My Current Photo Gear And My Future Buying Strategy

When was the last time you saw someone talking on a pay phone? 
Hackberry General Store, Hackberry, AZ (click to enlarge)

As some of you might have guessed, I love both the creative and technical aspects of photography.  You know, left brain/right brain stuff.  I love getting out, exploring and making photographs and also I fully enjoy the technology involved with digital photography as well as the gear I get to use to create images.  That said, (usually) when I buy gear, I have to ask myself the same question as I ask those who may ask me the question, "What camera should I buy?"  The answer is, of course, it depends. (Isn’t that just about always the answer?)

The questions I ask others as well as myself before I buy any gear are, "What kinds of photography do you intend to do, what do you plan to do with the photographs you make and how much money do you want to spend?"  Different cameras with different features work better with different kinds of intended photography.  Same with lenses.  Posting your images only on social media versus intending to make large prints also dictates certain things about which cameras may be the most appropriate.

For example, you wouldn't buy a medium format Fujifilm GFX 100S to photograph sports or birds-in-flight.  On the other hand, you wouldn't buy a point-and-shoot digital camera with a tiny sensor if you wanted to create and sell 40" X 60" (102cm X 152cm) prints for display.

As for me and what I need and use is based upon the fact that I enjoy practicing several kinds of photography.  I enjoy getting out in the countryside and wandering—just finding interesting scenes, old structures, rusty old cars, nature, landscapes, unusual trees, old bridges, buildings, things about America and our past that are quickly going away and will never return.  For this kind of photography I don't need high speed focus nor do I need 20 fps.  A camera with a large number of pixels that would bring out textures and fine detail would serve this kind of photography much better, in my opinion. 

Also, I enjoy travel and travel photography.  Smaller and lighter cameras and lenses are better when traveling.  Maybe a camera with a zoom lens that covers very wide angle to moderate telephoto (24-200mm FF equiv.) so one doesn’t have to carry more than one lens.

Sometimes I like to get out and enjoy photographing birds and wildlife.  Additionally, I've liked trains, especially old steam locomotives, and railroads since I was a child (my friend and I used to 'hop' trains part way home from junior high school).  For those kinds of subjects that are moving, fast autofocus and a good burst rate would serve that purpose well.  A huge number of pixels wouldn’t necessarily be an advantage.

On occasion, I like to get close and shoot small subjects using macro and close-up photography.  A good selection of macro lenses or ones that focus very close might dictate which camera system is preferred.  Also, usually with macro and close-up photography, you have highly detailed subjects.  Think of a dragonfly’s eye or tiny bits of pollen on a blossom’s stamens.  A camera with lots of pixels would be best to capture that micro detail.

Lastly, I enjoy photographing family events in order to leave a history of significant milestones among my family members.  In this case, a camera with face/eye subject detection, a moderate burst rate and a fast lens for indoor events might be best.

As far as what I do with my photography, well, mostly I share some here and post some on my website.  But I also have relatively large prints made for display around my home.  Again, the more pixels the more the detail the viewer can see in the large print.

Due to the kinds of photography I practice and what I do with my photographs, I have developed a bifurcated strategy for what gear best suits my needs.  Currently, I have settled on two kits.  My Fujifilm kit is primarily for birds, wildlife, trains and family events—i.e., moving objects where subject recognition AF can be very helpful and a high burst rate can capture the peak moment.  For this type of photography a moderate pixel count works just fine.  What’s more important is that fast autofocus with subject recognition and a high burst rate.  

My kit for these subjects includes:

Fujifilm X-H2S (X-T4 as a backup; both 26mp)

10-24mm f/4

16-55mm f/2.8 (the ‘workhorse’ lens)

23mm f/2 (indoor family events, museums, etc.)

55-200mm f3.5-4.8

100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 + the 1.4X teleconverter

As far as I am concerned, this kit is complete.  I don't need anything more to meet my intended needs for this kit.  That said, there may be a possibility in the future of acquiring the new 150-600mm f/5.6-8 lens for birds and wildlife.  If that were the case, the 100–400 would be sold.  Just a thought.

