Moving from Canon to X-t3--lens suggestions for Fuji

KAAMBIC wrote:

buckeyevet wrote:

Single focus point was the mermaid's face

Single focus point was my dog's left eye. She wasn't moving.

User error. 1/3 and 1/8 is too slow for a non stabilized shot at that focal length. The mermaid shot is also at f/22 which causes a lot of diffraction softening. The battery issue i cant speak on but in these shots there is nothing wrong with the gear.

Duly noted.  I was using a tripod for the dog photo, but I did not use a cable release.  Good to know about f22 being soft.  This is new information for me.

A photography couse I took said to use f22 if the desire is to have more of the subject in focus, which is what I was going for.  I'm always willing to learn.  Thanks for the feedback!

Apa Macam wrote:

buckeyevet wrote:

GreatOceanSoftware wrote:

If you post some samples, we could help diagnose the lens. As for the body, I believe the camera also has an internal battery that hasn’t charged, or isn’t accepting a charge. This happens to my bodies when I don’t use them for a long time.

I did read that on the forums the first time it factory reset which was the first day I got it. I assumed the internal battery was simply not charged enough. It did it a second time when I charged the battery outside the camera overnight.

Here are 2 of the best images. I don't have my metadata accessible on my phone to add at the moment. These are uncropped and I did minimal PP (slight tweak in color balance and highlights for dog picture, slight tweak of contrast in mermaid). They were both then converted from RAW to JPEG at 100 setting. All done in Capture One (the free version that came with the camera. I used LR 6 exclusively with my Canon gear, but understand LR6 doesn't play well with Fuji Xtrans).

Single focus point was the mermaid's face

Single focus point was my dog's left eye. She wasn't moving.

The mermaid photo was shot with with 1/8 sec and the dog photo was taken with 1/3 sec shutter speed. Was it done with handheld? If it was, that explains a lot....

Question 1, why did you used F22 for the mermaid photo?

A virtual photography class i took last year during lockdown said f22 was good when trying to get more of the subject in focus, which was my goal.

Question 2, why did you fix your iso at 400 for both photo?

Same photography class that taught me the above, also said never to shoot above iso 400 to avoid noise, and it was too dim to go lower.

I'm starting to think I should have saved my money on the class and stuck with my old way of doing things.

buckeyevet wrote:

KAAMBIC wrote:

buckeyevet wrote:

Single focus point was the mermaid's face

Single focus point was my dog's left eye. She wasn't moving.

User error. 1/3 and 1/8 is too slow for a non stabilized shot at that focal length. The mermaid shot is also at f/22 which causes a lot of diffraction softening. The battery issue i cant speak on but in these shots there is nothing wrong with the gear.

Duly noted. I was using a tripod for the dog photo, but I did not use a cable release. Good to know about f22 being soft. This is new information for me.

A photography couse I took said to use f22 if the desire is to have more of the subject in focus, which is what I was going for. I'm always willing to learn. Thanks for the feedback!

There can an image quality price to be paid for stopping down, particularly at greater extremes, such as f/22. Diffraction can become an issue at small apertures and can further impact image quality. That's a good reason to be cognizant of DOF at different apertures (and focal lengths) and to try to keep your aperture no smaller than needed to ensure that the areas that need to be sharp are in focus. Just using f/22 to "be safe" sort of works, but your overall image quality may well suffer as a result and the impact might show up, particularly if you decide to print large.

astonehouse wrote:

FWIW I had a Canon 5D mk3 and 24-70 f2.8 before moving to Fujifiilm about 6 years ago. I went through a lot of Fuji bodies and lenses and in the early days they didn't match the IQ of the Canon but they were much lighter and more fun to use so I stuck with them.

I'm happy to read this.  The whole reason I decided to make the switch to Fuji is the decreased weight and the retro feel.  I agree on the fun factor. When I rented the Xt3 it was fun!

Now I have an X-T4 and a collection of lenses that all match or better my old Canon set up, particularly the new 18mm f1.4. I did have the 18-55mm early on but replaced it with the 16-80mm when it was released and find it much sharper and more versatile (zoom range and WR) and I prefer using lenses with aperture rings.

