AtomicPixel | Content Creation & Marketing

View Original

Fujifilm XT4. Is it worth it?

Tuan Lam

Amazon links to buy items mentioned in video/blog (These affiliate links don’t cost you anything extra, but do help us out, so thanks in advance!):

Hey, Fuji friends, Tuan here. With the release of new XT4 last week, I wanted to share my thoughts on the new features and if it's a worthy upgrade compared to the XT3, XH1 and even the XT2. 

My thoughts shared here won't be technical, but more so an in-field perspective as a Fuji shooter for weddings, interiors and brand photo and video work.

And I'll be honest with you guys, I'm fighting the urge to upgrade so maybe this video is more for me than it is for you. haha Anyways, let's get into it.

Fujifilm XT2. Oldie, but a goodie.

Let's start with the XT2. It's the oldest of the bunch, but still highly capable. It's also the cheapest right now at $800-900 Canadian with a battery grip. You'll get the same handling as the XT3 and about 80% of its performance.

I would recommend this camera for enthusiasts and casual shooters. It's perfect for family photos, travelling and just enjoying photography. 

Speaking of which, from a photography stance, you won't notice any real difference in quality when compared to XT3 and XH1. I'll put up various photos at the end of this video so you can see that it performs just as well as it's newer counterparts.

When we get into video is where you'll notice a difference. The XT2 is still perfectly fine for the average shooter, but if you're doing paid work then you'll appreciate the better quality the XT3 and XH1 provides. Especially at 120 fps, the XT3 is much sharper.

The video autofocus is also better with the XT3 and XH1. Also, in regards to autofocus, the XT2 is slower when using older Fuji lens like the 35mm 1.4 or 56 1.2. You'll definitely notice more hunting, especially in low light.

To sum it up, the XT2 is a solid choice for photography enthusiasts who want to shoot casual videos now and then. Aija actually uses it for the majority of her product photos for her candle business, so you could always check out her site or Instagram to see for yourself!

Fujifilm XH1. Solid. Satisfying.

The XH1 was the first Fuji camera to have in-body stabilization. They've improved it with firmware updates over the years and while it's still not perfect, it's good enough for what my needs. For the most part, I'm able to correct any jitters in post, but that is the issue with it. The ibis seems to fight itself and so when panning, you'll notice it's jumps or jerks now and then. I find it actually works better to pan quicker and not as stable. It's like when you're too stable it works too hard.

If you can find one, it's a steal for about $1000 with a battery grip. They had some crazy sales near Christmas last year for a new XH1, battery grip and 2 batteries for $1300 and that's when I picked mine up.

Here's a couple clips of Aija and you'll see how it jumps compared to the XT3 where it just has hand shake. Both can be smoothed out in post, but if it kicks too much then the stabilization in final cut pro will have to crop in too much. Anyways, something to consider.

For my wedding video work it's nice to keep things light so carrying around a gimbal for the entire day is too much, but the ibis helps smooth out the static hand held shots. I'm still playing around with it more to see if I can find the speed or technique to do pan shots without the kick. This is where the improved ibis looks very promising with the XT4.

The XH1 also deviates from the XT series styling. It has more of a DSLR style with a deeper grip and shutter button placement. To me, I like having the deeper grip for video use, but I like the XT body for photography since it's lighter and has a retro vibe to it. I'm a little torn so I guess it's good I have both.

Which reminds me, I read some comments where people complained about the XT series shutter button placement being uncomfortable when compared to the XH1 or other DSLRS. You'll find that the shutter button is back further on the body rather than having a beefier grip with the shutter on the end.

This is something I've never even considered as I find both configurations comfortable to use, but I thought it made sense to mention it.

The other thing that really surprised me is how much I love the leaf shutter mechanism on the XH1. It's realllllyyyy quiet with satisfying dampening. 

It's another point of contention as some people complain that the XH1 is too big and the shutter button is too sensitive. I find it comfortable to hold and the shutter is easy to get used to.

Here are clips of the shutter sounds but even these video clips don't convey just how quiet it is or good it feels. But trust me, it's frickin' niiiiiiice!

Fujifilm XT3. She’s a beaut.

Now onto the XT3. This baby is a beaut.

It's my favourite camera for both photo and video work. And now with the release of the XT4, I've seen an influx of XT3's for sale on Kijiji for around $1500. The prices will continue to drop so keep an eye out for some killer deals.

I find the HD quality on the XT3 great and so I rarely use 4K, but it's nice to have.

I love the silver and black combo. If I ever upgrade to a new body, I think I'll always keep the XT3. I've never used a camera until it dies. I'd like to see if I can achieve that. Like using a pen until it fully runs out. 

It's great, what else is there to say?

Fujifilm XT4. All the best bits.

Onto the XT4, the lovechild of the XH1 and XT3. 

It goes for $2200 Canadian, which is reasonable for the camera, but leaves plenty of room to justify saving a good chunk of change on a used XT3 or XH1.

Okay, main features of the XT4:

  • As mentioned, it now has ibis and an improved one at that. From the clips I've seem, it's much smoother and less jittery than what I've seen with the XH1.

  • It has a fully articulating screen. BUT, I do want to point out that when I used to have a Nikon D5600, I noticed I didn't like looking to the left of the camera body when shooting photos and video. I much prefer having a screen in the center of the body to help me frame my shots. On the other hand, a flippy screen is really useful for self-recording or doing family photos type scenarios. I think the screen Panasonic S1H is a great combination where it can flip up like a standard screen, but also swing-out. Then again, the way the XT2 and XT3 screens flips out in portrait orientation is a feature I use all the time. Ergonomically, it's very comfortable when shooting vertical with a battery grip with the screen flipped out on a 45 angle. So, I guess the perfect screen could be one that is a marriage between the XT3 screen with a flip capability. Or if it could simply flip upwards 180.

  • They've added 240 fps, which is cool. Will I use it much? Probably not.

  • I see they added focus tracking which looks interesting. I think if it's reliable enough then it would make certain video shots a lot easier.

  • And a shout out to my virtual youtube friend, John Stambaugh, who is a fellow wedding videographer and Fuji Fan. In his video he mentioned the dual SD recording in video mode which is something that really makes sense for wedding and other paid work. Backups are key.

  • I know there are some new film simulations, tone curve, but I'm hoping it's something Fuji will update in firmware for the XT3.

  • A dedicated photo/video dial has been added, but what would have been better is if a separate record button was added. This way video can be recorded in an instant rather than switching a dial. 

  • The other big change is the battery. This comes as good and bad. Good because you'll get double the battery life, but bad because if you're already a Fuji shooter then you can't use your existing batteries. For me, I already have a ton of batteries and with the battery grip I don't have to worry about running out of juice. For example, I only end up using 3-4 batteries for an entire wedding day. 

Final Thoughts

Alright, let's wrap things up.

The Fuji XT4 is amazing, don't get me wrong, but if you already have one of the Fuji's I mentioned here then you might be able to hold out a little longer. 

I think I'll wait to see what they have in store next year for the XH2. It hasn't been confirmed or denied, so I hope they keep the XH series alive.

And if you're coming from Sony, Nikon, Canon or otherwise, this is what I tell my friends when they ask me which camera to get.

I always say you have to touch, feel and handle the camera to see what you think. Cameras these days are all really good and it comes down to personal preference. It's like buying a t-shirt. It does the same job, but our tastes are all different, so you gotta try it out. 

Some think of cameras as a tool, which it is, but if there's something about it that is fun or excites you, then you'll be more apt to use it more, right?

So, that's my video essay to convince myself I don't need to upgrade just yet. haha!

Once again, thanks for watching/reading, guys -- until next time!