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Progress report - Fuji X-t1


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I've had my X-T1 about 6 weeks, now.  It has been confusing for me, coming from Nikon.  But like anything else, the more you use it the more familiar you get with the functions.

 

I think I've finally found my groove with it, as far as shooting portraits and such.  I have yet to try tracking something moving.  I shot engagement pictures over the weekend and settled into a comfortable groove.  And best of all, I came away without my hand and wrist getting sore.  Better than that?  The pictures turned out great!

The dials on the top are wonderful. I never shot with the old film cameras, so I can't say the Fuji reminds me of those, but hey, I know I like those dials and buttons.

My main problem has been finding enough time to get familiar with it since I'm using the Nikon for my ongoing jewelry work. I've had mine longer than Linda and she has shot 3 X what I have.

 

One thing I do know.  I love the size, I think the lenses are sharp and stellar, and I think down the road Fuji will come out with improvements with the next camera down the line.  They have to, to keep the money flowing! :)

 

My perfect Fuji? 

 

Pretty much what I have but 20-24mp.

 Buttons easier to find by feel and  easier to push.

Better flash options

Lens wants.

90mm macro

the super zoom to ship NOW along with the just announced mid-range zoom.

 

You X-T1 users, add your wishes to mine.

 

Betty

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I've had my X-T1 about 6 weeks, now.  It has been confusing for me, coming from Nikon.  But like anything else, the more you use it the more familiar you get with the functions.

 

I think I've finally found my groove with it, as far as shooting portraits and such.  I have yet to try tracking something moving.  I shot engagement pictures over the weekend and settled into a comfortable groove.  And best of all, I came away without my hand and wrist getting sore.  Better than that?  The pictures turned out great!

The dials on the top are wonderful. I never shot with the old film cameras, so I can't say the Fuji reminds me of those, but hey, I know I like those dials and buttons.

My main problem has been finding enough time to get familiar with it since I'm using the Nikon for my ongoing jewelry work. I've had mine longer than Linda and she has shot 3 X what I have.

 

One thing I do know.  I love the size, I think the lenses are sharp and stellar, and I think down the road Fuji will come out with improvements with the next camera down the line.  They have to, to keep the money flowing! :)

 

My perfect Fuji? 

 

Pretty much what I have but 20-24mp.

 Buttons easier to find by feel and  easier to push.

Better flash options

Lens wants.

90mm macro

the super zoom to ship NOW along with the just announced mid-range zoom.

 

You X-T1 users, add your wishes to mine.

 

Betty

Betty a great flash would be nice but I've been using the $80 Yongnuo 560 III at 1/4 for red carpet events and it recycles quicker that my $600 Canon 600RT flash that would stop after 12 shots from overheating.And that's not even a fast consecutive 12 shots. I usually carry 2 Yongnuo's with me because without flash at these events,it's not going to look good...too dark!

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I've had my X-T1 about 6 weeks, now.  It has been confusing for me, coming from Nikon.  But like anything else, the more you use it the more familiar you get with the functions.

 

I think I've finally found my groove with it, as far as shooting portraits and such.  I have yet to try tracking something moving.  I shot engagement pictures over the weekend and settled into a comfortable groove.  And best of all, I came away without my hand and wrist getting sore.  Better than that?  The pictures turned out great!

The dials on the top are wonderful. I never shot with the old film cameras, so I can't say the Fuji reminds me of those, but hey, I know I like those dials and buttons.

My main problem has been finding enough time to get familiar with it since I'm using the Nikon for my ongoing jewelry work. I've had mine longer than Linda and she has shot 3 X what I have.

 

One thing I do know.  I love the size, I think the lenses are sharp and stellar, and I think down the road Fuji will come out with improvements with the next camera down the line.  They have to, to keep the money flowing! :)

 

My perfect Fuji? 

 

Pretty much what I have but 20-24mp.

 Buttons easier to find by feel and  easier to push.

Better flash options

Lens wants.

90mm macro @ 1:1

the super zoom to ship NOW along with the just announced mid-range zoom.

 

You X-T1 users, add your wishes to mine.

 

Betty

 

2nd all your wishes with the addition that the macro is 1:1.

 

I have the deeper eyecup on order, hopefully should be arriving soon and I have decided to go for the 18-135. Clifeton Cameras and going to do a trade in for me for the 18-55 which is marginally better than eBay (after you take into account costs from selling on eBay).

 

I think that lens will be a good addition for those times when I can't easily change from 18-55 to 55-200. Walking in the mountains, windy conditions, raining or subject about to change fast. I may even sell the 55-200 if this lens proves to be excellent IQ wise. The 120-400 would complete the long lens requirements.

 

Improvements.

1. Improve AF speed and tracking even more. It works well now but a continuos improvement / development is always desirable.

