2. USING YOUR X SERIES CAMERA

2.1 READY, SET, GO!

New users often ask about how to achieve the perfect settings for their camera. Short answer: there are no perfect settings. If they existed, Fuji could have saved us the trouble of navigating piles of menu options and simply implemented those ideal settings as the factory default. That said, allow me to suggest some basic settings that are meant to provide good overall performance and as much flexibility as possible.

• Many settings (such as film simulation modes, color saturation, contrast, sharpness, noise reduction, film grain effect, etc.) belong in the “JPEG settings” category. They don’t affect the RAW files; only the out-of-camera JPEGs that are generated during RAW conversion. These settings aren’t global or camera-specific—they are image-specific, and each image should be adjusted individually.
• In addition to the recommended standard settings, there are many shortcuts and key combinations that can make choosing the optimal camera settings for any situation much easier.

There is no perfect set of basic camera settings that could suit all users in all situations. However, the following settings will allow you to use current (and also many older) X camera models in a flexible manner with good overall performance.

• Select FINE+RAW or NORMAL+RAW under SHOOTING MENU > (IMAGE QUALITY SETTING >) IMAGE QUALITY. This will get you high-resolution out-of-camera JPEGs (digital prints) and flexible RAW files (digital negatives). Using the RAW files, you can create a variety of diverse JPEGs with different looks and settings using the camera’s built-in RAW converter (PLAYBACK MENU > RAW CONVERSION). Specifically, you can adjust JPEG parameters such as white balance, film simulation, contrast, brightness, noise reduction, and color saturation. This enables you to create different versions of a shot from a single RAW file; for example, you can make color and black-and-white versions of the same image, including different contrast settings. You don’t have to worry about finding the perfect JPEG settings prior to taking a shot because you can always change and optimize those settings afterward in the camera’s internal RAW converter.

Fig. 67: Shooting FINE+RAW immediately gives you a ready-to-use JPEG (left), and the freedom to generate different or improved versions from the RAW file later, either in-camera (center) or with an external RAW converter like Adobe Lightroom (right).

• Make sure to use the camera’s mechanical shutter as your default setting by selecting SHOOTING MENU > (SHOOTING SETTING >) SHUTTER TYPE > MS. Use of the electronic shutter (ES or MS+ES) can create all kinds of issues and should be limited to the rare cases where the ES is beneficial: shooting with a wide-open aperture (and without an ND filter) in bright daylight, or situations that require you to shoot in complete silence (with the alternative of not shooting at all). If your camera offers an electronic first curtain shutter (EFCS), feel free to set this option in order to eliminate shutter shock. Examples for X cameras with EFCS are the X-H1, X-T3, and GFX 50.
• The most flexible and accurate AF-S setting is Single Point AF (SHOOTING MENU > AF/MF SETTING > AF MODE > SINGLE POINT). This mode allows you to select the area of the image where the camera should be focused. Even better, if your X camera supports the new AF mode ALL (several recent models do), select this mode as your default setting. That way, you can seamlessly cycle between Single-Point, Zone, and Wide/Tracking AF modes simply by changing the AF frame size. This is fast and convenient, and any Fn button that was previously used for changing the AF mode can now be reassigned to serve a different purpose.
• Set SHOOTING MENU > AF/MF SETTING > RELEASE/FOCUS PRIORITY > FOCUS for both AF-S and AF-C. Focus Priority makes sure that the camera records a picture only when the autofocus thinks that it has locked onto a target. In RELEASE mode, the camera will take the shot even if the autofocus couldn’t lock on a target. Please note that if you are using AF+MF mode, AF-S will always operate with release priority. That’s why my recommended default setting for AF/MF SETTING > AF+MF is OFF.
• If you want to quickly take a series of single shots, I recommend selecting SET UP > SCREEN SET-UP > IMAGE DISP. > OFF to not interrupt your flow. However, I normally set Image Display to the shortest available time span, which in most X cameras is 0.5 SEC. Why? I like to see a quick preview of the final image that represents the camera’s exposure and dynamic range (DR) settings. To cancel an ongoing image preview and continue shooting, simply half-press the shutter button.
• If available, use the VIEW MODE button to activate the eye sensor, which will allow the camera to automatically switch from LCD to electronic viewfinder when you look through the EVF.
• For exposure metering, I recommend using MULTI metering as your default mode. Intelligent matrix metering usually delivers results that don’t require a massive amount of exposure correction.
• Set SHOOTING MENU > (IMAGE QUALITY SETTING >) WHITE BALANCE > AUTO to let the camera determine and set the correct white balance for a scene. Since you are shooting FINE+RAW, you can always adjust the white balance later, either with the camera’s built-in RAW converter or with external RAW conversion software such as Adobe Lightroom. That said, AUTO will deliver very good results in most scenarios.
• Select SHOOTING MENU > (IMAGE QUALITY SETTING >) DYNAMIC RANGE > DR100% as your default setting. If you require more highlight dynamic range (DR) for a specific subject in order to avoid blown highlights, you can manually set DR200% (for one extra stop of dynamic range in the highlights) or DR400% (for two extra stops of dynamic range in the highlights). Setting DYNAMIC RANGE to AUTO is not recommended. Extending the dynamic range can bring back texture to otherwise blown areas of your shot (such as white clouds on a sunny day).

