuji's familiar EBC coatings. Its Wi-Fi capabilities are also very good and give you an easy way to connect to your smartphone or a tablet with Fuji Camera Remote app. The app itself is well thought out and easy to navigate through and also serves as a replacement for the missing touchscreen by giving you the ability to use tap to focus on your smart device. Other noticeable features include a pop-up flash unit, 12 fps burst rate, RAW support, micro-HDMI port and a battery life for 470 shots.
It's no surprise that the Fujifilm as a company currently enjoys a very good reputation because of its mirrorless cameras and not only because of their flagship devices that have attracted the attention of enthusiast and professional users but also for those entry-level models that have managed to awaken the interest of beginner and amateur users without big budgets to spend on their gear.
A truly successful company is the one that has managed to offer compelling products for all kinds of different audiences and Fujifilm is certainly a prime example of such a manufacturer. The Fujifilm X-A5 is the company's latest entry-level mirrorless camera for the year 2018 and as was the case with its predecessor it also aims to offer as much bang for the buck without sacrificing too much of those positive aspects that Fuji's cameras have become known for in the last decade (namely the iconic design and very good image quality).
While the X-A5 doesn’t feature one of company’s trademark X-Trans sensors, believe it or not, the 24-megapixel APS-C sensor found inside its body is still a very capable one and will give you the ability to produce sharp (assuming that you use a quality lens), colorful and clean images (thanks to the very good noise performance) at all times and in almost all conditions. It also features a very decent dynamic range (allowing you to balance bright and dark areas in more challenging shooting situations, no matter if you’re shooting in RAW or JPEG mode), an ISO range of 200 to 12800 (expandable to 100 at the low and up to 51200 at the high end) and three aspect ratios to choose from (1:1, 4:3 and 16:9). Well, these are certainly great times to get a new camera if you’re on a tight budget as buying a cheaper product doesn’t mean inferior image quality anymore and getting very good photos isn’t reserved to professionals and enthusiasts anymore.
The X-A5 also doesn’t disappoint in terms of its performance-related aspects; 30 sec slowest shutter speed, 1/4000 sec maximum (as high as 1/32000 sec if you enable the electronic shutter), 6 fps burst rate, 1/180 sec maximum flash sync speed and the battery life that will allow you to shoot up to 450 images per charge all fall within the realm of positive aspects when it comes to an entry-level camera and you won’t hear us complaining about any of them. We do hope we’ll live to see viewfinders and image stabilization becoming a standard for beginner friendly cameras (as both of them are missing on the X-A5) but that’s the price you have to pay (or don’t pay) for getting a more simple and approachable camera.
We were quite pleased to see that a hybrid AF system came included with the Fujifilm X-A5, as the 91-point system found on this camera is very capable when it comes to coping with many different tasks (at least those within the expectations for an entry-level camera) and can even handle subject tracking decently well. This also translates well to video recording, as the inclusion of phase detect points really does help in providing a good continuous focusing performance for that kind of work and that certainly means a lot for the X-A5’s video production capabilities (which are certainly better than you would expect in certain areas). Things like the 4K recording (even though it tops out at 15 fps), 1080p 60 fps and the 720 120 fps modes, the tilting TFT LCD touchscreen with a resolution of 1,040,000 dots, stereo microphones and the ability to connect an external one and the aforementioned hybrid AF system really are a nice collection of functions that will be of good use to anyone looking to explore video recording in a more dedicated manner or just trying to learn all the ropes. Still, the lack of a headphone jack, image stabilization (although some of Fuji’s lenses do feature built-in stabilization) and some of the more advanced features like Zebra patterns or the Log profiles do mean that the X-A5 won’t be a perfect camera for those that need a backup body for any serious video production.
The rest of the features found on the Fujifilm X-A5 that should be brought to your attention are the built-in flash unit (and a standard hotshoe connector), USB 2.0 port and mini-HDMI ports, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1 LE, USB charging and the standard orientation sensor. Things like weather sealing, GPS and the USB 3.0 connectivity are missing, but again, those certainly don’t sound like such big omissions considering the aggressive price point Fuji is selling the X-A5 for and thus, a very wide array of different users should be able to afford it and enjoy all of its features without breaking the bank or going into any kind of debt.
This may be the most unique camera of this entire article (and naturally, the most expensive one) but there are a lot of reasons why that is the case. The Fujifilm GFX 50S may feature a slightly different design language than what we’ve grown accustomed to seeing from Fuji’s regular mirrorless cameras, but it is far from being able to fit into that regular category.
It marks the Fuji’s first foray on to the digital medium format cameras market and it has managed to leave a big impression on everyone involved in any kind of photography business (even if they don’t have any interest in using a medium format camera in the near future).
Still, despite its competitive price point and feature set (for its part of the market, at least) the Fujifilm GFX 50S is not a camera that will ever become a mainstream success, but rather a specialized tool for those demanding users that aren’t satisfied with everything else the rest of the camera market has to offer.
It is certainly a step in the right direction (however small it may seem) when it comes to making medium format cameras more easily obtainable to a wider range of photographers than ever before and considering the fact that medium format sensors still aren’t easy to produce massively and at a very large scale, we are happy to see that some strides have been made in reducing the price of the cameras that feature one of those sensors.
Well, enough of the introduction, let’s see what GFX 50S really has going for itself. Obviously, the thing that stands the most about it and is its main purpose of existence is the 51.4-megapixel medium format CMOS sensor that sits inside of its body (its exact size is 43.8x32.9mm) and as you would expect it will bring you the amount of resolution that can better even the best full frame cameras out there (that’s the point of a medium camera, isn’t it?).
What’s also great about it is that it doesn’t sacrifice a lot in terms of dynamic range and noise performance in order to reach its capabilities and will allow you to get very good results when shooting landscapes or in low light conditions. The also offers a decent ISO range of 100-12800 (which can be boosted to 102400) and the support for both the RAW and TIFF image formats (which means that you won’t have to shoot in RAW at all times to be able to get good image quality).
When it comes to performance, some sacrifices had to be made but they aren’t as big as you would expect for this type of a camera; the GFX 50S features a 117-point contrast detect sensor, a decently capable X Processor Pro, a maximum shutter speed of 1/16000 sec (thanks to the inclusion of an electronic shutter) and a slowest one of 360 sec (yes, that’s not a typo), a 1/125 sec flash sync speed and the 3 fps burst rate speed. None of these aspects of the GFX 50S will blow anyone away but they are plenty sufficient to provide its users with a good enough experience when it comes to the overall performance. Video recording capabilities also aren’t the best ones when compared to other modern cameras (especially at the similar price point) and that is mainly because of the lack things like 4K recording, 60 fps recording speed and a few of the more advanced video-centric features, but Fuji have still managed to include very important ones like both the headphone and microphone jacks and also the Focus peaking and thus, those of you that were planning to shoot a couple of videos from time to time can rest assured that the GFX 50S is more than capable producing full HD footage of very good quality.
Besides other great features like Wi-Fi, dual SD card slots (compatible with the UHS-II standard), USB 3.0 and micro-HDMI ports and the stereo microphones, the Fujifilm GFX 50S manages to round up its capabilities very well with its excellent build quality (thanks to the magnesium alloy construction and the environmental protection), great handling for a medium format camera (due to very reasonable proportions and weight) and an advanced control scheme that should make even the most demanding photographers very satisfied. Add to that one of the most impressive combinations of a touchscreen and EVF on the market (since the screen itself is a 3.2-inch OLED unit with a resolution of 2,360,000 dots and the viewfinder brings even higher resolution of 3,690,000 dots and a high 1.08x 35mm equivalent magnification) and despite the premium asking price point, you certainly are getting a product of very high quality that in a way manages to do more than the nature of its design would lead you to believe.
In many ways it can be considered as an upgrade for the camera on your phone as it's also build around a large touchscreen and a fixed wide angle lens. The sensor in the X70 is Fuji's venerable 16 megapixel X-Trans CMOS II APS-C sensor that can already be found in many of their more premium models.
To make sure you can get the most out of that sensor Fuji decided to couple it with a Fujinon 28mm f2.8 lens. Other than it being of high quality and gathering a good amount of light because of that f2.8 aperture it also has an impressive minimum focus distance of 10 cm making it very versatile lens indeed.
