Right, I’m going to get straight into it. Part of the reason why I switched from my Canon 5D3 over to the Fujifilm X-T1 was because my preferences changed, mainly my shooting style among others. As a street photographer, my thought process and decision making is different to say a wedding photographer. Our needs are different, our styles are different and ultimately we have different views when looking to capture that perfect moment. So here are my reasons why I switched.
Weight & Size
One of the main factors that made me switch was the weight difference. When I was traveling around Europe I had a heavy backpack full of camera gear (including tripod). It was frustrating going through customs and other security checkpoints, it was taxing on the body – going up and down stairs, waiting in queues at an attraction under the summer heat etc. It was causing so much discomfort that in the end I was not enjoying the trip.
Canon 5D Mark III + Tamron 24-70mm f2.8 = 1,685kg
Fuji X-T1 + XF 16-55mm f2.8 = 1,095kg.
The size was the other deciding factor, I found that raising a DSLR to eye level was more noticeable than a smaller compact camera. The size of DSLR and lens also means you had to carry a large size bag to fit it all, whereas the X-T1 has a more compact size and as a result looking less conspicuous. This is extremely important for street photography as it allows you to blend in with the crowd and ultimately capture unspoiled, candid moments. 
Image Quality (IQ)
All the reviews online raved on about one thing, the image quality. But I wasn’t prepared to make the switch simply by reading another persons review without actually trying the camera myself. So I hired the X-T1 for a weekend road trip, I was immediately impressed with the IQ and was equally impressed with the colour rendition in jpeg. So impressed that I now exclusively shoot in jpeg, together with the 5 different bracketing modes mean I can now focus on shooting and not worry about getting the correct exposure.
Apart from Fuji’s X-Trans sensor, Fuji’s lineup of tack sharp lenses are equally responsible for the IQ that it produces. The build quality and performance of each lens is simply amazing, even for a kit lens (XF 18-55mm), the IQ that it produces is superb to say the least (how many kit lens do you know that comes with weather sealing, image stabilization with an aperture of f2.8 – f4). It doesn’t matter if you go all primes or all zoom lens, the entire range of lenses are super sharp. My personal favorite is the XF 50-140mm f2.8 WR.
Technology & Features
The X-T1 is jam packed with goodies, I’m not going to go through it all here with a fine tooth comb or bore you with the details, instead I’ll touch on the main ones that influenced my decision to switch. Firstly the EVF, it’s big, clear and when you hold it in portrait mode, the HUD display also rotates (something that the other mirrorless cameras have not caught on yet). The main selling point for me was that the images you see in the EVF changes as you change the exposure settings (ISO, aperture, shutter) essentially what you see is what you get. Ideal for shooting in black & white / monochrome.
Electronic shutter allows shooting of up to 1/32000 (4x faster than 5D3) in absolute silence. This is essential for me while I’m out on the streets, it allows me to take photos up close while remaining discrete.
Although Wi-Fi is pretty much a standard these days, this is probably one features I find myself using frequently because not only does it allow me to quickly transfer photos from the camera to my mobile (handy while on the train), but Fuji has also released a dedicated app that acts as a wireless remote. The app also allows you to change settings such as the aperture, ISO and even select the Film Simulation modes.
Finally the X-T1 is the first camera to support the ultra fast UHS-II SDcards (300mb/sec). Fuji is also constantly improving their camera systems through regular firmware updates, version 4.0 for the X-T1 saw a boost in the AF speed, the addition of eye detection, Zone AF and continuous tracking across the entire 77 AF points. This is reassuring as it means you’re future proofed (for now).
Final
I’m sure that there will be some of you out there who after reading this would still believe that it’s not enough to justify the switch from a 5D3 to a crop-body mirrorless system, trust me I’ve heard it all. But at the end of the day all the key points I mentioned above suit me and my style of shooting and I’ve had nothing but great experiences shooting with the X-T1. The superb image quality in jpeg format and the ability to transfer photos to my phone for instant sharing to social media has drastically reduced time spent on post production, in fact I hardly use Lightroom anymore.
But before you go posting your DSLR on Gumtree or eBay, its not all smooth sailing for the X-T1. The battery life on it is appalling, the hire unit I had only lasts 3.5hrs (I literally took 70+ photos before I had to replace it with the spare). You’re pretty much forced to carry a spare on your outings, fortunately they are light and affordable (highly recommend the Wasabi brand, it holds longer charge). For those with big hands, you’re going to struggle holding this camera especially if you have a heavy lens mounted it will be front heavy. You’ll most likely need an extended grip to counter this. Lastly if you’re someone who records video, look elsewhere like the Panasonic GH4. Video recording is not the X-T1’s strong point, it lacks many features compared to its competitors. Fortunately for me, I’ve never ever record video not even while I was still on my 5D3, as for the battery I’m fine carrying a spare and I also have an extended grip.
So if you’re someone who relies on your DSLR to bring home the bacon then you may want to stick with your current setup. Whereas if you’re after a light weight, compact camera that captures amazing quality photos with tones of features, then I highly recommend you try the X-T1.
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