Should I Switch To Fuji Cameras?
Final Updated on Nov 25, 2021
In 2015, I fully committed to switching from my Nikon DSLR system to a Sony mirrorless organisation starting with the Sony A7II . Up until that point, I had always held on to my Nikon D700 and D800 as my workhouse cameras for weddings and commercial shoots, simply experimented with Olympus, Sony, and Panasonic for my travel photography.
In 2020, I've made another big jump and switched from my full frame Sony organisation to Fufjifilm, with their smaller APS-C sensor. I currently shoot entirely with the Fujifilm 10-T4 and X100V . Update:I've sold my X100V and use the 10-Pro2 equally my 2d body. The X100V is a smashing photographic camera, just just wasn't for me from a tactile experience.
A foreword. I'm not one to fixate on gear more than what purpose information technology serves. I prefer to upgrade simply when I need specific specs or if it will amend what I deliver to clients, then to help you understand the significance of this switch and my thought process, I desire to take you back nearly a decade or so to when I adopted a two organisation setup.
Does The Size Of My Sensor Make You Uncomfortable?
For my first around the world trip in 2010, I left behind my Nikon D700 and instead carried a tiny Panasonic GF-ane micro 4/three sensor camera, the 14-42 kit lens and a 20mm f/i.7 pancake lens. My trusty Manfrotto too stayed at home and in its identify, a $15 tripod that would blow over with a strong current of air. Being stable all the fourth dimension wasn't 1 of its strong point, but it collapsed downwardly to about 10 inches and expanded to 54 inches.
Everything fit into a small-scale ragged looking sheet messenger bag that I outfitted with a photographic camera insert I sewed myself. It was as inconspicuous equally I've ever been every bit a photographer and so liberating.
From that trip, I learned that portability and the content of what I shot was more important than even the image quality and features on the camera. The start travel video I fabricated from the photographs on that trip went viral and paid for the entire yr's worth of travel.
With the compact GF-1 and a simple tripod I could set in nigh x seconds, I was able to get many shots and sequences that I would have missed with my larger Nikon setup. I'm sure of this, because there were times places where "professional" gear was not allowed, but none of the security guards blinked at eye at me.
Some of my all time favorite shots were done on this little thing.
I haven't touched the camera for almost a decade now, just this was one of my all-time favorite setup considering of its compact size and simplicity. To be honest, I can't even remember the megapixel count or if I shot RAW on the GF-1. Probably not. I just remembered that I had my messenger bag with me everywhere since it was small and and so my camera was never more than than a quick reach away correct by my side.
Many people rave about how fast a camera is ready to shoot when y'all plough it on. I as well consider how long it takes y'all to get it out of your bag.
Switching From Nikon To Sony
My outset experience with Sony and an APS-C mirrorless sensor was the Sony NEX-6 , a predecessor to the still popular, A6000 . Information technology was my way of stepping up from the GF-ane to something similarly compact but with a bigger sensor. I shot many travel films and memorable landscape shots on information technology with the 16mm f/two.8 pancake lens and wide angle attachment and I adapted vintage Voigtlander and CCTV lenses to become many keeper portraits.
I never one time, during that time, thought anything less of a smaller sensor nor did I remember of not be able to go shallow enough depth of field with the available lenses, equally you can encounter from the portrait to a higher place.
Then the Sony A7II came out, improving on many of the flaws establish in the much touted Sony A7, the first mirrorless full frame camera with interchangeable lens system. Finally, I could get the same quality as my full frame DSLR in a more compact form and I savage for it hook, line and sinker.
I shot with this for the adjacent few years alongside the A7sII for my video work , and but upgraded when the A7III came out.
With the Sony and its live preview, my exposure was spot on for every shot, simply I did ho-hum down a bit considering I felt compelled to adjust almost every shot. I also started to shoot more with the LCD instead of through the viewfinder. It was a completely new shooting style compared to shooting on my Nikon and great for my product work.
