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The Wayback Machine - https://web.archive.org/web/20150305004932/http://www.dpreview.com:80/articles/2224400831/real-world-test-shooting-fashion-with-the-fujifilm-x-t1?comment=6077868964
The X-T1 is Fujifilm's first weather-resistant interchangeable X-series camera. It is built around a 16.3 MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS II sensor housed in a die-cast magnesium body. Offering a traditional design with five physical top plate dials, two command dials, and six programmable function buttons the X-T1 also has a high resolution OLED viewfinder.
In the latest in our series of real-world video tests, we took the X-T1 to a local studio, to see how it would perform in the hands of a professional fashion and portrait photographer.
I recently attended a one-day Fujifilm workshop for portrait photography. It was very similar to what this video showed. The photographer (Mia Royal) used her X-System gear and I brought my (still quite new) X-T1 plus my 5D Mk III with which I was very familiar. All images were great and Mia was very pleased with her X-system results (even though she sees the gear simply as tools).
I must say. that I've become very fond of the X-T1 and its system. This is an interesting video which mirrors our experience during the workshop. Thanks for a fine video!
You can take good photographs with any camera. You can do it under these controlled lighting conditions with an e5000 nikon digicam- I have done, and you can do it with an Olympus E1 which is only 5MP. The Fujis are OK for snaps- they have good lenses and sensors. But given the choice between an XTI and a full-frame machine from any manufacturer what person who needs to make a living by selling photographs will happily prefer half-frame cameras?
I'm fortunate to have both (a full-frame Canon 6D and a Fuji X-T1). I like them both for different reasons.
There's only one condition I've found where the full-frameness of the 6D makes a big difference, which is hand-held in super low light. The Fuji performs impressively well at ISO 6400, but the Canon shots at that ISO seem to give me cleaner shadow areas.
Thanks for an excellent video. Both, the photographer and you did a great job in showing what the little Fuji can do in in real use. So much more valuable than a pixel peeping type of test.
Dear Barney, thanks for this interesting video. Ms Lazer told she had to get used to the settings (menu) of the camera. Do you remember the settings for this studio shoot, and if so, it would be interesting to know them for trying out a shoot-alike in studio. All my best wishes for the new year and keep up these good things! Best regards, H
Sorely missing link (oddly glossed over in the video): We have a need to transfer pictures to an iPad while simultaneously photographing with the camera...while holding the camera and looking through camera. This might be called Wireless Tethering.
Dear Fujifilm, Please give the 'LiveView' feature in Camera Remote/Remote Control an 'OFF' switch so we can continue to look through the camera while transferring to the iPad. Free us from EyeFi.
Really beautiful, nicely put-together woma-- er, video.
Olivia did say something that gave me pause. She said, "It's about being able to make that connection with your model." Nice to be reminded that it isn't entirely about equipment and technology.
I have Nikon D800 & D5100 and compliment of respective lenses (primes and zooms) and am considering an everyday camera to replace my D5100.
I am NOT impressed by the Nikon offering outside the FX system, hence, am considering either the Oly and Lumix. I am not concern about the lens or system compatibility with Nikon. Money is not a problem.
Looks like this X-T1 deserves a serious consideration alone with Oly and Lumix.
After working with the Fuji X system for a few months, I think you should give it serious consideration. Also for the "everyday" aspect, the new X-T1 weather sealing is a consideration. I love not having to worry about the camera in all weather conditions outdoors. The newer WR lenses also keep dust out.
I am really enjoying the new videos (even if they are a bit sales-y). I'm also glad to see the DPReview staff taking a more active role in the comments. I think it helps balance the often times unruly commenting I've historically seen on the site.
And completely unrelated to photography, how about them Seahawks? :)
I don't get it, was this a sponsored post or something?
I bought and tested this camera heavily over a 2 week period. It's a great camera. But there are many more drawbacks to using this in a fashion shoot setting (or for many types of professional work) than were listed here.
How about the fact that it doesn't work tethered to C1? Guess how many fashion shoots happen these days without being tethered? And frankly the autofocus does not hold up to the standards set by modern full frame cameras, and neither do the files.