Fig. 68: All Fujifilm X cameras feature a powerful and often misunderstood DR function that can increase highlight dynamic range by up to two full stops (EV). The default setting is DR100% (top). Seeing blown highlights that you do not like? Increase dynamic range to DR200% (center) or DR400% (bottom) to get an extra one or two stops worth of highlight detail.

• To use adapted lenses with your X-mount or G-mount camera, you need either Fujifilm’s Leica M or Hasselblad H adapter, or a suitable third-party adapter. To make third-party adapters work, you must select SHOOT WITHOUT LENS > ON. Depending on your camera, you’ll find this option either under SET UP > BUTTON/DIAL SETTING or in the SHOOTING MENU. This is necessary because adapted lenses (and mechanical third-party lens adapters) do not feature electronic X-mount/G-mount contacts, so the lens will not register as being connected to the camera. When you are working with a manually adapted lens, you should also enter its focal length in SHOOTING MENU > (SHOOTING SETTING >) MOUNT ADAPTOR SETTING. This ensures that the EXIF [32] data will reflect the proper focal length. In the X-Pro1 and X-Pro2, it will also determine the proper size and position of the bright frame in the optical viewfinder (OVF), and in the X-H1, entering the correct focal length is essential for the IBIS to work correctly with adapted lenses.
• Do you sometimes shoot with very slow shutter speeds lasting several seconds? In this case, I recommend setting SHOOTING MENU > (IMAGE QUALITY SETTING >) LONG EXPOSURE NR > ON to improve the quality of your results. In this mode, the camera performs a so-called dark-frame subtraction [33] to reduce noise and eliminate hot pixels. With this process, the total exposure time is at least doubled because the camera is taking the shot twice: once normally and once with a closed shutter curtain. The second shot is then subtracted from the first to improve the overall result.

Fig. 69: Long exposures like this Melbourne cityscape benefit from the dark-frame subtraction that is automatically applied by the LONG EXPOSURE NR > ON setting.

• I recommend not using the AUTO setting for the brightness control for the EVF because it tends to show an overly bright live view image in bright sunlight and a very subdued image when it’s dark. Instead, I set SET UP > SCREEN SET-UP > EVF BRIGHTNESS > MANUAL > 0. I use the same setting for the rear LCD.
• For the purpose of this book, we assume that SHUTTER AF and SHUTTER AE (in the SET UP > BUTTON DIAL SETTING menu) are both set to ON, which is also the factory default setting of those X series cameras that offer these options (several recent models do). This ensures that autofocus and exposure (including the working aperture) are locked when you half-press the shutter button in AF-S mode, so the camera is primed for the least possible shutter lag once you fully press the shutter button. In AF-C mode, SHUTTER AF ON means that the AF keeps tracking a subject while the shutter button is half-pressed or pressed, and SHUTTER AE ON makes sure that the exposure is locked as long as you half-press or press the shutter button.

Shortcuts are timesavers. Here are a few that were primarily designed for the more recent line of X series cameras with an X-Processor Pro or X-Processor 4 engine. However, many will also work with other or older models.