For weddings though, I was worried I would miss the shot if I kept focusing more on fine tuning exposure rather than just shooting while occasionally flicking my middle over to the meter. Does anyone else all the same recall the days when we actually metered?
I hung on to the D700 and D800 for another couple of years because of this, but eventually took a adventure and shot one of my weddings on the Sony.
Any fears I had were immediately dispelled as I ended upwards with an fifty-fifty higher pct of usable shots that were 99% perfectly focused. I fifty-fifty got so comfortable that I shot an entire wedding with merely one lens at one bespeak.
For the offset time in a long time, I was able to consolidate my professional photography and my travel videography into i system. In a way I felt at peace non having to compromise prototype quality for portability and choosing one system over another when I was on the road, only this was where things also slowly started to break down again.
The Mirrorless Size Trap
Mirrorless organization's hope of smaller cameras and lenses were only half true. The cameras, without the mirror reflex system, were indeed smaller than its DSLR counterparts, just yous can't break the physics of optics when information technology comes to lens size on total frame sensors.
To get a certain the best image quality and amount of calorie-free into a lens, there are concrete limitations to how small-scale you lot can go.
If you compare all the professional workhorse lenses like the 17-35mm f/2.8, 24-70mm f/ii.8, 70-200mm f/2.8, the sizes were more or less the same regardless of whether they were DSLR or mirrorless.
So much for a smaller system. The trunk was smaller than my DSLR, just the lenses were more than or less the aforementioned size. In fact, some of the mirrorless prime lenses were fifty-fifty bigger and more expensive than its DSLR counterpart. The Sony 55mm f/1.8 cost about 7 times its equivalent Nikon or Canon Groovy fifty counterparts.
With that said, later shooting with the Sony A7II, A7sII and the incredible A7III all having the incredible prototype quality, video features and low light capabilities, I felt like I couldn't go backwards down to the smaller APS-C cameras.
Being Weighed Down
I eventually sold all my different messenger photography bag and switched to bigger backpacks so I could carry all the bigger lenses and bigger tripod with me. Before I knew it, half of what I took on my travels was my gear lonely.
Somehow I seemed to accept forgotten why I left my larger Nikon D700 at habitation in the outset place when I was started traveling.
Trip after trip, I searched for ways to downsize. Smaller backpack, medium size tripod, no tripod, smaller lenses, less lenses. It was never ending and I didn't even realize that the gear was dragging me down and changing the way I shot for the worst.
I stopped owning a seventy-200mm lens and would sometimes go out backside the 24-70mm f/2.8 GM when I was on the route. When I felt too bogged down, I would leave behind all my Sony lenses and went for smaller adapted lenses shooting completely with manual focus.
In that location were fifty-fifty times when I would bring the lenses, but just left about of it back in my room or purse and went out with just ane lens, only to wish I had a different lens with me when something caught my eye. I fabricated it piece of work, but mode generally, the thought of carrying all that gear fabricated me not want to shoot.
Letting Become Of Full Frame
Like many photographers, I regarded full frame as the standard for photography. More than anything, I was used to the await I got off my full frame sensors and my workhorse lenses. I understood all the nuances of the arguments between full frame and APS-C or m4/3 sensors. I knew the disadvantages and limitations of the smaller sensor systems.
None of it actually limited the virtually important thing in photography – taking the picture show. However, irrationally, I refused to consider going dorsum down in sensor size.
Exterior the endless YouTube and web reviews comparison the latest and greatest specs, we know that you lot can create beautiful photography with just well-nigh any camera, even the ones from a decade ago (merely promoting that doesn't sell new cameras). Camera engineering has speedily avant-garde in the last decade, my 10 year old GF-1 can still take photos today like it did when I outset held information technology.
There'southward at present enough native lens and adjusted lens selections to let you to create, uncompromisingly at the highest level, with whatever system.
New tech is great, but amazing imagery has been made for a very long time before the digital spec wars of the last decade.
Ironically, none of this was news to me. I shot for publications with a 2.74 megapixel Nikon D1H back in the day, some of my best images were on a micro four/3 sensor and I've sold photos taken on a *gasp* god prevent, 1" sensor found on the Sony RX100IV point and shoot.
