The photography thread

Grumpyrocker

Came close to buying an X-T3 this week. Originally I had an X-T1 and when the X-T2 came out I felt the massive bump in price was too much for me. I ended up getting an X-T20 and was thrilled with it. It's almost everything (apart from obvious physical aspects) from the X-T2 crammed into a smaller body. 

So here I am looking at the X-T3 and I could actually stump up the cash for it this time. But although the thing I miss from my X-T1 is the big EVF, I think I'm going to wait for the X-T30. The X-Txx line really hits a sweet spot in size for a mirrorless system. The only time it does feel a little small is with the 50-140mm - but then I just use the relatively inexpensive Meike addon grip I got from Amazon. 

dbphoto

Lodious said:

I wish the X-T3 had IBS, as this would look to be perfect.

I'm no longer up to speed but the X-H1 has IBS I think?

Jimbro66

Lodious said:

I wish the X-T3 had IBS, as this would look to be perfect.

A camera with Irritable Bowel Syndrome????

stickyfiddle

dbphoto said:

Lodious said:

I wish the X-T3 had IBS, as this would look to be perfect.

I'm no longer up to speed but the X-H1 has IBS I think?

Yep. But it's a fair bit bigger and heavier than the X-T series. I really like that Fuji is aiming for the best camera they can make at each price and size point, and have the confidence to stick to that.

The whole point of the XTs is to make the best small-ish camera they can, and I don't mind that they don't have IBIS. It would add weight and cost, and the zooms all have OIS anyway, so there's really not much need.

Grumpyrocker

IBIS would be nice in my X-T20, but I'm not in any desperate need of it. My 18-55mm and 50-140mm have OIS so are fine. My primes are fast enough IS isn't much of an issue. If I shot more video I might be tempted by a camera that had IBIS, but as it stand I'm fine without.

Seems to me lots of photographers are afraid to use the ISO. My X-T20 can take perfectly usable shots right up to ISO 6400. 

Lodious

stickyfiddle said:

dbphoto said:

Lodious said:

I wish the X-T3 had IBS, as this would look to be perfect.

I'm no longer up to speed but the X-H1 has IBS I think?

Yep. But it's a fair bit bigger and heavier than the X-T series. I really like that Fuji is aiming for the best camera they can make at each price and size point, and have the confidence to stick to that.

The whole point of the XTs is to make the best small-ish camera they can, and I don't mind that they don't have IBIS. It would add weight and cost, and the zooms all have OIS anyway, so there's really not much need.

I don't think the eqiv. 24-70 f2.8 has IS ?

Grumpyrocker

No the 16-50mm f/2.8 doesn't have IS. The new 16-80mm f/4 out next year will have IS though. I think that's going to be an excellent lens. 

dbphoto

I don’t think image stabilisation, or vibration reduction as I still think of it, is required on anything other than very long focal lengths.

If at all really, as higher ISO’s are no longer an issue, so you can just increase shutter speed and ISO while shooting wide open if you need.

The only lens I have ever owned which had it was the Nikon 70-200 f2.8 VR, and it was quite useful, but that was over 10 years ago and things have improved since then.

ThePrettyDamned

Loads of mad new tech being announced at photokina.

Going to wait until next year... Something tells me some bargains will be around.

Than xt2 would be nice, an a7ii would be ace... And there are a lot of mirrorless cameras being announced. 

I also had another play with a Panasonic gx80 - holy CRAP that thing is amazing! Fast autofocus, sharp photos, lovely looking grain and tiny - best street camera? Cheap as hell used... 

RaymondLin

dbphoto said:

I don’t think image stabilisation, or vibration reduction as I still think of it, is required on anything other than very long focal lengths.

If at all really, as higher ISO’s are no longer an issue, so you can just increase shutter speed and ISO while shooting wide open if you need.

The only lens I have ever owned which had it was the Nikon 70-200 f2.8 VR, and it was quite useful, but that was over 10 years ago and things have improved since then.

I think IBIS is hugely beneficial, required??? I don't think stabilisation is required at all if you can find ways to lock it down solid but the tech is certainly beneficial.

It allows me to shoot below the reciprocal rule and allow me to get sharper images.

It isn't a deal breaker that a camera doesn't have it but in terms of technology goes, it has slowly become the defacto standard now, the more and more bodies has it, the more strange that one that get released without.  Especially if you are buying a camera that costs thousands, it would be like buying a Mercedes or Rolls Royce and find it missing Power Steering.  Once upon a time it's a luxury but it is now expected.

On a side note, I shot a wedding on the weekend, and since I still don't have any flashes for the Sony…I had to resort to this.

I am pretty sure this hasn't been done many times before if at all….2 completely separate system shot on the same job.

Unorthodox

Do the Canon flashes not work on Sony bodies in manual? I still use some Nikon SB-900's on a7ii/a9/a6500 with no issues.

RaymondLin

Unorthodox said:

Do the Canon flashes not work on Sony bodies in manual? I still use some Nikon SB-900's on a7ii/a9/a6500 with no issues.

Mix of ETTL fill with manual OCF.

dbphoto

Fair enough @RaymondLin ;

I’m not up to speed as I shot my last wedding, and last job as a photographer, 3 years ago.  I didn’t realise it was such a common and expected feature now.

I still feel nervous when thinking back to shooting weddings and hand holding a ‘Blad at a 60th with a 135mm as the tripod was elsewhere.......

ThePrettyDamned

RaymondLin said:

Unorthodox said:

Do the Canon flashes not work on Sony bodies in manual? I still use some Nikon SB-900's on a7ii/a9/a6500 with no issues.

Mix of ETTL fill with manual OCF.

I was hardcore manual flash only, but for fast paced stuff once I'd tried ttl I couldn't go back... Just dial fill compensation and boom.

