Fujifilm X-T5 in-depth review: Digital Photography Review

Product images by Richard Butler

The Fujifilm X-T5 is a photography-focused 40MP APS-C mirrorless camera that continues the company’s line of cameras with traditional control dials.

• 40MP BSI CMOS sensor with X-Trans color filter array
• Up to 15fps continuous shooting
• In-body stabilization rated at up to 7.0EV
• 6.2K or ‘HQ’ 4K from captured 6.2K up to 30p (1.23x crop)
• Subsampled full-width 4K at up to 60p
• Choice of 10-bit H.265 or 8-bit H.264 capture
• F-Log2, F-Log or HLG options
• 6.2K Raw video out
• Two-axis tilt rear screen
• Twin UHS-II SD card slots

The Fujifilm X-T5 is available at a recommended cost of $1699. This is the same launch price as the X-T4 and $300 lower than that of the X-H2, with which it shares a sensor.

Jump to:

What is the X-T5? | How it compares | Body and controls | Initial impressions | Image quality | Video | Autofocus | Conclusion | Sample gallery | Specifications | Press release

What is the X-T5?

The X-T5 is a more photography-focused camera than the X-T4, featuring the return of the excellent two-way tilting rear screen mechanism that works well for composing off-axis shots in both the landscape and portrait orientations.

The X-T5 can also shoot video, but its specifications aren’t as ambitious as those of the expressly hybrid X-H2. So there’s no 8K capture and its 6.2K footage is taken from a 1.22x cropped region of the sensor, not the full width as in the X-H2. Similarly, the X-T5’s ‘HQ’ 4K footage is derived from this 6.2K crop, not an 8K readout. Like the X-H2, the X-T5 can capture 4K at up to 60p from the full width of its sensor, but not using all the available pixels.

The X-T5 uses twin UHS-II SD card slots, which explains some of the reduction in video spec and significantly shorter duration of burst shooting.

The X-H2’s ProRes modes are also absent, along with any of the X-H2’s options that required the use of a CFexpress Type B card. Instead the X-T5 writes everything to a matched pair of UHS-II SD card slots. Fujifilm says the camera can shoot 6.2K/30 video for 90 minutes or 4K/60p for 60 minutes at 25°C (77°F); these numbers drop significantly at higher temperatures, and there’s no option to add a fan to compensate.

On the photography side, the specs are very similar to the X-H2, with the camera able to shoot 40MP images at up to 15fps using the mechanical shutter. A much smaller buffer and the use of SD cards means it can’t shoot such long bursts as the X-H2, but the image quality it delivers is identical.

The X-T5 offers the 20-shot pixel-shift high-res mode from the X-H2, allowing you to create 160MP composite images. As with the existing camera, you need to combine the images yourself using Fujifilm’s Pixel Shift Combiner desktop software. There’s no motion correction, which limits the types of situations it can be used in.

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How it compares

Fujifilm is one of the few companies still making high-end APS-C models, with most other brands focusing on full-frame for their photography enthusiast offerings. This brings a different cost/size/image-quality balance, especially once you factor in the lenses you might use. In this instance, we’ve picked the Panasonic S5 II for comparison. There are less expensive full-frame options, but the S5 II is one of the lower-priced rivals that provide something of a match for the X-T5’s level of stills and video capability.

Canon’s EOS R7 doesn’t feel quite as high-end as the X-T5 but it’s one of the few enthusiast-targeted APS-C cameras to be launched in the past few years. so we’ve included it for reference, too.

Despite the lower price, Canon’s EOS R7 runs the X-T5 pretty close in spec terms, with a faster burst rate, decent video specs and a sensor only 7MP behind. Its autofocus is also very good in stills mode. The X-T5 offers a more analog shooting experience, a larger, higher-res viewfinder and our favorite rear screen arrangement for stills shooting. The Fujifilm also has access to a far more comprehensive system of lenses designed with APS-C in mind, which further enhances its credentials for enthusiast photographers.