For nature, landscapes, travel, Americana, wanderings, macro, etc., I prefer to use a camera with a high pixel count as these are the images I would most likely have printed for exhibit on my walls.  For these types of images I really don't need superfast autofocus, subject recognition, 40fps, etc.  Resolution, detail and overall image quality is paramount.

This kit currently consists of a:

Nikon Z7II  (46mp)

14-30mm f/4

24-200mm f/4-6.3 (mainly intended for travel)

50mm f/1.8 (indoors, low light)

Nikon FTZII (F mount to Z mount adapter)

This kit is not yet complete.

In the near future I plan on purchasing (Nikon refurbished and on sale, if possible) the 

Nikon 24-120mm f/4 S lens (workhorse lens)

Nikon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 S lens

60mm f/2.8 G lens (F mount)

A few comments about the Nikon kit.  

I try to buy all my Nikon gear refurbished from Nikon when they have a sale on refurbished gear.  I've never had a bad camera or lens from them, the gear comes with a warranty and the prices are excellent.  I have much more confidence in buying from Nikon directly than from an unknown third party.

Although the 24-200mm lens is a 'superzoom' lens and might not be quite as sharp across the entire frame as more expensive lenses with a lesser zoom range, it is really good.  The trade-off of much less weight and bulk for a bit less ultimate sharpness is well worthwhile to have this singular lens for travel.  

(In fact, I took the Z7II and the Nikon 24-200mm f/4-6.3 lens as my only lens on my month long coast-to-coast Route 66 road trip earlier this year and the combination was perfect!  I acknowledge the 24-200 is not the absolute best lens, but when you send it from Lightroom Classic to DXO PhotoLab5 where that program will apply their camera/lens module which corrects edge/corner sharpness, distortion, vignetting and aberrations, it is almost like a different lens!  I have no complaints about the images I made on that trip.)

The older F Mount Nikon 60mm f/2.8 G Micro would be to serve both as a general micro lens but also it works with the Nikon ES-2 kit which allows me to copy 35mm negatives and slides.

What about Fujifilm’s newest camera, the 40mp X-H2 or the upcoming also 40mp X-T5?  Will I buy one of those and sell my Nikon gear?  Either of those would seem to cover my needs for a high megapixel camera all in one kit, eliminating duplication.  One brand of cameras and lenses, accessories, etc.  That seems like a no-brainer.  Easy peasy.  Well, not quite.  At least not yet.

Initially, I see a couple of problems with buying one of the new 40mp Fujifilm cameras right now.  Among the initial concerns I have are in regards to most of the current Fujifilm lenses.  Let me first ask you this.  If you are going to buy a 40mp camera, wouldn't you want your lenses to actually be able to resolve all 40mp?  Isn't that one of the primary reasons you are buying the camera and spending that much money?

Well, by Fujifilm's own statement of a year or so ago (Fujifilm UK Group Marketing Manager Andreas Georghiades during a Fujicast Podcast), their lenses were initially developed to resolve up to 32mp.  Hmmm.  Isn't 40mp more than 32mp?  Additionally, during the September 8, 2022 Fujifilm live event in NYC to introduce the X-H2, they mentioned that the new lenses they developed over the past couple of years were in part to be able resolve the full 40mp of their upcoming sensor.  If I recall, the lenses that were mentioned were the 18mm f/1.4, 23mm f/1.4, 33mm f/1.4 and the brand new 56mm f/1.2 II..  Additionally mentioned and introduced in the past few months, are two zoom lenses which they say will fully resolve 40mp.  Those two are the new 150-600mm f/5.6-8 and the 18-120mm f/4 lens, both introduced with the X-H2S and X-H2 respectively.

Because of Fujifilm's customer's concerns and questions about which lenses customers may own that can fully take advantage of the new, higher pixel count sensor, Fujifilm released a chart showing which lenses they recommend to be used with the new sensor.  See below.

First, Fujifilm says use these lenses "to get the maximum benefit from the X-H2's 40.2 megapixel sensor."  Does that mean the lenses will fully resolve all 40.2mp or potentially they are the ones that come closest to resolving 40.2mp?  If not 40.2mp, how many?  If they will, just say so.  I find the wording a bit cryptic.  I really wonder if all, most or just some of them will really resolve the full 40mp?

