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DSLR Camera Guys (2 Viewers)

Who here has a Fuji X-T2 and uses it with satisfaction for landscape shots? 

I've been a Canon DSLR guy and my favorite 16-35mm (L) lens took a bounce and broke apart a few weeks ago.  Still waiting to see if it can be repaired.  In the meantime, I'm considering the move to the mirrorless and the people I know, are overwhelmingly pointing me toward the XT2. 

Anyone want to voice a pro/con? 

TIA

 
Who here has a Fuji X-T2 and uses it with satisfaction for landscape shots? 

I've been a Canon DSLR guy and my favorite 16-35mm (L) lens took a bounce and broke apart a few weeks ago.  Still waiting to see if it can be repaired.  In the meantime, I'm considering the move to the mirrorless and the people I know, are overwhelmingly pointing me toward the XT2. 

Anyone want to voice a pro/con? 

TIA
I think the biggest "con" would be lenses in terms of selection, pricing, and availability. Never had an XT2 or even held one, but seems like a great camera. Personally, I would  need at least 3 lenses to make a big switch like that. That can get expensive pretty quick.

Sorry to hear about the 16-35mm. What Canon compatible lenses are you left with and which ones would you want to replace to move to the Fuji?

 
I think the biggest "con" would be lenses in terms of selection, pricing, and availability. Never had an XT2 or even held one, but seems like a great camera. Personally, I would  need at least 3 lenses to make a big switch like that. That can get expensive pretty quick.

Sorry to hear about the 16-35mm. What Canon compatible lenses are you left with and which ones would you want to replace to move to the Fuji?
For a hobbiest I've got a pretty nice collection which is what's keeping me from making the move.

50mm f/1.4

85mm f/1.8

24-105mm f/4L

24-70mm f/2.8L II

100mm f/2.8L Macro

70-200 f/2.8L IS II

150-600mm TAMRON

Plus the 16-35

That's roughly $9K invested when purchased new. That doesn't include the bodies. If I were to sell them, maybe $5-6K if I was lucky.

However if I were to go with the Fuji, I'd want 3 at a minimum whatever they have that equates to the:  16-35mm, 70-200mm, 24-105mm.

I'm getting too old to carry the heavy glass.  It really wares on my shoulders when on vacation at the national parks.

 
For a hobbiest I've got a pretty nice collection which is what's keeping me from making the move.

50mm f/1.4

85mm f/1.8

24-105mm f/4L

24-70mm f/2.8L II

100mm f/2.8L Macro

70-200 f/2.8L IS II

150-600mm TAMRON

Plus the 16-35

That's roughly $9K invested when purchased new. That doesn't include the bodies. If I were to sell them, maybe $5-6K if I was lucky.

However if I were to go with the Fuji, I'd want 3 at a minimum whatever they have that equates to the:  16-35mm, 70-200mm, 24-105mm.

I'm getting too old to carry the heavy glass.  It really wares on my shoulders when on vacation at the national parks.
That's more than just a nice collection. It would be hard to move away from those lenses, but I certainly hear you with regards to carrying many of them around with you at the same time. For me it's when I'm hiking or I'm planning on traveling by air that the size/weight/cost of the dSLR equipment becomes a pain. 

Have you ever considered instead of moving away from your great Canon equipment altogether supplementing it with a second, smaller and lighter system like the Olympus EM10 III? It's lighter than the Fuji and much less expensive. But perhaps most importantly because it uses a slightly smaller sensor the lenses can be smaller/lighter so that if you take the camera and two or three lenses in your bag you get a big savings in terms of size and weight of the equipment. Because the EM10 III has 5-axis-sensor stabilization you can get by with some fast/light primes and still have stabilization. With the 2x crop factor of the sensor you can save a ton of weight on just a couple of telephoto lenses.

While I think the Oly EM10 line is the best value on the M4/3 side of things the biggest drawback would be their maximum shutter speed is 1/4000th of a second. If that's a deal breaker I'd probably look at the Panasonic GX8. It's a heavier camera(but still lighter than the Fuji) but it's still less expensive than the Fuji. It also has the added benefit in sensor-stabilization that you can use in conjunction with some stabilized lenses to get even better hand held stabilization. And of course if you are into video Panasonic as a brand does some of the best video out there with their M4/3rd cameras. Again, because it has a 2x cropped sensor the lens collection will be smaller and lighter.

That way you could use both systems, each when it's the right tool for the job. I'd just hate to see you stop using that wonderful collection of Canon lenses. 

