The Fujifilm X-T50 is my first serious camera and is the one piece of equipment that launched me head-on into photography as a serious endeavor. I’m a tech geek, so I follow that news often. In 2024, Fujifilm started to make some waves about a new camera they were releasing. Curiously, I looked it up but couldn’t find it in stock. Why was what I would call a traditional camera unavailable since most modern smartphones have very capable cameras, with onboard software editing capabilities, not enough to make people want this new camera? Moreover, why were sellers listing it higher than MSRP? It wasn’t long before I realized why.
What drew me to this camera is the built-in film simulations that Fujifilm included to replicate the various analog films they have produced for years. Twisting the dial on the top of the camera gives you access to several film presets that look fantastic right out of the camera with zero editing. Most, if not all, of the photos you see from me come from the X-T50. New photographers don’t know much about lenses, bokeh, aperture and all the other wonderfully awesome technical aspects of photography. A lot of the articles and tutorials I’ve read during my journey lament the mediocre quality of “kit” lenses, but honestly, the 16-50mm that came with the X-T50 did very well.
I think the X-T50 is a great camera out of the box but have added some accessories to fit my needs. The first image above is of my camera with the kit lens and the SmallRig Handgrip so I have better control when using heavier lenses. There are additional accessories I use with it and will write about those as well at some point. It is a fantastic camera and travels with me to new places and those I’m lucky enough to revisit. If you decide on the X-T50, you will love it as well.