I could get through a professional shoot with that camera, which is saying something (if C1 added tethered support). But I would constantly be noticing its many small shortcomings, and the last thing you want to think about when shooting is your camera. I find it very hard to believe that a working professional didn't have anything to say about the camera that would hold her back from using it other than the indention of the controls.
"How about the fact that it doesn't work tethered to C1? Guess how many fashion shoots happen these days without being tethered?"
Probably close to none, I agree, specially if we're thinking about mid- to high-end fashion shoots. However, I'm sure there's loads of photographers out there shooting studio portraits professionally without tethering. To them, your concerns about the AF would be much more valid than no tethering support.
Same here, I'm a professional fashion photographer and my camera is tethered to Capture One every time in Studio, I have a digital tech on the computer and my clients make their selections from the computer or ipad with capture pilot app. All fashion photographers that I know use their camera tethered to Capture One too. This is for me the biggest drawback.
And I agree. That and 1) no dual card slots, and 2) flaky indecisive autofocus. Ive tried the XI1 on slow to moderate pace runway with dodgy lighting, and it's just not up to speed (using Xt1 grip and 56 F1.2, 50-140 was not available). Too much searching and too many missed shots--and Ive been shooting with Fuji for awhile so I know all of their focus quirks. Fail. Break out the Nikon.
I don't see the attraction to the XT1 anymore. The Sony is just as small but with a bigger sensor and IBIS. Better ISO, better DOF and adapted FF lenses stay what they are meant to be. The Sony does lack in native lenses but I can remember when the Fuji's had the same issue. So for Mirrorless cameras you want small go with MFT. You want high iq go with Sony.
It's not that Sony's FE lens selection is small or will remain that way for long. Sony's problem is the FE lens lineup is weird. There are several overlapping products (two standard zooms, two 35's), as well as several gaps (no 85mm portrait lens).
From what I can tell by the DPR comparisons, the IQ of the Sony A7 & A7 II is a tad worse than the X-T1, and is notably worse than a Nikon equipped with the same 24MP sensor. Sensor size does not always dictate IQ. Also, the difference in DOF between FF and APS-C isn't *that* different.
Sony's approach to camera design appears to be throwing things at a wall and seeing what sticks, and they 'fix' things by constantly replacing products before they've been on the market for a year (maybe they'll fix the loud mechanical shutter with the A7 III?). Fuji at least addresses things with firmware updates, and most of their products make sense and include changes that reflect customer feedback.
As far as 'adapted FF lenses stay the way they were meant to be':
Congratulations, you've bought into a meaningless mentality that states 35mm film equivalent is the gold standard for how all other formats are compared! You may also hate: Medium format, where you have to do all sorts of math to figure out what focal length to use to approximate different FOV's! 50's are wide angle! 80mm is normal! As well as other things that don't really matter!
Seriously, of all the things you could trot out to defend your camera of choice...
Well Mr whyamihere who said it is my camera of choice ? Really getting sick of the embryonic fan boy mentality of some People such as yourself on these forums. Your point about the lenses is lizard like in its low state of mental awareness. Some of us buy lenses in a certain focul length because we want to shoot them for that look and ability, so it is nice when we use them on a new camera that they stay at that focul length. Get it yet ? No of course not because your brain shut down the second you read something other than a gushing and adoring adulation piece for the camera of your choice. Grow up
@DPReview, could we also have a button with the arrow down, next to "like", for "dislike"? That way we can let people know when they're not adding to the discussion and just being annoying?
Great video. I have a question when shooting with studio flash. When you use your flash meter to determine the exposure, you basically set the shutter to X sync (you set the meter based on the closest value to what the X value is for your camera. Then you set your f stop. The problem here is that in manual mode the camera does not let you view the image easily with the lens wide open. The modeling lights are not powerful enough for you to see the image or am I missing something.
I am still interested to know what using the EVF in the studio was like. I posted a question earlier, but did not get an answer (not about the 'Preview Exposure' thing, but about yellow cast if you set a custom WB, and wrong exposure conditions in EVF due to contrast between subject and background, if this is extreme). There must be some trick I am missing, if the photographer didn't go 'ewwww' when she looked in the viewfinder, or make any comments about that.