 
For a hobbiest I've got a pretty nice collection which is what's keeping me from making the move.

50mm f/1.4

85mm f/1.8

24-105mm f/4L

24-70mm f/2.8L II

100mm f/2.8L Macro

70-200 f/2.8L IS II

150-600mm TAMRON

Plus the 16-35

That's roughly $9K invested when purchased new. That doesn't include the bodies. If I were to sell them, maybe $5-6K if I was lucky.

However if I were to go with the Fuji, I'd want 3 at a minimum whatever they have that equates to the:  16-35mm, 70-200mm, 24-105mm.

I'm getting too old to carry the heavy glass.  It really wares on my shoulders when on vacation at the national parks.
I'm a professional food photographer and I have exactly 4 lenses. The two that came with the cam and two prime lenses. A 35mm and a 50. I use the 50 pretty much all the time. I would LOVE to play with some of these, but man that's a lot of cheddar!

 
I'm a professional food photographer and I have exactly 4 lenses. The two that came with the cam and two prime lenses. A 35mm and a 50. I use the 50 pretty much all the time. I would LOVE to play with some of these, but man that's a lot of cheddar!
I have a couple of regrets.  I wish I had bought a 35mm prime instead of that 85mm prime.  When I'm shooting portraits I primarily use the 50mm but would really love to have a 35mm.  And now I can't remember the last time I used the 85mm.  A couple of years at least.  The Tamron lens is the other waste. It's a good lens.  Not great, but I wish I had spent a fraction of the money on a 1X or 1.4X extender for the 70-200 instead.  One less large piece to worry about packing or leaving behind.  And the Macro is a fun lens, but I rarely use that one also.

I think I've decided to put some of these on the local Craigs list and down size to a mirrorless (maybe Fuji XT2) with the kit lens, and then grab whatever other lenses for the Fuji that turn me on down the road.

 
That's more than just a nice collection. It would be hard to move away from those lenses, but I certainly hear you with regards to carrying many of them around with you at the same time. For me it's when I'm hiking or I'm planning on traveling by air that the size/weight/cost of the dSLR equipment becomes a pain. 

Have you ever considered instead of moving away from your great Canon equipment altogether supplementing it with a second, smaller and lighter system like the Olympus EM10 III? It's lighter than the Fuji and much less expensive. But perhaps most importantly because it uses a slightly smaller sensor the lenses can be smaller/lighter so that if you take the camera and two or three lenses in your bag you get a big savings in terms of size and weight of the equipment. Because the EM10 III has 5-axis-sensor stabilization you can get by with some fast/light primes and still have stabilization. With the 2x crop factor of the sensor you can save a ton of weight on just a couple of telephoto lenses.

While I think the Oly EM10 line is the best value on the M4/3 side of things the biggest drawback would be their maximum shutter speed is 1/4000th of a second. If that's a deal breaker I'd probably look at the Panasonic GX8. It's a heavier camera(but still lighter than the Fuji) but it's still less expensive than the Fuji. It also has the added benefit in sensor-stabilization that you can use in conjunction with some stabilized lenses to get even better hand held stabilization. And of course if you are into video Panasonic as a brand does some of the best video out there with their M4/3rd cameras. Again, because it has a 2x cropped sensor the lens collection will be smaller and lighter.

That way you could use both systems, each when it's the right tool for the job. I'd just hate to see you stop using that wonderful collection of Canon lenses. 
I suspect I'll hold onto the Canon Bodies (5DMii and 5DMiii and a 60D)  Although I'd gladly give up the 5DMii.  I've used it nearly exclusively for the past 5 years and it doesn't owe me anything.  But maybe hold on to three of the Canon lenses and then move toward a small mirrorless point and shoot.  I've not done much research on the models you mentions, but thanks for taking the time to provide the info, I'll certainly give them all a looksee.  I do really love having the full frame.  That's gonna be tough to move away from.

 
  I do really love having the full frame.  That's gonna be tough to move away from.
I have never owned a FF camera but it had always been my plan to upgrade to a Canon FF. Now, I see the Sony A7 series have come down in price to the ~$800 level for the body and they are smaller/lighter than the Canon FF cameras. Lately I've just been trying to downscale the size/weight of my gear so I take it with me more often. That's why I have been experimenting with m4/3rd gear. 

