The Fuji switch part II: Weddings…

X-T1-DSCF2495

Welcome to the second part of my fuji X-T1 camera review.  This post will focus primarily on how the X-T1 performs while shooting weddings.  Part I of the review (which focuses on landscape photography) is here.  I broke the review up into two sections because the two genres are quite different and I figured it’d be nice to have two shorter reviews that are more specific to what people might want to read.  First off, let me explain that I’m NOT a full time wedding photographer.  I never have been and don’t plan to be anytime soon.  I’ve been a second shooter for some friends of mine for the last three summers which is a role I really enjoy.  I’ve also had the pleasure of shooting a few weddings for close friends and I always bring my kit along to weddings I’m invited to (that’s where the above image came from).  Because I’m a second shooter I’ve been asked not to share any images from my most recent wedding until the primary photographers wrap up their blog post…   So this image won’t have a ton of images in it for a few more weeks.  For that I apologize but I figured I’d get my thoughts written down now while they’re fresh.

At the last wedding I shot 1,440 total images.  71 of those were with the X-E2 with a combination of my 18mm f/2 and 8mm f/2.8 fisheye.  1369 were taken with the X-T1 using both the 23mm 1.4 and 56mm 1.2.  Obviously the X-T1 was my go to camera the entire day.  The 23mm and 56mm pair are very similar to my former full frame setup with a 35mm 1.4 and 85mm 1.8.  The biggest difference would be the DOF at 23mm is about double that of the 35mm on full frame because they both have the same maximum aperture.  The 56mm is enough faster at 1.2 that it’s pretty close in available DOF as the 85mm was at 1.8 and the fuji pair puts the ISO enough lower you’re getting the same if not lower noise to be honest.  1440 images filled one 32gb SD card with 942 images then the remained were on the 32gb the XE2 started with and the backup 32gb for my X-T1.

X-E2-BBJP4019

The EVF….  Oh the EVF!!!  People have gone back and forth on the quality of the EVF -vs- an OVF from other camera.  I’m not going to outright say it’s better OR worse compared to the OVF in my old 5Diii.  It’s different and in some ways better and some ways worse.  Worse is a shorter list so we’ll start there.  It’s contrast is higher than an OVF by nature but this also shows you your DR limits real time (ie if a grooms suit is going to be black or white puffy clouds will blow out).  You can also get information overload at times.  Yes there are custom option galore and a mode to turn it all off so it’s just a matter of getting it setup the way you want it…  But then we get to the fact that it shows you exactly what the image will look like when you press the shutter.  With an OVF you’d have to dial in some exposure by your best guess (and if you do this enough it’s much less of a guess), shoot, chimp, adjust and reshoot.  With the EVF you just change your exposure so it looks right BEFORE shooting, shoot and it’s the same thing!  The image at the top of this post is a perfect example of this.

The image quality of these cameras is amazing.  I’ve tried lots of smaller cameras before, MFT, sony, etc.  But this is the first option where the image quality isn’t sacrificed to get the smaller setup.  Fuji is known for their colors.  I shoot RAW exclusively so I don’t see that quite as much as those that use fuji’s amazing out of the camera JPEGs but they’re still great.  The AWB is very good.  The DR is also very good.  The noise is great through 3200 and usable at 6400 provided you nail your exposure.  Fuji noise also have very little (I’d almost say none) chroma noise.  The luminance noise it has is more of the “film grain” style noise people will claim they like…  All in all this is the best APS-C sensor I’ve used.  It easily beats canon’s best APS-C sensors.  I’d say it’s about equal with a 5D mark II.  The mark III beats it a bit on high ISO noise but detail is closer than the numbers would suggest thanks to the amazing lenses and lack of an AA filter (the pixels you have are sharper but there’s less of them).  Print for print they’re very close.  The only thing I miss from my 5Diii is the ability to shoot at 12,800 but 6400 is good enough, especially considering my long lens is now a stop faster anyway.

