2025 has been a superb year for tech, especially cameras. I've loved photography for as long as I can remember, and I hate leaving the house without a camera around my neck. I am, then, very lucky that I get to test the best cameras as part of my job. I get to spend weeks with a camera, putting it through its paces, and it's really an in-depth test drive in case I want to buy one... and I did!
The first-ever camera I tested here at Tom's Guide was the Fujifilm X-T50. Since then, I've had a soft spot for it. When I first held it in my hands, all the way back in May 2024, I thought it was a lovely, compact, premium camera that took incredible photos. Fast forward a whole year to me adding it to my cart and paying for it myself.
The X-T50 replaced my battered old Nikon D5100 DSLR, and I haven't looked back since. I rarely go anywhere without it, and I've taken beautiful photos and videos in the U.K. and — wait for it — Iceland. It's become my ride-or-die, and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made. Here's why the X-T50 is a winner in my books.
A class apart
Fujifilm has released great cameras this year, such as the X-E5, the GFX100RF, the X half, and the X-T30 III. All formidable cameras, in their own right. When the X-E5 dropped, I had half a mind to get it — I'd even added it to my cart. You know what else was sitting in my cart? The Fuji X-T50. I spent a while comparing the two cameras' specs side by side, and in the end, I opted for the one-year-old X-T50 — and I have no regrets.
Obviously, it depends on your requirements and the specs you're after, but the X-T50 is the perfect camera for me. It's compact, measuring just 4.87 x 3.3 x 1.92 inches and weighing only 15.45 ounces, which means I can carry it with ease, either in my backpack or around my neck. Though its sculpted grip doesn't protrude as much as on some other cameras, it's the ideal size and shape for my medium-sized hands, and I've never once complained about it.
Another reason why the X-T50 is my favorite camera is its film simulation dial, which gives you quick access to a number of recipes (filters, essentially). Some people might argue that it's unnecessary and takes up space on the top plate, but I think it's a boon. I adore Fuji's color science and film recipes, and I love being able to instantly swap between them depending on the mood I'm going for.
What's even better is that you can customize and load your own film recipes onto the camera, ready to use whenever you like. I love this feature because it can help you maintain a consistent look across photos, say, of streets, landscapes, and portraits.
Power in spades
Of course, I wouldn't have bought the Fujifilm X-T50 if it didn't take downright amazing photos, and JPEGs that can be used straight-out-of-camera or with minimal editing. At that, the X-T50 excels. It uses Fuji’s latest X-Processor 5 image processor and a 40.2MP APS-C sensor, which means you can capture plenty of detail and make extreme crops too.
When I reviewed the camera, I photographed the streets of Bath, U.K., and the X-T50 did well. But I didn't realize just how much I loved the X-T50 until I used it to photograph my trip to Iceland (the country, not the British supermarket chain). Photographing the most beautiful country in the world with the X-T50 made me realize one thing: this camera is a jack of all trades.
The X-T50 captures detailed images, yes, but it also has quick autofocus that locks on to humans and animals, ensuring you never miss a shot. Whether I was capturing landscape shots of gigantic waterfalls or portraits of my beautiful partner, the X-T50 never let me down.
But this isn't just a stills camera. The X-T50 is more than capable of recording 6.2K/30fps video, which is shake-free thanks to 5-axis (7 stops) in-body image stabilization. Film simulation recipes can be applied to videos too, and the autofocus stays locked onto your subject, even as you move the camera. See? Jack of all trades.
Would I change anything? Well...
No. The short answer is: no, I wouldn't change a thing about the Fujifilm X-T50. Like most gadgets, I admit that the X-T50 isn't perfect. It's not weather-sealed, which means I can't use it when it's raining cats and dogs (as it does often in the U.K.). Battery life, on paper, isn't the best (305-shot CIPA rating), but it has lasted me fairly long in the real world. And it's expensive.
But a thing doesn't need to be perfect for you to fall in love with it, and that's what happened with me and the X-T50. As soon as I laid my eyes on our charcoal review unit, and I held it in my hands, I knew there was no better camera for me — that has proven true a year later, even though I've tested at least 50 cameras since.
My favorite subjects to photograph are birds, animals and my partner, and the X-T50 is up to that challenge. Sure, I'd love a Sony A1 II or a Canon EOS R5 Mark II to take my wildlife photography up a notch, but I'm not a professional photographer. I also don't have a cool five grand (at least) to spare or drop on pro-level cameras. All of these factors combined led me to the X-T50, and it is, by far, the best mirrorless camera for a casual photographer such as myself.
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