The Spanish website Fujistas has shared reports that the 26 mpx RAF were sharper to 40 mpx RAF with the development settings by default.

He shares samples of images processed with DxO and other software, where he gets clearly superior results out of the 40MP sensor over the older 26MP sensor. So the deduction Fujistas makes is that this problem is related to Lightroom only.

I can’t verify that myself, as I dropped Lightroom a few years ago in favor of Capture One, which is my main editor, and I can use Topaz or DxO occasionally too (with DxO gaining more and more of my attention).

But I can report what Fujifilm X Guru Rico Pfirstinger had to say about it already a few months ago at the German Fuji-x-forum here:

it must be noted here again that with LR/ACR, the basic sharpening compared to previous Fuji models with 26 MP has apparently been withdrawn or not balanced. Since there are also multi-level values for “Baseline Sharpening Tag” and “Baseline Noise Tag” at Adobe, you cannot necessarily compare identical settings for the controls for Sharpening and Noise Reduction.

So it is meant nicely, but still not necessarily effective for objective comparisons, if DPR always sets all LR/ACR controls for noise reduction and sharpening to 0 for the RAW comparison (what else should they do?), because 0 can mean a different zero for each camera model.

This also explains why the RAWs look softer on the X-H2 with 40 MP at zero sharpening than on the older 26 MP studio examples. To compensate for this, it is sufficient to set the focus regulator at 40 MP from 0 to 5 or 10. Then the baselines are back on the same level and you can better compare detail resolution and sharpness.

UPDATE: Fujistas contacted me and said:

“I only found that 26 mpx RAF were sharper to 40 mpx RAF with the development settings by default. I basically warn about the inconsistence of the sharpening in Lightroom from one X-Trans sensor generation to another. And then, of course, write about other software alternatives.

But in the end of the article i clarified that i can get better results with the 40 mpx RAFs adjusting the default sharpness settings”

So to me this all sounds that 40MP are sharper, but you have to adjust the sharpness settings.

Tips for Landscape Photography, Using the Fujifilm X-T5

 by Reza Malayeri 

Full disclosure: This article was brought to you by Adorama. Adorama did not pay FujiRumors to publish this article. But, as usual on FR, this article contains affiliate links.

The Fujifilm X-T5 is the culmination of five generations of evolution in Fuji’s X-Series lineup of mirrorless cameras. Released in November 2022 — nearly a decade after the release of the original X-T1 — the X-T5 features a revolutionary 40-megapixel X-Trans 5 HR sensor, X-Processor 5 AI image processing, and a more compact version of the beloved classic X-Series camera body. This makes it an optimal choice for landscape photography.

Weighing in at just 557 grams, the Fujifilm X-T5 is a lightweight powerhouse. The combination of the smaller size, weight, and high resolution 40-megapixel sensor is a joy to use and travel with. I’ve been enjoying the convenience of shooting landscape photography with such a compact setup. I can pack the X-T5 and several Fujifilm lenses into a small backpack to create stunning high-resolution images.

Fujifilm X-T5 for Landscape Photography

Higher Resolution and Increased Dynamic Range

Fujifilm has included several improvements to the X-T5 which make it an amazing camera for landscape photography. The all-new 5th generation X-Trans 5 HR CMOS sensor features an enhanced image processing algorithm that boosts resolution, without compromising signal to noise ratio. In addition to its enhanced image processing algorithm, the X-T5 also features an improved pixel structure, which allows light to be captured more efficiently. This also enables a lower base ISO value of 125. The combination of these two technologies offers increased dynamic range and higher resolution, both of which are highly desired features for landscape photographers. 

X-Trans Pixel Structure without an Optical Low-Pass Filter