Followup To The Post Entitled "The Fuji X-Camera System Has Evolved Into The (Almost) Perfect System For Me Or An Open Letter Of Thanks To Fujifilm."

Sunrise over the Great Smoky Mountains (click to enlarge)

On Monday of this week, I wrote a post entitled "The Fuji X-Camera System Has Evolved Into The (Almost) Perfect System For Me Or An Open Letter Of Thanks To Fujifilm."  You can read that post here if you are interested in reading why I regard the Fuji system so highly and the reason for the "Almost" being inserted into the title.

However, I didn't want to leave the impression that Fuji has created the perfect camera or the perfect camera system.  I don't think anyone can or will create a perfect system.  In that previous post I mentioned that the lack of either in-body-image-stabilization (IBIS) or Fuji's line of excellent zoom and prime lenses (medium and long focal lengths, not short focal lengths) not being image stabilized (IS) as the only drawback (in my opinion, of course) so I am reprising a part of a post I wrote back on November 11, 2016 today so you can also understand what other issues I see with the Fuji system.  I did edit the post slightly.  I didn't mention these issues in Monday's post as I didn't see these as "must haves" or major drawbacks, but "nice to also haves."  In other words, niggles.

Last fall, I had an opportunity to talk with and subsequently email the suggestions listed below to a Fuji rep and the November post was published to allow all of you to read what I passed on to him.  After being posted I had received some additional suggestions from readers, which I have included at the end of this post.

I would call the items I've listed below more as annoyances or trifling complaints rather than issues or downsides to buying and using the Fuji system.  Again, things that I feel could be improved, added or changed, based upon my years of experience and the way I photograph.  These things don't negate the overall good experience one has using the camera. Your opinion may be completely different and your needs may not match mine.   However, I wanted to the seize the opportunity to have my tiny voice heard so Fujifilm and, subsequently, all of us could benefit from another real life user providing feedback.

Here is what I told the Fujifilm representative:

RAW + JPEG—We should be able to use the RAW setting only and view the file at 100% on the LCD.  Why does Fuji make us set the camera for RAW + JPEG in order to see a 100% view of the file?  No other digital camera I've ever owned requires that.  Make no mistake, I love the JPEGS and I frequently use the JPEGS right out of the camera, but we shouldn't have to use up the extra memory card space to see a RAW file at 100% on the LCD to check for focus, etc.  It appears Fuji embeds a small JPEG into the RAW file instead of a large one.  My supposition.

Diopter Adjustment Knob—There are no markings whatsoever on the diopter adjustment knob so a photographer has no way of knowing where it is set and if it has or has not been accidentally moved by looking at the knob.  There is no cue for instant orientation.  At the very least a white line would be helpful.  It is not fun trying to autofocus a lens when it appears as though nothing will come into focus, therefore feeling as though something is wrong with the camera or lens. By the time one figures out the diopter adjustment dial has moved, a photographic opportunity may have been missed.

Two suggestions.  Place a small white line in the "valley" of the knurled knob at the "null" or "neutral" position, thereby giving a user an instant cue as to the knob's position.

Second, make the knob much more difficult to accidentally move by increasing the resistance of the click stops or, even better, take a cue from Nikon (or others) and institute a system where the knob is normally locked.  One pulls the knob out and turns it to adjust it, then pushes it back in to lock it.  I currently have gaffer's tape covering my dial as it often moves just taking it in and out of my bag.  Annoying.

Self-Timer—the self timer, which many photographers use in lieu of a cable release, defaults to off each time one turns off the camera.  I found this to be annoying as I would make images, turn my camera off to conserve battery power as I moved to another perspective, then forget to turn the self-timer back on when I turn the camera on (that happens when one is intensely concentrating on one's photography!).  One then has to physically go in the Q-Menu and turn the self-time back on each time.

My suggestion is to create a menu option—one that would also be able to be placed in the "My Menu" area for easy access, that gives us a choice of a) self-timer resets when camera is turned off (which some would want) and b), self-timer retains setting when camera is turned off.  By giving us both choices, photographers would have the option to have it either way, depending upon their needs in any particular situation as well as their method of working.

Formatting Memory Cards—two issues here.  First, after deep diving into the menu system and formatting card 1, the camera makes us deep dive a second time to format card 2.  That is annoying.  (I do know you can also hold in the "trash can" button, then push the rear control dial to get to the formatting options).

