Whether you’re shooting landscapes, family portraits, little kittens, or Street Photography you can set the X100T once and there are enough customized buttons you won’t dig too far into the menu ever again. The settings below are my own personal settings with Street Photography as my primary focus but like I said, these settings work great for whatever type of photography you’re heart desires.
The Fujilim X100T Review Can Be Seen Here (click this link)
Check Out The X100T Extensive Testing Teaser (click this link)
When you first power the camera up you’ll be taken through picking your language and then setting the time. That’s about as much help as you’ll get from the camera, after that it’s up to you. The next thing I adjusted were my ISO settings, probably because it was the first thing that popped up on the menu.
Battery/Energy Saving
The battery life of the X100T is about the same as the X100s and that’s not awesome. When I bought my X100s I also bought an extra battery to go with it… That was not enough. When purchasing the X100T I bought another extra battery for a total of 4 batteries (for those of you keeping count). I think three would be enough to get you through your day.
*If you use the LCD for Live View or reviewing each shot (chimping) you may need the fourth battery, this obviously uses more energy.
*You can also adjust the power mode in the settings to conserve energy. High performance improves focus speed but uses a little more battery. In the same settings menu below you can adjust the power save mode for the optical view finder and the amount of time the camera waits for automatically turning off when not in use.
Setup Menu 2 (the one with the wrench) – Power Management – High Performance On or Off
*If you’re shooting Street Photography or anything that you may need to react quickly too you’ll want to keep your finger on the shutter button and periodically wake the camera to keep it on its toes. If it goes to sleep it takes a couple of seconds to fire up before it’s ready to snap a pic.
ISO
I like automatic ISO for the Fuji X100T, the camera isn’t my primary camera (the Nikon Df is) so I’m not worried about diddling with the ISO when the camera can manage just fine.
Menu – 1 – ISO – Auto1 (then Auto 2, Auto 3).
My set up for the three auto ISO options were as follows:
Auto 1 (Bright Day/No Shadows) – 200 – 1600 ISO with a minimum shutter speed of 1/60
Auto 2 (Daytime/Shadow/City) – 200 – 3200 ISO with a minimum shutter speed of 1/100
Auto 3 (Early Day/Evening/City) – 200 – 6400 ISO with a minimum shutter speed of 1/100
Image Size/Aspect Ratio
The manual that came with the X100T was about as helpful as you’d expect, nowhere in there does it explain the L,M,S, or the numbers across from the aspect ratios. Nor does it talk to you about aspect ratios and which is best for photography. Oddly, a quick Google machine search later you’d still be left wondering which settings are the best. So which aspect ratio and image size are best for the X100T?
First, I’m going to assume you want the highest quality images the X100T is capable of outputting. Next, I’m going to assume you know your way around some sort of post processing program like Lightroom.
JPEG
Menu 1 – Image Size – L3:2 (L means large)
Next: Menu 1 – Quality – F (I’m fairly sure F means fine, it’s the best quality)
RAW
You can skip Image Size for this and go straight to Image Quality
Menu 1 – Image Quality – RAW
RAW + JPEG
This is if you want to capture both a RAW image file and a JPEG at the same time.
1.) Choose your JPEG format and size as I showed you above.
2.) Menu 1 – Image Quality – Fine + RAW (This will give you the best JPEG image and a RAW file)
Dynamic Range Setting
I left this at 100% since I shoot primarily in RAW. If you shoot in JPEG you could put it on auto. What this does is if you are in a setting where there is a wide dynamic range the camera will underexposed the image and apply a custom tone curve to try to increase the dynamic range.
Focus Area
If you want to adjust your focus area just move one of the directional buttons located around the OK/MENU button on the right side of the LCD on the back of the camera. While moving the focus area you can adjust the size of the focus area by rotating the knob above the directional pad with your thumb.
*The smaller you make the focus area the slower the camera will focus. I recommend the largest setting for Street Photography (or manual focus) and low light situations.
Silence The Camera
The X100T is capable of firing with virtually no sound… it’s so quiet that you could take a photograph inches from your subject’s head and they would be none the wiser. I like to turn all of the sounds off on my camera to keep it discreet. Here is how:
Set Up Menu 1 (with the wrench) – Silent Mode – On
Set Up Menu 2 – Sound Set-Up – Operation Vol. – Off/Shutter Volume Off
LCD Settings
The camera ships with the Live View enabled to where you can use the viewfinder by simply putting your eye up to the viewfinder. The sensor that detects when your eye is close to the viewfinder and the LCD screen take up extra battery, I turn these off. It’s quick and easy to turn them back on if needed.
