The New Fuji X-T1

New Fuji X-T1 with fast 35mm-e prime lens

January 28th, and already we have the first major new camera introduction of 2014: the X-T1 from Fujifilm. Which has been on a roll. A romp, you might even say. Cameras are a hobby business at Fuji—a legacy hobby business, but still a hobby business—but a bunch of people there must be having just a whale of a lot of fun.

Fuji X-T1 body (preorder)
Fuji X-T1 body with 18–55mm lens (preorder)

The cost is $1,299 for the body. I haven't seen anything about when it will ship [UPDATE: Ken Tanaka says March]. Available in black only.

The X-T1, which looks like nothing so much as a mini mirrorless Nikon Df, is to the SLR form-factor what the existing Fujis are to rangefinder-style designs. It has an EVF inside a faux central SLR pentaprism hump, and it's styled like an SLR. An old SLR—it's bristling with knobs 'n' dials. And it arrives with a complete complement of accessories, including a leather case, a vertical battery grip, an additional hand grip in case you wish the built-in handgrip were bigger, four flashes that will fit and work (one of which comes with the camera), a remote release, and even a stereo microphone. Did I mention the body is weatherproof? The body is weatherproof. (Matching lenses—three weatherproof zooms with optical image stabilization—will be along later.)

Left to right: with vertical grip, bundled flash, handgrip extension, and case.

A friend with insider contacts in the business told me a decade or so ago, when Canon was the undisputed king of cameradom, that the only company Canon feared was Fuji—not Nikon, not Leica, not anybody else, just Fuji. And when Fuji throws its mighty might behind a project, you see it, brother. Note the speed with which the X100 morphed into the interchangeable-lens X-Pro1, or by which the line has proliferated (another industry insider told me in the '90s that that's how you tell when a camera has been particularly successful for a company—it sprouts variants), or by which the XF lens line has bloomed. Fuji even has an XF ~40mm-e pancake already, something I hadn't noticed before right now.

Current X-mount roadmap

Anyway, what I was going to say is that Fuji has apparently taken pains to address some user concerns with its earlier cameras, mainly in the area of operational speed in various measures. And the team responsible for the X-Pro1's innovative Hybrid Multi Viewfinder has worked its formidable magic on the X-T1's EVF to make sure it's a great one. Dpreview says "its huge electronic viewfinder...is larger than the optical viewfinder on the Canon EOS-1D X."

Fuji X-T1 complete specs

We can talk about this more in days to come—let's be real, you're not coming here primarily for camera news—but it seems clear that Fuji has just filled another niche within its own niche in the industry. Somebody there loves cameras.

Mike

Original contents copyright 2014 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

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(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:

BH: "This certainly looks like another nice camera from Fuji, but what people who haven't shot with Fujis recently might not realize is that while the bodies and lenses are very nice, the files are even nicer. Make no mistake, Fuji has some serious sensor and software magic going on behind the scenes. These are the first cameras I've ever shot JPEG with because, quite frankly, they can do a better job with their RAW files than I can—at least with regard to colors. There's also some highlight/shadow preservation magic going on behind the scenes; the cameras handle high contrast scenes extremely well.

"Fuji has definitely been working out all the bugs the last couple of years. They're paying attention to their customers and providing them with updated products and firmware that address concerns. If you're on the fence about giving them a go this new body may be worth checking into."

Kenneth Tanaka: "The X-T1 will reportedly begin shipping in early March, Mike. My own opinion of Fujifilm's cameras and lenses could not be higher. I am not especially enamored by the X-Pro1. Good image quality in an innovative but clunky package. But I have been extremely impressed with the X-100/100s and the X-E2. And my collection of Fujinon lenses is second to none in performance (yes, including those German guys' glass). They're each light, relatively compact, fast, sharp, and durable. (They also cost approximately the same as the sales tax on that German glass. Belch.) So I've eagerly pre-ordered the X-T1. Woof woof, baby!"

Kevin Purcell: "The 'hump' is needed because the EVF optics can get rather big especially if you want a 'high magnification' (i.e. large apparent field of view) viewfinder. Olympus has noted this too. The upcoming Olympus E-M10 EVF noticeably 'overhangs' in the same way the Panasonic G5 and G6 EVFs stick out. The Olympus E-M1 hump is even bigger. In previous cameras Fuji has folded the optics in the top left, but that prevents some dials and a flash from being added above them. So there is a tradeoff between 'rangefinder design' and 'SLR design' and the placement of retro dials. The 'hump' is also useful for marketing (especially in the US and Europe) where people know a 'real camera' looks like an SLR (i.e. it has a hump)."

Eli Burakian: "Ah Fuji. I like how they're willing to try new things. I used the Fuji S5 Pro, which was basically a fuji sensor in a Nikon D200 body, for years. The dynamic range of that was incredible and still ranks among the best SLRs from now, and it came out almost a decade ago! I haven't tried any of their new stuff but I'm tempted."

Gordon Lewis: "This is what the Nikon Df should have been, both in terms of size, weight, controls, and layout. Better yet, not only is the body compact, so are the lenses. Are you paying attention Nikon and Canon? (Uh...apparently not.)"

Claude Evans: "Wouldn't it be interesting if Fuji were to make a digital version of the X-Pan panorama camera? The lenses were great, so no development costs there."

GH responds to BH (above): "BH, it's the X-Trans sensor that keeps many shooters away from the Fuji system in the first place. The CFA [color filter array —Ed.] scheme trades low ISO color resolution for better high ISO files, and, despite trying several raw converters, I never got on well with the files of my now sold X100s."

Steve Jacob: "I have been a huge Fuji fan since the first X-Pro1 came out. I was an early adopter with firmware 1.0 and the first three primes. At the time they were quite troublesome. Adobe did a very half-hearted job on the RAW files, focus was hit and miss and slow, and the camera performance was sluggish. But I didn't care. I was having a blast with the mechanical handling and the images were different: Colour and tone wise they just didn't look 'digital.' Zack Arias commented that these cameras do something special in the 'blue hour' after sunset that's just special, and I agree. Though I would also extend that to just about every other hour too. And skin tones are just beautiful.

"Now all the serious issues have been fixed, many new features have been added and I have a brand new camera. Same camera actually, only with Fuji's latest firmware upgrades and its superb new lenses. Fast, accurate AF and a whole bunch of new stuff, including focus peaking, that was not on the original. Two years on, Fuji are still supporting my camera and enhancing its functionality. This is a rare thing.... Even Adobe got its act together and other RAW converters have appeared too. Rumours are Adobe are coming out with another improved version.

"The X-Pro1 was the first emotional camera investment I have made for a long time. I went, I saw, I purchased. My brain never had a chance. It could so easily have ended in tears, but instead I have ended up loving my photography again. I would just like to announce it here. Fuji and I are are getting married.  ;-) "

Comments

[Eric Brody]

I have and love the X E-1. For many things, not all, it has replaced my D800E. Except for fast action, babies, birds, and other wildlife, it's terrific. If the X T-1 really has fast focusing, it may be all I'll need. Time will tell.

[Stan B.]

If I had the $$$, this would be my digital entry body, along with a coupla lenses. Fuji knows how to mix retro and innovation in proper measure and come out with winning designs. Their willingness to innovate, refine and pay attention to detail (eg- the HDMI and USB connectors are nicely incorporated into the camera body instead of covered with sloppy rubbery afterthought flaps) are to be commended.

[Robert Roaldi]

I think I've said this before on these pages. If I ever win a big lottery, I'm going to buy one of everything Ricoh, Pentax and Fujifilm make. Just to encourage them.

[Martin]

Now this one looks pretty much identical to the Contax RTSIII. Not a bad thing, though if I were emulating the design of a Contax from that era it would be the RTS.

Fuji didn't really need to make the camera look like this; their "Pro Mirrorless" could have looked like an XE or a X-Pro, but they would have lost one surprisingly common market. In the shop I work for (in the UK), quite a lot of people turn away from Mirrorless, even if it's more suitable for them, because they don't LOOK like an SLR. One customer explained that their wife wasn't happy with the pictures from their point and shoot and had sent him to buy an SLR, and although he understood the Sony NEX-5T was better for his needs, he went away with a D3100 to keep his wife happy.

[Del]

Your'e right about that. We aren't coming here primarily for camera news. We are coming for your particular take on life, some of which just happens to be about photography. And thanks by the way!

[John Robison]

So is this new one better than my $20 Fujica ST605n with a 50mm f1.4 Super Takumar mounted?

[Michael Matthews]

Just looking at the product shots, this appears to make much more sense than the Nikon Df. For people who like the certainty and quick-look reference to settings offered by dials, these appear functional. The Nikon Df seems to have dials stacked upon dials in a form of parody, as if saying, "You want retro? I'll show you retro...."

