Mirrorless cameras

[PAL Media]

1 hour ago, John Mitchell said:

 

One of my favourite how-to books on photography is entitled "Chameleon with a Camera."

 

Perhaps it's time for an updated version -- "Chameleon with a Mirrorless Camera." 😎

Can't find it on google

[John Mitchell]

2 hours ago, PAL Media said:

Can't find it on google

 

It's long out of print. Here's a link.

Edited February 10, 2021 by John Mitchell

[Richard Baker]

Last year was my time to change to Fuji X-T4 and a couple of lenses (and awaiting another). Picking up the 5D is now like picking up a brick and I'll not go back to Canon. I just don't know why I left it so long .. Oh, I remember, I first had to upgrade my Mac and then logically, the cameras.

[PAL Media]

2 hours ago, Richard Baker said:

Last year was my time to change to Fuji X-T4 and a couple of lenses (and awaiting another). Picking up the 5D is now like picking up a brick and I'll not go back to Canon. I just don't know why I left it so long .. Oh, I remember, I first had to upgrade my Mac and then logically, the cameras.

My first mirrorless was the X-T1, I had a couple of issues with it (painterly effect) otherwise fantastic camera but sold it. My second mirrorless is the current M50 and was amazed at the files, I can’t find any differences between it and my 1DX or 5D III so I have stuck with Canon. The Fuji’s are lovely cameras though.

[Allan Bell]

14 minutes ago, PAL Media said:

My first mirrorless was the X-T1, I had a couple of issues with it (painterly effect) otherwise fantastic camera but sold it. My second mirrorless is the current M50 and was amazed at the files, I can’t find any differences between it and my 1DX or 5D III so I have stuck with Canon. The Fuji’s are lovely cameras though.

 

Yes lovely cameras. I used to have problems processing Fuji raw files though and had quite a few QC failures because of that. If only Fuji had used the sensor array that most other manufacturers use instead of fuji own iteration then I could have stuck with it.

 

Allan

 

[CAROL SAUNDERS]

Could be tempted by the Z7 Mk2 as I believe it has dual card slots, but not right now😁  Very happy with my Nikon Dslr at the moment, the weight doesn't bother me as after lugging a 200-400mm F4 on a D4/3s around for many years anything after that feels like a feather😁

 

Carol

[Phil]

My 1st mirrorless was also an X-T1. Added an X-T2 then last year traded both for an X-T4.

 

Adobe could not get their act together regarding Fuji's X-Trans sensor demosaicing for quite some time.  Its my understanding that more recent versions of Adobe's camera raw engine  may have it sorted out - but I'm not certain of that as I'm still using LR 6.   

 

Iriident Digital's X-Transformer Fuji RAW conversion utility got it right long before Adobe and has been part of my Fuji workflow since early on. Never any Fuji RAW Alamy QC problems as a result. 

[MDM]

49 minutes ago, CAROL SAUNDERS said:

Could be tempted by the Z7 Mk2 as I believe it has dual card slots, but not right now😁  Very happy with my Nikon Dslr at the moment, the weight doesn't bother me as after lugging a 200-400mm F4 on a D4/3s around for many years anything after that feels like a feather😁

 

Carol

The Z7 uses XQD cards which are reputedly very robust. I have never had one fail in either D850 or Z7. I use Sony G Series XQDs only. I have not used the Z7 for really critical work (e.g. weddings) where card failure would be disastrous. That said I often remove the backup SD cards temporarily when shooting action (in the case of a wedding that would be the confetti shot and maybe even walking down the aisle) as even the fast SD cards can’t keep up with the write speed of the XQDs and the camera just stops while waiting for the SD card to finish writing. 

 

I have taken the Z7 as my only camera on trips away and not worried about it. Back up at the end of every day is the philosophy. The differences between the Z6/7 and the Mark ii versions are fairly minor for the most part and the original one are a lot cheaper. Worth keeping in mind depending on what types of photography you do. 

Edited February 11, 2021 by MDM

[Betty LaRue]

I’m not positive, but I don’t think I’ve had any QC failures since going Fuji X-T1 when it first came out. If I did, it was so long ago I’ve forgotten the one or two failures I “might” have had.  It would have been from early on while learning to use the camera, which was very different from Nikon. It took me awhile to understand WYSIWYG. I regularly had failures with Nikon, but I think a part of that was my eyesight, which has been corrected. Although I shot Fuji several years before that correction. One of the first things that stood out after buying my X-T1 was the increase in sharpness. Second was the lovely colors.

I’m still mulling over an upgrade. My X-T2 has served me well.

