Fuji X-T100, experience so far

Intro:

I posted this review a few days back but because it had too many images in one post I was asked to withdraw it and break it down or post a gallery. As many people don't generally like to click off the thread and as I wanted to put my main findings in one place I thought I'd try again with this review and then in a couple of posts about the af, which seems to be getting a lot of negativity from various reviewers.

The X-T100 is receiving a lot of interest and rightly so in my opinion, it is very (very) different from the traditional x-trans line and this has led to the inevitable polarizing of opinion. I'll be honest, x-trans is not on my agenda any time soon but I do see aps-c as the sweet spot for camera sensor size, offering more manageable/compact bodies and lens offerings than FF and generally speaking the same size or in the case of the x-t100 as compact as m43. Having tried several versions of Sony's a6000 line, incl slt variants too I continue to be underwhelmed by their aps-c lenses at the more affordable end and the image quality always needs so much work from raw too. My recent experience with the a6500 was very mixed, with the sigma 1.4 sigma it was so buggy and so poor at focusing, it doent' focus at apertures around 1.8-2.2 with the evf, this is not a joke. Apparently it was similar with the 30 too and some of the faster Sony native lenses as well. But the evf was crude, the interface involved multiple button presses and the general ergo was absolutely naff. Most of all the lenses were big and expensive for the better FF, basically in an effort to get you on the FF line. General iq of the a6500 in real world use was also poor, shadows are noisy and getting a nice clean shot ooc almost impossible imo, metering was rubbish. In the end I retreated to m43 again, another failed effort with mirrorless aps-c.

Always on the look out though for an aps-c mirrorless option, I had noticed the x-a5 and was intrigued by the lens too and checked it out, it seemed to offer the iq I wanted but without the evf would be limiting, then out of the blue came the X-T100. Wow, Fuji without xtrans and an evf and pd-af, although not the latest processor but probably good enough, 6fps. Well, 3 weeks in and I am certainly not looking back the results so far have been great

Image seem very easy to judge with this camera, I feel the evf is very close to wysiwyg and the exposure dial a blessing. I have had very few issues focussing in af-s with this camera. switching from static subjects

to the next

and then to a little more spontaneous

to a little faster action

and faster again

see below for crop of 3 shot of sequence

Back to more sedate

The ease of which you can move through the af modes is a joy and the ooc quality both jpg and raw need very little tweaking in LR, you can sharpen, soften add simulations, eg original of above

or crop into images for detail

Limitations

1)Extended iso, low-high, no raw, jpg only, along with most of the scene modes etc, only jpg is available, sort of who those dials are pitched at I suppose.

2)C-AF 6fps only goes to iso6400, that is a very unusual limitations Fuji, I would say this needs improving to 12800.

Apart from that , the usual stuff on rolling shutter/e-shutter has been noted and is real, however, I haven't noticed any shutter shock and will post some hand-held stuff with low shutter speed and not experienced any problems.

The camera is a joy to use, top marks from me.

I can't believe you took that thing kayaking! How was your experience and hit rate with the jousting? That is most definitely what I would call action shooting. Did you use AF-C or age old techniques with AF-S?

Kudos for an honest review.

Excellent IQ that is right up there with my other Fuji X bodies, small size, solid build quality and being great fun to shoot are the qualities that come to my mind after a month of ownership and nearly a thousand captures.  The X-T100 has become my favorite Fuji body.

How many RAW files will the X-T100 shoot in a burst before it pauses to clear the buffer?

Thanks,

Sal

Advent1sam wrote:

Sal Baker wrote:

How many RAW files will the X-T100 shoot in a burst before it pauses to clear the buffer?

Thanks,

Sal

Sal, I will test this again tomorrow I think I originally reported 18 raw only, but it was with a uhs1 card, a lot of the images were using my uhs ii and I think it was less, Inwas also shooting raw + fine jpg. I tend to just shoot short bursts, ie with zone acquire af go, no hesitation. The pd-af points do pick up quickly and the evf is surprisingly fluid, pity uhs ii isn’t supported. I’m hoping to do more action shooting with it on Saturday

Thanks.  I'm mostly just curious how many RAWS can shot in a burst on a stationary subject with a fixed focus point, like a low light urban landscape.  I like to stack multiple images for super resolution and/or for noise reduction (averaging) at high ISOs.

Sal

Advent1sam wrote:

Sal Baker wrote:

Advent1sam wrote:

Sal Baker wrote:

How many RAW files will the X-T100 shoot in a burst before it pauses to clear the buffer?

Thanks,

Sal

Sal, I will test this again tomorrow I think I originally reported 18 raw only, but it was with a uhs1 card, a lot of the images were using my uhs ii and I think it was less, Inwas also shooting raw + fine jpg. I tend to just shoot short bursts, ie with zone acquire af go, no hesitation. The pd-af points do pick up quickly and the evf is surprisingly fluid, pity uhs ii isn’t supported. I’m hoping to do more action shooting with it on Saturday

Thanks. I'm mostly just curious how many RAWS can shot in a burst on a stationary subject with a fixed focus point, like a low light urban landscape. I like to stack multiple images for super resolution and/or for noise reduction (averaging) at high ISOs.