At the very least, after formatting card 1, keep the same sub-menu active (instead of defaulting back to My Menu or Main Menu).  That would immediately allow us to format card 2 without having to go back through the entire procedure once again.  Additionally, let us put the format command into the My Menu area for easy access, if we choose.

Second, give us one additional option.  Give us a menu option that allows us to format both cards simultaneously, thereby cutting efforts in half.  The menu choices would be: Format Card 1?, Format Card 2, Format Both Cards?

Bracketing—As no doubt everyone knows, why limit us to a 3-exposure bracket?  I don't understand that limitation at all unless it has to do with technical limitations in conjunction with 3-exposure brackets for film simulations, ISO, Dynamic range, etc.  I begging for 5 frames!  I don't even need 9, just 5!  Please?  

BRACKETING HAS BEE FIXED!  Thank you! Very much appreciated.

(click to enlarge)

Touchscreen—From using other camera systems with touchscreen LCDs, I found an LCD touchscreen very valuable when photographing landscapes, nature and when using a tripod.  I would find it advantageous to have an LCD in which a touchscreen function could be turned on, or remain turned off, as some photographers don't like them or accidentally hit them with their nose, etc.. 

In the "on" position, give us three options.  First, give us the option to touch a place on the displayed live image on the LCD screen and the camera will immediately focus on that spot and expose the frame.  Second, focus only with no exposure.  Third, no focus, no exposure, just allows us to get to Q-Menu settings (and other settings) by touch instead of by pushing a variety of buttons.

JPEG Engine—There are times when I love using the in-camera JPEG conversion.  However, let me select and save a standard setting for in-camera created JPEGS like I can with the film simulations.  That would be helpful and save much time rather than going through all of the menu items for each JPEG I want to create from a RAW file and save.

Buttons—I like to work with my eye to the viewfinder and press buttons to make changes as necessary.  In my opinion, the 4-way button pad is fine now.  One improvement could be made and I think Olympus has done it right.  They knurl the 4-way pad buttons giving an instant cue as to you are touching the right place without looking.

However, the top Fn button, the AF-L and AE-L buttons as well as the Fn button on the front of the camera still are harder than necessary to find and easily press without looking.  I would suggest raising the relief from the plane of the camera body just a millimeter or two.  I have placed a little dab of Sugru on each of those buttons and, to me, makes a world of difference in easily identifying and finding them without having to take my eye from the viewfinder and look at where they are.  They don't need to be as tall as the so called "joystick" but a bit higher than they are now so they are easily found.

Leveling Guide—Adding a second axis, "downward/upward" to the leveling capability would be beneficial to landscape, technical and other photographers who use tripods and need a level camera.  We can now only level our cameras left to right but not pitched up or down.

Auto ISO—With more and more photographers, including myself, using Auto ISO, it is of great importance that the ability of the shutter speed to be controlled (in Aperture Priority) according to the focal length of the lens attached—even zoom lenses, be available.  Give us a menu option to not have the shutter speed go below the focal length of the lens, as well as a set shutter speed, before increasing the ISO.  Also, allow us to modify that setting to higher shutter speeds as well as lower, depending upon our physical ability and any particular circumstance.  

For example, on full frame sensors, the old standard rule of 1/focal length is the slowest shutter speed one could reliably hand hold (without IS).  However, for an APS-C sized sensor, that doesn't quite apply.  One needs to factor in the crop factor so actually a higher shutter speed, 1/1.5 X focal length would be more accurate.  Some photographers have greater skills than others and some circumstances require higher shutter speeds than others.

If there were an option provided—a sliding scale—that one could set to "normal" for 1/focal length, slide to the left to allow slower shutter speeds than 1/focal length or slide to the right to require higher than 1/focal length shutter speeds, this would be of great value.  That would allow older photographers who may not be able to hold a camera as steady as years past the option to set a higher minimum shutter speed and achieve a greater level of success.  Another option for a sliding scale would be -2, -1, 0, +1, +2 with each change doubling or halving the minimum shutter speed at any given focal length.

THIS HAS BEEN PARTIALLY FIXED!  Thank you!  Again, I appreciate Fuji's willingness to provide updates to us users that either improve or add features.  We are the ones that benefit from their caring about their customers.