Almost every part of X70's body is made out of metal with some plastic parts here and there mostly for doors protecting the ports. It feels and looks like an old film camera, but a lot slimmer than the rangefinder style cameras back in the day. There are two major things that separate it from those cameras when you look at it and these the tilting touchscreen and the lack of a viewfinder. Considering how closely the X70 resembles those retro cameras, it's quite strange that Fuji didn't include the viewfinder to complete the whole package. At least the screen itself is really good, so you're not completely left in the dark.
To finish the story about the body of the X70 we should also mention that it comes with integrated Wi-Fi, micro-HDMI port, build-in flash unit with a maximum range of 7.9 meters and a lithium-ion battery that's rated at 330 shots. The X70 sports a Hybrid AF system which makes use of both the contrast and phase detection AF and combines them both to help you get more accurate focus. It's not very fast, but it is precise, even in low light. You'll also get some useful AF modes like Zone AF, Wide/Tracking and face/eye detection. There's also a Touch AF mode which enables you to use the touchscreen to select a desired focus point, which is very useful to have. Now, let's say a few words about image quality.
The X70 produces pleasing images all around. There's plenty of detail captured with no noticeable over sharpening and colors come out accurate and neutral. Noise performance is also great and you'll be able to get very usable images even at very high ISO values. The story is the same with RAW, so we have no complaints here. One thing you do have to keep in mind is that the lens (albeit pretty resistant to everything from distortions to vignetting) is a little soft wide open and you'll need to stop down to at least f5.6 to get really sharp images. One interesting feature you get with the X70 is the digital teleconverter. It works only in JPEG mode and it digitally turns the 28mm lens into 35mm or 50mm by cropping into the sensor.
As expected, there is a noticeable decrease in image quality and some artifacts do appear, but honestly it isn't that bad for casual use and for those photos that you just plan to view on your computer screen or post online. Those who plan to print their images shouldn't use this mode. If you wonder why we still haven't said anything about the video recording on the X70, It's because it just isn't very good. It's ok for a casual video here and there, but nothing more than that. This is a camera for taking photos and you should treat it like one and forget about video.
If you’re one of those people that are looking into purchasing a capable Fujifilm camera but aren’t ready to invest large amounts of money to get a very good feature set that is close to one found on a flagship device, then you should seriously look into getting the Fujifilm X-T20 as your next investment to fulfil all of your photography and videography needs. It is one of those mid-range cameras that present itself as a great value for money and will be of interest to both the enthusiast users and those that want more from their camera than what an entry-level device is able to offer.
So, as always, we’ll start by talking about the sensor, something that was always one of the most impressive aspects of any of Fuji’s mirrorless cameras. As you would expect for a mid-range offering, it features one of Fuji’s well-known X-Trans III 24-megapixel APS-C sensors, which are well known amongst the photographic community to offer great color accuracy, low noise and good levels of sharpness. Where they did tend to lag behind the competition is when it comes to video quality, but that has changed this time around since Fuji has introduced 4K recording to a lot of their newer models and have substantially increased the quality of the videos themselves in the transition from 1080p to 4K support. The company has also been known for being able to optimize the JPEG processing to very satisfying levels and the story is no different with the X-T20. The fine balance between sharpening and noise reductions is always retained (even at very high ISO levels) and of course, the colors are very pleasant out of the box and even more interesting if one of the familiar Film Simulation modes is applied.
Dynamic range is also right there with the best of cameras that also feature an APS-C sensor and will certainly enable you to get nicely exposed images even in more challenging situations (or let you adjust shadows and highlights to your liking while processing RAW files and without having too much of a negative effect on the overall image quality). While the Fujifilm X-T20 may not have a built-in image stabilization system (and thus will require you to use a stabilized or a wide aperture lens), a nice choice of ISO (200-12800, expandable to 51200) and shutter speed values (30-1/4000 sec for the mechanical shutter and up to 1/32000 sec for the electronic one) and the built-in flash unit (together with the standard hotshoe mount) will allow you to get some really nice low light shots, so no worries there. Performance-wise, the X-T20 also presents itself as a polished piece of gear; the X-Processor Pro2, a 325-point Hybrid AF system, 1/180 sec flash sync speed and the 8-fps burst rate (with a buffer length of around 50 JPEG or 30 RAW files) are all traits that fit well within its mid-range nature.