Second, some of the lenses I now own are not on this list.  I use the 10-24mm f/4 lens quite a bit and it isn't on this list.  I would have to replace it with the 8-16mm f/2.8 lens which is very expensive as well as much larger and heavier.  Also, the 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 lens is not on this list.  I would have to replace that lens with the 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6.  That's fine but it is difficult to get as retailers are continually back-ordered or sold out of it.  Additionally, with my 16-55mm f/2.8 only reaching to 55mm and the 70-300mm starting at 70mm, a gap is now left uncovered.  Not a large gap, but a gap which could prove problematic at times.

Third, 40mp is not quite the resolution of my Nikon Z7II's 46mp.  The difference in resolution is not significant but the APS-C size sensor is only half the size of the Nikon's full frame sensor, which brings up the another concern when considering the 40mp X-H2 (or upcoming X-T5).  I have questions about the noise profile and dynamic range of this new sensor.  Unless Fujifilm has worked some magic (and they might well have, fingers crossed!) the noise has to be a bit of an issue at higher ISOs and the dynamic range should be a bit less.  For example, according to the well respected site Photons to Photos, my Nikon Z7II (11.68 stops of dynamic range) has about 1.64 more stops of dynamic range than does my (only) 26mp Fujifilm X-H2S (10.04 stops).  I suspect the 40mp version won't be better than than that since the photosites will be considerably smaller.  I'm waiting to see full fledged tests by non-manufacturer affiliated reviewers or influencers who tackle these issues.

One last factor must also be considered when comparing sensors and that is the availability of the newest AI based noise reduction and sharpening programs.  Those pretty much neutralize any differences.

Dynamic Range Comparison between the new Fujifilm 26mp X-H2S versus the older Nikon 46mp
Z7II. There are about 1.6 stops more dynamic range available in the Nikon.  You would think the
Nikon with more pixels would have less dynamic range but because of it being a sensor having twice
 the area of the Fujifilm sensor, the dynamic range is a bit better.  What about a 40mp APS-C sensor of the new Fujifilm X-H2?  I’m curious to find out how well it does.  Hopefully, very well. (click to enlarge)

Noise comparison between the new Fujifilm 26mp X-H2S versus the Nikon 46mp Z7II.  Surprisingly, the noise profiles are very similar.  However, you would think the brand new 26mp sensor would
have much less noise than the older Nikon.  If the noise of the X-H2S is similar to Nikon's, what will the noise profile be for the new 40mp sensor? Also notice, and most may not know this, there is an advantage in lower noise using ISO 400 over ISO 160-320 on the Nikon and
an advantage using ISO 500 over ISO 200-400 on the Fujifilm camera. (click to enlarge)

For the time being, I plan on NOT selling my Nikon full frame gear and buying the X-H2 or X-T5.  I have just too many unanswered questions.  And...I am a big Fuji fan!  Of all the digital cameras I've owned and used my Fujifilm cameras have been my favorite digital cameras to use.  Since the amount of photography I do that requires high speed focus and a very long lens (birds, wildlife, etc.) is relatively small, I don't plan on buying any more Fujifilm gear for the time being.  What I now own should fully meet my needs.

However…because I’d rather have only one camera system (I’ve found it much more satisfying to have only one system), IF the X-T5’s 40mp sensor proves to have approximately the same performance in regards to noise and dynamic range as my Z7II, AND it is shown that certain Fujifilm lenses WILL resolve the full 40mp AND because I need to buy a couple of lenses for the Nikon kit anyway, it may be logical to stay with only one system, purchase an X-T5 and to then upgrade the Fujifilm lenses to ones that are recommended for their 40mp sensor instead of buying the Nikon lenses.  If that were the case the Fujifilm purchases would be offset by the sale of the Nikon kit.  Lots of ‘if’s’ and ‘ands.’  I’ll just have to wait and see.

Over the next several months I plan to be looking for those Nikon lenses I mentioned.  But I will also be keeping up with happenings on the Fujifilm front in trying to garner more information about the new 40mp sensor and their lenses' performance with the new sensor.

Interesting times.  I'm glad I'm a photographer as it never has been better for us.  Lots of choices and lots of options.  Nice.

Join me over at my website, https://www.dennismook.com.  

Thanks for looking. Enjoy!  

Dennis A. Mook  

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