• Pull up the Quick menu with the Q button, then press and hold the Q button again for a few seconds to directly open the configuration menu for your custom user settings. Some background: Most X series cameras offer seven custom user settings (C1 through C7) that can hold groups of frequently used camera settings. You can select one of these groups (or profiles) via the Quick menu or an appropriately configured Fn button. Please understand that C1 through C7 aren’t camera modes; they are memory locations. Each location conveniently stores a configured profile. You can use these profiles as shortcuts to instantly overwrite your current camera settings with another predefined set of options.

Fig. 70: Custom settings are memory locations that store mostly JPEG settings. Personally, I only need two profiles in my X series cameras: a DEFAULT profile on position C1 to quickly return to the factory settings, and a flat RAW SHOOTER profile on position C7 to maximize dynamic range in the live view and live histogram. Recent models also allow you to assign names to custom settings.

• Press and hold the Q button while the Quick menu is not open to directly access the Quick menu configuration page. In this mode, you can customize the contents of the Quick menu to better meet your personal requirements. You can assign one of about two dozen different settings to any of the 16 available Quick menu tiles. If you don’t need 16 shortcuts, you can even select NONE to reduce the size of the Quick menu and make it easier to navigate.

Fig. 71: I recommend personalizing the Quick menu of your X camera for better access to functions that you need the most. Luckily, this option is available in most X series cameras.

• Press and hold the MENU/OK button to lock the selector keys and the Q button. Press and hold the MENU/OK button again to remove the key lock. This shortcut works with most X series cameras; however, it is not available in the X-H1 and X-T3.
• To see where the Fn buttons are located and what’s assigned to each of them, press and hold the DISP/BACK button. When the configuration menu pops up, you can review and reassign all Fn button functions.

Fig. 72: Fn buttons are essential to provide direct and immediate access to important and frequently used camera functions. As Fujifilm X cameras grow in features and complexity, the number of available Fn buttons has been increased accordingly. In fact, there is a trend to make (almost) every physical button a user-configurable Fn button. Recent touchscreen models like the X-E3 and X-H1 take this idea even further with the addition of virtual Touch-Fn buttons that are activated by making a flicking gesture on the touchscreen. This illustration shows the two configuration pages for the 13 Fn and Touch-Fn buttons available in my X-H1 with firmware 1.20. In this camera, each of the 13 actual and virtual Fn buttons can perform one of 45 (Fn) or 40 (Touch-Fn) different functions.

• To confirm a new menu selection in shooting mode, you can either press the MENU/OK button or half-press the shutter button.
• Half-press the shutter button to switch from playback mode back to shooting mode.
• Half-press the shutter button during an ongoing image preview (SET UP > SCREEN SET-UP > IMAGE DISP.) to immediately cancel that preview.
• Half-press the shutter button for a few seconds to wake up the camera from sleep mode.
• In AF-S shooting mode (with Single Point AF) or MF mode, press the rear command dial to zoom into the currently active focus frame. When zoomed-in, you can select different magnification levels by turning the rear command dial. Please note that with cameras that allow the rear command dial to serve as an Fn button, this is the FOCUS CHECK default configuration for the rear command dial Fn button. If you assign a different function to the R-DIAL Fn button, this useful zoom shortcut won’t be available.
• Press and hold the rear command dial in MF mode to cycle between the available manual focus assist modes, such as standard, focus peaking, and digital split image. The X-T3 also offers a new digital microprism mode.
• After selecting FOCUS AREA (usually after assigning this function to a Fn button if it isn’t a hardwired button), you can move the focus frame or zone around with the four selector (arrow) keys. Press the DISP/BACK button to reset the position of the AF frame or AF zone to the center of the screen. You can change the size of the selected AF frame or zone by turning the command dial. To reset the size of the AF frame or zone to default, press the command dial.
• Recent cameras like the X-Pro2, X-T2, X-H1, X-E3, X100F, XF10, and GFX 50 feature a focus stick. It’s a useful, tiny joystick that allows you to directly move the focus area or zone in eight directions. Press the focus stick in shooting mode to access the focus frame and AF zone selection screen (FOCUS AREA screen). Here, you can move the active focus frame or zone around with the focus stick and change its size by turning the command dial. In this selection screen, you can press the focus stick again to center the focus frame or AF zone.
• In shooting mode, you can directly move the focus stick in eight directions to change the position of the active focus frame or AF zone. However, you can’t change their size before pressing the focus stick and entering the FOCUS AREA screen.
• Press and hold the focus stick in shooting mode to access the focus stick options menu. You can select to deactivate the stick completely, to activate the stick by pressing it, or to keep it permanently activated. For this book, we choose the latter option (ON) to ensure that the focus stick is always directly available.
• In playback mode (while viewing an image), use the front command dial to browse through the images that are on file.
• During image playback, you can turn the rear command dial to zoom in and out. By pressing the DISP/BACK button, you can always directly return to the standard-size view. Press the rear command dial to zoom in to a 100% view of a shot. When you are zoomed in, pressing the dial again returns the camera to its regular view, displaying the full image.
• While displaying an image with RAW data in playback mode, you can press the Q button to directly access the built-in RAW converter. This function allows you to create new JPEG versions of your image with different settings.
• In playback mode, press the upper selector button (or move the focus stick in the up direction) to view the first of several information pages that show additional shooting parameters and the position of the focus point.
• For direct access to the format menu, press and hold the DELETE (“trash”) button for about three seconds. Then keep the DELETE button depressed while you press the rear command dial. As of December 2018, this function was only available in cameras with X-Processor Pro and X-Processor 4.

