After shooting with Canon systems for well over a decade I finally decided to jump ship. Why? In short, I was tired of the size and weight of my pro dSLR gear. The 7D, photographic marvel though it may be, is a sizable chunk of camera. While it was great for studio work and planned events, I found myself leaving my camera at home for trips and outings more often than not. I'll be going to Ecuador in about a month, and the prospect of lugging around my camera kit up and down the mountains was not enticing. I was initially going to get a nice point and shoot to take on the trip, but I soon discovered the higher end mirrorless systems. These new cameras have certainly come a long way from when I first looked at one in a camera shop a couple years back. While each brand seems to have its particular quirks, I ultimately settled on the Fujifilm X-E1 as it seemed to have the best balance between image quality and lens availability (for me at least!) Was it worth selling off all of my Canon gear? Here are my impressions of the Fujifilm after a week of shooting:
THE GOOD:
1) IMAGE QUALITY IS AMAZING! I'm really impressed with the photos I've taken so far. Everything has been on par (if not better!) than the pictures from the 7D. Of course, I've always felt that my 7D images were on the grainy side when compared to my old 40D. I've heard some complaints about RAW support, but I've been using the new beta version of Adobe Camera Raw and haven't experienced any issues. Very pleased with the photos so far!
2) Size and design! It's much easier for me to stash and carry around for impromptu photos, and the overall build seems very sturdy. This will be perfect for travel! Even shooting around town, I don't get the unwanted attention that carrying around a large dSLR always seems to attract. If you've used a film SLR or rangefinder in the past then the control scheme will be familiar. Not that it affects the shooting experience, but I'm in love with the retro design aesthetic. I haven't had a camera this pretty since my old film Minolta. So sexy!
3) The kit lens is awesome, definitely on par with my much more expensive Canon glass. I also picked up a fast prime for steal during a promotional period. I've never had lenses this nice or fast, and each was less than half the price of comparable Canon lenses.
THE BAD:
1) Speed! True to every review out there, the auto focus and operations are on the sluggish side. Honestly, it's more of a minor annoyance than a hindrance, and I don't think it's negatively affected my shooting. That said, I haven't attempted to shoot sports or action yet. I have a feeling that when I do there will be more than a few missed shots.
2) Lens availability. The lenses currently offered for the Fujifilm X-mount all seem great for general photographic needs, but there are definitely a few gaps that will affect the types of shots I like to take. The lack of a telephoto zoom = no wildlife photos (apparently one is slated to come out soon but not in time for my trip). The only available macro lens is not 1:1, which is a complete bummer. I'm sure I can work my way around these deficiencies with adapters, but should I have to? At least Fujifilm seems to be releasing new lenses at a decent rate, so this will get better with time.
It's been over a week, and I still don't miss the Canon! I've only processed a few sets from X-E1, but so far I am beyond pleased with this camera's performance. It's a pleasure to shoot with, and the resulting images are gorgeous (on par or better than the old dSLR). Add to that the advantage of having such a portable, lightweight kit and I'm completely willing to put up with a quirk or two.
THE GOOD:
1) IMAGE QUALITY IS AMAZING! I'm really impressed with the photos I've taken so far. Everything has been on par (if not better!) than the pictures from the 7D. Of course, I've always felt that my 7D images were on the grainy side when compared to my old 40D. I've heard some complaints about RAW support, but I've been using the new beta version of Adobe Camera Raw and haven't experienced any issues. Very pleased with the photos so far!
2) Size and design! It's much easier for me to stash and carry around for impromptu photos, and the overall build seems very sturdy. This will be perfect for travel! Even shooting around town, I don't get the unwanted attention that carrying around a large dSLR always seems to attract. If you've used a film SLR or rangefinder in the past then the control scheme will be familiar. Not that it affects the shooting experience, but I'm in love with the retro design aesthetic. I haven't had a camera this pretty since my old film Minolta. So sexy!
3) The kit lens is awesome, definitely on par with my much more expensive Canon glass. I also picked up a fast prime for steal during a promotional period. I've never had lenses this nice or fast, and each was less than half the price of comparable Canon lenses.
THE BAD:
1) Speed! True to every review out there, the auto focus and operations are on the sluggish side. Honestly, it's more of a minor annoyance than a hindrance, and I don't think it's negatively affected my shooting. That said, I haven't attempted to shoot sports or action yet. I have a feeling that when I do there will be more than a few missed shots.
2) Lens availability. The lenses currently offered for the Fujifilm X-mount all seem great for general photographic needs, but there are definitely a few gaps that will affect the types of shots I like to take. The lack of a telephoto zoom = no wildlife photos (apparently one is slated to come out soon but not in time for my trip). The only available macro lens is not 1:1, which is a complete bummer. I'm sure I can work my way around these deficiencies with adapters, but should I have to? At least Fujifilm seems to be releasing new lenses at a decent rate, so this will get better with time.
It's been over a week, and I still don't miss the Canon! I've only processed a few sets from X-E1, but so far I am beyond pleased with this camera's performance. It's a pleasure to shoot with, and the resulting images are gorgeous (on par or better than the old dSLR). Add to that the advantage of having such a portable, lightweight kit and I'm completely willing to put up with a quirk or two.
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