I haven't been photographing nearly enough lately and finally asked the question — why? I quickly concluded my professional gear is too big and too cumbersome to grab on my way out the door. I love my Canon 5d MK II's and have assembled a great collection of Canon glass. However, a 5d MK II coupled with a battery grip and lens can get pretty hefty. I wanted something lightweight but with all the manual controls of a DSLR. Enter the Fujifilm X-T1.
Fujifilm X-T1, Fujinon XF 35mm f/1.4 lens (53mm full frame equivalent)
Over the last couple of weeks I've photographed with the Fujifilm X-T1 twice; Thanksgiving and my son's Christmas festival dinner. So, while I can't provide you with an exhaustive review of the camera (which I will do in the future after spending more time with it) I can share my initial impression. And the verdict? I'm impressed. Really impressed.
Straight out of the box using auto settings (white balance, auto-focus, shutter speed and aperture) one can produce solid images. However, it's the ease of manual controls that really makes this camera a pleasure to work with. Exposure compensation, shutter speed and ISO are as easy to control as an old-fashion SLR with the dials for each within easy reach. Even better, the lens functions like a true SLR lens with an aperture ring. I felt like I was back in high school photographing with a Canon AE-1.
Fujifilm X-T1, 35mm f/1.4 lens at f/3.2, ISO 200 at 1/125 sec
A huge factor in the quality of any image is the lens, and I don't have experience with a Fuji lens outside of the 35mm f/1.4. (I didn't purchase a kit but rather the body and the lens separately.) Truthfully, I don't care to experiment with different lenses — this one is great, and the 53mm equivalent is a great every day walk-about lens.
Canon 5d MK II with battery grip left, Fujifilm X-T1 right.
If you read reviews on the X-T1 you know a common complaint is battery life. I experienced this myself on Thanksgiving. I ran out of juice about 3/4 through the day and wasn't using the flash. (The flash that comes with the X-T1 is small and mounts on the hotshoe — it draws power from the X-T1.) I've already ordered a second battery from B&H Photo. Mounting a battery grip would defeat the purpose of a lightweight grab-and-go camera.
Fujifilm X-T1, 35mm f/1.4 lens at f/1.4, ISO 250 at 1/100 sec
Above is a photo of my nieces taken on Thanksgiving at f/1.4. You'll notice the focus was a little off, but I don't blame the X-T1. I miss the focus quite often with my Canon 85mm f/1.2 wide open. With a razor-thin depth-of-field you're bound to miss from time-to-time (and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.) I am really satisfied with the focus and speed of the X-T1.
If you're contemplating the purchase of an X-T1 for vacation, family gatherings or street photography; buy it. I don't have enough experience with it yet to tell you whether it can replace your professional gear. I haven't done any flash photography or put it through the paces of a 2,000 frame day. What I can tell you with absolute certainty is I photographed more the past 2 weeks because I owned this lightweight grab-and-go, and that makes it a winner.