Fujifilm X-T10 plugs the sub-$1,000-with-viewfinder hole in its ILC line

Fujifilm births a baby brother for its flagship X-T1 interchangeable-lens model. The X-T10 has a lot in common with its older sibling, though the most evident is a price that's a bit higher than its competition.

For a kit with the 16-50mm f3.5-5.6 lens the X-T10 costs $900 (AU$1,300; I don't have UK pricing yet, but that's about £575 directly converted). The body will run $800 -- it's not clear if there'll be a body-only option in Australia or the UK, but it's equivalent to around AU$1,000 and £510. With the higher-quality, more expensive 18-55mm f2.8-4 lens the kit will cost $1,100 and AU$1,500, which converts to £700.

What's notable

• Autofocus system. Fujifilm's X-Trans CMOS II sensor incorporates phase-detection autofocus points in addition to the separate contrast AF sensor (as do some competitors). In the firmware upate for the X-T1 that's scheduled to be available at the end of June, Fujifilm adds a couple of AF modes, Zone and Wide/Tracking for improved continuous autofocus performance. The X-T1 will ship with those built-in. It also has a lot of the other features that the X-T1's getting in the firmware update, like Auto Macro and eye-detection AF which focuses on eyes.
• Viewfinder. The X-T10 uses one of Fujifilm's unique viewfinders which offer a combination of optical and electronic views; all of the other interchangeable-lens models that have viewfinders incorporate electronic-only versions.
• Design. It's lighter than the X-T1, but that's because it's not weather-sealed or as durable. It has magnesium top and bottom plates and aluminum dials that should keep it from feeling cheap.

The lens uses an updated version of the company's Linear Motor technology that ostensibly improves focus speed. Other features include the ability to focus as close as 24 inches/60 cm, a 7-blade aperture for reasonably round out-of-focus highlights, Fujifilm's Nano-GI coating for improved light and cold tolerance down to 14 degrees F/-10 degrees C.

The lens is slated to ship in July for $950, AU$1,400. (A direct conversion is around £605.)

My take

Competitors with viewfinders either offer better performance for a higher price tag, or something comparable for less than the X-T10. Fufjilm's X-Trans sensors do provide a sharper image than a lot of the cheaper alternatives and a lot of folks might consider the flexible viewfinder worth the extra money. And it's got the attractive look and feel typical of Fujifilm's cameras.

However, I find the video quality of its cameras disappointing, and the X-T10's continuous-shooting specs look underwhelming; 8 frames per second is good, but not for only a second's worth of shots. For a usable burst run, you have to drop to 3fps, which you can get with much cheaper cameras. Those downsides may limit the camera's attractiveness for the typical enthusiast and family buyer who's willing to plop down $800. The X-T10 reminds me a lot of the 3-year-old X-M1 , albeit with a viewfinder, and I suspect my opinion will be similar.

Comparative specs