Timing! The Fuji X-T5 and Other Roads Not Taken

Of course there are many things camera "timing" could refer to. I'm talking here about the way your life syncs up with the availability of certain products—a new camera comes along just when you need that very thing, say.

...Or the opposite, which is more often what happens with me.

I remember deciding to "devote" myself (scare quotes definitely needed there, as I am nothing if not fickle where gear is concerned) to the original (2009) Panasonic 20mm pancake lens; the one I had was sweet. More to the point, I liked it, and Mikie hates everything. But I waited and waited for the E-M1 to come out—we knew a "flagship" Olympus was coming, we just didn't know when—and finally I couldn't wait any longer, and skipped to Sony. Shortly thereafter, the E-M1 arrived. Too late. Oh well.

First love
Many years before that, when I was adding to my Contax kit (my first-ever system camera; I went through art school with a Contax), I really wanted a Zeiss 35mm PC shift lens. (Some very professional-looking tabletop pictures here.) I saved up for it, and when I finally decided to buy the thing, the supply suddenly dried up. I looked into it—I was writing for photography magazines by that time—and learned that Yashica ordered batches of lenses from Zeiss, which then made runs of them to order as it suited their schedule. And their whim, apparently. Yashica eventually got so weary of Zeiss being sluggish filling its orders that it started to build the lenses in Japan, reassuring customers that this was done under German "supervision." As if the Germans had to teach the Japanese about quality control! Not. Fanboys of course were very snobby and strident about their preference for "real" German lenses, scorning the "Made in Japan"-labeled ones, but the truth was the opposite—the Japanese facility and all the equipment in it were all-new, so the Japanese-built versions were actually a little better and more consistent than the German-built ones. (This was told to me by a C/Y tech-rep after he had moved to a different company.)

But I digress. Anyway, I was assured that pretty soon the Japanese would order another run of the 35mm PC Shift lens from Zeiss and it would be available again. I waited and waited and waited and waited and waited. Finally I joined a professional studio where all the other photographers used Nikons, and if I wanted to be able to share my equipment and borrow theirs, I had to shoot Nikon too, so I said goodbye to my beloved Contax. Honestly, to this day, I have never had quite the same feeling for any other camera marque that I had for Contax. I recall it as fondly as I recall lost youth.

That was right about the time that the new batch of 35mm PC Distagons hit the small-print ads in the back of Modern Photography, which I'm sure all of you of a certain age will remember. Of course the new ones took a huge jump upward in price—the pricing for the old run having been worked out many years earlier. That allowed me to adopt the frustrated fox's sour-grapes attitude.

And did I ever buy the Nikkor 35mm shift lens? I did not. It's not that I ever stopped wanting one, just that there was always something ahead of it on the want-list.

The unrequited Fuji
I could give more examples, but you get the point, and I'm sure many of you have experienced the same thing or something similar. It's that sometimes the stars don't align, and a different fork in the road is taken.

Well, that's what has happened to me with Fuji. I was turned off by the specs of the then-new X-T4, for purely arbitrary reasons. I just don't care for flippy screens. There's nothing wrong with them; some people prefer them, and some people are agnostic and can go either way. I just happen to have a preference for the aligned kind of screen, that's all. No biggie, and there's nothing sacrosanct about my opinion. Purely personal taste. At the same time, a kind reader gave me his X-H1 when he switched to Leica, and I didn't bond with it for whatever reason.

You know what I would have wanted, instead of the X-T4? Exactly? A slimmed-down X-T[x], closer to the size of the original X-T1; with a brand new, higher-res sensor; a reversion to Fuji's earlier, and perfect (by my lights) viewing screen design; more "photography focused," to snitch the words of DPReview's Richard Butler; and IBIS, which is another feature I've appreciated since I first experienced it in the now-ancient Konica-Minolta 7D.

Which is exactly what the X-T5 is. It's like Fuji was working straight off my personal wish-list.