You got an answer about the yellow cast. If you set your WB to flash and look at a scene lighted with modelling lights, it's totally expected. As far exposure goes, you'd do as it's always been done. Take a few test shots, check, and adjust. You don't judge your exposure from the EVF in a studio setting if you're using flash, it seems pretty obvious why.
Yes, I understand why the yellow cast is there. I am wondering what other people think of it, including the photographer in the video, if she used custom WB.
Also, I am not talking about the exposure in the photo, I am talking about the exposure in the EVF. Since you are not previewing actual exposure, the camera is making its own guess at how to expose the image you see in the EVF. Maybe I am doing something wrong, or maybe it is that way for everyone, and most people don't care, but for example, if I am shooting against a black background, the person is blown out, and I can't see detail very well. I have even tried spot metering, but apparently the cameras don't use that to determine the exposure in the EVF when you have exposure preview turned off.
I was hoping to hear from Barney what their experience was in the shoot in the video, but apparently that is not going to happen. It looked like they mostly were shooting high key with little contrast, so it may have not been an issue.
Yes, that was what I was wondering. Noone else seems to mention this but me, and I have had this issue with like 5 different mirrorless cameras I have used. So, I feel like I am missing some set up trick.
what difference does it make if it's not right viewing through the EVF? It's the final output that's what counts. If this has happened to you with 5 different mirrorless camera's, then yes you are missing some setup trick that may not exist.
Great review - reading a 'technical' review is interesting and useful but a hands-on experience adds a different dimension. Enjoyed this a lot - would be great to see comparisons between the shots taken on the Fuji and the photographers usual equipment.
Enjoyed the video a lot. Would like to see similar with the d750,so set up another date with the gal! Would be good to go over the equipment and brands she uses.more info the better.Thanks.
Another good and honest video, and probably confidence building for those new to a studio environment. I too would like to see some sample images to go with it, though realise this would take prior agreement from the studio. Obviously a controlled lighting situation doesn't challenge the DR of a camera hardly at all, but the focus on the benefits of the X-trans was welcome.
It would perhaps be nice to ask what the Photographer usually uses as a camera, and perhaps whether she/he would consider replacing it with the tested unit.
Finally, having a small camera that can go large physically when needed gives the best of both worlds in my book. I like the grip on my GH4 for this very reason.
Great video Barney, I use an X-E1 with studio work/play and love it, I kind of have to, its the camera I currently use These real world videos you are posting are excellent and highly enjoyable. I don't get too caught up in screeds of review info DPR releases so these provide welcome entertainment and are informative. Your camera presence is very polite and British, love it!
Much thanks for the Raw converter advise. My editing machine is PC, but I do have a small 13 inch Mac Book Pro. I agree Silkypix is so slow you want to take a sledge hammer to it!
You woud think a company that really seems to respond to it's customer base would get with the program and offer a decent Raw converter, which would only help their sales as everyone might be talking from reviewers to end user how great the Raw files look!
Thanks DP Review for a great job on this video. Its always interesting to see real world test especially for someone who does not usually do this kind of work.
Also great job Barney! you are a natural Video personality without being to contrived. Overall I'm excited to see more like this Cheers
In the video it is said that the sensor is effectively a 24MP sensor. Certainly not. You have a different CFA and need other demosaicing algorithms being able to prevent moire a little better, but you cannot magically increase resolution in all color channels.
"In the video it is said that the sensor is effectively a 24MP sensor. "
That's not what I said at all. I said that in terms of effective resolution, the moire-free 16MP X-Trans punches above its weight and isn't too far behind conventional 24MP sensors.
Depends on what kind of detail you are looking at. If you only relate it to moire, I agree. This is due to the non-Bayer CFA and known for quite some time in the science-literature (indeed, there are even better arrangements but to benefit demosaicing algorithms usually work in spectral space). Regarding fine detail like hair or foliage, I didn't find the resolution to be even 16MP. The OMD EM1 I tested against showed better detail.
And this is not true. As a proof, you present crops of text from the test scene. The X-trans sensor is created for reducing moire in such regular and well aligned patterns. In all other patterns, on your test scene, is considerably worse than most sensors in aliasing. It also resolves less even than the m43 16mp sensors, not to mention 24mp ones.
