Fujifilm X-T5
The X-T5 is my seventh and eighth X-Series camera and since my X-Pro1 in 2012 has been my favorite model to date.
X-SERIES PATH THUS FAR…
Aug 2012: X-Pro1 (Still own and use)
Jan 2014: X-E2 (Traded for X-H1)
Mar 2014: X-T1 Black (Gave to a photographer friend)
Oct 2016: X-T2 (Gave to Grandkids)
Jun 2018: X-H1 Black (Still have but I damaged it. Sort of works)
Mar 2020: X-T4 Black (Still own and use)
Jan 2023: X-T5 Silver (Using as my second camera)
Dec 2024: X-T5 Black (Using as my main camera)
WHY X-SERIES…
The simple answer is because I like it. They have done a wonderful job of replicating their films, both color and B&W. Also I prefer dials over a menu system so the cameras feel comfortable and familiar to me.
Fujifilm’s photographic philosophy has always been agreeable to me. They have always been in the elite class of other film companies that made every camera company look good. Nikon, Canon, Olympus, Leica, Pentax, Minolta, Hasselblad, Mamiya, and the many other camera companies only made the box. It was Fujifilm, Kodak, and Ilford that delivered the final image. This is where Fujifilm’s photographic philosophy comes from and the results show in their X-Series cameras.
The X-Series just has an organic feel to the final image that other digital camera companies don’t have with the exception of maybe Olympus and Nikon. Most of the time digital images are too perfect, too sharp, and too fake feeling. They are just pretty pictures with no soul. Fujifilm has a texture and look that allows me to capture what I percieve in the moment.
All great photographer’s of the past where able to use their cameras as an extension of themselves. And while I am in no way a great photographer, I am certain my X-Series cameras give me that same feeling of connection
THE X-T5 PREDOMINANTLY FITS…
In today’s age of photography, the camera is the film and since I have already bought into the X-Mount lens system, it was only logical that when I needed a new camera the X-T5 was the next progression. My X-T4 was still working but was showing signs of abuse and we were about to ride off on a world tour with our bikes. The timing of Fujifilm’s X-T5 release worked out well.
PROVEN DURABILITY
All of my X-Series cameras have withstood the abuse I put them through, whether it is crashing them on trees or rocks and subjecting them to extreme temperatures and environments. Since I seldom use my cameras indoors and my X-T5 was destined to live outside everyday, I needed a weather sealed system that could handle the elements. Beginning in the cold of Alaska then heading to the heat of Australia and then New Zealand.
Only my X-H1 succumbed to my abuse when I dropped it while changing a lens during a snowshoe trip and packed the inside of the camera with snow. After drying it out overnight, the camera did turn on and took some decent photos, but it was never the same again. Needless to say, I have been happy with the durability and reliability of my X-Series.
PERFECTLY IMPERFECT
I am not one who thinks new camera technology is going to make me a better photographer. Technology will make some aspects easier once one masters the skills not to rely on it. Because of this I do not get caught up in the hate/like feeds that are so prevalent in the social world. I like my Fujifilm cameras, and I enjoy their limitations as much as their strengths. Historically, all the greatest photos ever taken were done without autofocus, IBIS, or whatever the digital tech of the day is. The photographer knew the limitations of their camera and learned how to work beyond the boundaries to achieve influence.
CAMERA CONTROLS
Photography is my meditation. I enjoy the camera process and the X-T5 gives me that process and the results I like. It is nice sharing photographs but that is not why I take them. The camera is a way for me to slow down, observe, and learn from the subject. Tripping the shutter is not always necessary but having a camera in my hand is.
I absolutely love how the X-T5 feels. The control dials and programmable buttons are making this camera a pleasure to use. I capture more successful photographs than I do unsuccessful ones. And that is taking into account the failed images due to experimental practice. More times than not, I am the limiting factor more so than the camera. The X-T5, even with the issues it has had, is still my favorite camera since the digital age.
MY TOP 3 FAVORITE DIGITAL CAMERAS I HAVE OWNED
Fujifilm X-T5
Fujifilm X-Pro1
Nikon D300s
Photography’s conversion to digital nearly took the life out of my desire to pick up a camera. It was the X-Pro1 that rekindled my photographic fire. While I don’t carry the X-Pro1 with me, I do take it out when the opportunity arises.
Today I am always inspired when I have the X-T5 in my hands. It makes me feel connected to my surroundings.
The Nikon D300s was my photographic workhorse at the end of my photographic career. I have a lot of fond memories shooting with this camera.
A SECOND CAMERA BODY…
All through Australia I had been carrying a X-T4 that Deborah could use and my X-T5 that I was using. Deborah seldom used the X-T4 so I sent it home which was a mistake in the end. I also have been carrying a Fujifilm 2X converter to use with my XF 70-300. Since I had seldom used it I was going to send it home as well. But first I wanted to put it on to see if I should have been using the 2X more often than I did.