When I shoot weddings I always have a spare body.  Personally I shoot with one body with the second in the bag typically as I’d rather swap lenses than swap settings on the “other” camera every time I pick it up.  So for me the XT1 is my primary camera and the XE2 sits in the bag for the most part.  I did put the rokinon 8mm on the XE2 and kept the 18mm nearby as needed.  But if you do shoot two bodies at the same time you’re REALLY going to want them to match.  The biggest difference is the ISO dial on the XT1 -vs- the Q-menu based version in the XE2.  But the rest of the buttons are in different places and the feel of the rear 4-way is much different on the XT1.  Speaking of the rear 4way, it’s terrible on the XT1.  I wish it had the very nicely responsive XE/Xpro buttons but it doesn’t.  I’ve added sugru (basically silly putty that solidifies and sticks permanently) to mine which makes a HUGE difference.  One thing to realize here though is the IQ is basically identical between these two bodies and with the XE2’s newest firmware it’s refresh rate and AF are very very close as well so both will be equally capable.  But I’d highly recommend you’d use two of the same bodies if you want to shoot them at the same time.

Auto focus performance is one of the key areas the camera struggles a bit.  It’s fine for anything that’s not moving or anything in any sort of good light.  But once you get to 3200 type light you’ll struggle a bit.  The nice thing is the camera will eventually lock focus, even in pitch black dark where a 5Diii won’t at all.  But the reception dancing shots aren’t as easy as with a 5Diii (but to be fair they weren’t super easy there either).  One of the key things I’ve found that hurts the fuji though is that it appears the AF sensors aren’t cross type.  All the sensors are the same and they’re all spread nicely around the frame, but they all seem to not be cross type…  If you’ve got a nice contrasty target that crosses the screen the narrow way it’ll focus fine.  But if it crosses the screen across the long way it’ll struggle a bit…  Weird.



The camera also has a base ISO of 200 AND a max shutter speed of 1/4000th…  This is basically two stops it’s giving up to a 5Diii or most traditional APS-C DSLRs.  This isn’t crucial for a lack of noise, 200 is clean as can be.  I don’t really need anything faster in terms of shutter speed for stopping action either.  But where I DO need it, especially for weddings, is to allow me to shoot wide open to get good separation in terms of DOF.  The 23mm lens is a f/1.4 and the 56mm is an awesomely fast f/1.2!  But outside with the sunny 16 rule and 1/4000th and a base of 200 we’re stuck at roughly f/2.8 when outside in bright light with 1/4000th and ISO 200…  When I shot my 5Diii with a 1.8 and 1.4 lens I’d bang against it’s 1/8000th limit at 100 as well but it’d be just enough speed to keep the exposure from being over exposed by more than 1/2 a stop or so…  Basically you’re going to need a 3 stop ND if you want to shoot wide open outside in daylight.  I’ve bought a 67mm 3 stop ND and then put Xume magnetic rings on it as well as both my lenses.  I had to go to 67mm because xume doesn’t make a 62mm setup.  I’ve also replaced both lens caps with 67mm metal caps which also have xume rings on them.  This setup allows me to quickly add the ND as needed outside but then just take it off and put it in the back once back inside.  Not as nice as a built in ND or having a 100 base with 1/8000th but it works quite well.

X-T1-DSCF3384

Battery wise using the fujis is a lot different than a 5Diii.  With the canon I’d shoot an entire event with a single battery.  Of course I’d bring spares but I never once needed them, not even when I’ve shot over 5k images.  With the fuji’s I have 8 total batteries.  I charged 6 of these before the weddings leaving the 2 in the cameras as they were.  Of course the XE2 battery began flashing almost instantly when I started using it…  So it started with one dead battery and used another but barely.  The XT1 went for 500+ on each battery.  It ended the night on a fresh battery after using three fully.  So in total I “used” 6 batteries, but the first in the XE2 was dead to start and the last barely used at all.  So in reality I really needed 5 and used less than 4 in terms of total usage if that makes sense.  Long story short though you’ll need plenty of spares to shoot a wedding.  I think 8 is a good number just in case.  These are tiny -vs- the size/weight of the canons so you can carry plenty.  I don’t really mind the quantity needed to shoot a wedding.  I get that the batteries are smaller physically so their capacity will also be lower.  Combine that with the fact the camera uses an EVF and it’s going to use power quicker potentially as well.  But please give us batteries that can sit on a shelf like sony’s (their batteries will sit for months and work fine, fujis after a few weeks will die in ~50 shots).  Please also chip the batteries so the “gauge” is accurate in terms of what’s left.  I don’t like having 3 bars one minute then 1 a few later then red=dead shortly after!

It might sound like I don’t like the fujis with it’s need of and ND and slightly slower AF -vs- the 5Diii.  But this isn’t the case at all.  I actually get more keepers from a wedding compared to the canon.  While you might wait for the AF to snap an image into focus a bit longer, you don’t shoot as many out of focus images because you can tell with the EVF and you tend to always shoot with the AF tied to the shutter (so it won’t shoot if it’s not in focus if you choose).  So while you’ll miss a shot from time to time what you do take is almost always in focus.

X-T1-DSCF3586 (1)

Flash work on the fuji works well.  One thing I’ve noticed is it uses AWB where canon had a dedicated flash white balance.  Flash sync is 1/180th which isn’t the fastest but works.  I was using a canon 430II with my canon setup which is their smaller flash.  I’m now using neewer v850s which are the same size as canon’s 580s.  While it’s bigger the total weight of the system is less, but a bit top heavy with the larger flash on a smaller body.  The thing with the neewers is they’re more powerful which means they recycle faster at the same output as my 430.  They also have a dedicated battery that’s good for ~1200 shots which is AMAZING!  No more bringing loads of AAs to weddings.  They also have a wonderful fully manual wireless mode.  While they’re slightly bigger than what I had, I’ve gone from one flash to two that are both twice as powerful and they come with bulletproof wireless.

I shot with my think tank photo lens changer 3 (as I did last year) with the XE2 in one sleeve with the 18mm and 8mm then a flash in the other tube and the spare lens in the third.  I’ve always loved this setup but it’s even better with the fuji setup as it’s lighter.  Other accessories included 10 total batteries for the fujis, my 3 stop ND on Xume magnetic adapter rings and my neewer v850 flashes with their wireless trigger.

Receive a FREE CAMERA BAG from Think Tank Photo
Pros:

  • The EVF is amazing for wedding work.  Yes it’s a bit different at first (seeing your DR real time is weird, especially with puffy cotton-ball clouds), but once you adjust you can make exposure adjustments on the fly and know you’re getting the shot right the first time.
  • Small and Light!  Can’t say this enough, but especially when you’re carrying a camera around all day this is a great bonus!  Much less tired at the end of the night.
  • Quiet!  Not quite as quiet as canon’s silent shutter option on the 5Diii but it’s still a great quiet camera for working during quiet personal moment.
  • The 23 and 56 are awesome!
  • Will focus in pitch black dark (scenes so dark the 5Diii won’t focus).
  • Tilt out screen can actually be awesome for getting some overhead or low angle shots.  I’m 6’4″ and still found myself using the screen to get some overhead shots, something that’d be impossible with the 5Diii and it’s liveview AF.
  • The new SDHC UHS-II cards are CRAZY FAST (and expen$ive too!)
  • In camera RAW processing.
  • In camera WiFi, you can trump uncle bob at the social media game by WiFi-ing and posting a few teaser pics DURING (downtime at) the wedding!!!

