p.47 #2 · Pre-order: Fujifilm GFX 50S Medium Format body ($6,499)
Everyone is different when it comes to preferences for travel and photography.
I'm pretty darned serious about my photography all the time, including when I travel. But for the sort of travel photography I do — mostly street photography and similar, including a lot of handheld night photography at high ISO — my personal approach is to use a smaller camera than the 51MP full frame gear I use for landscape.
Since I'm shooting handheld, the potential for higher image resolution isn't a realistic factor — handholding the camera essentially negates that — and the advantages of smaller and lighter equipment are substantial, allowing me to make photographs that I would find difficult or impossible to make with larger cameras and lenses.
And... I can make excellent 20" x 30" prints from my 24MP 1.5x crop originals.
So, for me the appeal of the miniMF systems such as the Fujifilm system or the Pentax 645z and so forth is more about what they can do when I'm traveling "heavy" (though less heavy than old-school MF) and working from the tripod.
rbf_ wrote:
Let's stop trying to conflate general travel with photography centered trips like going to Iceland with the specific goal of being there to do 'landscape photography'. My last several trips this were to NYC thrice, Vegas twice and a number of other cities. I wouldn't bring a medium format camera to any of them even if I had it. I'd also prefer my lens kit which is much more flexible than a kit like you refer too. I also don't like E mount much, I don't care what sensor is in a E mount camera. I'm just not interested it doesn't work for me. Please stop trying to 'sell' me it. ...Show more →
p.47 #3 · Pre-order: Fujifilm GFX 50S Medium Format body ($6,499)
rbf_ wrote:
Let's stop trying to conflate general travel with photography centered trips like going to Iceland with the specific goal of being there to do 'landscape photography'. My last several trips this were to NYC thrice, Vegas twice and a number of other cities. I wouldn't bring a medium format camera to any of them even if I had it. I'd also prefer my lens kit which is much more flexible than a kit like you refer too. I also don't like E mount much, I don't care what sensor is in a E mount camera. I'm just not interested it doesn't work for me. Please stop trying to 'sell' me it. ...Show more →
I'm not selling you anything. I travel a lot and many times it involves going to places like New York, but I also slip away and try to get some scenery images no matter where I travel. I was in Vietnam in May for 3 weeks and it involved both very busy cities and beautiful rural countryside. My photography varied from simple snaps while out for dinner to very deliberate tripod based landscapes. I took a kit which allowed for both types of photos graph you.
Now I can see if your travels are more polar than mine where it's either simple snaps in a city or dedicated photography like a trip to Iceland, but for me on extended trips, I need both types of cameras.
p.47 #4 · Pre-order: Fujifilm GFX 50S Medium Format body ($6,499)
chez wrote:
I'm not selling you anything. I travel a lot and many times it involves going to places like New York, but I also slip away and try to get some scenery images no matter where I travel. I was in Vietnam in May for 3 weeks and it involved both very busy cities and beautiful rural countryside. My photography varied from simple snaps while out for dinner to very deliberate tripod based landscapes. I took a kit which allowed for both types of photos graph you.
Now I can see if your travels are more polar than mine where it's either simple snaps in a city or dedicated photography like a trip to Iceland, but for me on extended trips, I need both types of cameras. ...Show more →
I'm glad you're happy with your system and it meets your needs. I would be perfectly comfortable using mine for general photography. If I need to print I'll take it to one of the local labs that I'm familiar with and have them advise me on what size that file could be printed at. In fact before I make any purchase of a higher resolution camera for purposes of printing larger than I can with my aps-c X system I'd definately talk to the people I know and trust at local labs and get their advice. As well as printing a few of my aps-c files. My interest in all these systems is because I'm a gear/tech slut as much as or more than current need I'm afraid It will be interesting to see what they're doing with different files these days though.
p.47 #5 · Pre-order: Fujifilm GFX 50S Medium Format body ($6,499)
rbf_ wrote:
Let's stop trying to conflate general travel with photography centered trips like going to Iceland with the specific goal of being there to do 'landscape photography'.
That's just the point - I don't distinguish between "general travel" and "photography centred trips". This summer I went on a business trip to Germany. Didn't have time for sightseeing, in fact I didn't really go anywhere other than the hotel. However the view from my hotel window looked like this:
I shot a series of images like this over several evenings. But had my room been facing the other way I wouldn't have taken a single photo the entire trip!
At the start of this month I went on a hike, it was a case of carry your tent and food with you sort of deal, but I managed to make room for an A7R + 35mm f/2.8, again the weather forecast was bad so I didn't expect to shoot much but in the end there was some really dramatic lighting and I came away with some images I could see myself printing:
rbf_ wrote:
My last several trips this were to NYC thrice, Vegas twice and a number of other cities. I wouldn't bring a medium format camera to any of them even if I had it.
Exactly that's why a medium format camera wont replace my current setup.
rbf_ wrote:
I don't care what sensor is in a E mount camera. I'm just not interested it doesn't work for me. Please stop trying to 'sell' me it.
