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The Fujifilm camera system is probably the one you think of when you think about photojournalism. I mean, they’re so incredibly, deeply rooted into it. We can’t help but stare in awe at those Classic Chrome photos that look just like the photos we saw in magazines growing up. But which one do you choose? We’re here to help! We’ve reviewed pretty much every Fujifilm camera available on the market right now. After looking at our Reviews Index, these are the ones we chose as the best Fujifilm cameras for photojournalism.
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How We Selected the Best Fujifilm Cameras for Photojournalism
- Our round ups include only products that we’ve done full reviews on. You’ll never see a product that we haven’t fully reviewed in a round up. We’re linking to each of our reviews as well.
- This round up of the Best Fujifilm cameras for photojournalists has only cameras that can deliver what a photojournalist needs.
- All of the Best Fujifilm cameras for photojournalists are weather resistant. Our torture tests are often some of the most renowned in the photo industry.
- For the most part, we’re recommending the X series cameras. The GFX series of cameras are surely great. And we’ve used them for photojournalism, but they’re not as lightweight packages as X series.
- Photojournalism requires you to not edit your photos, while basic adjustments are allowed. These lenses will surely help you get everything you need.
- The product images and sample images in this round up of the Best Fujifilm cameras for photojournalists were all shot by our staff of photographers.
- Some of these cameras were used by the previous Sony World Photography Awards and the World Press Photo Award Winners.
Fujifilm X100V
Pros
- Feels good in the hand
- Focuses quickly but the all wide tracking needs a revamp
- Beautiful overall
- I like this new ISO dial
- So simple to use
- Image quality is nice so far
- Built in ND filter option
- With the right tweaks the autofocus can be very good for street. I recommend tweaking the tracking sensitivity and using a specific spot set to the largest area and in the center. Then AF-C Mode.
- I’m finding autofocus with the OVF to be faster than with the EVF
- Touchscreen focusing is wonderful in protests
- At $1,349, it’s very worth it
Cons
- Battery life drains too fast
- Could use a leatherette grip and not this plastic fantastic stuff
- Exposure compensation dial needs a lock button
- Touchscreen menu is needed
- Maybe even a few more Fn buttons
- Viewfinder diopter adjustment doesn’t lock
- When you set the camera to viewfinder only for shooting and LCD for playback, the menu system works only in the viewfinder.
- There are situations where Image Stabilization would really benefit this camera due to the quick “hit and run” style of shooting
- LCD needs to adapt to lighting automatically
- Autofocus suffers in very low lighting and in zone setting. You need to use the focus point setting otherwise. This is where Canon and Sony are ahead still.
How’s the Autofocus?
In our review, we said:
“The autofocus on the X100V is fantastic in both good and bad lighting. I was able to successfully track a subject in extremely low light while moving. But I think that folks should really keep something in mind. In my opinion, the AF Wide + Tracking option is pretty useless unless you’re in AF-S mode. Instead, you’re better off using the Zone and AF-C option to get someone in focus that’s moving. The Fujifilm X100V did a great job at this. But otherwise, shooting with the single focusing point is great. If you’re shooting events or street photography, that’s how you’re going to want to shoot. What I also noticed is that oddly enough, it was faster to focus in the OVF mode than the EVF mode. It’s slight, but noticeable.”
Fujifilm X Pro 3
Pros
- Superia is beautiful (Classic neg)
- We love the lack of a major screen
- Autofocus can be fine-tuned for different situations
- Everyone loves the look of Classic neg
- You can push the shadows for forever and get details – the highlights not as much, but they’re still there
- The screen helps you stay focused and aware
- USB C charging ensures that you can keep using the camera
- Video features deliver pretty video
- Arguably, you don’t need to edit the RAW files because the JPEGs let you do so much
- For street and documentary shooting, the hidden screen will keep you in the zone when shooting
- Face detection is fantastic when not trying to track erratic movements
- Acros and clarity enhancements are going to make you fall in love with Fujifilm all over again
- The Chrome effect for skies is subtle and very nice
- Autofocus is fantastic for events and most professional work
- Fujifilm’s collection of small primes pair wonderfully with this camera
- The best camera to embrace high ISO noise on the market
- Using the OVF will prolong battery life at the expense of slower autofocus
- This is less of a street camera than a documentary and event shooter’s camera
- The wider lenses make zone focusing easy. This is imperative for street photography
- Multiple exposure mode is a very welcome addition
- Very good battery life
Cons
- Has problems keeping subjects in focus when they’re continuously moving
- When you need the screen, it’s a bit of an annoyance; like when photographing a portrait subject in motion
- This camera desperately needed Blackout Free EVF shooting
- Touchscreen menu navigation should be on this camera
- Autofocus needs improvements
- Rated images in-camera aren’t brought into Capture One Pro. This is critical for the photojournalist.
