I recently purchased a Fujifilm X-T4 with a specific goal in mind: setting it up as a compact cinema camera for small narrative productions.
Although I already own other cinema cameras including Ari Alex 4:3none of them are the best choice for projects where I need a smaller footprint, such as guerrilla shoots, indie productions, and personal films.
In all of the above cases, I’m looking for the best of both worlds: incredible image quality in the smallest possible package.
When choosing a camera body, Fuji X-T4 is a natural choice. great color science For me, this is a make-or-break factor, and the X-T4 really leads the industry in this regard.
There are many other excellent mirrorless/digital SLR cameras suitable for this setup – some even have more dedicated video features than the X-T4. But for my needs and priorities, no other camera meets my needs.
Compact enough and discreet enough, the X-T4 has a stunning Super 35mm sensor, high bit rate recording, image stabilization and a host of other professional video features.
Minimalist Fuji X-T4 setup
From the beginning, my intention was to keep the X-T4 as streamlined as possible, adding only the absolutely necessary accessories to enable it to function as a dedicated cinema camera.
Many filmmakers like to make their cameras bigger and more aggressive. They added a cage and rails to make the camera look more “professional” – but that’s what I wanted to avoid. When I need a larger camera I have a lot of options, and with the X-T4 I wanted to go in the exact opposite direction.
I knew that if my X-T4 ended up being 1/4 the size and weight of the Arri Alexa, it would be too big for my purposes.
So with that in mind, I went out and purchased the essentials to make the X-T4 operate as a cinema camera. Here’s a breakdown of a few items I actually purchased – I probably won’t get anything beyond what’s outlined below…
Atomos Shinobi 5-inch monitor
When it comes to monitors, I really only have two options. Atomos Shinobi or Ninja V.
Both come in 5-inch models, which are compact and low-profile enough for my needs. Both displays have a brightness of 1000nit, which is suitable for shooting in bright sunlight.
Of course, the main difference between them is that the Shinobi is just a monitor, while the Ninja V also acts as a recorder.
This makes the choice very difficult, as I like the idea of ​​having a recorder that can capture the full 4:2:2 color of the X-T4 (rather than just the internal 4:2:0). I also like the idea of ​​recording natively to ProRess 422 HQ for a more seamless post-production process.
But in the end I decided to give up on Ninja V.
After some testing of internal recording, it’s clear that the X-T4 lenses perform very well – even in 8-bit.
Yes, 10 bits will bring some marginal benefit to image quality, but in the real world it’s negligible, if not invisible.
As much as I love the simple ProRes workflow, it’s a worthwhile sacrifice to take advantage of some of Shinobi’s other advantages.
It’s worth noting that the Shinobi’s battery life is significantly better than the Ninja V’s. I haven’t done side-by-side testing, but I estimate the Shinobi’s battery life is at least 2-3 times longer than the Ninja V’s.
Coupled with the smaller and lighter monitor designs, this becomes a no-brainer. The fact that it’s only $299 + $100 for the battery kit is pretty cool, too.
So far I’m impressed with this monitor. It does feel a bit delicate considering its size and build profile, but its quality and features are truly impressive.
Leica 50mm R lens with adapter
Of course, I use many lenses on the X-T4, but I like to have a preset “go-to” lens that I can always keep on camera.
It would make sense to find a zoom lens for this purpose, but they are too slow and (usually) too large for my needs. Ultimately, a single prime lens is the best choice.
As I have written before, 50mm focal length is my favorite all around cinematography. If necessary, I would even shoot the entire movie in 50mm, like These movies did it Use other focal lengths.
When I purchased the camera, I also purchased the TT Artisan 50mm T1.2 lens for the Fuji X mount. I’m really surprised/impressed by the quality, especially considering the $97 price tag! I plan to do a dedicated review of this lens in the near future for those interested.
Initially, I thought this would be a lens on my compact X-T4 setup.
But I can’t help but wonder about my Leica R 50mm lens (also Purchased used for about $100) will pair with the X-T4.
So I bought a $20 Fotsay adapter from Amazon and tried pairing the camera with the Leica 50mm. After some quick testing, it’s clear this is a winning combination. The Leica R glass adds just enough character and softness to the 4K footage to give it a slightly more natural/organic feel.
F2 is also quite fast.
This lens is not yet suitable for film use, but this would be perfectly adequate for my specific needs. I’m not going to add rails or follow focus to my setup, so I don’t need gears or unclickable apertures. I can use it as a still shot and get the effect I want.
As for ND filters, I currently use screw-in (non-variable) Tiffen ND filters with a boost ring. I may upgrade these in the future after more testing.
Small Drilling Machine Tilt Hot Shoe Mount
The only other item I purchased for the Fuji X-T4 (besides the HDMI cable) was the Small Rig’s tilt hot shoe mount:
I’ve always been a fan of top-mounted monitors, partly because I’m tall. The side-mounted monitor forced me to hold the camera higher, creating a downward perspective when shooting handheld. Top mounting allows me to keep the camera below eye level, which is generally a better position.
Mounting the monitor directly to the camera also makes everything more compact.
Even a small arm attached to a hot shoe (or cage) can make setup less discreet. The most low-profile configuration is a top-mounted monitor, with the ideal angle approaching 90 degrees.
I didn’t know what to expect from this little mount, but so far, it’s been great. It comes with a small Allen key for adjusting the tension, and it mounts very comfortably on the camera body.
The Shinobi is also very light – even with the battery – so I didn’t have to worry about stress on the hot shoe mount on the X-T4. It never feels overloaded… although I tend to remove the monitor when the camera is resting just to be safe.
Final thoughts on the minimalist Fuji X-T4 rig
Now this setup suits my needs perfectly. It’s the smallest I could get, but still fully functional. It’s really comfortable to shoot with and it’s resulted in some stunning visuals so far.
Obviously, this minimalist approach isn’t for everyone. If the Fujifilm X-T4 is your main camera, you may want to make it bigger and better with additional peripherals.
But if you’re like me and prefer to keep your X-T4 lean and simple, then this is as compact and efficient as possible. At less than $500 and including some beautiful glass, you can’t beat the price.
I’ll be posting a lot of X-T4 material shot with the camera soon, as well as more detailed thoughts on each of the peripherals. Be sure to stay tuned!
Be sure to check out my free Fuji F-Log color grading LUT here.
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