Would you check out what I’ve got my hands on with?
It’s the new Fujifilm X-T4. And it looks pretty flipping cool.
The first thing is that, when I pick this up, is that, it’s wider, it’s taller than the X-T3.
It’s chunkier, it’s a bit heavier, and that’s because,
It’s got more stuff inside and a bigger battery to power the more stuff.
What stuff exactly. Well, there are some minor little tweaks here and there,
but I’m not talking about the minor things.
This, this bit's detachable, new leather flappy bits.
What else you’ve got.
You've got a more rigid eye cap. It’s 40% more rigid than before. It’s a lockable.
Don’t know how they measure that? It’s 40% more rigid anyway.
Oh, it’s really tough, about 40% more tough.
I’m talking about the big things. This has now got eye bits. Inside. Oh yes.
Ooooh yes, they’ve XH-ed the X-T, so you can take photos like a quasi gangster style and still get still shots -
Wow are they actually still alive?
So yeah, it’s a 5-axis IBIS system which provides up to 6 stops of stabilisation,
depending on lens.
Here’s a photo, here’s a little photo of what lenses it depends on.
Depends on not having those two lenses basically. Note, it’s actually 6.5 stops,
not just a mere 6 stops.
The body is bigger than the X-T3 as a result but the IBIS is still 30% smaller and 20% lighter than the X-H’s.
It also uses magnetic springs not hooks and springs,
which means two things: 1. It’s like really high tech and stuff…
And 2. You can brag about it to your geeky photo mates.
Tell you what, this weather is absolutely crap. Let me just get my gilet.
Gilet. I'll get my gilet.
A little bit nippy. Let me go back.
Yeah, there we are, that’s much better.
So yeah, 6.5 stops of stabilisation, for still mode, makes still mode just that bit steadier,
but still mode is great because now you’ve got 15 FPS which is a magnificent burst rate to have.
Barely notice it. The shutter sound on this is really quiet.
You probably can’t hear it anyway with all these noise going on in the background
but it is 30% quieter than before,
which is nice, it's really nice and dampened.
It must have a new shutter mechanism in there because as well as they’re doing 15 FPS,
it goes up to 300,000 actuations.
That’s a long shutter life. That’s doubled than before.
It was 150,000 before? 300,000.
I mean that’s pro-level camera kind of stuff.
Well, that’s a bit quieter, let me blast off another burst of photos for your listening pleasure.
Can you hear that? Hear that? Ooooh.
Naturally, I show you just how quiet it is by putting it right next to my mic…Hmm...makes sense.
That’s a lovely boring shot, isn’t it? Just as well, because I’ve got about 300 of them now.
Anyways, it’s good thing that they have given a bigger battery because the X-T3 battery wasn't exactly great.
It was one of the things that I didn’t like too much about the X-T3.
This is good for 500 frames now on one charge.
The X-T3’s battery is rated at 390 shots, and the different battery and size of the body means new grip, too.
Let’s go check out Chinatown…let's see how quiet Chinatown is these days.
I’m telling you, when you look at the restaurants, so quiet here. It’s ridiculous.
I think all we know is because it’s not pissing it down on rain.
It’s because China food doesn’t feel yum, does it?
As soon as you finish eating it you feel hungry.
They’ve gone to MaccyD’s, haven’t they?
While we're talking about the quick bursty thing,
it's the R rhythm for the AF has been improved, so it’s quicker.
Apparently it’s as good as anything else on the market.
Sony?
Didn’t mention it, but I guessed that’s who they mean.
Cause you got the eye and face detection tracking.
How much better is it? Dunno. Nothing to compare it to here…it feels good though.
It’s sticky, it picks up eyes when the subject is still relatively small in the frame.
Yup, so I mean that pretty much is it for the still side of things. I mean, there’s not much else.
Button layout on the back has been changed.
"AF On" button is rounder, people are, like round knobs.
Ergonomically, the X-T4 feels good.
I like the slightly beefed up dimensions - it feels better in the hands…
Yeah, that’s the still side of the things.
But I think the big improvements come with the video side of things.
Big emphasis has been put on the movie mode - it even has it’s own selector switch now.
Bo Selecta. And…and…separate menus for movie and stills, which I like.
I hate using a movie mode, switching to stills and having to change the shutter speed and picture profile every bloody time.
OK, so now I’m vlogging with the X-T4 with the 18-55mm lens
on its widest settings at 18mm, which is about 28mm, so it’s not really wide enough
because now the shot is gonna be all face.
But I’ve got the OIS on as well as the IBIS, so hopefully this would be nice and smooth.
So, anyway, in addition to this, you can also have digital image stabilisation,
and as well as an IS boost.
IS boost is for static subjects, and when you’re static,
and the digital image stabilisation is for static subject, and if you're moving....
Easy to understand, right?
Shitting hell. The weather is shit.
Digital IS works well when combined with OIS and IBIS; using IS Boost while standing there,
shooting a static subject - not a huge improvement but maybe that’s cos I have really safe, steady hands.
It has to be noted that using the digital IS or IS Boost incurs a bit of croppage.
Would I use these modes?
Probably not, I think the OIS and IBIS combination is enough most of the time,
but I guess it’s nice to have the option to BOOST when you like.
Another thing I’d try to make do without…but unfortunately, had to succumb to using...
Oh well, no harm in looking like a giant prophylactic once in a while…
Anyway, what else have we got in terms of new video features?
We’ve got a new film simulation, we’ve got the turn of bleach bypass.
Bleach bypass is not someone who doesn’t like cleaning their toilets.
It goes back to the old film days when the bleach process was skipped, hence name,
the end result is reduced saturation and exposure latitude, increased contrast - harder tonality - and graininess.
Basically it looks just like this.
In terms of the actual 4K, it does 4K 2530p, 4K 50p and 60p, in 60p it’s still cropped,
just like the X-T3 1.18 times crop.
And then the HDMI you get 4:2:2, 4K 60p, cinema 4K with F-log recording internal.
You also have view assist so you can see it in BT709 and so it’s not just LOG on the screen.
I know people are going to hate on this flip screen just cos it’s a flip screen.
And it’s a camera meant for photo geeks, isn’t it? But it’s actually quite nicely done.
It fits quite nice and flush when you flip it away.
This 1.6 million dot LCD unit tucks away nicer than some other tilt flips (GH5 for example)…
and the flip side to that. Oh God that pun.
You can almost pretend that it’s a film camera…
if you have imagination.
But one thing is that it doesn’t have a conventional headphone socket,
you'll have to use a USB-C adaptor before you can use headphones with this.
Also, you can backup records to your second slot for video.
And tally light.
We like tally lights, it’s good, front and back.
Can’t think of much to dislike about the X-T4. The stepping Auto ISO in video perhaps.
There will be grumpy buggers that are just to going to lose their shizzle over the flip screen.
Then why not go for the X-T3, it’s not going to be discontinued, probably cheaper now if anything.
The X-H1 is no longer but they did say that the X-H line is not dead.
Still, the X-T4 is made to compete with Sony’s top of the line APSC -
The a6600 - which has a flip screen, IBIS, bigger battery, slick AF.
And the X-T4 could be a perfect all-in-one:
good looking stills with great AF performance paired with clean,
low rolling shutter video that benefits from IBIS and that screen.
Perhaps, good timing, seeing as my GH5 was a bit under the weather after this shoot.