Okay, I’m interested - Fujifilm X-T5 review
I am pretty lucky thanks to my job because I get to play with the newest gear quite often. For example, just recently I received a pre-production unit of the, at the time of writing this article, still unannounced Fujifilm X-T5 for a few days to test out. It was officially announced the day this review came out and here are my thoughts.
I've been using Fujifilm cameras for almost a decade now and I often get excited when a new one gets released but I don’t rush to buy it. Mainly because the one I usually have at the time is more than capable for my needs. The only reason I upgraded to the X-Pro2 six years ago was the slow autofocus of the X-Pro1 and the weather sealing of the X-Pro2. Later on, I upgraded to the X-Pro3 only because the deal I got on a used unit was too good to pass up. I ended up trading it in for an X-T4 eventually because, financially, it just made more sense at the time. I’ll get into detail about that in my X-Pro3 review I’ve been pushing myself to do for months. Fujifilm X-T5 however is the first camera in the lineup I am seriously considering getting on day one. It really is a wonderful little camera that seems to do everything I need.
The body
Fujifilm has broken the traditional trend of newer X-Tx cameras always being larger than the previous model. X-T5 is noticeably smaller in hand and feels much nicer to hold. I’d even say the size feels much closer to the original X-T1. The grip however hasn’t suffered a bit. It is still fairly deep and comfortable. The button layout is identical to the X-T4. The same joystick, same function buttons, and same M/C/S focus lever. The threaded shutter button has been slightly improved as well as its position feels more natural. The analogue ISO, shutter speed and exposure dials have been slightly redesigned. They are not slanted anymore as Fujifilm introduced in X-T3/4, but they are straight-sided again like we saw on the X-T2. Last but not least, the exposure compensation dial has been enlarged and its clicky nature of it has been slightly dampened to make it feel much more pleasing to use. The metering switch from the X-T3 seems to be gone for good as the Stills/Movie switch from the X-T4 is back. It very much feels like an X-T camera and that is great news. If it isn’t broken, why fix it?
However, some things are new. Well, new is a relative term. We’ve seen this feature on the T2, T3, and GFX cameras. But not on the X-T4, nor the new X-H2(S). The three-way tilting screen is back and the fully articulating one is gone. This feature alone made me so excited to shoot with the camera. It is a much more photography-friendly design compared to the single hinge swivel. Horizontal shooting is much more comfortable, vertical shooting as well. Yes, you do lose the ability to take selfies or film yourself without a monitor, but this camera is made for stills first. Video makers get the X-H series.
There is a noticeable improvement to the port covers. The flappy rubber covers have been replaced by two hinged doors that actually stay open in place when you need them to. Last but not least, the viewfinder housing does appear to have a stronger slant than the previous model which makes it easier to fit into smaller bags.
The internals
Fujifilm X-T5 is the third camera in the 5th generation of the X-series lineup. It uses the new X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor and X-Processor 5 found in the X-H2 powerhouse. This means the camera can take stunning 40-megapixel images with a signal-to-noise ratio similar to that of the 26-megapixel super-fast X-H2S. I was genuinely impressed by the image quality and low noise levels considering this is the first 40-megapixel APS-C sensor on the market. The images are crisp and sharp. The new sensor is once again stabilised mechanically so you can get away with longer exposures whilst shooting handheld with no visible issues.
The base ISO is 125 just like the X-H2 as well as the fastest available shutter speed currently on the market. Just like the X-H2, the camera can capture motion up to 1/180 000 s. A feature perfectly paired with the 1.2 lenses of the XF lineup.
The camera is still using the larger NP-W235 battery so the battery life is very much manageable. I managed to get a full day of shooting out of a single battery. The CIPA standard has been improved from the X-T4’s 600 shots to 740 images per single charge. Considering I was always able to squeeze around 1000 images out of the older NP-W126 in my older X-Pro2 I doubt I’ll even need a second battery for a full-day wedding with the X-T5.
Fortunately for me, the memory card slots don’t follow the trend of the X-H2 models which means both of the card slots are UHS-II SDXC compatible with no CFexpress Type B in sight. No need for that ultra-fast card since this camera can’t do neither the fast framerates of the X-H2S nor the 8K video of the X-H2.
X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor combined with the new processor is capable of the same autofocus performance as the more expensive X-H2. That means we still get the same performance when it comes to subject detection, tracking and single-press AF. It is considerably faster and more reliable than the older models. Animals, vehicles, and people can now be tracked without any issues. I’ve learned to trust the AF tracking system much more nowadays thanks to the new processor. I rarely use the single-point instant AF anymore due to the tracking focus being so reliable.
The video
The body is considerably smaller than the previous fifth gen. models released this year. This means the thermals aren’t going to be as efficient so even though the camera shares the same sensor and processor as the X-H2, it can’t shoot 8K video. The highest it can go is 6,2k at 30 fps. Or you can use the same 6,2k in oversampled 4k mode. If you don’t want the higher quality you can record 4k up to 60 fps. All of the above can be recorded internally 10-bit, 4:2:2. This is a significant upgrade from the 4:2:0 limit of the X-T4.
X-T5 is also bringing us F-Log and F-Log2 for a higher dynamic range. F-Log runs at ISO 500 whereas F-Log2 runs at ISO 1000 and captures nearly 15 stops of dynamic range.
Back to the roots of photography
X-T5 has done something I haven’t seen in a while. It made me feel excited about a new camera. I never really needed to buy the latest and the greatest in a long time. The one and only time was with the announcement of the X-Pro2. And even then I haven’t bought the camera until at least six months after its release because I wasn’t 100% sure I’d need it over my X-Pro1. This time it’s different though.
After using the X-T5 for a few days I absolutely adore it. I’ve already sold my X-T4 and I’m even considering selling my beloved X70, for which I’ve been searching for a long time just to get the X-T5. It just made me want to shoot more and more. This was the camera I was waiting for.
Here are some sample images i took over the few days I had with the X-T5.
