Big test
PERFORMANCE: FILM SIMULATION It seems almost traditional that when Fujifilm introduces a new camera, a new FilmSimulationmode is introduced at the same time.TheX-T4 has Eterna Bleach Bypass. Eterna first appeared on theX-H1 to simulate cinematic filmwith lower colour saturation and contrast.The new mode takes Eterna another step by simulating the effect
Final word
Verdict The FujifilmX-T4 is a very exciting and impressive camera. It’s great to use, delivers first-rate results and has plenty to keep still andmovie photographers happy. Does it offer enough for existingX-Tusers to consider the investment? For X-T1/2 owners: definitely. From theX-T3: possibly, with IBIS a significant benefit, while the faster shooting rate, impressive autofocus and the very quiet shutter also come into the equation. For those considering goingmirrorless froma DSLR standpoint, there’s plenty of superb options available, but theX-T4 is clearly one of the leading players, with the huge appeal of an impressive feature list and it’s supported by an awesome collection of high-performing lenses. 24 /25 FEATURES Great sensor, IBIS, articulating monitor, 15fps shooting – an enticing line-up 24 /25 HANDLING Excellent, with key functions set using large dials on the top-plate
obtainedwhen the bleach stage of colour filmprocessing is omitted. The Classic Neg FilmSimulationmode that came in theX-Pro3 also puts in an appearance on theX-T4, joining Classic Chrome to give a filmic look to your out- of-camera JPEG images.
PROVIA STANDARD
CLASSIC NEG
ETERNA BLEACH BYPASS
ETERNA
24 /25
PERFORMANCE Out-of-camera JPEGs look great and Raws have impressive potential VALUE FOR MONEY An appealing feature set, slick handling and great results – rates a very good buy OVERALL A fine camera that simply delivers very high-quality images without fuss
24 /25
96 /100
I could see the AF systemworking. Close to and up to 3m away, I could see the AF system accurately following me as I moved around in the frame and to and from the camera position. Moving out and then back into shot, the system just took a moment to pick me up and the eye detect box appeared when I was about one quarter of the way into frame. The face/eye seems more sensitive and very effective in the centre/upper half of the frame and not so good towards the lower half of the frame, which seems logical. The EVF has a 3.69 million dot screen, so gives a detailed view, and there are menu options to fine-tune the finder to whether you are shooting in low light, going for resolution or frame rate. I also like the options available to have what’s on view and their size in the EVF and on the monitor. There is also a picture-in-picture view, with a movable focus box for focus checking, which I enjoyed having, too. The X-T4’s headline feature is its IBIS system. The X-H1 had it, but the X-T4’s is more compact and has a greater benefit, up to 6.5EV with 18 of the 29 Fujifilm lenses available. I tried the 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 OIS with a 4.5EV on its own and the 50-140mm f/2.8 with 5EV benefit, and used both at their longest settings in an indoor test. If we take 1/250sec as a minimum non-stabilised handheld shutter speed, a 6.5Ev benefit takes us down to 1/3sec. I shot with both lenses at their longest settings with IBIS on down to 1sec. I got an impressive four out of five hit rate at 1/4sec with both lenses, which is very impressive. The
PROS IBIS, autofocus, quiet mechanical shutter, high ISO performance, dual card slots, array of video features, higher-capacity battery CONS Articulating monitor is handy, but an issue using it with an L-grip, no separate battery charger supplied
long end of the 55-200mm has a 35mm format equivalent of 300mm, so getting sharp shots at 1/4sec is some going. For movie shooting, use IBIS with electronic image stabilisation (EIS) and you get smooth handheld footage, with a slight image crop depending on the mode. Test footage shot walking around with both modes on and IBIS on its own gave very watchable footage, but the benefit of IBIS and EIS was evident and worth the minor crop. An IBIS system is not going to be a deal-breaker for many potential buyers, but it is a clear benefit and the X-T4’s is a very good performer for still and video use. One of the key benefits of IBIS is with video shooting, so that aspect of the camera is worth covering with its long feature list. There’s 4K, Cinema and UHD, at up to 60p with various Mbps options, Full HD at 240p for 10x slowmotion and a headphone socket. Actually, there isn’t a 3.5mm headphone socket, but it is available via the camera’s USB-C port and a USB- C-to-3.5mm jack dongle that comes
with the camera. That’s slightly less convenient, but it’s not an issue. Add Fujifilm’s Film Simulations, including the new Eterna Bleach Bypass setting, MOV andMP4 modes, 4K/60p 4:2:2 10-bit output via HDMI to external memory and much more, and the X-T4 is a true multimedia machine. Just to round off, the X-T4 produced excellent stills. I did test the three Raw options: uncompressed, lossless compressed and compressed. These all give full-size 6240x4160 pixel files. Uncompressed Raws are around 59MB compared with the 28MB of compressed Raws. In my tests, even looking at images on screen at 300%, the quality differences between the two Raw formats were minor. The exposure system consistently delivered good results, sometimes needing compensation when shooting towards bright light, and the focusing worked very well. All told, I thought the X-T4 turned in a skilful performance. Add IBIS and a high-capacity battery, and you have a superb camera. WC
ABOVE An out-of-camera JPEG shows impressive shadow and highlight detail. A HDR setting with a range of strengths is handy when the contrast is higher
30 Photography News | Issue 78
photographynews.co.uk
Powered by FlippingBook