Turn LCD On/Off
Hit the View Mode button (top right of the LCD screen) once to turn off the LCD screen, hit it a second time to turn on just the LCD screen, a third time turns the viewfinder only back on, the fourth time turns the eye sensor back on (how it originally shipped).
*I prefer viewfinder only to preserve battery.
Adjust LCD Brightness
Set-Up Menu 2 – Screen Set-Up – EVF Brightness – (Adjust up + for brighter)
Display Image After Each Shot
Set-Up Menu 2 – Screen Set-Up – Image Disp. – On
*Again, I recommend off to preserve battery. You can always hit the preview button (second button down on the right side of the LCD screen) to review images.
Viewfinder Adjustments
The viewfinder on the X100T is one of the pretty impressive, you can switch between optical, electronic, and hybrid views in the viewfinder. You can adjust the diopter the same as on any other camera, there is a little adjustment wheel right next to the viewfinder.
The lever on the front of the camera can quickly switch the viewfinder between the different available settings. The lever is located on the front, top of the camera right below the shutter speed wheel.
Pulling the lever to the right switches between the electronic viewfinder and the optical viewfinder.
Pushing the lever to the left will turn on the optical viewfinder hybrid (a small square shows up on the right zoomed in on your focus area to assist you with focusing).
Power Saving
OVF Power save mode (when on) turns off the cameras sensor while using the optical viewfinder. This saves power but slows down the auto-focus of the camera. I recommend leaving this off (the way the camera comes). If you choose to turn it on this is how:
Set-Up Menu (with the wrench) – Power Management – OVF Power Save Mode – On
Focus Scale Units
This is how you switch between focus distance, feet and meters, below the viewfinder or LCD. I change mine to feet because I see in feet not meters.
Set-Up Menu 2 (with the wrench) – Screen Set-Up – Focus Scale Units – FT
Auto-Rotate PB
This is how the image will display on your LCD when you shoot in portrait mode… I leave this off, I like the image to fill the entire LCD Screen and it’s just as easy to turn my camera if I choose to review the image on the back (I don’t, I like to review on the computer). Default is on so if you like that then you don’t need to do a thing.
Set-Up Menu 2 (with the wrench) – Screen Set-Up – Autorotate PB – Off
Customize Buttons
You can now customize seven buttons… Four of the buttons, the directional pad around the OK/MENU button, I leave for selecting the focus point manually so I only really have 3 buttons to customize. Here is how I set mine up.
Fn1 Button (to the right of the shutter button)
Shooting Menu 3 – Function (Fn) Setting – Fn1 – ISO
*I use ISO selection here, you can choose whatever you like quick access to.
Fn6 Button (second from the bottom on the left of the LCD Screen)
Access it the same way as you did the Fn1 Button
*It comes set to Photometery, I leave this alone.
Fn7 Button (bottom button on the left side of the LCD Screen)
Same as the other two
*It comes set to WiFi, I don’t use this so I changed mine to ND Filter because I like to shoot with a wide aperture in bright light.
Focus Mode
AF Mode
I use Area mode where you can use the directional buttons, located around the OK/MENU button, to select where you focus. I like to have maximum control with the X100T (and really all of my cameras). Multi selection will choose where your camera focuses automatically, it can be wrong and unless you want to keep half pressing the shutter button until it gets it correct I’d stick with Area.
Shooting Menu 1 – Autofocus Setting – AF Mode – Area
That’s really all I can remember for now, the camera is super simple to set up. You could really switch it to RAW and start shooting with it right out of the box. If you have a question or want to know how something else works or is adjusted leave me a comment below. I hope you find this helpful.
Thanks!
You’re welcome!
This was super helpful. Thanks man!
You’re welcome, thanks for the feedback!
does the x100T still have option to change Background Color under Screen Set up on your camera…I can not find it on mine…seems strange that Fuji would eliminate option…either that or it is buried somewhere else or I have a bug ??
I’ll be honest, I had the x100s and now the x100t and I’ve never come across a setting to change the menu’s background color. I have not used the x100s in quite some time so I’m sure if you say it was there it was but I just went through the x100t menu again and did not see it. Sorry. Good news though, I don’t think it’s a bug in your camera!
Hi John. Thanks for the great tutorial. You mention that it’s possible to set the four directional buttons to select focus area directly (without first setting one up as a function button), thereby saving a click. Did I understand that correctly? If so, I was hoping you could tell me how to do that. I can’t seem to find a way, and Fuji tech support didn’t know either. Thanks!
Michael, I’m sorry for the delay! You can do so by hitting the menu button, go to the set-up menu 2 and select “selector button setting” and then select “focus area” and you should be good to go!
Thanks!
This was wonderfully helpful. Thank you for sharing this list. 🙂
I’m glad it was helpful, I appreciate the feedback. Enjoy the camera!
