For all of my journey as a photographer, I’ve been a Nikon shooter, and let me just say that that’s no light commitment. The cameras by this manufacturer that I have owned over the years, spanning film and digital, include:

1. Nikon FM2
2. Nikon EM
3. Nikon n8008s
4. Nikon n6006
5. Nikon n90s
6. Nikon n80
7. Nikon n65
8. Nikon D100
9. Nikon D50
10. Nikon D200
11. Nikon D300
12. Nikon D7200

Real world reviews of some of those can be found here.

So why on earth would I switch to Fuji in 2018, and why stick with crop sensor?

Fuji X-E3 w/50mm

Most of you readers don’t know that I sold off the majority of my photo equipment earlier this year to support my other business venture, an outdoor retail store called KAMP. Since that time, I’ve been using the ancient (by digital standards), though trusty, D300, and a very limited selection of lenses, mostly film era stuff.

After selling off this equipment, I stopped freelancing and even contemplated giving up photography altogether. Then, I was approached with a publishing opportunity that I couldn’t ignore (I’ll post more on that at a later time). Intrigued, I recognized that perhaps my only chance to complete this project and remain in photography was to apply for an Artist Support Grant, that are selectively awarded twice a year by the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis. It was a long shot, for sure, but I applied anyway, and won!

Fuji X-T20 w/Roki 12mm at ISO 3200

The $3,000 that I was awarded was stipulated for replacing the gear that I had lost, so I considered, laboringly, how best to spend it. I knew that I wanted a focal range from super wide angle to medium telephoto (my previous kit ended at about 100mm on the long end, so I was hoping to go beyond that a bit). I knew that I wanted a camera with a resolution of at least 24mp (what I had previously, and what will remain competitive for at least several more years). For the way that I shoot, I also wanted two camera bodies (I use primes and like to work with two, immediately available focal lengths). For most camera brands, this meant that I immediately ruled out the highest spec’d bodies, due to price. In terms of what was left, I was looking at compelling options from Nikon, Canon, Sony and Fuji.

I don’t see a major image quality difference between APS-C and Full Frame, at least not relative to the high premium that separates them (I think Medium Format is more compelling, in terms of an IQ bump worthy of the cost bump), so I looked more at price vs performance. I also prefer many of the benefits crop sensors give you, like expanded depth of field for any given aperture.

size comparison: Nikon (left) to Fuji (right)

Sony was the first company that I ruled out. Though they offer many, older mirrorless options at enticing price points, the cost of entry (and of later expansion) grows exponentially once you factor in lenses (at least for the fast, high quality primes that I like). There was no plausible way that I could get everything that I wanted out of a switch to Sony at this time, with my budget.

For Nikon, my old friend, mirrorless was not an option (I have been attracted to the potential benefits of this new format for a while), so I was essentially looking at two, factory refurbished versions of the D7200, a body which I previously had owned. In terms of overall performance, this is an excellent camera, and at an attractive price point too. In terms of APS-C for Nikon, this camera offers the most resolution, and those other models that compete with it, seem engineered for sports or wildlife, both subjects that I do not shoot. Unfortunately, several factors prevented me from pulling the trigger on this option: my previous D7200 had been plagued by years of malfunction (I’m no longer fully convinced of Nikon’s quality control or customer service), lenses for Nikon’s cropped sensor cameras are distinctly lacking (yes, you can mount Full Frames ones, but you pay the size/weight/cost penalty for those lenses too), and probably most importantly, when I was awarded the funds, refurbished options were hard to come by. The Nikon D750 was almost there, in terms of price, but this is older tech, with a simpler AF system, and again, I don’t agree that the slight IQ bump for Full Frame is worth the trade off.

