Introduction
I decided not to do a full review of Fuji X-T1 because the camera is not that new and most of the aspects related to controls, images and video are quite redundant to X-T10 which I reviewed. Cameras are very similar but not identical, so I decided to just highlight similarities and differences.
Usage results
As you can tell from the diagram X-T1 and X-T10 clearly represent the same line of cameras, sharing identical sensor and image processing characteristics. They also share the same philosophy when it comes to controls. The main difference with controls is number and size. Because X-T1 is a slightly larger body even more important controls got a dedicated dial and there are couple of buttons that do not exist on X-T10. For instance metering mode is a dial, and so as ISO. This is great! When I was using X-T1 for my trip to Alaska I almost never needed to dive into menus while shooting.
Another important difference is the viewfinder, which is large and great quality in X-T1. X-T10 viewfinder is also pretty good, but not quite up to X-T1 standards.
Finally the main feature why I was using X-T1 - it is environmentally sealed. I really tested this feature during my trip to Alaska - where I was shooting under rain almost every day, and one of the days rain was significant enough that I had water running down the camera - and it held-up just fine.
Few things that I think still have room for improvement are:
Video recording button is as unusable as on X-T10. Unless you shave your finders into a toothpick pressing a video recording button at first attempt is an unlikely event.
There is no built in GPS. There is a way to tether camera to a smart phone to get the location, but this is somewhat painful process to do every time. I would easily pay extra $50 is they would just put the GPS chip into the camera. Other people do it. How about it?
Not surprising, since this is the case with many higher end cameras, but Fuji does not have built-in flash. Of course, most people do not think of built-in flash as a great source of artificial lighting, but I find it very helpful as a fill at times.
Samples images