X-T1-DSCF3517

Cons:

  • Focus not quite as quick with moving subjects or in dim light (notice I said dim, in pitch dark it’s actually better).  It’ll lock on non moving subject but if something is moving it struggles a bit more.
  • Focus points are not cross type.  The camera will struggle in low light with contrasty points that run across the frame the wide way, but if they cross the frame the short direction it’ll snap into focus.
  • 1/4000th max shutter and base 2000 ISO means you’ll need NDs to shoot wide open in daylight…
  • As cool as the dials are, and as easy to read as they are, once it gets dark they’re VERY hard to read…  You’ll have to look on your screen to see what you’re doing, NOT at the dials.  This is an issue on dark dance floors or when going outside to do off camera flash work.
  • no dual SD card slot like the rumored version had…
  • The aperture rings on my 23 AND 56 are both loose enough they’ll easily get bumped.  I’ve simply learned to make sure I’m pressing them into their wide open mark as I shoot but a much firmer ring would be ideal for me.
  • No flash WB?
  • Flash sync is only 1/180th
  • Needs a view mode with info but where none of the info is over the top of the image…
  • when it goes to sleep it’s faster to cycle the power switch than it is to wake it by pressing the shutter…

Things Fuji needs to fix (via updates or in the next model):

  • Battery life, improve shelf life to match sony’s
  • Smart Batteries, bars on screen needs to be accurate.  A shot counter like canon’s would also be very nice.
  • Fast/Quick delete.  Canon has this, fuji has this, nikon as well.  In each system you have to turn it on in the functions.  Once one there’s a quicker way to delete (typically it skips the “ok” step of the deletion).  But at least give us some sort of option where it doesn’t assume I want to scroll through all my images and delete multiple frames every single time I want to delete an out of focus image….
  • Auto ND?  I’ve got a filter with magnetic rings but a built in option would be better.
  • Add 1/8000th as an available shutter speed.
  • give us a base ISO of 100, or in the very least let 100 be a RAW supported option (if it has to have less contrast forcing 200 to be base, that’s fine, but give me a RAW file).
  • The mode dial switch can get bumped when moving the ISO thanks to the lock on the ISO dial requiring at least 2 fingers…  Once out of ‘S’ mode flashes won’t work.
  • Maybe add some glow in the dark paint to the dial markings?
  • EVF diopter needs a mark so I know my relative adjustment and can reset it quickly once it’s bumped.  I’ve taped mine to my setting (which is no setting at all).
  • The rear buttons are terrible, especially for changing the AF point and ESPECIALLY if it’s up to your face….  I’ve since added sugru to my buttons and it’s MUCH better!  But the XE2/Xpro1 buttons are SO much better.
  • Add the dual SD slots into the next version like the test mules had.  There’s a dummy slot in the production X-T1 that makes it obvious it was meant to have this…
  • Add a specific flash WB…
  • faster wake up
  • faster flash sync
  • the rear buttons…

Don’t let the above list fool you into thinking I don’t like the fujis.  In fact I don’t regret my switch in the least.  Fuji just has an outstanding track record in updating their cameras both in firmware updates (even after the camera’s been discontinued and replaced!) as well as new versions…  Hopefully someone at fuji finds that list…

X-T1-DSCF3898

To wrap this up, the fuji system has finally matured to a point over the winter that it can now replace my canon system for how I shoot.  Image quality is there.  The lenses are finally there (I was waiting for the 23, 56 and 10-24mm).  The AF is good enough it works (AF can ALWAYS be faster, what matters is that you can get the shots you see as you see them and the fujis can).  These bodies are robust enough they can be used in demanding situations.  WiFi is an awesome addition as is the EVF (which I didn’t think I’d like as much as the OVF from my 5Diii but I actually prefer now).  Metering and colors/WB are spot on.  The cameras just perform incredibly well and get the job done while saving me space allowing me to carry less weight and be more comfortable, less noticeable and quieter.

EDIT!!!  I’ve since shot a second wedding with a complete fuji kit since writing this review.  I’m just now publishing the review as the photographers I second shoot for have published the blog from the wedding (so I can now share the images online as well).  I also have some new impressions after shooting a second complete wedding with the same setup.  A few things changed this time though.  The XE2 went with the 18mm into my drone’s case as an emergency backup.  It was un-needed and unused.  I shot with the XT1 on my hip all day with my spider holster and thinktankphoto lens changer 3.  I used the 23mm and 56mm almost exclusively (with the 23mm getting at least 2/3rds of the shots).  I swapped lenses as needed.  I used three batteries this time thanks to the watson charger.  I’d double checked every battery the night before topping a lot of them off from 75% up to 100% and a few were at 90%.  The two I use were both in the red when I switched but I switched as soon as they went red and I had the time to avoid missing something.  One was at 20% and the other 25% when they went on the charger the morning after.  I used two 32gb memory cards.  I switched the first out just before the ceremony and it had “200 shots left” at that point.  The second card had plenty of space when I was done but I would have needed 2 cards (I shot more than 32gb).  I used the rokinon 8mm FE a bit at this wedding as well which was nice to have.  I also used the 10-24mm for maybe 10 landscape shots as a thunderstorm rolled in.

