Since my last post, I've ditch my Sony RX100. It was great, but I was tired of the image quality. A 1-inch sensor just wasn't impressing me. I found a sweet deal on a Canon EOS-M, and jumped in that ecosystem.
This camera was almost perfect for me. My favorite feature was the touch-focus. The image-quality was everything I ever wanted. But the autofocus was slow. The lens system was minimal. And manual shooting was terrible. So I hacked it. I put Magic Lantern on it and used it was a long-term time-lapse camera. For that purpose, it was excellent. But Magic Lantern is quite buggy. I ended up not caring about this camera (much like its manufacturer) because of how slow it felt.
So I decided to go for an upgrade. Fujifilm came out with the X-T1 just over a year ago, and I purchased one straight away at full retail price. It was an exorbitant expense, but I wanted a camera with a high IQ and a badass lens. I initially purchased the 35mm (50mm equivalent) F/1.4 lens to go along with the 18-55mm zoom lens that came with the camera.
As far as system, it's the best I've ever had. The biggest drawback, however, is the lack of portability. The reason to go mirrorless is having small hands. Just kidding. Kind of. The reason I want a digital camera rather than a film camera is portability. I don't mind if it's not pocket size, but once I put a lens of the X-T1, it's no longer inconspicuous. But the camera is so classy, carrying it around is great because people think you're shooting on an old film camera.
Plus it has video! Shitty video. Really rubbish quality. I can't believe how bad the video is. I've used it for behind the scenes footage, and it's fine for that. But Fujifilm is clearly not in the video game.
For now, the X-T1 is my jam. I'm waiting for the weather-resistant 35mm (50mm) F/2 to be released. I'm over the 35mm f/1.4. I have the wide zoom that suits my professional needs, but I want a walk around lens. That means minimal. It's weird desiring a lens that's slower (aperture-wise) than a basically identical lens you already own. But this F/2 35mm XF Fujinon promises to be smaller, have a faster autofocus, and weather resistance. That's huge for me. I've been eying the new 16mm lens for its weather-resistance, but it's too bulky. Same with the 18-135mm lens.
It's so funny I've been trying to find a camera systems that's great for me, and as soon as I find it, I develop a new issue: finding the right set of lenses.
And then there's video. I'm secretly hoping to pick up a camcorder. A fixed-lens camcorder with decent specs may be all I need for my videography needs. Mayhaps Canon's XC10. I'm going to try to my Fujifilm work out for now because Canon's XC10 is way overpriced. It'll be released this June, and I'm guessing they'll be half-price by next year because people are hating on it hard. Olympus also has a sweet mirrorless camera with great video capabilities. Oi vey, this world is just too much sometimes. Grass is always greener I suppose.
Perhaps just getting a x100t and a dedicated video camera is the way to go, but I like being about to switch out lenses on my photo camera. And I love that the X-T1 is weather resistant. Plus I owned the GH1, and the photos were terrible. Sensor size is important for photography, and micro-four-thirds is just too damn small. But it's great for video.
Photo and video technology change so fast that I'm sure re-reading this a few years from now I'll be surprised not only by all the spelling and grammar errors, but by how quaint all my camera issues are. Or maybe I'll still have my X-T1. It's a brilliant photo camera, and perhaps with that upcoming F/2 lens, it'll be the camera I cherish for the rest of my life… or at least until the X-T1 mark II comes out.
