People thought I was nuts when I announced I was going to switch to the Fujifilm X-T3 from a Nikon D750.
At the time I mostly shot events, I didn’t own a flash and I relied heavily on its low-light capabilities. But I wanted a camera that was better at focusing, delivered professional video and was still a joy to use – and to me, the Fujifilm X-T3 had it all.
When it was released in 2018 (how is that 5 years ago?) it went straight into our best professional cameras and best Fujifilm cameras guides. For an APS-C camera, it was incredibly powerful and well suited to both still images and video.
With a 26MP sensor, a new X-Processor 4 engine, 4K 60p 10-bit internal video recording (which was a world’s first for APS-C mirrorless cameras), up to 20fps continuous shooting and an extensive range of film simulation modes, the Fujifilm X-T3 was versatile, powerful and proof that Fujifilm was a serious game-changer.
Above: Video shot on Fujifilm X-T3 by Artefact Studios
I’ll be honest, I was a little nervous about jumping down from full-frame to a cropped sensor – but I was determined to shoot more video and, at the time, full-frame cameras with similar video specs were way out of my price range.
It was still relatively early in my career, but I was already beginning to recognize that it was important to have more than one string to your bow. More and more clients were asking if I shot video as well, and I saw an opportunity to make a bit more money.
The Fujifilm X-T3 might not be the latest in the X-series range, but it’s still an excellent camera. Admittedly, if you’re looking for a camera with the intention of shooting a lot of video, the Fujifilm X-T4 or Fujifilm X-T5 would be better suited since they both have in-body stabilization, and the X-T5 also benefits from the new high-resolution 40MP sensor. But it also costs around 1,700 bucks – almost triple the price of the X-T3 and you’d still have to buy lenses.
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Fujifilm X-T3 sample images
If you’re just starting out, looking to progress a little more into video but don't have the budget to stretch to a newer model, the Fujifilm X-T3 is still an impressive camera and these days you can pick up a secondhand one for less than 700 notes (body only). It’s almost down to the same price as entry-level DSLRs used to be, but is far superior.
I still miss my X-T3. Fujifilm got the design of the X-T range so right with the external exposure control dials, its analog aesthetic, and its perfectly-sized grip (if you have small hands like me). I parted with it for practical reasons but had I had the money, I would’ve kept it alongside my Sony A7 III purely for pleasure – and sometimes, that’s all photography should be about.
If you enjoyed this article, you might be interested in reading about the best Fujifilm cameras and the best Fujifilm lenses.