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Body and controls

Although it looks a lot like its predecessor, the X-T5’s body is slightly smaller, with a slightly more finger-shaped indentation at the top of the hand grip and a more relaxed slope to the viewfinder hump. It retains the look of a classic SLR, though. It’s also around 50g (.11 lbs) lighter than the X-T4.

As with previous X-T models it features dedicated dials for shutter speed, ISO and exposure compensation. There’s also a pair of command dials, front and rear, which can have some of those functions assigned to them. Both command dials can be pressed inward to act as function buttons or to change the dial’s function.

On the front of the body is the dedicated AF mode control that was absent from the recent X-H2 models.

The X-T5 still uses a 3.64M dot OLED viewfinder but it makes use of the higher magnification optics of the X-H2, giving it an impressive 0.8x equiv. magnification. The finder can be operated at up to 100fps in Boost mode, not quite the 120fps offered in the X-H2. Fujifilm says the eye sensor for switching between LCD and EVF should be around twice as fast as on the X-T4, making the camera feel more responsive.

Maintaining the distinction between the X-H and X-T series, the X-T5 has no headphone socket and uses a micro HDMI port for video output. This is the same arrangement as the X-T4 and, like that camera, the X-T5 can output audio using a USB adapter that comes in the box.

Looking at the bottom of the camera, there’s no expansion port to add a vertical grip, so again you’ll need to look at an X-H2 if that’s a feature you need. There will be an optional metal hand grip (MHG-XT5) that gives a little more substance to the front of the camera and provides Arca-Swiss tripod compatibility.

The X-T5 uses the same NP-W235 batteries as its predecessor. It’s a 16Wh unit that powers the camera to a rating of 590 shots per charge using the viewfinder or 580 shots using the rear screen. These numbers drop to 500 and 570 shots, respectively, if you use Boost mode to up the refresh rate of the finder to 100fps or the rear screen to 60fps.

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Initial impressions

by Richard Butler
Originally published Nov 2022

Although it looks a lot like its predecessors, the X-T5’s grip has been redesigned. The camera is also 5.1mm narrower than the X-T4 and 1.8mm shorter, bringing it a little closer to the size of the original X-T1 and the film cameras it aped.

The X-T5 looks to us exactly like the camera a lot of Fujifilm users have been asking for: it continues the classic looks/dedicated dials approach that a lot of X-series photographers have come to love.

It includes a lot of the capabilities of the more expensive X-H2, such as the 40MP sensor, with a handful of omissions – primarily on the video side of things – that draw a sensible distinction between the two models. There’ll undoubtedly be some people who would have preferred an X-H2 with dials, or who’ll insist that only video features should have been removed, and that the X-T5 should include the ability to add a battery grip, but to us the differences are enough to create a meaningful distinction between models, allowing the X-T5 to have a lower price tag without treading on its big brother’s toes.

In terms of autofocus, without the fast sensor from the X-H2S the X-T5 can’t get anything like as frequent updates about what’s happening in the scene, and even the company acknowledges it won’t be a match for the high-speed flagship in this regard. In our AF performance tests (see below) we found that it was capable of keeping up with moving subjects, but success was heavily dependent on the AF settings chosen.

Its video specs are not just a step down from that of the X-H2, they’re also, in some respects, arguably a slight step back from the X-T4. Its full-width 4K is sub-sampled and, while its oversampled ‘HQ’ 4K video should prove to be a little more detailed, there’s a 1.23x crop, which will have an impact on the noise performance. The new model does gain a 10-bit 4:2:2 option, though. Hindsight casts the X-T4 as trying to play stopgap between X-H models, rather than primarily being a photographers’ camera, and if the loss of some video prowess is the price to be paid for the return of the excellent two-way tilt display, we suspect many stills shooters will be perfectly happy with that arrangement.

The X-T5 does more than simply not mess with a winning formula, it represents a reversion to an earlier, more focused version of it. The body is new, with a squarer, slightly more hand-friendly shape, a more gently angled slope to the viewfinder hump as well as the return of the photo-friendlier screen. The newly enlarged exposure compensation dial looks a little out of proportion to my eye, but the increased size makes it easier to operate with your thumb, so I can understand the change.

