Fuji Cameras: X-T1 or X-T2?

sapphire73

I flirted with the idea of buying the Fuji X-T1 last November but held off. Now I see that Fuji has released the X-T2. Any thoughts on the X-T1 vs the X-T2? I have reread the dgrin threads about the X-T1 and know that a lot of folks are very happy with this camera and getting good results but haven't read much about the X-T2 here.

Some reviews (like the one on Wirecutter) seem to like the X-T2, and its AF and low light performance might justify the extra expense?

If I were getting one of the Fuji cameras, it looks like the 18-135 mm might be a good lens for me. But I am also interested in what people think about the 18-55 kit lens and a prime lens like the XF 35mm f/2 R WR or perhaps the the XF 27mm f/2.8? My current travel kit usually includes:

Canon 70D
Canon 18-135 mm lens
Canon 28 mm prime

I don't envision fully replacing my Canon equipment as I have other lenses I take on safari or for macro photography, but we'll see.

I generally shoot RAW and small jpeg files, processing RAW files with Lightroom and Photoshop Elements. I use the jpg files if I need to share photos before post-processing. Can I opt to shoot both RAF and JPG with the X-T1 and X-T2?

Thanks.

Thanks.

yendikeno

sapphire73 wrote: »

I flirted with the idea of buying the Fuji X-T1 last November but held off. Now I see that Fuji has released the X-T2. Any thoughts on the X-T1 vs the X-T2? I have reread the dgrin threads about the X-T1 and know that a lot of folks are very happy with this camera and getting good results but haven't read much about the X-T2 here.

Some reviews (like the one on Wirecutter) seem to like the X-T2, and its AF and low light performance might justify the extra expense?

If I were getting one of the Fuji cameras, it looks like the 18-135 mm might be a good lens for me. But I am also interested in what people think about the 18-55 kit lens and a prime lens like the XF 35mm f/2 R WR or perhaps the the XF 27mm f/2.8? My current travel kit usually includes:

Canon 70D
Canon 18-135 mm lens
Canon 28 mm prime

I don't envision fully replacing my Canon equipment as I have other lenses I take on safari or for macro photography, but we'll see.

I generally shoot RAW and small jpeg files, processing RAW files with Lightroom and Photoshop Elements. I use the jpg files if I need to share photos before post-processing. Can I opt to shoot both RAF and JPG with the X-T1 and X-T2?

Thanks.

Thanks.

I have the X-T1 and both the 18-55 and 18-135 lenses. The T1 is a really nice camera and I like it a lot, but am saving up for the T2 for when stock becomes available again. Everything I have read suggests that the T2 is much better than the T1 in most, if not all, ways.

Regarding the lenses, my 18-55 is a very sharp lens, and much sharper than the 18-135. Most often I will use the shorter zoom, reserving the 18-135 for when I want a light travel solution. Makes a nice all-in-one lens.

Yes, at least on the T1 and probably T2, you can shoot raw plus JPEG. Hope this helps.

denisegoldberg

sapphire73 wrote: »

I flirted with the idea of buying the Fuji X-T1 last November but held off. Now I see that Fuji has released the X-T2. Any thoughts on the X-T1 vs the X-T2? I have reread the dgrin threads about the X-T1 and know that a lot of folks are very happy with this camera and getting good results but haven't read much about the X-T2 here.

I suspect you're not reading much about the X-T2 here because the camera is still in limited supply. The reviews I've seen look quite good.

I have an X-T1 that I am very happy with but I am also considering the X-T2 for the increased megapixels (since I often crop) and the improved autofocus. The articulated screen seems like it could be useful for the times when I don't use the viewfinder.

Like the X-T1, the X-T2 is weather-resistant.
I have and use the XF18-135 lens. That lens is weather-resistant; the 18-55 is not.
Both the X-T1 and X-T2 can shoot RAW+JPEG. You can see this on the specifications pages for the cameras on the Fuji site.

I think you likely need to separate the price and your expected use of the camera. There is currently an instant savings active on the X-T1 - I see body-only for $899 at B&H and for $800 at Amazon. The retail price on the X-T2 is $1599. That's a pretty big price difference - but how does the difference in features feed into your expected use of the camera?

--- Denise

Brett1000

sapphire73 wrote: »

I flirted with the idea of buying the Fuji X-T1 last November but held off. Now I see that Fuji has released the X-T2. Any thoughts on the X-T1 vs the X-T2? I have reread the dgrin threads about the X-T1 and know that a lot of folks are very happy with this camera and getting good results but haven't read much about the X-T2 here.

Some reviews (like the one on Wirecutter) seem to like the X-T2, and its AF and low light performance might justify the extra expense?

