Wandering with an X-T3

Finally I have upgraded one of my X-T2’s to an X-T3!

The delay was down to a number of factors: Firstly I run my business in a cycle, needing to ensure each investment improves the business and pays for itself over its lifetime and my X-T2’s have been doing the job more than adequately.

Secondly, having used and loved the X-H1 I was hanging out for news on an update to that form factor using X-T3 technology. Unfortunately the X-H2 seems unlikely at the moment according to the rumours and the opportunity arose for a “cost effective” upgrade.

Christmassy selfie’s. X-T3 / 27mm / ISO2000.

This led to my Christmas wander around the west end being the first chance I had to get aquatinted with the X-T3.

Moving from the 2 to the 3 is painless, I configured the buttons and menus on the new camera within 30 minutes and the only real issues were getting used to stiffer front and rear dials plus a new way of transferring images wirelessly.

This later model is definitely more responsive than the model it replaces.

As I was walking around Covent Garden on a dark, wet evening I was using higher ISO’s, aiming to show the Christmasy atmosphere. Despite the file size being bigger there feel much cleaner than from the “2”.

It has been widely documented that the focusing is much better – I totally agree and the face recognition is way quicker working in lower light. The image below was shot through a bus window as we passed, I’m not sure the X-T2 would have focused quick enough.

The lower ISO’s are also very useful when working wide open with the faster lenses like the 56mm/F1.2.

Overall despite using the X-T3 without a battery grip (which I always to on my X-T2’s), I was very impressed by its responsiveness and the clean images. This does still leave me in a quandary though, especially with a lack of indicators coming out of Fuji on the future of the more robust professional X-H body. Fuji are brilliantly open with their lens roadmap which really helps business planning, it’s just a shame the openness is not being carried through on the camera bodies (although I do understand this as it is more competitive).