Photography News Issue 43

Photography News | Issue 43 | absolutephoto.com

AwardWinner - First tests

FujifilmX-T2 £1399

Specs

35mm f/1.4 and 56mm f/1.2 wide open, any uncertainty in focusing results in unsuccessful shots and the face/ eye detection settings could lock on instantly, but on occasions it could be less assertive. Using single zoneAFmeans that one control getting plenty of use is the focus lever. This thumb-operated joystick is excellent, and means navigating the active zone around the scene is very fast. However, if you are too quick the active point disappears off one side of the focus windows and reappears on the other side – a menu option to stop this would be good. With this control, the ability to vary the size of the single AF zone and the option of using 91 or 325 zones means the X-T2’s focusing is very flexible. It’s fast and accurate, too. In controlled situations I autofocus using the front function button (Fn2) so I have that set to AF-ON and shutter button AF activation switched off. On the street and normal shooting, I revert to shutter button activated AF with single point AF or the 7x7 zone active. The X-T2 is massively flexible when it comes to functions and customising set-up. Even being able to trim the Q menu to the bare bones is a good thing – I have self-timer, shutter type, auto ISO and focus zone and that’s about it. I frequently flick between the two shutter types. The silent electronic shutter is ideal for candid shooting although you have to watch for flicker issues in artificial lighting. My preference is to hear a ‘click’ so I go for the mechanical shutter the majority of the time and its lowpitched, quiet sound is easily lost amid normal outdoor ambient noise. Although touchscreen monitors are common now, the X-T2 does not have that feature and I don’t miss it. One thing I would miss is its three-direction tilt versatility. I often shoot candids fromwaist-level (with the LCDmonitor only active), scenics low level, and I sometimes hold the camera up higher to get a better viewpoint. The monitor is excellent for all this whether shooting horizontal or upright format images. Autoexposures are typically accurate and consistent but you do have to pay extra attention with even a moderately bright sky or background, because foreground underexposure can result. Usually it is well withinRaw

If you’re a certain age you’ll remember the TV ad where the bloke is so impressed with his electric razor that he buys the company. Although not quite in the same league, I was so taken with the FujifilmX-T2 during its test for PhotographyNews that I bought one. Offering a DSLR-flavoured mirrorless solution was a stroke of genius, and the X-T2’s predecessor, the X-T1, captured the imagination of many photographers with its high performance, great handling and retro styling. The X-T2 builds on these foundations, throwing in even better handling with faster AF, a fast shooting rate and a higher resolution sensor. The result?Anevenmoreappealingcamera. TheX-T2’s sensor is a24.3-megapixel X-Trans CMOS unit that offers an improved top native ISO of 12,800 and theAcros black&white filmsimulation mode. Expanded ISO settings of 25,600 and 51,200 are available, too. Capture iswith JPEGand 14-bitRaw, with the option of lossless compression to keep file sizes down. Raws and fine JPEGs open up to 6000x4000pixels, so seriously large prints are possible without any software interpolation – work at 300ppi and you get 20x13in prints. Drop down resolution to 250ppi or keep the resolution at 300ppi and interpolate in Photoshop, and first class A2 prints are easily achievable. I’ve been using the X-T2 (recently with v2.0 firmware) with a selection of primes and zooms, tackling landscapes, extreme long exposures, low light, people, street shots and record pictures. For90%ofmyshootingIusedaperture- priority with multi-segment light measuring, single zone AF andAWB. I always shoot Raw with normal JPEGs – the only reason for the JPEGs is that you get much higher magnification images during review than if you shoot Raws alone. This applies to other FujifilmX-seriesmodels, too. Generally, that set-up serves me well but I do go off-piste occasionally. I shot some pictures in a low-light concert venuewhere the stage lightingwas very warmonAWB, so Imanually setwhite- balance to 3000K to give acceptably neutral results straight out of camera. For autofocusing, I had a play with face and eye detection settings in combination with Wide/Tracking area mode and with a large 7x7 zone setting, with mixed results. Using the