It also features an endurance of 350 shots, something that isn’t anything remarkable and fits within the average norm for a portable mirrorless camera (videographers that plan to make use of the 4K recording will need to invest in an extra battery pack if they plan to shoot the entire day). That 4K capability is also backed up by the extra smooth 1080p 60 fps mode, stereo microphones and an external microphone port, decent focusing speed thanks to the Hybrid AF and the touch-enabled screen, Focus peaking, F-Log gamma profile and full manual control over exposure and audio levels. It is very close to being a nice and relatively cheap alternative to professional video production cameras but the lack of a headphone jack, Zebra patterns and the 10-minute limit to 4K recording do bring it down to a level expected for its price point (meaning it’s still a good camera for recording videos, but not for any kind of high levels of production). Despite not being weather sealed, the X-T20 is also a nicely built camera thanks to its magnesium alloy construction and ergonomic design but is also quite portable due to its narrow dimensions and a total of 383 grams of weight. Still, such limitation in dimensions didn’t stop Fujifilm from including things like the tilting 3-inch TFT LCD touchscreen with a resolution of 1,040,000 dots, an EVF with a magnification of 0.93x and a 2,460,000-dot resolution, both the mechanical and electronic shutters, your standard USB 2.0 and micro-HDMI ports, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n and the regular UHS-I compatible SD card slot.
In a nutshell, Fuji did a fine job in creating a very capable mid-range camera that doesn’t cut too many corners to reach its competitive price point and that will serve a wide array of users (no matter how much they’re involved in photography in videography) very well and provide them with the necessary means to get great stills and video quality.
Fuji’s X100 series of cameras have always enjoyed a lot of popularity among street photographers and all of those users looking for a stylish and capable camera that offers a shooting experience similar to film rangefinder cameras in the days of old. The X100F is the newest addition to that lineup and one that takes all the good things about its predecessor and improves on them in almost every way, leaving you with a lot more polished and feature a complete camera.
The biggest change over the has to be the image sensor. The X100F now sports Fuji’s newest 24-megapixel X-Trans sensor which promises to bring a lot more detail into your photos when compared to the older 16-megapixel one, but without any penalty to the already impressive noise performance and dynamic range. The lens on top of it is still the same high-quality 35mm equivalent unit found on the older X100T, which is good, since we really never had any complaints about that lens. The maximum available ISO range of 51200 is now also available for both RAW and JPEG shooting, so the limitation of only being able to shoot at an ISO of 6400 when shooting RAW is gone.
Aside from the obvious improvement in image quality, the X100T is also a noticeably faster camera than its predecessor. The biggest change here is the new Hybrid AF system which has a lot more focus point than the older one found in the X100T. There’s a total of 325 focus points at your disposal (169 of them being based on contrast detect AF). All of this means that the X100F has the ability to focus faster in all lighting conditions and also predict subject movement more precisely resulting in a lot better continuous autofocus performance. The burst rate speed also received an improvement as you are given the ability to shot at 8 fps instead of 6 fps. The buffer size has also been increased from around 25 JPEGs on the X100T to around 60 JPEGs. Battery life also received an improvement and now sits around 390 shots per charge, instead of the 330 shots found on the previous model.
The body of the X100F is similar to the one of the X100T, but there are also some changes found here. The X100F now has two control dials instead of only one and also the new ISO dial that’s combined with the shutter speed dial on the top of the camera. This improves handling and usability immensely and makes this one of the most important upgrades over the X100T. It also makes the lack of a touchscreen much easier to swallow, since even without it the X100F is not a hard camera to use, even if you’re not an advanced user or a professional photographer. The viewfinder and the screen remain unchanged, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The screen is still sharp and large enough for most uses and the combination of an optical and electronic viewfinder still gives you an excellent shooting experience rarely found on any other camera.
The X100F is still primarily a stills camera, since there were no notable changes made to the video mode. You can still record the same 1080p footage at 60 fps, which now looks better than on the X100T, but still not as good as on some of its competitors or those having 4K capabilities. At least there’s the ability to connect an external microphone, something that is still useful to have on any camera, no matter how good its video mode really is.
We are almost at the end of our list and we've saved the best for the last. The Fujifilm X-T2 has been released quite recently so it will be fun to take a look at something completely new.