I hope this review has helped your make a decision about the fujis one way or another.  I know I was on the fence for a long time thinking about the fujis as a primary setup.  Until I had both side by side I wasn’t willing to make the decision.  Please feel free to ask any question either via email on the contact page or in the comments below.  I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Here’s a list of everything I’ve mentioned in this review.  Yes the links are affiliated.  That means you spend exactly the same if you use them -vs- if you go to B&H and find it on your own, but in using mine I get a credit which is what makes these reviews worth my time.  So please use the links if you can!

EDIT Edit again!  Fuji has just announced the gray XT1 but has released some details as to what’s coming in the december firmware that will bring some of the X100T features to the XT1…  The first of which is an electronic shutter that lets you shoot up to 1/32,000 of a second!!!  That’s right, ditch your ND filters folks, they won’t be needed anymore.  The second big thing in the firmware is the ability to change/modify/customize the Q menu (so I can ditch all those JPEG settings I don’t use).

22 thoughts on “The Fuji switch part II: Weddings…

  1. Nice review, and most of the points I agree with. One thing I noticed is that you said you wanted some info in the EVF but without it intruding onto the image. If I have understood you, then I can tell you it is possible, by switching the view mode to normal rather than full. Then you get the black bars at the bottom with the info on.

  2. Your reception shot how did you get such great lighting? Is that flash or natural light? I use v850also but never fet that even of light. Thanks.

  3. Nice review – ND filters will still be necessary for studio flash when shooting wide open with the XF56 1.2 as flash sync speed will remain unchanged – yes?

    • Fred, from what I’ve read about the electronic shutter in the x100t it’s not usable with strobes at all so I would imagine we’re jumping over the same hurdles. Good point.
      Ben

  4. Very nice review with lovely images. I really enjoyed this read.
    A question.
    What is the little filterring on your 56 and 23 mm lenses? looks like a mini-lenshood. Could you give me a link for where to buy.

    /Jonas

    • Jonas,
      They’re the xume magnetic filter rings. I use them so and can add and remove a 3 stop ND quickly so I can shoot wide open whe iso200 and 1/4000th wouldn’t normally allow it. They should be linked in the list above. The firmware coming in December will make them unecisary for the ND but they do make a great filter and I’ve adapter lens caps which makes they very quick and easy as well.
      Ben

  5. Great review on switching to Fuji. I’m considering going all Fuji as well. A few questions. Do you feel like you’re missing anything not having full-frame? Have you used or have an opinion on the Fuji 14mm lens? I currently have the 14mm and was wondering if I should switch to the 10-24mm lens. Lastly, considering my lenses, 14mm, 18mm, 27mm, 35mm & the 55-200mm and camera, the X-E1 what lenses would you recommend getting/swapping to go along with a X-T1? My initial thought is to sell the 18 & 35 and get the 23 & 56. I’d keep the 27 on the X-E1 and use it as a ‘slow’ backup. Thanks in advance.