Barney, I hated your interview of the Nikon rep after the Photokina, not asking him straight away about his plans with pro-DX. (Nikon is still "studying", I guess.....). But you did a good job this time. Slowly but surely also professionals are noticing the benefits of the mILC systems and acknowledging the quality. As I stated before, the system of the future, one way or another. I hope Nikon will see that too, in time.
Thanks, I guess....? And as stated on multiple prior occasions, there is no value whatsoever in asking any company representative south of CEO level what their company's plans are for any specific product or product line. You'll just get 'no comment' and the segment you mention was shot live and so time-limited that it would have been a waste.
OK you guys have a good video on fashion *studio* applications with the X-T1, but as a fashion photographer I need to know how it will perform with the 50-140 F2.8 on the *runway* at shows with inconsistent lighting condtions, especially with focus speed and accuracy (I already shoot with Fuji so I know high iso will be fine). In eventually replacing my Olympus E-5 and 50-200 F2.8-3.5 SWD Zuiko for that work, which is lightning fast focus wise and accurate, but noisy as all get out above iso 800, it has come down to the X-T1/50-140 F2.8 with grip or a Canon 7Dmkii with grip and 70-200 F2.8 IS. I have no interest in going with m4/3 and the E-M1 because 1) Im moving away from 4/3 (thanks Fuji), 2) Im not big on the m4/3>4/3 adapter for the otherwise stellar 4/3 50-200, and 3) I have a colleague that shoots runway who tried that combo out and was disappointed with the focus lock lag and that anything above 1600 was too noisy, at least for his use. thanks :)
I think fashion runways AF might be tough on MILC. If they are moving, ok if they are posing. I have a friend that shoot m4/3 at same event I do. He takes great images, but if I was picky I would say they don't do well with noise. To shoot with ambient you either need a slow shutter speed or jack the iso up a little. I also balance it with flash, but not too much so I get the flash in the face look (unnatural). I don't use my Sony a7, because of the lack of lenses and flash I have for it, but use my d750 now (was d600). I recommend going full frame. I used to do these event with an aps-c, the full frame is worth it. Nicer narrower DoF, and the iso is cleaner.
People think the D600 AF system is entry level, but I think it is pretty good. Most of the early shots were ISO, by the end of the night I mixed flash with it. There was a glass curtain wall on the south side.
I think samples would be cool too but I disagree that this was long and boring. I think these are really great and talk much more clearly about the usability of the cameras than print could ever do. Great job.
I love the focus on controls and how correctly using some of the new features can require small changes in the way you shoot. That's the most critical stuff to convey over video. This series continues to be great!
And you're pretty good on camera Barney. The self depreciating humor is important when you're going to have so much more technical knowledge on the product than the photographer you're handing it to. Again, well done.
I'm not saying you did a bad job, Barney, I just find video in general to be boring. From anyone. I would much rather read an article (and view photos).
Disagree completely. I started the video while working on something else, expecting to watch the first 30 seconds and then to turn it off. I ended up watching the entire 15 minutes with no fast forwarding. I have little interest in studio or fashion photography, but found the video engaging nevertheless. I think there is real value in demonstrating cameras in actual use contexts, and that there should be more videos like this.
Haha, you see the full advantage of mirrorless with a lense 3 times bigger than the body. An the vertical grip compensates this in even more size. Yeah. ;)
I think the X-T1 is targeted beyond people who's main concern is size. It competes on image quality and features with anything else in it's price neighborhood whither those choices are built to be small or not. Fuji makes some of the best APS-C lenses around and this is their most capable body so I don't understand why it's out of place here at all.
Some people actually prefer the EVF. This one's got a huge viewfinder, far bigger than would be practical for an APS-C optical finder. Live View's a way of life for a growing percentage of us.
I found the EVF often too large, so that it was difficult to to see everything at once and used the smaller view option. In the video they switched exposure preview off, as far as I know. Staying at larger apertures I don't see a big benefit of EVF there compared to a DSLR.
Ah you can't escape the laws of physics indeed. Still, the xt1 with its biggest lens is still a tad smaller compared its ff competitors. You want ridiculous? Look at those Sony a7 series users adapting all sorts of huge ff lenses on them.