I'm sorry if anything comes across that way - I'm not trying to "sell" the FE system to anyone, just explaining why the GFX could only augment, not replace what I have (and answer a question about users selling off A7RIIs en masse).
p.47 #6 · Pre-order: Fujifilm GFX 50S Medium Format body ($6,499)
chez wrote:
With the Loxia and batis lenses, I'm not giving up anything in bulk or image quality.
I just can't see myself in beautiful locations like Iceland with only a crop camera and only 24mpix. That would definitely be a step back for my large prints.
I guess I have to ask why anyone would by a GFX and not take it to all the exciting places in our world...why would you take your crop and leave this great camera at home?
Chez, I understand and appreciate what may work for your trips and style of photography but we are different. I have had my love affair with the A7rII camera and it is truly a superb body. There are many lenses that are amazing, Batis 18, Loxia 21, Batis 25, FE 35/1.4, FE 55, GM 85, ZA 135 for my style of photography. I have mentioned before that lenses size/weight and the cost in Australia is not to be dismissed. My travel kit increased in size and weight to the point I realized for the lenses I needed were not that much smaller than my 5DII. I understand you still have the A7r, but this was a body I did not like, whereas I still have and love the A7s with the FE 35/.28 and FE 55.
Personally I love the Fuji system of XT2 and lens lineup. I more often use longer lenses and this is where the Fuji is great. If I was very focused on BIF photography, I would opt for the Nikon D500 as system with a select few lenses as it is superb. Pick you weapon of choice
So rather than opting for another FF system, I would err to the GFX for more static and planned photography trips. It is still early days and pricing in not confirmed, nor are the final specs. I love the Fuji philosophy of camera systems and how they relate to photographers.
Respectively we are all different and we have so many choices for camera systems now.
p.47 #7 · Pre-order: Fujifilm GFX 50S Medium Format body ($6,499)
charles.K wrote:
Chez, I understand and appreciate what may work for your trips and style of photography but we are different. I have had my love affair with the A7rII camera and it is truly a superb body. There are many lenses that are amazing, Batis 18, Loxia 21, Batis 25, FE 35/1.4, FE 55, GM 85, ZA 135 for my style of photography. I have mentioned before that lenses size/weight and the cost in Australia is not to be dismissed. My travel kit increased in size and weight to the point I realized for the lenses I needed were not that much smaller than my 5DII. I understand you still have the A7r, but this was a body I did not like, whereas I still have and love the A7s with the FE 35/.28 and FE 55.
Personally I love the Fuji system of XT2 and lens lineup. I more often use longer lenses and this is where the Fuji is great. If I was very focused on BIF photography, I would opt for the Nikon D500 as system with a select few lenses as it is superb. Pick you weapon of choice
So rather than opting for another FF system, I would err to the GFX for more static and planned photography trips. It is still early days and pricing in not confirmed, nor are the final specs. I love the Fuji philosophy of camera systems and how they relate to photographers.
Respectively we are all different and we have so many choices for camera systems now.
Exactly...everyone has differing needs...and I was just pointing out my needs and why a system that is built around the Sony cameras suits my needs better than having two systems which are totally incompatible with one another...even if they do come from the same manufacturer. For my travel photography, weight and bulk are issues...yet I still want to bring along gear that will get me the image quality for which I purchased the gear.
I guess my needs of packing through sweaty SEA or South America carrying my gear is different than yours. That's ok...as long as were ok with posting our differing needs out of a system.
Don't get me wrong, I'd love to get a MF system but I think the cost, bulk and weight would prohibit me from doing so. I'm also sitting on the fence waiting for real world tests to see how big a difference in image quality we have between MF and FF.
p.47 #8 · Pre-order: Fujifilm GFX 50S Medium Format body ($6,499)
Matt Grum wrote:
That's just the point - I don't distinguish between "general travel" and "photography centred trips". This summer I went on a business trip to Germany. Didn't have time for sightseeing, in fact I didn't really go anywhere other than the hotel. However the view from my hotel window looked like this:
I shot a series of images like this over several evenings. But had my room been facing the other way I wouldn't have taken a single photo the entire trip!
At the start of this month I went on a hike, it was a case of carry your tent and food with you sort of deal, but I managed to make room for an A7R + 35mm f/2.8, again the weather forecast was bad so I didn't expect to shoot much but in the end there was some really dramatic lighting and I came away with some images I could see myself printing:
Exactly that's why a medium format camera wont replace my current setup.
I'm sorry if anything comes across that way - I'm not trying to "sell" the FE system to anyone, just explaining why the GFX could only augment, not replace what I have (and answer a question about users selling off A7RIIs en masse)....Show more →
We shoot similarly in that regard as I tend to be an opportunist and keep my system with me as much as possible including leaving a system in my trunk. Some people however do photography centered trips and I would love to do one to Iceland, I could see renting a GFX for a trip like that. I'm comfortable that I can print large prints with current APS-C sensors and good lenses as I know people who have done that for a job (printing post in film/digital) for decades.