Plenty of options for Sony - I have used lencarta (basically import godox kit but warrantied and honoured with proper repairs). Good value, reliable and good service. 

Axe_meister

stickyfiddle said:

Axe_meister said:

My wife has her sculpture professionally photographed for 90x90 prints.
The detail that comes out of the Hasleblad is outstanding and picks up the tiniest reflections in the diamond dust covered sculpture.
Mind you the photos absolutely kill her Macbook. 

Can we see them? That sounds fascinating!

https://m1fineart.com/angela-morris-winmill/

DefaultM

Looked through the first page and wow'd at all the photos. Skipped to page 9, where the thread seems to have turned more to discussion and might as well be written in a foreign language haha.

RaymondLin

DefaultM said:

Looked through the first page and wow'd at all the photos. Skipped to page 9, where the thread seems to have turned more to discussion and might as well be written in a foreign language haha.

More photos  

ThePrettyDamned

I did it - after a trip to John Lewis to test stuff out, I realised a few things:

The a7ii is not good enough. It's more like two generations or more behind for autofocus, and the ergonomics were absolutely horrible  

The a7iii was out-of-this-world. If I had the money, I'd get it. I'd even consider a second hand a7ii to get into the system if they had the lenses (Sony, where is your fast affordable 35mm f/2 or f/1.8?). Ergonomics were subtly different to the a7ii but worked for me and my small hands. However, it was eye opening to see the size of the lenses - the system was much lighter than equivalent slrs and the camera more comfy for me, but the lenses were still large, even the 85mm 1.8 wasn't as small as I might have expected.

Then I tried a fuji xt2 not really expecting to fall in love, but I did. It had the kit zoom on, which was fine but not immensely sharp (sharp enough, but some reviews are overstating it's wide open sharpness for sure). However, I put on the 23mm 1.4 and the 56mm 1.2 and it all came together. The lenses are chunky, but not huge like a 35mm 1.4 or 85mm 1.4. They autofocused very well, accurate and quick, and the ergonomics were spot on. Not only that, but the evf allows you to preview your jpeg settings - I might save a couple of jpeg presets in camera and shoot raw+jpeg rather than raw+raw as they did look really nice coming out of the camera. 

Auto white balance was the best I've used too, even in the horrible mixed John Lewis lighting. Battery life sucked - which is a pain. However, I mostly shoot for fun and will hire a grip for the event in January I'm shooting. 

So I went home, went on mpb and traded in for an xt2 and 23mm 1.4, as 35mm is my do-it-all lens. In time I'll be getting the 56 1.2 but for fun I have a couple of old 50 1.4s and a 55 1.4 that'll do the trick. Can't wait for it to arrive

Edit: forgot to mention, one of the immediately biggest pros of the xt2 was not the lenses or the handling, but the eye relief. I wear glasses and this camera is fine with that. My D7200 wasn't terrible, the a7iii didn't seem as good and I found myself needing to look around to see settings.

dbphoto

I wouldn't bother with the battery grip, it rather spoils the feel and obviously increases the weight.

You should get around 300 shots per battery and as they are small and cheap just have a couple in your pocket.

Don't waste your money on genuine Fuji ones though, ExPro were my choice, and I think for less £40 you can get two batteries and a dual charger.

and FWIW, the 23mm 1.4 and 56mm 1.2 are good lenses, but the 35mm 1.4 was one of the best lenses I have ever owned so don't ignore it.

zepp76

ThePrettyDamned said:

I did it - after a trip to John Lewis to test stuff out, I realised a few things:

The a7ii is not good enough. It's more like two generations or more behind for autofocus, and the ergonomics were absolutely horrible  

The a7iii was out-of-this-world. If I had the money, I'd get it. I'd even consider a second hand a7ii to get into the system if they had the lenses (Sony, where is your fast affordable 35mm f/2 or f/1.8?). Ergonomics were subtly different to the a7ii but worked for me and my small hands. However, it was eye opening to see the size of the lenses - the system was much lighter than equivalent slrs and the camera more comfy for me, but the lenses were still large, even the 85mm 1.8 wasn't as small as I might have expected.

Then I tried a fuji xt2 not really expecting to fall in love, but I did. It had the kit zoom on, which was fine but not immensely sharp (sharp enough, but some reviews are overstating it's wide open sharpness for sure). However, I put on the 23mm 1.4 and the 56mm 1.2 and it all came together. The lenses are chunky, but not huge like a 35mm 1.4 or 85mm 1.4. They autofocused very well, accurate and quick, and the ergonomics were spot on. Not only that, but the evf allows you to preview your jpeg settings - I might save a couple of jpeg presets in camera and shoot raw+jpeg rather than raw+raw as they did look really nice coming out of the camera. 

Auto white balance was the best I've used too, even in the horrible mixed John Lewis lighting. Battery life sucked - which is a pain. However, I mostly shoot for fun and will hire a grip for the event in January I'm shooting. 

So I went home, went on mpb and traded in for an xt2 and 23mm 1.4, as 35mm is my do-it-all lens. In time I'll be getting the 56 1.2 but for fun I have a couple of old 50 1.4s and a 55 1.4 that'll do the trick. Can't wait for it to arrive

Edit: forgot to mention, one of the immediately biggest pros of the xt2 was not the lenses or the handling, but the eye relief. I wear glasses and this camera is fine with that. My D7200 wasn't terrible, the a7iii didn't seem as good and I found myself needing to look around to see settings.

Congratulations on the new camera, the waiting is the worst part! Those Fuji's look lovely, it would be great if you could post a few photos taken with it or even pictures of the camera itself.
I'm still not able to get out with my cameras yet, I may try a few photos in the back garden with my macro lens, there's no end of creepy crawlies especially false widow spiders!