Is the Fujifilm X-T1 in 2025 Still Worth It?10 min read

Can a camera change your life? The X-T1 changed mine forever. The post is going to be more of a love letter to this fantastic camera, rather than it being a typical unbiased review, because I fear I cannot help but be bias towards this  mirrorless camera. It’s the camera that tugged at my heart to pick it up and use it.  This is Fujifilm camera I started my street photography journey with, which has since been replaced by the X-T30 and my Ricoh GR III, why? Keep reading.

The X-T1 a modern classic

The X-T1 came out some 10 years ago, so why is it still relevant to today’s conversation? Yes it is still a good camera even by today’s standards, but the history of the camera is pretty important too. 

It came out in 2014, it was the first of a breed of new APS-C cameras that classic had that SLR look, very reminiscent of some of the great film cameras. It was indeed the camera that started this whole retro looking APS-C race.

Ahead of its time

Zack Arias sold this camera to me. I watched his travel/slash promotional videos in Morocco. I swayed by the colours that were produced by this gorgeous looking camera.

The functionality of WiFi connection, photo transfers and with the ability to remotely take photos seemed so advanced to me. I had never heard of anything like that before. Okay, I know there were other brands doing similar things but I didn’t know that at the time. In fact Just for referennce I believe it was Nikon who were the first to offer WiFi capabilities in their cameras. 

The ability to edit photos in camera was also pretty cool and its hard to ignore the awesome film simulations, even though I have hardly ever used them. I simply edit the raw files in lightroom.

The X-T1 in my impression  started an arms race of sorts with retro SLR looking, APSC cameras with loads of functionality.

X-T1 the ergonomics

For me the X-T1 was the first camera I had owned with a flip screen, the possibilities with that seemed limitless at the time. It’s still a fantastic screen even today. Of course it doesn’t have a touch screen, but personally that doesn’t bother me at all.

The stand out features for me were the dials. The shutter, exposure, ISO and shooting mode. Having these dials on top was so useful especially as a beginner. It really helped me to understand the exposure triangle.

I feel that Fujifilm to this day hasn’t created a better camera body, that’s with the possible exception of the X-Pro series. To be honest I find the newer X-T’s mostly too bulky.

Quick Specs: Fujifilm X-T1

I’m not really a spec person, I believe the proof is in the using. That said here are some of the most important specs:. 

Feature	Fujifilm X-T1 (2014)
Sensor	16.3MP X-Trans CMOS II
ISO Range	200-6400 (expandable to 100-51200)
Viewfinder	2.36M-dot OLED EVF
LCD Screen	3-inch tilting, 1.04M-dot
Burst Shooting	8 fps
Video	1080p at 60 fps
Size (W x H x D)	129 x 90 x 47 mm
Weight (with battery)	440g
Weather Sealing	Yes

X-T1 the good – in 2025?

This camera still packs a punch and several strong features that might surprise and one killer feature which makes this camera worth while purchase.

Weather sealed

X-T1 has good build quality, it is weather sealed. However I learnt  the hard way that this has its limits. At a day at the beach, I was concerned the camera might have had some saltwater on it. So with a WR lens on the camera I gave a it a quick wash with a garden hose… I know this is a dumbe but real story. After that the camera never worked again.

So avoiding salt water, and garden hoses you probably be ok, but the moral to this story is – weather sealing as limits.

Outstanding EVF

This was also the first EVF I ever used. I used this camera solidly for years and I was and still an impressed by the 2.36 million dot display. It’s bright and its sharp and still holds up well.

The EVF I would say still holds up well in terms of responsiveness and brightness when compared to even today’s cheaper cameras.

Colours

I wont talk too much about this, but Fuji colours are famous. They have some of the best if not the best out of camera jpegs I have scene. Also don’t forget the film simulations.

The stand out feature – the sensor

Without a doubt, the best feature of the camera are the colour produced by this old sensor. I will include some of the images below. The bright rich cameras which in their own have their own film like quality. I have take a few pics and thought sensor had malfunctioned, because some of images almost look like a painting. 

It’s very hard to describe the images produced by this sensor, but they are amazing and unique and largely lost in their range of cameras. The X-Pro1 is also praised for its unique and wonderful images.

I want to buy another X-T1 just for this point, mine is beyond help I think.

Dials to die for

Dials are not for everyone. Some people for some reason are happy to menu dive and set customizable buttons and dials. For me I fell in love with the dials, both in terms of functionalit and in appearance. 

I have mentioned this above, but they helped in getting to understand the relationship between, exposure, shutter speed and ISO. I also love the abitly to manual adjust certain settings on the fly.

Auto Focus (sigh!)

The autofocus is not good in poor lighting, and it does track fast moving subjects very well either. If you have time to zone focus, or manually focus then it’s not a problem. But we all know that street photography, is a bit of everything in terms of action. I never had a big issue when subjects weren’t moving in terms of auto focus.

I’d suggest trying a newer Fuji, Canon, Nikon or the best which is probably Sony if you need the best AF your money can buy.

The size

The X-T1 is a wonderful size. In this series of cameras they got bigger and bulkier, which I am not a huge fan of. This camer is only a little larger than the small and compact X-T30.

Its an awesome size for travel photography.

X-T1 the not so good – in 2025?

This is a phenomenal camera in many ways, but as we know nothing is perfect except for my Mum:

• No 4K Video: You’re limited to 1080p, if video is your thing, you’re better off looking elsewhere. 
• The autofocus is slow, I’d try zone focusing with this or portraiture. 
• No Touchscreen, but I can live with that one, but can you?
• 16MP is enough for me, but it might not be for some. Some lazy photographers like shooting wide and cropping in. Frame it the best you can and you might never need huge mega pixels.
• No IBIS, again not a deal breaker for me unless I am shooting low light.
• This camera is not great in low light.

So who is this camera for?

Different photographers do prefer different cameras. For myself I don’t particularly need to desire the newest tech, but working photographers just might.

The X-T1 might be for you if:

• Your should in varied weather conditions
• If ergonomics are a priority to you
• You’re on a budget
• You love older unique sensors (like me)
• If you love manual controls
• You don’t need it to do video
• If you like smaller camera bodiesSmall camera body

Final Thoughts

If you are looking for a good camera at a great price look no further. It’s not a full frame, for that I would recommend something like the NIkon D600 which is the camera I use for low light photography. The colours from this and the X-T1 are gorgeous.

This camera looks great with a small or larger lens. My preference for street and travel photography is alway a smaller prime lens for example the Fujinon XF 16mm f/2.8 R WR, with a recently done a review of. However your usage may differ. If you already have Fuji lenses, then it’s a no brainer to do get this camera. 

Trust me when I say this camera creates the most beautiful colours and at times it looks unworldly. If you after a unique experience where you have full control, you love the retro look I would definitely pick it up. 

You have already read this review, just go buy it. This camera reall holds it own in 2025.