Fujifilm’s X-T30 II is one in every of my favourite cameras, because it affords lots of the capabilities of the higher-end fashions for lots much less cash. So I used to be significantly excited when the corporate launched the X-T50, which is sort of a miniature model of the $1,700 X-T5.
It shares many options, together with a 40.2-megapixel sensor, 6K 30P video help and, in a primary for the sequence, in-body stabilization. On the identical time, it retains the small measurement and retro-cute styling of previous fashions.
At $1,400 it’s not almost as inexpensive because the $900 X-T30, although. To search out out if it’s price an additional half grand, I examined the X-T50 out in London with some skilled photographer associates.
Physique and dealing with
The X-T50 is all about portability and elegance, so it’s good and light-weight at 438 grams (0.96 kilos), simply 50 grams greater than the earlier mannequin. In case you’re touring with a compact lens, it may simply be slipped right into a bag.
On the identical time, the grip has been enlarged sufficient to make the digicam simpler to hold on to. Operation is essentially unchanged, with two management dials, a shutter pace dial and an publicity compensation dial, together with a joystick and eight buttons. Nonetheless, Fujifilm did introduce one new trick: a movie simulation dial rather than the earlier drive mode — extra on that shortly.
All of that makes it almost as straightforward to manage as a lot bigger cameras. The devoted shutter dial is an uncommon characteristic as of late, so it does take some getting used to. The benefit is which you can see that setting simply by wanting down on the digicam, a should for discreet avenue or journey taking pictures.
Like previous fashions on this sequence, the X-T50 has a tilt-only show that doesn’t flip out, which is probably going a bummer for the vloggers it’s tantalizing with its video capabilities. And rival fashions just like the Sony A6700 and Canon R7 do have flip-out shows. The two.36-million-dot digital viewfinder isn’t tremendous sharp, however is par for the course on this worth vary.
With a smallish battery just like the one on the X100 VI, the X-T50 can handle simply 305 photographs on a cost or 390 in financial system mode. That’s close to the underside in its class. By comparability, Canon’s like-priced R7 can take as much as 660 images earlier than the battery dies.
The X-T50 has an honest array of ports, together with microHDMI, USB-C and a mic jack. As earlier than, there’s no headphone enter, however you should utilize the USB-C slot with a 3.5mm adapter to watch audio. It comes with a single, however quick UHS-II card slot.
Efficiency
If it’s pure efficiency you’re after, the X-T50 most likely isn’t for you. Burst speeds are respectable at as much as 13 fps in digital shutter mode or 8 fps with the mechanical shutter — removed from the 30 fps of the Canon R7 in digital mode. Additionally, the digital shutter is just good in case your topic doesn’t transfer too shortly, as rolling shutter distortion may be very noticeable on this mannequin.
Autofocus nonetheless isn’t a Fujifilm robust level, both. Once I was taking pictures quick-moving topics, it was a bit hit and miss in steady mode, significantly after they have been near the digicam. Nonetheless, efficiency relies upon tremendously on the lens getting used.
On prime of face and eye detection, Fujifilm has added subject-tracking autofocus modes for animals, birds, automobiles, bikes, airplanes and trains. This characteristic is totally separate from the common eye and face detection modes, so it’s a must to dive into the menus to change between them, or program two separate buttons.
For the opposite sorts of images it is designed for, the X-T50’s autofocus works properly, although it isn’t fairly as much as Sony, Canon and even Nikon’s requirements.
A key new characteristic is in-body stabilization. With as much as seven stops of shake discount, you will get sharp images right down to a couple of quarter second. That’s the identical because the 557-gram X-T5, which is sort of an accomplishment given the scale distinction. It makes the X-T50 way more versatile, letting you blur movement to create attention-grabbing photographs or shoot in darkish environments.
Picture high quality
With the identical 40MP sensor because the X-H2 and X-T5, the X-T50 affords a serious increase in decision over the 26MP X-30 II. On prime of boosting sharpness, the additional pixels make it doable to crop in, one thing that’s helpful for journey images, wildlife taking pictures or anything the place you may not be capable to get near the topic.
