Fujifilm X-T4 shutter button sadness

I bought a used X-T4 about 3 months ago. It has 8,500 actuations on the shutter (7,000 of which I put on it) and worked great until today.

I have been using a soft release button since I bought it. I liked it because I have small hands / fingers and it reduced reach in a meaningful way. Earlier this month I read that this can cause issues with some cameras but left it on. The shutter button seemed to essentially spontaneously fail in between shots today.

There is no tactile response between unpressed and firing the shutter. It is just a mushy button which starts to focus somewhere between feathered and bottomed out and immediately takes a shot if focus is found. (AF-C, focus priority on, w/ AF-C set to focus w/ shutter.)

Anyone else have shutter issues on the X-T4? Is there any quick fix I can try or am I going to have to pay to get this fixed? Everything I've read so far says that Fujifilm will replace the entire top plate.

John Maguire wrote:

I bought a used X-T4 about 3 months ago. It has 8,500 actuations on the shutter (7,000 of which I put on it) and worked great until today.

8500 is nothing.

I have been using a soft release button since I bought it. I liked it because I have small hands / fingers and it reduced reach in a meaningful way. Earlier this month I read that this can cause issues with some cameras but left it on. The shutter button seemed to essentially spontaneously fail in between shots today.

There is no tactile response between unpressed and firing the shutter. It is just a mushy button which starts to focus somewhere between feathered and bottomed out and immediately takes a shot if focus is found. (AF-C, focus priority on, w/ AF-C set to focus w/ shutter.)

Anyone else have shutter issues on the X-T4? Is there any quick fix I can try or am I going to have to pay to get this fixed? Everything I've read so far says that Fujifilm will replace the entire top plate.

I am an X-T4 owner, too, but my shutter button is good. I often work with half pressing it before releasing the shutter.

However, I've occasionally read about that sort of problem here in ther forum. Here's an example, Wobbly power/shutter button on the X-T4.

Not sure about the way of repair.

Regards,

Martin

I’d describe my X-T4 shutter release touch as soft and slightly loose. I’ve subsequently had to learn to be very light on the half-press, or it goes too far and the shutter is unintentionally tripped. Sometime in the future I anticipate needing a service. It’s out of warranty.

The problem I am facing is I guess I don’t know how the shutter is supposed to feel and what defines a tactile response. I had an Xt-2 that had no actual stoping point and it felt like a traditional PASM camera. I got an Xpro 3 and it has a stop on half press and then a forced push to take the shot. I thought maybe my soft release broke something. I just got a backup Fuji Xe-4 and the shutter does the same thing as my X-Pro 3.

My point is that it may not be broken

rla1022 wrote:

My point is that it may not be broken

Mine's definitely broken. I fiddled around with it some more and sometimes it's not even firing the shutter.

I sent it in to Photo Tech Repair Service, an authorized repair technication listed on Fujifilm's website as they gave me the best estimate between them, Fujifilm North America, and an unauthorized repair shop in my city. Fujifilm NA refused to give me any kind of phone estimate, even when I asked "what would it cost to replace the entire top plate?"

Hopefully the repair doesn't take too long.

Rightsaidfred wrote:

John Maguire wrote:

I bought a used X-T4 about 3 months ago. It has 8,500 actuations on the shutter (7,000 of which I put on it) and worked great until today.

8500 is nothing.

I know... what a bummer.

My best guess at how I broke it: I was trying something akin to spin zooming using the focus dial (not in MF mode) for creative effect... I'm guessing that the soft release button acted as a lever in the wrong direction while spinning the camera.

This is one of the very last photos I took before I noticed the issue.

John Maguire wrote:

rla1022 wrote:

My point is that it may not be broken

Mine's definitely broken. I fiddled around with it some more and sometimes it's not even firing the shutter.

I sent it in to Photo Tech Repair Service, an authorized repair technication listed on Fujifilm's website as they gave me the best estimate between them, Fujifilm North America, and an unauthorized repair shop in my city. Fujifilm NA refused to give me any kind of phone estimate, even when I asked "what would it cost to replace the entire top plate?"

Hopefully the repair doesn't take too long.

Do you mind sharing how much the quote was. My XT3 has a sticky shutter button from some salt water spray. Still works but sometimes sticks and requires more force. Just what a rough idea what the cost will be.

thx

Clive99 wrote:

John Maguire wrote:

I sent it in to Photo Tech Repair Service, an authorized repair technication listed on Fujifilm's website as they gave me the best estimate between them, Fujifilm North America, and an unauthorized repair shop in my city. Fujifilm NA refused to give me any kind of phone estimate, even when I asked "what would it cost to replace the entire top plate?"

Hopefully the repair doesn't take too long.

Do you mind sharing how much the quote was. My XT3 has a sticky shutter button from some salt water spray. Still works but sometimes sticks and requires more force. Just what a rough idea what the cost will be.

thx

The repair shop in my city said something like $400-500 for the part alone.

Photo Tech said something like $250-350 for the part, and with labor it'd probably end up around $400-500.

I'll update the thread once they receive the camera and give me a proper quote or invoice.

Clive99 wrote:

Do you mind sharing how much the quote was. My XT3 has a sticky shutter button from some salt water spray. Still works but sometimes sticks and requires more force. Just what a rough idea what the cost will be.

thx

$332 parts + $145 labor + $30 return shipping = $507

This doesn't include shipping to them (~$20 insured.)

John Maguire wrote:

Clive99 wrote:

Do you mind sharing how much the quote was. My XT3 has a sticky shutter button from some salt water spray. Still works but sometimes sticks and requires more force. Just what a rough idea what the cost will be.

thx

$332 parts + $145 labor + $30 return shipping = $507

This doesn't include shipping to them (~$20 insured.)

Ouch!