Reading mode: Light Dark

Second body?

Go to last post
S

sluggy_warrior

Veteran Member
Messages
3,261
Solutions
6
Reaction score
2,201
As I collect more lenses, I found myself wanting a second body at events to avoid lens swapping. However, I don't have that need for regular daily use, thus, sitting on a fence waiting for a stronger justification.

My current body is an X-T20, I saw a posting of $350 on craiglist for the same body with less than 2500 shutter count, pretty good deal (but I'd prefer an X-T2 if a similar deal is available).

However, as I shoot the 56/1.2, I sometimes wish for IBIS as I still have some micro-blurry shots at 1/125, whereas I can have perfectly sharp shots at 1/8 with the OIS of 18-55. Thus, I've been telling myself that I'd buy the X-T4 in a heartbeat if it will come out with IBIS, and with that in mind, I'm hesitating over getting another X-T2/0 body 😞

How many here have more than one bodies (and are not professional photographers)? I'd love to hear some opinions as well. Thanks!
 
Last edited:
Ibis is a game changer for the 56 or the 90 if you want to do portraits. Else X-T2
 
debo said:
Ibis is a game changer for the 56 or the 90 if you want to do portraits. Else X-T2
Click to expand...
yeah, I know. I thought about X-H1 as it went on sale around Thanksgiving, but it's no longer an attractive option given how outdated and bulky it is (especially coming from shooting the X-T20 daily).

And the rumor of X-T4 having IBIS is just another stab to it.
 
sluggy_warrior said:
debo said:
Ibis is a game changer for the 56 or the 90 if you want to do portraits. Else X-T2
Click to expand...
yeah, I know. I thought about X-H1 as it went on sale around Thanksgiving, but it's no longer an attractive option given how outdated and bulky it is (especially coming from shooting the X-T20 daily).

And the rumor of X-T4 having IBIS is just another stab to it.
Click to expand...
Well, I think you just opened up a whole new can of worms about the X-H1 ....
 
sluggy_warrior said:
As I collect more lenses, I found myself wanting a second body at events to avoid lens swapping. However, I don't have that need for regular daily use, thus, sitting on a fence waiting for a stronger justification.

My current body is an X-T20, I saw a posting of $350 on craiglist for the same body with less than 2500 shutter count, pretty good deal (but I'd prefer an X-T2 if a similar deal is available).

However, as I shoot the 56/1.2, I sometimes wish for IBIS as I still have some micro-blurry shots at 1/125, whereas I can have perfectly sharp shots at 1/8 with the OIS of 18-55. Thus, I've been telling myself that I'd buy the X-T4 in a heartbeat if it will come out with IBIS, and with that in mind, I'm hesitating over getting another X-T2/0 body 😞

How many here have more than one bodies (and are not professional photographers)? I'd love to hear some opinions as well. Thanks!
Click to expand...
I love my X-T2/X-T20 combo. I much prefer the X-T2, especially with larger lenses, but also love the X-T20 with small primes. I actually use them about equally. IBIS looks great, I’ll have a look at the X-T4 when it comes out if it has IBIS, isn’t huge and offers improved image quality over the X-T2, but I’m honestly pretty happy with what I have now. They are great to use together (and their files edit together perfectly too).
 
Last edited:
sluggy_warrior said:
As I collect more lenses, I found myself wanting a second body at events to avoid lens swapping. However, I don't have that need for regular daily use, thus, sitting on a fence waiting for a stronger justification.

My current body is an X-T20, I saw a posting of $350 on craiglist for the same body with less than 2500 shutter count, pretty good deal (but I'd prefer an X-T2 if a similar deal is available).