[ctein]

Dear Mike,

If I wasn't sufficiently happy with my Olympus E-M5, I'd jump on this. It looks perfect to me.

pax / Ctein

[John Camp]

Is Fuji now sewn into the APS-C size sensor? Can the lenses cover a FF sensor?

[Mike Plews]

Proof enough for me that APS-C is all the chip I am likely to ever need. I wish Nikon was as excited about fast primes for smaller chips as Fuji.

[Ken Sky]

It looks as if Sony, Fuji and Olympus/Panasonic have "boxed out" CaNikon from the mirror less market. This appears to be the future for hobbyists and those interested in IQ better than a smartphone. The DSLR appears to be relegated to the same area as medium format. That's not going to happen right away but the trend is there.

[Miserere]

For someone who's been out of action for the past week or so you've done a pretty accurate job of explaining why this might be Fuji's most awesome camera yet.

And you didn't even mention it has a flip-out screen, which some of us happen to think is a pro feature.

[John]

The first camera that I bought for myself was a Fujica ST801. Still have it although its been years since I put a roll of film through it. I did have the light seals refurbished in 2000. The Fuji mirrorless offerings have been intriguing to me since 100X and X Pro-1. Was sort of hoping for an update of the X Pro-1 with its hybrid viewfinder but this is looking pretty tempting.

[Bryan Hansel]

It looks like a FM3a, which is the digital camera that I always wanted. It'd be hard to give up the 36mp of the D800, but I cant help feel the draw.

Have you read any of the ad copy? It's claiming that somehow the processor talking to the sensor and the lens can eliminate diffraction when using small apertures. That sounds like magic to me.

[Kenneth Tanaka]

@ John Camp: "Is Fuji now sewn into the APS-C size sensor? Can the lenses cover a FF sensor?"

Yes, indeed, I believe that the Fuji XF lenses only have an APS-C - sized image circle, just like the Sony E-mounts. Of course how can we ever know but I doubt that Fuji has plans for a full-frame X-Trans sensor. They're doing just fine kickin' ass and takin' names with the APS-C.

[YS]

Can someone ask Fujifilm to revive the S Pro line with a S7 Pro using a D300 and this sensor?

Signed,
Ex-D300 User.

[Bryce Lee]

The name plate is "FUJIFILM,"
why not "FUJIDIGITAL?"

Or is this particular device suffering from dementia,
forgetting what ts is or thinks it is?

[Keith B]

I fervently hope they've made the e.v.f. WAY better than the one in my XE1, that one no longer has make TWELVE button pushes to format a card, and that the speed of shooting/cycling has been greatly improved over the one FPS of the XE1...Oh, I see it has been somewhat improved, up to 2 FPS.
Progress in baby steps.

[JH]

Looks (sorta) great but since we know that relatively soon an X-T2 will make this X-T1 look not so great, for whatever reason, looks are indeed deceiving.

[William]

The XT-1 has dual display option where a smaller version of the entire frame is displayed on the left side and a large zoomed spit screen focus area is displayed on the right. This will go a long way to making adapted lenses even easier to use. The XT-1 also has color options for focus peaking.

The EVF display automatically rotates into portrait mode when the camera is rotated... a nice touch.

The Fujifilm WFI camera control App for iOS and Droid looks very useful too.

It does take a while to learn how to squeeze every last bit of IQ out of the XTrans raw with LR 5.3 (older LR versions are obsolete for XTrans rendering). The lack of an AA filter and a completely different demosaicing algorithm mean the rendering parameters used for Bayer raw will not be optimum for XTrans raw. In my experience the results are worth the learning curve. As far as I can tell the claims that ACR/LR can't handle XTrans raw are no longer a concern. Of course non-Adobe raw platforms have advantages too and many FUJIFILM X photographers prefer these.

I have never recorded an in-camera JPEG so I can't comment on those at all.

[Adam Richardson]

This looks awesome.

I love my X100s, and I'm in the same camp as BH - for all but the most challenging lighting conditions I just shoot JPEG with it because I can't get as good as the camera can with RAW in Lightroom.

I tried an X-Pro1 but just couldn't get on with the rangefinder and varying focal lengths, and I didn't like the EVF in the X-E1.

I recently bought a Pentax K-3 and I've got a little collection of Limited primes. But if the EVF in the X-T1 lives up to the hype and the images are as good as the X100s, I may well switch...