When I attached the lens with the 2X and turned the camera on I got the dreaded error to turn the camera off and then on again. If this error doesn’t go away when turning the camera off and on, then the only fix is to send the camera to Fujifilm for repair. I had to do this once before with this camera before I left for Australia and now I have to do it again days before I leave Australia for New Zealand.
Fujifilm Australia said they would send the camera to me in New Zealand once the repair is done. I would end up being without a camera for just over a month as they replaced the IBIS that they said was the cause. Fujifilm New Zealand received the camera and sent it to me.
The camera turned on but now the viewfinder image jiggled as if the sensor was loose. The images were okay but the movies were not stable at all. This meant that I had to send it back to Fujifilm New Zealand so they could send it back to Fujifilm Australia to fix what they didn’t fix properly. At this point I am kicking myself for sending the XT4 home as I really needed it because I will be without a camera for much longer. This will not do. So, I boarded a three hour ferry from Picton on the South Island to Wellington on the North Island and bought the last black X-T5 body that Photo Warehouse had in stock. Then I took the ferry back to Picton just in time to begin our bike tour of New Zealand’s South Island the following day.
After another month Fujifilm Australia replaced the PWB Main which is the main board of the camera. It has been working great ever since.
And this is how I have ended up with a black and a silver X-T5 camera. Once again I am carrying two camera bodies on my bike.
A FEW ISSUES…
ABOUT MANUAL AND AUTO FOCUS:
The X-T5 went through an awkward stage that wasn’t typical of Fujifilm, especially where autofocus is concerned. It seemed as if every firmware update the cameras autofocus became worse. It created quite a stir in the social cesspool. Eventually Fujifilm got the firmware right and my autofocus has been working much better.
I have never thought of the X-Series as commercial wildlife or sports cameras. It seemed their focus has been more on daily life and the stories behind it. They have struggled with fast action which is odd since that technology seems to work very well with the other camera companies. Not sure why Fujifilm struggles with this.
Many times I wonder if they even know what a bird, or animal is. Because their subject detection misses more than it hits. The new firmware was a huge improvement but it still struggles.
I manual focus often and I do wish the focus ring was much quicker. You can adjust the settings but some lenses just feel sluggish and not as refined. With practice and settings I am getting quicker.
It takes time and determination to work out how to use a cameras limitations to your advantage. I am slowly figuring out Fujifilm’s quirks.
REPAIR FIASCO
I had my first real negative experience with Fujifilm when I had to send my X-T5 to Australia Fujifilm Service. They eventually got it right but it took way too long for something that could have been fixed properly the first time. Living on our bikes traveling foreign countries and not having a permanent address made the whole experience much more frustrating. My camera was under warranty if I was back home but because I was in Australia it wasn’t. That does not make sense to me. Fujifilm is a worldwide company and warranties need to be treated as such. In the end I had to pay for the repair and that irritated me especially when they didn’t fix the camera the first time.
All of that is behind me know and the repaired camera is working great. I have been using the X-Series cameras since 2012 with very little issue and definitely much less than I had with other camera companies. Hopefully I will have another 13 year period before I have to go through this again.
A FEW X-T5 PHOTOGRAPHS
SOME X-T5 SPECIFICATIONS…
A few camera specifications that were important enough for me to upgrade from the X-T4. To see complete details you can visit Fujifilm’s X-T5 webpage by clicking on the button above.
IMAGE PROCESSING ENGINE: X-Processor 5
IMAGE SENSOR: 23.5mm x 15.7mm (APS-C) X-Trans CMOS 5 HR with primary color filter
EFFECTIVE PIXELS: 40.2 millions pixels
EXPOSURE MODE:
P (Program AE)
A (Aperture Priority AE)
S (Shutter Speed Priority AE)
M (Manual Exposure)
EXPOSURE CONTROL:
TTL 256-zone metering
Multi
Spot
Average
Center Weighted
SENSITIVITY:
Still Image
Standard Output
AUTO 1
AUTO 2
AUTO 3
ISO 125～12800 (1/3 step)
Extended Output
ISO 64
ISO 80
ISO 100
ISO 25600
ISO 51200
Movie
Standard Output
AUTO
ISO 125～12800 (1/3 step)
Extended Output
ISO 25600
IMAGE STABILIZER:
Mechanism: Image sensor shift mechanism with 5-axis compensation
Compensation Effect: 7.0 stops
Digital Image Stabilization: Yes (movie mode only)
IS Mode Boost: Yes (movie mode only)
SHUTTER SPEED:
Mechanical Shutter
P Mode: 30sec. to 1/8000sec.
A Mode: 30sec. to 1/8000sec.
S/M Mode: 15min. to 1/8000sec.
Bulb: up to 60min.
Electronic Shutter
P Mode: 30sec. to 1/180000sec.
A Mode: 30sec. to 1/180000sec.