In-camera therapy of JPEG information is dealt with properly, with nice, correct colours and simply the correct quantity of sharpening and noise discount. You’ll be able to typically share images straight out of the digicam, without having for any post-processing — a bonus for avenue and different photographers who don’t wish to fiddle in submit.
The 14-bit RAW images supply loads of room for fine-tuning, as they preserve excessive quantities of element in highlights and shadows. As such, I noticed low ranges of banding, noise and different artifacts at low ISOs in all picture areas.
The upper decision doesn’t harm picture high quality a lot in low gentle, both. Noise is managed properly as much as ISO 6,400, and you may go as much as ISO 12,800 in a pinch. Contemplating that the X-T50 is an APS-C and never a full-frame digicam, I used to be impressed with the dearth of noise when taking pictures in bars and different dim environments.
And naturally, the X100 VI affords Fujifilm’s full array of movie simulation modes, and so they’re simply accessible on the brand new dial. You’ll be able to experiment with common seems like Velvia, Eterna, Acros black and white and others. It additionally comes with Fujifilm’s new Reala Ace, based mostly on one of many firm’s outdated unfavorable movies. On the identical time, you get a RAW backup in full colour, so that you’re not locked into a particular look.
Video
With wonderful video specs, the X-T50 is a stable hybrid digicam, so long as you bear in mind some caveats — significantly round cropping and sharpness.
Very like the X-T5, you may shoot 6.2K at 30 fps with a 1.23x crop, or 4K at as much as 60 fps with line-skipping and a 1.14x crop. The cropping happens as a result of 6K video solely requires 24 megapixels, and the sensor/processor mixture isn’t as much as the job of supersampling your entire sensor width.
The digicam additionally affords sub-sampled 4K at as much as 30p utilizing the complete sensor width, or high-quality 4K 30p with a 1.23x crop. For tremendous slow-motion, Fujifilm additionally launched 10-bit and F-Log2 settings for further dynamic vary.
At 6.2K and 4K HQ, rolling shutter skewing is pronounced so that you’ll need to keep away from extreme or sharp digicam actions. Sub-sampled 4K is best in that space, however video is noticeably much less sharp.
Video autofocus matches what I noticed with images, that means it was respectable however not preferrred for shifting topics. The AI-powered AF did lock onto topics, however once more, couldn’t all the time sustain with birds, animals or automobiles.
Handheld video is now a sensible possibility with in-body stabilization. It really works properly should you don’t make abrupt actions, and the “increase” mode affords close to tripod-like smoothness. Digital stabilization can also be accessible, however isn’t supported with the 6K or HQ modes, and doesn’t cut back jolts when strolling.
Video high quality is stable for such a small digicam, providing the identical correct colours I noticed in photograph modes. Taking pictures in 10-bit F-Log made it doable to regulate footage significantly in submit or get artistic. You can too shoot video utilizing the movie simulation modes in order for you a particular look straight out of the digicam.
Wrap-up
All advised, the X-T50 is an superior improve to the X-T30 II, with enhancements in almost each space — significantly decision, stabilization and video. The movie simulation button is a bit gimmicky, but it surely ought to attraction to followers of the model, significantly those that love the X100 VI.
The issue I’ve with this digicam is the value. The $900 X-T30 II was straightforward to advocate to patrons on a mid-level price range. Nonetheless, at $1,400, the X-T50 is just $300 lower than the superior X-T5, and at that worth it has a number of stiff competitors from the likes of the Canon R7 and Sony A6700, together with full-frame fashions just like the Canon R8, Nikon Z6 II/Z5/Zfc and Panasonic S9.
Fujifilm probably figured that the X-T50 was almost as succesful because the X-T5 and that the 40-megapixel decision beats out rivals — but it surely has priced a whole lot of potential patrons out of the market. In case you’re in search of one thing that prices across the identical because the X-T30 II, Nikon’s $1,100 Zfc is simply as fairly and loads cheaper.
This text initially appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/fujifilm-x-t50-review-a-big-improvement-for-a-lot-more-money-180046809.html?src=rss
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