Shrinking/lightening my camera kit - Fuji X series?

[Craikeybaby]

I've hardly used my DSLR over the last few years, as it's too heavy etc. I've also realised that since buying my MR2 I can't fit my camera kit in the boot, so I've been looking at slimming it down. Whatever happens I will be keeping my 20D and 70-200 for sports etc, as the body is worth next to nothing and I know I'd regret selling that lens.

The Fuji X series seems quite popular, so I was thinking either the X100(s?) or X-E1 and maybe the 18mm lens? Do any PHers have experience with this system?

Another potentially less exciting option is changing my Canon setup around a bit, at the moment I have 20D & 5D bodies, 17-40f4, 50mm f1.4 & 70-200f2.8, which I find covers most base photographically. For a recent trip I borrowed a 24-105f4, which on the 5D was better but still a bit bulkier than I'd like.

Are the cheaper 35mm f2 IS or 40mm f2.8 STM worth looking at as a lightweight walk about lens? I guess this would be similar to the Fuji prime options?

Or replacing my wide zoom with a 24-105 or 24-70f4? The 24-70f4 seems like an odd lens to me, less versatile than the 24-105, but more expensive (but a bit smaller & lighter).

Has anyone else shrunk down their kit and able to offer advice?

[Craikeybaby]

Thanks to both for replying, although opposing views don't help. David's photos look good, but I guess they could have been achieved with a Canon/40mm set up, for much cheaper.

[Craikeybaby]

I've already got a pocketable camera, an S90, but the sensor size really let's the image quality down.

I don't mind needing to take a bag around with me, as long as it is a small bag and not too heavy to carry around all day.

[Craikeybaby]

Haha. Fair point, but after carrying my 5D & 2 lenses around Tokyo all day in my messenger bag, I want something lighter and space is seriously limited in the luggage compartment in my MR2.

[Craikeybaby]

Thanks for all the advice guys.

I'm going to try and pick up a 40mm pancake lens second hand to give it a try.

Staying with the DSLR, rather than buying into a new system, I could probably just about justify upgrading to a 6D, which I understand is a bit smaller than the 5D.

[Craikeybaby]

If I go for a compact system it will be Fuji, as they seem to be aimed at photographers, rather than consumers like a lot of the other systems. As you say, I've already got a Canon body, so it makes sense to use that first.

[Craikeybaby]

I won a 40mm panckae lens on eBay for just over £100 last night, so will update this thread when I've used it for a bit.

[Craikeybaby]

I've been using the Pancake lens on my 5D for a few months now and actually find it a better focal length to work with than my 50mm lens, which only really gets used for low light stuff now.

So I'm glad I spent £100 on a lens to make my existing set up smaller, rather than 3 or 4 times that go buy into a new system.

[Craikeybaby]

It isn't a cheap pancake lens, the quality is pretty good, and it means that when I'm not travelling light I can stick my L series lenses on the front.

[Craikeybaby]

The "mirrorless" thread has got me thinking about my camera kit again, especially as 4 years on mirrorless systems are becoming more common. I've also had a few lifestyle changes - travelling is out, mountain bikes and kids are in!

I still have my 5D, although I can't remember the last time I used the pancake lens. I swapped the 17-40L for a 24-105L, which has practically stayed on the front of the camera. I'm at work, so don't have access to my Lightroom catalogue, but expect I've only taken a handful of photos on my 70-200. My Canon S90 has come out of the forgotten technology drawer and I have been taking it out with me on bike rides. I think the quality is on par with my iPhone 7, but the zoom lens makes composition better. It is bloody slow though.

I think now might be the sweetspot to chop in my DSLR gear, probably keeping my 20D and one lens, and move to mirrorless. I'm pretty sure that I'll get better AF and something that will be small/light enough to take out on my bike, and hopefully fast enough to use to take pictures of my mates. What I'm unsure about, is what the image quality will be like - you don't get many comparisons between new consumer cameras and 10 year old professional cameras!

Unfortunately my budget (aka value of my existing kit) won't stretch to the soon to be announced Canon FF mirrorless, or even the Sony A7 series which seem to be getting a lot of positive press. I've looked at the Canon M series - specifically the M6, which I would pair with the 18-55 lens and the 22mm pancake lens. Even without remembering this thread I went back to the Fuji X series, initially the X-T20, then the X-E3. They both look similar, but the X-E3 seems to be smaller and has a Bluetooth connection. Does anyone have any experience of these models? Do you think it is a good idea?

I'm off on holiday at the end of next week, so it would be a good opportunity to spend some time with the new camera/system.

[Craikeybaby]

I've fired up Lightroom and looked at how much I have used various lenses this year:
24-105 - 129 shots, more than half at 105mm
50mm - 51 shots, only used on 3 separate occasions, however these are probably my favourite shots of the year.
70-200 - 1 shot, out of the upstairs window. I don't think the lens has left the house.
40mm - 0 shots!

I've pretty much decided that I'm going to go for a Fuji system, either the X-T20 or the X-E2. The 18-55 should cover my walk about stuff, albeit missing out at the telephoto end. One of the 23mm or 35mm primes will cover the fast prime shots.