[neely fallon]

I do love that Fuji has a good sense of humor by sporting "FUJIFILM" on a faux pentaprism hump. Owned the X100. Miss it. Now torn between the X100s and the X-T1. Could see owning both with the new 56mm f1.2 glued to the X-T1. I could have a very nice, portable 35/85 equivalent kit a dear mentor advocated not so long ago. Perhaps add the 40mm ~ in there too in deep respect for Johnston Sensi.

More seriously as a 'serious' Nikon DX user I passed WTF on their DX lens roadmap (lack thereof) some time ago and should the Fuji X-T1 feel as good as it looks I suspect sayonara Nikkor after I settle with the tax man.

[thomas hobbes]

looks a lot more like a contax aria than that monstrosity the Df. the grip shape and viewfinder hump are almost dead on. luckily the fuji has a more sensible placement of the shutter speed dial and strap lug than the contax. sadly the back of this camera looks less well designed ergonomically. it's great to finally see a tilt up lcd though.

[Simon Griffee]

Will Fuji please make a mechanical rangefinder that takes M-mount lenses.

Please?

[Peter Barnes]

John Camp - No, the X series lenses were designed for the smaller sensor, and they are small. I haven't tried, but I would be very surprised if they covered a 'full frame' sensor.

[Ting-Li Lin]

I hope Fuji do not just stay in the hobby business. Developing a medium format digital back with X-Trans sensor would be awesome. They don't have to go onto PhaseOne's or Hasselblad's route. They only need to mix the X-Pro1 with one of their 670/680/690 series cameras. (I know, it's easier said than done.)

Or like Claude Evans said, a digital version of X-Pan would be awesome, too. It's more feasible than developing a digital version of G617/GX617.

[Claire]

I'm a long time and faithfum NEX7 user. This camera I have totally bonded with it, and truly enjoy. However, I would like better (yet) high ISO performance, faster AF, and mostly, better lenses. I'm looking very strongly at the XT-1 right now !!

[Roger]

I've looked at those smallish entry-level DSLR's in the Canon Rebel and Nikon 3x00 line and wished they'd build a "prosumer" DSLR with the same form factor. With the X-T1 it just doesn't matter anymore.

[J Wilson]

It is breathtaking to see how fully Fuji has grown a system out of thin air since 2010.

The really remarkable thing is this completes the 'Hat Trick': Now you can use the same lenses with a SLR-ish body (X-T), a rangefinder-ish body (X Pro), and your basic 'digital brick' shape (XE's, etc.).

They have really mined the 'looks old, works new' ethos in a way that just intuitively says 'camera'.

[Lance Evingson]

I'd much rather have a (competent) design born from a love of cameras - to me this is well-intended rather than simply competitive. A more aesthetic approach if you will. I've been on board since the original Fujichrome 100. It's always been about the color!

[Dennis]

It's easy to see why Canon would be more concerned about Fuji than Nikon or Leica. The latter are the enemy they know. Fuji can step out of the box at any time. But I can tell you why they're likely more concerned about Fuji than Panasonic or Olympus: two syllables.

Yup. I hit on this recently when reading something else, and it dawned on me that it's these two syllable names that grab your attention and stick in your memory. Nikon, Canon, Leica, (Sony), Pentax, Ricoh. Ap*ple, e*Bay, Pay*pal. I Goo*gled it and sure enough, ran across a number of articles recommending 2 syllable names for your new company. Ko*ni*ca Mi*nol*ta never stood a chance, poor buggers.

Foo*gee sounds good. Be afraid, Canon, be very afraid.

On a side note, in reply to BH's comment, it's precisely the (widely reported - not from personal experience) difficully in processing X-Trans raws that turns me off from the 'X' line. I'm not in the market for a new system any time soon, so it's a moot point, but I find Fuji's X system very appealing otherwise.

[Francis Harrison]

Some random thoughts. As attractive as the enormous, new EVF may be in the XT1, it seems like a departure (I wouldn't quite say "betrayal"), design-wise, for FujiFilm. I mean all those folks leaving SLRs behind in droves to embrace the faux-rangefinder aesthetic of the X100 and X Pro1 with the brilliant choice of dual OVF/EVFs, and now this humpy, AR7-ish, OMD-ish little SLR with too many dials crowded on top? I too have struggled with the X Pro1's issues, but I'm sticking with it, and its optical finder, and the handful of superb primes, as well as the original X100 whose rendering strikes me as nicer, somewhow than the "s".