However, as I shoot the 56/1.2, I sometimes wish for IBIS as I still have some micro-blurry shots at 1/125, whereas I can have perfectly sharp shots at 1/8 with the OIS of 18-55. Thus, I've been telling myself that I'd buy the X-T4 in a heartbeat if it will come out with IBIS, and with that in mind, I'm hesitating over getting another X-T2/0 body 😞
Click to expand...
if the x-t4 arrives with ibis, it will be a game changer, therefore the price is unlikely to drop for many months after its release., therefore you are better off buying a used x-h1 now and running with it. the x-h1 is already superior to the x-t20 and likely to breath new life into 56 f1.2.
sluggy_warrior said:
How many here have more than one bodies (and are not professional photographers)? I'd love to hear some opinions as well. Thanks!
Click to expand...
 
sluggy_warrior said:
How many here have more than one bodies (and are not professional photographers)? I'd love to hear some opinions as well. Thanks!
Click to expand...
I highly recommend two or even three bodies depending on your shooting style and needs. The type of bodies also depend on your style and needs. I routinely carry two bodies but on occasion will carry a third. My bodies are all the same so if i need to swap a lens, there's no worry about controls/settings.
 
JohnS59 said:
sluggy_warrior said:
yeah, I know. I thought about X-H1 as it went on sale around Thanksgiving, but it's no longer an attractive option given how outdated and bulky it is (especially coming from shooting the X-T20 daily).

And the rumor of X-T4 having IBIS is just another stab to it.
Click to expand...
Well, I think you just opened up a whole new can of worms about the X-H1 ....
Click to expand...
I should clarify about "outdated" 😩

Of course the X-H1 is newer than X-T2/T20, but comparing the price point, that's almost the price of the latest X-T3 with more advanced features, thus, I thought of it as outdated. It's all relative.

As mentioned, for my limited needs, I'm looking at a possible $350 used X-T20. Comparing to that, the bulkier X-H1 isn't very attractive, especially if I'm lugging two bodies around.
 
sluggy_warrior said:
How many here have more than one bodies (and are not professional photographers)? I'd love to hear some opinions as well. Thanks!
Click to expand...
I was a full time professional for a number of years and always took several bodies with me. I got spoiled using a second body.

Our close friends' son had an outdoor wedding a little over a year ago and they asked me to photograph it for them. Before the wedding, I came across a nice used X-E2 that I picked up at a good price. 85% of the photos I took at the wedding were done with the 23mm 1.4 on the E2 and the 56mm 1.2 on the E3. Both lenses were rented. They made a great team and I finally got to photograph a wedding using an editorial style instead of the film days of medium format cameras and flashes.

This Fall I added the X-H1 to the group. I'm shooting Canon EF and FD non-IS lenses with the H1 and it makes a huge difference. That's probably not what you wanted to hear. I can easily shoot at 1/60 with the Canon EF 135L 2.0.

Even if you picked up another T20 or T2, I think you'll find shooting with two bodies a joy, especially if you shoot with primes. If you can get a T20 or T2 at a good price, I'd go ahead. Features of the T4 or the possibility of the H2 is pure speculation and I doubt we'll see either in less than 18 months.
 
Doug MacMillan said:
I was a full time professional for a number of years and always took several bodies with me. I got spoiled using a second body.

Our close friends' son had an outdoor wedding a little over a year ago and they asked me to photograph it for them. Before the wedding, I came across a nice used X-E2 that I picked up at a good price. 85% of the photos I took at the wedding were done with the 23mm 1.4 on the E2 and the 56mm 1.2 on the E3. Both lenses were rented. They made a great team and I finally got to photograph a wedding using an editorial style instead of the film days of medium format cameras and flashes.
Click to expand...
I shoot our summit only once a year, but it's a 3-day event packed with professionals, with multiple events going in parallel. A second body would definitely help a lot.

Personally, I shoot at karate exams and theater performances often. Although I don't have an artist in me, I'm the only one decent with taking photos so my photos have been their primary source. I went to a few friend weddings, they know my ability and explicitly asked me to take photos unofficially (and I know not to get in the way of the main photographer, just providing another perspective). And yes, those are the times that I really wish to have a second body.
Doug MacMillan said:
Even if you picked up another T20 or T2, I think you'll find shooting with two bodies a joy, especially if you shoot with primes. If you can get a T20 or T2 at a good price, I'd go ahead. Features of the T4 or the possibility of the H2 is pure speculation and I doubt we'll see either in less than 18 months.
Click to expand...
I posted this thread probably just waiting to hear this kind of encouragement 😂 I just need to present the justification to my wife ...

