Fujifilm Europe’s Adrian Clarke chats to AP news editor Chris Cheesman about why he believes the X-T1 is proving popular and what photographers can expect in the coming months

Speaking to Amateur Photographer at The Photography Show in Birmingham yesterday, Fujifilm Europe director Adrian Clarke said: ‘We cannot get enough of [the X-T1] and we have a lot of SLR users saying they want to trade in their heavy kit for a lighter camera.

‘It’s basically the EVF that’s turned people’s heads.

‘So, for us, this is extremely exciting and there are a lot more developments to come. We are very pleased indeed.’

When Fuji unveiled the new compact system camera in January, it said the ‘ultra-fast’ electronic viewfinder was ‘almost indistinguishable’ from an optical viewfinder.

The 2.36-million-dot OLED EVF is designed to have a lag time of 0.005 seconds.

Asked what photographers can expect to see at Germany’s Photokina show in September – traditionally a platform for major camera launches – Clarke added: ‘Of course, there’s always things you can do to a camera, but we’re very happy with the current line-up.

‘We have a large number of people in Japan, in R&D, being challenged all the time to improve every aspect of the camera. So, watch this space.’

Clarke largely attributes the success of its X-series cameras to Fuji’s understanding of ‘what makes a great picture’, and vast experience from being in the business for 80 years.

‘Of course, we make our own lenses, we design our own sensors and our processors. So it’s that amalgam of all those technologies together that have worked extremely well…

‘Everyone knows that the point-and-shoot market is down 25/30% per annum, so we are focusing our resources on the top end… back to “photography” which we love so much.’

Boasting SLR-style handling and a weather-resistant body, the X-T1 also carries a claimed AF speed of 0.08sec and 0.05sec shutter lag.

The 16.3-million-pixel X-mount model houses an APS-C-size imaging sensor and a redesigned circuit board.

For the full interview, see the video above.

To read AP’s First Look of the Fuji X-T1 see HERE