I do think one needs to give a new system a chance and not immediately blame the system for failures. It takes a while to learn the camera. But always the most important thing is you, and your ability to evaluate “good enough” when you inspect your images. If we all had perfect evaluation, there would be no failures, so that is of the utmost importance. I have always found that imperfect images were my fault. Camera shake, under exposure, etc. or failure to evaluate. A camera is just a tool. We have to perfect using that tool and wring the best out of it. Then we have to wring the best out of us. I’m still working on that. 

Betty

[Marianne]

Fell in love with the light weight and great quality of my Olympus OMD E-1 but it couldn't beat my D700 at night/in low light.

 

The Sony a7rii fixed that - awesome in low light - can push it to ISO 2500 without a single fail on that score - so I sold my two Nikons and haven't looked back. The Sony with the 90mm G Master Macro lens, which doubles as a great portrait lens is plenty big enough to impress clients, so no worries there. When shooting news with the Oly, I once was asked to leave the Press pool area but fortunately Hillary's Press person knew me and interceded on my behalf. 

[Allan Bell]

17 minutes ago, Betty LaRue said:

I do think one needs to give a new system a chance and not immediately blame the system for failures.

 

I gave my Fuji X-t1 two years to come up with the goods. I also gave myself two years to get regular technically decent images through LR? (I forget the number) and Alamy QC.

 

If I had carried on with Fuji X-T1 I would have been banned from contributing to Alamy permanently it was that bad. For my mental equilibrium sake I had to change.

 

Allan

 

[Steve F]

11 minutes ago, Marianne said:

Fell in love with the light weight and great quality of my Olympus OMD E-1 but it couldn't beat my D700 at night/in low light.

 

The Sony a7rii fixed that - awesome in low light - can push it to ISO 2500 without a single fail on that score - so I sold my two Nikons and haven't looked back. The Sony with the 90mm G Master Macro lens, which doubles as a great portrait lens is plenty big enough to impress clients, so no worries there. When shooting news with the Oly, I once was asked to leave the Press pool area but fortunately Hillary's Press person knew me and interceded on my behalf. 

I love the 90mm macro. One of the sharpest lenses out there. I mainly use it for macro, but sometimes out and about - just need to watch the focus hunting....

[Richard Baker]

6 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

 

Yes lovely cameras. I used to have problems processing Fuji raw files though and had quite a few QC failures because of that. If only Fuji had used the sensor array that most other manufacturers use instead of fuji own iteration then I could have stuck with it.

 

Allan

 

 

Interesting about the QC failures, Alan. Have you put your finger on the causes? How for example, are you exporting them?

[meanderingemu]

48 minutes ago, Allan Bell said:

 

I gave my Fuji X-t1 two years to come up with the goods. I also gave myself two years to get regular technically decent images through LR? (I forget the number) and Alamy QC.

 

If I had carried on with Fuji X-T1 I would have been banned from contributing to Alamy permanently it was that bad. For my mental equilibrium sake I had to change.

 

Allan

 

 

 

yeah.  same as you, ended up dumping LR.  best decision ever

Edited February 11, 2021 by meanderingemu

[Harry Harrison]

I've always thought Thomas Fitzgerald has a good grasp on the different ways of dealing with X-Trans files. 

 

https://blog.thomasfitzgeraldphotography.com/blog/2020/1/the-best-way-to-process-fuji-raw-files-in-2020

 

https://blog.thomasfitzgeraldphotography.com/blog/2019/2/lightroom-introduces-enhance-details-finally-improves-fuji-x-trans-raw-conversion

 

Anyone who worries that Lightroom isn't working for them can try Iridient X-Transformer for free, the results are watermarked but at least you can see if you're missing anything. 

[Betty LaRue]

5 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

 

I gave my Fuji X-t1 two years to come up with the goods. I also gave myself two years to get regular technically decent images through LR? (I forget the number) and Alamy QC.

 

If I had carried on with Fuji X-T1 I would have been banned from contributing to Alamy permanently it was that bad. For my mental equilibrium sake I had to change.

 

Allan

 

Understood. I had no problem with it, but then I really wasn’t doing landscapes to get the painterly effects.  Your experience is what mine was with the D7000. I loved the colors from that camera, the best color of all my Nikons and comparable to Fuji. But I couldn’t get many sharp images from it. And like you, I gave it a couple of years. I took it on a 5-day bird shoot of coastal Texas and Louisiana, and came back with only a small number of usable images. That was a one-time opportunity for me, and I was so disappointed. When I got sharp images from the camera before and after, I knew it wasn’t technique.

I wonder if you got a lemon. It happens. And I wonder if I got a lemon with the D7000.