If I were getting one of the Fuji cameras, it looks like the 18-135 mm might be a good lens for me. But I am also interested in what people think about the 18-55 kit lens and a prime lens like the XF 35mm f/2 R WR or perhaps the the XF 27mm f/2.8? My current travel kit usually includes:

Canon 70D
Canon 18-135 mm lens
Canon 28 mm prime

I don't envision fully replacing my Canon equipment as I have other lenses I take on safari or for macro photography, but we'll see.

I generally shoot RAW and small jpeg files, processing RAW files with Lightroom and Photoshop Elements. I use the jpg files if I need to share photos before post-processing. Can I opt to shoot both RAF and JPG with the X-T1 and X-T2?

Thanks.

Thanks.

if your travel kit consists of Canon lens you might want to look at the Canon M5

www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless

denisegoldberg

Brett1000 wrote: »

if your travel kit consists of Canon lens you might want to look at the Canon M5

Do you need an adapter for standard Canon lenses for the M5?

One of the things I like about the Fuji X-T1 is that the lenses are smaller and lighter for a mirrorless camera than they are for a dSLR. Having a smaller body but larger lenses doesn't give the same compactness. I'm sure that doesn't matter for some people, but I like the overall smaller form factor.

--- Denise

ziggy53

Brett1000 wrote: »

if your travel kit consists of Canon lens you might want to look at the Canon M5

www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless

denisegoldberg wrote: »

Do you need an adapter for standard Canon lenses for the M5?

One of the things I like about the Fuji X-T1 is that the lenses are smaller and lighter for a mirrorless camera than they are for a dSLR. Having a smaller body but larger lenses doesn't give the same compactness. I'm sure that doesn't matter for some people, but I like the overall smaller form factor.

--- Denise

Only jumping in because the OP mentioned having Canon equipment and then Brett and Denise began this conversation, so as long as the OP does not object ...

The Canon M5 is the first Canon mirrorless that has me a bit excited, just because some of the early reviews are pretty positive.

Yes, you need an adapter to use EF (FF) and EF-S (crop 1.6x) lenses, but they seem to work more or less as intended, meaning little compromise. Native EF-M lenses are a bit smaller but only the wide-angle lenses really benefit much and large-aperture lenses are going to be similar sized (and heavier than smaller aperture equivalent lenses) pretty regardless of format.

Another problem with most mirrorless systems is that the battery durations are pretty small, meaning that you have to carry more batteries for more expansive shooting requirements (i.e. more shots total, and/or longer shooting sessions). More batteries means more to charge and maintain too. But at least you do have a minimalist option for those times when you don't need the expansive system.

As such, for the minimalist option, the Canon M5 makes some sense if you already have a full kit of lenses, because you just need to add lenses for the minimalist opportunities, and Canon already has some OK EF-M lenses from which to choose as well as the newest 18-150 F3.5-6.3 IS STM.

Best of all, the Dual Pixel AF implementation on the M5 looks eminently capable, marginally useful for simple sports if you use a sports-capable lens.

Kai's Canon EOS M5 Hands-on video Review

denisegoldberg

ziggy53 wrote: »

...The Canon M5 is the first Canon mirrorless that has me a bit excited, just because some of the early reviews are pretty positive.
Kai's Canon EOS M5 Hands-on video Review

Thanks Ziggy, very interesting.

--- Denise

sapphire73

AZFred, Denise, Brett1000, and Ziggy53 - thank you all for your thoughtful input. (And yes, I am fine with expanding this thread to discuss the Canon EOS M5....)

Just back from a quick trip to Seattle and catching up on these posts. I should probably consider the Canon EOS M5 as I have several lighter weight lenses that could be paired with it. And I really like the touchscreen LCD on my Canon 70D. But the Fuji X-T2 looks very appealing as well. With the Fuji X-T2 being in short supply, I am hoping to handle a Fuji X-T1 in a local store to get a feel for these cameras and the general layout.

Fuji lenses - The 18-135 mm lens replicates a Canon lens that I use often and weather sealing is a big plus for me. But it is good to know that some find the 18-55 lens sharper. I am used to having zooms (like the Tamron 18-270 PZD) that are less sharp at the 270 mm but see that some reviewers find Fuji's 18-135 less sharp at 18mm. If I went with Fuji's 18-135mm I might end up following Denise's lead and purchase the 10-24 mm lens at some point, too.

Canon EOS M5 - Ziggy, the reviews of this camera are intriguing. I haven't handled any of the recent mirrorless cameras, and it might be good to take a careful look at this one. Especially since I (and 2 of the other 3 photographers in the family) shoot with Canon cameras.

