Mirrorless, I've changed my opinion

[Dave Maciak]

A while ago I posted my aversion to mirrorless cameras, sticking firmly to the DSLR. Well, after hearing (and seeing) so much about mirrorless, I decided to check out what all the talk was about. Been a Nikon guy for 50 plus years, film and digital. At my local shop, during an event that had manufacturers reps to speak with I was introduced to the Fuji line. In time and because of a considerable investment in Nikon gear, plus a lot of material I've read here, I took the plunge. X Pro 3 which is now my everyday rig with 23mm mounted. Several weeks ago I purchased a used XT-2 from KEH. Now, I'm really impressed. The viewfinder is a wonder of wonders compared with anything else I've known. I can change most settings without taking eyes away from the viewfinder. The controls have a nice, firm "click" and go firmly into their detents. I've added a battery grip. It simply feels "right" in my hands. Lastly, and most important, the images are great. This camera can "see" in the dark! Exposure comp is first rate. And, film simulation is an answer to "flat" colors. I shoot the rangefinder X Pro 3 exclusively in B/W which produces great images, lots of depth and contrast; the XT is color only--my choice is classic chrome. What a great tool this camera is, and I bought it used. I still don't like the Fuji menu but am getting used to it.
I still shoot with my Nikons as well. Both cameras produce great images, pro's and con's of both. Also, I don't post process except to crop (years of film background). If it's a crappy, weak, image it gets the delete button. Now the shocker: I never shoot RAW, JPEGS only. Quality? I have to give the Fuji a slight edge. Slightly.
OK I'm convinced, mirrorless is a new and great idea. However, I'll still also shoot my D780.

 

[nokk]

A while ago I posted my aversion to mirrorless cameras, sticking firmly to the DSLR. Well, after hearing (and seeing) so much about mirrorless, I decided to check out what all the talk was about. Ben a Nikon guy for 50 plus years, film and digital. At my local shop, during an event that had manufacturers reps to speak with I was introduced to the Fuji line. In time and because of a considerable investment in Nikon gear, plus a lot of material I've read here, I took the plunge. X Pro 3 which is now my everyday rig with 23mm mounted. Several weeks ago I purchased a used XT-2 from KEH. Now, I'm really impressed. The viewfinder is a wonder of wonders compared with anything else I've known. I can change most settings without taking eyes away from the viewfinder. The controls have a nice, firm "click" and go firmly into their detents. I've added a battery grip. It simply feels "right" in my hands. Lastly, and most important, the images are great. This camera can "see" in the dark! Exposure comp is first rate. And, film simulation is an answer to "flat" colors. I shoot the rangefinder X Pro 3 exclusively in B/W which produces great images, lots of depth and contrast; the XT is color only--my choice is classic chrome. What a great tool this camera is, and I bought it used. I still don't like the Fuji menu but am getting used to it.
I still shoot with my Nikons as well. Both cameras produce great images, pro's and con's of both. Also, I don't post process except to crop (years of film background). If it's a crappy, weak, image it gets the delete button. Now the shocker: I never shoot RAW, JPEGS only. Quality? I have to give the Fuji a slight edge. Slightly.
OK I'm convinced, mirrorless is a new and great idea. However, I'll still also shoot my D780.

welcome to the dark side. you can get away from most of the fuji menu if you setup the q button correctly. mirrorless offers lots of great features, being able to see your exposure in the viewfinder, live histograms, the green line level instead of the clunky level at the bottom of the image on my old canon dslrs. and fuji jpgs are probably the best you'll get out of any camera. wait til you look at the fuji gfx line...

 

[SquarePeg]

I love Fuji jpegs! The colors are amazing. Unless I’m shooting astro or very difficult exposure conditions, I typically use the jpegs for sharing. I love the Xt2 ability to shoot one card raw and the other jpeg. I download the jpegs first. If I like them it saves a lot of space on my drives. If I think I’m going to print a few I’ll download those specific raw files. I never used the Nikon jpegs. I didn’t care for that Nikon orangey-red.

what lens are you using on the Xt2?

 

[Space Face]

I'm waiting for the new Canons to be announced. Apparently 7 new mirrorless models are in the pipeline.

 

[Dave Maciak]

I love Fuji jpegs! The colors are amazing. Unless I’m shooting astro or very difficult exposure conditions, I typically use the jpegs for sharing. I love the Xt2 ability to shoot one card raw and the other jpeg. I download the jpegs first. If I like them it saves a lot of space on my drives. If I think I’m going to print a few I’ll download those specific raw files. I never used the Nikon jpegs. I didn’t care for that Nikon orangey-red.

what lens are you using on the Xt2?

Due to my GAS with Nikon lenses I need to wait a bit before I invest in more glass! I have the 23mm I bought along with the X Pro 3 and a 18-55. I'm Jones-ing for the 55-200mm. That should be enough. I promised myself I would not buy anymore photographic gear-----yeah right!

 

[SquarePeg]

Due to my GAS with Nikon lenses I need to wait a bit before I invest in more glass! I have the 23mm I bought along with the X Pro 3 and a 18-55. I'm Jones-ing for the 55-200mm. That should be enough. I promised myself I would not buy anymore photographic gear-----yeah right!

The 18-55 is an extremely sharp lens for a “kit” lens. It was my only lens for a long time. I bet the release of the 70-300 will cause a lot of 55-200’s to hit the used market. There’s a great Facebook group called Fuji USA Buy Swap Sell where I have gotten some good deals. When you haven’t picked up your Nikon in a year, there’s a similar group to sell it all off.