Don't mean to be overly defensive either but over the years since I've been posting online (at another Fuji centered forum before this one) I've seen some really overzealous Sony users pressuring other photographers to switch to Sony FF. Sometimes even calling them names for not have already having done so, regardless of their personal needs. I don't trash other people systems or tend to pressure people to buy this or that, I've seen photographers using all types of gear making great images and printing them over the years. I've also seen a number of once prominent camera and lens systems obsoleted over the years so it's all relative but it's no fun when that happens to your gear
p.47 #12 · Pre-order: Fujifilm GFX 50S Medium Format body ($6,499)
chez wrote:
I guess I have to ask why anyone would by a GFX and not take it to all the exciting places in our world...why would you take your crop and leave this great camera at home?
I agree. Totally.
My 645Z kit is a manageable 6kg plus tripod. I can get that down another kilo if I am prepared to limit myself to 100mm (equiv.).
An equivalent Sony A7R2 kit is 3.5kg. But what I end up doing is carrying more gear with the Sony kit so it ends up being about 5 kg anyway.
I've long worked out that I'm happy to carry 5-7kg on photo specific trips so I base myself around that. That means I can carry a pretty decent miniMF camera kit. 5kg also means I fit the tight carry on regulations we have here. I get my hand luggage weighed every friggin time.....
I usually keep to smaller cameras when they're not photo specific outings or the camera I just always have with me. But when I travel I know I'm going to want to have the good stuff available.
Not bad (IMHO) and in line with what I thought it would be.
I'd be VERY wary of taking that price as indicative of the final price in the U.S. or Europe.
There were A7RIIs selling at official resellers in Vietnam at $2,600 right when that camera was released and selling at MSRP in the U.S. and Europe (and elsewhere in Asia). Arbitrage and out-of-market copies and really volatile currency fluctuations (the Dong has been a mess) allow for some wild prices via the VN, HK, Singapore triangle if you and the Vietnamese dealer get the timing right...
p.47 #14 · Pre-order: Fujifilm GFX 50S Medium Format body ($6,499)
justruss wrote:
I'd be VERY wary of taking that price as indicative of the final price in the U.S. or Europe.
There were A7RIIs selling at official resellers in Vietnam at $2,600 right when that camera was released and selling at MSRP in the U.S. and Europe (and elsewhere in Asia). Arbitrage and out-of-market copies and really volatile currency fluctuations (the Dong has been a mess) allow for some wild prices via the VN, HK, Singapore triangle if you and the Vietnamese dealer get the timing right...
It is fun to imagine what price the GFX may come in at I am still guessing the 7.5K USD mark is what I am hearing for the GFX and 63mm initial launch. Also even with the currency fluctuations, the manufacturers have different margins and costings in various countries, so it will depend on what the market can withstand.
p.47 #15 · Pre-order: Fujifilm GFX 50S Medium Format body ($6,499)
charles.K wrote:
It is fun to imagine what price the GFX may come in at I am still guessing the 7.5K USD mark is what I am hearing for the GFX and 63mm initial launch. Also even with the currency fluctuations, the manufacturers have different margins and costings in various countries, so it will depend on what the market can withstand.
I could live with the $7-8k range for the kit although I'm not so sure I'd choose the zoom for the range too. I paid a little less (~$6350) for my NIB M9-P body about 5 yrs ago.
I would still prefer that Fuji released the 110/2 at launch instead of the Macro because I think more people would prefer a porrrait lens to the Macro.
p.47 #17 · Pre-order: Fujifilm GFX 50S Medium Format body ($6,499)
HiredArm wrote:
I would still prefer that Fuji released the 110/2 at launch instead of the Macro because I think more people would prefer a portrait lens to the Macro.
If we were talking about the latest DSLR release, undoubtedly. But the photographers willing to pay this premium in cost, size, and weight for what I reluctantly admit will likely fairly modest quality increases? Probably shooting different things. Not that this is a studio or technical camera, but still
p.47 #18 · Pre-order: Fujifilm GFX 50S Medium Format body ($6,499)
rbf_ wrote:
My last several trips this were to NYC thrice, Vegas twice and a number of other cities. I wouldn't bring a medium format camera to any of them even if I had it.
Matt Grum wrote:
Exactly that's why a medium format camera wont replace my current setup.
I mean, every previous medium format digital camera, absolutely. But one smaller than the D810 and probably about the price of a D5 or less? What's the criteria for exclusion there?
p.47 #19 · Pre-order: Fujifilm GFX 50S Medium Format body ($6,499)
Lee Saxon wrote:
The question is the size of the lenses. The A7r was quick a bit smaller than the D810. But the problem is the lenses are generally as big as the Nikon/Canon when attached so you don't save that much. In this case, the lenses will have to be bigger than the FF equivalents to give an image circle big enough so the whole kit will likely be bigger.
p.47 #20 · Pre-order: Fujifilm GFX 50S Medium Format body ($6,499)
That's kind of an apples to oranges comparison since the A7r and D810 were the same sensor size with equally fast lenses. This is a little bit larger sensor with much slower lenses, a different situation which may end up as a wash as far as size is concerned.
