It's FUJI TIME! | Boston Fuji X Series Photographer

I cheated on Canon with Fujifilm. What I thought would be just a casual little dalliance became a full-blown love affair. I've fallen deeply in love with Fujifilm and we're moving in together. 

It all began this past December, as I was preparing for a trip to the UK to spend Christmas with my British husband's side of the family. I couldn't stomach the thought of lugging my huge Canon 5D MII with me to England again for leisure photography, mostly candid portraits of family and such. What I needed was a small camera just for my personal needs and travels, something compact and lightweight with manual controls, but that also had RAW capabilities and produced high quality image files. I'd been hearing so much about the big splash Fujifilm was making with their X Series cameras, specifically the x100s.

The x100s seemed to be the camera for me, but I couldn't quite get over the fact that I'd be forever stuck with a 35mm (equivalent) focal length, since the x100s isn't an interchangeable lens camera. I just couldn't pull the trigger on it. Around that time the X-E2 had come out and was also getting rave reviews. If these Fujifilm X Series cameras and lenses did indeed turn out to be as spectacular as I was hearing, I wanted to make sure I invested into a system that I could grow with, keeping the door open to the possibility of building a new kit.

After more research, I felt the X-E2 was exactly what I was looking for. Only problem was, I didn't have enough money budgeted for my Fuji lens of choice which, at the time, was the 35mm 1.4. So I made a compromise. I went ahead and bought the X-E2 camera and acquired, for very cheap, an old Canon FD 24mm 2.8 lens on eBay. I hoped this would satisfy me until I could get a Fuji lens. Off I went to England with my new little camera and, as it turns out, a piece of crap old lens. The aperture blades on that Canon FD were stuck at f/2.8 and it was not at all sharp. Every image I shot with it was slightly soft and it drove me crazy. I knew I wasn't really getting the Fujifilm experience. I came back to Boston a little frustrated and set my beautiful new X-E2 aside until I could get some Fuji glass.

It was several months ago that I was able to finally get my Fuji 23mm 1.4 lens.  And what a lens! Since then, I've been taking some time to get familiar with my new Fuji system.

Honestly, the shot below is what made me stop and seriously contemplate switching from Canon to Fuji. As I was processing this image in Photoshop, my thought process went sort of like this:  "Holy cow, the image files are gorgeous and I can push them around in post just like I do with the image files from my full frame 5D! And I love using this little camera - it feels so good in my hands! These Fujifilm mirrorless systems are so light and compact, it makes me giddy! Fuji's lenses are top notch and they're coming out with more! Fuji's X Series cameras are top notch and they're coming out with more! Hmmm..."  

And that was the moment. That was when I began to realize that this was not just a fling, but something substantial. 

Candid portrait of Dave the Muse, shot RAW in available light at f/2, 1/180, ISO 1250. Processed in Lightroom & Photoshop.

So, I've jumped onto the Fujifilm boat. I just sold my beloved Canon 135mm f2L lens in order to get the Fuji 56mm 1.2 (85mm equiv) lens. It's currently backordered, but as soon as I can get my hands on it, that 56mm is MINE. I'm going to make the switch incrementally, because it will take some time for me to acquire the necessary gear to go "full time Fuji". I need more glass (the 56mm, as I said, and maybe the 35mm, and perhaps something wider, like the 14mm). I also want to see what the rumored upcoming X-PRO2 will be like, as well as the next generation X-T model. I'll eventually need to get another Fujifilm camera - a top of the line model - and let my X-E2 become my backup.

Canon and I aren't actually divorced yet. I still need my Canon gear for professional, commissioned work. But my little X-E2 will be there with me on those jobs, as well. 

More images shot with my X-E2 coming soon.

Smoking in the Bathroom...With the Fujifilm X-E2 | Boston Fuji X Series Photographer

I'm testing the capabilities of my Fuji X-E2 and brand new 23mm 1.4 lens! I absolutely love the feel of this camera in my hands. It's compact and lightweight and the image files are beautiful. There is definitely a significant shutter lag, however. Not a huge problem - it'll just take some getting used to, is all.

The 23mm (35mm equivalent) lens is superb. Sharp and fast. I almost bought the 35mm due to budget constraints, but I knew I would start to feel limited with that focal length after a short time. I tend to shoot portraits at either very wide or telephoto focal lengths; I use my Canon 24mm or my 85mm much more then I use my 50mm. So, I went with the 23mm and I'm glad I did. It will be a versatile focal length for me. 

The following image was shot in RAW, using only available light (the quality of which was pretty awful) in an old, dingy bathroom, using the shower curtain as a background. The ISO was cranked all the way up to 6400 and I was somewhere around f/2.5 and 1/180th. I've been keeping the in-camera noise reduction turned down to -2. Otherwise, it's a tad bit heavy for my liking, as I prefer to have more control in post.

I processed this image in Lightroom and Photoshop...and, yes, I did add some noise reduction back to this image in post. 

I am really digging my X-E2 and 23mm. I just cannot get over how small and light this camera is and the high quality images files it produces! I definitely plan on testing this Fuji system with some studio lights in the near future. I have a feeling I won't be disappointed.