Fujifilm X-T1 verdict in 2023
Summary
The Fujifilm X-T1 is a terrific low-cost used choice that makes a great camera for photography students and enthusiasts today. Its traditional external exposure controls are perfect for re-discovering the lost art of exposure, and its excellent build quality and handling make it a very satisfying camera to use. You wouldn’t choose it for sports/action photography or video, but for every other kind of everyday photography it’s still great, even today. The 16MP sensor isn’t that much of a limitation, frankly, and Fujifilm’s excellent range of X-mount lenses includes some very affordable little prime lenses that set off this camera perfectly.
Pros
+ Excellent build and handling
+ Traditional external exposure controls
+ Cheap to buy used
+ Good Fujinon lens choices
Cons
– Only 16MP
– Contrast AF only
– No 4K video
– No IBIS
Introduction and context
The Fujifilm X-T1 was launched back in January 2014 as the flagship mirrorless camera in the Fujifilm X-series camera range. It uses a DSLR style design with an electronic viewfinder on the top, a layout which has been used by most high-end mirrorless cameras ever since. In 2024 it’s now ten years since this camera was introduced – and yet, if you put it alongside a modern X-T5, remarkably little has changed in their physical design, handling and operation
The X-T1 was the first in a line of similar-looking X-T series cameras that continues right through to the present day. They all use APS-C X-Trans sensors, starting with a 16-megapixel sensor in the X-T1 and eventually evolving into the 40-megapixel X-T5, via the 24MP X-T2 and 26MP X-T3 and X-T4.
While the Fujifilm X-T1 is old by current camera standards, it’s still surprisingly modern to look at, handle and shoot with. It’s also very cheap on the used camera market. The X-T1 reviewed here was bought for under £300 from MPB in the UK.
But how does it compare to modern cameras to use and what are the results like by today’s standards? Let’s find out.
See also
• Best used cameras to buy today
• Are used digital cameras any good for photography today?
Fujifilm X-T1 specifications
| Type | Mirrorless |
| Lens mount | Fujifilm X |
| Sensor | APS-C X-Trans, 16.3MP |
| ISO range | 200-6400, exp 100-51200 |
| Autofocus | 49-point contrast AF |
| Continuous shooting | 8fps |
| Video | FHD up to 60p |
| Viewfinder | 2.36m dot EVF, 0.77x magnification |
| Rear screen | 3-inch 1.04k dot tilting screen |
| Storage | 1x SD UHS I |
| Battery | NP-W126, 350 shots |
| Dimensions | 129.0 x 89.8 x 46.7mm, 440g |
Fujifilm X-T1 key features
By today’s standards you would probably argue that the key features of any older camera like the X-T1 are going to be seen as negatives, such as the 16MP resolution, contrast-only autofocus, full HD video (no 4K) and the lack of in-body stabilization.
But the question is how much any of this will matter to you, and whether it’s going to affect the enjoyment and usefulness you get from this camera.
The 16-megapixel resolution sounds low by today’s standards, but it’s good enough for medium to large sized prints, more than enough for any kind of online publishing and sharing and enough too for publishing in magazines and books.
The 49-point contrast AF system certainly sounds primitive by today’s standards, and it’s going to be a limitation for continuous autofocus, video and subject tracking – but not necessarily for stills photography.
You wouldn’t buy the X-T1 for video, either. It can shoot full HD video at up to 60 frames per second, though, and many YouTubers and content creators still upload 1080 video, which is faster to stream and view. Not everyone needs 4K.
The lack of IBIS is not unusual in the APS-C mirrorless camera market, even today. Many Fujifilm zoom lenses have optical stabilization, however, so you’re not completely out on a limb in low light.
Fujifilm X-T1 build and handling
The Fujifilm X-T1 might have celebrated its tenth birthday, but it looks, feels and handles exactly like a modern camera. So little has changed in camera design over the years that if you get a mint example like the X-T1 I bought, it really is like having a new camera – new in condition, and new in design.
The X-T1 feels solid, the materials and finish feel absolutely first rate, and the controls are firm, nicely weighted and clearly marked. This is a very satisfying camera to shoot with.
The key design feature of this camera is its external exposure controls. At a time when most camera makers had gone over to unmarked context-dependent dials and digital interfaces, Fujifilm went old-school, with shutter speed and ISO dials on the top plate and, on many lenses in the range, proper click-stop aperture rings on the lens too.
There’s no mode dial. Instead, all three control rings have ‘A’ settings, so you can quickly set up this camera to be as automatic as you like, with whatever manual control you like.
In a strange kind of way, even though it’s a mirrorless camera, the X-T1 resurrected the old-school film SLR feel in a way that digital SLRs never did.
If you’re into retro camera design and operation, the Fujifilm X-T1 is perfect. It’s also ideal for beginners and photography students who want to understand the basics of shutter speed, aperture and ISO using physical dials. These communicate the interrelationships between these settings in a way that conventional digital interfaces don’t. Even if you’re not into these things, the X-T1’s build, handling and controls are about as good as it gets in any APS-C mirrorless camera at any price.
Fujifilm X-T1 performance and sample images
The autofocus on the Fujifilm X-T1 is a surprise, at least for stills photography. It’s remarkably quick and positive and. If you had a modern camera that focused like this you wouldn’t be disappointed. It’s a different story with the continuous AF, which is slower, more hesitant and more indecisive. You couldn’t really use it for video, alas, and you would have to be pretty optimistic to rely on it for burst shooting.
For single images, the X-T1’s contrast AF is no handicap at all. It’s actually rather good. For burst shooting and video, however, it’s quickly out of its depth.
The image quality is excellent within the obvious resolution limits of a 16-megapixel sensor. The exposure system is reliable and effective, and I particularly like Fujifilm’s extended dynamic range modes, which help reduce highlight clipping in high contrast scenes.
I did notice the X-T1 was slow to play back RAW files, but slotting in a faster card fixed that. This is a thing with older cameras – we take for granted these days that RAW files will display as fast as JPEGs, but it’s not always been that way.
Fujifilm X-T1 verdict
The Fujifilm X-T1 is surprising in a number of ways. Its build quality and handling are the equal of any modern camera’s, perhaps even better, and while the 16-megapixel sensor sounds like it might be an issue, in real world usage it’s very often going to be enough. Perhaps more than enough. The contrast AF system sounds like it ought to be pretty hopeless by modern standards, but for single-shot stills photography, it’s actually very snappy and effective.
The Fujifilm XT-1’s failings are pretty obvious in 2023, but you have to decide if they are important or not. If you want to shoot video, or sports, or fast moving wildlife, then you should choose something different. But if you want to shoot static subjects with a high-quality camera in a more considered, hands on way, it’s the equal of any modern camera.
With the X-T1 I say what I often say with older used cameras. There’s no way a camera this good should be this cheap.
And if you’re a novice looking to learn, or a student, or an old-school film camera fan, I would say don’t buy any new camera, buy this.