Canon Full Frame is lackluster until you hit price points above what my budget allowed, so I looked seriously at their mirrorless, cropped sensor cameras, the M5 and M50. There are certainly some things that those cameras offer that the cameras I did choose do not, and resultantly, this was the most serious contender after what I did buy. Ultimately though, Canon had a mount problem, meaning they have too many (4 at the moment, maybe more on the way). This is a problem because of lens support. For their M Mount, the high quality options that are available are excellent, and no doubt, if Canon continues to flush out the range, those future lenses will likely be excellent (and price/size friendly) as well. But, that’s a big “IF”.

Fuji X-T20 w/Fuji 55-200mm

Ultimately, I invested in Fuji, for the reasons previously mentioned, lens ecosystem and low cost vs high performance. Adding to this was the line’s diminutive size (I do a lot of my freelance work in hard to get to places with a lot of gear on my back, so this is much appreciated). Also, as I began to listen to existing Fuji customers and research the company, I observed that their entire approach to the camera business is vastly different from that of the big three (Canon/Sony/Nikon).

Because they are smaller, and the Fuji corporation is very profitable in markets having little to nothing to do with camera manufacturing, they really break with the mold of top down features allocation. In other words, each of the big three reserve their best AF performance, best image quality, best everything for their most expensive models, and elect to essentially cripple camera models down their lines. Nikon is an easy example, the F Mount has been their signature mount for longer than some camera companies have been in business, and when I initially went to Nikon, this was a tremendous selling point: “one mount, hundreds of options”. Unfortunately, for their best selling camera bodies- their entry level DSLRs -the company has crippled them from fully utilizing that legacy of lens making, i.e. some don’t meter, some don’t autofocus, etc. This business strategy is present in other ways too, from video recording quality/options to processing speed to on and on.

Fuji X-T20 w/12mm

Yes, with Fuji also, the most expensive series, the X-T#, X-Pro# and X-H#, offer the most features and have the most rugged builds, but throughout the line, each generation of camera uses the same sensor and processor, and all X lenses are fully compatible. This is revolutionary in my mind, as it allows you to essentially pick the camera you need for the type of photography you shoot, with no penalty to image output or system flexibility. This also means that as your photography changes or evolves, you have camera options that fit. What’s more, when the manufacturer releases a new camera, with features like improved low light AF performance or 4K recording options, those features often migrate to the other bodies via firmware updates. In this way, older Fuji cameras are continually refined, and become compelling options to current photographers on a stricter budget. Once I had looked at all of these considerations, my choice was obvious.

Fuji X-E3 w/23mm (dynamic range is excellent- there is tone in those whites and the image could easily be pushed)

Here is what I was able to purchase (with seasonal discounts) with the $3,000 Grant:

1. Fuji X-E3
2. Fuji X-T20 (I choose a separate body to gain access to the individual strengths of either- core feature layout was almost identical though, so changing exposure settings is familiar while switching between them)
3. Rokinon 12mm f/2 Lens
4. Fuji 23mm f/2 R WR Lens
5. Fuji 50mm f/2 R WR lens
6. Fuji 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 OIS Lens

After selling a couple of additional leftover Nikon lenses, I’ll be able to add a gamut of accessories and one additional lens, which fully replaces and improves upon the kit that I had to sell earlier this year.

Fuji colors are so good and accurate right out of the camera!

To summarize, if you are looking to buy a new camera, I would recommend not being distracted by the marketing hype. In my entire career as a photographer, I have never purchased the flagship cameras. Instead, I choose to consider what is the minimum tool I need to complete the jobs that I do against what is the most fully featured camera that I can afford. If you approach this the same way, I think you will find, as I have, that cropped sensor bodies are just as capable as full frame ones. Yes, they both have strengths and weaknesses over each other, but image quality and low light performance differences are not as compelling nor as distinct as the marketing materials would have you believe. And honestly, if you are at the point where ultimate IQ, ultimate dynamic range, and ultimate low light performance are among the most important things to the photography that you do, then medium format is the clear choice.

Hope this has shed some light on why I chose what I did. And I look forward to sharing some rad new images with you soon!

Fuji X-E3 w/50mm