I have had my X100T for 2-3 weeks now and can’t set the small square on hybrid mode to be positioned on the right lower side. it just sits right in the middle??
Just love the camera 🙂
Hello Freda, you’ll want to hit the menu button, go to the set-up menu 2 and select “selector button setting” and then select “focus area” and you should be good to go!
Brilliant. Got it. Thank you. I don’t think I see that in the manual.
I’m not sure if it is, I just did some digging in the menu.
Thank you for taking the time to post this mini instructional setup. Like Michael L, I too am confused about how to set the four directional buttons to set focus area. I didn’t see a response to his inquiry so thought I’d as as well. Otherwise everything else was a snap!
Hi D.L., you’ll want to hit the menu button, go to the set-up menu 2 and select “selector button setting” and then select “focus area” and you should be good to go!
Thanks much! After playing around with my new x100T I figured it out. However there is another issue I can’t seem to solve. I’ve set up my camera to shoot in F+RAW but I only see one version of each image when I do a playback. Also, I’ve imported a set of shots into Lightroom (convert to DNG) and I’m only seeing the .dng files. Am I missing something? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
In Lightroom you have to go into preferences and configure the software to treat JPG and RAW as separate files. Then you will see both your RAW and JPG images side by side in your library. Otherwise you only see the RAW. Hope this helps.
This is superb. Great to see someone else’s set-up.
One question, I was shooting in a studio with strobes yesterday. I set the camera to manual and had it on the settings I wanted to get correct exposure. The only thing I couldn’t work out was how to get the camera display to adjust for what was (before the flashes fired) essentially an under lit room so that I could get a focus lock. Any ideas greatly appreciated.
Hi how come after i change the settings it does not save??? when i turn off the camera and turn it on again it goes back to the initial settings with the advance filter on dynamic??? i want to change it to VELVIA setting and turn off the advance filter but it does not want to save???
I’m not sure, I will look into this and see if mine does the same thing.
John, Thanks for sharing your setup and recommendations. Very useful. I have a problem: from neither my quick menu nor the Q screen can I adjust any of the settings. I always have to go back to the regular menus. Am I doing something wrong? missing something? camera malfunction? Thanks.
What camera mode are you shooting in?
Usually in aperture priority. I should explain that my fn buttons cannot be adjusted either. For example, I have the fn button set for ISO. I press that button and a menu appears with all the options I can use for the fn button (along with ISO highlighted) , but I can’t adjust the ISO setting from there. Same with the 6 other fn buttons I have set up. In the Q menu, same thing. I have a bunch of items listed there for quick grab, but I can’t access them to adjust. I am about ready to send the camera back. I have only about 300 actuations, and most of those have been tests in my home. I had a 100s previously, so I am familiar with Fuji x100 line.
Hmm, that is a tough one. Sounds like a software glitch. Have you contacted Fuji? Perhaps give them a call and they may be able to walk you through reinstalling the firmware. I’d try that before sending it off to Fuji. Now if you still within the return/exchange period with the retailer you got it from that is also a good solution. I can say I’ve never experienced that and it’s certainly not the norm. Sorry I don’t have a better solution for you.
Thanks, I’ll give Fuji a call.
Just purchased the X100T and set it up to your recommended settings as I shoot like you probably. All of my Nikon DSLR bodies are programmed for “back button focus”. Can this camera be set up? I have not tried yet—hope so—Thanks for your excellent suggestions and instructions. Hugh—
Hello, I think I can answer to Hugh; You can try set the focus lateral button to M and then focus with AEL-AFL.
Great info you have here John, Thanks for that.
Awesome, thanks for the help. Appreciate the feedback too!
Thank you John for your great tutorial….I’m in desperate need of help….I’m a canon 5d m2 user and I’ve seen all the beautiful pics on many different blogs that the fuji x100t produces and I’m not even close….do you ever hold any workshops for just fuji x100t users in the NYC area?
This was very helpful, thanks. Is there a way to zoom in on the LCD and check focus?
Thanks so much for the guide I found it most helpful.i have one problem how do I get the info in the view finder to rotate when shooting in portrait mode.
John, thanks so much for your tutorial. Your comment on dynamic range was most helpful.
You’re welcome! Thanks for the feedback, it’s much appreciated.
Just an added note. For street shooting using zone focusing (that is the only way to shoot IMHO as the AF of this camera is not fast), I like to put the camera into Manual focus mode but set the back AEL button for AF. You can still use AF with this button although in M mode. Set the focus area as wide as possible so that the camera can acquire focus faster. Set whichever manual focusing fine tuning you like and set the shutter for release priority. That way there is no delay. Shutter button will set exposure and expose.
Great tip!