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Fujifilm X-T2 review: for the love of photography

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Re: Fujifilm X-T2 review: for the love of photography

#41

I'm a semi-pro photographer, do commercial work from time to time, get flown to shoot weddings across the globe. $1600 is a ridiculous amount of money for this camera, considering the competition. $1600-1700 buys you a used Sony A7s, the king of low light photography and video (if you don't count the new prototype from Canon), and it's full frame, unlike X-T2. $1650 buys you a used Canon 5D mark III, which is also fu…

It's a niche camera. I wouldn't recommend it for anyone starting out in photography, but for someone who values the ergonomics of film cameras, I think Fujis may suit their needs better than the Sony or Canon you mentioned.

It's like buying a Subaru BR-Z in 2016. There are other cars that perform better, but sometimes it's the experience of using something in a particular fashion that brings the most joy.

Re: Fujifilm X-T2 review: for the love of photography

#42
I have the original X100 and I'm not entirely happy with it because of the slow and sometimes inaccurate AF, and I prefer the DSLR-style dials to the older-style controls. Great raw files with excellent latitude, though!

I'll probably upgrade to the Olympus PEN-F, keeping the Fooj for a certain style of portrait shots.

Re: Fujifilm X-T2 review: for the love of photography

#43

I'm a semi-pro photographer, do commercial work from time to time, get flown to shoot weddings across the globe. $1600 is a ridiculous amount of money for this camera, considering the competition. $1600-1700 buys you a used Sony A7s, the king of low light photography and video (if you don't count the new prototype from Canon), and it's full frame, unlike X-T2. $1650 buys you a used Canon 5D mark III, which is also fu…

I own an X-E2S and I think that model is even over priced. However, Fuji is becoming the Apple of cameras for consumers, and frankly their audience is happy to pay a bit more for a camera that fits the aesthetic they want while still being high quality and reputable.

If I was a pro, I'd be shooting Canon or Nikon, I don't think the Fujifilm line is worth switching to given that the slight benefits of a mirrorless don't make up for the drawbacks for pros, but I know many pros are very successful with them, so what do I know.

That being said, I love my Fujifilm and take it everywhere. It's a leica without leica cost, and that's exactly what I wanted.

Re: Fujifilm X-T2 review: for the love of photography

#44
post #14

One thing I like very much about the Fuji X100T is the leaf shutter. I wish they had incorporated leaf shutters into the lenses of their interchangeable-lens models!

I agree, if you like clever flash photography it really is a game changer. The only down side to the leaf shutter for me is that you loose rear curtain sync (as there is no curtain to sync with). I was never really sure if there was an alternative way for Fujifilm to simulate the same effect on the X100 but given their wonderful commitment to updating firmware on even the old cameras, if they could do it I think they…

"Rear curtain sync" just means that it fires the flash at the last moment the shutter is open before it closes. It is absolutely possible with a leaf shutter.

Re: Fujifilm X-T2 review: for the love of photography

#45

I'm a semi-pro photographer, do commercial work from time to time, get flown to shoot weddings across the globe. $1600 is a ridiculous amount of money for this camera, considering the competition. $1600-1700 buys you a used Sony A7s, the king of low light photography and video (if you don't count the new prototype from Canon), and it's full frame, unlike X-T2. $1650 buys you a used Canon 5D mark III, which is also fu…

It depends on what is important to you. I like good UI and I will pay a premium for it. Fuji has the best UI - physical knobs for everything. Even ISO has a physical control. I find that UI makes a big difference for my workflow and makes it easier for me to take good pictures, so the price is worth it. Also, I happen to use an X-Pro2 not the X-T2, but I think similar arguments apply.

Agree - also an X-Pro 2 user, and the camera was worth every penny because ultimately (at least in this case) UX trumps technical capability.

The A7s is the undisputed low-light boss, but IMO Sony's UX is convoluted and too many features are buried behind too many menus.

At this point I see few reasons to worry much about spec sheets - every single camera, even small-sensor point-and-shoots - made right now are lightyears ahead of even the best 135 film cameras with the most exotic film back in the day.

Every modern crop-sensor body can shoot clean RAWs at ISO 6400, many shoot cleanly up to ISO 12,800. And what point do we accept these capabilities and focus on things that make it easier to get better photos?

The joystick on the back of the X-Pro 2 and X-T2 is a game changer, as are the advances in AF speed. I can nail shots purely by muscle memory, and that's great. The camera feels less like a thing I have to operate and more like an extension of my brain.

Re: Fujifilm X-T2 review: for the love of photography

#46

I'm a semi-pro photographer, do commercial work from time to time, get flown to shoot weddings across the globe. $1600 is a ridiculous amount of money for this camera, considering the competition. $1600-1700 buys you a used Sony A7s, the king of low light photography and video (if you don't count the new prototype from Canon), and it's full frame, unlike X-T2. $1650 buys you a used Canon 5D mark III, which is also fu…

It depends on what is important to you. I like good UI and I will pay a premium for it. Fuji has the best UI - physical knobs for everything. Even ISO has a physical control. I find that UI makes a big difference for my workflow and makes it easier for me to take good pictures, so the price is worth it. Also, I happen to use an X-Pro2 not the X-T2, but I think similar arguments apply.

If you're a photographer you'll be needing maybe 5 controls:

ISO

Aperture

shutter speed

Metering mode

Autofocus point placement

Shutter and aperture might be automated away with different shooting mode. Even on Canons which I don't use often, I can bend it to my will, even if the buttons are in a "funny" place. I'm just not going to spend that much of a premium on a what is almost a repackaged phone sensor.

Everything else is literally noise.

The nikon d800, and canon or sony equivalent is the same price point. Not only that its full frame you can use real lens, but you get deep depth of field.

Re: Fujifilm X-T2 review: for the love of photography

#47
post #4

I up-voted this because I think the Fujifilm X series cameras need more love than they currently get. I have an X-E2 and I love it, but I'm very curious to see if they release an X-E3 and what features of the X-T2 and X-Pro2 it will incorporate. The whole X series is a pretty great system IMO. The designs are simple, bodies offer fully manual control, the lenses are extremely high quality, and certain models of lense…

X-T2 is still a mirrorless camera. I think you meant that for rangefinder-inspired cameras like the X-E2, the viewfinder is on the side. Also, even with that design, your nose can still smash into the screen if you're left eye dominant. I personally just use the back screen to shoot, not the viewfinder. Technically I guess I'm not taking advantage of the X-T2's beautiful viewfinder. But I do agree with your suggestio…

I know it's a mirrorless camera. The point is, the advantage of a mirrorless design (over an SLR) is that the viewfinder doesn't need to be centered in the body like every SLR and DSLR has been for the last 60 years.

However, even with this design advantage, in this instance Fujifilm chose to make it "look" like an SLR. From a marketing standpoint I understand this, but from a usability one, I don't.

Re: Fujifilm X-T2 review: for the love of photography

#48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you're happy shooting with the screen, Olympus and Sony have more pocket-able options with similar quality.

True, but they're not "pro" enough. I do need the dual memory cards, the vertical grip, the speed, etc. I also use the viewfinder on sunny days because the screen is tough to see in the sun. But shooting from the hip using the screen is a main advantage of mirrorless cameras, especially since the X-T1/2 has tilt screens.

Not sure why your being down voted (if this was a serious comment). The "pro" DSLRs do have speed advantages, both in FPS, and in auto-focus tracking etc. Dual memory cards are also important if you are working paid gigs and want a smaller chance of corrupted image files. When you use flash cards as much as the pros do, they can, and do wear out.

Re: Fujifilm X-T2 review: for the love of photography

#49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It depends on what is important to you. I like good UI and I will pay a premium for it. Fuji has the best UI - physical knobs for everything. Even ISO has a physical control. I find that UI makes a big difference for my workflow and makes it easier for me to take good pictures, so the price is worth it. Also, I happen to use an X-Pro2 not the X-T2, but I think similar arguments apply.

If you're a photographer you'll be needing maybe 5 controls: ISO Aperture shutter speed Metering mode Autofocus point placement Shutter and aperture might be automated away with different shooting mode. Even on Canons which I don't use often, I can bend it to my will, even if the buttons are in a "funny" place. I'm just not going to spend that much of a premium on a what is almost a repackaged phone sensor. Everythin…

> I'm just not going to spend that much of a premium on a what is almost a repackaged phone sensor.

A repackaged phone sensor??? I think you need to take another look at Fujifilm's APS-C sensor tech and image quality.

Re: Fujifilm X-T2 review: for the love of photography

#50

I'm a semi-pro photographer, do commercial work from time to time, get flown to shoot weddings across the globe. $1600 is a ridiculous amount of money for this camera, considering the competition. $1600-1700 buys you a used Sony A7s, the king of low light photography and video (if you don't count the new prototype from Canon), and it's full frame, unlike X-T2. $1650 buys you a used Canon 5D mark III, which is also fu…

I own an X-E2S and I think that model is even over priced. However, Fuji is becoming the Apple of cameras for consumers, and frankly their audience is happy to pay a bit more for a camera that fits the aesthetic they want while still being high quality and reputable. If I was a pro, I'd be shooting Canon or Nikon, I don't think the Fujifilm line is worth switching to given that the slight benefits of a mirrorless don…

> I own an X-E2S and I think that model is even over priced.

> I love my Fujifilm and take it everywhere. It's a leica without leica cost, and that's exactly what I wanted.

I don't know how you can rectify those two statements.

P.S. Leica is the Apple of the photography world.

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