p.3 #1 · My experiences with the XPro2 shooting weddings
Kit Laughlin wrote:
Gordon, the size of the Sonly AF primes is what's kept me out of the system. Smaller ƒ2 or thereabouts, or even a tad slower, optimised for WO use, would be perfect for me. I used to shoot dance and theatre for a living, with two Nikon F2A bodies and three lenses: 35/2, 50/2 and 85/2, all MF and all sharp WO. Now, of course, we were printing 10 x 8s mostly, and those bodies weren't lightweight, but the lenses were all smaller than the current Sony equivalents.
And if optimised for wide open and about half the size of the current lenses, then the A7 bodies would really start to make sense, for me. Then Sony digital would be about the same size/weight as the old OM bodies and lenses.
And that's the thing. Instead of f2 Sony primes you can use 1.4 Fuji primes and get pretty much the same thing with a bit more shutter speed, despite Fuji's, let's say, flexible version of accurate ISO reporting. If Sony released a full range of f2 primes, i'm not sure what the best choice would be.
Mind you, there's not much wrong with the 35mm 2.8 and 55mm 1.8 wide open and there's an 85mm Batis.
AF lense will always be bigger than their MF cousins.
I see an XT-2 and 23, 33 and 56mm primes in your future.... I still have that crystal ball, you know.
p.3 #2 · My experiences with the XPro2 shooting weddings
Hahahahaha – thou doth see well, Wise One! Probably the 60 rather than the 56, though; they focus pretty well with the new firmware and are significantly lighter. Yeah, and Fuji needs to lift their game, ISO-reporting-wise.
p.3 #3 · My experiences with the XPro2 shooting weddings
flash wrote:
I know Sony tried. But they look like they've realised, like Leica, that 35mm mirrorless isn't going to be super small. The A7R2 is a bigger camera than the A7R and it's a better camera for it. The lenses can be brilliant because they've got a clean slate. But they're going to be large. They make small primes but so do Canikon. Smaller system means smaller sensor, except if you get a real Leica. and that's a choice we'll all have to make for ourselves.
Gordon
wait...what? isn't that part of your argument a bit of stretch? Leica isn't small? i mean, the XPro1 that i have is about the same size as the M240...i'm looking at the Summilux 35/1.4 FLE and it's smaller than Fuji X 23/1.4...
i mean...are you referring to the SL system? but i thought this thread is about the XPro2? also i've read somewhere that size isn't a top priority when Leica designed the SL system.
p.3 #4 · My experiences with the XPro2 shooting weddings
flash wrote:
There ain't no *best* camera.
Or lens.
I sometimes wish that a big, flashing message containing these words would appear at the top of every page in photography forums. Maybe there should be a terms of service popup menu on which posters are required to agree before they can add a new post or reply to an existing message. ;-)
p.3 #5 · My experiences with the XPro2 shooting weddings
dalegaspi wrote:
wait...what? isn't that part of your argument a bit of stretch? Leica isn't small? i mean, the XPro1 that i have is about the same size as the M240...i'm looking at the Summilux 35/1.4 FLE and it's smaller than Fuji X 23/1.4...
i mean...are you referring to the SL system? but i thought this thread is about the XPro2? also i've read somewhere that size isn't a top priority when Leica designed the SL system.
This thread is about the XPro2 but the inevitable comparisons are valid. I'm comparing AF mirrorless in that post with "real" Leica being the M's. M's are small partly because the lenses are fully mechanical and no love needs be given to AF motors and tolerances and partly because that was a design requirement, complete with all the compromises that created. I don't think I can directly compare my M to an AF system in size.
But I think it's a reality that 35mm AF mirrorless systems are actually getting bigger. The new Sony A7's are bigger than the old ones. The new Sony lenses are bigger than the first ones. And the SL?
p.3 #6 · My experiences with the XPro2 shooting weddings
flash wrote:
And that's the thing. Instead of f2 Sony primes you can use 1.4 Fuji primes and get pretty much the same thing with a bit more shutter speed, despite Fuji's, let's say, flexible version of accurate ISO reporting. If Sony released a full range of f2 primes, i'm not sure what the best choice would be.
