Fujifilm X-T4: Just a fling or a committed relationship?

I've been shooting with Nikon for ten years. My journey with Nikon started with the D90. I continued with the D7000. I switched to full format with the D800. And then there's my current workhorse - the D810. I like the full-frame style. The camera also fits very well in my large hands. The battery lasts forever. I shoot a wedding from dawn to dusk with just two batteries. During these ten years, I have never had a repair, a read or write error on the SD card or any other malfunction. Of course, I also bought various lenses. Whereby 50 mm is and remains my favourite focal length.

Employees for galaxus.ch which I photographed with the Nikon D810.

• The invisible essentials
• "There's no heat for blacksmiths, only different heat levels!"

Once seduced by Fujifilm

I find Fujifilm cameras very beautiful. The film simulations are a feast for the eyes and much better than those from Nikon. The Fujifilm X-T2 came onto the market in 2016. I was able to test it briefly and was fascinated, seduced and enamoured. So much so that I wanted to sell my Nikon equipment. But in practice, I struggled with the response time and quality of the electronic viewfinder. The battery performance was also really poor. Maybe I just wasn't ready for the electronic viewfinder back then. I wasn't happy with the beauty.

Something serious this time?

At the beginning of 2020, I started producing simple videos as well as photos. I can theoretically make videos with the Nikon D810, but I don't want to. The full HD resolution, lack of stabilisation and poor autofocus are no longer up to date. The Fujifilm X-T4 came onto the market at the end of April 2020. Fujifilm seduced me again. I really wanted to test it. To get a better picture, I ordered the body with my three most frequently used lenses: Allrounder Zoom 24-84mm f2.8, 35mm f3, 50mm f2 (35mm equivalent).

Cameras

Fujifilm X-T4

26.10 Mpx, APS-C / DX

138

Lenses

EUR1278,43

Fujifilm Fujinon XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR

Fujifilm Fujinon XF, APS-C / DX

111

Lenses

EUR460,02

Fujifilm Fujinon XF 23mm f/2 R WR

Fujifilm Fujinon XF, APS-C / DX

96

Lenses

EUR414,71

Fujifilm Fujinon XF 35mm f/2 R WR

Fujifilm Fujinon XF, APS-C / DX

126

Comparing the Nikon D810 with the Fujifilm X-T4 is not entirely fair. The Nikon D810 is already getting on in years and there are better successor models. But I'm interested to see whether the Fujifilm X-T4 can do everything to become my new workhorse.

I've been shooting and filming with the Fujifilm X-T4 every day since April. I have noticed the following aspects in particular during use:

Weight and size

The Fujifilm camera and its lenses are significantly lighter and smaller. Example: The Fujifilm X-T4 incl. 35mm f2 weighs 771 grams. The Nikon D810 incl. 50mm f1.4 weighs 1260 grams. The equipment is less noticeable when I'm working and I'm not immediately recognised as a photographer.

Look and feel

Optically, the Fujifilm X-T4 appeals to me much more. The old Nikon design has not evolved in the last ten years (i.e. from D90-D810). It still looks exactly the same. But that's not all bad. Because the Nikon D810 is better in my hands.

Electronic viewfinder

I struggled with the viewfinder on the X-T2. It had a delay and the resolution was not satisfactory. The new viewfinder has probably been significantly revised. It's fun to work with and I never felt like I was missing anything. As I can already see the finished image in the viewfinder, I can concentrate better on the composition.

Employees I have photographed with the Fujifilm X-T4:

• A video store wants to save the DVD from extinction
• Settling down for once

Flipscreen

I really appreciated the flipscreen for video productions. You could even vlog with it.

Video quality

The difference in age is very noticeable here. The X-T4 has 4K and shines with a very precise eye autofocus. Fujifilm's powerful film simulations can also be applied to the videos. The integrated image stabiliser is also very useful.

Fujifilm XT-4 Footage

Full format vs APS-C sensor

I am a full-frame enthusiast. I haven't had a camera with an APS-C sensor since the X-T2. So this step was a little difficult for me. Over the last five months, I've now photographed all my assignments with the Fujifilm X-T4. The difference in the image effect between APS-C and full-frame format is much smaller than before. The difference in blur/bokeh is almost unrecognisable. What do you think about APS-C and full-frame format?

Battery performance

I only had one battery the whole time, but that wasn't a problem. The battery and the camera are significantly better than the X-T2. I charged the camera on the go with the power bank without any problems for several jobs a day

Photo quality

In my opinion, Fujifilm's JPG film simulation is significantly better than that of Nikon. However, I still took RAW photos. In post-processing, as with the Nikon, I was able to rework unfortunate, underexposed photos without any significant loss. Megapixels are overrated. They don't play a role in 90% of my work. In most cases, the photos are used for online reports, social media or magazines. The 26 megapixels of the Fujfilm X-T4 are easily sufficient. Only for digitec's advertising campaign, where the images are published on large posters, do I need the 36 megapixels of the Nikon D810.

Focus

The eye autofocus of the X-T4 convinced me. It is fast and works perfectly even in poor lighting conditions. I can move the focus field around with the cursor, just like with Nikon. With Fujifilm, however, I have several fields and can also focus on elements at the edge.

Menu

I've probably got too used to the Nikon menu over the years. With Fujifilm, the Q menu is practical. But as soon as I had to go deeper into the menu, I got upset. For example, when I format a memory card, the camera then switches to Liveview mode. If I then click on the menu again to format the second card, I have to make another ten clicks to format the second card. Isn't there an easier way?

Buttons and dials

The buttons and dials look nicer on Fujifilm. With Nikon, however, they make a more valuable impression on me. The three large dials (ISO, shutter speed, exposure compensation) on the X-T4 look nice and give the camera an analogue touch. In practice, however, I have never touched them. I shoot manually and have to be quick. So I simply use the two scroll wheels at the height of the shutter release with my right hand.

Conclusion: I'm in love again

I have now tested the Fujifilm X-T4 extensively for five months instead of one. David Lee, who organised the camera for me to test, has also asked me several times: When will the review finally come? Unfortunately, I have to admit: I have fallen in love with the camera. Because I can rely on it and it's extremely fun to work with. And that's exactly what makes a good camera. It should be fun and support you in your creative work.

In five months, the X-T4 has never let me down. It has more than supported me in my creative work and proved to be a workhorse.

Since I still don't want to return it, I'm happy to take the time to answer your questions. What else would you like me to test?