Some Random Thoughts And Things I’ve Learned About Using Fujifilm Cameras; Part I

Artist; Acadia National Park, Maine (click to enlarge)
Fujifilm X-T2; 16-55mm f/2.8 lens @ 55mm; 1/900th sec. @ F/9; ISO 200

This is Part I.  I’ll post Part II tomorrow.

As I await the healing of my recently surgically repaired hand, which precludes me from using my gear as I normally would, I thought I would create some content, not with my camera, but with my brain.  That always is a very scary proposition.  Lol  (Also, I tried to dictate this content by using Apple’s speech-to-text abilities on my iPad Pro since typing with one hand doesn’t work so well, but it is a miserable and failed experience. 😩  I would have thought Apple was much better than, evidently, they are.)  But I digress.

I bought my first Fujifilm camera in February 2014, just a month after the X-T1 was announced.  Since then, I’ve bought and used the X-T2, X-T3, X-T4, X-T5, X-H1, X-H2s and also I rented an X-Pro 2 to try that rangefinder style of camera.  Needless to say, I’ve shot a lot with my Fujifilm gear, have gotten to know it pretty well, made almost a hundred thousand images with the various cameras and learned quite a bit about their strengths, weaknesses and quirks.

Here are some random thoughts about and things I’ve learned during my photographic journey with my various Fujifilm cameras.

There is less of a difference between 40 megapixel, and 26 megapixel than one would initially think.  Pixel peeping is required and the differences are negligible for most uses.

Wild pony; Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, Virginia (click to enlarge)
Fujifilm X-T2; 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens @ 400mm; 1/500th sec. @ f/5.6; ISO 400

The psychological value of having 40mp is greater than the actual value.  Knowing I have 40mp with which to work is a comfort.  I have the extra pixels if I need them.  Kind of like having a good spare tire in the trunk if needed.  Forty megapixels buys me peace of mind.

I find the X-H cameras ‘more convenient’ to hold than the X-T cameras.  I don’t care for the X-Pro style even though I shot with Leica rangefinders for a number of years.  But I would choose the X-T cameras over the X-H cameras because of the dials, knobs and non-fully articulated LCD screen.  That configuration just works best for me.  It’s nice that Fujifilm gives us a choice as most other camera manufacturers do not.

If you want to get the best out of your images, don’t only use Adobe Lightroom to edit your images.  Lightroom does a ‘good’ job but other programs do a much better job in converting Fujifilm raw files.  Use Lightroom along with plug-ins but LR by itself still doesn’t handle X-Trans files as well as other editing programs.

Sometimes, and I don’t know why, JPEGs out of the camera end up looking better when compared to editing the identical raw file.  I’ve seen this phenomenon many times over the years.  It doesn’t make sense but sometimes the final edited JPEG version of an image just looks better.

Speaking of JPEGs, the ones from this current generation (X-Trans 5) of Fujifilm cameras are remarkably good.  I’ve experimented with using them instead of raw files and, unless I have to make major editing changes, the JPEGs fulfill my needs.  Often times now, I set my camera for raw + JPEG using either the Pro Neg Std. or Nostalgic Negative film simulations.  Pro Neg Std. is neutral, lower contrast, moderate saturation and very pleasing natural colors while Nostalgic Negative is a nice throwback to films of the 1950s and 60s which had warmer reds.  Depending upon my subject, those are the two main film simulations I use.  If you get your camera’s menu settings right and carefully expose your files the JPEGs will look great!  That said, I always have the raw files to fall back on if necessary.  Again, a safety net and peace of mind.

