Fujifilm shooters and the world of mirrorless will have something to rejoice over today, as Fuji officially announces the X-T2.
As successor to the wildly popular X-T1, Fuji’s primary DSLR-style shooter, the X-T2 will be greeted by high expectations, and from the spec sheet it appears formidable, and it’s certainly a significant spread of features. Not that one would really know from appearance, given that the outward appearance appears mostly the same. But under the splash-resistant and weather-sealed skin, it’s a bit of a different animal.
The X-T2’s heart is the latest generation 24.3MP X-Trans CMOS III with an APS-C sensor without a low-pass filter, and Fuji says it boats the highest performance in the history of X Series. That’s a big claim, and perhaps on par with that is the X-T2’s 4K video recording capability which allows for the use of Fuji’s much-loved Film Simulation modes.
Fuji Updated AF System
The company claims the auto focus system (AF) of the X-T2 has been drastically improved, and sees the number of single AF points upped to a whopping 325, and the number of zone focusing points has increased from 49 to 91. In addition, approximately 40% of the imaging area is covered with phase detection auto focus pixels.
With the high-speed X-Processor Pro and the use of improved algorithms, the X-T2 now refocuses more frequently, enabling predictive AF of advanced accuracy.
The X-T2 also has an enhanced ability to autofocus on small points of light, low-contrast objects and subjects with fine and delicate textures such as bird feathers and animal fur.
Considering all of that, and the fact the data read-speed has been doubled, AF performance should see not only significant improvements to AF speed, but also precision, and in AF continuity – even in low light scenarios down to -3EV, according to the literature.
The X-T2 includes the ACROS Film Simulation which is also available when shooting video. The ACROS is said to deliver smooth gradation, deep blacks, and true textures. Meeting the ACROS is the Grain effect function, so you’ll be able to deliver that signature Fuji grain, and to a desired strong or weak option.
Accessories
Fuji isn’t only releasing the X-T2 on its own, as it’s also releasing a new EF-X500 flash, and a vertical battery grip called the VPB-XT2. The grip holds 3 batteries and provides enough power to shoot about 1000 normal exposures. Furthermore it has ‘Boost Mode’ which will improve the responsiveness and speed of the X-T2 by dropping shutter release lag time and shooting interval.
The grip features a shutter release button, AE-L and AF-L buttons; Q and Fn buttons and command dials. Clearly Fuji has included a lot of functionality in this grip, really making the purchase a must to see the most out of the X-T2. With the grip video recording jumps to 30 min, and it features a headphone jack for audio monitoring during video. The Grip also has its own battery-charging functionality and should be able to charge the two batteries it houses in 2 hours.
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It’ll certainly be interesting to see how the X-T2 performs in the wild, and how much different it is than its predecessor. Perhaps most interestingly will be the opinions on how necessary the battery grip is.
Availability and Pricing
The Fuji X-T2 will be available in September 2016 in the U.S. and comes in at $1,599.95 USD. The X-T2 paired with the XF18-55mm (27-84mm) kit will also be available in September in the U.S., and for $1,899.95. The VBT Grip is going for $329
EF-X500 Flash key features:
- Maximum guide number of approximately 50 (ISO100･m) / 164 (ISO100·ft)
- Zooming the illumination angle for the focal lengths of 24mm – 105mm, and covering the illumination angle of approximately 20mm when the wide panel is used
- Flash head that can be tilted up by 90° degrees, down by 10° degrees, to the left by 135° degrees and to the right by 180° degrees for bouncing light
- Equipped with LED video light that can also be used as AF assist light and catch light
- Registers up to ten combinations of various setting to suit specific shooting conditions in advance for quick activation when needed
FUJIFILM X-T2 key features:
- 24.3MP X-Trans CMOS III Sensor
- Dust and moisture-resistant body with approximately 63 points of weather sealing; Freeze resistance to 14°F
- X-Processor Pro
- Fast AF of 0.06 seconds
- Startup time of 0.3 seconds
- Shutter time lag of 0.045 seconds
- Shooting interval of 0.17 seconds
- Phase detection AF and motion predictive AF for continuous shooting up to 8 frames per second (fps)
- Up to 11fps using Booster Grip
- High-precision 0.48-inch, 2.36 million dot OLED viewfinder
- Viewfinder magnification for digital cameras of 0.77x
- Wide viewing angle (diagonal 38° and horizontal 31°)
- Ultra-fast Real Time Viewfinder with a lag-time of 0.005sec (less than 1/10 of existing models)
- Automatic Brightness Adjustment function
- EVF refreshes at a rate of 60fps, or as high as 100fps in the Boost mode
- Continuous shooting of 5fps in Live View
- Full 4K 3840×2160 30P/25P/24P shooting (Using a card with the UHS Speed Class 3 or higher)
- Continuous recording: up to approximately 10 minutes
- Full HD 1920×1080 60P/50P/30P/25P/24P, Continuous recording: up to approximately 15 minutes
- HD 1280×720 60P/50P/30P/25P/24P, Continuous recording: up to approximately 29 minutes
- Four different display modes: Full, Normal, Dual and Vertical
- Full mode: Displays shooting information at the top and bottom of the screen to avoid obstruction of the view
- Dual mode: Adds a small second screen for checking focus point with Focus Peak Highlight or Digital Split Image
- Normal mode: Lets you concentrate on framing the shot in Auto Focus mode while keeping you aware of how the shooting conditions are changing, making it the perfect setting for sports and action photography
- Portrait mode: When in Full or Normal modes, it rotates the shooting information interface when the camera is turned vertically
- Tempered glass 1.04 million dot high-precision 3” tilting LCD monitor
- Digital Split Image and Focus Highlight Peaking
- Wi-Fi and remote camera operation
- ISO200 – 6400, extended ISO 100, 12800, 25600, Auto(maximum ISO setting from ISO 400 – ISO6400 available) with High ISO 51200 setting
- Lens Modulation Optimizer technology maximizes each lens’ performance
- In-camera RAW converter
- Die-cast magnesium body provides a sturdy and durable, while compact and lightweight design
- Two command dials and six Function buttons for instant control and customization
- Interval timer shooting for Time Lapse photography is available with intervals of 1 second to 24 hours and up to “∞” frames
- Advanced filters and Film Simulations, including ACROS
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