Fujifilm X-T5
Big test
PRICE: £1699
FUJIFILM-X.COM
A high-resolution sensor wrapped within a highly specified, weather-resistant body. The latest Fujifilm almost seems too good to be true – is it?
bulk and weight. The T5, on the other hand, bucks that trend, shaving off a few millimetres on the body size and dropping a few grams compared to the previous model. The result is a camera that’s more in keeping with the earlier versions: a simpler time, before the term ‘hybrid’ had become part of the photographic vernacular. Admittedly, this may well be Fujifilm carving out distinctions within its own range, but compared to the X-H2S and X-H2 it does feel like the X-T5 is more conceived and focused around stills photography, even if its spec suggests otherwise. Let’s start at the top or, more precisely, in the centre. The X-T5 uses the same 40.2-megapixel sensor as the X-H2, which is allied to the X-Processor 5 imaging engine, also currently starring in the X-H2 and X-H2S. The resolution is the highest you’ll find in any camera sporting an APS-C sized sensor, and in fact, gives some full-frame versions a run for their megapixel money. The T5’s sensor is back-side illuminated and uses Fujifilm’s own X-Trans pixel array, which is designed to reduce moiré and false colours without the need for a quality- sapping low-pass filter in front of the sensor. As any Fujifilm owner will gleefully tell you, it’s technology that works exceptionally well – and I’m pleased to report that the new sensor performs as admirably as its predecessors in this respect. There’s something undeniably pleasing about the way Fujifilm cameras render colours straight out of camera. While I shot Raw and JPEG files for the majority of this test, it was very rare that I reverted to the Raws during processing. The JPEGs have a depth of colour and tone that are hard to find anywhere else, and with the collection of Film Simulation options at your disposal – 19 in total – it’s easy enough to find a baked-in colour profile to suit your style without spending hours editing. The X-T5 also features in-body image stabilisation (IBIS), which works across five axes to provide up to seven stops of compensation. Photographers working handheld in low-light conditions will welcome this degree of support, but it’s also
WORDS AND IMAGES BY ROGER PAYNE
IF IT’S AN even-numbered year, there’s a good chance Fujifilm is going to unveil the latest iteration of its X-T series. The original X-T1 arrived in 2014, the X-T2 followed in 2016, the T3 in 2018 and, well, you get the idea. So, it came as no surprise to see the covers lifted on the X-T5 in late 2022. What was perhaps a little more unexpected was that it came hot on the heels of the X-H2S and X-H2, both of which arrived less than six months before. For many transitioning from DSLR ownership, those original X-Ts proved understandably popular. A central viewfinder gave the cameras familiar design and handling characteristics; they felt very DSLR-ish. But the models also stayed true to the Fujifilm X Series ideals of analogue dials providing rapid access to key functions, as well as more than a passing nod to the design of old film SLRs. If it’s offset viewfinders you seek, see X-Pro and X-E models – or the original X100 range, of course. The good news is the X-T5 stays true to that original concept. The central viewfinder, complete with faux pentaprism, remains intact, but Fujifilm is also quick to point out that the T5 has been on a modest diet. Previously, each iteration had ‘put on some timber’, gaining both extra
“THERE’S SOMETHING UNDENIABLY
reassuring to have for general image making, too. A useful byproduct of the IBIS system is the Pixel Shift Multi-Shot feature, which records a series of 20 images, each taken after a minuscule shift in the position of the sensor. Combine those 20 frames using the free Pixel Shift Combiner software, and you’ll get a single 160-megapixel file, which is frankly huge, but offers an astonishing level of detail. Similar systems are present on other cameras, of course, and the same restrictions apply here – every part of the frame needs to be static, so it’s not really practical to shoot a portrait or landscape. But for interiors, still life or archival purposes, it’s great to have when ultimate image quality is needed. In all honesty, though, I was more than happy with the 40.2 megapixels that are available on every frame. Resulting files measure 7728x5152 pixels; more than enough for hefty
prints of my proudest shots – and even capable of quickly consuming gigabytes of space on a hard drive. Alongside the resolution gain, there are some other, more subtle improvements for existing X-T owners. The X-T5 now has native ISO down to 125, offers electronic shutter speeds up to an impressive 1/180,000sec and supports the HEIF image format, which provides 10- PLEASING ABOUT THE WAY FUJIFILM CAMERAS RENDER COLOURS”
GET TILTED The LCD screen is not fully articulated, meaning it may not be the weapon of choice for vloggers, but three directions suffice for most bit image quality in a file size 30% smaller than a JPEG. None of these are groundbreaking, but they’re welcome, and combine to make the camera a more inviting proposition. I tested the X-T5 shortly after being in the company of the Canon EOS R6 Mark II (see Photography News issue 103) and if there’s an AF system to aspire to, it’s the Canon’s. It’s widely acknowledged that the
GARDEN VARIETY The X-T5 handles the basics very well. A 40.2-megapixel sensor offers more than enough detail for beautiful prints
34 Photography News | Issue 104
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