{"id":5178,"date":"2015-07-11T21:09:27","date_gmt":"2015-07-12T02:09:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/?p=5178"},"modified":"2015-07-12T12:08:44","modified_gmt":"2015-07-12T17:08:44","slug":"review-fujifilm-x-t10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/admiringlight.com\/blog\/review-fujifilm-x-t10\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Fujifilm X-T10"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Fujifilm X-T10 follows the tremendous success Fuji had with the first camera in the X-T series, the X-T1. \u00a0The X-T1 has been the X-Series flagship for a bit more than a year, and the X-T10 provides a lot of what made the X-T1 great in a smaller and much more affordable package. The X-T10 retails for only $799, body only<\/a>: a full $500 less than the X-T1. \u00a0While the X-T10 doesn’t have quite the feature set of the X-T1, I’ve found it shares more in common with its big brother than one might expect given the large price disparity. \u00a0Let’s dive into the review and take a deep look at this camera.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The new Fujifilm X-T10<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you\u2019re not familiar with my reviews, I review from a real world shooting perspective. You won\u2019t find lens charts or resolution numbers here. There are plenty of other sites that cover those. I review products on how they act for me as a photographic tool. \u00a0I am not a videographer, so my reviews concentrate on the still imaging capabilities of a camera.<\/em><\/p>\n

Construction and Handling<\/h3>\n

The Fuji X-T10 is the smaller sibling to the X-T1, and it shares some design cues from the X-T1, but uses some different materials in construction. \u00a0If you’re familiar with the current X-Series cameras, it’s best to explain that the X-T10 feels like a mix between the X-E series of cameras and the X-T1 when it comes to construction. \u00a0It uses a combination of composites and lightweight metals. \u00a0The camera is tightly assembled and has no creaks \u00a0or flex anywhere in the body. \u00a0While not quite as robust as the magnesium alloy shell of the X-T1, the X-T10 feels very solid, especially considering the small size. \u00a0The X-T10 comes in both black and silver finishes, and both look fairly nice. I reviewed the black version, and in person, it really does look very similar to the X-T1. \u00a0I wasn’t a fan of the styling when I saw the first pictures, but the camera looks better in person than I expected.<\/p>\n

\"Fujifilm<\/a>
Fujifilm X-T10<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Due to the small size of the camera, handling is more of a mixed bag. \u00a0The camera is narrower, shorter and thinner than the X-T1, and as such the grip suffers. \u00a0I find the X-T1’s grip to be very comfortable and sure with most any lens, but the X-T10 is different. \u00a0The front grip is small and thin, allowing for a nice grip when using smaller lenses like the 27mm f\/2.8, 35mm f\/1.4 or 60mm f\/2.4 Macro. \u00a0However, when using larger lenses like the bigger zoom lenses or the 23mm f\/1.4 or 56mm f\/1.2, the grip is somewhat inadequate. \u00a0One hand use with these lenses is uncomfortable and feels a bit unbalanced. \u00a0The biggest issue with larger lenses is the placement of the rear thumb grip. \u00a0This grip is placed just slightly too far to the right, in my opinion, and as such the camera has a tendency to shift down and left when shooting with heavier glass. \u00a0Of course, supporting the lens with the left hand will aid significantly in handling the camera.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The top dials on the X-T10 have nice haptic feedback and provide direct controls<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Overall, the button placement is nice and most of the buttons have nice positive clicking action. \u00a0The exceptions here are the movie record button, the AEL and AFL buttons, all of which are somewhat spongy. \u00a0The camera has both front and rear control dials for changing settings, and both are clickable for extra actions. \u00a0The clicking action feels nice on both dials, but I think the dials themselves spin far too easily, with very shallow detents for each setting change. The top dials controlling shutter speed, exposure compensation and drive mode all feel great to use, with nice firm clicks that are easy to move but difficult to accidentally knock out of place. \u00a0As a whole, the X-T10 handles fairly well for a small body, but if you regularly use the heavier Fuji X glass,\u00a0you may be uncomfortable shooting the X-T10.<\/p>\n

