Daily Archives: June 3, 2015

 

 

 

July 1st will mark my two year anniversary of retirement from Nikon.  A lot has taken place in the last two years.  For forty three years, plus, I was a died-in-the-wool,  out-and-out Nikon lover. Surprisingly I still am, I think Nikon has a long and great history of producing thoroughly pro cameras and lenses. To make cameras that can take constant abuse they must be robust, and robust means substantial, and substantial means heavy!  Over the years they have been lightened some, but not a lot.  Over those same years I’ve gotten less able to manage carrying them.  It’s not Nikon’s fault and I guess it’s not really my fault either, we all age, and with that comes the necessity of change.

 

For me change meant a lighter, smaller, camera system.  I was really concerned because in all honesty my attitude a little over two years ago was that only Nikon, Canon and Leica made the quality of gear that I demanded.  Nikon was too heavy, Canon was to, and Leica was just not my style, and way out of my financial range, plus just not as technologically as advanced as the competition.

 

Enter the Fuji X-System.  Now it seems almost unbelievable to me that Fuji developed a system that was “exactly” what I had hoped Nikon would make.  I wrote a white paper before I retired suggesting what I believed Nikon should make.  Here is a short version of that white paper’s specifications.

 

 

The White Paper on a Suggestion for a future camera system  

* submitted to Nikon in (2012)

 

 

1.  Compact Mirror Less camera body. Full frame or APS-C sensor.

 

2.  Capable of low noise at very high ISO.  Very usable to ISO 3200.

 

3.  100% viewfinder with high enough resolution to approximately match the view of our  DSLRs.

 

4. Solid construction with lower weight but substantial build of metal in key body frame sections.

 

5.  A return to the original knobs for controls of the Nikon F. Shutter Speed Knob, Aperture Ring, Exposure Compensation Dial, ISO dial.

 

6.  A complete set of very high quality, solidly constructed (mostly metal), superior lenses.

 

7.  This lens line must have all the major focal length covered in very high quality zooms and single focal length lenses,  Just like our DSLR line, we need a full set of f 1.4 lenses in at least 24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm and 105mm.

 

8.  Our system needs to be priced somewhere around 30% below our current pro system pricing.

 

 

Well two years later Nikon  has not attempted to fulfill this suggestion.  Neither has Canon. Interestingly Fuji did, and it is one of the fastest growing camera system in the serious photo world today.  Countless highly respected photographers have tried it, adopted it, and swear by it.

 

Two years, two great and interesting years!

 

Just the facts.

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

By-the-way:  I just received a Fuji X-T10 yesterday, I am starting a test which I will publish soon. My first impression is this is one incredible camera.  Pretty much a miniature version of the XT-1!

 

Epilogue

 

So what does all this mean?  I can only tell you what it means to me.  This throw back experience has been the best time of my life.  The chance to go back and relive my youth as a super enthusiastic young photographer.  Free to go back to how I worked at the beginning, when I learned all the techniques I’ve used for 45 years .  Now, with an original design camera, I’m shooting the best work of my life and enjoying it like it was the days of my youth.  This is the most fun I’ve had in over four decades!

 

Ah, the joys of a trip back in time…….

 

 

Join me for the fun………………………..