FujiFilm have recently released the new X-T3 mirrorless digital camera! I first got into the Fuji mirrorless systems three years ago. The X-T1 is my trusty sidekick that I take almost everywhere. It is a great camera and still performs perfectly. Now that the X-T3 is here, I thought I'd share the features I’m most excited for and my thoughts about upgrading.
1) The new back-illuminated 26MP X-Trans CMOS 4 sensor.
This is going to be a significant upgrade over the 16MB X-Trans sensor in the X-T1. Not only more megapixels, but an improved native sensitivity and less noise too. The new faster processor, and new film simulations are going to be a blast to shoot with.
2) The improved auto-focus.
There is nothing wrong with X-T1’s auto-focus, however being able to use the entire sensor of the X-T3 for phase detect focus points will definitely help nail the focus for any composition! When shooting fast moving subjects in continuous focus mode, the X-T1 can struggle a little. It will often search a bit when the subject is still, and will sometimes switch focus to background or intermediary obstacles when panning to follow a quickly moving subject. My gripes here are a little exaggerated and I’ve definitely been able to take some great shots tracking fast moving subjects, but having some extra smarts built into the camera will definitely help. And the improved face and eye detection will be a nice upgrade for portrait sessions.
3) The control layout and articulating screen.
I love the layout of the controls on the X-T1. The controls remind me of when I first learned photography on film cameras. But even if you don’t have previous film experience, controlling the aperture on the lens and the shutter speed and ISO with dedicated dials on top of the camera makes it really simple to adjust the exposure manually and allows you to just focus on taking great photos. The controls on the X-T3 are essentially the same, with only minor, ergonomic improvements, so transitioning to the new model will be a breeze. The screen on the X-T3 also articulates on multiple axes, which will definitely help with composing for very low or very high camera angles.
4) The improved Electronic View Finder (EVF)
The EVF has been improved with a higher resolution of 3.69 million pixels. The magnification is slightly down at 0.75X, but the refresh rate is faster and blackout-free continuous shooting will make it easier to track subjects without losing sight of them. When I first used the EVF on the X-T1, I was blown away! Focus peaking, dynamic histogram, being able to review images in the viewfinder and not just on the back screen, seeing the exact exposure and film simulation effect live. It’s just a pleasure to use and has definitely upped my photography over traditional DSLRs.
5) Bluetooth Support
The X-T1 has wifi support to allow you to connect your phone to control the camera remotely and transfer images. Though this could be a little slow and could tax the battery. Hopefully Bluetooth will allow for a more continuous, low-power connection and allow simpler geo-tagging of images.
The camera is available in both silver and black, so all that’s left is to decide which colour to get.