Thank you again!

sapphire73

Pulled the trigger on getting the Fuji X-T2 yesterday. I had asked to see the X-T1 at a local camera store to get a feel for the camera (and its viewfinder) and told them I was hoping to get the X-T2. They called yesterday to let me know that they could get the Fuji X-T2 with the 18-55 lens - that morning. So I have it in my hands. Went on a train ride with Santa yesterday (with two little grandchildren) and tried it out even though I hadn't finished setting it up. Was very happy with many of the shots I got SOOC. This is going to be a fun camera to use!

Any suggestions on what menu settings you have found helpful with your Fuji camera would be welcome. Thanks!

denisegoldberg

@sapphire73 said:
Pulled the trigger on getting the Fuji X-T2 yesterday.

Congrats! I'm looking forward to hearing about your experience with the camera, still on my wishlist...

yendikeno

Congratulations! I think you will really enjoy using the X-T2. There is a dedicated Fuji forum that is quite active. You can find a lot of useful info there:

http://www.fujix-forum.com/

sapphire73

Denise and AZFred, thank you for your input! Denise, you helped plant the idea of turning to Fuji a year ago. And Fred, I appreciated hearing about your experience using a Fuji camera and lenses, and I will explore the link you shared.

sapphire73

Quick update on the Fuji X-T2. I love it. I am still shooting RAW and jpg but I have been very pleased with how good the jpg images are. I have not yet purchased a zoom lens with any reach, so I am sometimes traveling with the Fuji (with 18-55 and wide angle lens) and a Canon (with a lens with longer reach). This does not help me travel with a light weight photography kit but does help me get the shots I want to get.

I would welcome input from Fuji users who have the 18-135 or 55-200 lens, especially if you are using it with one of the newer Fuji cameras. I have read lots of great reviews about Fuji's 18-135 mm lens but some people are less happy with how it performs when paired with the X-T2. And it seems that this lens is in short supply just now.

Thank you.

(I have also been looking at the Fuji forum and the reviews posted on various blogs.)

denisegoldberg

@sapphire73 said:
I would welcome input from Fuji users who have the 18-135 or 55-200 lens, especially if you are using it with one of the newer Fuji cameras. I have read lots of great reviews about Fuji's 18-135 mm lens but some people are less happy with how it performs when paired with the X-T2. And it seems that this lens is in short supply just now.

I have both of these lenses and I use them with an X-T1.

The 18-135 is used a lot, the 55-200 quite a bit less. This is due to the types of photos I tend to take as opposed to there being something wrong with the lens. My focus is usually macro and landscape. One day I think I need to walk with just the 55-200, no choices! Usually when I go with one lens its the 18-135.

The flower photos in this gallery - http://www.denisegoldberg.com/Wandering-near-home/Summer-2017/ - were taken either with the 18-135 or with the 60mm macro. The info button shows which lens was used. These two sea gull photos were also taken with the 18-135:
http://www.denisegoldberg.com/Outdoor-beauty/Glimpses-of-Cape-Cod-National-Seashore-2017/i-dRcjXWP/A
http://www.denisegoldberg.com/Outdoor-beauty/Glimpses-of-Cape-Cod-National-Seashore-2017/i-N8n4T62/A

This was taken with the 55-200:
http://www.denisegoldberg.com/Outdoor-beauty/Parker-River-and-2017/i-MGhG6hP/A

The butterflies in the gallery http://www.denisegoldberg.com/GardensFlowersThings/Butterflies-2017/ were taken with either the 18-135 or the 55-200. Here are links to a few that were taken with the 55-200:
http://www.denisegoldberg.com/GardensFlowersThings/Butterflies-2017/i-QsTBkQC/A
http://www.denisegoldberg.com/GardensFlowersThings/Butterflies-2017/i-m8XD2GL/A
http://www.denisegoldberg.com/GardensFlowersThings/Butterflies-2017/i-Zdsg6MN/A

In the same gallery, taken with the 18-135:
http://www.denisegoldberg.com/GardensFlowersThings/Butterflies-2017/i-jpQRDT4/A
http://www.denisegoldberg.com/GardensFlowersThings/Butterflies-2017/i-xDfC4hf/A

sapphire73

@denisegoldberg said:

The 18-135 is used a lot, the 55-200 quite a bit less. This is due to the types of photos I tend to take as opposed to there being something wrong with the lens. My focus is usually macro and landscape. One day I think I need to walk with just the 55-200, no choices! Usually when I go with one lens its the 18-135.

Thank you, Denise! Very helpful to see your lovely photos taken with these lenses in the gallery of flowers and butterflies. I think I am going to purchase the 55-200 and see how it works for me with the kinds of photos I take.

denisegoldberg

@sapphire73 said:
Quick update on the Fuji X-T2. I love it. I am still shooting RAW and jpg but I have been very pleased with how good the jpg images are.

I upgraded to the X-T2 at the beginning of November and I am very happy with it.