Operation and Controls<\/h3>\n

The control layout on the X-T10 will be familiar to any current Fuji X series shooter, though there are some unique controls that aren’t featured on any other Fuji. \u00a0The X-T10 shares the majority of its control layout with its big brother, the X-T1. There’s a shutter speed dial and exposure compensation dial on top, along with the movie record button that sits next to the power switch and shutter button. \u00a0Like all the Fuji X bodies with shutter speed dials, the mode of the camera is controlled by how the aperture and shutter speed are positioned. \u00a0Putting the shutter speed dial into A makes that function automatic. \u00a0Thus A on shutter speed while selecting an aperture puts the camera in aperture priority mode. \u00a0Want a specific shutter speed? \u00a0Simply select it and you’re in manual mode. \u00a0Move the aperture ring on a lens to A and the camera is now in shutter priority. \u00a0With both dials set to A the camera moves to Program mode.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The top controls of the X-T10 are similar to other X-Series bodies<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It’s a fluid scheme and one of the things I love about Fuji controls. \u00a0However, the X-T10 adds a new feature:\u00a0a full Auto mode. While the X-series cameras with mode dials have had an Auto mode, this is the first time Fuji’s implemented it along with their standard control scheme. \u00a0This is enabled by simply flicking the switch under the shutter speed dial to Auto. \u00a0When Auto is engaged, none of the dials serve any purpose and the camera will simply attempt to use all the best settings. \u00a0It’s worth noting that RAW is not available in the Auto mode.<\/p>\n

Finally, in a first for a Fuji camera (though also now available on the X-T1 with firmware 4.0), the X-T10 can utilize Auto ISO in manual mode\u00a0with<\/em>\u00a0exposure compensation. \u00a0As such, you can select your shutter speed and aperture, adjust exposure via the exposure compensation dial, and let the ISO float to make up those exposure changes. \u00a0This is really useful if you find yourself in dark environments and want to adjust the minimum shutter speed on the fly, but don’t want to change it via the ISO menu. \u00a0Now just a quick flick of the shutter speed dial and you’ve got it. \u00a0It’s also extremely useful for video shooting, where you want shutter speed to stay constant.<\/p>\n

Staying with the top plate, the left side of the camera shows some changes from the X-T1. \u00a0Gone is the locking ISO dial, and in its place sits a dedicated Drive dial. \u00a0While I’d prefer ISO be in this position, the Drive Mode dial is convenient and makes it very easy to switch between continuous shooting, single shot, advanced filters, panorama modes and two different bracketing setups, which the user can specify in the menus. \u00a0Next to the Drive Mode dial is the release for the integral pop-up flash, which deploys with almost alarming speed and sureness.<\/p>\n

\"X-T10<\/a>
X-T10 Back<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The rear of the X-T10 is again very similar to that of the X-T1. \u00a0The X-T1’s Focus Assist button is gone as the dials on the X-T10 are pressable, and pressing the rear dial activates the focus assist function, like it does on all other Fuji X bodies. \u00a0The X-T10’s smaller top plate doesn’t quite have room for the Fn button, so that’s been moved to the rear of the camera. \u00a0The AEL and AFL buttons flank the rear dial. \u00a0On the top left of the rear, the play and trash buttons can be found, and the View Mode control for the EVF and rear screen is prominently featured beside\u00a0the viewfinder.<\/p>\n

The X-T10’s controls are well laid out and allow for a huge amount of customizability. \u00a0All four of the four-way directional buttons can be assigned a custom function, as can the Fn button, the movie record button and the pressing function of the front dial. \u00a0In all, that’s seven programmable buttons, which allow you to really set the camera up to your liking. \u00a0These buttons, in addition to the Q menu, which allows access to many other commonly used functions make trips to the menu for settings changes a rare occurrence. \u00a0The last physical control on the camera is the focus mode selector dial, which sits on the front left of the camera for easy access with your left hand.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The X-T10’s Q Menu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Going back to the menus, the Q menu is laid out similar to all the other X-Series cameras, but can be customized to your needs. The Q menu allows you to quickly change ISO, JPEG parameters, self timer settings, AF mode, flash mode and quick sets. \u00a0The rest of the menu system will also be familiar to Fuji veterans. \u00a0I’ve generally been pleased with Fuji’s menu layout, which consists of 8 pages in two groups. \u00a0It’s simple and basic, but it’s also easy to follow and use.<\/p>\n

The X-T10 also features the same manual focus aids that the X-T1 and X-E2 have: namely very nice focus peaking and the unique digital split-prism focusing, where a box of four lines show a split-prism effect similar to that used in some manual focus SLR viewfinders, which align when the subject is in focus. \u00a0The focus aids can be switched easily be holding in the rear dial button for a second, which is another nice usability touch.<\/p>\n

