The Fuji X-T2 in Hallstatt

Hallstatt

Take a gorgeous lake, put some mountains around it and build a scenic town with cobble stone streets & wooden buildings right on the slopes of the hills. What you get is Hallstatt. Hallstatt is probably amongst the most desirable places to visit in Austria. Its scenery and location is unrivalled for sure. Lucky for us, Hallstatt is just a short 2.5hr drive away from Munich. Fall has been kind to us and we decided to spend a day there. This was also an excellent opportunity for me to test the new Fuji X-T2. I have had the camera for a few weeks but ended up not having time to properly test drive it due to my schedule at work.

The marvelous Fuji X-2 in Hallstatt (taken with the equally awesome Fuji X70)
The marvelous Fuji X-2 in Hallstatt (taken with the equally awesome Fuji X70)

First impressions of the Fuji X-T2

Having had the Fuji X-T1 since it first came out, starting with the Fuji X-T2 was easy. It looks almost identical but it does feel a little bit heavier and beefier. Overall, it fits my hands perfectly and I actually like the added 50g or so. It did take me a few moments to configure it properly. The menu structure has changed considerably and there are a bunch of new features that one needs to consider. I woke up bright and early at 6am to walk around the town and take advantage of the blue hour. Right after stepping into the town I saw the following scene:

Hallstatt Church
Fuji X-T2, XF18-55, 26s, f/5,0, ISO 200

The fog was moving at a rapid pace and I could have easily spent more time there but I desperately wanted to reach the end of the town to get one of the most iconic shots:

Hallstatt
Fuji X-T2, XF 18-55, 18mm, f/10, 20s, ISO 200

I got there right in time to get a few shots during the blue hour. There were already a bunch of photographers lined up. I had a true Fuji moment – all of them sported huge DSLRs with cable releases and massive tripods. They gave me sad and disapproving looks when I pulled out my miniature Fuji X-T2. Regardless of the stares, the Fuji X-T2 behaved wonderfully. I really liked the joystick on the back to set the focus point.

More adventures

Right after breakfast, we set out to explore the salt mines on top of the mountain. It’s a fun day trip that includes a spectacular funicular ride, an awesome visitor platform and some fun slides. I ended up bringing just my beloved Fuji X-70 as the salt mine visit is a bit more involved.

Hallstatt
The visitor platform high above Hallstatt – Fuji X70

Fuji X-T2

Processing the files coming out of the Fuji X-T2 was a pleasant experience. The colors are gorgeous and the images do appear sharper than those from the Fuji X-T1. It’s a bit too early to make a verdict, though. I will aim to provide a thorough review in a few weeks from now.

If you have a chance to visit Hallstatt, do so. It’s gorgeous. As a matter of fact, it’s so gorgeous that the Chinese decided to build a copy a few years ago. Make sure to read the story  it’s hilarious.

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