[Eolake]

I can't believe just how retro this camera looks. It wouldn't look out of place on a camera store shelf in 1979. Every inch.

[Nigel Amies]

Interestingly, while checking through the website of Robert White, the UK based online pro camera dealer - web@robertwhite.co.uk - I couldn't find a single Fuji camera which they previously carried and obviously were selling well. So I emailed them and got the reply that they no longer - since November - carry Fujis. I've asked why especially being how Fuji's are currently about the most inovative camera makers around and as I was thinking of getting one and have no good camera dealers anywhere hereabouts in rural southern Germany. As I don't expect much of a reply from Robert White, any ideas out there?

[Kevin Purcell]

"I've asked why especially being how Fuji's are currently about the most inovative camera makers around"

Being a retailer is not just about picking the camera you like. Often when you become a dealer for a company you are required to talk all of their models (in specific amounts, including compacts). This can cause people to tie up a fair amount of capital in products that they might not be able to sell as readily as the "popular" products.

Profit margin and perceived popularity also factor in. The latter is a serious problem for dealers.

Fuji make a big noise (mostly in retro UI design) but they're a very minor player in the camera business. They are well below Canon, Nikon, Sony and Ricoh (Pentax) in sales. Their camera business (like everyone who is not Canon or Nikon) makes a loss and is supported by the rest of the company (cosmetics, dyes and other specialist organic chemicals).

The "Xtrans sensor" is a Sony sensor with a custom color filter array. They've moved the exposure point down for more headroom. This seems to have the biggest effect on the "Fuji colors" argument. e.g. see Rob Boyer for a debunking of this

http://photo.rwboyer.com/2014/01/05/fuji-x100s-vs-nikon-d600/

Fuji doesn't make any sensors themselves. They're OEMed out to Toshiba for the 2/3" sensors and Sony for APS-C. Even future potential organic images sensors are Panasonic CMOS sensors with Fuji organic photoconductors. We'll see if those every get into production.

I'd be much happier if Fuji just stuck with Bayer CFAs. We know how to demoasic that really well. But Xtrans seems to works as an effective marketing tool if people think XTrans is really different and an improvement.

The one place were a different "CFA" would work nicely is if Fuji made a monochrome camera (with a uniform "CFA" to make the response of silicon sensor more like silver film). A Leica Monochrom for the rest of us! Fuji have the organic dye chops to do this. Is there a market for it? Maybe.

[Alberto Bengoa]

Ahhh Fuji. They have been a real surprise to me. After years of lugging around the countryside a Canon 5D2 with assorted lenses (4 primes), I bought a Sony A7R with the hopes of replacing the Canon with something smaller and better.

That experiment failed, while the Sony was better in some regards, in others I felt it was not so much of an upgrade and for $2200 I decided to take a pass.

I though I would keep the 5D2 for a while more, but then I saw a sale for the lowly Fuji X-M1. Yes, the entry level one. The one without viewfinder (gasp!). Without all the dedicated dials for shutter speed, exposure compensation, etc. Surely not a match for the mighty but aging 5D2.

Not at all. Where the Sony failed, the Fuji has been triumphant. I am super impressed with the dynamic range and the lack of structure in the shadow noise - the RAW files are so flexible when compared to the 5D2 it's almost a joke. I am so surprised that I can't almost believe it.

Also, it's super small! Side to side, it's smaller than the Olympus OM-1 (the film one, yes) which I have always touted as great in the size department. Well this one beats it. And it's lighter, way lighter. And it has primes in the focal lengths I want. And it's so much cheaper than both the 5D2 and the A7R (I can buy the Fuji plus a couple of primes for the price of the Sony). Perfect camera for my landscape photography as far as I can tell. The days of the 5D2 are numbered...

So yes, Fuji, go! Bring more cameras! More lenses! It is a great breath of fresh air, and I really think the X-T1 is going to do great. Kudos to Fuji, and congratulations to everybody that loves photography.

[Alberto Bengoa]

William said:
The XT-1 has dual display option where a smaller version of the entire frame is displayed on the left side and a large zoomed spit screen focus area is displayed on the right. This will go a long way to making adapted lenses even easier to use. The XT-1 also has color options for focus peaking.

This is something I have been wanting for a really long time, as a long-time user of adapted manual lenses (I use them almost exclusively for my photography). It makes so much sense to me - great news!