- Enhancing the clarity makes the camera take extra time to render the image
- The battery life in long term use is about on par with the new Sony Z batteries. We wish it were longer, but it’s also a much smaller battery.
- For street shooting, the wide and tracking AF area still lets you select a zone, but it shouldn’t. This can throw off shooting in real-life street situations
- Shooting from the hip? You may accidentally hit the function button and not the shutter release
- Exposure dial needs a locking mechanism
- Multiple Exposure mode saves the final images only as JPEGs
- The addition of image stabilization could have meant that this camera has a better chance at becoming the perfect camera for street photography
How’s the Autofocus?
In our review, we said:
“Though the Fujifilm X Pro 3 isn’t necessarily meant for fashion shoots, the autofocusing algorithms straight out of the box spoke volumes to me. When we shared these images on Facebook, many were quick to point out that the autofocus wasn’t keeping Casey’s face locked. In theory, that will mean street photographers will have a tough time if they’re trying to use the autofocus. This problem occurs in both low light and good light.”
Fujifilm XT4
Pros
- Excellent build quality and weather sealing
- Upgraded autofocus performance
- Articulating touchscreen, finally!
- Dual UHS-II SD card slots
- Some of the best in-camera image stabilization we’ve seen
- Deeper grip
- New Bleach Bypass film simulation
- Larger battery (can be tripled when using the VG-XT4 vertical grip)
- A lot of technology for $1,699
Cons
- Some of the menus in the Fujifilm XT4 still aren’t touch compatible
- Inconsistent high ISO performance
How’s the Autofocus?
In our review, we said:
“The Fujifilm XT4’s autofocus system felt noticeably faster than the XT3, which was already a solid performer, though the performance boost isn’t quite as significant when compared to the jump from the XT2 to the XT3. Throughout our time with the XT4, the autofocus system was quick and mostly consistent, even in low light scenarios. You can shoot up to 15fps when using the mechanical shutter, or up to 20 fps by switching to the electronic one. Sony’s still the king of the hill when it comes to AF, though. Next to the Sony A6600 (the X-T4’s most direct competitor), the X-T4 lags just a touch behind. Sports and wildlife shooters will surely want to familiarize themselves with the AF tracking and zone switching sensitivity, and dial them in accordingly.”
Fujifilm XH1
Pros
- Great image quality
- The best autofocus of any APS-C camera on the market
- Film styles
- 4K 24p 200MB/second video is fantastic
- Weather sealing
- Pretty good battery life if you switch off all connectivity
- Easiest setup and connection to a mobile phone that I’ve experienced
- Top LCD screen is nice
- Dual card slots
- Versatile images
- Fantastic EVF
Cons
- Fujifilm Eterna is overrated
- Bluetooth being on in the background can drain battery life on top of the IBIS
- The grip and the size overall make it difficult to reach the shutter dial and it’s very difficult or nearly impossible to reprogram the exposure functions due to how their lenses work
- Vertical grip isn’t necessary really, but I see how and why folks would like it
How’s the Autofocus?
In our review, we said:
“The Fujifilm X-H1 has fantastic single autofocus and fantastic continuous autofocus. In video, I’m really, really impressed at the camera’s ability to keep a subject in focus. One weird anomaly that I encountered is that I needed to disable face detection in the dedicated menus and on the quick menu. But I’m sort of willing to forgive that one. In terms of focusing speed, I can’t complain at all. Even in the dark, this camera and the lenses were able to keep pace. In total, I perhaps had only 3 misfocuses out of the 1,000+ images that I shot with this camera. And that isn’t terrible at all.”
The Phoblographer’s various product round-up features are done in-house. Our philosophy is simple: you wouldn’t get a Wagyu beef steak review from a lifelong vegetarian. And you wouldn’t get photography advice from someone who doesn’t touch the product. We only recommend gear that we’ve fully reviewed. If you’re wondering why your favorite product didn’t make the cut, there’s a chance it’s on another list. If we haven’t reviewed it, we won’t recommend it. This method keeps our lists packed with industry-leading knowledge. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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