 

[Dave Maciak]

The 18-55 is an extremely sharp lens for a “kit” lens. It was my only lens for a long time. I bet the release of the 70-300 will cause a lot of 55-200’s to hit the used market. There’s a great Facebook group called Fuji USA Buy Swap Sell where I have gotten some good deals. When you haven’t picked up your Nikon in a year, there’s a similar group to sell it all off.

I need to clarify something I said in my original post. I still use my Nikons regularly. Why I started with them in the middle 60's. They make a fine product that has influenced nearly every manufacturer down the line. I got my first one, an F, which by serial number was made in 1964. It had 2 other previous owners. Why buy? I was a grunt in Vietnam, talked with and went out with many news guys--mostly AP. All had either Nikons or Leica's around their necks---usually at least 2 cameras. They highly recommended both brands, to a man. Leica was out of the question for me because of price and rarity of lenses, etc.
That third hand camera went with me everywhere. Operations, helicopter lifts, etc. Banged, battered, drenched, nearly drowned, heated, cooled, scratched, dented. And--it always without fail got the image. Simply, it was rugged. I went through lenses (all f/1,4 50mm) because or mold and fungus growing in them. I had a strip of white medical tape on the back with exposure info from a Tri-X box written on the tape. Didn't take long before I never looked at it. The camera always worked. To this day as it sits on a bookshelf in my den/office, it still works, albeit in dire need of mechanical attention.
If I was a young man and had to go back to that situation again, I would take no other camera. I feel the same way about my digital Nikons. Rugged and reliable in any situation.
The proof is in the print, not what's on a computer or worse, a cell phone. My office/den has the walls covered with prints. The computer holds more simply because I have no ,ore room.
Get the image.
There will be no sell off. Ever.

 

[Soocom1]

The nice thing about mirrorless is that with adapters, you can still use your Nikon glass!

This is why I am still wanting a mirrorless Med. format.
but thats in time.

 

[Dave Maciak]

The nice thing about mirrorless is that with adapters, you can still use your Nikon glass!

This is why I am still wanting a mirrorless Med. format.
but thats in time.

Did not know that---thanks for the info!

 

[Ysarex]

A while ago I posted my aversion to mirrorless cameras, sticking firmly to the DSLR. Well, after hearing (and seeing) so much about mirrorless, I decided to check out what all the talk was about. Ben a Nikon guy for 50 plus years, film and digital. At my local shop, during an event that had manufacturers reps to speak with I was introduced to the Fuji line. In time and because of a considerable investment in Nikon gear, plus a lot of material I've read here, I took the plunge. X Pro 3 which is now my everyday rig with 23mm mounted. Several weeks ago I purchased a used XT-2 from KEH. Now, I'm really impressed. The viewfinder is a wonder of wonders compared with anything else I've known. I can change most settings without taking eyes away from the viewfinder. The controls have a nice, firm "click" and go firmly into their detents. I've added a battery grip. It simply feels "right" in my hands. Lastly, and most important, the images are great. This camera can "see" in the dark! Exposure comp is first rate. And, film simulation is an answer to "flat" colors. I shoot the rangefinder X Pro 3 exclusively in B/W which produces great images, lots of depth and contrast; the XT is color only--my choice is classic chrome. What a great tool this camera is, and I bought it used. I still don't like the Fuji menu but am getting used to it.
I still shoot with my Nikons as well. Both cameras produce great images, pro's and con's of both. Also, I don't post process except to crop (years of film background). If it's a crappy, weak, image it gets the delete button. Now the shocker: I never shoot RAW, JPEGS only. Quality? I have to give the Fuji a slight edge. Slightly.
OK I'm convinced, mirrorless is a new and great idea. However, I'll still also shoot my D780.

Did not know that---thanks for the info!

Yep, I use old and new Nikon mount lenses on my X-T2 all the time.

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[mrca]

Mirrorless? Make a real change. I went sensorless.

 

[Spirit Vision Photography]

A while ago I posted my aversion to mirrorless cameras, sticking firmly to the DSLR. Well, after hearing (and seeing) so much about mirrorless, I decided to check out what all the talk was about. Been a Nikon guy for 50 plus years, film and digital. At my local shop, during an event that had manufacturers reps to speak with I was introduced to the Fuji line. In time and because of a considerable investment in Nikon gear, plus a lot of material I've read here, I took the plunge. X Pro 3 which is now my everyday rig with 23mm mounted. Several weeks ago I purchased a used XT-2 from KEH. Now, I'm really impressed. The viewfinder is a wonder of wonders compared with anything else I've known. I can change most settings without taking eyes away from the viewfinder. The controls have a nice, firm "click" and go firmly into their detents. I've added a battery grip. It simply feels "right" in my hands. Lastly, and most important, the images are great. This camera can "see" in the dark! Exposure comp is first rate. And, film simulation is an answer to "flat" colors. I shoot the rangefinder X Pro 3 exclusively in B/W which produces great images, lots of depth and contrast; the XT is color only--my choice is classic chrome. What a great tool this camera is, and I bought it used. I still don't like the Fuji menu but am getting used to it.
I still shoot with my Nikons as well. Both cameras produce great images, pro's and con's of both. Also, I don't post process except to crop (years of film background). If it's a crappy, weak, image it gets the delete button. Now the shocker: I never shoot RAW, JPEGS only. Quality? I have to give the Fuji a slight edge. Slightly.
OK I'm convinced, mirrorless is a new and great idea. However, I'll still also shoot my D780.

I tried the mirrorless rigs. Hated the OVF and ergonomics. Sticking with my D750 & D780.

 

[snowbear]

I tried the mirrorless rigs. Hated the OVF and ergonomics. Sticking with my D750 & D780.

YAZ (Yet another Zombie).

Look at the dates, folks