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Archive 2014 · Fujifilm X-T1 review

  
 
BKphotography
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Fujifilm X-T1 review


Hi Folks

First time post in this section although I have been on this form for quite some time now.

Although I'm a bit late to the party I just finished a a review of the Fujifilm X-T1 I thought I would post the link just incase any of you guys wish to have a look?

Been meaning to write it up for a while, hopefully somebody can get something from it.

Here is the link...

http://www.bkcommercialphotography.com/fujifilm-x-t1-review/

Cheers!
BK




Dec 09, 2014 at 02:35 PM
galenapass
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Fujifilm X-T1 review


In my humble opinion, I prefer it when people post pictures and thoughts directly on FM, and then add a link for those interested. It 'feels' more like a contribution to the site and community. Otherwise, one always wonders if the real intent is to drive traffic to another site. This may not be the case, but if the objective is to share, why not share a little here to generate discussion?


Dec 09, 2014 at 02:46 PM
Mitch Alland
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Fujifilm X-T1 review


BK - Found it a bit difficult to read your site: on my screen the letters are small (Mac PowerBooK Retina) and increasing the viewing size makes the view too wide, as the line length does not change. Also, sorry, but it's tiresome to read an article written with one-sentence paragraphs.

My concern with the X-T1 is whether the color rendition is one that I would like. I should explain that I have a Leica M9 and don't like the color rendition of the M240 because it looks more like Canon or Nikon than that of the M9. Some people say that it's all a matter of post-processing but others, myself included, think that one can work on trying to get the look of the color of the M9 and M240 close but they will remain different. Obviously some people are better than others at post-processing, but the run-of-mill M240 pictures that I see don't appeal to me in terms of color rendition the way M9 pictures do.

With the current sensor delamination problem of the M9 — mine has had its sensor replaced and has started to delaminate again — has made me start to look at alternatives, but I would not get an M240 because of its color rendition. Your pictures remind me of the M240/Nikon/Canon color rendition and I wonder whether that is typical or whether it's a matter of your style. I do recall seeing a review by "Zack" (don't recall his full name), which had quite a different color look.

Last week I briefly tried out an X-T1 in a store in a shopping mall, where the light was horrible. In Lightroom, I couldn't really come to a conclusion on the color rendition because in that horrible light, any camera would be shown at a disadvantage. What I did see, though, was that the X-T1 auto white balance was fantastic and much better than that of my M9: walking through the shopping center, there ware a lot of different light combination against the background of the flat fluorescent lighting — ares of blue or red LEDs, etc. It was amazing, but in every shot I had taken the X-T1 AWB was spot-on: I didn't have to adjust the WB on a single one. With the M9, I would have had to fiddle extensively to get the WB to where I wanted it probably on every shot.

The other things that were impressive on the X-T1 were the quality of the EVF and the accuracy and ease-of use of the "split-image" manual focusing system.



Dec 09, 2014 at 06:01 PM
BKphotography
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Fujifilm X-T1 review


galenapass - You're probably right, things were a bit rushed yesterday. I had a few things on my to do list... not to mention my three young kids running about in the office!

Mitch - Thats unfortunate about it not showing properly on your retina screen. As for the one sentence paragraphs, it wasn't typed up that way but I guess thats how my blog template decides to display it (I'm at the mercy of the template just now as I haven't the knowledge to customize certain parts of it). Actually some people have expressed there preference to that format. Can't please everyone and I don't try.


The gist of the review was...

Likes = Build, Form factor, DR, Colours, Good High ISO, Wi-Fi, and the Flip Screen

Dislikes = Battery Life, Crop Sensor, Recessed Buttons


Here are some photos in no particular order from my article if you are interested...

1
Scotlands Referendum 2014-003 by BKphotography.co.uk, on Flickr
2
Scotlands Referendum 2014-002 by BKphotography.co.uk, on Flickr
3
Scotlands Referendum 2014-025 by BKphotography.co.uk, on Flickr
4
Scotlands Referendum 2014-024 by BKphotography.co.uk, on Flickr
5
Scotlands Referendum 2014-022 by BKphotography.co.uk, on Flickr
6
Scotlands Referendum 2014-021 by BKphotography.co.uk, on Flickr
7
Scotlands Referendum 2014-020 by BKphotography.co.uk, on Flickr
8
Scotlands Referendum 2014-019 by BKphotography.co.uk, on Flickr
9
Scotlands Referendum 2014-017 by BKphotography.co.uk, on Flickr
10
Scotlands Referendum 2014-014 by BKphotography.co.uk, on Flickr
11
Scotlands Referendum 2014-013 by BKphotography.co.uk, on Flickr
12
Scotlands Referendum 2014-012 by BKphotography.co.uk, on Flickr
13
Scotlands Referendum 2014-011 by BKphotography.co.uk, on Flickr
14
Scotlands Referendum 2014-008 by BKphotography.co.uk, on Flickr
15
Scotlands Referendum 2014-006 by BKphotography.co.uk, on Flickr
16
Scotlands Referendum 2014-009 by BKphotography.co.uk, on Flickr

Cheers!
BK



Dec 10, 2014 at 05:18 AM
galenapass
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Fujifilm X-T1 review


Brian, thanks for the quick summary. Nice shots! Some have an HDR look to them.


Dec 10, 2014 at 10:56 AM
alba63
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Fujifilm X-T1 review


Hi Brian, thanks for the work and the street photography samples. However as a long time Fuji user I must say that this is - in respect to the colour rendition - not the look I have learned to love Fuji for.
Fuji colours can be saturated and yet lifelike, with great skin tones and that "analogue film look" hardly any other manufacturer delivers.
Not sure what presets you used, but as someone has already said, some of the samples look a bit HD (no deep shadows) and colours in general are not very saturated, specially the skin tones look a bit pale to me. Your pics also seem generally a bit to harsh due to strong sharpening.
I know that Fuji has changed the output of the more recent X cameras compared to the X_Pro1 and X-E1, but in my 200-300 X-T1 shots I haven't found the difference to be that dramatic.



Dec 10, 2014 at 04:40 PM
carstenw
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Fujifilm X-T1 review


Those are Scots, the skin tones *should* look pale


Dec 10, 2014 at 05:47 PM
BKphotography
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Fujifilm X-T1 review


galenapass - HDR? Oh no! Haha! Thanks anyways

alba63 - Well you see the thing is... I want my photos to look like mine. Not yours. Presets were mine also. Cheers!

carstenw - You're a German. You *shouldn't* have a sense of humour!



Dec 11, 2014 at 06:24 AM
Ian Boys
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Fujifilm X-T1 review


Top answer


Dec 11, 2014 at 06:52 AM
justruss
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Fujifilm X-T1 review


alba63 wrote:
Hi Brian, thanks for the work and the street photography samples. However as a long time Fuji user I must say that this is - in respect to the colour rendition - not the look I have learned to love Fuji for.
Fuji colours can be saturated and yet lifelike, with great skin tones and that "analogue film look" hardly any other manufacturer delivers.
Not sure what presets you used, but as someone has already said, some of the samples look a bit HD (no deep shadows) and colours in general are not very saturated, specially the skin tones look
...Show more

Processing is obviously subjective, so while I agree that there's something specific in these photos that stands away from the default Fuji processing/look (though not in a unique way; see below)-- I don't see why we should care all that much if the OP's end result is something other than our own ideal. What looks good is a subjective thing.

What you're seeing in the OP's photos, and what has become a trendy sort of look in the last few years (namely as DR and easy processing tools have matured) is a pseudo HDR (hence the earlier poster saying as much) where we see processing-based overexposure coupled with lifted shadows and muted highlights. It's the overexposure of skin tones along with processing that brings the highlights back down that results in skin tones that are smoother, a bit paler, and hot without hard specular highlights (high exposure low contrast in those tones, essentially). Playing with mid-tone contrast can modulate this overall style.

