For years, Fuji Canada has been extremely good to us at TCSTV. We’ve been able to show all of their most important products, from the X100 and the X-Pro1, to the X-E2. When Fuji announced the new X-T1, the response from our viewers was immediate, you all wanted to hear our impressions as soon as possible. We don’t take such requests lightly, and when we heard that our friend Nick Devlin had been in Zion National Park with an X-T1, we were excited to hear his thoughts as well.

The shoot was actually pretty difficult. It was freezing cold, the light was sub-par and the weather led to a lack of people, making proper street photography extremely challenging. Fortunately, to demonstrate what the X-T1 was capable of, Nick brought a memory card full of gorgeous images from his recent trip. Chris had to make due with being the subject of an enormous amounts of portraits, as Nick and I wanted to shoot with the new 56mm F1.2 lens as much as possible.

On the video front, I was ecstatic to have the Tamron 24-70mm F2.8 VC back in my bag. I love the depth of field control a 2.8 lens can bring, but I require stabilization for any walk and talks we shoot. I mounted the 24-70 on a Metabones Speed Booster on the Sony FS700. I was also really delighted to test the Atomos Samurai Blade for this shoot. I’ve been using the classic Samurai as a recorder for about a year now, but the new Blade version is really usable as a monitor. I also found it incredibly convenient to have waveforms displayed, it makes picking out blown highlights and blocked up shadows much easier. Despite the awful light, I was able to capture video I was really happy with. Since we shot in a pub for lunch, it was loud. I covered up some of the noise with a great track from BeatSuite.com.

It was great to see Nick Devlin again. Our two previous shoots with him, the D800E and Sigma Merrill tests are among my favourite videos. While we usually only have a day or two to get to know the cameras we test, it’s great to go out with someone who has had plenty of time to get to know the ins and outs of a camera. You can follow Nick on twitter @onelittlecamera to keep up with his latest photographic ruminations. If our video wasn’t in-depth enough for you, Nick also posted a very detailed review on luminous-landscape.com

As far as the X-T1 is concerned, we were all very impressed with the camera. The new viewfinder is a joy to work with, and I was truly impressed with the autofocus performance. Fuji’s mirrorless line has reached a point where there are not many major upgrades necessary. (Except the video… Get on it Fuji!) But, the X-T1 brings a number of elegant refinements to the line. As Chris and Nick mentioned, the Fuji system is now very mature, and I can think of few photographic situations where an X-T1 and a handful of lenses wouldn’t be up to the task.

Chris’s Bag is the ONA Bowery Camera Bag:
Designed with style and versatility in mind, the Bowery is your
camera bag one minute and camera insert the next. Use the Bowery with
the strap attached to carry your camera, a lens and a few small personal
items. Remove the detachable strap and the Bowery functions as a
protective camera insert and bag organizer inside of a larger bag. The
Bowery is padded with closed cell foam, designed with top-quality
water-resistant waxed canvas and detailed with full-grain leather,
antique brass hardware, and a secure front closure.