Mind you, there's not much wrong with the 35mm 2.8 and 55mm 1.8 wide open and there's an 85mm Batis.
Gordon
That's my dilemma, its the Batis 25 or the FE 28 and nothing wider. Then its the gigantic 35/1.4 (my 2nd copy was slightly decentered, but it was better than the first which was awful), the FE 55, and either the Batis or the GM. I knew this going in with the A7rII (but that sensor, the AF and the IBIS, wow) and I haven't been thrilled with adapted options.
I like the tilt LCD as well. I had a Xpro1 (I'm a gear slut too) and it was just too slow. Now the A7rII is frustratingly slow with its crappy write times, the Xpro2 supports UHS-II, something none of the Sony's do (because Sony is so damn cheap).
For me its becoming more about the lenses, given the GM it doesn't look like there's any middle ground in the FE line - either you go with the overpriced (IMO) Zeiss options or the DSLR sized GM lenses. Hmm...
I think a Fuji rental is in my future. I tried to do a all-in-one video/stills camera but it just doesn't seem to be in the cards unless you want to lug those huge FE lenses or settle for mediocre standard zooms.
p.3 #7 · My experiences with the XPro2 shooting weddings
Rental seems like a good idea. I've been suffering from the same dilemma but I ended up buying the X Pro2 along with 23mm and 32/f2. So far I have only taken the camera out for one outing but enjoyed shooting with it.
AF with 32 is excellent but slower with 23. Other than that the operation, menus and interface are all vastly superior to A7rII.
Output is great as well. Jpegs are as great as ever and because of that I have not tried RAW yet. If you pixel peep youll definitely miss the amazing fine details that Sony's 42mpx monster captures.
With that said, I'm still undecided about which way to go. Like you, I also see an issue with sticking with Sony due to the lens options. Sure there are some great lenses coming out but I won't be being either due to size and cost. Which leaves me just sticking to 35/2.8, 55/1.8, 90/2.8. Sure it covers most of shooting but being a camera gear hoarder I would like to get zooms as well and for that there arent any good and affordable options available in Sony, now or in near future.
joychris wrote:
That's my dilemma, its the Batis 25 or the FE 28 and nothing wider. Then its the gigantic 35/1.4 (my 2nd copy was slightly decentered, but it was better than the first which was awful), the FE 55, and either the Batis or the GM. I knew this going in with the A7rII (but that sensor, the AF and the IBIS, wow) and I haven't been thrilled with adapted options.
I like the tilt LCD as well. I had a Xpro1 (I'm a gear slut too) and it was just too slow. Now the A7rII is frustratingly slow with its crappy write times, the Xpro2 supports UHS-II, something none of the Sony's do (because Sony is so damn cheap).
For me its becoming more about the lenses, given the GM it doesn't look like there's any middle ground in the FE line - either you go with the overpriced (IMO) Zeiss options or the DSLR sized GM lenses. Hmm...
I think a Fuji rental is in my future. I tried to do a all-in-one video/stills camera but it just doesn't seem to be in the cards unless you want to lug those huge FE lenses or settle for mediocre standard zooms.
p.3 #8 · My experiences with the XPro2 shooting weddings
joychris wrote:
Now the A7rII is frustratingly slow with its crappy write times, the Xpro2 supports UHS-II, something none of the Sony's do (because Sony is so damn cheap).
What card are you using? I was experiencing the same thing then I put a SanDisk ExtremePro in it and my write problems went away. I couldn't make it choke with the new card.
p.3 #9 · My experiences with the XPro2 shooting weddings
MRomine wrote:
What card are you using? I was experiencing the same thing then I put a SanDisk ExtremePro in it and my write problems went away. I couldn't make it choke with the new card.
I use Lexar Pro 1000x 150 MB/s U3 card and I experience the same slowness as what Chris mentioned.
p.3 #11 · My experiences with the XPro2 shooting weddings
Interesting side comments here; I have not been drawn into Sony FF, despite the great tech. available there. The 24Mp APS-C sensor in one of the Fuji bodies might just do me for personal work.
