Last Updated on 06/09/2018 by Mark Beckenbach
Fujifilm’s X-H1 may be the new flagship, but a new Fujifilm X-T3 is what has everyone excited right now
It is being reported that Fujifilm plans to launch their upcoming X-T3 in the coming year, and the new update will feature Fujifilm’s new 26MP X-Trans IV sensor. It is a modest improvement over the 24MP X-Trans III sensor, but the sensor hasn’t ever been Fujifilm’s weakness. Along with the reports of a new sensor, the Fujifilm X-T3 is said to have a true touchscreen along with better battery performance. If this is true, it would be a welcome sign that Fujifilm will be fixing their battery problem.
But I am not convinced these reports are indicating a new battery will come; the way the report over on Fuji Rumors is phrased it seems this could just end up being an optimized Fujifilm system that still utilizes the NP-W126 and NP-W126s batteries. The report talks of a newly registered charger, which is clearly for the W126 battery. Maybe it just charges them faster, but to me, that doesn’t indicate a newer battery coming at all.
Thinking about the above reports got me thinking; what would I like to see in the upcoming Fujifilm X-T3?
What I want to see in Fujifilm’s X-T3
Well, if I am honest, the number one thing I want to see in the [amazon_textlink asin=’B01I3LNMAM’ text=’X-T2′ template=’ProductLink’ store=’thephobl-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’47780bc9-69a5-11e8-bed5-fd6137bc9c60′] successor is better battery life without the need for the battery grip. Fujifilm makes these battery grips virtually required in order to get everything out of their cameras, and that is not a winning formula in my opinion. What I think the X-T3 (and any future X-Series cameras) needs is a slightly larger grip that can accommodate a better battery, but maybe still have the slot be compatible with existing NP-W126 batteries as well. This would give Fujifilm shooters the backward compatible battery support the company seems so set on keeping intact, while also giving users of the newer camera the ability to get some battery life that isn’t a joke.
Moving beyond battery life, I feel like the X-T3 also needs to have a mic jack on the camera along with the headphone jack so that serious video people can use the camera without needing to purchase a freaking battery grip. I would also like to see two UHS-II SD slots and not the split UHS I + UHS-II combo they have done in the past. This will allow both slots to be compatible with the fastest memory cards out there right now.
I know I mentioned the grip of the camera in relation to the battery, but I would also like to see the grip updated simply so that it I feels more comfortable than the current one on the X-T2. The X-T3 could also benefit from some better software AF algorithms in relation to their face/eye detection technology, as well as a more responsive touchscreen interface. One of the biggest complaints right now on the Fujifilm cameras with touch screen is the laggy performance of the interface. For me, too, I would like to be able to disable the touch screen in the menu and have it not be reactivated unless I go into the menu. That was one thing I hated about the [amazon_textlink asin=’B0759G8F8N’ text=’X-E3′ template=’ProductLink’ store=’thephobl-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’53610e4c-69a5-11e8-af07-ad131bb40700′] and the [amazon_link asins=’B079PTRNKK’ template=’PriceLink’ store=’thephobl-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’4e49f528-69a5-11e8-8199-df8c052f4f07′]X-H1; the touch screen could be reactivated by accident if your nose or finger touched the right spot on the screen.
Fujifilm! Let me turn off the touchscreen and keep it off if I don’t need it for that specific job — that or at least move the spot that you use to activate/deactivate it, preferably to somewhere that my thumb or nose won’t be accidentally touching. Oh, and along the lines of the touch screen, I want to see some version of that flip out articulating screen that we just saw in teh X-T100. That would be great and really make the X-T3 (assuming they don’t gut its video capabilities) into a killer vlogging option.
That is really it — the extent of what I want to see in the X-T3, mostly refinements to the [amazon_textlink asin=’B01I3LNMAM’ text=’X-T2′ template=’ProductLink’ store=’thephobl-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’41edbe2e-69a5-11e8-b5bc-f76b1a08429e’]. I would have IBIS on this list, but reports say that isn’t going to happen, so I didn’t want to waste my time. Fujifilm will need to bring IBIS to all of their cameras eventually, but as nice as it would be to have, I don’t consider it essential to the X-T3.
How about you all, what would you like to see in the X-T3? Drop us a comment and let us know what you think!