Sal

For super resolution don't the images need to be offset by "x" pixels?

Hand holding takes care of that.

What software are you using for sr? For the averaging presumably ps/cc?

I batch convert in Iridient Developer at usually 150% size.  Stack the images in PS with align images turned on.  Then I manually average the layers.

I was able to make a few hand-held bracket shots, 3, recently, there was some ghosting so obviously hand movement on a few brackets, this is 3 shots, 0.5 sec(hand-held lol), 1/12 and 1/100 iso 3200. Would need to check the bracket spacing for the above, the 0.5 sec looks a little blurred but lr photo merge has done a good job except in the bottom right.

You have to worry about the nodal point, which is usually only an issue for subjects close to the camera.  You can play around with mean and average methods in PS based on subject matter.  I love my GR II but it's a bit noisy at ISO 1600.  I take 6-10 RAW images in a burst (The GR II will hold 10 RAW frames in the buffer before it pauses to clear.)  After averaging the layers the noise is diminished and very "organic" in nature.

Sal

If I merge just the mid exposure and darkest, the ghosting is gone all together and the dr is pretty good, below is almost exactly, light, color etc as I remember it

Nice review and some lovely images too. I bought an X-T100 as my "holiday camera" a few months ago, when they first came out. I'm a full time pro, using a pair of X-T1's plus a good selection of Fuji prime and zoom lenses (16mm f1.4, 23mm f1.4, 35mm f1.4, 50mm f2, 10-24mm zoom, 18-135mm zoom, and 55-200mm zoom). I've never found the justification for upgrading to the X-T2, when the X-T1's do everything I need for my business and the photos that I produce with them delight my clients!

Of course for a pro to go on holiday with a camera, it is a bit of a "busman's holiday" as the saying goes, so up till getting the X-T100, I'd been using a Sony RX10 for holidays, and produced some very nice results with it. However, it developed the dreaded fungus inside the front element. Sony say that they are sealed, but obviously they are not, unless the fungus was present in the production facility! So, it was time for another camera for holidays. I looked at the Panasonic and Sony ones, similar to the RX10, but the prices put me off, so I went for an X-T100 on the basis that I had plenty of lenses to use with it, should I want to!

I have to say that I am very pleasantly surprised by its performance. OK, so it is not the fastest camera to wake up from a power on, or the fastest to focus at times, especially in low light, but neither are the X-T1's in low light depending on the lens being used. The 35mm f1.4 is particularly slow!

With the X-T100 sensor not being an X-Trans type, I was admittedly a little sceptical about the IQ, but I was wrong WAY WRONG! The IQ from the bayer 24Mp sensor is first class and to be honest it has me wondering whether we need X-Trans sensors in 24Mp+ cameras. It was after all a way of getting rid of the moire caused by the low pass filters at 16Mp, but that moire just isn't there at 24Mp, and several other manufacturers are making 24Mp+ cameras without the low pass filters and getting great IQ. The thing with Fujifilm though is the colour rendition. Being a pro, I'm always shooting RAW in the studio or at weddings, etc. With the X-T100, I selected RAW+Jpeg and the out of camera jpegs were the usual Fuji superb quality that you'd expect.

Overall, I am very pleased with the X-T100. My only issue with buying the X-T100 is my own will power. The temptation is now to defeat the whole object of a "lightweight holiday camera" and take loads of lenses with me! We've just come back from a fjords cruise and I took 2 zooms and 3 primes with me, which was silly! I really must tell myself just to take the 10-24, 18-55 (or 15-45) and 55-200 next time!!!

I thought I'd try again with this review and then in a couple of posts about the af, Having tried several versions of Sony's a6000 line, incl slt variants too I continue to be underwhelmed by their aps-c lenses at the more affordable end and the image quality always needs so much work from raw too. My recent experience with the a6500 was very mixed, with the sigma 1.4 sigma it was so buggy and so poor at focusing, it doent' focus at apertures around 1.8-2.2 with the evf, this is not a joke. Apparently it was similar with the 30 too and some of the faster Sony native lenses as well. But the evf was crude, the interface involved multiple button presses and the general ergo was absolutely naff. Most of all the lenses were big and expensive for the better FF, basically in an effort to get you on the FF line. General iq of the a6500 in real world use was also poor, shadows are noisy and getting a nice clean shot ooc almost impossible imo, metering was rubbish. In the end I retreated to m43 again, another failed effort with mirrorless aps-c.

The camera is a joy to use, top marks from me.

Having experienced the same frustrations with Sony A6XXX line, I read your review with great interest.

However, my purchases of Fuji gear make me very skepticle of the XT100.

The XM1 focussed 2 out of 5. Moreover the kitlens 1650 was poor.