    • Thanks Ernest.
      First up, FF -vs- APS-C. Both have their pros and cons. I’ll be honest and say that I’ve got a sony a7s/a7r combo on my desk right now that I’m testing -vs- the fuji setup… Why? For me it’s all about low light AF and ISO performance. The fuji does well with ISOs to 3200 and if you nail your exposure 6400 is usable. If that varies from what I’ve said in the review it’s only because I’ve had more time with the files. My old 5Diii was basically a stop better. The second bit is low light AF. I’ve never been thrilled with low light AF, even with the 5Diii. It was usable but still not easy. The fuji is slightly behind that once the light drops. I’m toying with the a7s because it’s AF is good down to -3EV but I’ve only had it a week. The a7r is here on loan just to see what 36mp FF is like for scapes. I don’t need files that big but it’s fun to see the difference between 12mp (a7s), 16mp (fujis), 24mp (canon/sony a7/sony a6000) and 36mp (a7r). The a7s is also fun to play with because it brings insane ISOs that are clean enough I can scape with them (stars!). As I said, the ISO and AF in super low light is what has me considering this, sony happens to finally have the lenses I’d need so I can consider it. The XT1 23/56/10-24 setup is actually heavier than the a7s 24/55/16-35 setup. Yes that means I’d be using the primes in crop mode for the same FLs but for docuwedding work that’s not an issue. We use mRAW anyway… I will say FF sensors get dusty FAST though, there’s dust bunnies like crazy on both sony sensors!

      Lens wise I need an UWA zoom to do what I do. I owned the 14mm for about 6 months before the 10-24mm was available. It’s a great lens and nice and small. It’s also f/2.8 for when you need that and it has the much superior push/pull AF/MF clutch which is amazing for MFing landscapes in super low light… But as I said, I really needed the wider focal lengths and the options the 10-24mm provides. Just as I waited for that lens to make the swap I had to wait for sony to ship the 16-35mm to consider their bodies. Lens wise the bigger lenses do fit and feel more balanced on the XT1. So the 23mm and 56mm are amazing on that body while a bit largish on the XE1/2. I wouldn’t say unusable, but personally I use my XE2 with the 18mm and 18-55. I use my XT1 with the 10-25, 18-135, 23mm and 56mm. I’ve moved away from the 55-200 to the 18-135mm as I’m a 2 lens landscape kinda guy and I prefer having the sealed option but these focal lengths suit me better.

      Basically, if you’re trying to really replace a DSRL the XT1 and 23 and 56 replaced my 5Diii with a 35 and 85 as my wedding kit. I didn’t feel comfortable selling the canon when I had the XE2. I just much prefer the feel of a SLR feeling EVIL to the rangefinder styling of the XE series I guess? The massive viewfinder certainly helps, along with the fact it’s AF is slightly better. I feel the same with sony, the a7 series is a good DSLR replacement but the a6000 feels like it’s be awkward to shoot a wedding with being so small with such a small EVF? Some of that is the perception you get from others though. I’ve been questioned about using the XE2 at a wedding before but never the XT1 (unless it’s by a photog that knows what it is and wants to know about it). Some would say “so what” or that you blend in better with the smaller kit which I don’t disagree with but personally I don’t feel as comfortable with the smaller cameras at events. This probably also comes down to I use the EVF all the time at an event and the bigger bodies (a7 and xt1) have bigger/better EVFs. When I’m shooting with my family I use the rear screen a lot more so that I’m not as removed from what’s going on but it’s not as good in terms of nailing the shot.

      Hope that helps!
      Ben

  6. Thanks for the review, very informative. One question, a bit off-topic, but how is that Spider pin attached to the bottom of the X-T1 bracket? I am only familiar with the straight pins, this seems to be an angular one?

  7. Any conclusions on the Fuji vs Sony decision? I went to the local camera store to look at the Fuji, but the A7s was really great. My biggest hold up is sony’s lens selection and the fact that they are snail slow in brining out lenses so I left with an x-e2 as fuji’s system is much more complete.

    • It’s a tough choice to be honest. Sony actually leaked some dates for some lenses today at CES. The 28 f/2 and macro are due in march I think? And there’s a 24-240 around then as well. The 35mm 1.4 will come later in the year. As for the system to choose it all depends on what you need and what lenses you need. Do you need high ISOs? Then the a7s is the clear winner. Do you need resolution? Then the a7r or maybe a7/a7ii are the winner. But if you just need a good all around system the fujis are great and they do have better lens options right now. I will admit though, I’m in the middle of selling off all my fuji kit as I’ve picked up an a7ii with the 16-35 and 55 lately. I missed full frame and just waited for sony to have my one crucial lens (the 16-35mm). I’m happy.
      Good Luck!
      Ben

  8. Nice review! A quick comment re viewfinder settings… I shoot raw too and I shoot raw+JPEG but with the JPEG settings as Pro neg STD, S-1, H-1, Colour+2, nr-2. This gives me a very natural looking viewfinder image to my eyes, especially in lower light. Hope you keep enjoying the cameras!