A smart assignment of your Fn buttons can save you cumbersome trips to the camera menu. While this book cannot provide specific Fn-button guides for each of the more than 30 different X series cameras that Fujifilm has introduced between 2011 and 2018, there are several cross-model functions and controls that should always be available at your fingertip:

• AF MODE. Please don’t confuse this setting with FOCUS MODE. Focus Mode is either AF-S(ingle), AF-C(ontinuous) or MF (manual focus), and it’s usually controlled with a switch at the front or side of your camera, or with a virtual button on the touchscreen. No, this is about AF MODE, which is combining AF-S or AF-C with either SINGLE POINT, ZONE, or WIDE/TRACKING autofocus. To quickly switch between these options, it’s useful to assign the AF MODE selection to one of the Fn buttons. There’s one exception, though: if your camera supports the new AF mode ALL, you should most definitely set ALL as your permanent AF mode default. ALL is ingenious, because you can seamlessly change AF modes between SINGLE POINT, ZONE, and WIDE/TRACKING simply by changing the size of the focus frame while you are in the FOCUS AREA screen.
• FOCUS AREA. The FOCUS AREA screen allows you to move around the active focus point or AF zone within the image frame. You can also change its size. FOCUS AREA can be activated by pressing the focus stick, or by pressing a dedicated button (usually labeled “AF”). If your camera has neither, it’s your turn to make sure that FOCUS AREA is assigned to one of your Fn buttons.
• ISO. Since ISO signal amplification is an important and frequently used setting, it should be directly accessible. That’s why some of the more advanced X cameras offer a dedicated ISO dial. For the rest of us, it’s useful to assign ISO to one of the Fn buttons instead of accessing it via the regular or Quick menu. There’s another reason beyond speed and convenience: accessing ISO through an Fn button opens a transparent menu, so in manual exposure mode M, you can immediately see the effect of any ISO change in the live view image. This results in a more intuitive user experience than blindly changing ISO in the Quick menu or shooting menu.
• DYNAMIC RANGE. Fujifilm cameras offer a very powerful DR function to extend the highlight dynamic range of an image, so it’s a very good idea to keep this function right at your fingertips.
• FACE DETECTION. Face Detection is another function that should be at your disposal when it’s required (and only then), so putting it on an Fn button makes perfect sense.
• AF-L & AE-L: AF-ON and PREVIEW EXP. IN MANUAL MODE. In several X cameras (the X-T2, X-T3, X-T20, X-E3, and X-H1 come to mind), dedicated AF-L and AE-L buttons can also serve as Fn keys, so you can repurpose them as needed. That said, I don’t tend to radically change their assignment. Instead, I turn the AF-L button into the AF-ON (a.k.a. “back-button focusing”) function. And since I shoot more than 95% of my images in manual exposure mode (where AE-Lock is meaningless), I assign the PREVIEW EXP./WB IN MANUAL MODE toggle to the AE-L button.
• R-DIAL: FOCUS CHECK. In several recent X models, pressing the rear command dial also serves as an Fn button. The factory default setting is FOCUS CHECK, which allows you to zoom into the live view image on the electronic viewfinder or LCD monitor. Since this is an important and convenient function, I do not recommend changing this default assignment. Please note that all related tips in this book assume that FOCUS CHECK is assigned (or hardwired) to the rear command dial button.
• HISTOGRAM. With the exception of the X100F, all cameras with X-Processor Pro and X-Processor 4 feature a color RGB live histogram with live overexposure warning, also known as “blinkies.” The only way to access this essential feature is via an Fn or a Touch-Fn button, so please make sure that it’s assigned to one.
• ELECTRONIC LEVEL. The GFX 50, X-H1, and X-T3 are the first models to offer a dual-axis electronic level display, as opposed to the regular single-axis indicator that can be found in pretty much all X series cameras. The dual-axis indicator helps you correctly align the camera to avoid non-parallel vertical lines, especially in city and architecture shots. Like the RGB histogram, this feature is only accessible via an Fn or a Touch-Fn button.