[Craikeybaby]

DavidY said:

I've got X-T2 (and X100F) and had X-T1/X-E2 etc, my wife has the X-T20. The latter is a cracking camera and very good value for money. Don't forget good deals often are to be had at the Fuji Refurb shop, https://shop.fujifilm.co.uk/digital-cameras/refurb...

I've no direct experinec of X-E3 (but have at X-E2), and unless you are desperate for the Bluetooth, then the X-T"0 with its tilting rear screen is the better handling camera.

Thanks, I’ve been doing a lot of research over he past few days and decided to make the switch.

Thinking I had settled on the X-T20 I then saw that my local camera shop have an offer of half price prime lens with an X-E3 kit. They also have offers on the X-T2, I guess because of the imminent X-T3 announcement. That now brings the X-T2 just about into reach.

I’m a bit torn at the moment, as the key role for the camera is to go in my rucksack when mountain biking, so the smaller/lighter X-T20 makes sense. However, I’ll be out in all weathers, riding rough terrain, so the more robust X-T2 may be a better option. Hopefully it will make sense when I have them both in my hands.

Thanks for the link to the Fuji refurb shop, if I wasn’t planning on walking in to LCE with my Canon kit and walking out with Fuji kit that is what I’d be doing. A refurb lens may mitigate the half price prime lens on the X-E3 offer, except that the 23f2 is out of stock.

FunkyNige said:

I've got the XT20, It's a cracking camera and the kit lens is a step above what people normally expect from a kit lens.
Omar Gonzalez on YouTube loves his XT-20 and has loads of videos about the pros and cons of the various lenses (he's a pro photographer who uses a 5D for work) so you may want to check him out before committing.

Thanks, I have come across his stuff. For me the kit lens is a no brainer!

[Craikeybaby]

chandrew said:

I have the X-T20 after selling my 5D mk III and L lenses last year. Couldn't be happier with the switch.

I have 4 lenses:

The 16mm f1.4 - an amazing lens which for the landscape photos that I take is near perfect. It also has a really short focal distance so is surprisingly useful for sub-macro shots
The 27mm pancake. Makes the camera not much bigger than a point and shoot, is cheap and produces decent shots
The 35mm f2 - with the 27mm the lens I'm most likely to take out if I'm just taking one lens
The 90mm - quite new (to me) and used mostly for landscape detail shots.

All together they fit in a Billingham Hadley Small. with a few filters, batteries, cards etc. I think I'd have had the 5d plus one lens (not the 70-200) in the Hadley.

Images are of similar quality to the canon, at least for the size of prints I do.

A couple of sample shots taken near home

Great photos! Exactly the sort I’d like to take! Glad to hear the switch went well.

DibblyDobbler said:

Slight word of caution to throw in to the mix - I have the XT-20 and for me it's just a wee bit too small at times and I will be swapping for an X-T3 at some point to go up a size

I must admit I’m leaning more towards the X-T2, more for the robustness and ergonomics. When I initially looked, it was just that wee bit too expensive, but now there’s an extra £180 off and extra £100 rebate for trading in, which just about brings it to what I can justify. An X-T3 is just that step too far.

[Craikeybaby]

DibblyDobbler said:

Sounds like a plan

PS - MBP have a 'like new' XT2 for £784... here

I image there will be a lot of used X-T2s about soon! My local LCE have got one in, I’ll likely use them, as it is good to have a local bricks and mortar camera shop and I feel like I should support them. Plus it means that I’d have a camera for my trip to Wales at the weekend.

[Craikeybaby]

TimmyWimmyWoo said:

I've had my X-T2 for 20 months now and still love using it – so I deployed my finest man-maths and pre-ordered the X-T3 yesterday morning. I went for black because I'm not sure how the silver finish will hold over time, even though it looks nicer.

I should probably have spent the cash on more lenses really, I'm still using just the 10-24…

Nice! I’m sure that if I got the XT-20 I’d be wanting to upgrade to the X-T3 soon. Or maybe I should get a used X-T2, then upgrade to an X-T3 when the initial rush has died down?

I actually prefer the look of the black bodies.

[Craikeybaby]

I got the X-T2!

Haven't had a chance to use it properly yet, but doing some new starter headshots at work this afternoon - it was so much nice throwing a tiny camera in my normal workbag than lugging my full camera bag in to work!

[Craikeybaby]

Cool. Glass is more important than body (says the guy with only the kit lens at the moment).

Portraits came out well, despite me not being as fluid with the controls as I would have been shooting Canon. The playback seemed to take an age too, maybe time to buy a new SD card, the 8GB one I’m using has done 2 cameras!

Wow! I’ve just looked at the price of the UHS-II SD cards - £70!!! I’m sure that my first digital camera cost about that AND came with a free CF card - 8MB iirc!

[Craikeybaby]

I had a good holiday in Devon last week, even if the weather wasn't great! I ended up shooting a fair bit, mainly as the X-T2 was much easier to carry around than my old kit. I don't think my Dad's Canon kit left the car all week...

A few of the pictures I am most happy with:

Owen by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

Ilfracombe by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

Looking Out from Morte Point by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

Jen Playing Snooker at Dunster Castle by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

The last one may not be technically perfect, but I was happy that I managed to quickly grab the shot that I wanted in a matter of seconds, hopefully a sign that I am getting used to the camera.