Fujifilm
viewfinder it made this methodical type of photography completely joyful! Low sun, no-one else around and a powerful yet simple camera, what could be better? My final outing was to a local cyclo-cross race, where I certainly got to test the X-T3’s weather sealing. It was subjected to some very heavy Scottish rain and a lot of mud flying around, and it most certainly is weatherproof ! Any anxiety about the battery-life was also unfounded. On a single battery it covered about 500 shots, and with an additional two batteries in the grip I took in excess of 1000 shots with around half power still remaining. The EF-X500 flash also withstood a downpour, and was still running normally on a single set of Duracell AA batteries at the end of a four-hour shoot. The race conditions were tough for any kit – low light, moving subjects both far off and near to the lens, and a pervading grey mist in
First I took the X-T3 on a visit to our local coastguard helicopter station. To get used to it, I left it in Programmode for most of that session, and it coped admirably in the dim hangar. I was concerned about the lack of image stabilisation, but that proved foundless. Shots were nice and sharp, possibly as, knowing there was no IS, I was more cautious, setting up properly and keeping an eye on shutter speed. Later that day we got some sun for the first time in weeks! So I took the opportunity to visit a favourite location of mine with access to disused railway vehicles and industrial buildings. There I switched to manual and really got into the tactile nature of operating this camera. The old-school dials and aperture ring were fantastic to use and so quick to adjust. I quickly got to know which function was which by touch, with no need to look at the top plate. Combined with the revelation of an electronic
44 Photography News | Issue 75
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