My Fujifilm X-T5 Use Cases For Custom Settings Banks

An example of invoking a custom bank of settings.  I was photographing this Belted Kingfisher as
he sat in this dead tree.  I then decided I wanted to try to make an image of him just taking flight.  
All I had to do was rotate the dial of my X-H2S to C3 and all my settings changed instantly.  By
doing so, I engaged 'Pre-Shot' which buffered one second's worth of images and, upon full press
of the shutter, captured the precise moment I wanted.  These birds are so fast, there is not way I
could have captured this image otherwise.  My reflexes just aren't quick enough. (Click to enlarge)

In a previous post, I mentioned that I use the custom banks of settings that are available on my X-H2S and X-T5, labeled C1-C7.  Recently, one of my readers asked me to elaborate on how I use the settings feature on my X-T5 so here is a bit of information about that.

Due to how X-5 is engineered and designed, using the custom banks of settings on the X-T5 is not as easy and efficient as utilizing them on the X-H2 and X-H2S.  In fact, it can be tedious if you wish to invoke certain groups of settings.  As we know and (some of us) love, the X-T5 has several analog style dials that control basic functions which cannot be controlled electronically.  With the X-H2 and 2S, basically all of the camera's settings are electronic in nature and not controlled by a physical dial (aperture is the sometimes exception).  It is a less efficient and more complicated to use the custom banks of saved settings on the X-T series of cameras because of the physical dials which require you to not only program menu settings as you may desire, but also require a commensurate changing of certain physical dials whenever you want to invoke one of the Custom Settings.  For those reasons, I have my X-T5's C1-C7 settings programmed but don't use that feature much when using it.

Normally I keep my X-T5 set in specific manner (I refer to as my 'default' settings) which allows me to meet most situations with which I may encounter when just walking around or being out in general with no specific type of photography in mind.  Those general settings are Aperture Priority, lens set at f/5.6, Auto ISO, Auto WB, 5fps, AF-C, single focus point (usually the smallest or next to smallest), raw files, IBIS on, Pro-Neg Std. or Nostalgic Negative and people/subject recognition turned off.  If I encounter a specific situation I would like to photograph such as birds, wildlife or I ask someone to make a photo of my wife and I, I then invoke the Q-menu and quickly switch to one of custom settings.

The C1-C7 custom settings can be used for a variety of use cases.  You can set them each for different film simulations, different types of subjects, different types of action, different file types or even variations of a single film simulation depending upon the light, contrast, etc., or any combination of those kinds of situations.  Before I bought the X-T5, I used to use mine only for programming in different film simulations.  Now, with the X-H2S and X-T5 I use them for both different film simulations as well as different subject matter or circumstances I may encounter.

Here is how basically I have both of my cameras programmed for the kinds of photography I practice, in order of C-1 through C7.  I set up both the same way just for consistency so if I have to switch between the two, which I try to avoid, mental gymnastics are kept to a minimum.  

C1  Birds Perched (or "on a stick" as I have heard it referred)

C2  Birds-in-Flight

C3  Birds Perched with Pre-Shot enabled (to capture the exact moment of taking flight)

C4  Trains (fast moving such as Amtrak or fast intermodal stack trains)

C5  Wildlife

C6  Acros (general photography)

C7  Fully automatic (for when I hand my camera to someone who knows nothing about photography to take a photo of my wife and I (I don't do selfies)

Again, I normally don't use the X-T5 for bird or wildlife photography.  I use it primarily for landscapes, travel, nature, Americana, urban/rural exploration, etc., but have programmed the custom settings for those subjects and situations in case that is the camera I may have in my hand when one of those kinds of subjects unexpectedly arise.  I normally use these presets with the X-H2S.

Utilizing the banks of settings in each camera is different as I explained above.  To invoke any of the custom banks of settings in the X-H2S all I have to do is move the top dial to whatever 'C' setting is appropriate.  For the X-T5, it is a bit more of an effort.  First, I have to bring up the 'Q Menu', then rotate a command dial to the appropriate 'C' setting.  Then I have to physically move the shutter speed dial, potentially the aperture ring, the drive setting, the Autofocus settings, potentially the exposure compensation setting—in other words, anything with a physical dial has to be manually changed.  For some circumstances, I don't think it may make a lot of sense to even program the Custom Settings as opposed to just changing everything manually.  But that is the price we pay to have those physical knobs and dials.

The bottom line is that even though I have my C-1—C7 custom settings programmed as shown, I don't use them very often.  I normally use them with the X-H2S, which, when a custom setting is invoked, everything magically changes automatically!  That is a benefit of electronic controls versus the old manual style controls.

But you don't have to use them as I do.   For example, you can use them for 7 different film simulations or you can program them for several variations on one or a couple of film simulations that you like the best.  If you enjoy using Classic Chrome you can program different custom settings for a variety of light and contrast situations you might encounter such as a high contrast scene or a very low contrast scene as well as a sunny day and heavy overcast days.  If you like to use Acros, you could program in a group of settings for normal contrast subjects, high contrast subjects and low contrast subjects.  You could also program a setting for deep black shadows when a scene seems like that is the most appropriate treatment and another setting for a red filter to deepen a blue sky with puffy cumulus clouds or green filter for soften people's faces.  Although not endless, there are many, many possibilities to use the Custom Settings to achieve your photographic purposes.  It is much more expedient than standing in front of your subject and fiddling with your camera settings trying to enable just the right ones for how you want your images to look.  Doing that can cause you to miss a short-lived opportunity.

If you want to use these custom banks of camera settings, I suggest you experiment with the kinds of photography you practice and eventually you can land on a group of settings that serve you the best.

Join me over at my website, https://www.dennismook.com.  

Thanks for looking. Enjoy! 

Dennis A. Mook  

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