Continue: Viewfinder, Rear Screen, Autofocus and Performance<\/a><\/h4>\n

<\/p>\n

Viewfinder and Rear Screen<\/h3>\n

One of the main differences\u00a0between the X-T10 and the X-T1 is the T10’s smaller viewfinder. \u00a0The electronic viewfinder (EVF) of the X-T10 has the same 2.3 million dot EVF panel, but the optics used for display of that viewfinder produce an image that is notably smaller than the rather huge viewfinder of the X-T1. \u00a0The X-T10’s EVF has a magnification of 0.62x (considering a ‘normal’ lens), which is about the size of a typical APS-C sized DSLR viewfinder. \u00a0This is in contrast to the massive 0.77x finder in the X-T1, which is larger than most full-frame DSLR viewfinders. \u00a0The 0.62x size is roughly the same as the one found in the X-E2, though contrast appeared a bit better to my eye, and more on-par with the X-T1’s finder in that regard.<\/p>\n

The X-T10’s viewfinder also inherits the T1’s rotating EVF display, such that shooting information will rotate orientation when the camera is in portrait orientation. \u00a0This works smoothly, but in consideration of the smaller view, the bottom information line actually wraps to a second line in the portrait orientation.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The rear screen of the X-T10 tilts up<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The rear screen on the X-T10 is a 3″ panel with 920,000 dots. \u00a0The rear screen is constructed similarly to the one on the X-M1 and X-A1\/A2, which is strong and moves easily, though it’s a bit thicker than the one on the X-T1. \u00a0The screen can be tilted down at 45 degrees or laid flat, aimed 90 degrees upward, allowing for easy waist level shooting or using the camera with ease low to the ground.<\/p>\n

I find the rear screen to be bright and contrasty with good detail and relatively accurate color. \u00a0There still is somewhat of a mismatch between what’s visible on the screen and what the final image will look like on your computer, but it’s not a huge difference. \u00a0Both the EVF and rear screen are in line with what I’d expect out of a camera in this price range.<\/p>\n

Autofocus and Performance<\/h3>\n

The headline feature on the X-T10 is the all-new autofocus system, which further improves on Fuji’s AF algorithms. \u00a0The AF system that debuts with the X-T10 was also brought to the X-T1 via the recent v.4.0 firmware update, but the X-T10 is the first camera to feature this improved autofocus out of the box.<\/p>\n

The X-T10’s AF is a hybrid contrast and phase-detection system, with 15 phase detection AF points in the central area of the image frame, in conjunction with contrast detect capabilities over the entire image frame. \u00a0Fuji’s been making continued strides in the autofocus arena every year, and with the X-T10, that system has finally reached maturity. Instead of simply choosing one focus point or letting the camera choose any point, there are now three modes for AF: Single point, Zone AF or Wide-Area AF.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The new Zone AF system allows for multiple AF points in a specific area to be utilized<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Single point system is the same 49 point affair as on previous cameras, with the central 9 focus points containing phase-detect information. \u00a0Any of these modes can be used with both single shot or continuous autofocus as selected by the switch on the front of the camera.<\/p>\n

Overall performance with single shot AF\u00a0is\u00a0improved from previous X-series cameras, especially with lenses like the 27mm f\/2.8 and 35mm f\/1.4. \u00a0Both of these lenses see dramatic speed increases with far less hunting versus early X series cameras. \u00a0Low light accuracy is also improved, with less hunting and an ability to lock on surely even in very dim conditions.<\/p>\n

When using continuous autofocus, the new modes shine. \u00a0While single point continuous AF is still good, and perhaps slightly improved, the camera shines when using the new Zone AF with continuous autofocus. Zone AF allows you to select groupings of 3×3, 5×3 or 5×5 focus points from which the camera will find focus. The Zone AF system, especially when the points in the central PDAF zone are used, dramatically improves continuous autofocus.<\/p>\n

Using 5×3 Zone AF, I experienced very accurate predictive autofocus in high-speed burst mode, even with slower focusing lenses like the 35mm f\/1.4. \u00a0The system proved capable of handling even challenging situations like in the image below, where the subject was quickly, but somewhat erratically, running towards the camera. \u00a0The X-T10 was able to track her movement and nail focus, even with the very slim depth of field at 56mm and f\/1.4.<\/p>\n