Fig. 73: This is the Fn button assignment of my X-T3. To edit the Fn button of your camera, press and hold the DISP/BACK button until the configuration page appears.

To keep the shooting process effortless and free of interruptions, it’s vital to assign frequently used functions to Fn buttons that are immediately accessible. However, the number of available buttons is often limited, especially since Touch-Fn still isn’t universally available.

Luckily, we have My Menu and the Quick menu (Q button) to quickly access frequently used functions and menus that didn’t fit into the Fn button lineup. My Menu is available in all cameras with X-Processor Pro and X-Processor 4, and most X cameras also offer a configurable Quick menu page.

• To configure My Menu, select SET UP > USER SETTING > MY MENU SETTING, where you can add new items, rank existing items (= change their position in My Menu), or remove items from the menu.
• To configure the Quick menu, press and hold the Q button until the Quick menu configuration page appears, where you can change each of the 16 items and assign them either a new function or no function at all (NONE).

The following figures illustrate the My Menu and Quick menu settings in my X-H1. Neither is set in stone.

Fig. 74: My Menu in my X-T3 and other current X-series cameras consists of two menu pages with a total of 16 possible entries. I use the first page to quickly change and review the autofocus configuration.

Fig. 75: The second My Menu page is reserved for exposure settings and general parameters such as OIS/IBIS mode, shutter type, flash configuration, or the DRIVE mode.

Please note that in cameras without IBIS, the OIS mode menu is only available when a lens with OIS has been attached. In a similar fashion, manual exposure mode M must be enabled to access the PREVIEW EXP./WB IN MANUAL MODE setting.

Fig. 76: The Quick menu page of my X-H1 and X-T3 isn’t very different from the factory default setting. I always make sure that I can access the flash mode and the flash exposure compensation directly from this menu, and I like to have direct access to the shutter-type setting and flicker reduction. Since I don’t need quick access to the COLOR and SHARPNESS items, I replaced them with the flash configuration items.

Should you shoot RAW [34] or JPEG [35]? The best option is using both formats by setting SHOOTING MENU > (IMAGE QUALITY SETTING >) IMAGE QUALITY > FINE+RAW (or NORMAL+RAW). It doesn’t matter if you consider yourself a diehard RAW shooter or a JPEG shooter.

This is how RAW shooters benefit from shooting FINE+RAW or NORMAL+RAW:

• During external RAW processing, the camera-made JPEG can be used as a (sometimes hard-to-beat) reference image.
• Checking critical focus is only possible at 100% magnification, which only a full-size JPEG can provide. The JPEG that’s embedded in the RAW file for preview purposes is too small. Make sure you select one of the available L (Large) options under SHOOTING MENU > (IMAGE QUALITY SETTING >) IMAGE SIZE.
• The IMAGE SIZE menu isn’t available in RAW-only mode. Different image formats, such as 1:1 or 16:9, are only available in JPEG-only mode or FINE+RAW (NORMAL+RAW) mode. Autofocus and exposure metering adapt to the currently selected format (aspect ratio) and deliver more accurate readings when you are shooting with odd formats like 1:1. No worries, though: the RAW is always recorded in the sensor’s native format (3:2 or 4:3, depending on your camera model), so you don’t lose any image information.