Ideally, I think I would like to use m4/3 for travel/hiking and telephoto work(because the lenses can be smaller/lighter because the sensor is smaller), and use a FF camera for road trips, portraits, and landscape photos. For years now people have been speculating about a Canon FF mirrorless that would presumably allow me to keep using my Canon lenses(with an adapter) but I'm at the point now Canon may have lost me as a customer. Olympus/Panasonic are killing it in the smaller sensors and Sony/Fuji are killing it in the larger sensors. Both Canon/Nikon started out with a big lead but it's like they were trapped by their own success and stopped innovating. Even in terms of lenses it seems like Tamron/Sigma are coming out with the exciting IQ/$ lenses these days. 

 
I have a couple of regrets.  I wish I had bought a 35mm prime instead of that 85mm prime.  When I'm shooting portraits I primarily use the 50mm but would really love to have a 35mm.  And now I can't remember the last time I used the 85mm.  A couple of years at least.  The Tamron lens is the other waste. It's a good lens.  Not great, but I wish I had spent a fraction of the money on a 1X or 1.4X extender for the 70-200 instead.  One less large piece to worry about packing or leaving behind.  And the Macro is a fun lens, but I rarely use that one also.
At least the good thing is you should almost get full value at of that 85mm prime. It's one of the highest rated lenses out there and plenty of people love to use it for portraits/weddings as a money maker.

Almost bought that Tamron 150-600mm myself to go on Safari. Unfortunately, I would probably want to use it a fair bit on hikes as well.... but I really don't want to carry all that weight. It would be perfect for riding around in a vehicle though. 

 
Has anyone ever sent their Nikkor lens in to Nikon to get fixed. My 18-200 broke and I'm trying to figure if I should buy a new one or get it fixed. Wondering about price and time

 
Has anyone ever sent their Nikkor lens in to Nikon to get fixed. My 18-200 broke and I'm trying to figure if I should buy a new one or get it fixed. Wondering about price and time
Unless the repair was really cheap I'd be tempted to replace it with the 18-400mm Tamron. It's slightly longer and heavier but wow what a walk-around lens. Neither lens will be confused with the sharpest lenses in the lineup but on sunny days it would probably suffice. For travel I could probably get by with just that lens and prime(maybe two if they are small).

Slightly off-topic, it sounds like folks are having trouble with broken lenses. Has anyone in the thread ever tried one of these photo-gear-protection plans and if so what was your experience.......

https://petapixel.com/2015/07/02/5-insurance-options-for-protecting-your-business-and-gear-as-a-photographer/

 
Just got a Nikon d5100 for free.  Never had a DSLR camera before.  Tips?

Lenses are 55-300mm and 18-55mm.

 
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Just got a Nikon d5100 for free.  Never had a DSLR camera before.  Tips?

Lenses are 55-300mm and 18-55mm.
I'd read the book "Understanding Exposure."  I read it on the recommendation of others here.  It will help you to understand aperture, ISO, and shutter speed, and how they all tie together, which will help you get out of auto-shooting mode.

 
Just got a Nikon d5100 for free.  Never had a DSLR camera before.  Tips?

Lenses are 55-300mm and 18-55mm.
- Get a dual charger with two extra batteries..... https://www.amazon.com/Powerextra-Battery-Charger-EN-EL14-EN-EL14a/dp/B01N6KVZL3/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1519958258&sr=8-6&keywords=nikon%2BEN-EL14%2Bbattery&dpID=41tjW0EFI3L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch&th=1

- Get a few extra memory cards so you always have a couple of extras with you

- Get a prime lens for low light situations and when you want bokeh in your portraits.... https://www.amazon.com/YONGNUO-Standard-Aperture-Nikon-Cameras/dp/B01E38TZDC/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1519958623&sr=8-9&keywords=nikon+50mm+1.8

With those three lenses you should have the flexibility to shoot most things. If you find that you are drawn to a specific type of photography after playing with the camera you may want to get specific equipment for the type of photography that interests you but those three items are all money well spent.... especially if you plan to use the camera while traveling.

 
Just got a Nikon d5100 for free.  Never had a DSLR camera before.  Tips?