Photographing the sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean (click to enlarge)
Fujifilm X-T4; 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 lens @55mm; 1/80th sec. @ f/8; ISO 1000

My first generation version of the 10-24mm f/4 lens didn’t play well with the new 40mp X-T5.  This was especially true at 10-12mm at the edges and corners.  The images looked pretty bad.  It is a lens not on Fujifilm’s list of lenses that can take full advantage of the new high resolution sensor so it wasn’t a surprise.  A friend told me his first generation version didn’t perform well so he bought the second generation and he saw a remarkable difference.  As a result I bought the second generation 10-24mm f/4 WR lens and it performs much better.  Why?  Supposedly the second version has the same optical formula as the first and the only difference is the addition of aperture values on the lens barrel and weather proofing.  I have no idea why but it does perform demonstrably better in edge and corner sharpness.  So there.

I fully believe that we no longer need a full frame sensor to achieve excellent images.  I have a Nikon Z7II with a state of the art 47mp sensor.  The differences in images is negligible if any at all.  Even the differences in digital noise and dynamic range are minor and with the availability of plug-ins such as Topaz Photo AI, that technology will negate almost all differences.  The quality of the X-Trans 5 sensor and new image processor has pretty much leveled the playing field.  Just my humble opinion.

The one room Shiloh Schoolhouse, Kilmarnock, Virginia (click to enlarge)
Fujifilm X-T1; 18-55mm f/2.8-4 lens @ 18mm; 1/350th sec. @ f/8; ISO 200

Fujifilm’s autofocus seems to always be one generation behind Canon’s, Nikon’s, Olympus’ and Sony’s.  It is always been ahead of Panasonic’s but now Panasonic is switching to phase detect AF so they are catching up.  Why is Fujifilm always behind the others?  They certainly have the technical expertise to equal their competitors.  If you put out a product that matches others already in the market, then you are still way behind.  You have to put out new products that best the competition.

I don’t find a practical reduction in dynamic range or increase in digital noise between my 26mp and 40mp cameras.  In my kinds of photography, the differences are minor and don’t impact my final images at all.  A non-issue for me.

Speaking of dynamic range and digital noise, the X-T5 has about 10.5 stops of dynamic range at its base ISO (125) but at ISO 1600 less than 7 stops, according to photonstophotos.com.  The X-H2S and X-H2 are very close to those numbers with the X-H2 besting the other two cameras by just a bit.  Many don’t realize as you raise the ISO, you lose a lot of dynamic range.  As for digital noise, the three cameras mentioned have the least amount of digital noise at their base ISO.  However, the way the sensors and image processors are constructed, if you must raise your ISO, raise it to ISO 500 as the noise is nicely reduced to the same amount as lower ISOs (almost as low as base ISO) before increasing once again.  Base ISO and ISO 500 are the two sweet spots.  I believe it is called a ‘dual gain’ sensor but I may be wrong.

Lobster floats, Maine (click to enlarge)
Fujifilm X-T2; 16-55mm f/2.8 lens @ 16mm; 1/70th sec. @ f/11; ISO 200

The X-T1 had a nice colorful menu system.  Everyone seems to make nice color coded menus.  Why did Fujifilm drop that and go with just a grayscale one?  The LCD is color and images are displayed in color?

If you are using Lightroom to edit and sharpen your images, you have to apply much different settings than you would with cameras using a Bayer Array on their sensors.  One reason the old ‘worms’ initially appeared was that people wanted to sharpen the X-Trans sensor images the same way as Bayer sensor images and as well as oversharpen them.

Fujifilm had always touted sharper images, less moiré and a better color science for some of the reasons for using the X-Trans sensor system.  With today’s modern editing software and plug-ins, any advantage that one manufacture has over others in these aspects seems pretty much negated.

I still find some of Fujifilm’s buttons don’t stick out far enough from the adjacent camera surface.  I stick a small semi-flattened ball of black Sugru on several of my cameras’ buttons and that makes it very easy to find and press them without having to search for them.  By the way, the Sugru is easily removed when you want to sell your camera.

I'll post more thoughts and things I've learned about using Fujifilm cameras tomorrow.  

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

Thanks for looking. Enjoy!  

Dennis A. Mook  

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