There’s something I’ve noticed, and I want to talk about it. I’ve already discusses this at length multiple times, but this is a slightly different take on it, so I hope you’ll forgive me for bringing it up again. I hate talking about it because it will invariably offend someone, but I think it’s important to bring some clarity to this. What is the subject? Autofocus, of course.

Fujifilm has been much maligned over the last few years—especially the last two—for their autofocus, with many on the internet using words like “trash” and “sucks” and other adjectives along those lines. There’s been an excessive amount of negativity. Of course it’s hyperbole; however, there is a small kernel of truth. So let’s discuss it.

For the first handful of years of this blog, autofocus wasn’t a major topic within the community. I think everyone recognized that X-Trans II and earlier models had some low-light difficulties, but otherwise the AF was sufficient for most people and circumstances, and most everyone seemed ok with that. Then, in late-2022, something seemed to shift, and I noticed a significant increase in AF complaints. The discontentment grew much larger around the spring of 2024 when Fujifilm released a firmware update with an autofocus bug—it took six to eight months for them to get that resolved.

What I noticed all the way back in late 2022 is that when the complainer mentioned their camera, it was almost always an X-H2 or X-H2s. Throughout most of 2023, whenever someone made the complaint, I would ask them which camera they own, and it was almost always an X-H2 or X-H2s (you could bet on it). Even today, when you look at the comments where people complain about the AF, they usually admit that they have an X-H2 or X-H2s, typically along the lines of: “If Fujifilm doesn’t have Sony-level AF on their next camera, I’m selling my X-H2s and switching brands!” Probably 75% of the complaints come from those with an X-H2 or X-H2s, while the X-T5 is in a very distant third place. Once you notice this, you cannot unsee it.

The X-H2s has Fujifilm’s best and fastest autofocus, while the X-H2 has the second best and the X-T5 has the third best. So why do the majority of the complaints come from those with the best autofocus? Shouldn’t most of the complaints come from those with an X-T30 or X-E4 or a lower-tier camera like that?

One explanation might be that those who use the X-H2, X-H2s, and X-T5 are more likely to do types of photography that stress the AF capabilities. That’s a valid point, and I’m sure there is truth to it. These particular models are more likely to be purchased by those doing bird or sports photography, videography, and things like that. What it doesn’t explain are all those who have much success with those same models doing those same types of activities. How is one person doing great with it and for another it “just sucks”? Or how about all those who are doing it with gear that has inferior AF? It just doesn’t make sense, so I don’t believe this holds much weight as an explanation, but it does hold some weight, at least a little.

What I have steadfastly maintained for the last two years is that Fujifilm’s AF isn’t as good as the Canikony brands, but it’s plenty good enough as long as the one behind the camera is good enough. Of course nobody wants to hear that they’re the problem, so they don’t listen to this; instead, they get offended, and disregard the obvious truth. If the person claiming that Fujifilm’s autofocus is bad wants it to work well for them, they have it within their power to make it so. I 100% believe that the camera is capable, and the photographer has the ability to learn and grow and become capable, too. As Ansel Adams famously said, “The single most important component of a camera is the twelve inches behind it.” But, it’s so much easier and more satisfying to blame the gear, so that’s what most people do.

Those who insist that Fujifilm’s autofocus must become “class leading” or “as good as Sony’s” have unrealistic expectations. Fujifilm’s AF will never catch up to their’s, or Canon’s or Nikon’s (perhaps AI levels the playing field a bit… maybe). Why? Because all of those companies have been making autofocus since the 1980’s or earlier. They all have much larger R&D budgets than Fujifilm, and are more likely to attract the best engineering talent. Those companies have also ignored image quality improvements and focused (pun intended) almost solely on AF over the last handful of years (as reported by PetaPixel), and even to the detriment of IQ in some cases. So, yeah, they’re ahead of the curve; however, they’re at the peak of an inverted U curve, and each improvement means less and less and less in any practical sense.

Fujifilm’s AF is more than good enough for most photographers and situations, and anyone who says otherwise isn’t being honest. But there is definitely some room for improvements, and I’m sure there will be improvements in the near future. I’m certain that Fujifilm is working hard right now at this very moment to get the most out of their autofocus. So why all the negativity, then?

It’s taken awhile for me to come to this conclusion, but I’m pretty sure the AF issue (outside of that one firmware bug that has long been resolved) has little to do with the actual technical capabilities of the camera, and more to do with the intuitiveness of it. The Canikony brands tend to assume that their users just want the camera to work great straight out of the box (ironically, many of these same people insist that they must have full control over a RAW file…). They assume their users don’t want to—and most likely won’t—dig deeply into the menu to customize their experience. On the other hand, Fujifilm (for better or worse) expects that their customers will dig deeply into their camera’s menu and customize the experience. Fujifilm’s cameras aren’t intended to give you peak performance straight out of the box—you must set it up yourself for your preferences and needs. That’s the biggest difference. I know this because I own a Sony a7 IV, and its AF isn’t all that much different than my X-T5; however, I have the X-T5 customized for my photography, and that’s why it does so well for me. Camera Conspiracies had a similar epiphany, and now no longer believes that Fujifilm’s AF is junk.

In my opinion, the reason why the X-H2 and X-H2s receives the most autofocus complaints (despite having the best AF) is because these two cameras were specifically intended to attract Canikony photographers. Since these photographers are not used to the philosophy difference, they don’t realize that they need to customize their camera to the extent necessary to achieve their desired results; even if they become aware, they are likely unsure how to do it. Thankfully, there are plenty of resources. Pal2Tech has several excellent videos (here, here, here, here, and here), and is a great channel in-general. Walter Lyle’s video is pretty good, too. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, you can find tons of help if you look for it.

So, if you’re struggling with Fujifilm’s autofocus, my advice is to spend some time figuring out how to best customize the settings for your needs, and perhaps look for some techniques that might help you overcome the obstacle. Aside from that, the Fujifilm community is always eager to help. Don’t be afraid to talk with other X-Series photographers, and ask how they’re achieving success. Find some local Fujifilm events, and speak with a Fujifilm representative—if they’re unsure how to help, they certainly know who can. This doesn’t have to be a problem, and it only is a problem if you allow it to be one.