Property on to full frame, when the size and weight factor was belongings me back, was pure stubbornness backed only by the need to have the perceived "best". I was finally ready to let go of full frame and go lighter again.
Switching From Sony to Fujifilm
My switch to Fujifilm was delayed in part because as a hybrid photograph/video shooter, I was hoping the Sony A7sIII would exist the camera to end all cameras. Something along the line of iv:two:ii x chip 4K 60 fps along with a 24 or 36 megapixel sensor and so I could do everything with one photographic camera.
I am and then glad Sony stuck with the 12 megapixel sensor to brand my conclusion easier.
From a photography standpoint, I had long been drawn to the beautiful Fujifilm cameras that'south and then well loved by street photographer and photography purists. The retro style bodies and dials much more resembled shooting with 35mm film cameras. And everyone was raving about the directly out of photographic camera colors.
Considering all their cameras, apart from the GFX medium format series, were cropped sensors, well-nigh of the lenses were smaller and lighter too. I was more tempted.
Somewhere at the showtime of 2020, rumors were floating of Fujifilm wanting to cater to a wider audition that included video shooters. Those rumors eventually became the Fuji X-T4 that would stop upward checking every box for me.
Just even before that, I saw in the Fuji X100V a camera that excited me about shooting again.
Like my Sony RX1, that stock-still a sharp 35mm f/2.0 Zeiss lens onto a meaty full frame body unheard of at the time, this was a camera congenital to be carried everywhere to capture everyday life. The x100V would be my first footstep towards a total transition to Fujifilm.
The X100V's One Focal Length
What I dear virtually most the X100V is the compactness. Not only is it modest with a lens that barely protrudes from the body, it's built really well, so I could throw it into my fanny pack or attach to a Spider Blackness Widow Holster without worrying nigh damaging it.
It'due south got a built in ND filter to allow me to easily stop downward to f/two.0 in any lighting condition and the leaf shutter is and so silent, I initially wasn't sure I had taken the shot subsequently pressing down on the shutter.
Inside the gorgeous rangefinder style body is the same flagship 26.two megapixel X-Trans four sensor like in the 10-T4 and a 23mm f/two.0 lens designed specifically for the sensor. Information technology's sharper than the Fujifilm 23mm f/two.0 WR lens and half the size.
Later on shooting for a month with it, I didn't feel limited by the fixed focal length at all. The 35mm equivalent of 35mm was already my favorite focal length on my Sony A7III, so I was very comfortable getting in closer for portraits and stepping back for wider shots.
With the Classic Chrome Simulation, I've actually been pleased enough to send the JPEG straight from photographic camera to my phone and postal service without any color correction. And it's so piece of cake to use.
The range between light and shadow was pretty difficult in the scene to a higher place, only I think the X100V captured it pretty well directly out of camera. My girlfriend, who has just a bit of photography feel, just picked up the camera and snapped this shot while I was getting set up to jump into the water to chase afterwards a turtle.
The 2nd paradigm was edited with some very small-scale adjustments, specifically in bringing dorsum some details in the highlights, but otherwise, I would take been happy with the straight out of camera jpeg.
What About Shallow Depth Of Field?
At the same equivalent focal length, the aforementioned discontinuity value looks dissimilar between a total frame sensor and a mirrorless i. It's easier to find zoom lenses that volition give you shallower depth of field (though I'm sure some will still want to debate this) on a full frame camera.
I, besides, was worried that I was giving something up in this area. Fujifilm has a sharp sixteen-55mm f/2.8 lens that's supposed to be the equivalent of the workhorse 24-70mm f/2.8 lens that most photographers would exist familiar with. The optics are amazing, but f/two.8 on the cropped Fujifilm sensor has the equivalent depth of field equally f/four on a full frame sensor.
The same goes with their 55-140mm f/ii.viii (vs fourscore-200mm f/ii.8 FF) and 10-24mm f/4 (vs 16-35mm f/4 FF). The bottom line is that I couldn't get the aforementioned shallow depth on field on native ZOOM lenses, unless I adapted larger and heavier full frame lenses from another brand like Catechism with a focal length booster similar this this Viltrox .71x Speedbooster Canon EF to Fuji 10 mount adapter.
I had to accept this and let it become also. Just it would be naive to remember you can't get really shallow depth of field on a cropped sensor – especially with prime lenses.
The Fujifilm 35mm f/1.iv will still give you a buttery out of focus background. The Fujifilm 56mm f/1.two even more and so. And there's fifty-fifty the Mitakon 35mm f/0.95 for those who really want practically everything out of focus.
In the real globe, I found myself stopping down to f/two.0 and f/2.eight more ofttimes than I realized, fifty-fifty when I could shoot wide open at f/1.4. Why? Because sometimes f/i.iv is too soft or the field of focus is way as well narrow on full frame.
Getting shallow depth of field on an APS-C sensor would not be a problem at all for me.
Falling In Beloved With APS-C Again
With no excuses left, I bought the Ten-T4, a cropped sensor camera, to exist my master camera every bit a professional/paid lensman. It felt weird proverb that out loud at starting time, simply any insecurities were immediately dispelled as soon every bit I held the camera in my hand and shot with it.
From a living room portrait of my dad to photos of the dinners I cooked (like most people, I didn't get out the house much for most of 2020), I felt excited about "everyday" shooting again. Make of it what yous volition, merely I do believe how a camera feels in your hand does change the mode y'all shoot.
After owning it for a couple of months, I learned then many things well-nigh the X-T4 that reviews couldn't really show or missed birthday.
The prototype quality is superb and I very much doubt anyone, including the most discerning of clients, would be able to tell that a shot was taken with a cropped sensor. In fact, many of the movie posters and promo shots you've been seeing for big Hollywood blockbusters similar Monster Hunter, Joker, and Dunkirk, to name a few, were taken on older Fuji cropped sensor cameras like the Ten-T2 and X-T3.
With the X-T4 and the 10-24mm f/4 lens, it felt very familiar to my Sony A7III and 16-35mm f/four combination – my favorite combination for landscapes. Except, now it was more meaty and the 3 way tilt axis LCD screen made it easier to go certain vertical shots in straight sunlight. The X100V's unimposing rangefinder style body has inspired me to shoot more street "landscapes" and to play more with harsh sunlight and shadows. More than than anything, it's size has me carrying information technology everywhere I go.
Forth with the Ten-T4, I bought the Fujifilm 35mm f/ane.4 , the ten-24mm f/4 , and the 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 lens. I've also adapted my Voigtlander 50mm f/ane.5 lens and a Voigtlander Heliar 75mm f/two.v for portrait work and bought the Rokinon 35mm t/1.three Cine lens for narrative filmmaking.
If I wasn't and then peachy on having the IBIS, I would take probably switched sooner to the X-T3 since I'm withal so keen on this older model , especially with the release of the X-T4
Here'southward the crazy affair. I can fit all of that into my Wandrd 21L backpack 's bottom compartment. I don't have to carry all of it with me everywhere, but it's so amazing that I tin, when I used to be able to fit just a couple of lenses along with my Sony A7III in the same bag.
Concluding Thoughts
Despite my personal journey to get to this point, I'm not trying to convince anyone to give up their full frame systems to go APS-C. If I didn't listen hanging on to multiple systems with a full assortment of lenses, I would go on all my Sony gear or even reinvest in the Panasonic or Canon full frame systems.
There are some use example scenarios where I would want the offerings from a total frame system. But for everything I practice, I'1000 surprised it took me this long to switch, when all along, going back to the GF-1, I knew that being light, compact and discreet was one of my highest priority when it came to getting out there and shooting.
Source: https://whereandwander.com/my-10-year-search-for-the-perfect-camera-brought-me-back-to-aps-c/
Posted by: weekslontoll.blogspot.com
0 Response to "Should I Switch To Fuji Cameras?"
Post a Comment