A Comparison of Canon and Fujifilm Colors

When it comes to camera brands most appreciated by photographers for their colors, Fujifilm and Canon generally get top nods. Which of those two do you prefer? Try out this blind comparison test to see if your preference is really as strong as you think! 

Coming to you from Denae & Andrew, this excellent video will give you a blind comparison test of the colors from a Canon EOS RP and a Fujifilm X-T3, using both raw and JPEG output. Fujifilm is well known for its colors, particularly its much beloved film simulations, and many photographers love their cameras simply for the amount of work they save them in post by outputting files that look great from the get-go. On the other hand, while Canon does not have quite the fanatical following Fuji does for its color, it is generally quite respected as producing some of the best and most natural colors directly out of camera, particularly when it comes to skin tones. If you are a photographer for whom natural colors are important, this is a great chance to find out which brand you truly prefer without any bias creeping in. Check out the video above for the full rundown. 

Alex Cooke's picture

Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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23 Comments

I honestly don't believe this. I want to see this for myself and see without youtube compression.

When I said I don't believe this, I'm naturally critical and made my own test shots. Doesn't mean I didn't like the excellent video

Negligible mostly (mainly talking jpeg test). The only thing I noted is with the sign against the sky, I liked Fuji skies (both versions) better than Canon (greenish). The shot of the boy, Canon had a warmer skin tone, which I liked.

The color in the Fuji RAW seemed more saturated in C! to me than Canon. The Canon skin tones I prefered. Though the still lifes I preferred the Fuji.

What will this article tell us about?

It's pointless if they're not going to look at ALL of the available color modes. The two film simulations they chose for Fuji aren't considered portrait sims by Fuji, so judging skin tones on them is pointless. Similarly, Canon offers a variety of portrait Picture Styles. Canon also gives you the ability to create your own picture styles.

As for Raw, color rendition is up to the Raw developing software. Both of the packages in the video also provide a wide range of different pre-defined color renditions for both Fujifilm and Canon.

"If you are a photographer for whom natural colors are important, this is a great chance to find out which brand you truly prefer without any bias creeping in."

I disagree. If you're a photographer for whom natural colors are important, you'll not worry how any specific brand handles the colors. Instead you'll profile your camera with something like ColorChecker, shoot raw, and shoot a white balance patch/card. Do that and it will mostly not matter what brand you're using.

Except if you also have jobs where accuracy doesn’t matter all that much (i.e. almost any work outside of product / fashion); in which case a SOOC JPG that is close to what you think is right is fantastic. That and the total cost of your system, which is 50% on a Fuji vs Canon!

"If you are a photographer for whom natural colors are important ..."

Again, if "natural" colors are important, then you will be post processing raw files.

I only shoot raw and I process to my tastes. Because of this, a brand's way of handling color is not relevant. Simply profile, shoot a WB and you have a consistent baseline from which to start post processing. The whole one brand vs another's color rendering is, in my opinion, nonsensical.

Don't worry about it. Instead, worry about how a camera feels and performs and its feature set for what you want to do with it. Shoot raw, profile, set it and forget it.

If you're content with others post processing your images (which is what SOOC is) that's fine, too.

Color comparisons are pointless when the photos clearly have different white balances.

Subjective...at best.

Fuji as with any other manufacturer tunes there imaging engines to produce a "look".

Accuracy only comes after you have profiled your camera.

In 35mm: Colors out of camera I first like Leica M10 colors with native M lenses. Then Fuji .
In 120: First PhaseOne , then Fuji GFX , then Hassey X1D

I've done side by side color comparisons with my Leica M9 and Canon 5D3 - and it is consistently noticeable that Canon produces a warmer image SOOC. When I've shared these comparisons the preference is spilt about 50-50 between the two. Personally, I prefer the Leica color rendering over the Canon.

The difference of course is:
Canon R + 50 mm lens = $4200 ish
Fuji XT3 + 35 mm lens = $1800 ish

And don’t get me into weights and measurements - which was supposed to be the bug advantage of Mirrorless vs DSLR

I am very happy with my Fujifilm XT2.

You missed the point...
Nobody compares these cameras to reach a conclusion which is a "better" camera.
Also, in what universe canon R + 50mm 1.4 it cost $4200...

No I didn’t miss this point. I made a new point

What a point? Point that You know to read, but you don't understand what you read...

The EOS RP and ef 50mm 1.4 is actually around $1,300. He’s not using the EOS R or RF 50 1.2

Interesting I didn’t see the EOS RP before. It’s indeed $1300 but without a lens (I am comparing to B&H prices). Still that puts it in a ballpark. Pro - larger sensor however con larger lenses. I would give it a go... just that I don’t believe in adapters for conventional lenses. I get it for Tilt Shift etc but not for standard setups. And here the big questions are all the bazooka sized lenses Canon, Sony and Nikon are coming up with

Another Fstoppers waste of your time. You can’t keep track of your selections after 3 images.
Fstoppers.. What is the point of reposting You Tube videos no one cares about ??
Can you write on something valuable or just repost ??

There are lots of simple articles on Fstoppers, but if nothing else they promote some conversation. If you don't like it, avert thine eyes.