FUJ I F I LM X-T3 | USER REVI EW
reliable, with usable face tracking, although serious video shooters will stick to manual focus and use peaking, of course. For this, there is also a punch-in to check focus feature and adjustable zebras help nail exposure. But to avoid the AF at all is to miss out on some of the benefits of the latest technology. It can acquire focus quickly and hold it on fast-moving subjects. It performed admirably when we used the camera to shoot the Goodwood Revival motor sport festival. It locked on to racing cars and bikes well and, in darkened rooms around the track, nailed focus quickly and precisely. It’s claimed to focus in light levels as low as -3EV and there’s no reason to question this. And thanks to the touchscreen, you can tap to focus and it’s near foolproof. There are options for choosing which parts of the screen
“BETTER ROLLING SHUTTER IS DOWN TO THE FASTER PROCESSOR”
IMAGES Shooting F-Log promises 11 stops of latitude
are active, to prevent your nose accidentally pushing on the screen and changing the focus point when you’re using the viewfinder. The era of usable AF for video is here, as long as you understand when it will work for you and when it’s best to stick to manual. The three-way tilting LCD touchscreen doesn’t fully articulate, though – something the selfie generation will miss. But in a nod to serious users, the EVF dioptre adjustment wheel is now lockable to avoid accidentally being moved. In use, the standard colours for shooting video are bright and punchy which suited racing cars, but may be too bold for more cinematic work. In that case, the Eterna Film Simulation mode works really well, or you can fine-tune the settings. There is very little noise, which only starts to show its head at ISO 6400 and above. When shooting F-Log, the dynamic range is more than 11 stops but this drops to around nine when using Eterna Film Simulation. The base ISO for video is 640, which gives maximum dynamic range. It’s possible to drop this really low to ISO 160, which will allow you to use a wider aperture for a more shallow depth-of-field, but it does impact the dynamic range. So if you’re shooting Eterna at ISO 160, it’s something to be aware of. The best results are shooting F-Log at ISO 640, but of
course that means an increase in post-processing time. But it’s worth it to get the maximum out of this new camera. CLASSIC CONTROLS The X-T3 still follows the Fujifilm X Series philosophy of traditional style, distinctly retro controls on a rugged and weatherproof metal camera, but one that’s packed with the latest tech to help the pro do their job. If you are used to the handling of any of Fujifilm’s recent cameras then getting to grips with the X-T3 will take no time at all. The body is now a four-piece design, but the camera is the same size and has the same controls Fujifilm users are familiar with. If you have a background in old- school film SLRs, then you’ll have no issues either thanks to the traditional layout with obvious, knurled control rings for ISO and shutter speed. Even users of modern DSLRs with swoopy plastic bodies will have little trouble adapting to the retro-style controls as the X-T3 can be customised to work like a Nikon or Canon with two control wheels changing major settings. If you don’t like Fujifilm’s system of using a ring on the lens to change aperture, you can customise it. It remains a cool-looking retro cam that is simple to get to grips with and use quickly and efficiently.
FEBRUARY 2020 | DEF I N I T ION 61
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