Feedback on my plan to shift from FF Nikon DSLR to APS-C Fuji mirrorless

[beagle100]

I too would prefer one body and multiple lenses.
Ait.

I agree, for street and travel it's one mirrorless camera and "pancake" lens
www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless

 

[RVT1K]

I don't have an opinion on the camera body selection but I have done quite a bit of traveling and photographing my travels.

There have been times when I wished I had two bodies set up for different things at the same time. I often found myself switching lenses because I encountered some situation that, invariably, my camera was not set up for. My trip to Myanmar was filled with situations were I was taking longer shots outside and then wound up inside a temple and had to switch to a shorter lens only to switch back again.

But I also understand that I am willing to lug a ton of stuff around and that is contrary to traveling light.

 

[texxter]

I can relate to that. For my two trips to India I carried the x100t and also an Olympus OM-D with a telephoto prime, and I would find myself using both in the same setting, quickly and easily, without changing lenses. I really like some of the tight headshots I did with the telephoto. But it was a bigger bag than I wanted to carry. It would have been lighter to carry a single body and two lenses, but I hate changing lenses in the field when I am moving about. I am willing to live with a single camera/lens, i.e., the x100 family, when I travel, and just not worry about telephoto images. Even the xt3 with the 18-55mm lens is too big for my travel needs!

I should experiment traveling with the xt3 with a 23mm f2 lens on, and a 56mm f1.2 in a pouch on my belt - perhaps both fit in a ThinkTank Mirrorless Mover 10, which would make my camera bag slightly bigger than the tiny one I carry now with the x100t.

As you can read, I am a bit tormented by these choices but my bottom line continue to be to bring a minimum kit with me, with the most flexibility.

I don't have an opinion on the camera body selection but I have done quite a bit of traveling and photographing my travels.

There have been times when I wished I had two bodies set up for different things at the same time. I often found myself switching lenses because I encountered some situation that, invariably, my camera was not set up for. My trip to Myanmar was filled with situations were I was taking longer shots outside and then wound up inside a temple and had to switch to a shorter lens only to switch back again.

But I also understand that I am willing to lug a ton of stuff around and that is contrary to traveling light.

 

[ac12]

For light travel, I would "try" to go one camera + 2 lenses.
The trick is finding the right compromise of lenses; zoom range vs. size/weight.

Example1, for m4/3, my travel kit is 12-60 (my GP lens) + 17/1.8 (low light lens)

I selected the 17 on the logic that if it was low light, I was probably inside, where it was cramped, so a wide would be a better choice 'for me' than a normal or short tele.​

Example2, for m4/3, for the primary travel lens, I use a 12-60 and my brother-in-law uses a 14-150.

I wanted a lighter/smaller lens than he, so I gave up on the long end.​

Then there is the old 35mm PJ kit of 35 + 85/105.
So for APS-C it would be a 24 + 55/70, which would be your 23mm f2 + 56mm f1.2
Though if you want light, I would look at a slower 55mm lens, around f/2. This would be a compromise to reduce weight.

I have a 2nd set of larger/heavier lenses for use at home, where size/weight is not the constraint it is when traveling. And yes I have a duplication of lens ranges with the two sets of lenses, but since they serve different purposes, they don't really duplicate as much as one would think at first glance.

I like your idea of a smaller camera as a 2nd camera.
But, is there a smaller Fuji that has the same lens mount as the XT3? Then you can use the 18-55 on that camera.
I ask because, as with your XT3, sometimes my primary camera (Olympus EM1) is just too bulky to take with me, and I will take the smaller EM10 + pancake lens. The EM1 and EM10 share the same mount, so the lenses can be used on both cameras, and I can and do mix and match.

 

[Tim Tucker 2]

The trouble is that as long as you continue thinking in terms that the *kit* is the *enabler* the more you are going to continue chasing the kit. All we've done in this thread is talk about the capabilities of the *kit* and what *kit* we aught to buy.

If you truly want to free yourself from this cycle then stop discussing the kit and stop chasing it. Just go out and see what you can do, look at the images instead of comparing specs, stop wondering which small increment of performance you need.

If technical performance is your yardstick then you will never be satisfied and you are setting yourself an impossible goal because you will always be looking for that incremental upgrade, that extra piece of kit, that performance marker.

If enjoyment of photography is what you're after then just let go of this. Most cameras are good enough, chase content for a while and see what difference that makes to your photography. Forget the gear and just adopt the attitude of, "I don't care what they release next week as my camera is good enough for me right now."

Only then will you stop worrying about the *kit* and what *kit* is the best. Change your mindset, just do it.

 

[texxter]

I just got back from a week-long motorcycle trip to the Four Corners region of the US where Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona. The motorcycles were enduro type and we did quite a bit of riding off-road and also camped every other night. I took what I always take, my x100t, and I am perfectly happy with the photos. Changing lenses in this environment would have been problematic due to dust. I did add the WCL and left it on most of the time. This experience reinforced what really works for me - a single camera with no lens swapping; the xt3 with multiple lenses would have been too big for this type of travel. I love the images I get from my x100t, and I don't feel to upgrade, but I will keep an open mind when new models hit the market. I did use the xt3 for studio portraits and it's a great replacement for the much larger Nikon.

Tim, the kit is important to me because it needs to be minimal. Given that I now have two Fuji cameras, I had to ask myself whether to keep traveling with just the x100t, or perhaps travel with the xt3, and I wanted to hear from others with similar choices. I hope this makes sense. For my style of travel the x100t with the 23mm lens and the 19mm wide adapter is what I want, even though the xt3 with multiple lenses would give me more choices.

Here are some images from this last trip with the x100t, some with the wcl in front of it. I like to do location portraits and the x100t does a good job with its wide lens.

 

[texxter]

But, is there a smaller Fuji that has the same lens mount as the XT3? Then you can use the 18-55 on that camera.
I ask because, as with your XT3, sometimes my primary camera (Olympus EM1) is just too bulky to take with me, and I will take the smaller EM10 + pancake lens. The EM1 and EM10 share the same mount, so the lenses can be used on both cameras, and I can and do mix and match.

I use the Fujifilm x100t, which is fairly small and silent and has a fixed 23mm lens. It takes either a tele or wide adapter, and I use the wide often. The x100* series has a fixed focal length and doesn't take interchangeable lenses, and I really like that. This means the sensor doesn't get dust, and I don't need to worry about changing lenses. I just work with the 28mm and 35mm equivalent focal lengths, whether it's portrait, scenes, landscapes, story telling....

 

[ac12]

But, is there a smaller Fuji that has the same lens mount as the XT3? Then you can use the 18-55 on that camera.
I ask because, as with your XT3, sometimes my primary camera (Olympus EM1) is just too bulky to take with me, and I will take the smaller EM10 + pancake lens. The EM1 and EM10 share the same mount, so the lenses can be used on both cameras, and I can and do mix and match.

I use the Fujifilm x100t, which is fairly small and silent and has a fixed 23mm lens. It takes either a tele or wide adapter, and I use the wide often. The x100* series has a fixed focal length and doesn't take interchangeable lenses, and I really like that. This means the sensor doesn't get dust, and I don't need to worry about changing lenses. I just work with the 28mm and 35mm equivalent focal lengths, whether it's portrait, scenes, landscapes, story telling....

I remember in my film days, my light travel camera was a Nikon L35AF, with a fixed 35mm lens.
And I somehow adapted to it.
There is something to be said for simplicity.

And now that you say motorcycle, I understand the need for compact size.

 

[Soocom1]

OK. First, GREAT SHOTS on the Rez. which BTW I would really like to know how you got permission....

But reading this and other posts on mirrorless, I am wondering if the mirrorless (Fuji or otherwise) is a good step to take?

I am fighting my MF and my Canons as of late and just wondering if its time to give up on the old school and move upward?

Obviously you love the Fuji, so I am wondering if you can post a side by side comparison of the Fuji with your old Nikon or such.

 

[texxter]

As with anything in life, it is who you know, and we got lucky meeting Kevin and his family at the Hopi village. He was our passport to connecting with the group.

I am 60 now and not interested in carrying a 32 lb camera bag. I realized that aps-c is good enough for me and that makes lenses a lot smaller than full frame. Also Fuji happens to have wonderful lenses and amazing bodies so that made the decision easy for me. I have been using the x100t for travel and moving to the xt3 for everything else was very natural. I am very happy at all my Nikon gear has been sold and I am shooting with Fuji. No regrets.