From our limited experiences so far, the X-T5 feels like a worthy addition to a series that’s staking a claim towards becoming a classic.

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Image quality

Out of camera JPEG shot using the Velvia/Vivid profile. ISO 3200 | 1/125 sec | F2.8 | Fujifilm 56mm F1.2 R WR Photo: Dan Bracaglia

The X-T5 sports the same 40MP BSI CMOS chip as its sibling, the X-H2, and is capable of the same outstanding class-leading APS-C image quality.

Studio scene

Our test scene is designed to simulate a variety of textures, colors and detail types you’ll encounter in the real world. It also has two illumination modes to see the effect of different lighting conditions.

The X-T5’s 40MP BSI sensor captures more detail than any of the camera’s APS-C rivals, including the 33MP Canon EOS R7 and the 24MP Sony a6600; it also bests its 26MP siblings including the X-T4 and X-H2S.

At base ISO, the X-T5’s sensor is displaying no more noise than its lower-resolution competitors – except for perhaps the 20.9MP Nikon Z50 – despite using smaller pixels on a more densely-packed chip. It also offers a small signal-to-noise advantage over its Fujifilm siblings thanks to a 1/3EV lower base ISO (ISO 125 vs. ISO 160).

At mid-to-high ISOs, the output starts to look a little noisier than the lower-res X-mount models, but still cleaner than the Canon and the Sony; this trend continues at very high ISOs. The 40MP chip also doesn’t seem to offer any real detail capture advantages over Fujfiilm’s 26MP sensors as the ISO cranks upward.

We’re big fans of Fujifilm’s JPEG profiles, monochrome modes included. Out of camera JPEG shot using the Acros-Red profile and animal detection. ISO 2000 | 1/125 sec | F1.2 | Fujifilm 56mm F1.2 R WR Photo: Dan Bracaglia

Fujifilm’s JPEG output has long been a crowd-pleaser. And the X-T5’s Provia/Standard profile continues the tradition of vibrant and punchy blues, greens, and yellows. However, reds could be ever so slightly more saturated. Meanwhile, default JPEG sharpening at low ISOs is good, though not quite as sophisticated as the competition.

At high ISO, the X-T5 does a decent job of balancing sharpening with smoothing in areas of fine detail. However, the JPEG engine is occasionally aggressive with smoothing when it comes to low-contrast detail.

Pixel Shift

High-res mode works great for completely static subjects but is less useful for scenes with even a little bit of movement as there is no motion correction. In the example above, trees swaying in the wind, passing cars and moving people lead to noticeable artifacts (see the people at the base of the footbridge over the water). That said, for architectural, product, or art reproduction photography, this mode could be handy. Shot using high-res mode. DNG edited to taste in ACR. ISO 1600 | 1/1250 sec | F4 | Fujifilm 56mm F1.2 R WR Photo: Dan Bracaglia

Pixel Shift Multi Shot mode is located on page three of the Shooting Settings menu. If you plan to use it often, you may want to add it to your customizable ‘My Menu’ for easy access.

The mode requires both a tripod and completely stationary subjects. Once engaged, the camera snaps 20 consecutive Raw files at user-selected time intervals ranging from nearly instantaneous – or what Fujifilm calls ‘shortest interval’ – to 15 secs. You’ll then need to move to a physical computer and install Fujifilm’s free Pixel Shift Combiner software to assemble the final 160MP file, which is output as a DNG.

Pixel Shift Combiner is quick to download and relatively straightforward to navigate, even if the design looks like something from the early 2000s. Users simply select the 20 Raw files they’d like to combine – make sure you choose the right ones or else you’ll end up with some odd results – and let the software churn away. The whole process takes about a minute and the final 160MP DNG is around 650MB in size (though mileage will vary).

Dynamic range

Edited to taste in ACR. ISO 125 | 1/210 sec | F2.8 | Fujifilm 50-140mm F2.8 @ 115mm. Photo: Dan Bracaglia

Fujifilm’s 40MP BSI chip, used in both the X-T5 and X-H2, adds very little read noise translating to flexible Raw files with plenty of dynamic range for editing.