    • Ben, when you say that you missed full frame, exactly what did you miss? More resolution? Better ISO?
      Where I am at right now, is that I have realized (after getting the X100T) how good the Fuji sensor is. And coming from Canon, where APS-C lenses means inferior IQ, is is quite a revelation to find that the XF lenses are like L lenses, but for APS-C.
      One thing is sure: “Full frame” is just a size, and there is nothing ultimate about it. It is smaller than some, and bigger that others.
      (BTW, seemingly reliable rumours have it, that the coming Fuji sensor will be 24MP, which seems about perfect.)

    • Thanks for the comment Lars.
      When we think about sensor design we’ve got the physical size limit and then what we’re asking it to do. You’re always chasing megapixels, ISOs and dynamic range. If you start with a sensor that has more surface are it captures more light so it’s easier to fit more MP in there while maintaining the DR and ISOs. For this review I meant that I missed the cleaner ISO and DR of full frame -vs- APS-c but when switching from canon to fuji that’s a lot less of an issue (because canon’s files get banding issues and have less DR). The other thing to consider is that fuji’s sensor layout is a bit of an odd duck. Great colors low in the range but when the ISOs get up there they lose a bit of their punch. For me moving to fuji (aps-c) from canon was mostly a lateral move, but my more recent transition to sony and back to full frame has been eye opening in terms of the the dynamic range, great high ISOs and MP as well. It’s scary as that camera wins in all three categories for me (the a7s beats it in ISOs obviously but at a huge cost to MP).

      For me, I missed MP for landscapes and architecture work. I didn’t *need* more than 18mp (and I’d agree the 24mp range is a pretty good sweet spot) but it never hurts for that sort of work. I currently shoot weddings in crop mode on the a7rii which is 18mp. You can never have enough dynamic range so that’s not so much of an issue of missing it but it’s just nice to have more. And cleaner high ISOs allow me to get some shots I couldn’t before.

      Lens wise I agree that the XF lenses are very much like L lenses for aps-c. The 23 and 56 were both amazing and tiny -vs- their full frame versions. The 10-24mm was also a wonderful lens. I can’t really criticize fuji for any of their lenses…

      check out my a7rii review here if you haven’t already seen it: http://www.benjacobsenphoto.com/2015/photography/a7rii-review/

      Good Luck!
      Ben

  9. Well I’m sorry but this review is a bit of a joke (unless I got it all wrong). After all the nice things he says about his Fuji cameras in the review, and how he’s powering through the weddings – it’s all a moot point. If you read his last comment he has/is selling them all and swapping over to sony. So much for how good Fuji was!! This guy has more money than practicality – it must have cost him a fortune to buy, then sell off all the Canons, then buy and sell off all the Fuji, then buy all the new Sony gear. We all know used cameras have about as much resale value as a used thong. I hope I don’t sound critical because I spent years doing the same thing myself. It NEVER is about the camera – it is always the guy behind hit. Both of my cameras are old and obsolete now (D3x and Fuji X100s), but I would not use anything else and have no desire to change. Philip

    • Philip,
      Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. I get questioned on my gear a lot. Let me explain myself a bit. First off, as good as the fuji was, and yes it was good, the sony is better. Camera technology has been on a constant march forward and mirrorless cameras are at the front of that. Low light auto focus was one of my biggest issues with the fuji. Get into a reception where people are dancing but the lights are dimmed and it gets very hard to autofocus (even with my old 5Diii I had to switch from primes to my 16-35mm 2.8 as it’s increased DOF and AF speed made it a much better choice for really low light). When I went to photo expo in 2014 I saw the AF on sony’s a7s and was hooked. Size wise (the reason I switched to fuji) the sony’s matched it on the lenses I care about. The a7rii with the 16-35mm is basically the same size as the XT1 with the 10-24mm. Because I shoot in crop mode for weddings the primes are relatively close in size (the sony 55 is smaller but the zeiss 25 is bigger).

