Fujifilm X-T3 is equipped with a 26.1-megapixel APS-C sensor. The image and video quality are very good with long battery life. Fujifilm X-T3 costs up to 140,000 roubles with a full 18-55 mm lens. We are talking about the Fujifilm X-T3, which is the sequel to the X-T2 from 2016. This premium mirrorless camera is aimed at experienced amateur and professional photographers, as it is the world’s first APS-C camera to record 10-bit 4: 2: 0 video (with color sampling) directly to an SD -card. You also get a comprehensive list of photo and video shooting options. In short, this is one of the most versatile cameras Fujifilm has to offer. It’s time to see how the Fujifilm X-T3 performs in real life.
- A versatile mirrorless camera
- Designed for videographers and action photographers alike
- Characterized by its high-speed performance, more-than-capable imaging and multimedia flexibility
- With a newly developed image sensor and processor
Design and Control
Visually, the X-T3 looks almost identical to the X-T2, with the same button layout and design. The X-T3’s body is a little heavier at 539g, and with the 18-55mm lens, using the camera can seem a little cumbersome after an hour or so of shooting. The grip is not very large, but we found this camera comfortable enough to hold thanks to the textured rubber coating on the body. The Fujifilm X-T3 is also dust, water, and cold-resistant, which is nice. The X-T3 has a retro-style design that has become a staple of Fujifilm’s X-series cameras.
If you have used even lower-end cameras, this button layout should be familiar. The camera has three main dials at the top for ISO, shutter speed, and exposure compensation, the first two of which have lock buttons and are positioned above another set of dials. The dial below the ISO control allows you to change the motion mode, and the dial below the shutter release allows you to change the light metering mode. These settings are adjusted using tabs that protrude from the base of each dial. The system works well, but we had a little trouble with the measuring tab because the shutter release is in the way.
You also get two horizontal multifunction dials similar to those on the Fujifilm X-E3. There are a few more controls on the back, including a four-way navigation pad and joystick, and a few more rubber thumb pads. The buttons have good feedback, but some are too small, which can be a problem if you wear gloves.
Viewfinder, display, and connections
There is a soft rubber boot on the electronic viewfinder or EVF. You also get an eye sensor that allows the camera to automatically switch between LCD and EVF when you bring it to your eye. There is also a diopter adjustment control. The EVF has a high resolution of 3.69 million dots, a refresh rate of 60 frames per second, and 0.75x magnification. Activating the boost mode increases the refresh rate up to 100 frames per second.
The 3-inch LCD is a touch screen, but it has to be switched on every time and its setting is hidden in the camera menu for some reason. The display has a resolution of 1.04 million dots and is easy to read even in sunlight.
It has a hinge similar to that of the X-T2. You can rotate it on its side by about 70 degrees if you need to shoot vertically, and it can also be rotated up and down. However, it cannot turn the whole front, so this camera is not very good for vlogging. On the right side, this camera has a sealed flap that covers the two SD card slots. Cards with speeds up to UHS-II are supported. You can set up both cards for backups or store photos on one and video clips on the other. On the left side is a single flap that covers the microphone input, headphone jack, micro-HDMI port, and USB Type-C port. You can use the power bank to charge the battery via the Type-C port when the camera is off or leave the camera on while you continue to use it.
Contents of the Fujifilm X-T3 package
The Fujifilm X-T3 is only available in a body without a lens, or can be purchased with the included 18-55mm lens that we received for review. The lens is very well-built and looks as good as the camera itself. It has optical stabilization and an aperture range of 1: 2.8 in a wide range up to 1: 4 at the telephoto end. There is a switch for manual or automatic iris control and three rings for iris, zoom, and focus. In the box, you will also find some manuals, a neck strap, an external charger for the battery, and a flash for quick charging of the EF-X8, as there is no built-in one in the camera.
Photo modes
The Fujifilm X-T3 has a slightly higher resolution of 26.1 megapixels than the 24.3 megapixels of the X-T2. It also has a newer X-Trans IV image processor, which promises faster autofocus speed, more accurate face and eye detection, and the ability to transfer video at a higher bit rate. There is still a hybrid autofocus system, but the number of PDAF points has been increased to 425, covering almost the entire width of the sensor. Continuous shooting is also improved to 11 fps when using the mechanical shutter and up to 30 fps when using the electronic shutter, but with a 1.25x crop ratio. The original ISO range is between 160 and 12800 and the maximum shutter speed is 1/8000 sec.
Video modes
The Fujifilm X-T3 can record video up to 4K at 60 fps or up to 1080p at 120 fps. The camera also supports DCI-4K 17: 9 with a resolution of 2160 × 4096. 10-bit recording to an SD card is only available if you have selected the H-265 codec (HEVC). Otherwise, the camera uses 8-bit quality by default. If you use the HDMI output to record to an external device, the X-T3 can record 10-bit 4: 2: 2 video, which will excite many professionals. F-Log mode is also supported if you want to record with a flat color profile.