From an ISO invariance perspective, the sensor’s read noise is so low that you could feasibly lock the ISO at 125, shoot whatever shutter speed and aperture you wish, and adjust brightness in post with only a minimal noise penalty compared with raising the ISO at the point of shooting. For example, an ISO 125 image brightened as much as 4.7EV looks only a bit noisier than an ISO 3200 image taken at the same exposure settings with no brightness adjustments made. This can be exploited in low light scenes: dropping the ISO after setting the exposure means additional highlight information isn’t amplified to the point of clipping (useful for preserving things like neon signs in low light situations).

Thinking about it from a different angle, our exposure latitude test locks the ISO at its base setting and uses shutter speed to reduce the exposure as a means of preserving highlights, before brightening the image in post. Reducing the exposure using this method again increases noise by a manageable amount. These results are still on par with some of the best APS-C cameras we’ve tested, suggesting there’s minimal read noise impact.

ISO invariance | Exposure latitude

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Video

Check out Jordan Drake’s take on the X-T5’s video performance, above.

Video quality

The X-T5’s 6.2K footage is nowhere near as detailed as that of its 40MP sibling, the X-H2. This makes sense given that the X-T5 is using a 1.22x crop while the X-H2 is reading out the full width of its sensor. The X-T5’s 4K HQ mode looks a little closer to that of the X-H2 but again, it isn’t utilizing as much sensor real estate, so it can’t quite match the X-H2 in terms of detail, and there’ll be some noise cost, too. The Nikon Z50 delivers comparable detail in 4K mode, but with more dramatic sharpening, as does the Sony a6600, though like the X-T5, this comes with significant rolling shutter.

Compared to its predecessor, the the HQ mode gives pretty comparable results while the sub-sampled footage falls a little behind, both at 24p and in 60p mode.

Video crops & rolling shutter timings

Another factor that greatly impacts video quality is a sensor’s readout speed. The faster a chip can scan its pixels, the less likely you are to notice the impacts of rolling shutter, a/k/a the ‘jello effect.’ While not necessarily an issue for static shots, rolling shutter can prove awfully distracting for clips with panning or subject movement.

Like the X-H2, the X-T5 struggles to read out its sensor fast enough – despite using a much smaller crop in 6.2K and 4K (HQ) modes – to avoid the impacts of rolling shutter. While 25.2ms in 6.2K mode may seem speedy, it’s nowhere near the ~6ms readout speed of the stacked sensor X-H2S in 6.2K mode. We generally consider anything above 20ms to be worth worrying about and anything below 10ms to be very good.

Sensor readout speeds are a bit faster in the X-T5’s 4K/60p and 4K UHD modes but again, the camera is not using all available pixels in either of these, so this more usable speed comes at the cost of detail and noise performance.

Video IS

Grumbles about video quality aside, the X-T5 offers very good in-body stabilization, making it easy to shoot steady handheld footage. And ‘IS Boost’ mode does a darn good job of replicating a tripod, allowing for long, handheld static shots.

For clips with movement, the X-T5 doesn’t tend to fight against smooth pans, which its predecessor was somewhat prone to do. But a sudden jerk of the camera can certainly throw it off. Similarly, motions like walking or running with the camera are just a bit too much for the X-T5’s IS system to handle.

Video AF

Face/eye and subject-specific AF tracking modes can all be used during video capture. Face/eye detection in particular works extremely well for scenes with one subject. However, the system isn’t all that faithful when there are multiple people in the frame, tending to lose interest and jump to new faces as soon as the original subject turns their back; how rude.

Another quibble about Fujifilm’s video AF is the lack of a general (non-recognition) AF tracking mode. This is something that’s been called out before and we hope it can be addressed in time, either via firmware or in future models.

Finally, while autofocusing with some X-mount lenses is a smooth, silent affair, not all Fujifilm glass is up to the challenge during video capture. Older lenses, in particular, tend to give off the dreadful sound of a dentist’s drill as they meander haphazardly through awkward focus hunts.

