Fuji XT1 graphite silver: first images and impressions
I just received my copy of the graphite silver edition Fuji XT1. Yes it has an electronic shutter now with shutter speeds up to 1/32000 second and you can set it to FULL SILENT MODE just like the Fuji X100T (click for images).
The electronic silent shutter works with all lenses, but you’ll naturally need one of the faster lenses like the XF 56mm f/1.2 R to really take advantage of the faster shutter speeds. This leads me to the Fujinon XF 56mm f/1.2 APO which in my opinion isn’t just an overpriced hipster accessory, but will help keep down blown highlights with these higher shutter speeds (haven’t tried it yet though).
The graphite silver looks beautiful and changes from a shiny grey to a subtle gold depending on the light. For those of you kicking their heads right now: don’t worry, the build looks and feels exactly the same. It might be a good idea to go for the graphite silver edition if you’re planning on buying your first Fuji XT1, as it has a triple layer coating which should be more resistant to wear and tear than the black edition.
Natural Live View is another great addition, and it’s as close as you’ll get to an optical viewfinder with an eeeeuhhhh electronic one. Basically, you can now disable Preview Picture effects from the viewfinder image while shooting to display a truly natural image composition just as they would see with an optical viewfinder.
The new Classic Chrome film emulation on the graphite silver Fuji X-T1 is a nice addition and helps counter the normally quite saturated jpeg images this camera renders.
A Quick recap of all new features and functions:
16.3 million Megapixels APS-C X-Trans CMOS II Sensor
- Dust and water-resistant body with more than 75 points of weather sealing. Freeze resistance to 14°F (-10°C).
- EXR Processor II
- World’s fastest AF of 0.08 seconds
- Startup time of 0.5 seconds
- Shutter time lag of 0.05 seconds
- Shooting interval of 0.5 seconds
- Phase detection AF and motion predictive AF for continuous shooting up to 8 frames per second
- High-precision 2.36 million dot OLED viewfinder
- Highest 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) and new Natural Live View
- Four different display modes: Full, Normal, Dual and Vertical.
- Tempered glass 1.04 million dot high-precision 3” tilting LCD monitor
- Digital Split Image and Focus Highlight Peaking
- Completely electronic shutter up to 1/32000 seconds
- ISO200 – 6400, extended ISO 100, 12800, 25600, Auto (maximum ISO setting from ISO 400 – ISO6400 available)
- Die-cast magnesium body provides a sturdy and durable, while compact and lightweight design
- Interval timer shooting for Time Lapse photography is available with intervals of 1 second to 24 hours and up to 999 frames
- NEW ‘Classic Chrome’ and other film simulation modes
- Focus Peaking function and Digital Split Image display
- Full HD video 1080p at 60fps; bit rate of 36Mbps for clear capture of delicate movements; frame rates of 50fps, 30fps, 25fps and 24fps, supporting worldwide motion picture formats
- Manual focus available during video recording
- Free FUJIFILM Camera Remote application and Wireless Communication function allows users to remotely shoot images from smartphones and tablets via WiFi
- Photos can be sent to the INSTAX Share Printer using the free INSTAX Share App (iOS and Android) SHARE Smartphone Printer
- Leather Strap and Aluminium Hot Shoe Cover are bundled with the FUJIFILM X-T1 Graphite Silver edition
Remember all the new functionality will be available to black Fuji XT1 (click for full review and all XT1 related posts) owners in December and will also bring these new features to the silver version:
- AF Area direct selection – Users can select the focus area with the 4-way controller, without pressing the Fn Key.
- Function replacement for the AE-L/AF-L buttons – The currently locked AE-L/AF-L button function will now be interchangeable, depending on the user’s preference.
- Focus Area size variability during MF – Users will be able to change the focus area in Manual mode during One Push AF with the AF-L button.
- Macro Mode direct selection – Users will be able to directly turn ON or OFF the Macro function in Auto Focus mode to expand the distance measurement range to the short-distance range. This will be possible without accessing the pop-up menu screen.
- Q Menu customization – The update will render the items and layout of the Q Menu, used for quick access of frequently-used items, changeable to the user’s preference.
- Video frame rate selection – In addition to the existing 60fps and 30fps selections, 50fps and 25fps, as well as a 24fps selection will become available to users. 50fps and 25fps allow video editing in the PAL region, such as Europe and elsewhere, without converting the frame rate. The 24fps will offer movie-like video capture and playback.
- Video manual shooting – Users will be able to select ISO sensitivity prior to shooting videos, as well as adjusting the aperture and shutter speed during video shooting.
- Phase Detection AF support for One Push AF – With One Push AF, operated by pressing the AF-L button during manual focusing, the update will enable Phase Detection AF with quicker focusing speeds.
- Metering area focus area interlocking – The update will enable users to interlock the AF area position with the metering area when spot metering is selected.
- Expansion of the Program Shift setting area – The update will enable the current Program Shift, in which the low-speed side is 1/4 second, to be shifted to a maximum of 4 seconds.
Yes, Graphite Silver looks great on the Fuji XT1, now which one would I recommend? Go with black if you can get it at a good discount, go, Graphite Silver, if you have to pay list price.
I found the graphite edition already available in these countries: BE, NL
Wow, that is pretty! Fuji sure knows how to push our buttons!
Have you tried the new Natural View setting for the viewfinder yet? My guess is it will a less contrasty view in bright or high contrast lighting situations. Do you happen to know if this will be part of the firmware update for existing X-T1 owners?
Hi Stephen, Yes I have. You basically just have to turn ‘PREVIEW PICTURE EFFECT’ off in the SCREEN SET-UP Menu. I personally like it better when picture effect is on, but that might be a personal preference. It does give a very clean view of the scene, definitely less contrasty. My major issue is that once you half press the shutter button, the viewfinder image gets very noisy, kinda ruining the shooting experience for me. But I do prefer shooting with processing viewable anyway (yes I like EVF’s more than optical viewfinders), I think it helps with composition.
But it might be just what some people are lacking with the older firmware version. If you’re looking for a true optical viewfinder, perhaps it’s best to wait for the X-PRO2. And yes it will be available on the black XT1 version too with the december firmware update.
Hi Wim,
I’ve just got my X-T1 Graphite and I pretty much agree with all your comments and with your considerations on whether to go for a black or graphite version. In my case, I’m an happy owner of the X-E2 who recently decided to switch to the more full featured and weather sealed X-T1, hence my decision to pay a couple hundreds dollars more and get the GS.
As you rightly said, anyway, build quality seems to be exactly the same and in this regard I could immediately notice on my copy an annoying creaking noise (although not so evident) coming from the SD card compartment door, whenever holding the camera. The very same sort of creaking noise is audible if gently pushing on the SD card door. Did you notice anything similar on your copy of the X-T1 GS?
It’s not a major issue, of course, yet it ruins somehow the perception of overall good build quality of the camera and I’d like to know if there’s any remedy to it. Many thanks!
Hi Marco,
yes I do have the same issue with the SD card door. It even looks a bit bent, so I’m guessing they are just using the same parts except for the newly coated body. Funny thing is that my black X-T1 does not have this problem. So my guess is that here is some deviation in production, with ‘good’ and ‘bad’ bodies. I’ve read horror stories about the glued grip and paint coming off the black XT1, even with minimal use… If you’re not totally satisfied with your copy, I would return it and have it replaced if possible.
Hi Wim,
many thanks for your reply! I had to preorder the X-T1 Graphite Silver from my local and trusted photo shop, so an exchange is not practical… I’m sure the owner of the shop would gladly assist, but chances are that the replacement would end up exhibiting the very same ‘issue’, if it can be defined so, and all to my own expense of the additional wait for a new one to be available!
It is certainly curious and a good indication indeed, that just at my first inquiry about the SD card door, I’ve immediately received a confirmation that mine is not an isolated case at all… as explained, I’ve got the X-T1 GS a few days ago (2) and I only had the chance to drop my first comment about this issue here, soon after reading your nice review this morning!
‘Two out of two’ should probably mean something statistically and I also remember of other experiences shared on the web about the flimsy SD card door of the regular X-T1. It may also well be the case that our units come from the same production lot or anyway still very close to each other, with the same parts used during the assembly.
I’m quite picky on this sort of things and it’s something that I’ve noted immediately, even more so since the X-T1 GS does not certainly come cheap… anyway, it is still a tool rather than an object of art to be put on a shelf, so I’ll try to get over it with the idea that after a few weeks/months of use it may well go unnoticed. Even though, knowing myself, I may also try a DIY solution to fix it…
Many thanks again! Cheers!
On the bright side: all XT1’s seem to work well. And I’m sure the GS edition will retain more value when you ever want to sell it.
Hi, I am just about to pull the trigger on the Graphite X-T1, a jump up from the excellent X-E1 I have. Bit of an odd query I haven’t seen anywhere else; on the Graphite model are the dial/speed asa etc./body markings too spidery? Sure the black body is picked out in white so stands out easily when in a rush to change settings, but some pics of the Gr. body, particularly Fuji’s own product shots, make the engraving look indistinct. Your own images are a bit more distinct so I assume the way it catches the light certainly has a bearing. Did you notice this in use? Regards, Brian.
Hi Brian,
I have used both, and you should not worry about the engravings. The graphite or black XT1 will suit you fine.
Does using the silent shutter degrade image quality, as in the Sony A7S?
Hi Neil, I don’t know if you’re familiar with how these electronic shutters work, but both cameras (A7s and XT1) use a rolling electronic shutter mechanism which exposes the sensors’ pixels line by line, and not all at once. This basically means that you could get deformation (rolling shutter distortion) of (fast) moving subjects, as the camera ‘scans’ your scene. Is this what you mean? I’ve written a post about this issue if you’d like to know more: http://wimarysc.wwwls4.a2hosted.com/fuji-x-t1-graphite-silver-electronic-shutter-distortion/