Fujifilm X-T50 Review: Professional Photos Without the Fuss

Fujifilm’s X line of mirrorless cameras punch well above their weight, and the X-T50, the latest entry in the beloved line, is a love-letter to the classic Fujifilms of old while bringing the best autofocus AI and tech to combine into something quite wonderful for photography fans.

From first glance, the X-T50 looks like an older camera (in the best of ways), thanks to its iconic design, rounded body, and metal detailing. The compact body weighs just 438g, making it light and easy to wrangle, while also having a really sturdy, solid build quality. It’s retro styling and intuitive layout is a welcome shift from many convoluted designs seen on other brands’ options these days.

Rather than an entirely digital interface, the X-T50 features a Fujifilm’s physical dial, which the brand is calling the “Film Simulation dial”, located on the top plate. With a shift of the dial, you can indulge in 20 Film Simulation modes, that adjust and tinker with different colourisation styles.

The great thing is that most users won’t dive too deep when tinkering with more technical settings, and this is ideal for them, as it opens the door to new colour grading or tonal styles without running the risk of grabbing ‘lesser’ photos. This is due to the sublime auto-focus the X-T50 delivers: fast, efficient, and operates with great feedback from the digital screen, giving you hints on distance recommendations.

If you are one of those shutter-bugs who loves to tinker with shutter speed, exposure, and more, the X-T50 houses shutter speed, exposure compensation, and more, and gives you more than enough to tweak to help you find the perfect image.

Another handy feature of the X-T50 is the tilting LCD, which can be used in a normal, folded-in set-up, or pivoted out to give you a better viewing angle if you’re shooting from waist level. It seems like a small add-on, but when shooting products on a lower level or working in tight environments, it’s a game-changer.

OK, as for what’s under the hood, the X-T50 uses the fifth-generation X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor, X-Processor 5 imaging engine, and has up to 7.0-stop in-body image stabilisation (IBIS). These combine to deliver the highest image quality yet for the X Series in a small, light body, producing stunning, light-accurate photos that look professional even when using the most basic of settings.

And this is the best element of the X-T50: while there are other cameras out there, Fujifilm’s latest unit delivers a professional-looking and feeling experience without all the complications of getting there. You can snap away, express yourself a little more using Fujifilm’s built-in adjustments (whether you want a more cinematic look, add some film grain, or go al-natural), and create stellar photographs with no-to-minimal fidgeting with endless settings.

The Fujifilm X-T50 is priced at R26,000 (RRP) and available from selected photography retailers nationwide.

Here are some pictures snapped with the Fujifilm X-T50: