For those types out there who want a fast and modern, mirrorless camera body with old school looks, then the Fujifilm X-T2 is still a great performer. It’s now been superseded with the X-T3, but the X-T2 is still a very good camera for the money and offers a very good mirrorless option for quality images.
The rangefinder design, good quality specifications and a definite leap in performance from the X-T1. Lots to still get excited about and more value for money with now other models on the market.
Design
The Fujifilm X-T2 borrows the 24.3MP APS-C X-Trans III CMOS sensor from the X-Pro2, which has proven its worth, and other features which come along with the package. The ISO ranges from 200-12,800, expandable to 100-51,200 and can be used for both JPEGs and raw format.
The viewfinder is the basic version from the X-T1, but now with added brightness and a higher frame rate of 60fps, boostable to 100fps. But, be aware this will use more power. The rear, articulated display has now…more articulation. It’s able to be pulled away from the camera body, but still no touchscreen.
The Fujifilm X-T2 itself is made from magnesium alloy and weather-sealed. The dials are slightly raised and have no need to release the lock when turning. Other tweaks to the dials and buttons include the loss of the video button, an addition of a multi-directional focus lever, and the four-way buttons have been raised. There are also six dedicated function buttons and AE-L and AF-L buttons for accessing all the individual settings. Add in a better grip and the retro styling has a lot to offer for regular use.
Continuous AF and subject tracking have been upgraded with 169-point AF, Eye Detection AF, and 5 AF-C presets, plus custom option. Definitely a jump up from the X-T1, but don’t expect it to the fastest performer when it comes to action shots.
The hybrid AF system has phase-detection and contrast-detection points, four single points, zone,1 and Wide/Tracking. Continuous AF mode has been tweaked for better tracking moving objects with three parameters, Tracking Sensitivity, Speed Tracking Sensitivity, and Zone Area Switching. This can also be locked in via five presets under a much improvement over the AF system in the X-T1.
In this regard, the X-T2 is far more capable of tracking moving subjects. Add in 8fps burst shooting and 14fps with the electronic shutter and you have initially a very capable camera.
As for the video side of things, 4K is available in 29.97p / 25p / 24p / 23.98P, with HD at 59.94p. If you’re shooting in 4K, then it’s advisable to use a UHS Speed Class 3 memory card.
Fujifilm X-T2 in Use
One of the main benefits of the mirrorless platform is the ability to see the exposure in real-time via the EVF. A quick tweak of the exposure compensation dial and the front command dial do a lot of the heavy lifting for getting the right exposure. The viewfinder does a great job of presenting all the information needed along with a bright view of the world.
The white balance generally errs on the warm side of things, but you can also select presets for different scenarios. If you want to deliver just JPEGs, then you can make use of the Film Simulation modes, which may not have the flexibility of RAW files and post-editing presets, but do a very good job of replicating old film stock straight out of the tin. The buffer is also impressive for JPEGs, processing up to 81 files and 27 uncompressed raw files.
As the pixel count has been increased, there is a definite increase in detail. It would have been nice for the ISO to have a base starting point of 100, but the ISO range produces clean images at the lowest setting, and only starts to introduce luminance noise at around ISO 3,200. Images are acceptable at a higher range of ISO, but you will have to apply some heavy noise reduction in postprocessing.
For both JPEG and RAW files, the Fujifilm X-T2 produces rich, dynamic images with a good degree of contrast. Its quite capable of freezing the action with the updated AF system and the body is definitely more pleasing to use with the more tactile dials and buttons.
How Does It Compare?
Of course, there is the X-T1 which you can pick up for cheaper than before, but the X-T2 is worth the extra money for all the additional upgrades and features. The X-T30 is the latest version in this line with a slight increase in resolution and better sensor with 26.1MP, a better AF system, 425 phase-detect points and a 3-inch touchscreen.
The X-T30 has the same cool design, but if budget is your main priority, then the X-T2 can deliver near the same quality of images with just slightly less functionality. All camera models can equally use the Fuji range of lenses, which are superb in themselves.
| Fujifilm X-T2 | Fujifilm X-T30 | |
| Sensor | 24.3MP CMOS | 26.1MP |
| Film Simulations | Yes | Yes |
| Video | 4K 30P | 4K 30P |
| Weight | 383g | 383g |
Conclusion
The Fujifilm X-T2 has built on the success of the X-T1 with some much-needed feature updates and better performance. The X-T2 has a jump up in resolution, but one of the main areas is the enhanced AF system. This means that the camera is now more than capable of capturing reasonably fast-moving subjects and is arguably closer to a DSLR in this realm.
The form factor of the camera is fantastic to hold and use on a regular basis and doesn’t feel intrusive to be used all day long. The grip could be more chunky for swinging around, but it’s not overly small or bad to hold.
There is still a way to go, but with the updated sensor, but it does deliver great results and a cool design. The X-T2 has a lot to offer and is reasonably priced from the features available.
