As a person who shoots a ton of film, I’ve been looking at Fuji X-series cameras for a while. Fuji has retro looks. They have the feel of a film camera. They even produce some film-like JPEG images easily. Should I switch to Fuji?

Making the switch to Fuji has been tempting for a long time. When I came back to micro four-thirds around this time last year, I looked hard at Fuji. I wanted a hybrid camera with great video specs, IBIS, and smaller, lighter lenses. To me, the choice came down to Fuji and Micro Four-Thirds (m43).

Why am I considering a switch to Fuji again?

I recently got in a Fuji X-T4 to test some lenses for my job at Photofocus. Playing around with it and diving into the film simulations got me thinking. Would being able to happily shoot JPEGs all the time be worth the switch to Fuji? With all of the recipes for different looks out there, it certainly seems possible.

Beyond the great JPEGs that Fuji cameras produce, all of the features I was looking for are still there. The X-T4 has great video specs. Even if it is missing a few specs that my G9 has. Although, it does have a couple of things the Panasonic doesn’t. The X-T 4 has that retro look and feel as well. It also has a nice system of lenses fleshed out now with 3rd parties jumping in.

However, it mainly comes down to the JPEG experience. Could I give up shooting RAW and editing for good if I switch to Fuji? My experience so far has been that I likely could. You can endlessly customize the film simulations, and it’s easy to get addicted to playing with them. More importantly, the resulting images look great.

Are JPEGs a good enough reason to switch to Fuji?

As mentioned in the intro, I shoot a lot of film. I’ve gotten to where I develop and scan everything at home now. My scanning process is dialed into the point that I usually just scan to JPEG and call it a day now. I love scanning my film and being finished with it, aside from maybe cleaning up dust and scratches.

My thought was that shooting JPEG could be the digital equivalent of that. I don’t edit my photos a ton anyway. However, my G9 doesn’t have a ton of customized options for JPEG profiles. I can get good ones, but they don’t quite measure up to Fujifilm’s simulations. That could be a great reason to switch to Fuji.

However, in my time so far with the X-T 4, I don’t think it’s enough. While the film sims are awesome, they’re still simulations. I can load a roll of film into my Pentax point and shoot and get the real thing in a pocketable package. Sure, it’s more time and effort overall, but I think it’s worth it. Seeing as I never planned to give up film, I don’t think the JPEGs are worth it.

I’m not going to switch to Fuji…yet

Honestly, almost every camera system today is good enough for me. It really comes down to how several small things add up to make a very personal decision. I am pretty happy with my G9. However, if I switch to anything I think the new OM-1 or GH6 would make more sense. There’s a lot to be said about how much lenses matter in a system. Losing mine to switch to Fuji is a pretty big con.

I own several m43 lenses that I absolutely love. The Leica 12-60mm and 50-200mm are chief among them. Being able to hang on to those is a huge plus for m43. They’re tiny and light, but incredibly versatile all while delivering excellent image quality. The 12-60mm comes with me on almost every bike ride. It’s perfect for keeping my bag light but gives me everything I need.

Beyond that, m43 does everything I need it to. If I want my photos to look like film, I have film cameras I can use. For video, the G9 does so much well. The stabilization of m43 is unmatched in stills and videos. I love that my little 50-200mm gives me a 400mm full-frame equivalent reach. For me, m43 has many more pros than cons.

Final thoughts

I think what finally convinced me I didn’t have a reason to switch to Fuji was this one thought: When would I take an XT-4 out instead of a film camera? I honestly couldn’t come up with many situations.

For my bike rides, the G9 does fine. Around town, I’m even thrilled with the photos I got from my Pentax IQzoom. Landscapes? I have my RB67 and Yashicamat. Wildlife? Fuji’s 100-400mm is a lot more expensive than Panasonic or OM Systems. It doesn’t reach as far either.

Don’t take me wrong, though. I am loving using the XT-4. I could totally see myself using it over my G9 in a lot of situations if I could afford both. However, with film in the mix, I just don’t see enough use cases where it would win overall. Maybe I’ll win the lotto and grab an XE-4 or X100V in the future. For now, I guess I won’t be making the switch to Fuji.