I do wish the 18-55 had an aperture ring.  Even though I've found out the bad images I took was user error, i still don't think the 18-55 is the right lens for me.  Going from the Canon 24-70, I've realized I really need to spend the extra cash for the 16-55 and a prime or two.  It's what I'm used to.

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buckeyevet wrote:

astonehouse wrote:

FWIW I had a Canon 5D mk3 and 24-70 f2.8 before moving to Fujifiilm about 6 years ago. I went through a lot of Fuji bodies and lenses and in the early days they didn't match the IQ of the Canon but they were much lighter and more fun to use so I stuck with them.

I'm happy to read this. The whole reason I decided to make the switch to Fuji is the decreased weight and the retro feel. I agree on the fun factor. When I rented the Xt3 it was fun!

Now I have an X-T4 and a collection of lenses that all match or better my old Canon set up, particularly the new 18mm f1.4. I did have the 18-55mm early on but replaced it with the 16-80mm when it was released and find it much sharper and more versatile (zoom range and WR) and I prefer using lenses with aperture rings.

I do wish the 18-55 had an aperture ring. Even though I've found out the bad images I took was user error, i still don't think the 18-55 is the right lens for me. Going from the Canon 24-70, I've realized I really need to spend the extra cash for the 16-55 and a prime or two. It's what I'm used to.

Fuji has a ton of great primes, and they are getting cheaper at least. Several years back i wanted to try out Fuji but every time i looked at the lenses, they just seemed too much. I was the guy always looking for bargains.

Now they have stuff like a budget 35mm for $200, and several 3rd party options even at f/1.4 that are at or below $300. It's not couch change but getting better.

There's also the 16-80 f4 with OIS...also as others have mentioned, do keep the shutter speed faster (eg. 1/125+) unless taking landscape pics (non-moving g subjects) or for creative reasons. Also f5.6-f8 is usually the sweet spot for apsc.

There can an image quality price to be paid for stopping down, particularly at greater extremes, such as f/22. Diffraction can become an issue at small apertures and can further impact image quality.

Good to know!

That's a good reason to be cognizant of DOF at different apertures (and focal lengths) and to try to keep your aperture no smaller than needed to ensure that the areas that need to be sharp are in focus.

Honestly, I must admit I don't know how to do this.  Thirty years of using SLR cameras, 4 beginner photography classes over the years and I've never learned this.  I'm learning that I have a lot to learn still.

Just using f/22 to "be safe" sort of works, but your overall image quality may well suffer as a result and the impact might show up, particularly if you decide to print large.

Thank you for this.  I obviously need to work on technique a lot more.

buckeyevet wrote:

There can an image quality price to be paid for stopping down, particularly at greater extremes, such as f/22. Diffraction can become an issue at small apertures and can further impact image quality.

Good to know!

That's a good reason to be cognizant of DOF at different apertures (and focal lengths) and to try to keep your aperture no smaller than needed to ensure that the areas that need to be sharp are in focus.

Honestly, I must admit I don't know how to do this. Thirty years of using SLR cameras, 4 beginner photography classes over the years and I've never learned this. I'm learning that I have a lot to learn still.

Don’t we all?  You might notice that some lenses actually have a DOF scale that shows you roughtly the distance range of what would be in focus at given apertures.  Some reading of basic photography guides can also give you a rough idea of how to calculate this.  Most of the knowledge comes with experience and you’ll start being able to roughly estimate the amount of your image that will be in focus.  For important pics, the advantage of digital is that you can snap a quick shot, pixel peep for critical focus when magnifying the image in-camera, and change settings as needed.  Some people frown on that… pay no attention.  Over time, you’ll get a feeling for this, plus the advantage of digital is the ability to preview an important shot to ensure that what you want in focus actually is.  As you get accustomed the impact of aperture and focal length on depth of field (the amount of your image in focus), then it will start becoming more second nature and something you’ll just estimate on the fly.