\"Skipping<\/a>
Skipping – Fujifilm X-T10 with Fujinon XF 56mm f\/1.2 @ f\/1.4, 5×3 Zone AF<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Wide-Area AF mode \u00a0uses the entirety of the image sensor for focusing, but due to the wide field, you still specify an autofocus point, which is where the camera first looks for focus. \u00a0After focus is achieved, it will attempt to track that subject across the entire image frame, regardless of where it moves. \u00a0Because the wide-area AF uses contrast detection over most of the frame, it is not as adept at tracking motion that moves toward or away from the camera, though it can be a useful mode for following lateral action or slow-moving subjects.<\/p>\n

The X-T10 also has a new and improved face-detection algorithm that can seek out individual eyes. \u00a0Settings allow preference for the right or left eye, or to allow the camera to determine which eye to focus on. \u00a0I found this feature to work quite well, and a very high percentage of shots were absolutely dead-on in focus using this mode. \u00a0It’s a great mode for capturing candids of children, given their unpredictable movement and how the framing may suddenly change.<\/p>\n

\"Number<\/a>
Number Clock – Fujifilm X-T10 with Fujinon XF 35mm f\/1.4 @ f\/1.4, Eye Focus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In all, I find the X-T10’s autofocus upgrades to be excellent. \u00a0As the X-T1 now shares this same system, the X-T series as a whole clearly sits at the top of the heap of Fuji cameras with regards to autofocus performance. \u00a0While Panasonic and Olympus are still a bit faster in single shot shooting, and the Sony a6000 may have slightly better continuous AF (though it’s very close), the X-T10’s autofocus is predominantly on par with the competition in most circumstances, and the continuous AF in Zone AF mode is near the top of the heap among mirrorless cameras.<\/p>\n

Performance<\/h3>\n

The X-T10 may focus quickly, but how does it do with overall performance and responsiveness? Well, there are positives and negatives here. On the plus side, the camera has the same processor and general speed of the more expensive X-T1. \u00a0Files write the card fairly quickly and the camera turns on and is ready without much delay. \u00a0There’s generally no waiting on the camera in everyday operation. \u00a0So, in this regard, there’s nothing to complain about.
\nThe X-T10, like the X-T1 before it, has a top continuous burst speed of 8 frames per second. \u00a0This is fairly quick, though the 11fps of the Sony a6000 and the crazy high 15 fps of the Samsung NX1 both are faster. \u00a0However, it’s worth noting that the 8fps top burst speed is generally only available when shooting with a fixed focus point or in manual focus, as the burst rate slows down to maintain focus during continuous AF operations. \u00a0Depending on lens focus speed, the slowdown can be appreciable, with some bursts slowing to around 4fps during tracking.<\/p>\n

However, the biggest impediment to using the camera for shooting action isn’t with the burst slowdown, but rather with the exceptionally small buffer. \u00a0While the X-T1 can rattle off around 20 RAW photos at 8fps, the X-T10 can manage only 7. \u00a0Even switching to JPEG raises that number to only 8. \u00a0That means an 8fps burst won’t even capture one full second of action when shooting RAW. \u00a0That means timing is critical. \u00a0While the buffer flushes moderately quickly, you are still going to have to wait a few seconds before another bust can be taken.<\/p>\n

Flash<\/h3>\n

The X-T10 hides a small pop-up flash in the viewfinder hump of the camera. \u00a0As I mentioned earlier, this flash is released with a small switch located to the side of the drive mode dial. \u00a0The flash deploys instantly. \u00a0It pops up faster than any other pop-up flash I”ve seen. \u00a0It’s almost freaky quick. \u00a0However, the actual usage of the flash is simply typical of a small pop-up flash. \u00a0It can be useful for some fill-in flash here and there, or for throwing light during macro shooting, but the small height of the flash gives the rather ugly look that is typical of a small direct flash. \u00a0The flash is also really only useful with the smaller lenses in the Fuji system.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The X-T10’s Pop-Up Flash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I had no issues with the 27mm f\/2.8, 35mm f\/1.4, 60mm f\/2.4 or even the 18-55mm f\/2.8-4. \u00a0However, the larger lenses, such as the 10-24mm f\/4, 23mm f\/1.4 and 56mm f\/1.2 caused a shadow in the lower part of the image frame when using the pop-up flash.<\/p>\n

Continue: Key Features<\/a><\/h4>\n


\nPortions of this section are borrowed from my review of the X-T1, as the feature set is almost identical.<\/em><\/p>\n

Electronic Shutter<\/h3>\n

The X-T10 is the first X-Series interchangeable camera to debut with full electronic shutter capabilities. \u00a0The X-T1 had this feature added with firmware version 3.0, and the X-T10 keeps this capability from the beginning. With electronic shutter enabled, the camera can use shutter speeds of up to 1\/32,000 second, which is incredibly short. \u00a0Due to the way the sensor data is read, however, this speed isn’t really useful for capturing fast motion. \u00a0There’s the potential for a warping of items in motion with electronic shutter. \u00a0It is, however, perfect for shooting in bright sunlight with fast lenses without the need for neutral density filters. \u00a0The electronic shutter is also completely silent. \u00a0In conjunction with turning off focus confirmation beeps, it allows the camera to operate without making any noise whatsoever, which is fantastic for event photography for quiet occasions.<\/p>\n

\"Sandbox<\/a>
Sandbox – Fujifilm X-T10 with Fujinon XF 35mm f\/1.4 @ f\/1.4, 1\/4400s with electronic shutter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Wi-Fi<\/h3>\n

The Fuji X-T10 follows in the footsteps of other recent X-Series cameras with full-featured Wi-Fi capabilities. \u00a0The X-T10 sets up similarly to the way the other Fuji cameras do: a wireless network is created, and you simply need to connect your smartphone or tablet to the network and open the Fujifilm Remote App. \u00a0The Wi-Fi capabilities allow for image transfer to mobile devices, geotagging of images and full remote control. \u00a0Like the remote control capabilities of the X-T1 and X-E2 (with the most recent firmware), all the major functions of the camera can be changed from the app. This includes ISO, shutter speed, aperture, exposure compensation, focus point, and even film simulation, macro mode, flash mode and self timer.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The X-T10’s Wi-Fi setup screen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Continuous bursts aren\u2019t possible, but for regular shooting, it does a really nice job. \u00a0The delay between the camera and the view on your phone is relatively short, but there is a small lag. \u00a0While there\u2019s still room for some added capabilities, I think Fuji has done a nice job with its Wi-Fi implementation.<\/p>\n

Intervalometer<\/h3>\n

The X-T10 is now the third\u00a0Fuji X-system camera to have a built-in intervalometer. \u00a0This capability debuted with the X-T1 and was added to the X-E2 via firmware update. \u00a0The intervalometer can be accessed through the menu and allows you to set a time interval as short as 1 second and as long as 24 hours. You can set the number of frames to be captured (from 1 to 999). \u00a0The shooting can start immediately or at a time up to 24 hours later. \u00a0One nice touch to the interval shooting is a countdown timer, which shows in the upper left corner of the screen to let you know how much time is remaining until the next shot. \u00a0You can cancel shooting at any time.<\/p>\n

\"Intervalometer<\/a>
Intervalometer setup<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While multi-day time-lapse shoots with mirrorless cameras typically require either multiple batteries or an AC connection, Fuji has done its best to maximize battery life when shooting with intervals longer than 30 seconds. \u00a0In these situations, the camera actually shuts itself down between shots. \u00a0The camera turns itself on 5 seconds before a shot and stays on 5-7 seconds after the shot before shutting down again. Presumably, only the timer is running in the background, saving tremendous amounts of power. \u00a0While the savings are somewhat minimal with a 30 second interval, the energy savings will be huge for longer intervals.<\/p>\n

In-Camera RAW Conversion<\/h3>\n

While this feature is unchanged from all other Fuji-X Series cameras, I feel it’s worth discussing again. \u00a0Fuji has, in my opinion, the most straightforward and useful in-camera RAW conversion capabilities. \u00a0This is especially useful when shooting RAW only and transferring images via Wi-Fi, as it allows you to do moderately nuanced conversion to a full-size JPEG, which you can then directly share with Wi-Fi.<\/p>\n

\"Fuji's<\/a>
Fuji’s excellent in-camera RAW conversion<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The in-camera RAW conversion function can be called up simply by pressing the Q button during image review. \u00a0You are then presented with a multi-page list of parameters that can be adjusted. \u00a0These allow you to change white balance, push or pull exposure, adjust highlight and shadow roll-off, change to any of the excellent built-in film simulations and more. \u00a0Once you’ve made your adjustments, you can preview the result and then save it if you like what you see, or continue adjustment if you so desire. \u00a0While some other makers also have in-camera RAW conversion (Olympus and Samsung do a very nice job as well), it’s something I’d like to see on all cameras.<\/p>\n

Other Items of Note<\/h3>\n