2. 8000 shutter speed option. When using the 23 & 56mm lenses at 1.4 & 1.2, 4000 shutter speed is often not fast enough outdoors.

3. Continue to improve noise performance and make sure the user has the ability to switch off all NR and sharpening in camera. 

4. Improved video controls and codecs.

5. Change the way the Battery Grip hands over power from one battery to another. If you are using the Remote App on your phone, the camera closes it down when it swaps batteries.... a bit of a pain but not critical.

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I've had my X-T1 about 6 weeks, now.  It has been confusing for me, coming from Nikon.  But like anything else, the more you use it the more familiar you get with the functions.

 

I think I've finally found my groove with it, as far as shooting portraits and such.  I have yet to try tracking something moving.  I shot engagement pictures over the weekend and settled into a comfortable groove.  And best of all, I came away without my hand and wrist getting sore.  Better than that?  The pictures turned out great!

The dials on the top are wonderful. I never shot with the old film cameras, so I can't say the Fuji reminds me of those, but hey, I know I like those dials and buttons.

My main problem has been finding enough time to get familiar with it since I'm using the Nikon for my ongoing jewelry work. I've had mine longer than Linda and she has shot 3 X what I have.

 

One thing I do know.  I love the size, I think the lenses are sharp and stellar, and I think down the road Fuji will come out with improvements with the next camera down the line.  They have to, to keep the money flowing! :)

 

My perfect Fuji? 

 

Pretty much what I have but 20-24mp.

 Buttons easier to find by feel and  easier to push.

Better flash options

Lens wants.

90mm macro

the super zoom to ship NOW along with the just announced mid-range zoom.

 

You X-T1 users, add your wishes to mine.

 

Betty

Betty a great flash would be nice but I've been using the $80 Yongnuo 560 III at 1/4 for red carpet events and it recycles quicker that my $600 Canon 600RT flash that would stop after 12 shots from overheating.And that's not even a fast consecutive 12 shots. I usually carry 2 Yongnuo's with me because without flash at these events,it's not going to look good...too dark!

 

 

I'm with you there. Those 560iii are great flashes and well made. My only requirement would be for them to release that radio control that will allow you to set the power of those Yongnuo flashes from the radio transmitter on the camera.... that would be job done. 

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I would like the metering and mode rings to be firmer, lockable or even possible to override through the menus. When I change shutter speed (I use shutter priority most of the time, result of being a long time sport photographger) I occasionally accidently change metering mode and don't always notice. Similar happens when I change ISO but I spot the incorrect setting after one shot.

 

I would preferer the standard zooms to have a little more at each end so that they were 24-100 or 120mm equivalent - 16-70/80/90mm. I would prefer that to 18-135mm especially if they were no slower than f2.8-f4  at long end - like my 24-70 and 24-105mm Canon lenses.

 

Yes for continuing improvement to AF and slightly more pixels (20Mp or so would be great) so that I can get 16+Mp even after lens distortion correction (currently can get below 15Mpx).

 

Bring on the fast zooms and especially the superzoom (no more than f5.6 at long end please) would love it if an excellent matched1.4x teleconverter were available as well.

 

I am off to France for 3 weeks holiday soon and will take the X-T1 with my X-E1 as back up. For the first time in 38 years I will be making a major trip without any Canon kit. I am thinking about getting a10-24mm before I go but I don't use wide angle very much especially wider than 24mm (I have a 17-35mm Canon and 12-24 Sigma but have rarely used them as my standard zooms go to 24mm).

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I would preferer the standard zooms to have a little more at each end so that they were 24-100 or 120mm equivalent - 16-70/80/90mm.

 

The existence of such a lens would almost certainly push me off the fence in the direction of ditching my Canon. But even the promised 16-55 is not quite good enough. I do at least 95% of my work with the Canon 24-105 and I would have too much to lose at the moment by sacrificing those precious mm at either end.

 

Alan

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I would preferer the standard zooms to have a little more at each end so that they were 24-100 or 120mm equivalent - 16-70/80/90mm.

 

The existence of such a lens would almost certainly push me off the fence in the direction of ditching my Canon. But even the promised 16-55 is not quite good enough. I do at least 95% of my work with the Canon 24-105 and I would have too much to lose at the moment by sacrificing those precious mm at either end.

 

Alan

 

 

Me too, but how much do you actually do at 24-28 and 80-105mm? I found that it was quite a modest proportion of that 95%.

 

We could do with a prime at around 90-100mm (the old 135mm equivalent) - I might then be tempted to experiment with Don McCullin's approach of two bodies - one with 35mm equivalent and one with 135mm equivalent. Force me to be more considered and use my feet to get into a better position. It is just too easy to frame and shoot without proper thought with zooms. Another reason not to go for the 18-135 or even 10-24mm - perhaps the 14mm might actually be a better idea.

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I would preferer the standard zooms to have a little more at each end so that they were 24-100 or 120mm equivalent - 16-70/80/90mm.

 

The existence of such a lens would almost certainly push me off the fence in the direction of ditching my Canon. But even the promised 16-55 is not quite good enough. I do at least 95% of my work with the Canon 24-105 and I would have too much to lose at the moment by sacrificing those precious mm at either end.

 

Alan

 

 

Me too, but how much do you actually do at 24-28 and 80-105mm? I found that it was quite a modest proportion of that 95%.

 

We could do with a prime at around 90-100mm (the old 135mm equivalent) - I might then be tempted to experiment with Don McCullin's approach of two bodies - one with 35mm equivalent and one with 135mm equivalent. Force me to be more considered and use my feet to get into a better position. It is just too easy to frame and shoot without proper thought with zooms. Another reason not to go for the 18-135 or even 10-24mm - perhaps the 14mm might actually be a better idea.

 

 

I was considering the 10-24 but the 14mm is probably going to be to dammed good to get rid.... In reality I may not get that much connivence benefit from the 10-24 to make it worth while. When time is on your side, the 14, 23 & 56 combo is hard to beat. The IQ is amazing. On that basis, a 90mm would be a good addition to Fuji's lens lineup!

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I would preferer the standard zooms to have a little more at each end so that they were 24-100 or 120mm equivalent - 16-70/80/90mm.

 

The existence of such a lens would almost certainly push me off the fence in the direction of ditching my Canon. But even the promised 16-55 is not quite good enough. I do at least 95% of my work with the Canon 24-105 and I would have too much to lose at the moment by sacrificing those precious mm at either end.

 

Alan

 

 

Me too, but how much do you actually do at 24-28 and 80-105mm?

 

 

Quite a lot actually, especially at the lower end. I often find that 24mm gives just the view I'm looking for, and also I use 24mm when shooting portrait-format in a restricted space because it gives me more scope for correcting verticals later without losing anything important.

 

I'm too scared to go back to primes. I'm worried that I will just not get the precise compositions that I'm used to, and also I find it enough of a pain already to switch lenses just for the 5%. Years ago I dropped a 28mm off a bridge when I got my hands in a muddle while changing lenses quickly. That prompted me to spend the next few years with two bodies (though that's not a lot of help with 3 or 4 primes, and it also plays havoc with my cataloguing system).

 

Alan

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That's great news Betty.  Aside from about 7 images, my last 250 or so submitted have been from the XT-1.  I've only put about 2,500 actuations on mine.  I like it, but I'm still not as happy with it as compared to my DSLR.

 

I'm happy/not happy with focus - the downfall of the focus system is that it tries to get EVERYTHING in focus.  If you're shooting through a fence, you are probably going to see the fence in the images.  That isn't the case with any other DSLR or camera.  I love the face recognition.  It works very well.

 

Martin complained about the metering/mode rings but these are something I've really come to enjoy.  Spot metering is great when outdoors in bright light with heavy shadows and being able to switch back and forth quickly is a great advantage.

 

I NEED faster glass.  I can't wait until Fuji gets the new faster lenses out to the public.  The current 18-55 is usable but it's too slow for a lot of stuff I do.  If you're out shooting editorial stuff and you want to isolate a scene, the easiest/fastest way to do it is via a faster aperture.  There are times when you need everything in focus but not always.  Low light is also very critical.  I find myself switching to my primes from the zoom in low light or when I need a really shallow depth of field.

 

I like that it's so indiscrete.  It's not intimidating at all to other people when out and about.

 

I absolutely love the swingout screen for getting a shot from a lower and a higher perspective.  If you click on the portfolio, at 120 images per page, all but 7 on the first page (and all of the images on the second page) are from the XT-1.  Notice the perspectives I've been shooting - much more comfortable than laying on the ground and I can actually see what I'm doing when holding the camera over my head.

 

The rotating viewfinder screen drives me nuts.  Not because it's a bad thing, but because I've been trained over the years to look at the right side of the screen when shooting verticle.  On the Fuji, everything is still on the bottom of the screen.  I've not been able to get used to this and it's cost me a couple of shots.

 

Oh yeah - and I forgot to mention....I LOVE THE EASE WITH WHICH YOU CAN SWITCH TO VIDEO.  Simply the push of a button and BAM your recording.  With an image stabilized lens, the video comes out very clean even when not using a tripod.  It's great!

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...

 

Martin complained about the metering/mode rings but these are something I've really come to enjoy.  Spot metering is great when outdoors in bright light with heavy shadows and being able to switch back and forth quickly is a great advantage.

...