Price £1399 body only Sensor

24.3 megapixels Sensor format 23.6.15.6mm (APS-C) X-Trans CMOS III, 6000x4000pixels ISO range Native 200-12,800, expanded 100-51,200 Shutter range Mechanical shutter 30secs to 1/8000sec. Electronic shutter 30secs to 1/32,000sec. Drive modes 8fps mechanical shutter, 14fps with electronic shutter Metering system 256-zone metering with multi, spot, average and centre-weighted Exposure modes PASM Exposure compensation +/-5EV in 0.3EV steps, AEB Monitor 3in, 1,040,000 dots Focusing Intelligent hybrid AF – TTL phase and TTL contrast AF Focus points Option of single, 91 and 325 points. Video 4K, full HD Connectivity Wi-Fi, USB 3.0, HDMI, microphone Storage media Two SD slots Dimensions (wxhxd) 132.5x91.8x49.2mm Weight 507g (body with battery and card) Contact fujifilm.eu/uk Features The X-T2 is one of the most highly featuredmirrorless cameras around Performance Can be relied upon to deliver great results consistently Handling Very slick with the focus lever, tiltable monitor and locking dials deserving special mention Value formoney At the top end at £1399 for the body only, but worth the investment Overall It is a flagship CSC with the credentials and performance to match Pros Twin SD card slots, monitor, AF system, shutter choice, lens system, bright EVF, focus lever Cons Can underexpose slightly, some minor handling/menu niggles, battery life 24/25 24/25 24/25 24/25 96/100 The Fujifilm X-T2 is a very fine and hugely capable camera. It is also immensely likeable, too, which makes the whole photographic experience a pleasure. Verdict

option to return to the last used item; and the small Raw review image I’ve alreadymentioned. The proof, ultimately, is in the pictures – and I am very happy with what I’mgetting out. For street shooting or when light is less than perfect, I’m quite happy using ISO 400 or ISO 800 for sufficiently fast shutter speeds to get sharp street pictures that I grab on the move. At the other extreme, with the X-T2 on a tripod and a cable release screwed in, I’ve done eight-minute exposures with an extreme ND filter at ISO 100, and the photos show no sign of hot pixels or increased artefacts. For very low light shooting I use ISO 3200 quite happily – with some noise reduction in Lightroom, the final images looked very good for the high sensitivity and the dingy conditions I was shooting in. One thing I am also impressed with is build quality. The controls feel reassuringly firm and positive and its weather resistance is really useful, too. Recently, I spent a day out shooting in monsoon-like conditions in Lisbon and the X-T2 got a seriously thorough soaking.Atonepointafterseveralhours in the wet it stopped autofocusing, but thatwasforafewminutes;thefollowing morning there was some condensation in the viewfinder eyepiece, and this soonwent. WC

exposure latitude, but pre-empting any potential issue with some gentle exposure compensation is no bad thing. The insurance of a second SD card, the one-touch locking ISO and shutter speedbuttons, and the ability to shoot at 8fps (14fps with the electronic shutter) round off the list of the X-T2’s many admirable qualities. I haven’t tackled proper action yet but being able to blitz off a largenumber of frames quicklyhas proved a boon. With moving subjects – I’ve been shooting trains – I get a whole bunch of images that are very slightly different and I can decide what I think looks best later. Yes, I know I’m being lazy or indecisive – or both! I’ve struggled to find negative points but here are a few. The dioptre correction control is movable so I have taped it down; I’d like a menu recall The X-T2’s predecessor, the XT-1, captured the imagination of many photographers

Above left Using single point AF, the focus lever makes shifting the AF point quickly a simple process, fast enough for street shooting. Above right Shot from top opf the 02 Arena looking towards Canary Wharf using the 18-5mm f/2.8-4 standard zoom. Some exposure compensation was needed.