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Autofocus

The X-T5’s face/eye detection mode works reliably, though performance is distinctly lens dependent. Out of camera JPEG shot using the Provia/Standard profile (pre-production sample). ISO 6400 | 1/250 sec | F2.8 | Fujifilm 56mm F1.2 R WR Photo: Chris Niccolls

AF performance

The X-T5 uses the same AF algorithms as its lower-resolution flagship sibling, the 26MP Fujifilm X-H2S. However, the latter is able to glean both subject recognition and depth data much more frequently, thanks to the faster readout of its sensor, and it also boasts a top speed of 40fps with AF (e-shutter). The X-T5, meanwhile, shoots at a respectable 15fps with AF (mechanical).

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The X-T5 passes our standard bike test with flying colors

Our standard bike demonstration assesses whether a camera’s AF system can maintain focus on a rapidly approaching subject using a single focus point. At 15fps, the X-T5 easily aces this test with a hit rate close to 95%. Note: those images deemed ‘soft’ are only ever so slightly so.

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The X-T5 consistently lost focus right around the first turn using its standard AF tracking mode.

Our weaving bike demo adds to the challenge. In this instance the camera has to track the subject moving somewhat unpredictably around the frame, as well as determine the appropriate focus distance and continuously drive the AF there in time. To test this, we used the X-T5’s standard AF tracking mode with AF-C custom settings left at their defaults.

Similar to our results with the X-H2S, the X-T5’s tracking does a great job of sticking to a chosen subject. However, the AF system appears unable to judge the correct distance and/or drive focus quickly enough, resulting in sets of images where only the first dozen shots are focused on the subject, while the rest are fixated on the background.

However, when we switched face/eye detection on, our hit rate incredibly improved to roughly 80%

We performed this test again after making tweaks in the AF-C Custom Settings menu. From our time with the X-H2S, we had determined that maxing out ‘Tracking Sensitivity’ and ‘Speed Tracking Sensitivity,’ while setting the ‘Zone Area Switching’ setting to ‘Front,’ led to slightly improved tracking performance. Regrettably, this wasn’t the case for the X-T5; the hit rate remained around 20%.

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Once we turned face/eye detect on, the hit rate for our bike weaving test improved dramatically.

However, when we switched face/eye detection on – with the AF-C custom settings still dialed in – our hit rate incredibly improved to roughly 80%, with 10% of images deemed ‘soft’ and 10% flat-out misfocused. This is a major improvement.

We also tested face/eye detection with the AF-C settings returned to their defaults. Under these circumstances, the camera has a good hit rate when the subject is near but struggles to lock focus at a distance.

Detecting faces, eyes, animals, and more

Animal detection works with impressive reliability. Out of camera JPEG shot using the Provia/Standard profile. ISO 800 | 1/125 sec | F3.2 | Fujifilm 56mm F1.2 R WR Photo: Dan Bracaglia

Like other recent Fujifilm models, the X-T5 offers a slate of subject-specific AF recognition modes, including classic face/eye detection as well as animal, bird, automobile, airplane, and train spotting. Of these, face/eye and animal detection proved incredibly handy for a city-dwelling mid-30-year-old with a mid-to-small dog and somewhat camera-shy friends, providing a satisfactory hit rate in all but the dimmest lighting conditions.

There’s still room for improvement, though. This is especially true when it comes to the precision of human eye detection. Distractions like glasses, bangs or fringes often lead to front-focused shots, an issue that competing models from Sony and Canon don’t tend to have. So while Fujifilm’s AF tracking appears stickier and more reliable than ever, it’s still a tad behind the pack.

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Conclusion

By Dan Bracaglia

Out of camera JPEG shot using the Provia/Standard profile. ISO 125 | 1/5800 sec | F1.2 | Fujifilm 56mm F1.2 R WR Photo: Dan Bracaglia

For still photographers, the Fujifilm X-T5 is the most capable and one of the most enjoyable APS-C cameras in 2023 thanks to a class-leading high-resolution sensor, a time-tested and well-matured design, and a competent autofocus system that we hope has scope to get better with age (via firmware).