Having said all that, I completely understand the allure of the old ways. I am taking a darkroom class in my community college and will probably buy a Mamiya rb67 at some point in the future for special projects. I am a hundred percent happy with my Fuji digital system and I need to have a bit of an analog fix for those times when I want to get my fingers wet

 

[texxter]

Here are two shots, one is Nikon D800 and the other is a Fuji X-T3. Can you tell which is which?

 

[Soocom1]

Im going to say Stella is Fuji.

 

[Soocom1]

As for Rez. shots, I have alot of contacts with the Pueblos, but the area I can shoot is extreemly limited except for the bounding proeprties like Federal Land and the like. Anything deep inside is typically off limits.

So good work on that.

Hopi I can see easier, Navajo.. not so much.

 

[SquarePeg]

I also sold all my Nikon gear and switched to Fuji. It wasn't my original plan but I just love the Fuji colors and how usable the jpegs are.

I don't have an opinion on the camera body selection but I have done quite a bit of traveling and photographing my travels.

There have been times when I wished I had two bodies set up for different things at the same time. I often found myself switching lenses because I encountered some situation that, invariably, my camera was not set up for. My trip to Myanmar was filled with situations were I was taking longer shots outside and then wound up inside a temple and had to switch to a shorter lens only to switch back again.

But I also understand that I am willing to lug a ton of stuff around and that is contrary to traveling light.

I have the xt2 and a bunch of lenses plus I recently got the xf10 which is 18mm fixed lens. If I'm not sure what to expect, I'll put the long zoom on the xt2 and shoot wide with the 18mm. It's pretty convenient when I don't want to have to change lenses due to time or environment.

For light travel, I would "try" to go one camera + 2 lenses.
The trick is finding the right compromise of lenses; zoom range vs. size/weight.

Example1, for m4/3, my travel kit is 12-60 (my GP lens) + 17/1.8 (low light lens)

I selected the 17 on the logic that if it was low light, I was probably inside, where it was cramped, so a wide would be a better choice 'for me' than a normal or short tele.​

Example2, for m4/3, for the primary travel lens, I use a 12-60 and my brother-in-law uses a 14-150.

I wanted a lighter/smaller lens than he, so I gave up on the long end.​

Then there is the old 35mm PJ kit of 35 + 85/105.
So for APS-C it would be a 24 + 55/70, which would be your 23mm f2 + 56mm f1.2
Though if you want light, I would look at a slower 55mm lens, around f/2. This would be a compromise to reduce weight.

I have a 2nd set of larger/heavier lenses for use at home, where size/weight is not the constraint it is when traveling. And yes I have a duplication of lens ranges with the two sets of lenses, but since they serve different purposes, they don't really duplicate as much as one would think at first glance.

I like your idea of a smaller camera as a 2nd camera.
But, is there a smaller Fuji that has the same lens mount as the XT3? Then you can use the 18-55 on that camera.
I ask because, as with your XT3, sometimes my primary camera (Olympus EM1) is just too bulky to take with me, and I will take the smaller EM10 + pancake lens. The EM1 and EM10 share the same mount, so the lenses can be used on both cameras, and I can and do mix and match.

For me, if going out with one camera I take the xt2, the 18-55 and the 50-230. The 50-230 is a hidden gem for travel. Small, light and sharp. Also they are both the same filter size which is convenient. If I'm going super light I throw the xf10 in my purse, leave the rest behind and head out the door.

Im going to say Stella is Fuji.

I will have to say the opposite in this case. That dof on the first one is a bit ff-ish, IMO. I wish they were the same photo taken with the different systems to really see if anyone can tell the difference.

 

[texxter]

Im going to say Stella is Fuji.

Good job! Stella was photographed with my X-T3 and an old manual Olympus OM 100mm f2.8 lens at f/2.8, 1/250, ISO200 - the shallow depth of field comes from the telephoto at close distance, wide open. I am not surprised that it looks like full frame because of the lens used. Holly's photo was done with my Nikon D800 (gone now), ƒ/6.3, 1/200, 150mm focal length at ISO200. To give you a better comparison between bokeh, here is a D800 image at ƒ/2.8, 1/320, 150mm, ISO200. The lens was the 70-200m, which is a tank to carry around!