Fuji XT-1 firmware v 5.0 with Fuji Raw Converter EX2
Sadly I'm not paid to say this: It's my belief that this year (2017) Fuji will continue to redefine photography and reclaim it as the art it once was, leaving the competition somewhere else. I'm only using an XT-1 with a 14mm XF and my pics are nothing special ... yet even I recognise that Fuji's ongoing support for a 2 year old camera has effectively given me a new system, with more control, faster AF and remarkably improved RAW conversion both in camera and from RAWs processed by the later incarnation of its Raw Converter EX (now v2).
This transformation has been entirely free: thanks guys.
The following are test shots I took on a local walk in extremely contrasty conditions on a late winter afternoon.
I was expecting blown highlights, auras and artefacts as I wished to push the lens and sensor so had planned to rely on the camera's own jpegs just to have a private pixel-peek. There's not enough space for me to comment on the regular out of camera jpegs, save that they are fine: really fine ..and as ever, with subtleties of tones that LR and Photoshop can only emulate yet cannot reproduce.
However, I was hyperbolically pleased with the raw conversion via EX2: these shots ahead are merely the jpegged output from EX2, with bog standard "normal" sharpening in EX2. I have done NO further post-sharpening.
What I did do in many of the monochromes was dodge and burn the bedazzlery out of them, expecting shadows to block and highlights to blow. I could hide behind my XT-1's new ability to lock spotmeter and AF point but truly the whole Fuji system is now seamlessly "mindful" of its processing as far as I'm concerned.
BUT beware, as this has caused a potential problem: shared firmware with the XT-2 HAS upped the XT-1's game ... yet my guess is that blatting the pony hard on continual AF may cane the battery more now, so my GUESS is that lockups and overheating MAY occur if wishing to use the XT-1 like an "Uzi-nine-millimeeder".
My guess is merely based on my observation that my XT-1's battery discharges quicker and generates a tad more heat than before the firmware update ... I'm also cognisant that some XT-2 power users have had the occasional freeze when using an XT-1 battery: they physically fit but seem to have different discharge profiles given the XT-2's greater drain in speed-writing scenarios.
Mind you, it IS a long time since I upgraded its ware, and I'm marginally insane, so I'd start from a baseline of disbelieving everything I say, including my statement here that Fuji will totally dominate digital photography in 2017. You can have the pleasure of telling me I'm wrong if and when.
Which is why I invite you to have a look at the pics: I've included some crops at 100% for those who don't take photos but buy lenses based on resolution curves ... yet I DO draw your attention to the smoothness of tone and the drawing detail.