From an APS-C image quality standpoint, only the Fujifilm X-H2, which shares the same 40MP sensor but costs several hundred dollars more, can match the X-T5’s detail output. Raw dynamic range is also up there with the best, while the camera’s JPEG engine – offering plentiful and eye-catching ‘Film Simulations’ – is capable of winning over even the most diehard ‘I shoot Raw’ nerds.

For videographers, the X-T5’s 4K and 6.2K outputs come from a crop of the sensor, limiting detail and quality. For the best in X-mount video quality, they would be advised to check out the gold award-winning X-H2S, or the 8K-capable but more rolling-shutter prone X-H2, both of which offer impressive full-sensor modes and proper headphone jacks. The X-T4 is also worth a look if video holds interest for you.

Autofocus performance from the X-T5 is generally quite good, though it’s some way off the class leaders. Face/eye detection works as intended, as do the subject-specific tracking modes, though scenes with multiple faces can occasionally lead to AF infidelity. The non-subject-specific AF tracking offers a reliable alternative to the ‘focus and recompose’ method but is not really dependable enough for tracking subjects during bursts. Fortunately, the camera’s other AF modes (e.g., zone focus) perform admirably at 15fps.

Ultimately, the X-T5 represents the outcome of open dialogue between Fujifilm and diehard customers. While the X-T4 remains a fantastic and relevant model, its fully articulated rear screen and increased focus on video didn’t sit well with the stills-only crowd, and they made it known. The result? Fujifilm’s most capable stills-oriented model to date is also one of the best APS-C cameras we’ve ever tested. And for these reasons, it deserves our Gold award.

Raw edited to taste in ACR. ISO 125 | 1/750 sec | F2.8 |Fujifilm 50-140mm F2.8 @ 50mm. Photo: Dan Bracaglia

Scoring

Scoring is relative only to the other cameras in the same category. Click here to learn about what these numbers mean.

Compared to its peers:

It’s only natural to compare the X-T5 to the Fujifilm X-H2. From a price standpoint, assuming video isn’t a high priority, you can save several hundred dollars springing for the former. Yes, you’ll miss out on a higher-resolution EVF and a top-plate display but not all that much else; both of these cameras output the same image quality and feature the same high-res mode and AF systems.

Compared to the Fujifilm X-T4, the X-T5 represents a nice step forward in capability and a welcomed return to roots in design for stills shooters. Stepping up to the latest gets you a much higher-resolution sensor, better EVF magnification, improved battery life, and better buffer depth all in a slightly more svelte package. Better yet, the X-T5 sports the brand’s beloved dual-hinge touchscreen design, rather than the much debated fully-articulating screen found on its predecessor. However, because the X-T4 was trying to be the do-it-all model, video folks will find the X-T4 better suited to 4K video capture.

The next highest-resolution APS-C mirrorless body out there is the Canon EOS R7, at 33MP. Just as fast as the X-T5 when it comes to burst shooting, the R7 also offers a much deeper buffer depth and better battery life, all at a better price. It’s more user-friendly than the Fujifilm and also a bit more reliable in the AF department, but lacks the ample manual controls, customization, and stylish looks of the X-T5. It also sports a much lower-resolution EVF and has no high-res mode and, perhaps most critically, doesn’t yet have a range of dedicated lenses available for it.

Finally, the long-in-the-tooth yet still oh-so-relevant Sony a6600 is another good match for the X-T5. From a usability standpoint, the Sony is a more straightforward platform with an autofocus system that (once set up properly) works extremely well. The image quality is good, though not quite as detailed as the Fujifilm, and its 4K video shows significant rolling shutter. And the Sony lacks the photo-centric dials and rich customization of the Fujifilm. It also can’t shoot as fast, nor does it offer nearly as nice an EVF, and generally we didn’t find the shooting experience as rewarding.

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Sample gallery

Please do not reproduce any of these images on a website or any newsletter/magazine without prior permission (see our copyright page). We make the originals available for private users to download to their own machines for personal examination or printing (in conjunction with this review); we do so in good faith, so please don’t abuse it.

Pre-production X-T5 sample gallery

All images shot using a pre-production Fujifilm X-T5.

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