This is how JPEG shooters benefit from shooting FINE+RAW or NORMAL+RAW:

• Nobody is capable of always setting the perfect shooting parameters (exposure, white balance, and dynamic range, as well as JPEG parameters such as film simulation, color, sharpness, noise reduction, shadow and highlight contrast, grain effect, etc.) in advance. FINE+RAW solves this problem by allowing you to change and adjust those settings after the fact, either with the built-in RAW converter or external RAW conversion software. This means you can worry about those JPEG settings later and concentrate on more important factors of your shot, such as focus, framing, and timing.
• Even if you chose the perfect settings in advance, it’s possible that you’d like to have more than one version of a shot, such as a color version and a black-and-white version, or versions with different color film simulations. Again, FINE+RAW does the trick because you can use the built-in RAW converter to create (and compare) different JPEG versions of a shot.

Fig. 77: All X cameras feature a built-in RAW converter that allows users to quickly create different JPEG versions of a shot. It only takes a few seconds to modify exposure, contrast settings, and noise reduction of a color image (above), or to create a black-and-white version (below). All you need is the shot’s RAW file.

• There’s always progress in the digital domain. Things that appear impossible today may be a reality in just a few years. It’s perfectly feasible that future RAW converters will be able to extract much better image quality from your RAW files than today’s cameras and RAW processors. It pays to be prepared by archiving the RAW files of your valuable shots. Storage space is cheap; some of your images may be priceless.
• Your skills may improve as well! Several months or a few years from now, you may be much more comfortable using post-processing software than you are today. Wouldn’t it be sad if you couldn’t revisit great shots of the past and process them in a better way? Don’t forget: only RAW files contain the full potential of an image. JPEGs are a processed and compressed subset with limited latitude for post-processing. RAW files feature much better tonality and dynamic range. By the way, using the built-in RAW converter of your X camera isn’t more complex or complicated than using the camera’s JPEG settings in the shooting menu (which should be familiar to you as a JPEG shooter).

Fig. 78: X series cameras feature competent JPEG engines with terrific film simulations, but that doesn’t mean that JPEG-only shooting is the way to go. This JPEG of a moody sunset was processed with the Velvia film simulation in my X-T20, and while this result may be exactly what you’re looking for, it clearly illustrates the limited dynamic range of straight-out-of-camera JPEGs, which often render high-contrast scenes with blown highlights or blocked shadows (or both). There is no meaningful way to restore what has been lost in processing the JPEG. Instead, you must process the RAW file of this shot.

Fig. 79: This sample is a Lightroom-processed version of the RAW file of the previous shot, showcasing the superior dynamic range of the camera’s original sensor data. Despite their small size and affordable price, all Fujifilm APS-C cameras offer a dynamic range that rivals or even surpasses that of several current full-frame cameras from Canon and Leica, but you need the RAW file to unlock their huge potential.

As you can see, FINE+RAW is the best and most flexible choice. The one detrimental aspect of using FINE+RAW (or NORMAL+RAW) is that it results in larger amounts of data being recorded. This doesn’t matter much in practical terms, since modern X cameras can quickly transfer large amounts of data to the memory card. Just make sure to use a fast card.

Let me use this opportunity to address a widespread misconception: RAW files aren’t images that you can directly look at. RAWs contain image data that still must be interpreted or processed into an actual image—either in-camera or with external software. Every digital image (including the live view on the monitor, JPEGs from the camera, or TIFF files from Adobe Lightroom) is the result of such a translation.

A JPEG shooter who doesn’t keep RAW files must settle for only one of the many possible interpretations of RAW data into an image, and it’s very unlikely that this single JPEG from the camera is the best of all possible versions of the image. Basically, discarding the RAW file turns your X camera into an instant camera: you only get one (most likely not the best) image per shot.

Please note that in the context of this book, the recommended FINE+RAW setting is my preferred alternative to the NORMAL+RAW setting. NORMAL JPEGs apply more JPEG compression, are smaller in size than FINE JPEGs, and contain more artifacts and less information. If memory space is a concern and you don’t plan on using the camera’s JPEGs for more than checking critical focus, you can just as well set your camera to NORMAL+RAW instead of FINE+RAW.