This is a flagship camera in almost any regard, so prepare for some killer specs. First, there's the new 24 megapixels X-Trans CMOS III sensor. Although the previous iteration of Fuji's X-Trans sensor did produce some nice looking images in all conditions, the amount of detail was still limited because of the lower resolution and also, the video quality suffered quite a bit. Has Fuji managed to solve both of these problems with the new sensor? We are happy to say that they did.
The new sensor could really be called a work of art, in a way. It produces very detailed images in both RAW and JPEG modes, with no over-sharpening halos or artifacts in JPEG. The noise performance is even better and even comes close to some full-frame cameras. That means that you can safely crank up those ISO values without worrying too much that you'll end up with unusable results. Lastly, the dynamic range is also very impressive for an APS-C sensor and you'll get a lot of room if you plan on playing with exposure of your shadows and highlights. It's actually pretty amazing how good today's APS-C sensors have become and it seems that the gap between them and the full-frame sensors is slowly closing, meaning that the general rule that you must go with full-frame to get great image quality isn't really valid anymore. One really major improvement over the older sensor is the video quality.
Fuji finally stepped up and included 4K video capture in one of their cameras and one that's of really good quality. It's easily comparable to almost every other camera out there that can record 4K video and it even surpasses some. Also, in addition to those improvements, the X-T2 also gains the microphone jack, more control over the autofocus and a flat F-Log gamma profile. There is one limit because of its size and that's the maximum recording time of 10 minutes when you're shooting in 4K. If you want to extend that then you'll need to opt-in for a Power Booster Grip which extends it to 30 minutes. That time is increased because of the additional two batteries that can be found in the grip itself. It also sports another useful feature, the headphone socket.
The AF system in the X-T2 is also a major step ahead from the ones found in the previous models of X-series. It has 325 AF points, 169 of which offer phase detection. That phase detection area is used for subject tracking and covers a nice center portion of the image sensor. It's not spread as widely as on some more expensive DSLRs, but it’s still enough to get you good tracking performance. It could still use some improvement when focusing in low light, but since there are so many other improvements to be found, we'll let this one slide.
Let's round up this mini review with some other honorable mentions when it comes to specifications. You'll get the ISO range from 200 – 12800 (expands to 100 – 51200), shutter speed range from 30 – 1/32000 sec and a maximum burst rate of 14 fps. On the hardware side, there are a 3-inch tilting screen, an EVF with a magnification of 0.77x, dual SD card slots, USB 3.0, W-Fi and micro-HDMI.
It’s a well-known fact that Fujifilm is one of the biggest players in the mirrorless camera market and that they still remain one of those rare companies that are able to create good products no matter their price point and the category they fit in (as you will certainly be able to see by taking a look at each of the cameras featured in this article). While all of them have some recognizable aspects, only two of them really manage to stand out on their own right from the time you take notice of their design; it’s the GFX 50S (a camera that marks Fuji’s latest venture in medium format sensors) and the X-H1 (a flagship APS-C mirrorless camera that is targeted at a different audience than most of users due to its much increased dimensions and weight over the rest of Fuji’s mirrorless cameras we’ve grown accustomed to).
Overall rating:
75
Design:
0
70
100
Ease of Use:
0
80
100
Price:
0
60
100
Features:
0
90
100
Pros
Excellent image quality
5-axis image stabilization
Very sturdy and ergonomic body
Weather sealing
14 fps burst rate (8 fps with the use of a mechanical shutter)
4K recording
Slow motion 1080p 120 fps mode
Very flexible touchscreen
Excellent EVF
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth 4.0
USB 3.0 support
Dual SD card slots
Microphone jack
1/250 sec flash sync speed
Very good 325-point Hybrid AF system
Advanced video features
1/32000 sec maximum shutter speed
Cons
Unimpressive battery life
The headphone jack is only available with the purchase of an optional battery grip
15 minute limit to 4K recording
No built-in flash unit (although a basic small flash is included in the box)
Here we’re talking about the X-H1 and it’s certainly a camera that has a lot to offer (you would expect it from the time you look at its price point) and let us start with talking about its imaging capabilities. It features one of Fuji’s familiar 24-megapixel APS-C X-Trans sensors (the same one built inside the Fujifilm X-T2) and thus, its ability to provide its owners with images and videos of very high quality certainly isn’t something you should have to worry about. Fuji’s mirrorless cameras have long been known for being able to provide clean photos (even in low light) with recognizable colors and the X-H1 is no different in this regard (the simulated film effects and the rest picture styles you were hoping the find are also available and in a very large number).
The available ISO range is pretty standard (native 200-12800 and expandable to 100 or 51200) but is even more useful when you take into account the fact that there’s a 5-axis image stabilization system on board (capable of up to 5 stops of correction) as you will rarely have to use very high ISO values with that kind of solution (unless you’re shooting sports or action of course). This is one of the main reasons why the X-H1 features a body that’s larger than those of other Fuji’s mirrorless cameras, but there are some additional ones like the better handling, more advanced control system, better heat management and the addition of the secondary monochrome LCD screen featured on the top right of the camera. Still, despite its increased dimensions and weight, the X-H1 still isn’t bigger or heavier than your traditional DSLR camera or even a mirrorless camera like the Panasonic GH5 (which has been the favorite of many people despite not having all the benefits of a mirrorless system in terms of portability). It also feels extremely solid in the hand thanks to its magnesium-alloy construction and will also be able to handle many types of harsh environments and shooting conditions thanks to it being weather sealed. The body itself (its interior and exterior) also contain an impressive set of features consisting of the 3-inch tilting TFT LCD touchscreen with a resolution of 1,040,000 dots, a very impressive electronic viewfinder with a 35mm equivalent magnification of 0.75x and a resolution of 3,690,000 dots, dual SD card slot that support the UHS-II standard, USB 3.0 and micro-HDMI ports, a microphone jack, Wi-Fi 802.11/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 and lastly, the USB charging feature. Sadly, despite its dimensions and pedigree, for some reason, Fuji have decided not to include a put a headphone jack directly on the body itself (and thus round up its otherwise impressive set of video-centric features) but have instead decided to put it on the optional Vertical Power Booster Grip that can be purchased separately from the X-H1.
While the battery grip itself is a very useful addition since it brings much-improved battery life (up to 900 shots from the default unimpressive 310 shots), weather sealing similar to one included on the camera body and also better overall performance and faster burst rate, it’s still not nice when a company forces you to buy an additional accessory to get a functionality that is otherwise featured on the cameras themselves (especially in this price range). Still, things like the microphone jack, 4K recording at 200 Mbps, 1080p 60 fps and 120 fps recording, Movie Silent Control, F-Log profile, 24-bit audio capture, the 5-axis image stabilization, Zebra patterns, Focus Peaking and many more advanced features that would take a separate review to be mentioned in their entirety still make the X-H1 a very capable option for those dedicated videographers interested in Fuji’s cameras and their impressive set of quality lenses.
The last aspect of the Fujifilm X-H1 that needs to be covered is its performance and it really leaves us no room for critique in this category (except when it comes to battery life, but we’re talking about speed here); a 325-point Hybrid AF system, 8 fps burst rate (increased to 11 fps while the additional grip is being used or to as high as 14 fps in the electronic shutter mode), 1/250 sec flash sync speed and the 1/32000 maximum shutter speed (once again, thanks to the built-in electronic shutter) are all flagship worthy features and are responsible for making the X-H1 an impressive camera that it really is and one of the best that the company has to offer in the year of 2018.
We hope we’ve given you a good overview of what Fuji has to offer when it comes to their most praised models and that you’ll appreciate their efforts in making cameras that really stand out from the crowd with their distinctive design and unparalleled build quality as well as some of the best image quality you’ll ever find on a mirrorless camera. As this article proves, they really do stand tall in the ever growing and competitive camera market.
The Selection Criteria
There are a lot of important factors to consider when complaining a list like this one and picking the best cameras out of the bunch isn’t always an easy thing to do. The first thing we had to do is to figure out the most logical way to separate each camera into a set number of points that perfectly describe its feature set and overall capabilities. After a long thought process, we decided on a list of nine most important factors that will allow us to easily differentiate one camera from another and let you choose the best one for you with more ease. Let us examine each of those in more detail, so you can get a better understanding of how we decided what cameras deserve to be on this list.
Design – While it may sound like something that is purely subjective and only relates to how good are the looks of a particular camera, it is also something that relates to how its built and is it comfortable to use. It’s important to find a camera which has the right balance between an attractive design and comfort, but since your camera is primarily a tool for taking photos and videos we will always favor functionality over good looks in our reviews.