I thought long and hard about it. I was still happy with my X-T1 but there were several features on the X-T2 that pulled me in - the improved autofocus, increased megapixels (since I often crop), and the articulated screen. On the autofocus front, the X-T2 has many more (up to 325) focus points, and a very fast autofocus of 0.06 seconds. One change that I love is the focus stick on the back of the camera; it allows me to move the focus point more quickly than it was possible on the X-T1.

I'm including a few photos from the X-T2 here. If you'd like to see more, you can go to the date page of my site (http://www.denisegoldberg.com/date) and select a date range starting on November 6, 2017.

1 :: at Jenness Beach, New Hampshire coast

2 :: reflections, Harold Parker State Forest, Andover, MA

3 :: the still under construction Sarah Mildred Long Bridge between Portsmouth, NH and Kittery, ME

4 :: a flower in the greenhouses of Lyman Estate, Waltham, MA

Brett1000

@sapphire73 said:
AZFred, Denise, Brett1000, and Ziggy53 - thank you all for your thoughtful input. (And yes, I am fine with expanding this thread to discuss the Canon EOS M5....)
Just back from a quick trip to Seattle and catching up on these posts. I should probably consider the Canon EOS M5 as I have several lighter weight lenses that could be paired with it. And I really like the touchscreen LCD on my Canon 70D. But the Fuji X-T2 looks very appealing as well. With the Fuji X-T2 being in short supply, I am hoping to handle a Fuji X-T1 in a local store to get a feel for these cameras and the general layout.

Fuji lenses - The 18-135 mm lens replicates a Canon lens that I use often and weather sealing is a big plus for me. But it is good to know that some find the 18-55 lens sharper. I am used to having zooms (like the Tamron 18-270 PZD) that are less sharp at the 270 mm but see that some reviewers find Fuji's 18-135 less sharp at 18mm. If I went with Fuji's 18-135mm I might end up following Denise's lead and purchase the 10-24 mm lens at some point, too.

Canon EOS M5 - Ziggy, the reviews of this camera are intriguing. I haven't handled any of the recent mirrorless cameras, and it might be good to take a careful look at this one. Especially since I (and 2 of the other 3 photographers in the family) shoot with Canon cameras.

Thank you again!

the adapter for Canon mirrorless is just a metal ring with contacts, like an extension tube - $19 on ebay.
I don't know about a Fuji adapter for Canon lenses though, ..... (I wouldn't want the hassle of two systems !)
flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless

sapphire73

@denisegoldberg said:

@sapphire73 said:
Quick update on the Fuji X-T2. I love it. I am still shooting RAW and jpg but I have been very pleased with how good the jpg images are.

I upgraded to the X-T2 at the beginning of November and I am very happy with it.

I thought long and hard about it. I was still happy with my X-T1 but there were several features on the X-T2 that pulled me in - the improved autofocus, increased megapixels (since I often crop), and the articulated screen. On the autofocus front, the X-T2 has many more (up to 325) focus points, and a very fast autofocus of 0.06 seconds. One change that I love is the focus stick on the back of the camera; it allows me to move the focus point more quickly than it was possible on the X-T1.

Denise, great to hear from you. Glad to hear that you are enjoying the X-T2 and see some of the photos you have captured with it. I see that many of them were taken with the 18-135 mm lens (which has always served you well in the past). Are you happy with that lens with the X-T2?

I ended up buying the 55-200mm lens to pair with the 18-55 kit lens but it was a hard decision as to which one to get. (There is a long thread on the Fuji Forum about 18-135mm vs 55-200mm.) I really like my Canon 18-135mm lens but chose the Fuji 55-200mm partly to have a lens that gives me a little more reach. I took it on a river cruise in France and pulled it out on the occasions when I wanted that reach. Here is one example:

A View of Sacré Cœur from our hotel room (handheld, looking across rooftops):

denisegoldberg

@sapphire73 said:
Denise, great to hear from you. Glad to hear that you are enjoying the X-T2 and see some of the photos you have captured with it. I see that many of them were taken with the 18-135 mm lens (which has always served you well in the past). Are you happy with that lens with the X-T2?

Your shot of Sacré Cœur is very nicely done.

Yes, the 18-135mm continues to work well for me. If I am focused on landscapes I am usually shooting with either the 10x-4mm or the 18-135mm.

I added the 55-200 because I wanted a bit more reach. I'd actually like a little more but for now I think I'm set.

The last photo in that set was taken with my very new Fuji X80mm macro. I had been watching the Fuji roadmap, decided I wanted the lens, and put in a pre-order at Hunt's Photo & Video in Melrose, MA. I was shocked to get a call on November 30th that the lens was in - when I ordered it I was told my lens was within their initial order quantity but I was warned that with a new lens the shops don't always get the quantity that they ordered. The lens is sweet!