Fig. 80: With the GFX 50S, Fujifilm has introduced an additional SUPER FINE format for JPEGs. It’s safe to assume that this option will also be available in future GFX camera models. However, I don’t recommend selecting SUPER FINE+RAW as your default setting. Instead, keep shooting FINE+RAW or NORMAL+RAW and create individual SUPER FINE versions of those rare shots that may actually require SUEPR FINE image quality. You can easily do this with the camera’s built-in RAW converter.

X cameras with X-Processor Pro and X-Processor 4 offer a choice of uncompressed and compressed RAW files (SHOOTING MENU > IMAGE QUALITY SETTING > RAW RECORDING). Compression cuts the size of RAW files roughly in half, so you can store twice as many of them on a memory card or your computer. The compression also helps speed up camera processes: smaller files take longer to overflow the fast camera buffer, and they take less time to transfer to the memory card.

It’s important to note that Fujifilm’s RAW compression is lossless, so there’s no difference in image quality between uncompressed and compressed RAWs. However, not all external RAW converters may be able to process Fuji’s compressed RAWs, because the compression format is proprietary. RAW converter manufacturers can obtain a free SDK from Fujifilm to support the compressed RAW file format.

Fig. 81: To save space and improve speed and performance, I recommend shooting RAW in the LOSSLESS COMPRESSED format. The image quality remains the same.

Windows user should always install the latest version of RAW FILE CONVERTER EX, even if you don’t intend to ever use it. This software is available as a free download [94]. It installs a codec that allows Windows to display thumbnail images of lossless compressed Fuji RAW files anywhere on your PC. Sadly, a similar tool isn’t available for macOS.

The full resolution of your X camera is only available in its native image format (3:2 or 4:3, depending on the sensor). However, using a different image format (such as 1:1 or 16:9) can still be reasonable. For example, some people prefer to view their images on a 16:9 4K television, while others are fans of the classic (square) medium-format look.

No matter what format (aspect ratio) and resolution you choose in SHOOTING MENU > (IMAGE QUALITY SETTING >) IMAGE SIZE, it will only affect the JPEGs coming from your camera. With the exceptions of deliberate sensor crop modes in the GFX and X-T3, RAW files are always recorded in full resolution in the native sensor format. This means that as long as you kept your RAW files, you can generate new full-size (native format) JPEGs with the built-in RAW converter or an external RAW processor.

Fig. 82: Apart from its native 4:3 sensor format, the medium-format GFX 50 offers plenty of non-native JPEG image formats (above). It even features a 35mm FORMAT MODE for adapting smaller “full-frame” lenses. In this sensor crop mode, the camera is only using a cropped 3:2 “full-frame” portion of its sensor, reducing the size of RAW and JPEG files accordingly. In a similar fashion, the X-T3 offers a so-called Sports Finder Mode with a crop factor of 1.25x in relation to the native sensor format.

If you want to compose shots in non-native formats like 1:1 or 16:9, you should select the desired format in the shooting menu. Here’s why:

• The live view in the viewfinder or on the LCD will automatically adjust to the new format, making it easier to compose an image.
• The camera’s autofocus frames will adapt to the selected image format.
• Your camera’s exposure metering and live histogram are based on what’s displayed in the live view. Changing the live view to 16:9 or 1:1 will enhance metering accuracy for the respective format.

A basic rule for successfully using mirrorless X series cameras is minimizing the delay between pressing the shutter button and the camera taking the image. It’s about not missing the decisive moment due to shutter lag.

It’s up to you to anticipate these decisive moments. By half-pressing the shutter button, you are preparing the camera: exposure and autofocus (unless you are using AF-C) will be set and locked, and the lens aperture will move to its working position. The camera is now ready to record an image with minimal shutter lag—all that’s left to do is to fully depress the already half-pressed shutter button at the right instant.

Fig. 83: To make sure that your camera is ready when you are, it’s useful to prime the camera by half-pressing the shutter button. This shot was taken with an X100F.

Don’t forget that priming the camera by half-pressing the shutter only works if SHUTTER AE and SHUTTER AF are both set to ON in the SET UP > BUTTON DIAL SETTING menu. This option is available in several recent X camera models, such as the X-H1, X-T2, X-T3, X-T20, X-E3, and GFX 50. The X-T2, X-T3, and X-H1 even offer separate SHUTTER AE and SHUTTER AF settings for AF-S and AF-C mode, in which case all four options should be set to ON.