Connection
The Fujifilm X-T3’s menu system is well organized, but it will take some time for early Fujifilm users to become familiar with the layout. Most of the buttons on the back can be customized to your liking.
You can create your own menu with the settings you access most often, and you get lots of options for playing back photos and videos. Also present are Fujifilm’s popular film simulation modes, and now they include the Classic Chrome effect for softer colors and enhanced shadows that go beyond the usual. The camera has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, which can be used with the Fujifilm Camera Remote app. The implementation is not very good and connecting the camera to the phone via Wi-Fi is a real task even after pairing, taking or viewing captured images is slow and impractical. Bluetooth pairing is easier and can be used to copy photos to your phone. However, in our experience, the automatic transfer function did not work as advertised. We were not satisfied and Fujifilm’s efforts fall far short of what other manufacturers currently offer.
Performance
In daylight, the Fujifilm X-T3 locked focus and face and eye-tracking quickly and responded very quickly. Unlike previous X-series models such as the X-E3, the X-T3 can track a person’s eyes even if they are not looking directly at the camera.
The increased number of AF points helps lock focus on subjects at the edges of the frame. For single-point focusing, you get all 435 AF points in a 17×25 grid, and for zone and servo AF, 117 AF points in a 9×13 grid. The joystick and dials let you conveniently switch between different autofocus modes. Image quality was very good when shooting with good lighting. Even JPEG files taken directly from the camera delivered 100% incredible detail and vivid colours without post-processing. From our observations, the 18-55 mm lens performed well in normal shooting.
Objects at the edges of the frames did not always have the best sharpness, but there were no problems with chromatic aberration or barrel distortion. The zoom range is small, but even at 55 mm, the lens maintains good sharpness. The lens stabilization worked well in low light. The touch screen is handy, especially when you want to move the focus from one end of the frame to the other. It can also be used as a touch panel to move the focus point when using the EVF.
However, we would have liked the user interface to be more responsive, as we felt only a slight delay from touching the screen to actually moving the focus point. This is not a major problem, but for finer tuning, the joystick is still better. The camera has a built-in panorama mode that takes a series of pictures when panning. However, the end result was a hit for us as the vertical stripes looked slightly distorted. The burst mode worked well and we were able to get a good hit rate with moving subjects.
The X-T3 offers five different continuous AF options for different scenarios. However, we decided it was best to leave it ‘versatile’ to get consistent results.
Performance in low-light conditions
The camera’s performance in low light was commendable. The Fujifilm X-T3 lacks sensor stabilization, but the lens in our tests made up for this. The focus speed remained stable and the camera offered a good dynamic range.
Colors were also saturated and some Fujifilm film simulation filters worked wonders to improve the look of our photos. You can select one of three customizable auto-ISO parameters, each of which can have different minimum and maximum limits, which is very handy. The X-T3 also does a great job with the video. The 4K video quality is very good in good lighting and the high frame rate mode at 60fps is incredibly good. The image quality is very good and you can even change the tracking sensitivity and AF speed when you switch focus from one subject to another, depending on the transition you are looking for. The camera also warms up a little after a few minutes of 4K video recording. We were particularly impressed with the X-T3’s tracking speed, face, and eyes. The camera never lost focus on the person we were shooting, even when they moved around the frame. The person’s face was always sharp, with no problems. However, we missed the opportunity to track objects, which was a bit frustrating. You can do this when taking photos, but this is not possible for videos. As the camera lacks both built-in and electronic stabilization, you really have to rely on the lens. This is by no means a disadvantage, as even with the OIS from the lens, the footage was quite stable when walking. You also don’t get the annoying flickering effect that is a by-product of electronic stabilization.
Battery life
The Fujifilm X-T3 is rated for 390 shots per charge. Of course, the amount of time depends a lot on how you shoot and whether Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are enabled. For video recording, each charge is rated for about 40 minutes at 4K without face tracking. In our experience, we usually had about 50 percent battery life left after 180-200 photos and videos. Some time was spent manipulating the menu to change settings, which had a minor impact on battery life.
Verdict
The X-T3 is Fujifilm’s full-featured APS-C camera and in many ways competes with their own flagship X-H1 camera. The biggest difference between the two is the 5-axis sensor stabilization on the X-H1, which the X-T3 lacks. Instead, the X-T3 offers better features like 4K video recording at 60 frames per second and improved eye and face detection thanks to a newer and faster image processor. If you absolutely need built-in stabilization, consider the X-H1. However, we think many people will be happy with the X-T3 because of the variety of features it offers. However, some things could be better: for example, subject tracking in video mode, better access to the metering dial, and the articulation indicator. Also, it’s time for Fujifilm to revisit a smartphone app that feels outdated and clunky. Despite this, the X-T3 is still a compelling example in its own right, being one of the best compact APS-C mirrorless cameras on the market today, offering an incredible range of features backed by excellent productivity.