Lenses are 55-300mm and 18-55mm.
I believe those are the stock lenses that come with the cam. They aren't great. Look for a flash that can angle the flash. I got mine for about $120. Both times (the first one lasted 3 years. The second is going on 3 years)

 
BoltBacker said:
- Get a dual charger with two extra batteries..... https://www.amazon.com/Powerextra-Battery-Charger-EN-EL14-EN-EL14a/dp/B01N6KVZL3/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1519958258&sr=8-6&keywords=nikon%2BEN-EL14%2Bbattery&dpID=41tjW0EFI3L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch&th=1

- Get a few extra memory cards so you always have a couple of extras with you

- Get a prime lens for low light situations and when you want bokeh in your portraits...https://www.amazon.com/YONGNUO-Standard-Aperture-Nikon-Cameras/dp/B01E38TZDC/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1519958623&sr=8-9&keywords=nikon+50mm+1.8

With those three lenses you should have the flexibility to shoot most things. If you find that you are drawn to a specific type of photography after playing with the camera you may want to get specific equipment for the type of photography that interests you but those three items are all money well spent.... especially if you plan to use the camera while traveling.
I use the heck out of my 50mm. As a food photographer, it's phenomenal. The bokeh is amazing. All my artistic shots are taken with this lens. 

 
I use the heck out of my 50mm. As a food photographer, it's phenomenal. The bokeh is amazing. All my artistic shots are taken with this lens. 
I found that I got better as a photographer when using prime lens because it forced me to move around and play with angles rather than rely on zoom in or out. 

 
I found that I got better as a photographer when using prime lens because it forced me to move around and play with angles rather than rely on zoom in or out. 
Yep. Although I'm glad no one is filming me doing it. I must look like a complete moron during shoots as I typically take about 800 raw shots for an individual blog post and a couple hundred for Instagram. I'm guessing is someone filmed that and sped it up real fast, I would look like a complete idiot. 

 
I use the heck out of my 50mm. As a food photographer, it's phenomenal. The bokeh is amazing. All my artistic shots are taken with this lens. 
Those Yonguo lenses for under $100 really are a gateway drug.

Whenever I meet someone that takes the plunge into interchangeable lens photography I always suggest they grab a cheap "nifty-fifty" and without fail they always look a little confused at first, because their camera came with a 18-55mm. It's not until after they actually have used the lenses for awhile(especially indoors, or at dusk/dawn) that they truly understand the results they get from a prime are the reason they are using a REAL camera rather than a cell phone or P&S. That isn't too say there aren't some remarkable zoom lenses(the 70-200mmF2.8 by almost any manufacturer these days for instance) but a fast and light prime is just a joy to use and the results can be incredible.

One nice thing about so many camera manufacturers being pulled into 5-axis sensor stabilization by Olympus/Panasonic is "old" prime lenses should get a new life. With focus peaking even that very, very old glass is reborn whether the lens is autofocus or manual focus. It would be difficult for me to justify buying a new camera body that didn't have those two features because they allow me to get the best results out of my best lenses.... my primes lenses.

 
Anyone ever have any experience with "KitSplit"? Had never heard about it before I read this article but it may breath new life into my interest in dSLR equipment. It's tough for me to justify buying new lenses for my dSLR's but if the price is right I may be willing to rent a very lens specific trip. The Tamron 150-600mm for a driven safari for instance.

The service made me think of the great lens collection On The Rocks had built. Maybe over time he could make money and still own the lenses in the end, although slightly more used at the end of the process. 

https://www.dpreview.com/news/1880971262/kitsplit-gear-rental-company-raises-2-1m-in-seed-funding

 
Coming back to planning for my trip, I'm trying to figure out what's going to be my best bet for carrying my gear. For the vast majority of my hikes, I'm pretty much going to plan on taking my Nikon D5100, a single lens (either my 35mm or a 55-200mm lens) and maybe an extra battery. I'll be carrying a backpack/water bladder on my back so a camera backpack and/or bag on a strap is probably out.

Would something like the Peak Design Slide Lite strap or the Peak Design Clip be advisable? Or would hiking through the Utah desert introduce way too much sand/dust/crud into things?

 
Would something like the Peak Design Slide Lite strap or the Peak Design Clip be advisable? Or would hiking through the Utah desert introduce way too much sand/dust/crud into things?
I own the Peak Design Clip and enjoy it very much. I only use it with either a Micro-FourThirds camera or a premium point-and-shoot though and would imagine it might feel unbalanced on one side of your chest with a dSLR. Maybe it wouldn't seem so unbalanced if you had a 1liter smart water bottle on the other strap? I know a lot of folks like to have water on one strap for easy access while they hike.

I've never used the Slide Lite strap, but I like the design. Not sure how well it would work while wearing a backpack though. As a word of caution I would remind people that Peak Design(a very good company imo) has had an issue with an early version of the anchor links popping out so be careful.....

https://petapixel.com/2014/09/17/peak-design-strap-failures-causing-dropped-cameras-photographers/

 

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