Price/Product rate – It’s true that there is a number of professional users out there who aren’t worrying too much about the asking price for their cameras because they need the best of the best for their work and can’t satisfy with anything less. Most of the users, however, are always on a look out for a product with a great price to features ratio and we will gladly help them in making the right decision. When choosing a camera to feature on a particular list, we are always looking for a product that offers enough compelling features no matter its price point, so the end user ultimately feels happy about their purchase and that they are sure that their hard-earned money was well spent.
Weight – While it’s not the most important factor when choosing a new camera, it certainly is when you’re buying one that you’re planning to carry with you often or if you’re, for example, travelling a lot and you don’t want to be burdened by the weight of your camera too much and enjoy your trip instead. This is especially important in the case of a compact and mirrorless camera, where portability is one of their main selling points. You also need to take into account the build quality, which will also add some grams to the total weight of the camera. So, you’ll need to decide if you want a camera that’s lighter and easier to work with or you want a more durable and substantial camera that will be slightly less portable.
Waterproof capabilities – Protection from the elements may not be the first thing on someone’s mind when buying a device with electronics inside of it, but many advanced and professional users who are always shooting in different weather conditions find this an important factor when buying a new camera. To keep things in the right perspective, we usually won’t judge an entry-level or even a mid-range camera on the account of its water or dust proof capabilities, but we certainly will for a more expensive one where it’s expected that it has enough protection to be able to withstand any shooting scenario you throw at it and work its magic any time of the day.
Grip – One of the most important things to consider about your new potential purchase. It’s of utmost importance that the camera is designed in a way that it fits comfortably and securely in your hand without any chance of being dropped while you’re shooting with it or simply holding it while walking or taking a look at the scenery. This is where some manufacturers drop the ball when designing a camera with all metal or all plastic construction, but without the necessary parts that provide a good grip like some rubber or faux leather accents on the front and the back of the camera. What’s also important, especially with larger cameras, is that it has a deep enough grip on its front and the one that allows for your fingers to comfortably wrap around it and allow you to hold your camera with confidence and without the fear of dropping it.
Image quality – This is possibly one of the main reasons to why someone decides to buy a dedicated camera. While there are many other benefits to buying a camera, as stated on this list of different metrics, image quality may be the one that takes the cake. It’s true that our smartphones have become very capable in taking decent looking photos and videos, but a lot of them still haven’t come close to most compact cameras in terms of image quality, let alone more advanced ones. So, there’s a big chance that you’re looking into buying a dedicated camera to get even better quality photos or videos and you’ll want to know how capable each model of camera is in this regard. When examining image quality of a particular camera we are always taking into account things like sharpness, color balance, noise performance, dynamic range, JPEG algorithms, lens quality and sometimes even of features that allow you to tinker with the look of your photos directly from the camera itself like different filters and picture styles. You can rest assured that you’ll easily be able to pick a camera from our list if image quality is one of your most important factors when buying a new camera.
Adaptability – The importance of adaptability varies from one type of camera to another and so does its importance as a factor to take into account when purchasing a new camera. So, it depends if you’re buying, for example, a compact camera which usually isn’t very expandable and are made to work out of the box and with almost no input from the users aside from using the camera. On the other hand, mirrorless cameras and DSLRs are a completely different story. It’s important that they don’t come with proprietary, but with universally compatible connectors for accessories like flashes, microphones, headphones or memory cards, so a lot of choices can be given to users in choosing the right one for them. Even more important is the choice of lenses that are given at your disposal. While most of the camera manufacturers offer a decent selection of first-party lenses, some of them don’t offer much in terms of alternatives coming from third-party companies. We will certainly take something like into account when choosing the right camera for you and make sure you’ll be covered as much as possible in this regard.
Ease of use – Making an intuitive user interface that’s easy to navigate and a control layout that won’t require you to relearn everything you already know about using a camera should be a top priority for every camera manufacturer out there; yet, it isn’t. For this reason, we will always carefully examine each and every camera and make sure that using it won’t become a chore no matter if you’re a beginner or an advanced user. We will also see how much the camera offers in terms of customization and how well it can adapt to your certain needs. This is especially important for mid-range cameras and above, where having a lot of programmable controls and different quick menus is always a desirable thing to have. If we’re talking about a beginner’s camera, we will make sure it has enough modes and features that will help you learn your way around photography and figure out how a particular camera works. No matter the camera type, this is certainly one of the most important things to look for and we’ve certainly got you covered.
