The tools you use aren’t just in your camera anymore.
UPDATE: Fujifilm has currently suspended distribution of the XApp due to a display problem.
Getting the shot is just the first step in a long pipeline toward exhibition, no matter where it ends up. That’s why having complete control over your camera and the ability to seamlessly transfer and organize your footage is crucial for crafting immersive narratives.
Fujifilm made this process easier by introducing the Fujifilm XApp, an app designed for use with its GFX / X Series of digital cameras.
But how does the XApp empower filmmakers? Is it just the enhanced control and streamlined workflows? Or is there more under the hood?
Remote Camera Control
Control over Fujifilm cameras has already been a thing with the previous app for several years. But it always felt like an addition rather than an implemented feature. Connectivity and usability were there, until it wasn’t.
With the XApp, Fujifilm aims to change that. Remote control of any GFX / X Series camera is still here, with direct control via a smartphone or tablet.
This includes the entire modern GFX series, as well as the following X series cameras:
Compatible Fujifilm X Series
- Fujifilm X-T4
- Fujifilm X-T30
- Fujifilm X-T200
- Fujifilm X-Pro3
- Fujifilm X-E4
- Fujifilm X100V
- Fujifilm X-S10
While the original app allowed for connectivity and control, the new app enhances usability, allowing creatives to adjust camera settings, frame, and capture footage while monitoring the camera’s rear LCD screen in real time from a distance.
The added usability is a nice touch, which has me reaching for the app a lot more than the previous version did. But what really piqued my interest is the footage transfer.
Footage Transfer and Organization
Gone are the days of laborious file transfers and jumbled footage organization. The previous app offered this in a limited capacity, but I always ended up with a dropped connection or reduced image quality. While that could have been a user error, the previous app wasn’t usable enough to really entice me to use the feature, especially when I could just dump the card.
The XApp simplifies the process by enabling filmmakers to seamlessly transfer their footage from the camera to their smartphone or tablet. This transfer also keeps all of your crucial shooting information, such as camera and lens data and location data.
For me, filmmaking is all about storytelling, and the XApp introduces a cool feature called the Timeline. This addition chronologically organizes shooting activities, complete with details like the camera and lens used, frame count, and shooting locations.
It’s like a personalized story journal that allows me to add titles and notes to further enhance how I organize my footage and photos.
This is further supported by the XApp’s Activity feature, which automatically aggregates cumulative shooting data, including the total number of frames captured and the frequency of using specific features like the Film Simulation function. While it seems like a simple administrative feature, I don’t know how many times I’ve seen a photo I took and couldn’t find the Fuji “recipe” I used.
By visualizing this information, I can gain valuable insights into the creative choices I made ages ago.
A Solid Next Step
I’ve always wanted a solid companion app for my Fuji camera, and the XApp is turning into a nice addition to my workflow.
As smartphones continue becoming better at taking pictures we want to show and use for professional projects, modern cameras have to keep up in different ways. Image quality isn’t really the be-all end-all selling point anymore.
If you have a compatible camera, get the XApp for iOS or Android.
With additions like this, I’m starting to get excited about using my Fuji camera again. But the question is, are you? Let us know in the comments!