In reference to lenses

Lenses—In my opinion, Fuji's lenses are second to none.  I love them.  Nikon has nothing on Fuji, again, in my opinion (I had been a Nikon user since 1974).  Fuji provides a plethora of great lenses.  However, there are some gaps that could be filled and supported by the market.

Olympus just introduced a professional level 12-100mm f/4 (24-200mm~) lens.  Very attractive for an all around travel and walk-around lens covering 99% of what most photographers will ever need.  The Fuji 18-135 is similar but not quite wide enough for an all around lens.  On my wishlist is a Fuji 16-80mm f/4 (24-120mm~) image stabilized lens that could take the place of the 18-55mm f/2.8-4 that has image stabilization (but is not quite wide enough or long enough for many purposes) and the 16-55mm f/2.8 that does not have image stabilization (but not quite long enough for all around purposes).  From those with whom I've spoken, everyone seems to think a lens of this nature would be a very desirable and best selling lens, potentially an alternative kit lens. Small, sharp, reasonably fast, wide enough and long enough to meet most all walk-around needs.

(click to enlarge)

I am anticipating the upcoming 80mm macro lens.  I suspect all the design work is already completed but it would be very nice to have it accommodate the 1.4x and 2.0x tele-converters.  That would make it much more versatile and which could increase sales of both the lens and the converters.  But, again, I suspect the design work is completed and final tweaking is ongoing before introduction.

I don't know who will read this, but if you have any other suggestions for Fuji engineers, please leave them in comments below.  You never know who will take this info back to Fuji for consideration.


With all of this above written, the bottom line for me still is, that if none of these suggestions were implemented, the X-T2 and Fuji lenses are still one heck of a camera system for which I am very thankful.  

End of original post...

Below are the comments that I received concerning the post.

Unknown wrote:

"A sharp 16-80 mm. Fuji lens is exactly the lens I need and make me move from Nikon. 

This has been on my wish list since I made the switch to Fuji. In my Canon days my favourite lens was the EF-S 15-85 which for me was the perfect combination with my 40D. If Fuji produced an equivalent lens to this I would buy it in a heartbeat."

Anonymous wrote:

"The 80 macro with a TC would be a nice option."

Doug wrote:

"The limited number of weather resistant lenses should be remedied, especially single focal length. I also agree that a 12-80mm f/4 lens is needed with both WR and Ois, and also hope the macro is teleconverter compatible. Last, but not least, a fast telephoto, say a 200mm f/2 or 2.8 compatible with both teleconverters with good close focus would be wonderful. I also think Fuji should consider a bridge camera to compete with the Sony Rx10iii and Panasonic Fz2000. My wife and I train pastors in Africa several times/year and an all-in-one solution with Fuji colors would be great for me."

"I'd like to see the focus distance recorded in the X-T2 exif data. This can be helpful when analyzing an image during post-processing."

arcaswissi wrote:

"I really hope Fuji finally will bring the 33/1,0 - a lens announced quite a while ago. This lens in the quality of the 25/1,2 from Olympus would be my dream together with the 16-80/4,0. Please take care of longitudinal chromatic aberration. I hate it and is very difficult to get rid of."

Lonnie Gorsine wrote:

"One feature I have always wanted Fuji to incorporate into the camera body is the option to be able to have the LCD turned off but when you press the menu key to see the menu it would turn on the LCD so you see it. I don't want to have to cycle though the EVF/LCD viewing options till I find the mode I want. I want to keep the LCD turned off to save battery life but I want a single button to turn it on when I need it without cycling through the options till I get to it. Canon cameras have always had this option." 

So there you have it.  Those are the few minor things I would ask Fujifilm to change/add/correct.  

In the end, the Fujifilm cameras and lenses are my "go to" collection of gear.  I think they fit my needs, and I'm sure many others, needs excellently.  

I hope this provides some additional information for you that will be helpful.  As always, my hope in writing this blog is to help others get as much enjoyment out of photography as I have.  I am always willing to assist others and answer any questions I can.

With as many years as a photographer as I've had and my daily use of my Fuji gear, I do wish I had a pipeline into Fuji as it would be nice to be in a position of being heard on a regular basis.  I think it would be beneficial to all of us.

Thanks for looking. Enjoy! 

Dennis A. Mook 

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