Lawrence Photographic

Last Updated 24th June 2016

Fujifilm are about to announce the new Fujifilm X-T2 compact system camera BUT the existing Fujifilm X-T1 model is likely to remain for some considerable time.

Now 2 years old, the X-T1 is still ranked as the compact system camera for the 'Purist' who enjoys using manual controls and producing excellent jpeg files, straight from the camera. Short of going back to film, the X-T1 remains one of the best digital offerings available today.

A Camera for the Vocational Photographer
The Fujifilm X-T1 compact system camera is a vocational photographer's dream, this is a camera that is designed to handle beautifully and providing the photographer with the manual controls and viewfinder that facilitate the composure of an image whilst the eye is up at the viewfinder - 'what you see is what you get'.

If you want to put aside a touch screen and a Smartphone and get back to the 'Purism in Photography' the Fujifilm X-T1 is the camera for you.

I recognise Fujifilm as a manufacturer that will concentrate on producing cameras and lenses for 'stills photography' which will deliver the very best image quality, even at high ISO levels. My Fujifilm X100s compact camera is a 'classic' example with it's retro style body and awesome manual controls.

Although the X-T1 compact system camera has an APS-C 1.53 x crop sensor which is smaller than a 35mm 'full frame' camera the Fujifilm X-T1 does not disappoint. Fujifilm are renowned for excellent customer support and the steadfast constant development and upgrades of their camera firmware.

The Fujifilm X-T1 is about to be upgraded to the Fujifilm X-T2 so the X-T1 is currently on offer at £781.30 inclusive of vat in the UK and there are bundles available that offer even further discounts.

Wikipedia - "Since the establishment of Vocational Guidance in 1908 by the engineer Frank Parsons, the use of the term “vocation” has evolved, with emphasis shifting to an individual's development of talents and abilities in the choice and enjoyment of a career. This semantic expansion has meant some diminishment of reference to the term's religious meanings in everyday usage". Photography 'first and foremost' is a vocation for those photographers who strive to develop their skills, therefore in the main, a dedicated camera system is more desirable.

Fujifilm already produce excellent Fujinon X Mount Lenses and probably the very best for 'The Purist Photographer' and the 'Henri Cartier-Bresson' street experience is the Fuji 35mm f1.4 R prime lens with it's 53mm field of view. This 35mm lens is currently on offer and costs £333.99 vat inclusive in the UK.

Street Photography
Most photographers require a 'positive' reason to purchase a new camera system and I have thought long and hard about the X-T1 because it's not a Canon or even a Fujifilm 35mm 'full frame' upgrade. You can use virtually any camera for street photography and I have used a variety of cameras and lenses in all different sizes and weights.

I like the idea of a camera and lens combo that has excellent manual controls and has a reasonable lens zoom through a 24-200mm field of view to shoot wide and yet bring in those important head shots of characters on the street.

Scotland has now more seasons with heavy rain for prolonged periods (including the winter months) and this trend has been maintained over the last 4 years. The winter (even into the spring) is the worse period for my photography and the continual rain or snow virtually brings it to a stop. A Fujifilm X-T1 system that is compact, lightweight and can be used in virtually all weathers (within reason) is to be welcomed.

I like the weatherproofing of the X-T1 compact system camera and the Fujinon XF 18-135mm f3.5/f5.6 R LM OIS WR Zoom Lens with it's 27.5mm - 206mm field of view. Sure the X-T1 has been around for 2 years and probably will be around for the foreseeable future, even with the launch of the expected Fujifilm X-T2 variant BUT the X-T1 is all you require for street photography and remains tremendous value for money.

The X range cameras already have a fast autofocus system and great manual focusing aids such as focus peaking and split image so the X-T1 is a camera with a long shelf life, way beyond it's existing 2 years. You can now purchase this combo in the UK for £1,079.00 inclusive of vat.

Portraiture
There are certain APS-C suitable lenses in the Fujinon X series range that are particularly attractive.
 
One of those lenses is the Fujinon 56mm f1.2 R APD Prime Lens (85mm field of view) which is ideal for portraits, pulling in landscapes and street photography.
 
The Fuji 56mm f1.2 R APD XF Fujinon Lens is a fast prime lens with a durable, metal construction and bright f1.2 aperture. The lens fits all of Fuji’s X-series compact system cameras and delivers beautiful bokeh and fast, quiet autofocusing making it particularly suitable for high quality portraits. It's a large-diameter medium-telephoto prime lens with a fast f1.2 aperture, which produces creamy bokeh and it's 56mm focal length, equivalent to 85mm in 35mm film format, offers a comfortable shooting distance from the subject.

X-Series cameras have won a solid reputation for their faithful reproduction of skin tones and combining them with this lens delivers the ultimate portrait photography results. The built-in APD filter, the pinnacle of Fujifilm's nanotechnology, produces even smoother bokeh, making the subject stand out even more and enhances creativity, not only for portraits, but also on a wide range of other subjects. The Fuji 56mm f1.2 R XF lens is ideal for capturing a variety of topics, including low light photography.

Fuji X-T1 Camera Specifications -

* 16MP X-Trans CMOS II sensor

* EXR Processor II

* Weather-resistant body

* ISO 200-6400, plus 100 - 51200 expanded (JPEG only)

* 2.36M dot OLED electronic viewfinder with 0.77x (equiv.) magnification

* 'Dual view' on EVF shows regular view and focus peaking/digital split image at the same time

* Top-plate ISO, shutter speed, exposure compensation, drive mode and metering controls

* Six programmable function buttons

* 3.0" 1.04M dot 3:2 tilting LCD

* 8 fps continuous shooting with continuous AF (3 fps with live view)

* Built-in Wi-Fi including remote control from a smartphone or tablet

* Full HD movie recording (1080/60p, 36Mbps bitrate), with built-in stereo microphone

* Clip-on external flash (included)

* Optional battery grip