Silver is the same price as black, which I think is a first

Of course, by then, I had moved along to the Sony A6600 (mine is for sale now, by the way, nearly new, in the box, separate from or along with the wonderfully contrasty Sigma Contemporary 30mm, if you would like that. Email me). And then to the Sigma fp-M. Just went down a different path is all. I never could have imagined that the X-T4 was not a firm and permanent change of direction, or that the X-T5 would pick up where the X-T3 left off. Well, I could have imagined it, actually, it's just that I never would have thought it would happen for real.

It's really only an accident that you haven't been reading all sorts of happy blithering about an X-T5 in these pages since it came out last November. I still love Fuji; still love the lens line; and still think Fuji in general, and specifically the X-T5, is the number one all-'round recommendation for general-purpose enthusiasts, despite its increasingly niche status. A perfectly balanced package of Goldilocks compromises.

It is probably the only time, ever, that a camera company actually did just exactly what I would have wanted it to. Yet I don't own one, and won't. Strange how things work out, that's all I can say.

Mike

Original contents copyright 2023 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. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. (To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below or on the title of this post.)

Featured Comments from:

Bob Johnston: "I just traded in my X-T3 for the T5. I had to sell some lenses too but boy am I happy with the camera. Fuji seem to have fixed all the annoying little quitks. For example, if you enabled the self timer and switched the camera off, you had to enable it again when you switched back on. That's fixed. The bigger battery is a huge plus point. I could go on."

Miguel Tejada-Flores: "Uhhh...Mike, you left out one of the key reasons why I caved, sold my X-T3, and sprang for an X-T5: the brilliant Fuji colour engineers who came up with the new internal JPEG film simulation, which bears the heavy-handed name 'Nostalgic Negative.' That sim, plus the Classic Neg sim introduced in the previous generation of X-Trans sensors, is probably worth the price of admission. Fuji marketing claims that it was inspired by something they are calling The American New Color look of the 1970s, inspired by the work of luminaries like Stephen Shore among others.

"And...guess what? In this case, it's not mere marketing hype but a rather marvelous piece of color engineering by the (mostly nameless) color-obsessed Fuji geniuses who spend years toiling away and come up with (for my money) masterpieces like the aforementioned new JPEG film sims. IBIS is nice too, but compared to the other seismic improvements, I think it's merely icing on the metaphorical photographic cake. Based on my (limited) understanding of—and appreciation of—your photographic tastes and personal work—I think you would love it. Or should I say, you will love it. (Minor note: for those shooting strictly JPEGs, the file size is much smaller than 40 MP, actually much closer to the smaller files of the X-T3 and the X-Pro3.)"

Ben: "When I graduated college in 2000 I was thinking about a Contax SLR system. But I found a nice Leica M3 and a couple of lenses. Got hooked on rangefinders, and even though I've wandered into Nikon and Micro 4/3, I keep coming back to Leica, and despite the exorbitant cost I love every minute of it… "

Ricardo: "Hi Mike. The X-T5 is indeed fantastic. Had one for about three weeks but passed on for an X-E4. I simply must have a smaller. But it’s indeed great. "

Curt Gerston: "I had the X-T3 and, like you didn’t like the direction the X-T4 went (too big, blah to the flippy screen…) so I was happy enough to shoot the X-T3 until it died. Unlike you, though, when the X-T5 came out I was beholden to no other new camera and was able to go get one. It’s perfection. I love it. I don’t shoot video, I don’t need what the X-H2 offers…it’s great. Bravo Fuji."

Richard Tugwell: "I was an early XT-1 user, and upgraded to an XT-3 when the XT-4 came out and seemed unnecessarily bulky. I was quite happy with the XT-1 but wanted to match sensor sizes with my X-Pro2. That was a couple of years ago now and I can't honestly say I'm interested in anything new. I'm more interested these days in spending time with my photo archive. (Most of which emanated from gear whose specs people would laugh about these days.)"