S/M Mode: 15min. to 1/180000sec.
Bulb: 1sec. Fixed
Electronic Front Curtain Shutter
P Mode: 30sec. to 1/8000sec.
A Mode: 30sec. to 1/8000sec.
S/M Mode: 15min. to 1/8000sec.
Bulb: up to 60min.
Mechanical + Electronic Shutter
P Mode: 30sec. to 1/180000sec.
A Mode: 30sec. to 1/180000sec.
S/M Mode: 15min. to 1/180000sec.
Bulb: up to 60min.
Notes *Mechanical shutter works until 1/8000sec.
E-Front + Mechanical Shutter
P Mode: 30sec. to 1/8000sec.
E-Front + Mechanical + Electronic Shutter
P Mode: 30sec. to 1/180000sec.
Movie
6.2K: 1/8000sec. to 1/24 sec.
4K/DCI4K: 1/8000sec. to 1/4 sec.
FHD: 1/8000sec. to 1/4 sec.
Notes *Cannot choose slower shutter speed than framerate for some settings.
Synchronized Shutter Speed For Flash
Mechanical Shutter: 1/250sec. or slower
CONTINUIOUS SHOOTING:
NOTES:
*Recordable frames depends on recording media
*Speed of continuous shooting depends on shooting environment and shooting frames
Continuous High
Mechanical Shutter:
Approximately 15fps
Approximately 10fps
Electronic Shutter: (1.29x Crop)
Approximately 20fps
Approximately 13fps
Approximately 10fps
Electronic Shutter: (No Crop)
Approximately 13fps
Approximately 8.9fps
Continuous Low
Mechanical Shutter:
Approximately 7.0fps
Pre-shot
Electronic Shutter: (1.29x Crop)
Approximately 20fps
Approximately 13fps
Approximately 10fps
Electronic Shutter: (No Crop)
Approximately 13fps
DRIVE MODE:
AE Bracketing
2 frames
3 frames
5 frames
7 frames
9 frames
Filmsimulation Bracketing
Any 3 types of film simulation selectable
Dynamic Range Bracketing
100%
200%
400%
ISO Sensitivity Bracketing
±1/3EV
±2/3EV
±1EV
White Balance Bracketing
±1
±2
±3
Focus Bracketing
AUTO
MANUAL
Multiple Exposure
Yes (Max. 9 frames)
Additive
Average
Bright
Dark
HDR Mode
AUTO
2
4
8
800% +
Advanced Filter
Toy camera
Miniature
Pop color
High-key
Low-key
Dynamic tone
Soft focus
Partial color (Red / Orange / Yellow / Green / Blue / Purple)
Pixel Shift Multi Shot
High Resolution + Accurate Color
FOCUS:
Mode
Single AF
Continuous AF
Manual Focus
Type
Intelligent Hybrid AF (TTL contrast AF / TTL phase detection AF)
AF Frame Selection
Single Point AF
13×9 / 25×17 (Changeable size of AF frame)
Zone AF
3×3 / 5×5 / 7×7 from 117 areas on 13×9 grid
All
Yes
Subject Detection
Yes
Animal
Bird
Automobile
Motorcycle&Bike
Airplane
Train
FLASH:
Shoe Mount Flash
Sync. Mode
1st Curtain
2nd Curtain
AUTO FP (HSS)
Flash Mode
TTL (TTL AUTO / STANDARD / SLOW SYNC. )
Manual
MULTI *When EF-X500 is set
OFF
Synchronized Terminal
Sync. Mode
1st Curtain
2nd Curtain
Flash Mode
Manual
Hot Shoe
Yes (Dedicated TTL Flash compatible)
FILM SIMULATION MODE:
Provia/Standard
Velvia/Vivid
Astia/Soft
Classic Chrome
PRO Neg.Hi
PRO Neg.Std
Classic Neg.
Nostalgic Neg.
Eterna/Cinema
Eterna Bleach Bypass
Acros
Acros + Ye Filter
Acros + R Filter
Acros + G Filter
Black & White
Black & White + Ye Filter
Black & White + R Filter
Black & White + G Filter
Sepia
WHITE BALANCE:
Auto
White Priority
Auto
Ambience Priority
Custom
Custom1 – 3
Color Temperature Selection
2500K～10000K
Preset
Daylight
Shade
Fluorescent Light-1
Fluorescent Light-2
Fluorescent Light-3
Incandescent Light
Underwater
SELF TIMER:
Still
10sec.
2sec.
Movie
10sec.
5sec.
3sec.
INTERVAL SHOOTING:
Setting:
Interval
Number of shots
Starting time
Interval timer shooting exposure smoothing
Interval priority mode
MOVIE RECORDING:
File Format
MOV
HEVC/H.265, Linear PCM (Stereo sound 24bit / 48KHz sampling)
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, Linear PCM (Stereo sound 24bit / 48KHz sampling)
MP4
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, AAC