Just using f/22 to "be safe" sort of works, but your overall image quality may well suffer as a result and the impact might show up, particularly if you decide to print large.

Thank you for this. I obviously need to work on technique a lot more.

You’re welcome!  It’s well worth the time and effort spent over the long term.  Good luck… and have fun.  Don’t sweat the details for now… just learn as you go.

KAAMBIC wrote:

buckeyevet wrote:

Single focus point was the mermaid's face

Single focus point was my dog's left eye. She wasn't moving.

User error. 1/3 and 1/8 is too slow for a non stabilized shot at that focal length. The mermaid shot is also at f/22 which causes a lot of diffraction softening. The battery issue i cant speak on but in these shots there is nothing wrong with the gear.

I agree, in fact I would go further and say that even with a stabilised lens (and I have an IBIS body and stabilised lenses) without stable support unless standing, holding, breathing and pressing (the shutter) techniques are all to high marksman standards (and I was one) that these shutter speeds are too slow to gain consistently sharp images as any one technique poorly applied could induce camera movement at the critical time the shutter is released.

Update:

First of all I want to thank all of you for your amazing advice.

Despite realizing that it was user error, I opted to return the X-t3 and 18-55 kit lens.  Playing with it further, I came to the realization that I wasn't going to be satisfied with the 18-55 after being in love with my Canon 24-70L for so many years.

I did some creative financing and bought the X-t4 (for the IBIS), the 16-55 f/2.8 from B&H. Both arrived yesterday.   I stumbled on at a great deal on a 23mm f/1.4 at a local store, which I felt i couldn't pass up. They're still lighter than my old Canon gear.

I'm excited to grab my tripod and take some bookshelf pictures with both lenses today to test the new gear out.

Now to decide if I teach myself a whole new PP flow with Capture One, or if I cave and upgrade my old Lightroom 6 and pay for the subscription so it plays better with the Fuji Xtrans system.  I plan to try the free C1 for Fuji and my familiar LR this weekend.

Thanks again for all the help.  I'll share some photos later.

buckeyevet wrote:

Update:

First of all I want to thank all of you for your amazing advice.

Despite realizing that it was user error, I opted to return the X-t3 and 18-55 kit lens. Playing with it further, I came to the realization that I wasn't going to be satisfied with the 18-55 after being in love with my Canon 24-70L for so many years.

I did some creative financing and bought the X-t4 (for the IBIS), the 16-55 f/2.8 from B&H. Both arrived yesterday. I stumbled on at a great deal on a 23mm f/1.4 at a local store, which I felt i couldn't pass up. They're still lighter than my old Canon gear.

I'm excited to grab my tripod and take some bookshelf pictures with both lenses today to test the new gear out.

Now to decide if I teach myself a whole new PP flow with Capture One, or if I cave and upgrade my old Lightroom 6 and pay for the subscription so it plays better with the Fuji Xtrans system. I plan to try the free C1 for Fuji and my familiar LR this weekend.

Thanks again for all the help. I'll share some photos later.

Jennifer--

Hard to imagine that you won't be pretty happy with your kit once you bet past the learning curve (and that will take a bit of patience).  The 16-55 is pretty well my most used lens, and paired with the X-T4 along with IBIS, I suspect you'll find using it to be a whole different (and hopefully pleasant) experience.  There is a learning curve involved, including getting used to in camera stabilization and knowing its limits, but overall you will have a very powerful kit in your hands.  I've been a LR user for many years, and being a certified old guy, I haven't really been inclined to change (did give C1 a run and just didn't bond with it).  In spite of some of the noise you'll see in the forum, I think LR does a fine job as long as you are aware of some limitations with respect to rendering some forms of detail (take a look at the Iridient apps to help deal with that).  C1 has a great reputation here, and giving it a try makes a lot of sense, and might save you a bit of post processing time as well.

You have an outstanding kit (I might be a bit envious) and we'll look forward to seeing your work on the forum.

buckeyevet wrote:

Update:

First of all I want to thank all of you for your amazing advice.

Despite realizing that it was user error, I opted to return the X-t3 and 18-55 kit lens. Playing with it further, I came to the realization that I wasn't going to be satisfied with the 18-55 after being in love with my Canon 24-70L for so many years.

I did some creative financing and bought the X-t4 (for the IBIS), the 16-55 f/2.8 from B&H. Both arrived yesterday. I stumbled on at a great deal on a 23mm f/1.4 at a local store, which I felt i couldn't pass up. They're still lighter than my old Canon gear.

I'm excited to grab my tripod and take some bookshelf pictures with both lenses today to test the new gear out.

Now to decide if I teach myself a whole new PP flow with Capture One, or if I cave and upgrade my old Lightroom 6 and pay for the subscription so it plays better with the Fuji Xtrans system. I plan to try the free C1 for Fuji and my familiar LR this weekend.

Thanks again for all the help. I'll share some photos later.

Hi, it's a great camera/lens combination, which I have thoroughly enjoyed over the last nearly two years, well since the XT4 came out in the Spring of 2020. I use it for hiking, sports, wildlife and general stuff. The 16-55 is my main lens, although I do have others, because of its great IQ and dependability.

My only two additions (beyond a spare Fuji battery and SD cards) are a leather half case (not the Fuji one, which I have tried and do not recommend) to improve handling without any material increase in size or weight, some people prefer a metal grip, and a Peak Design Slide Lite.

I do use and like Capture One/22 (I am on the annual subscription). Worth doing the trial to see if it suits you and I would suggest that there is one tutor whom I have found invaluable - Paul Reiffer on YouTube. If there is one tutorial that I would recommend above all of them, and they are all useful, it is the one on clarity, structure and sharpening tools at:

Capture One Pro Tips - Clarity, Structure & Sharpening Tools - YouTube

Good luck, enjoy it and post some images.

jhorse wrote:

buckeyevet wrote:

Update:

First of all I want to thank all of you for your amazing advice.

Despite realizing that it was user error, I opted to return the X-t3 and 18-55 kit lens. Playing with it further, I came to the realization that I wasn't going to be satisfied with the 18-55 after being in love with my Canon 24-70L for so many years.

I did some creative financing and bought the X-t4 (for the IBIS), the 16-55 f/2.8 from B&H. Both arrived yesterday. I stumbled on at a great deal on a 23mm f/1.4 at a local store, which I felt i couldn't pass up. They're still lighter than my old Canon gear.

I'm excited to grab my tripod and take some bookshelf pictures with both lenses today to test the new gear out.

Now to decide if I teach myself a whole new PP flow with Capture One, or if I cave and upgrade my old Lightroom 6 and pay for the subscription so it plays better with the Fuji Xtrans system. I plan to try the free C1 for Fuji and my familiar LR this weekend.

Thanks again for all the help. I'll share some photos later.

Hi, it's a great camera/lens combination, which I have thoroughly enjoyed over the last nearly two years, well since the XT4 came out in the Spring of 2020. I use it for hiking, sports, wildlife and general stuff. The 16-55 is my main lens, although I do have others, because of its great IQ and dependability.

My only two additions (beyond a spare Fuji battery and SD cards) are a leather half case (not the Fuji one, which I have tried and do not recommend) to improve handling without any material increase in size or weight, some people prefer a metal grip, and a Peak Design Slide Lite.

I do use and like Capture One/22 (I am on the annual subscription). Worth doing the trial to see if it suits you and I would suggest that there is one tutor whom I have found invaluable - Paul Reiffer on YouTube. If there is one tutorial that I would recommend above all of them, and they are all useful, it is the one on clarity, structure and sharpening tools at:

Capture One Pro Tips - Clarity, Structure & Sharpening Tools - YouTube

Good luck, enjoy it and post some images.

Plus one on Reiffer’s tutorials.

Hard to imagine that you won't be pretty happy with your kit once you bet past the learning curve (and that will take a bit of patience).

I assume you mean moving from Canon to Fuji in function and operation.  It is different to be sure.  I LOVE having the dials on the top of the camera, and the aperture adjustment on the lens.  Those are the number 1 reasons I went to Fuji instead moving to a Canon mirrorless.

There is a learning curve involved, including getting used to in camera stabilization and knowing its limits, but overall you will have a very powerful kit in your hands.

I've never had stabilization in lens or in camera.  I guess I have more searching on these forums and via Google to see what I don't know and need to know about IBIS.

I've been a LR user for many years, and being a certified old guy, I haven't really been inclined to change (did give C1 a run and just didn't bond with it). In spite of some of the noise you'll see in the forum, I think LR does a fine job as long as you are aware of some limitations with respect to rendering some forms of detail (take a look at the Iridient apps to help deal with that). C1 has a great reputation here, and giving it a try makes a lot of sense, and might save you a bit of post processing time as well.

I will definitely look into the Iridient apps.  I've used LR for so long, it's just comfortable and familiar.  I don't go crazy with my PP, so maybe C1 will be an easy thing to learn.  We shall see.

You have an outstanding kit (I might be a bit envious) and we'll look forward to seeing your work on the forum.

Thank you.  I'm excited, and despite having misgivings about spending the cash on this kit, I have zero buyers remorse.

I spent my morning trying out each lens in the brightest room I could find in the house (lots of reflected light off the snow outside).  Shots of my desk to evaluate detail and color reproduction since I have so much stuff on my shelves.

All shot on a tripod, self timer release, ISO 400, Auto shutter speed.  Only changes were aperture.  I didn't go above f/11 because it wasn't light enough in the room to stop down that much.  PP in C1 only to convert to JPG (except for the cat. I had to dial down the overblown backlight and brighten up the shadows more).

I'd appreciate input on these test shots.  IQ looks pretty good to me given the ambient lighting.  It was too cold to do any test shots outside.

Thanks in advance!!

16-55 f2.8

23 f1.4

16-55

23

16-55

23

16-55

23

Horrible backlight, not composed at all. She just looked cute, so I focused and clicked the shutter.

buckeyevet wrote:

Hard to imagine that you won't be pretty happy with your kit once you bet past the learning curve (and that will take a bit of patience).

I assume you mean moving from Canon to Fuji in function and operation. It is different to be sure. I LOVE having the dials on the top of the camera, and the aperture adjustment on the lens. Those are the number 1 reasons I went to Fuji instead moving to a Canon mirrorless.

There is a learning curve involved, including getting used to in camera stabilization and knowing its limits, but overall you will have a very powerful kit in your hands.

I've never had stabilization in lens or in camera. I guess I have more searching on these forums and via Google to see what I don't know and need to know about IBIS.

I've been a LR user for many years, and being a certified old guy, I haven't really been inclined to change (did give C1 a run and just didn't bond with it). In spite of some of the noise you'll see in the forum, I think LR does a fine job as long as you are aware of some limitations with respect to rendering some forms of detail (take a look at the Iridient apps to help deal with that). C1 has a great reputation here, and giving it a try makes a lot of sense, and might save you a bit of post processing time as well.

I will definitely look into the Iridient apps. I've used LR for so long, it's just comfortable and familiar. I don't go crazy with my PP, so maybe C1 will be an easy thing to learn. We shall see.

You have an outstanding kit (I might be a bit envious) and we'll look forward to seeing your work on the forum.

Thank you. I'm excited, and despite having misgivings about spending the cash on this kit, I have zero buyers remorse.

I came from the Canon world as well, way back when (a 7D was my last Canon body).  It served me well, but under no circumstances would I have the least desire to return to a DSLR, Canon or otherwise.  I find the advantages of mirrorless to be extremely compelling, and while I have the utmost respect for Canon's technology, I find Fujifilm's approach, ergonomics, and overall philosophy to be far more attractive.  Clearly, that's a very individual thing and your own impressions will be what really matters.  Enjoy your gear and jump into the forum once in a while to share your work, please or if you need further advice from some real experts (I'm not in that particular group, I'm afraid).