Just In: Fuji X-T2 Mirrorless Review
Posted by Lee M. Rothman - Valued Berger-Bros Customer on 12th Sep 2016
I have been a professional wedding and portrait photographer as well as a product photographer for the jewelry industry now for the last 20 years. Having utilized the top offerings from both Canon and Nikon as well as having worked with Olympus and Panasonic on the micro 4/3 rd arena. I dabbled in the Fuji X-T1 from Berger Bros. when it was first released. I enjoyed it for nearly a year but felt it was still wanting in the area of higher ISO use. The focus was adequate but not quite at the highest levels for faster moving subjects.
Enter the new X-T2. I received mine several days
ago from Brad as hard as they are to get a hold of. I happened to
already have the 10-24 f4 OIS, 50-140 f2.8 and 100-400 lenses to work
with. Since it had been so highly regarded for its
advancements in faster focus this was one of the first things I aimed
at testing out. Before I even did so however I took some quick portraits
of my wife, red hair and all. Both she and I were astounded at the
amazing color reproduction (I happen to love Velvia)
this camera produced right out of the box with no adjustments. I then
took the 100-400 lens outside and noted about half a block down the
street in a clearing there were several young folks playing basketball. I
set up the camera on its CH setting for high
speed tracking electing to stick with the basic setting from the
factory allowing an “average” method to track fast moving subjects. I
used the “Zone” method as well. I was running at 8fps which wasn’t
supposed to provide the ideal minimal blackout advertised
for the 5fps (and this without the benefit of the Power Booster Grip as
it was backordered), but found it quite easy to actually view and track
those playing the game and running and shooting the hoops. I was doing
ok missing perhaps about 4 frames for every
16 frames shot. I upped the ISO to ISO800 and also the shutter speed to
1/500
th. This changed the results to 1 frame lost for every
16 shot, a number that easily equaled the D500 I had tried a few weeks
ago under the same conditions. Truly remarkable!
The viewfinder is outstandingly bright and sharp and I noted NO lag. It
is such a great pleasure to KNOW your exposures BEFORE the shot is
taken
The build of the camera has also been improved as
well as the overall ergonomics. Now of course with the dual high speed
card slots it’s a dream come true to add speed to versatility. The
adjustable LCD is also a treat to take exceptionally
low shots without the need to get on your knees to take them. The
shutter is something I immediately noted as being so refined. It is
quiet yet had a wonderfully smooth light sound to it, and in fast motion
relays confidence it’s not going to wear out anytime
soon. The plethora of custom settings possible allow pretty much anyone
to dial this camera into their own specific needs and wants making it a
breeze to have accessibility to every imaginable feature and function.
The improved dials are a dream. Smooth yet
exacting in their feel with ALL settings present and accounted for, for
the ISO, Shutter Speed, Exposure, Bracketing and a boat load of others
right there at your fingertips. For those who are X-T1 owners and just
thinking about the X-T2 wondering how different
it is, all I can say it is truly a completely re imagined and designed
camera in so very many ways. The new 24mp sensor alone is worth the
price of entry, but there is so very much more. I have been noting shots
taken at 12,800 are actually USABLE. I couldn’t
do that with a full frame Sony A7RII I owned previously as there was
nothing but splotchy color noise and loss of detail. Not so on the Fuji
X-T2. It renders an image with the detail STILL in place with a very
fine grain at that level. Easy to either remove
or alter without losing detail.
Yes indeed the X-T2 is The NEW camera
to consider. With the considerable choices available for their superbly
made lenses there is no reason to go anywhere else, whether your
shooting weddings, events, sports and portraits………the
Fuji does it ALL to a higher level than before. I certainly highly
recommend Berger Bros. as the dealer to head over to, to try their new
offerings. It’s like dealing with family one on one and not the
impersonal nature of the large operations where you are
a number.
Sincerely,
Lee M. Rothman