Availability – Since we are always dealing with products that come from very respectable and globally familiar brands, availability often isn’t a big issue, except in the case where the camera becomes outdated and it stops being manufactured. When that happens, we’ll make sure to update our articles to bring you the newest models possible, so this potential problem can be avoided in its entirety. Other than that, all of our cameras can easily be purchased online and so can every important piece of gear that they can be equipped with.
FAQs
What’s the best Fujifilm camera on this list?
Well, it depends on what you’re looking for in a camera. If you’re not interested in changing lenses, then that would be the X100T. Otherwise, the X-Pro2 would be your best pick.
Which one of these cameras could be considered the best buy product?
Like with most Fuji cameras, you need to decide if the idea of owning different lenses appeals to you or you just want a camera that works out of the box. The X-A3 is a great choice if you’re planning to invest in a few lenses as it comes with a very competitive price while offering an excellent set of features at the same time. If you’re after a camera with a fixed lens, go for the X30 if you need the ability to zoom in and out or for the X70 if you’re satisfied with a prime lens and also better image quality.
I’m looking for a camera with excellent battery life, which one should I pick?
That would be the Fujifilm X30. With an endurance of 470 shots per charge, it is a definite champion among all other offerings on our list.
I’m planning to shoot some wildlife, but I don’t have the budget to invest in expensive telephoto lenses, which camera should I get?
The clear winner here is the Finepix S1. It offers a massive 50x zoom range which goes up to an impressive 1200mm at its longest end. If you’re looking for a camera that has some serious range, then you can’t go wrong with this one.
I need a camera that provides excellent image quality and gives you a lot of control, but I don’t need the latest and greatest one, what’s the right one for me?
The X-T10 would probably be the best choice for you. It offers a very capable X-Trans image sensor, excellent physical controls and a great electronic viewfinder, all wrapped out in a body that’s made to the highest standards. It also doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, something that we assume is also of interest to you.
What if I need the best image quality, together with a very capable AF system and great construction, but also at a price that won’t break the bank?
You should seriously take a look at the Fujifilm X-T2. It offers the latest APS-C sensor, 325-point hybrid AF system, 4K video recording and a magnesium alloy body, all at a very competitive price for such an advanced camera. You really can’t go wrong with this one as it will certainly fulfill your high expectations you probably have a camera.
I currently own a camera that records 1080p footage and I keep hearing all the buzz surrounding the 4K video recording. I’m considering buying a new camera and getting on the 4K bandwagon, but is it really worth it or is it just another marketing gimmick?
Well, investing in a 4K camera certainly wasn’t a recommendation you would get from many reviewers if you’ve asked that question a couple of years ago. In 2018, the story is entirely different. The 4K recording certainly has its benefits, the biggest one obviously being image quality and it really shows, especially if you watch the footage on a 4K screen. The second one is being able to crop into your footage in post processing with minimal loss in quality, giving you a lot of room for your creativity to run wild in editing. So, there’s no way around it, 1080p resolution is bound to become obsolete with 4K becoming the new mainstream and it’s happening sooner than we expected.
Are Fuji’s cameras really that good or is it just great marketing on their behalf that made them so famous?
We strongly believe that the reason why Fujifilm cameras are so respected among many photographers is that of Fuji’s attention to detail when making a product, no matter its price point. They often try hard to differentiate from the crowd, especially when it comes to image and build quality, as you’ll be able to see by looking at each and every camera on this list. Realistically, not all of their products are perfect, which is something that can be said about every company out there. Fujifilm is one of those rare manufacturers that are succeeding in building a competitive camera in every product category and at every price range and this is one of the main reasons to why they’ve become such a household name on the camera market.
An amateur photographer, songwriter, musician, computer and technology geek and an occasional comedian, I'm a little bit of everything. I always aim to pursue things I'm passonate about and try to look on the positive side of things whenever I can. My mission is to wrap my articles in that aura of positive energy and keep a healthy balance between being serious about my work and spicing things up with a little fun now and than. After all, life's a game and there's always a different way to play it.
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