Sroyon: "Re 'It's like Fuji was working straight off my personal wish-list,' as you put it, was the feeling I got about the Fuji X-E4 when it was released in early 2021. And yet I resisted the temptation, because I have a serviceable Nikon D5200 (ten years old, but still works). Then in September 2022, some Japanese stores marked the X-E4 as discontinued. It was also out of stock in all the physical and online stores here in Singapore. I had a sinking feeling that I had left it too late. Luckily, I was able to purchase one of the few remaining bodies from an online store in Hong Kong—and at the normal price. I'm so glad I did, because the camera is even better (for me) than what I had imagined. And this week, FujiRumors reported that it's also marked discontinued at B&H Photo and various other stores. As someone who is resistant (perhaps irrationally so) to buying gear, the lesson for me is that perfect cameras—perfect for me, that is—materialize very rarely. When they do, budget permitting, it's best not to dilly-dally."

Gary Nylander: "Mike, I hope you find the camera or lens that you want. I kinda stumbled upon one of my favorite lenses that I like to use, the Nikkor 35mm PC. A few years ago I was not aware of either of these 35mm PC shift lenses. Coincidentally, the article you linked on Casual Photophile by Yuan Oliver Jin was the very article that inspired me to buy the Nikkor 35mm PC about three years ago after reading about it. Then I bought a second lens from a famous photography blogger so I could have a backup. I didn't buy the lens for its architectural characteristics but so I could compose differently in my mind and then take two separate (or sometimes 3) pictures and stitch them together to create unique compositions. I really enjoy using the lens, it's very clever in design. I only wish that there was a 50mm and an 85mm lens like this."

mynameiseli: "The reason I never had a Canon T70 and FD lenses is because by the time I had saved up the dough (private in the Army at the time), the Base Post Exchange had dropped them. For the new-fangled EOS 650. With the EF 50mm and EF 35–70mm. I was not an avid photographer; I didn't have the resources to be. I still have it, and the lenses. So, when Canon introduced the new-fangled R series, and they ran a good sale on the R near Christmas 2019, I bought it. And I went ahead and bit on the R so that I could say that I have the 'first' EOS and the 'first' EOS R. My photographs look so much better now.  :-) "

Comments

[Jim R]

I'm still using a 'classic' eM1 for that reason, as all subsequent μ43 bodies went flippy screen until the GH6. With an eP5 in reserve.

[s.wolters]

Original Olympus 20mm pancake? Isn't that a Lumix?

[Robert Roaldi]

I have an E-M1 mark 2 now so I'm selling my 1st gen E-M1. :)

[Moose]

Just started this post - to cognitive dissonance.

I can't find, or recall, an Oly 20mm µ4/3 lens. A couple of pancakes:

Oly 17 mm f1.8 June, 2012?
Panny 20 mm f1.7, June 2013?

Oly E-M1, Sept, 2013

[Thanks! That was a brain-phart...Panasonic, of course, not Olympus. Fixed now, with thanks.

And BTW, the Mark II version of the lens is the one that came out in 2013. The original came out in the Fall of 2009. --Mike]

[Albert Smith]

I personally loved the X-T4 because its introduction allowed my to buy two X-T3 bodies for almost the same price. When Fujifilm was closing out the X-T3 stock there was a window that the price per body was less than the lower tier X-T30. I bought two '3s and never looked back.

I'm really thinking that I have my last cameras because I am seeing the trend towards ridiculous (for most hobbyist) increases in resolution. I will not be buying a 40mp camera and it's looking like this is the new standard for Fujifilm. Hopefully my 26mp X-T3 bodies will carry me to the end of my shooting days.

[ChrisC]

Go get one! Just think of all the articles you could write about ultra-hi-res sensors and whether the megapixel wars are over. Then again, I suspect you could write most of it without the camera too.

[Dan Khong]

Contax - despite being pricey and a tad overrated - is one of the few "cult" cameras that endears to their followers.

Leica is another example of a cult camera except that Leica survived by the skin of their teeth when the M8 came out. The rest is history.

I think it is successful today partly because people with deep pockets see it as prestigious to own, and proud to show off their "branded" goods.