This gets a little extra dose of "processed" here because there's also significant falloff/vignetting, either imposed by the lens or in post processing.

It's become a common look because it lends a sense of drama and otherworldliness, and it's easier to set up now than it ever has been in the past. The cameras capture the data, and the computers can manipulate the data in a way that you can achieve this without all the noise/artifacts you'd get in the past.

The only part that bothers me is that you're seeing this in press photos more and more often.






Dec 11, 2014 at 07:01 AM
BKphotography
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Fujifilm X-T1 review


Cheers Ian

Justruss - You're not far off mate. I didn't underexpose any of the images. In post I did lift the shadows and pull back some of the highlights. Vignettes were done in post also. This has been my style for much longer than a few years (see my wedding photos in my www). Maybe I was just ahead of my time! I don't think of myself as trendy but maybe I should start telling other this Thanks for pitching in everyone. Always good to hear what others think



Dec 11, 2014 at 07:10 AM
justruss
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Fujifilm X-T1 review


Ahead of the curve? Trend setter! (Go with that!)

If one has a look, and clients come back for it-- you've accomplished something for sure.

Cheers.



Dec 11, 2014 at 08:28 AM
BKphotography
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Fujifilm X-T1 review


Its a necessity that the clients come... my kids need to eat!

Cheers



Dec 11, 2014 at 05:25 PM
carstenw
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Fujifilm X-T1 review


BKphotography wrote:
galenapass - HDR? Oh no! Haha! Thanks anyways

alba63 - Well you see the thing is... I want my photos to look like mine. Not yours. Presets were mine also. Cheers!

carstenw - You're a German. You *shouldn't* have a sense of humour!


I'm Scottish I just live here...



Dec 11, 2014 at 06:02 PM
BKphotography
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Fujifilm X-T1 review


I'm Canadian I just live here...


Dec 11, 2014 at 06:32 PM
carstenw
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Fujifilm X-T1 review


I am also Canadian


Dec 11, 2014 at 07:03 PM
BKphotography
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Fujifilm X-T1 review


Ok, you've got me there.

You win.















*although I don't believe you one tiny bit*



Dec 11, 2014 at 07:05 PM
Mitch Alland
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Fujifilm X-T1 review


Now, guys, with all these Canadians being nice to each other, how do we get at the T-X1 color rendition issue, eh?

Seriously, though, while files can be pushed all over the place, what interests me is whether I could even get close to the M9 color rendition with the X-T1, or whether I'd be limited to Canon/Nikon type color rendition. There have being raging discussions on Leica forums of the M9 vs M240 color rendition.I like the what I can get from M9 files (after processing), which I would describe more of a color transparency film look than a color negative film look.

As mentioned earlier in the thread, people have generally occluded, even many of the ones who like the M240 and don't really care, that it's not possible to get the M9 color rendition with the M240. Many people think this applies particularly to skin tones, with some have having concluded that to get realistic skin tones with the M240 screws up other color relations. I just wonder how the T-X1 fits in these considerations.



Dec 12, 2014 at 01:55 AM
carstenw
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Fujifilm X-T1 review


BKphotography wrote:
Ok, you've got me there.

You win.

*although I don't believe you one tiny bit*


I am a dual-citizen, British-Canadian, born in Scotland (Johnstone in Renfrew country, near Glasgow), grew up in Denmark (my mother is Danish), and then lived 19 years in Canada, mostly around Toronto-Waterloo-London, but 2.5 years in Montréal before coming here.


Mitch, I cannot imagine that it would be easy to get the M9 look from any recent camera, especially Fuji cameras, which have their own colour design. At the limit it is of course possible. Just change the colours of each pixel to the right value, one at a time, but I suppose you are looking for global operations

However, it ought to be possible to get a fair amount closer. Do you have Colour Efex or anything like that? Various film presets might get close.



Dec 12, 2014 at 02:40 AM





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