Big test
FujifilmX-T4
PRICE: £1549
FUJIFILM.EU/UK
BELOW The X-T4 is the first in the X-T series to boast an in-body image stabiliser, and the touchscreen monitor folds out sideways, too
WORDS AND IMAGES BY WILL CHEUNG
The Fujifilmbandwagon rolls on with the X-T4, a 26.1-megapixel camera with an awesome feature set, including in-body image stabilisation, fully articulating touchscreen and pro-level video skills
FUJIFILMTAKES A canny and logical approach to its camera range. It spends time and resource on research and development, comes up with a great component and then deploys it across a range of products. It makes perfect sense. And so it is with its latest sensor, the back-side illuminated X-Trans CMOS 4, which first appeared on the X-T3, a camera that was announced in September 2018, and is now at the heart of the new X-T4, the fifth camera to feature it, working with the X-Processor 4 processing engine. The X-T3 continues alongside the X-T4, and the price of the older model is now even more competitive. So, what does the X-T4 have apart from a sensor and processor pairing that we already know to be first rate? In terms of design, the X-T4 has a broadly similar control layout to its predecessors, with the combined ISO and drive control on the left and a large shutter dial and exposure compensation dial on the right, along with the shutter button and on/off collar. The ISO and shutter speed dials have push-button locks, the exposure
compensation and drive dials do not. One significant and important change is the still/movie control at the base of the shutter dial, where, on previous models, this selected light measurement pattern, so you don’t pick movie shooting in the drive menu anymore. Taking this further, if you push the menu button, you get menus specific to still or video use, so there is no need dig into menus – resetting features and seeing irrelevant items. The same applies to the Qmenu, where you can have the 4/8/12/16 options dedicated to still or movie shooting. Speaking of video, the options in the X-T4 (as with the X-T3) place it well into serious, pro-level moviemaking territory, but the biggest change here (which, of course, also benefits stills shooters) is that this is the first X-T camera to feature in-body image stabilisation (IBIS), a five-axis system offering a benefit of up to 6.5EV. More on IBIS later. The X-T4 has a new, bigger battery, the NP-W235, giving 1.5 times more shooting capacity compared with the NP-W126S, the battery style used in all
previous X-T cameras. In normal mode, the X-T4 is rated at giving 500 shots from a full change with 600 claimed for economy mode. While it’s true those figures are still shy of that from a typical DSLR, the extra capacity is very welcome – and the X-T4 can be charged via its USB-C port. For even greater shooting capacity the VPB- XT4 grip (£300) takes two NP-W235 cells. So, with the one in the camera, shooting capacity is up to 1450 shots in normal mode. The new battery is significant and, while it’s a pity for current X-T users thinking of switching to the X-T4 that their NP-W126 cells won’t fit, the extra capacity of the NP-W235 is worthwhile. However, no separate charger is supplied in the standard outfit – a dual charger is available as an optional extra – and you get a mains adapter and USB-C cable for in-camera charging, which is not so convenient, and there LEFT Amajor innovation in the X-T4 is the dedicated still/movie control at the base of the shutter speed dial. It makes switching between the two easy and you get dedicated menus, too
26 Photography News | Issue 78
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