I had thought about the Pentax K-1, because Pentax bodies just work so well (and again 24Mp), but the mirror is now a disadvantage for me (some of my work required dead-silent running). And we all know about the Limiteds.
Which brings me to the most important, and relevant, point: it's always been about the lenses.
You wrote that Nissin i40 flash does not support HSS, while Fuji XPRO2 does. Nissin i40 clearly supports HSS as HSS works in Nissin i40 model for m43, for Sony, for Canon, and Nikon. It is a Fuji problem, not a flash problem. There is of course a workaround solution to turn on HSS on Nissin i40 with Fuji XT1 but of course it is a half solution and Fuji needs to finally solve its flash HSS issues, we are in 2016!
I am also 95% sure that's what I was told by Fujifilm Australia, although I didn't write it down. Better than the A7R2 but not the A7S. And that's how it feels in use.
I'll accept I may be wrong with the figure but it's dramatically better than the XT1 in low light.
As far as the Nissin i40. It does support it in some models but not the Fuji one. It's disabled in the flash firmware because older models of Fuji camera didn't support it. It's enabled in Canikony because their cameras already supported HSS. Maybe it could be solved with a firmware update of the Fuji version of the i40. It's not the camera, in this case.
The HSS function you mention is only for manual and not officially supported for Fujifilm by Nissin and not mentioned in the i40 for Fujifilm manual.
p.3 #14 · My experiences with the XPro2 shooting weddings
MRomine wrote:
What card are you using? I was experiencing the same thing then I put a SanDisk ExtremePro in it and my write problems went away. I couldn't make it choke with the new card.
I have a few Extreme Pro U3 cards for 4k, that speed is wasted as the A7rII when shooting stills as it has a bottleneck that caps speeds at about 36MB/s, see here.
I shoot 3-shot bursts with people and their pets to try and capture the right expression, I feel like I'm always waiting for the camera, as Gordon said, to finish rearranging the furniture.
p.3 #15 · My experiences with the XPro2 shooting weddings
Please read the article. They are very specific about ev minus 2 and these are top people at Fuji company, not Fuji photographers or Fuji employees in other countries
As far as a7r2 it is officially ev-2 at f2.0 but as dpreview Rishi Sanyal demonstrates in his article and test it is actually ev-3 and better if you are using faster lenses. Certainly beats Nikon d750 (ev-3) in his test and demonstration and explanation why (see his article in dpreview on a7r2 low light performance).
I only own xt1 and not xpro2. I usually test all my cameras by putting a dark object on a desk and gradually lowering light to see which camera gives up first and which last. Sony a7r2 always wins by a mile but again I don't own xpro2
p.3 #16 · My experiences with the XPro2 shooting weddings
absolutic wrote:
Please read the article. They are very specific about ev minus 2 and these are top people at Fuji company, not Fuji photographers or Fuji employees in other countries
As far as a7r2 it is officially ev-2 at f2.0 but as dpreview Rishi Sanyal demonstrates in his article and test it is actually ev-3 and better if you are using faster lenses. Certainly beats Nikon d750 (ev-3) in his test and demonstration and explanation why (see his article in dpreview on a7r2 low light performance).
I only own xt1 and not xpro2. I usually test all my cameras by putting a dark object on a desk and gradually lowering light to see which camera gives up first and which last. Sony a7r2 always wins by a mile but again I don't own xpro2 ...Show more →
p.3 #20 · My experiences with the XPro2 shooting weddings
ajamils wrote:
I thought polygamy wasn't allowed in the camera world
Digitalrev.com review of XPRO2 AF system (This guy says had the camera for couple weeks, not clear to me if he had a production or pre-production camera. He shot it at a fashion show).
"It was pretty good. ... it competes well with my DSLR. It's good. Hit rate wasn't there. It hunts around a lot. ... I like it...but I don't think I could use it as a work tool."