      As for the cost of switching… Depending on how you buy your gear the cost can be a lot less than most people assume. I buy everything I can used. I’m a huge fan of amazon’s wharehouse deals (that are open box specials a lot of the time). I own two sony lenses that aren’t bought that way (the zeiss’ because I couldn’t get them used yet). Camera wise the first four sonys I tried were all bought used (a7, a7r, a7s, a7ii). The a7rii was bought new because I knew it was the last camera I’d need for a while. When you buy used selling used doesn’t hurt. I basically have a +/- $50 average on most lenses I buy and or sell. I try to buy on the lower end and sell on the higher end to help cover shipping and paypal fees. I always sell on photography forums as selling to KEH or amazon or B&H means you’ll lose 50%. It takes time as you have to build a reputation on the sites and take the time to post images both of and with the item for sale. But it works. You are correct that you’ll lose money on a body provided you’ve owned it more than 6 months typically but I sold my 5Diii for <$1,000 less than I bought it for after 3 years of images and paid jobs with it. My XT1 was (and is) still the current fuji body so I lost <$250 on it selling it used after a years shooting? One job covers that. Personally I look at cameras like I look at cars. They're depreciating "assets" and their cost needs to be built into my business plan. I set aside a budget for new gear each year. This keeps me using newer gear which means the capabilities of my cameras are always improving and my clients get a better product. If you know how the industry works and you time it right you won't lose too much money on each body and if you break it down to a per image cost it's significantly less than film was. As for the last part of your comment, thanks?! I agree it's never about the camera. When people ask me about cameras and what they should buy I never push them towards something like the XT1 or a7rii. They're too expensive and too complicated to start with. The a6000 comes up a lot, still complicated but it's VERY capable and inexpensive with some great lens choices (especially used). Ben

  10. Hey Ben – thanks for the great explanation. I hope I did not sound too critical in my comment. However, you’ve explained it very well. I have never had that much luck buying and selling – it always costs me a fortune. Thant’s one of the reasons I just stick with my old gear and have gotten used to them and have no plans to switch.

    Blessings

    Philip

    • No worries! I just get a bit defensive because a lot of people wonder how it’s possible. As I said, you do lose on bodies pretty much always unless you keep them for less than 9 months. But buying and selling the lenses is the crucial part. I once wanted to upgrade my 70-200 f/4 IS (~$1000) to a 100-400 (~$1500) when I shot canon. I put it up for sale on PotN and was offered a 50L ($1200 value) in trade for the 70-200. I had no use for the lens but figured it’d be fun to play with a f/1.2 lens and I could sell it for more as soon as I got it to post it. I used it two days, posted it for sale less than a week later and a different buyer offered to trade me his 100-400 for the 50L so effectively within one week I went from the lens I owned to the lens I wanted and only paid shipping fees saving myself $500! It’s work keeping up with values and who’s selling what (I don’t do it anymore, the markets not there with fuji or sony) but it was an interesting lesson.

  11. “If you’ve got a nice contrasty target that crosses the screen the narrow way it’ll focus fine. But if it crosses the screen across the long way it’ll struggle a bit… Weird.”

    Not sure if you have made yourself clear here but isn’t that because non cross type af are short vertical ‘strips’ or lines in effect and hence they work best on horizontal contrast eg dark table top and bright curtain background? They would have problem with vertical stripes but not horizontal as the contrasting object would cross the af. That is why cross type afs where there is a vert and horiz ‘strip’ aquire focus faster.

  12. PS: The trick I used on my X100 to acquire focus in low light was to switch to afc which activated a central cross type. Never failed.

Leave a Reply to Tim Larsen Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *