Review: Fujifilm X100T APS-C Compact Camera

The Fujifilm X100T was released in 2014 with a compact retro-style design that evokes a ‘film-like’ shooting experience with its manual dials and aperture ring. The Fujifilm X100Tquickly became a popular street photography camera and a widely used travel photography camera. It even enticed film photographers to the digital world, due to the choice between eleven different film simulation presets. Each of these replicates the look of the old Fujifilm film stocks, with Fujifilm’s colour science baked in. 

Each model in the X100 range features a beautiful form factor, a fixed 23mm f/2 lens and excellent handling and comfort. But I feel it all came together with the X100T—the gap between a primary camera and a travel camera became much narrower. 

If you’re searching for your first fixed-lens compact camera, the X100T represents incredible value. MPB’s Connor Redmond conducted a full in-depth review of the X100T, covering the design and handling, hybrid optical and electronic viewfinder, quiet shooting, image quality, 23mm lens and autofocus performance, lowlight capability and film simulations included in the camera.

Fujifilm X100T Specs

Design and Handling 

The overall impression of the Fujifilm X100T’s physical design is elegance and excellence. You are sure to get compliments on how good your camera looks! 

The X100T uses premium magnesium alloy for its body, buttons and dials, giving the camera a robust feel in the hand. The dials feel perfectly stiff and provide just enough resistance to be quite satisfying to use.

The form factor is reminiscent of old rangefinder film cameras like those made by Leica, Zeiss, Minolta, Contax or Voigtländer. It is certainly easy to see the inspiration behind the X100T. It still handles and feels like a modern digital camera, but with a connection to the past. 

Hybrid Optical and Electronic Viewfinder

One of the standout features that came with the Fujifilm X100T—and became a mainstay of successive X100 cameras—was the introduction of a hybrid viewfinder. This allows both an optical viewfinder (OVF) and an electronic viewfinder (EVF) to work together in tandem. We can see a small electronic overlay in the bottom right corner to check focus while still being able to frame the shot with the optical viewfinder and digital frame lines. 

I found this feature useful when shooting in some conditions, but I personally prefer to mainly shoot with the EVF and know precisely what I am getting with the image—there is no need to fiddle with settings based on distance or focus mode. The X100T's EVF has auto brightness and a live view setting, which previews a RAW image instead of the film simulation mode selected. 

Customisable Buttons and Q Menu

The Fujifilm X100T offers great customisation options, with most rear buttons, including the ’Q’ menu, being programmable. This feature improves user experience by allowing photographers to tailor the camera's functionality to their needs. By assigning frequently used functions to accessible buttons, users can streamline their workflow, reducing menu navigation time. It works well once you tailor the programable buttons to suit your shooting style.

Silent & Discreet Shooting

The X100T now offers a choice between its remarkably quiet leaf shutter and completely silent electronic shutter. You can freely switch between these options while shooting. The camera is equipped with an eye sensor, which automatically toggles between the viewfinder and rear LCD.

You can also keep the rear LCD switched off, and the X100T’s viewfinder activates only when you raise the camera to your eye.  This clever functionality allows the camera to remain dark until it's actually needed, enhancing its discreet nature and extending its battery life.

Shooting Performance

The X100T produces fantastic image quality and uses an equally exceptional lens. Overall, even with a lower megapixel count than is expected these days, the camera performs very well as a retro-style travel and street camera.

Autofocus

The Fujifilm X100T uses the same autofocus system as the Fujifilm X-T1, which was built for faster action. The autofocus system uses the same hybrid contrast and phase detect system, and the same number of autofocus points. But don’t expect to be continuously shooting as much as on the X-T1. The buffer on the X100T will last fewer than ten frames in RAW. And I was actually getting, on average, between 6–8 shots.   

But how fast is the autofocus? If you are using the X100T for street and travel photography, it’s likely you’ll rely on its autofocus. 

The original Fujifilm X100’s autofocus performance was sluggish and inaccurate. But the X100T, for the most part, has improved. In the majority of situations, the autofocus is perfectly adequate, and while using it in France, I didn’t encounter any serious problems. The X100T’s autofocus can be a little slow, especially by today’s standards, but for simple shooting, it’s okay. 

Facial recognition is solid. It helps most when taking portraits, but it can be annoying sometimes when it snaps onto faces in the background of the shot. But overall, the Fujifilm X100T works well in most situations.

ISO and Low Light Photography

The X100T's noise control is impressive across the board. Even when you crank it up to ISO 3200, you'll barely notice any graininess with low light. Push it to 6400, and yeah, you'll see a bit more noise creeping in, along with some funky colour shifts. But, impressively, it’ll still be entirely usable.

For example, the two images below were taken just as the sun had set. There wasn’t much light available in the narrow backstreets of this sleepy Provençal village. However, the X100T still performed well, shooting at ISO 3200 with no visible grain.

Unless you're in a real pinch or going for that moody black-and-white look, it's best to keep ISO under 3200. But honestly, the fact that you can even consider using ISO 3200 without breaking a sweat—on a camera released in 2014—is admirable.

Image Quality

Is 16 megapixels enough these days? Cameras have changed a lot since the 2014 release of the X100T. For example,  the 2024 Fujifilm X100VI features a 40-megapixel sensor and the images are incredible. However, the Fujifilm X100T is significantly cheaper than the X100VI. So you’ll need to ask yourself whether it’s worth spending more for the extra resolution. I’d say the image quality is perfectly fine for most people, and the pictures look detailed enough. If you only ever post to social media or on the web, then the X100T’s resolution is still perfectly adequate. 

But hold on! It’s not all about megapixels, right? We haven’t discussed the X100T’s colour reproduction and dynamic range. I feel the biggest strength of the Fujifilm X100T is the colours made in camera. I generally really like the colours you get when shooting in JPEG, especially those delicious greens—they always seem to pop nicely. But you can also shoot in RAW, which gives you a lot of leeway. And the X100T’s dynamic range is fantastic, too. 

Fujifilm X100T Film Simulation Modes

Fujifilm cameras are just about the only cameras I feel comfortable shooting in just JPEG. This is because of the work they have put into their colour science and film simulation modes, which try to replicate the ‘look’ of Fujifilm’s old film stocks. 

The Fujifilm X100T added Classic Chrome to the lineup of simulations. Some people use this as a base for their custom Fujifilm recipes. While using the X100T on holiday in France, I played around with two such recipes myself. I wanted to see if I could get some good images with just the JPEGs, and minimal to no editing at all. I experimented with two recipes I found online.  I customised them to my liking, which ended up working very well!

The beauty of Fujifilm recipes is that you can easily adjust the settings. You can use an existing recipe as a base point or inspiration to create your own, which is what I did here. You can even adapt their colour and look based on a specific location. For example, I turned up the warmness of the white balance to match the warm hues of the south of France.

Prior to the Fujifilm X100T, I preferred to shoot in RAW and post-process my images in Lightroom. However, Fujifilm cameras, notably the X100T, have altered my approach. 

The X100T’s JPEGs are of such high quality that I often prefer them to a carefully edited RAW. A good-looking JPEG is convenient, especially when I don’t have the time (or willpower) to labour over editing. Like most Fujifilm cameras, the X100T allows you to save JPEG and RAW files simultaneously. So, the X100T gives you the convenience of the JPEGs and the flexibility of the RAWs. There’s no need to decide on the day. 

While the X100T does offer in-camera RAW processing, allowing you to apply film simulations post-capture, I prefer to make these creative decisions prior to releasing the shutter. This approach encourages more deliberate and thoughtful photography for me.

Lens, Sharpness and Leaf Shutter

What I love about the 23mm f/2 lens is how perfectly it is calibrated to the camera's sensor. This engineering of the sensor and lens contributes to the lens’ outstanding sharpness and quality. 

The X100T’s lens is sharpest between f/4 and f/5.6. Shooting at its widest aperture of f/2 does create a good amount of separation and bokeh, depending on how far the subject is from the lens. Paired with a filter, it can even create a dreamy effect. You do sacrifice sharpness in the corners of the frame, though. 

The leaf shutter system can shoot flash-sync at any shutter speed, allowing for more flexibility than a regular DSLR or mirrorless camera. Want to shoot with flash in the midday sun, with a shutter speed of 1/4000, for a unique look? The X100T —and the rest of the X100 range—allows you to do so! 

Fujifilm X100T Verdict

Using the Fujifilm X100T is a joy, and I recommend it to any travel or street photographer. It is perfect for shooting what is in front of you casually, in a slice-of-life style. Experimenting with Fujifilm recipes also adds another level of fun, as you try to get a great look straight out of the camera. 

The Fujifilm X100T is a worthwhile upgrade over the Fujifilm X00S. The X100T is like a sports car compared to the X100S family sedan. The X100T is just faster all around, from menu navigation to autofocus.

The hybrid rangefinder is a nice touch.  It keeps me interested in using the optical viewfinder (OVF), but let's be honest, the electronic viewfinder (EVF) is still easy to use. The EVF is usually the better option when you just want to focus on your shot—no need to fiddle with settings based on distance or focus model. While the OVF is cool, I find myself using the EVF most of the time. 

If you’re looking for a point-and-shoot street and travel camera, I think the Fujifilm X100T is a great buy. But I can’t help but look longingly at the Fujifilm X100F as the perfect sweet spot in the X100 series regarding price and performance. If you can stretch the budget for the X100F, I would recommend it, but the X100T is also still a fantastic camera to own.  

FAQs

Is it worth upgrading from the Fujifilm X100s to the X100T?

The 2014 Fujifilm X100T introduced these updates to 2013’s Fujifilm X100S: 

1. A silent electronic shutter with speeds up to 1/32,000, ideal for discreet shooting and bright conditions

2. Improved customisation, with seven programmable Fn buttons offering greater flexibility

3. Added Wi-Fi to the X100T for easier file transfer and remote control

4. A hybrid viewfinder, offering the benefits of optical and electronic viewfinders

5. ISO range expanded up to 51,200

6. Three Auto ISO settings for better low-light performance

7. Built-in intervalometer for time-lapse photography

8. A larger 3-inch LCD

9. Facial recognition for improved autofocus

10. Refined existing features, like the aperture dial's third-stop clicks and extended exposure times in Program mode.

Whether the upgrade is worthwhile will depend on your individual needs. For street, documentary, or discreet shooters, the silent shutter and improved viewfinder could be game-changers. The added customisation options and Wi-Fi connectivity might appeal to those seeking a more versatile tool.

However, if you're satisfied with the X100S's performance and these features don't address specific needs, the upgrade might not be essential. The core image quality remains similar between the two models. 

The Fujifilm X100T is a significant refinement over the X100S, justifying an upgrade for photographers who will benefit from its expanded capabilities and improved experience.

How old is the Fujifilm X100T?

The Fujifilm X100T was released in September 2014.

Does Fujifilm X100T have image stabilisation?

The Fujifilm X100T doesn’t have image stabilisation. The first X100-series camera to have image stabilisation is the Fujifilm X100VI.

Is the X100T a fixed lens?

The X100T features a 23mm f/2 fixed Fujinon lens, which is broadly equivalent to 35mm on full-frame. 

Can you zoom on Fujifilm X100T?

The Fujifilm X100T has a fixed prime lens, there’s no optical zoom. You’d need to move the camera closer to the subject or crop the image afterwards.

Does X100T have focus peaking?

The Fujifilm X100T does have focus peaking. The camera highlights high-contrast outlines, so the photographer can see which part of their frame is in focus. 

What is the minimum focus distance for the Fujifilm X100T?

When set to macro mode, the Fujifilm X100T's minimum focus distance is approximately 10 centimetres (3.9 inches).