[Jay D]

Complete Fuji fan boy here, the X-pro being my main work horse and X100 is my guilty pleasure. I haven't picked up the canon 5d in 5yrs...and won't anytime soon. I get the hoo haa over the X-trans sensor files and LR, Adobe should hold their head in shame. Although i stuck through it and the latest files on LR come out crystal clear and no wiggly worm effect. Although dam LR is slow on my iMac. Anyway, yes, the X-pro is great, if i could use just the X100V i would...I also purchased a Ricoh GRiii recently as an EDC which is beautifully built and light but yeh its no Fuji. 

Edited February 12, 2021 by Jay D

[Harry Harrison]

Before anyone gets too alarmed about this painterly worm thing with Lightroom and X-Trans files I've been using an X-Pro1 & X-E1 (same sensor as X-T1) and I really struggle to see it. I was aware of the problem before I got them so was looking out for it and when I was feeling analytical I took my Canon 7D (also APS-C though slightly more pixels) out to take the same shots with the same lens (Micro-Nikkor 55mm). I still struggled to see it and these were landscapes with distant woods, the sort of amorphous foliage that one would expect to show it up. Not saying it doesn't happen but surprised that it is evident enough to fail Alamy QC. I'm using Lightroom 6.14 so don't have the benefits of 'Enhance Detail.  What am I doing wrong?

 

For those that do see it, if you shoot RAW plus jpeg do the Fuji in-camera jpegs also show it?

[Allan Bell]

On 09/02/2021 at 17:38, MDM said:

Of course. We are the originals. Perhaps we might think about an outdoor meeting at some point in the summer if that is permitted by then. 

 

Bring a picnic?

 

Allan

 

[CAROL SAUNDERS]

19 hours ago, MDM said:

The Z7 uses XQD cards which are reputedly very robust. I have never had one fail in either D850 or Z7. I use Sony G Series XQDs only. I have not used the Z7 for really critical work (e.g. weddings) where card failure would be disastrous. That said I often remove the backup SD cards temporarily when shooting action (in the case of a wedding that would be the confetti shot and maybe even walking down the aisle) as even the fast SD cards can’t keep up with the write speed of the XQDs and the camera just stops while waiting for the SD card to finish writing. 

 

I have taken the Z7 as my only camera on trips away and not worried about it. Back up at the end of every day is the philosophy. The differences between the Z6/7 and the Mark ii versions are fairly minor for the most part and the original one are a lot cheaper. Worth keeping in mind depending on what types of photography you do. 

I also use the Sony XQD cards and never had one let me down.  I like to use the second slot for auto overflow, though this smaller SD cards did take a bit of getting used to after XQD and CF card when I had the D4.  I am even more careful now not to lose one but used to them now.  I guess over time we get used to changes.  I don't do many weddings now so don't really feel the need for another DSLR as a backup at the moment and when shooting weddings I always did with a colleague.  However need, as we know is different from want so I will keep an eye on prices😉  Who knows, at some time in the future I might be tempted....

 

Carol

[CAROL SAUNDERS]

2 minutes ago, Allan Bell said:

 

Bring a picnic?

 

Allan

 

Where ?  Hertfordshire is nice - just saying😉

 

Carol

[Allan Bell]

23 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

 

Yes lovely cameras. I used to have problems processing Fuji raw files though and had quite a few QC failures because of that. If only Fuji had used the sensor array that most other manufacturers use instead of fuji own iteration then I could have stuck with it.

 

Allan

 

 

My earlier post above.

 

Thinking!  Would it be possible to change the X-trans sensor for a bayer array?  Would Fuji consider producing some as a special for interested parties, if there were enough to make it worthwhile?  If it was not too expensive a possible one off via Fixation?

 

If it was possible I would be interested as I loved the camera and lenses are great. Well some are.

 

Allan

 

[Harry Harrison]

2 hours ago, Allan Bell said:

 

Thinking!  Would it be possible to change the X-trans sensor for a bayer array?

Their X-A7 (and X-A3 & X-A5 cameras before it) are just Bayer sensor cameras but they are cheap entry-level models because the X-Trans sensor produces better image quality.

[Allan Bell]

4 hours ago, CAROL SAUNDERS said:

Where ?  Hertfordshire is nice - just saying😉

 

Carol

 

Last few times, BC, the Cambridge group had their meetings in Ely.

 

Allan

 

Edited February 12, 2021 by Allan Bell

[Allan Bell]

1 hour ago, Harry Harrison said:

Their X-A7 (and X-A3 & X-A5 cameras before it) are just Bayer sensor cameras but they are cheap entry-level models because the X-Trans sensor produces better image quality.

 

I was thinking along the lines of modified X-T4. Looked at your suggested X-A7. No thank you there is no ELF.

 

Allan