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Whether you love them or hate them, Fujifilm's APS-C-based mirrorless cameras enable you to produce images you would not get from any other camera. To my mind this, more than sensor size, auto focus speed, or any other feature, is a mark of a great camera, which is why I'm always excited when Fujifilm turns out a new model.
Fujifilm's latest effort is the X-T4, an update to its flagship APS-C mirrorless camera.
The X-T4 is the DSLR to the X-Pro's range finder. While the internals of them are generally in sync—the X-T4 leads with the new features though—the design, styling, and experience of using them could not be more different.
While shooting with X-Pro3 ([WIRED Recommends](https://www.wired.com/review/fujifilm-x-pro3-digital-camera/)) harkens back to the era of film, the X-T4 feels like something from the future.
### What's New
The X-T4 is solidly built, with an all-metal design that retains all the mechanical controls you'd expect from Fujifilm. The film-era body design is wrapped around an impressive new shutter mechanism, in-body image stabilization, and a fully articulated rear touchscreen that can be turned around so it won't get scratched in your bag.
The first thing Fujifilm fans will notice about the X-T4 is the new shutter mechanism. It's improved damping has produced a satisfyingly slight shutter snap, even in mechanical mode. It's quieter than the "silent" mode on other cameras I've used. The real news though is the improved burst shooting rate—15 frames per second with AF. That's with the mechanical shutter, if you wish to use the electronic shutter you can go up to 20 fps (matching the X-T3).
What's just as impressive as the actual frames per second is the speed at which the X-T4 can clear its buffer. There are cameras out there with larger buffers, but once the X-T4 buffer is full, it clears in less than two seconds, which means there's almost no lag in shooting. Sport and portrait photographers, this is a camera worth checking out.
The new in-body image stabilization (IBIS) is another welcome addition, especially because Fujifilm has previously suggested this wouldn't be feasible. Apparently the engineers figured out a way to do it. Combined with a stabilized lens Fujifilm is claiming a 6.5EV correction. In practice, between the IBIS, stabilized lens, and high ISO options, I did not encounter any low-light situations I couldn't hand-hold.
Speaking of low light, shooting indoors to test the new IBIS also led me to notice my favorite thing about the X-T4: the amazing dynamic range. The range of tones I got, even in JPGs was frankly astounding. Even in harshly lit night scenes the highlight roll off is incredibly smooth. Now, the X-T4 might not top actual dynamic range charts, but in practice I'm impressed. I have shot with nearly every full-frame and APS-C mirrorless on the market this year (except the Sony A7R IV and Canon R6) and none of them matched the dynamic range that I was able to get from the X-T4.
It's also worth noting that the auto-focus algorithm has been improved to consider shapes and colors as well. The results, at least in still photos, are excellent, especially in low light where the X-T4 is very accurate. Interestingly, the autofocus system is actually the same as the X-T3, which means Fujifilm could theoretically bring the new algorithm to the X-T3 in a firmware update.
As with all major new cameras from Fujifilm, the XT-4 introduces a new Film Simulation mode, this time around its 'Eterna Bleach Bypass', which is a color effect designed to mimic the Eterna film color profile when processed with a bleach bypass. It's definitely one of the more heavy-handed film simulation modes Fujifilm has released. The effect produces images with very low saturation and contrast.
The X-T4 also gets all the updated tone controls Fujifilm introduced with the recent X-Pro3, including a new feature that allows half-step adjustments in highlights and shadows. It can be time consuming to set up, but once I dialed in presets the way I wanted them, I never felt the need to do any post-processing on my images.
Normally the straight-out-of-camera images are JPEGs, and they still are, but the X-T4 introduces an new option to output 8 or 16-bit TIFF files using the in-camera RAW conversion software. It's an interesting way to get an image that's got Fujifilms RAW processing—so it matches the film simulation, which some software struggles to do, but it isn't a compressed JPEG. Be forewarned that the resulting 16-bit TIFFs are huge, about 3X the size of the RAW file.
The X-T series cameras have always gobbled up batteries, to the point that it's safe to say battery life had no where to go but up. The good news is up it went. I went multiple days shooting still images without needing to switch batteries. Even shooting 4K video I managed to get about two hours out of a single battery.
### Video
Most of the improvements to the X-T4 feel aimed at the hybrid still and video shooter. I would not hesitate to say this is the best camera on the market right now for anyone who frequently switches between still and video capture.
There are several small, but incredibly useful changes that make it much easier to switch shooting modes. The first is the lower collar of the shutter speed dial, which is now a convenient and fast way to switch between photo and video modes.
This dial also highlights an interesting change in Fujifilm's menu settings. When you are in photo mode and you head into settings, you'll only see still-image related settings. Switch the video mode an you'll only see settings for video. It's a nice separation—very similar to the menus of the [Leica SL2](https://www.wired.com/review/leica-sl2/)—that makes it super simple to switch back and forth with a completely different set of settings for each.
The big video difference over the X-T3 is the new 240 fps full HD video capture, giving your 10X slow motion footage. This does incur a roughly 1.3X crop, but Fujifilm has helpfully included a setting to apply that crop to all video modes. This means you can shoot slow motion footage, switch the 4K and keep shooting without worrying about having to reframe the scene or change lenses. The camera will automatically crop the footage so you can move seamlessly between video modes.
Another nice upgrade for video shooters is the ability to record video redundantly to both SD cards at once. I should not that the headphone jack is gone, you'll need a USB-C to headphone adapter (included).
One thing that bothered me for a camera that's otherwise so great for video is that autofocus sometimes hunts when shooting. It would frequently lose my subject when both I and the subject were moving. When it works the X-T4 shoots wonderfully cinematic footage, but depending on the scene the autofocus could be a problem.
The other thing that bugged me is the grip: it's still too small. It's actually slightly bigger, thanks in part I assume to the larger battery. Still, it's woefully undersized for a body of this size. It was most annoying when shooting in portrait-orientation where I actually worried I might drop it holding it one-handed. Put it this way, the body is heavier than my Sony A7II, but the grip is a fraction of what you get on the Sony.
Of course how troublesome this is will depend a little on the size of your hands, I have longer fingers so perhaps it bothered me more than it would some, but frankly the X-T4 grip looks small even in my five-year-old's hands.
### Is It Worth It?
The X-T4 body is $1699, which is $200 more than the original list price of the X-T3. You can also get a kit with the 18-55mm F2.8-4.0 OIS lens, which is what Fujifilm sent me, for $2099.
That's a good bit of money for an APS-C sensor. For comparison the Sony A7RIII, a full frame camera, is regularly on sale for about $2200.
Still this is a near-perfect camera for the sort of photographer who wants the best of both worlds—still and video. If you've got a Panasonic GH-5 for video and something else for stills, the X-T4 is good enough to replace both.
For someone who rarely does video work the X-T4 is a less compelling upgrade over the X-T3. If you're primarily a stills shooter the X-T3 might be the better buy thanks to it's lower price.
That said, X-T4's in-body stabilization definitely opens up some possibilities for low light shooting that you just won't get from the X-T3.
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