This is one of my occasional posts adapted from something I wrote elsewhere but felt might we worth sharing here on the blog.
A person had asked about “switching” from a Canon DSLR to a Fujifilm mirrorless camera, and some others had replied with points about the ergonomics of the smaller cameras along with some comments about using electronic viewfinders (EVF) in place of optical viewfinders (OVF). Since I use both (OVF and EFV, Canon and Fujifilm) I thought my thoughts might be relevant.
Note: A few details of the article were updated on March 8, 2018 to reflect more recent developments – for example, referring to contemporary products from companies mentioned here.
EDITING CURRENTLY UNDERWAY
If the goal is a smaller camera and you already are invested in a Canon DSLR system, one option is to consider one of the much smaller Canon bodies. I know a couple of serious photographers who use the little SL1 for travel and certain other kinds of photography, often with smaller and lighter lenses. This gives you a traditional SLR OVF if you are concerned about using an EVF.
Here are some thoughts about perceived/real potential “downsides” (from some perspectives”) of the Fujifilm x-trans cameras specifically and regarding mirrorless cameras in general:
The EVF — The EVF versus OVF issue is complicated and, in a number of ways, subjective. Early on there was a lot of resistance to the EVF products — I think it was a combination of resistance to something new along with the relatively poorer performance of the initial versions. (They were slow, had lower resolution, and generally did not provide as positive of an experience.) I had such cameras a long time ago. (Does anyone else recall the Canon Pro1 of a dozen years ago?) More recent EVFs are far better in every measurable way — though they still won’t be for ideal everyone.
EVFs have pluses and minuses. In the minus category…
- they show you a video image of the world, rather than an optical view of the “actual” subject
- as video devices they are never be truly realtime displays — there is always at least some display latency
- it takes more battery power to drive a video display.
In the plus category…
- they are usable in extremely low light due to exposure simulation
- additional useful data can be overlaid on the scene image
- useful focusing aids can be incorporated into the display, etc.
- they can reduce the size/weight of the camera and permit use of smaller lenses
In the end, you simply have to try an EVF camera for a while. Lots of people are fine with them, and even some of us who prefer the quality of an OVF are happy to use EVF if it is part of a package that has other advantages for the kinds of photography we are doing.
AF performance – Despite stories and web videos suggesting otherwise, in general mirrorless cameras are still less capable (outside of a few specific situations) when it comes to auto-focus performance. At one time (think of my ancient Canon Pro1) this was pretty much a deal killer for most serious photography, as autofocusing in even unchallenging situations was a lazy affair, and there were many circumstances in which it simply failed to work. It was essentially useless with moving subjects.
AF performance of mirrorless cameras has improved a lot, and the Fujifilm cameras now AF quite well. They still don’t equal the performance of DSLRs, but they have achieved an effective level of performance such that they are not a liability in most shooting situations. The extent to which the AF capability of mirrorless cameras is OK for you will depend on a lot of things: what you photograph and the circumstances in which you photograph it, how good you are at learning what works best on these cameras, how willing you are to accept lower performance in some AF situations in order to get the other advantages of these cameras.
Control layout — A frequent concern is about the size of the cameras and the resulting smaller controls and closer placement of the controls compared to larger DSLR cameras. The control layout of these cameras is typically a bit different that of a DSLR, especially with Fujifilm and its use of physical knobs, but it is not completely different. The general concept is actually quite similar, with clusters of controls more or less in places similar to where you would find them on DSLRs.
There are two issues to think about.
- First, even though the concept of the layout may be similar to what you know, the details will differ. This means that there is almost certain to be an adjustment period as you relearn the interface to the level you have developed on your existing camera. It took me a couple of months when I got that first XE1 four years ago, and perhaps a month with my XPro2. However, once I did learn the interface I could use it with the same flexibility that have with my DLSR system.
- Second, controls and the body itself are smaller. (Ironically, that is one of the main appeals of these cameras, right?) We often read that certain “serious photographers” prefer larger cameras and lenses. All I can say is that this is a subjective thing and not all photographers feel that way. I’ve long used larger cameras and I’m quite comfortable with them — but I’ve also used very small cameras and have learned to use them effectively, too.
Image quality — To be honest, using the x-trans sensor cameras isn’t really all that different from using any other camera with similar sensor dimensions and photo site density. The image quality is excellent, and the odds that you’ll find any problems or major advantages (!) over other similar sensors in the files from your Fujifilm camera are probably overstated. A 16MP or 24MP 1.5x cropped sensor with no AA filter provides excellent image quality.
To loop back to the beginning of this thread and the question about whether to give up one thing and substitute another, in this case I think that most people will be better advised to keep the old thing (the DSLR system) while trying out the new thing (mirrorless), and to give the new system a serious enough workout to get past initial superficial impressions. (The latter is a problem with the rental idea, unless you are prepared to rent for a month or more.) For such a significant change — DSLR to mirrorless — I think it is better to give the transition some time and to avoid, if possible, getting rid of the old system before acquiring the new one.
If possible, get a decent but perhaps not quite current mirrorless body and a lens or two and go out and photograph a lot with it. In this category are cameras such as the XE2/XE2s, the X100t (if you are OK with fixed lens), the XT1, and the XPro1. Because these are slightly older Fujifilm models that use the older 16MP sensor, you can often find them at extremely low prices. Among them, unless you have a preexisting preference for rangefinder-style cameras, I’d recommend the XT1 in most cases or the XE2/XE2s if you want to get the lowest price.
If you are not as financially risk-averse, or if you are pretty certain that you are going to use one of these Fujifilm cameras, there are some less expensive options among the current cameras — the X100f (no interchangeable lenses), the EX3, the XT20.
This material has been lightly edited for re-sharing here. Although the original context was a Canon DSLR versus Fujifilm mirrorless comparison, the same points are largely valid for other brands with similar features.
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books and Amazon.
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