@UnderTheSun And every smartphone is smaller @f1.8 than your Fuji X-T1. So what's the point here? If you want a small cam, use your phone. There are reasons for fullframe and there are reasons for APS-C. They both can coexist but are always compromises in any way. The lenses on the Fuji may be smaller than on FF (did you check the Canon 40mm 2.8? ;)), but they don't deliver the same picture. That's the difference. If you can live with the drawbacks of APS-C you can enjoy of course the advantages...
As you said., trade offs. I shoot mainly with my 1dx and a 5dm3 as my second body for paid gigs. Even with the relatively tiny 85mm 1.8 both of my canon bodies are still huge and heavy. My Xt1 with 56mm 1.2 is a nice middle ground as it can fit into my small camera bag and tote around anywhere. Not everybody is looking for a camera that will fit in your pocket, many photogs are fine with a small tote bag.
Also is there a mobile phone with an APS-C sensor in the market? Perhaps that Panasonic phone with a m43 sensor. Regardless even at 1.8 the look vs a larger sensor is simply not the same.
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Right f1.8 is not the same, as I told, so why compare apples and bananas? ;) The 55 1.2 is not the same as the 85 1.2 on a fullframe body. If you really own those bodies, you will already know that. I like the fuji, but with the smaller size comes a different picture. And the examples are always with 35mm or 85mm equiv, what about one of the most uses lenses today, the 70-200 2.8? Even if there would be an equivalent lens, the size would be quite big for the small body. The Fuji is a great street photography tool, but replacing a fullframebody like a 5DM3 or D810? No way... at least not for me.
I guess I am missing the right way to set up EVFs for the studio. Other people seem to find them fine, and the appearance in the viewfinder wasn't even really mentioned here, just the features of it.
I have had two issues with every EVF I have used, including the X-T1. First, I need to say, yes, I know about setting the EVF to not preview exposure.
So, my issues are, 1) I set a custom white balance for my flash, then under the modeling lights, everything in the viewfinder has a horrid yellow cast; 2) I usually have a lot of contrast between the subject and background, especially under the modeling lights (I often use speedlights for the background) ,so the EVF usually blows out the subject or underexposes them. As far as I can tell, since you are not previewing exposure, you can't adjust the exposure in the EVF, it is just metering all on its own based on the scene.
How the camera was set up in this shoot, and how did things look in the EVF? What do people do in general with EVFs?
It is normal to see a yellow cast under modeling lights when your white balance is set for flash because the modeling lights are tungsten and way more yellow at about 2700K while strobes are way more blue, around 5500K. As for the other issue, in my experience, that's just the way EVFs work. They're just not as sensitive as the human eye so you won't get the same view you would with a normal viewfinder. I'm assuming you have all the other lights in the studio off and you're only lighting with the modeling lights.
I do realize the reason for the yellow cast, it just seems odd that noone else seems to have it, or at least to mind, maybe. Same with the really off exposure in the EVF. About all I can use the EVF for is framing, personally, and I thought perhaps I was missing something, since other people rave about EVFs, even in the studio.
Unless I am missing some better way to do it, and can change to that way, I would be pretty hard pressed to every use a camera with an EVF as my main studio camera. Or probably period, when lighting with flash.
Very well done - nice to see something that's not all geek-speak. I have a Canon 5DII and L lenses used mostly for landscape/architecture & am on the fence about switching to Fuji (small + high IQ but requires a whole new kit; $$$,) Sony 7-II (high DR sensor; can use adapter for Canon lenses but not much net advantage regarding size); 5D-IV (optical viewfinder but size/weight penalty and uncertain timing; $$). Alas, this video only makes the decision harder. Let's have more of these.
It was a little humorous to see Barney describing some technical features to the photographer as her eyes glazed over. You could almost hear her thinking "Just give me the darn camera and let me take pictures." Dpreview attracts serious camera geeks (like myself) but many pro photographers are more like Olivia.
Very nice Barney, quite funny too. Did you actually give up on the 56mm AF or was it just simpler to work manually? I know that modelling lights are not usually all that bright.
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