Daily Archives: December 28, 2013

I got a few emails after yesterday’s entry.  The most interesting was; “you’ve covered the image quality, and the lens sharpness, but surely there are more reasons why you’ve gone this direction!?”  Happy to expound on that because it contains some important opportunities to talk about photography.

 

1.  Small cameras do not threaten people you would like to photograph, who may not know you!   The quality of the image that comes out of say a D4 is truly spectacular, but most people get nervous when you point a big camera and  lens in their face.  By contrast a small non-imposing mirror-less camera doesn’t seem to bother people at all.  So I’m getting a lot better people images than every before.

 

2.  One of the cool facts is that smaller sensors don’t need as big a lens to cover there circle of confusion.  It’s easier and less expensive to make highly corrected lenses when they can be physically smaller.  When lenses can be made smaller they can be made physically stronger and they can take much smaller filters, which are less expensive!

 

3.  Smaller cameras and smaller lenses mean smaller camera bags, and less weight!  If you take the Fuji System I’m currently carrying, (three bodies, 7 lenses, filters, batteries {lots of batteries}, chargers, and other accessories comes to around 14 pounds.  The same system with my Nikon gear would top out at 30 pounds or more!

 

4.  Relative cost of high end lenses.  One of my favorite lenses is the new 23mm f 1.4 Fujinon lens (remember that the sensor in the Fuji X series bodies are APS-C size,  so the 23mm would be the equivalent of a 35mm lens)  In my Nikon System a 35mm f 1.4 lens costs over $1,600 takes 77mm filters and is twice as big as my Fujinon 23mm f1.4.  Plus the 23mm f 1.4 from Fuji costs at least $600. less.  Quality?  The Nikkor is fantastic, but then so is the Fujinon, maybe a hair better!

 

5.  The optical viewfinder on the X-Pro-1,  and X100s are even brighter than DSLR viewfinders.  If you shoot a lot of available light, the rangefinder type optical viewfinder on the Fujis are fantastic!  The bright line frame lines are great when you want to keep track of what is happening outside the imaging area.

 

6.  The biggest advantage is that the X System camera allows you to shoot a single frame and have it processed, in camera, into three different color or monochrome palettes!  Did you get that?  You shoot a single frame and you get three separate files in any three palettes of your choosing.  I have my cameras set for Velvia, Provia, and Monochrome.  The Provia is almost identical to the classic Fuji film, the Velvia is a little overblown, but you can adjust all the parameters in the settings.  The monochrome is the most beautiful rendition I’ve ever seen come straight out of the camera.  I rarely have to even take them into NIK Silver Efex Pro unless I want a much more or less contrasty image. This is a huge plus since you don’t have to go out searching for just monochrome images or do lengthy monochrome processing.

 

7.  The best image stabilization I’ve used before the Fuji System is that in the VR II in Nikon’s newest lenses.  The Optical Image Stabilization in the lenses featuring it with Fuji are just as good!

 

8.  Lens speed is excellent.  My 14mm is a f 2.8, the 23mm is f 1.4, and 35mm f1.4, the 60mm Micro is a f 2.4, the only slower lens is the 55-200 (80-300 equivalent) is a f 3.5-4.8, not fast, but as 80-300 goes faster than most!

 

9.  Noise, I covered this before, but this is the biggest advantage to the X System.  Noise is virtually non existent all the way to 3200 and only barely visible at 6400, believe it or not it’s usable even above that!  One of the tremendous advantages for me is the ability to once again shoot hand held if needed!!!

 

10.  Easy to understand, familiar, retro controls that take you back to the days you learned how to use a camera!   As hard as I tried, I always missed a real aperture ring, a shutter speed knob, the feel of metal dials!  When you feel complete comfort with the operational aspect of a cameras it just feels right.  The new Nikon Df played on that theme, a throw back camera that took you back to the past, some love it. some don’t, I for one am absolutely back in my comfort zone with the X System cameras and lenses!

 

Hope that at least partially answers the questions.

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim