Two Years………
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………………………..
This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2015 at 12:54 pm
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interesting on the white paper I wish Nikon would have listened. I was waiting for Nikon to come out with an FE2 size digital camera wit an F mount. Fuji came out with the X pro 1 so I went that direction due to the size and interchangeable lenses.
Me too Rich, me too!
I am still hoping that a Digital Data back will become available. This would allow using a split prisum.
Would be nice, but I don’t think that will ever happen, too many technical problems, it has certainly been researched.
Thanks for the response. That answers my thought.
Great idea though!
Well said, Bill. It always frustrated me that Canon seemed (seems) so concerned about protecting their DSLR line that they would not provide a system comparable to Fuji’s X-system. I’ve read their argument that the demand isn’t there yet but I think Fuji’s success demonstrates just the opposite. It feels like they’re employing very short term thinking. Steve Jobs used to argue that if a company doesn’t cannibalize itself then it is just opening the door for the competition to do the same. Now that I’m fully committed to Fuji, I hope that both Canon and Nikon continue to dig in their heels and allow Fuji the time it needs to grow in this segment of the market that they and Sony kind of have to themselves right now.
It is rather amazing. I feel both Canon and Nikon are capable of doing something amazing, but so far no results from either!
Yes, market leaders (by market share I mean) are seldom innovators, they feel they have nothing to gain and a lot to lose. As you pointed out though, Apple is a notable exception, but then that company had a standout leader 🙂
Fuji in contrast had nothing to lose and everything to gain, so did Samsung but they didn’t “get” the photography thing for a long time, until the NX1 came along.
All true!
This is where Nikon and Canon have fallen way short. Nikon came out with a good AF system for mirrorless (Nikon 1 V1) but it’s a play camera for the Hello, Kitty crowd. (That said, I used a Nikon 1 V1 for a year and got quite a bit out of it despite the limitations.) Canon had decent image quality with an APS-C sensor but horrendous AF. Now Canon has the M3 selling overseas. Canon USA won’t import it here. The M3’s AF is better but said to be still slow. Canon, meanwhile, seems to be focusing (pun intentional) on the video market, making HD quality video affordable. Good move on their part but what they’re doing in DSLR and mirrorless isn’t terribly clear. It would be nice if we could “marry” the Nikon 1 AF and metering with the Canon image quality and sensor but even then you’d need a quality lens line and Fuji is ahead of the curve there. As for Fuji, the 16mp sensor is so 2009-ish and why I’ll be conservative in any new Fuji gear acquisition in hopes they will upgrade that in the near future.
According to The NPD Group, overall mirrorless camera revenue has grown 16.5% over the past 12 months, with DSLR sales declining approximately 15% over the same period. During this time, Sony has experienced a 66% boost in their company’s mirrorless camera sales.
Interesting.
Bill, I enjoyed looking at your great images. Thank you for introducing me to the Fuji X system. My XE-1 is an amazing camera, and is now my my main system for shooting. I still love my Nikons, but use them mainly for shooting the grand kids sports events. Glad to hear that your passion for photography is at an all time high.
Blessings,
Doug Berg
Thanks Doug, it truly is, loving every minute, well not so much the wake-up call at 3:00 a.m.