Back to Contax, I think their G-system has garnered more likes than dislikes and their few Carl Zeiss lenses are just amazing.

[Eric Anderson]

Seems Fuji received a couple of polite letters suggesting a need for an X-T5:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wpkoG0SZsk

[SteveW]

It's true, the X-T5 is the heir you've been waiting for to the X-T1.

Next thing you know Fuji will make a monochrome camera.

[Dr Tom Bell]

I have the opposite problem. I had a love hate relationship with the original X100 … but waiting for the X100V was the best decision EVER. The flippy up screen and much better focusing make it perfect.
But I waited and waited for them to introduce IBIS and then for my MILC went for the XT4. I too did not want the video type screen but thought …” okay I will accept thats it has this irritating screen and is a bit too bulky as well “ as I assumed they would not reverse these things.How wrong Inwas.

A 26 mp sensor is more than enough but the return to a more compact size and the XT3 type screen I would have loved …. But I cant afford to change again. Shame … but as with most things I buy now I say “ this should see me out!”

[Rand Scott Adams]

Mike,
The accurate Fuji “rumors” site had been speculating, then predicting the basic config of the X-T5 for quite a while. There was a groundswell of dissatisfaction from the Fuji loyalists over the X-T4 for quite a few reasons, and Fuji (strangely enough) actually listened.

But, the X-T5 actually falls short of what it could have been, by quite a bit. The EVF is lower refresh rate and resolution than the likes of the H2 and H2s (what a shame), and there is no option for a battery grip for the X-T5. It leaves the camera “low spec” compared to the H2. I was hot for the T5 until it was released and the specs confirmed, and then went for the H2 and never looked back even though, unlike you, I absolutely HATE the flippy screen.

Rand

[John Merlin Williams]

Hi Mike,
Does, "It's really only an accident that you haven't been reading all sorts of happy blithering about "my new X-T5"..." mean that you now own one? If so, great timing! If not, I hope you can soon sync up with one.

[No, I haven't even seen one. I only meant that if I had taken a different fork in the road I might have one by now. --Mike]

[Rob L.]

I keep almost regretting moving back to Nikon from Fuji - wonderful cameras and lenses. But it was hard to pay more for a little less low light capacity, and the Nikon Z glass is amazing. It's wild that I can have a used Z system for less than a used Fuji one, but...here we are.

[Robert Roaldi]

Timing may not necessarily be everything, but it's a big thing. I was happy with a Pentax K-mount film system and patiently waited for them to come out with digital bodies. But I got tired of waiting, sold it all, and moved to Olympus 4/3s and later m4/3s. If I had been a bit more patient, maybe 12-18 months, I could have stayed with Pentax. I am very happy with Olympus though, so it's not all bad.

[darlene]

I am a Fuji fangirl, but not for the X-T5, although I am sure it is a beautiful camera. I prefer a range-style body like the X-Pro3 and the x100v, which I often shoot in the studio to create graphics and product shots. My little Fuji's do not have all the cropping ability of the X-T5's 40MP BSI sensor. But the X-Pro3/x100v's 26MP BSI sensor is no slouch, and I love it. There is something special about back-illuminated sensors to my eyes. When you can, get yourself an X-T5 to try out and review. I'd be all ears listening to your words.

[Dave Millier]

I currently own 3 Fuji bodies (courtesy of MPB who make all this chopping and changing practical without losing a ton of cash). I have an XT-1 converted to IR, a X-T100 and a GFX50s. The X-T1 is lovely in most ways, but the grip on that series really is too small. Fuji's also have a particular annoying quirk I've not seen on any other brand: after you take a picture, most other cameras can be set to automatically display a histogram. But with Fuji for some inexplicable reason, you have to press the playback button to view a post capture histogram and this action is also a bit hesitant and sluggish. Why, oh why?