 

Ed, I am with you on the layout, I love the physical controls just don't like that I can too easily move them inadvertently. I have lost shots because I was using spot metering when it was inappropriate. OK, it might be because I am clumsy and not suffciently careful! ;)

 

Why do they put a coax flash connector on and then give it a cheap and easily lost cover? Nobody uses cables anymore - even with studio flash before radio triggers I used a small hot shoe flash as a trigger. I have not used a flash cable for more than 15 years!

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I agree with most of what you all have said/suggested.  And yes on the 90, I meant to say 1:1.  I have the new 18-135 on order and will wait until it is in my hands before deciding to get rid of the 18-55.  If the new one sits comfortably and not to heavy, then I'll sell the other.

 

The most important things to me is a 90 1:1 to become a reality, and at least 20mp while keeping the IQ and either being static or improving noise control.

 

Edited to add:  I, too, shall be going on a trip in November.  I will be taking only my Fuji gear. No more heaving a barely under the 50 pound weight limit bag into the overhead.  How liberating!

I hope my 18-135 is in hand by then, a perfect vacation lens.

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I would preferer the standard zooms to have a little more at each end so that they were 24-100 or 120mm equivalent - 16-70/80/90mm.

 

The existence of such a lens would almost certainly push me off the fence in the direction of ditching my Canon. But even the promised 16-55 is not quite good enough. I do at least 95% of my work with the Canon 24-105 and I would have too much to lose at the moment by sacrificing those precious mm at either end.

 

Alan

 

 

Me too, but how much do you actually do at 24-28 and 80-105mm? I found that it was quite a modest proportion of that 95%.

 

We could do with a prime at around 90-100mm (the old 135mm equivalent) - I might then be tempted to experiment with Don McCullin's approach of two bodies - one with 35mm equivalent and one with 135mm equivalent. Force me to be more considered and use my feet to get into a better position. It is just too easy to frame and shoot without proper thought with zooms. Another reason not to go for the 18-135 or even 10-24mm - perhaps the 14mm might actually be a better idea.

 

 

I was considering the 10-24 but the 14mm is probably going to be to dammed good to get rid.... In reality I may not get that much connivence benefit from the 10-24 to make it worth while. When time is on your side, the 14, 23 & 56 combo is hard to beat. The IQ is amazing. On that basis, a 90mm would be a good addition to Fuji's lens lineup!

 

 

I took the decision and bought the 10-24mm, my local shop had a new one at £50 less than Fuji sell them "refurbished". I will start disposing of some of my Canon kit especially the 12-24mm Sigma and 17-35mm L - I can now do that with the Fuji. I will just hang on to my longer lenses for sport (and flash).

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I think you'll love the 10-24, Martin.  I've never shot very wide, so when I tried mine out, I had more distortion than I like.  I was told on the Fuji forum that one has to be careful how one holds it in relationship to what you are shooting, because a bit of tilt or whatever can mess one up.  It just comes down to the photographer learning how to shoot it. All of you who regularly shoot wide know how, I'm still learning.  I came a long way from the first time I used it to the second time, though, and got some really nice images.

 

Since I got the 56mm, it rarely leaves my T1.  Mainly because of what I've been shooting. People and flowers.  (oh, I want a macro!!) I've not been out and about shooting the kinds of images that the 10-24 shines at.  I will get lots of use of it in St. Croix this autumn.

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I know what you mean about converging verticals (or the horizontal equivalent). They are a challenge with any lens but as the focal length gets shorter the more pronounced it becomes. Thanks for the reminder, I noticed it with the first shots I framed!

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I agree. I used to have a PC lens for 35mm film, and I also had a 4X5 view camera for a time. But when I got into doing mostly travel marketing jobs for airlines and tourist offices (AmEx), that architectural look was not really called for. And I often had to do a location in a few days that should have take a week or more. 

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David Hobby of the Strobist.com site has taken some beautiful shots w/th Fuji X-T1 and the 10-24mm.

Here is an article in Petapixel

 

http://petapixel.com/2014/03/16/first-look-fuji-10-24mm-f4-sample-photos-dubai/

 

L

 

Thanks Linda, the earlier post of that article helped me make the decision. Clearly the 10-24mm works as travel lens, I need to think about the bigger picture and broaden out my skills by taking a wider view of the world.

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BTW, talking to the guy in London Camera Exchange (an X-Pro1 user) he was telling me that Nissin will be bringing out an i-40 flash (compact and light compared to most) that will work with the Fuji mirrorless. Once one maker does hopefully others will follow. He had no date though.

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BTW, talking to the guy in London Camera Exchange (an X-Pro1 user) he was telling me that Nissin will be bringing out an i-40 flash (compact and light compared to most) that will work with the Fuji mirrorless. Once one maker does hopefully others will follow. He had no date though.

I love my Yongnuo flash units. I can use them wireless(not TTL though) For $80 they recycle quick.Actually like it better than the pricey Canon 600RT I had.

 

L

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