Patience is a virtue, but I probably won't live that long.
 
sluggy_warrior said:
JohnS59 said:
sluggy_warrior said:
yeah, I know. I thought about X-H1 as it went on sale around Thanksgiving, but it's no longer an attractive option given how outdated and bulky it is (especially coming from shooting the X-T20 daily).

And the rumor of X-T4 having IBIS is just another stab to it.
Click to expand...
Well, I think you just opened up a whole new can of worms about the X-H1 ....
Click to expand...
I should clarify about "outdated" 😩

Of course the X-H1 is newer than X-T2/T20, but comparing the price point, that's almost the price of the latest X-T3 with more advanced features, thus, I thought of it as outdated. It's all relative.

As mentioned, for my limited needs, I'm looking at a possible $350 used X-T20. Comparing to that, the bulkier X-H1 isn't very attractive, especially if I'm lugging two bodies around.
Click to expand...
Quite understandable.
 
I have an X-T20 and planned to pick up a new body in about a year, because I figured the next generation of cameras would provide some features that I could use. I also want to avoid swapping lenses. I decided to fill the gap while I wait for the new releases by adding an X-T100 as a second camera to my X-T20. I got it with the XC 15-45mm lens for a bundle price of under $400. It’s worked out very well for me. The X-T100 has a flip screen that is especially helpful for street photography. I will pick up a more advanced body within the next year or so, but the X-T100 is a great intermediate step,
 
sluggy_warrior said:
Doug MacMillan said:
I was a full time professional for a number of years and always took several bodies with me. I got spoiled using a second body.

Our close friends' son had an outdoor wedding a little over a year ago and they asked me to photograph it for them. Before the wedding, I came across a nice used X-E2 that I picked up at a good price. 85% of the photos I took at the wedding were done with the 23mm 1.4 on the E2 and the 56mm 1.2 on the E3. Both lenses were rented. They made a great team and I finally got to photograph a wedding using an editorial style instead of the film days of medium format cameras and flashes.
Click to expand...
I shoot our summit only once a year, but it's a 3-day event packed with professionals, with multiple events going in parallel. A second body would definitely help a lot.

Personally, I shoot at karate exams and theater performances often. Although I don't have an artist in me, I'm the only one decent with taking photos so my photos have been their primary source. I went to a few friend weddings, they know my ability and explicitly asked me to take photos unofficially (and I know not to get in the way of the main photographer, just providing another perspective). And yes, those are the times that I really wish to have a second body.
sluggy_warrior said:
Even if you picked up another T20 or T2, I think you'll find shooting with two bodies a joy, especially if you shoot with primes. If you can get a T20 or T2 at a good price, I'd go ahead. Features of the T4 or the possibility of the H2 is pure speculation and I doubt we'll see either in less than 18 months.
Click to expand...
I posted this thread probably just waiting to hear this kind of encouragement 😂 I just need to present the justification to my wife ...

Patience is a virtue, but I probably won't live that long.
Click to expand...
If you are shooting events then maybe IBIS will be of lesser value as your subjects will be moving so you will need to keep shutter speed up
 
sluggy_warrior said:
Craig268 said:
My bodies are all the same so if i need to swap a lens, there's no worry about controls/settings.
Click to expand...
Yes, that's another point pushing me toward an X-T2/T20 instead of X-H1.
Click to expand...
The X-T2/20 are alike enough that I was able to set them up very similarly and can switch between them easily without getting screwed up.
 
GKN said:
If you are shooting events then maybe IBIS will be of lesser value as your subjects will be moving so you will need to keep shutter speed up
Click to expand...
Definitely. At our last summit, the hotel rooms were pretty dark, especially the ballrooms. I usually shoot 1/60s, but was able to push my luck at 1/15 in some cases (e.g. predict when the speaker paused, ...). With the 56/1.2, I don't feel confident/comfortable at less than 1/125.