Oh, and wading in on the rear screen issue, I have found I prefer the fully articulated screen, over the tilt only screen. Two reasons: it's more useful on a tripod (the only time I use the screen) because it can be moved to more angles. Tilt screens are also no good for portrait orientation. The better reason is that the flippy screen can be reversed with the screen hidden. The way I work with mirrorless cameras is to have it set so that after pressing the shutter, a review image and histogram is automatically displayed in the EVF (cancelled by a dab of the shutter release). I don't usually review on the rear screen. On my Lumix, I have discovered if you subsequently open the reversed screen while the histogram is in the EVF, the view automatically transfers from the EVF to the screen. This makes is excellent for the rare times I want to review an image on the screen. It does this even when set to EVF only, which is great because I find the eyepiece sensors unreliable and annoying. I have mine set to EVF only, but I can still use the screen when I need it, without any fuss and the rest of the time it is safely packed away. The only time I find the tilt screen on my X-T1 better is if I were shooting TLR style (which in reality I never do 'cos I can't see anything closer than 3 feet without glasses and if I wear glasses I can't see anything further away than 3 feet!).

The XT-100 and the GFX have the third type of screen which is tilty and partially flippy. Preferences will always depend on your working practice, I guess there will never be a screen hinge design that offers everything to everyone.

[Daniel]

Still waiting for the X-ProM from Fuji. A Monochrome body. Leica sells Monochrome and does well. Why isn't the Fuji "little Leica" offered in that configuration?

[Peter]

This column gives me hope – maybe Panasonic will soon release a DMC-GX8 M2.

[Paulo Bizarro]

For me, the benefit of the X-T5 was that I was able to get a new X-T4 at a good discount. I value the IBIS for my trail walks, and I don't mind the type of screen.

[Luke]

This post could so easily be about cars!

[robert e]

And what if Fuji had come out with the X-T5 just a little earlier? Your discovery of the fp-M, apparently the camera of your unconscious dreams, might have been delayed or perhaps never even happened. Still, I hope you have the opportunity to explore that alternate reality for a week or two some day. It would make interesting reading.

Speaking of the fp-M, I believe that the boomlet in standardized mini-cages and accessories to facilitate shooting video with small cameras is an under-discussed ergonomic windfall for stills shooters, if they'd only give it a shot (pardon the pun).

And my gripe of the day is hyphens in camera names. I can never remember where they go and always end up guessing wrong, leaving them out or wasting time looking things up. So please, can we just get rid of them? If camera makers won't do the right thing, then I call on writers, editors and style guides to take a stand for humanity.

[Moose]

"And BTW, the Mark II version of the lens is the one that came out in 2013. The original came out in the Fall of 2009. --Mike]"

My brain phart turn. That did seem too late. I'm sure my Mk. I is older than that.

Yup, LR saith my first shots with it were Jan, 2013, just months before Mk. II announced. But I believe it was purely a cosmetic change, from chrome only to light and dark models. I seem to recall posts back then about how the original's modest shortcomings were unchanged.

Really gonna miss DPReview!!

[s.wolters]

Give it three months and when the thing is still on top of your mind... buy it!

[Michael Fewster]

Mike, you may be interested in this story re the closure of DPR. There seems to be dirty pool afoot.
As might be expected, there is considerable anxiety and discussion in the DPR forums as to "where to from here."
It appears that a group of the moderators may have a (perhaps vested) interest in controlling such discussion so it all points to a single new forum. Posts suggesting other forums are being taken down. I have been "banned for abuse" for posting to various forums asking for expressions of interest from anyone who would like to participate in developing a gear negative forum for honing up image critiquing skills. These actions at DPR may be an organizational thing or it may be a group of moderators acting independently

[Bill Tyler]

The big advantage of the flippy screen for me is that it’s usable for vertical shots. The angle-up screen is useless in vertical orientation, unless you’re also trying to shoot around a corner. Ideally, some bright mechanical engineer would figure out how to make a screen that works both ways.

[Do you know the Fuji's screen flips up both ways?

https://www.dpreview.com/sample-galleries/2338981645/fujifilm-x-t5-product-images/9825505073

--Mike]