I took the plunge -perhaps on an impulse- and bought the new Fuji X-T5 a few days ago. It was a sort of an impulse because I still have a Fuji X-Pro3 which I haven't used much because I'm faithful to my old Fuji X-Pro2 and because I haven't gotten used to its flip up LCD screen (and because I'm so attached to the former, I reach for it first whenever I go out to photograph).
That said, I was tempted by the X-T5's 40MP sensor (7,720 x 5,152 pixels) and its resulting quality, its in-body image stabilization and its advertised fast autofocus. Also included in my logic is that it would fit well as a backup or second camera to my "medium format" GFX50S and GFX50R, both boasting 51+MP sensors (8,256 x 6,192 pixels)...plus it would also become my primary travel-documentary camera.
I briefly tested the X-T5 in my neighborhood, and found it to be disconcerting to use. I owned the Fuji X-T1 years ago, but had forgotten its quirks...or perhaps my unease was due to the controls and locations being different than the X-Pro models.
My being uncomfortable with its handling and controls doesn't mean the X-T5 is not a technically superb camera, with impressive AF speed and a plethora of interesting options in its menu. However, my impulsive decision to own such a technically advanced camera overruled my long-held credo...which is "handle the camera and test it in your hands for a few moments BEFORE buying it".
Over the course of a couple of days, I held the X-T5 in my hands...clicking the shutter every now and then...familiarizing myself with it...peering at the menu, and changing settings and reviewing the results...experimenting with the film simulations...studying parts of the on-line manual, then went for walks to test it in the streets...but it still felt foreign to my hands.
Perhaps I should've taken more time to get familiar and comfortable with it, but I determined the Fuji X-T5 was not the camera I would enjoy using. So I returned it in a pristine condition to the store, where the salesman immediately understood my reasoning that 'it didn't feel right"...which is another way of saying "ergonomics didn't suit me".
I hope someone else will appreciate it.
