Fujifilm X-T3 Review: Better Than The Sony A7III?

The Fujifilm X-T3 was the camera of choice for many reviewers in 2018, so let’s talk about how it performs with a few choice lenses and whether it’s actually better than the Sony A7III as others have claimed.

The X-T3 is Fujifilm’s APS-C camera with a 26.1MP APS-C X-Trans CMOS 4 backside-illuminated sensor and the new X-Processor quad core processor, which is an upgrade over the X-T2’s dual core processor, giving this camera even more power.

Battery life is decent, averaging around 350 to 400 shots for a full battery, but we highly recommend getting the battery grip which can take another two batteries to give you a total of close to 1200 shots for long shoots. It’ll definitely come in handy for people with larger hands as well, making the X-T3’s ergonomics even better.

The video recording capabilities of this camera are stunning. There’s 4K 60fps internal recording at 10bit 4:2:0, but if you port out, you could get 10 bit 4:2:2 instead, making this one of the best hybrids on the market.

Fujifilm’s design for their cameras have always been incredible, giving the bodies a retro, film-inspired look. This comes in two colours, black and silver. Granted, there’s no in-body image stabilisation (IS), but many lenses have IS built-in, so the minor trade-off is to just be conscientious of your shutter speed when shooting in low light.

Let’s move on to how the camera performs. Once set-up is out of the way, this camera is great. The autofocus is quick, eye tracking is good, shooting in low light has no issues at all, and even the video is amazing.

One of the great things about Fujifilm is definitely the film profiles available to shoot in; Acros, Velvia, Chrome and more. There’s that film-esque feel to images and it really just makes the camera much more fun.

Pairing the X-T3 with the Fujinon 200mm F/2 lens gave the opportunity for beautiful photos. Everything was sharp and while this lens is not cheap, it’s a great piece of glass. Even while using a 1.4x teleconverter that puts the lens at close to 450mm, the tracking and autofocus was great.

The 35mm F/1.4 lens is something most photographers should consider purchasing, coming out at about 50mm after the crop factor is considered. This lens will perform a little differently to other XF lenses as the autofocus motor isn’t as modern to be able to match up to the speed of the X-T3. Shooting in lower light might be a little frustrating, with the autofocus hunting around a little longer, but overall, it’s a decent lens.

One of our favourites is the Fujinon 23mm F/2 lens; it’s absolutely phenomenal. Small, light and built beautifully, it might not be the fastest lens because it’s the equivalent of 35mm F/2.8 after converting to full-frame. Bokeh might not be as great, but it’s a great go-to lens and an essential prime to keep in your bag.

Another favourite is the Fujinon 56mm F/1.2. After converting, it becomes closer to a 75mm F/1.6, making it a great, fast lens with beautiful bokeh. The autofocus is great, with a more modern motor than the 35mm.

With the Fujinon 16-55mm F/2.8, this is probably the lens that should be most users’ first lens. It’s a zoom lens that’s fast and has a great focal length for most use scenarios. In our opinion, ditch the kit lens and grab this instead. It’s definitely superior.

Time for some issues that popped up while we were testing the camera. First was the distance between the rear touchscreen display, when Bobby put his eye to the viewfinder, his nose was touching the display. Seeing as focus points can be controlled by tapping the display, this resulted in the autofocus point being dragged to the left of the display on occasion.

This won’t be an issue if your nose is a little smaller, but definitely something to take note of if you have a longer nose. Perhaps Fujifilm could release an eyepiece extension accessory to increase the distance between the user’s face and the back of the camera.

The exclusion of in-body IS is also noticeable, with a bit of camera shake when shooting in low light situations or when shooting with an older lens. It can be combated, but it’s definitely present.

Besides all that, it’s a solid camera. There are other cameras out there that also perform well, Sony’s autofocusing is better than Fujifilm’s for example, but the overall package of the X-T3 makes it a better camera system.

So is it really better than the A7III? It is, to us. And it’s because we feel the X-T3 has more character, with the film profiles and the ability to take both great videos and photos. The A7III does video very well and takes decent photos but there’s little character there, it’s just a good all-rounder.

Learn more about the X-T3 here.