The TX20 focussed 4 out of 5 on static daylight landscape. Still bad. The lens was OK but the X-sensor looked like watercolour when peeping.

From what I have seen in reviews is that the XT100 makes stunning images, if somewhat oversharpened. But every review site mentions the hesitant AF, specially in low light. Some review sites als mention laggy menu and image review.

This makes me reluctrant to try the XT100 even at the latest price of €440.

I am used to very fast focussing cameras. Some reviewers compare to the XT1... c'mon, anything will be improvement then…

What do you think?

Smallpox wrote:

I thought I'd try again with this review and then in a couple of posts about the af, Having tried several versions of Sony's a6000 line, incl slt variants too I continue to be underwhelmed by their aps-c lenses at the more affordable end and the image quality always needs so much work from raw too. My recent experience with the a6500 was very mixed, with the sigma 1.4 sigma it was so buggy and so poor at focusing, it doent' focus at apertures around 1.8-2.2 with the evf, this is not a joke. Apparently it was similar with the 30 too and some of the faster Sony native lenses as well. But the evf was crude, the interface involved multiple button presses and the general ergo was absolutely naff. Most of all the lenses were big and expensive for the better FF, basically in an effort to get you on the FF line. General iq of the a6500 in real world use was also poor, shadows are noisy and getting a nice clean shot ooc almost impossible imo, metering was rubbish. In the end I retreated to m43 again, another failed effort with mirrorless aps-c.

The camera is a joy to use, top marks from me.

Having experienced the same frustrations with Sony A6XXX line, I read your review with great interest.

However, my purchases of Fuji gear make me very skepticle of the XT100.

The XM1 focussed 2 out of 5. Moreover the kitlens 1650 was poor.

The TX20 focussed 4 out of 5 on static daylight landscape. Still bad. The lens was OK but the X-sensor looked like watercolour when peeping.

From what I have seen in reviews is that the XT100 makes stunning images, if somewhat oversharpened. But every review site mentions the hesitant AF, specially in low light. Some review sites als mention laggy menu and image review.

This makes me reluctrant to try the XT100 even at the latest price of €440.

I am used to very fast focussing cameras. Some reviewers compare to the XT1... c'mon, anything will be improvement then…

What do you think?

"XT100 makes stunning images, if somewhat oversharpened."

I assume you know that one can shoot RAW or simply turn down jpeg sharpness in the camera.  Sharpness is not a locked-in attribute, it is completely select-able, just like other digital cameras.

Sal

Experience so far...?

A week after my X-T100 came back from Fuji Repairs in Australia with a new 'Main PWB Assembly' it's on the way back for more work.

The first time it was a loss of operational sounds including focus confirmation and a loss of information displayed on the LCD.

The latter problem re-occurred after a week's light use.

It may or may not be related but I was experiencing a lot of missed auto focusing.....for example.....three consecutive focus confirmations..in the centre of the screen, single point, on subject with plenty of definition and contrast.....three blurred shots.

This has happened more than a few times.

So my tolerance of this camera's negatives [slowness, general focusing issues, poor program-ability etc.] has pretty well evaporated.

Add to this an important trip coming up in three weeks that is heavily photo oriented.

Even if I got the camera back in time  I'm just not going to have a lot of confidence in it.

I love the 3 way screen on the X-T100....it has to be about the best available in any system...and that's about it.....can't say the Bayer sensor does much for me.

When I bought mine I was tossing up between it and the X-T20.....in hindsight it looks like a bad call that is going the cost me to correct.

Vermont3133 wrote:

Experience so far...?

A week after my X-T100 came back from Fuji Repairs in Australia with a new 'Main PWB Assembly' it's on the way back for more work.

The first time it was a loss of operational sounds including focus confirmation and a loss of information displayed on the LCD.

The latter problem re-occurred after a week's light use.

It may or may not be related but I was experiencing a lot of missed auto focusing.....for example.....three consecutive focus confirmations..in the centre of the screen, single point, on subject with plenty of definition and contrast.....three blurred shots.

This has happened more than a few times.

So my tolerance of this camera's negatives [slowness, general focusing issues, poor program-ability etc.] has pretty well evaporated.

Add to this an important trip coming up in three weeks that is heavily photo oriented.

Even if I got the camera back in time I'm just not going to have a lot of confidence in it.

I love the 3 way screen on the X-T100....it has to be about the best available in any system...and that's about it.....can't say the Bayer sensor does much for me.

When I bought mine I was tossing up between it and the X-T20.....in hindsight it looks like a bad call that is going the cost me to correct.

Was here any option to return the broken camera to the retailer for exchange?  Sounds like a bad copy came off the line.

Sal

Sal, the short answer is no.

Iv'e been dealing directly with Fuji Repairs and they have the discretion to repair or replace.

Iv'e suggested to them strongly that a replacement is warranted....as it really looks like Iv'e got a lemon.

https://500px.com/transact3133