Loading…

summit2019.nexusipe.org
 
Erik Baumgartner said:
The X-T2/20 are alike enough that I was able to set them up very similarly and can switch between them easily without getting screwed up.
Click to expand...
Yup, definitely watching for a good deal on X-T2, then it will become my primary with WR (paired with 18-135), dual-slot, focus-bracketing.

Do you prefer the X-T2 EVF much more than the X-T20, or they're not that big different?
 
sshapiro said:
I have an X-T20 and planned to pick up a new body in about a year, because I figured the next generation of cameras would provide some features that I could use. I also want to avoid swapping lenses. I decided to fill the gap while I wait for the new releases by adding an X-T100 as a second camera to my X-T20. I got it with the XC 15-45mm lens for a bundle price of under $400. It’s worked out very well for me. The X-T100 has a flip screen that is especially helpful for street photography. I will pick up a more advanced body within the next year or so, but the X-T100 is a great intermediate step,
Click to expand...
It took me a while to switch from Nikon's PASM to Fuji SS/EC/Aperture dials. Now, I don't think I can switch back to not having the SS dial 😞

darktable can automatically select the appropriate demosaic for Bayer/X-Trans, so post-processing is not a concern. It's just that reviews seem to indicate the X-T100 has a rather slow processor and could be laggy comparing to the X-T20. Did you notice any difference, e.g. AF speed, responsiveness on startup, ...?
 
sluggy_warrior said:
Erik Baumgartner said:
The X-T2/20 are alike enough that I was able to set them up very similarly and can switch between them easily without getting screwed up.
Click to expand...
Yup, definitely watching for a good deal on X-T2, then it will become my primary with WR (paired with 18-135), dual-slot, focus-bracketing.

Do you prefer the X-T2 EVF much more than the X-T20, or they're not that big different?
Click to expand...
Yeah, the EVF is better (definitely bigger and easier to look through) but I don’t notice a big difference unless I use them simultaneously. The available X-T2 eyecups are MUCH better (although there is a cheap hotshoe one available now for the X-T20 now that works OK). With the X-T2 you’ll also get T mode SS adjustment to 15 minutes, better AF-C with custom mode #6, an additional front command dial ISO option, a slightly quieter/smoother shutter, 1/8000” MS and a bunch of other things I can’t think of, it’s definitely a nicer camera. I highly recommend a Meike handgrip to go with it.
 
sluggy_warrior said:
sshapiro said:
I have an X-T20 and planned to pick up a new body in about a year, because I figured the next generation of cameras would provide some features that I could use. I also want to avoid swapping lenses. I decided to fill the gap while I wait for the new releases by adding an X-T100 as a second camera to my X-T20. I got it with the XC 15-45mm lens for a bundle price of under $400. It’s worked out very well for me. The X-T100 has a flip screen that is especially helpful for street photography. I will pick up a more advanced body within the next year or so, but the X-T100 is a great intermediate step,
Click to expand...
It took me a while to switch from Nikon's PASM to Fuji SS/EC/Aperture dials. Now, I don't think I can switch back to not having the SS dial 😞

darktable can automatically select the appropriate demosaic for Bayer/X-Trans, so post-processing is not a concern. It's just that reviews seem to indicate the X-T100 has a rather slow processor and could be laggy comparing to the X-T20. Did you notice any difference, e.g. AF speed, responsiveness on startup, ...?
Click to expand...
The X-T100 is fine overall. I don't find it laggy. I believe that some of the initial complaints were addressed in firmware updates. I don't use continuous autofocus often, so I can't give a good comparison to the X-T20. However, I assume the X-T20 is better at that. My uses for the X-T100 are a general purpose camera for street photography and as a second camera for events, such as concerts or festivals. I think it is an excellent solution for my needs. The X-T20 and higher-end cameras are certainly better overall performers, but considering that the X-T100 cost me a net of $250, it was a steal and will satisfy my needs until the X-T4/X-H2 (or whatever they are called) are released in the next year or so.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top