My 2022 toy budget is in. How should I spend it?

I have just learned my toy budget for the fist half of 2022. I can spend up to 3500 on photography gear (or any other toys). If you were me, What will you buy?

I currently use two X-pro3 Dura Black bodies, XF 14/2.8, 18/2, 23/1.4, 35 1.4 and Viltrox 56/1.4

Focal length wise, this set up covers 99% of my current need. I am happy with them in term of color, sharpness, quality with some reservation on the Viltrox. I always carry a 1 camera 1 lens ( xpro3 + 18 or 23 or 35) with me when I go out everyday although my favorite focal length is 35mm (FF equivalent) followed by 28mm then 50mm( FF equivalent).

I started adopting Fuji with XE1in 2012, and my second fuji camera was X100s. I also had XH1 and XT20, XT2, 90/2 and some great fuji zooms but sold them all as I prefer Xpro-3 with primes now. So I found that I am not interested in going back to the zooms and DSLR style bodies anytime soon. And I have zero interest in the rumored XH2

So If I decide to spend the entire budget on camera and lenses, What will you advise to buy?

I figured a few options I am entertainng:

1. Sell the 18/2. 23/1.4 and 35/1.4 and Upgrade to the newer, better, bigger f/1.4 trio + get a X100V for everyday carry

2. Get a full Frame camera and a lens ( Sony A7IV and 35G). I may need to add a little money for this option.

3. Get a used Leica M240 and a nice voigtlander 35mm M mount lens such as 35/1.7 Ultron or the Voigtlander AOP 35mm

4. Buy a summicron 35mm and add a little money to get the X-M adaptor

5. Add some money myself and buy used summicron 35 and 50 ( used market price is about 4700 for the two lenses. ) + an X-M adaptor

6. Add some money and get a Leica Q

I am open to ideas, feel free to make any suggestion... and have fun spending my budget here.

nonicks wrote:

I have just learned my toy budget for the fist half of 2022. I can spend up to 3500 on photography gear (or any other toys). If you were me, What will you buy?

I currently use two X-pro3 Dura Black bodies, XF 14/2.8, 18/2, 23/1.4, 35 1.4 and Viltrox 56/1.4

Ok, well you are all set here... so;

I figured a few options I am entertainng:

1. Sell the 18/2. 23/1.4 and 35/1.4 and Upgrade to the newer, better, bigger f/1.4 trio + get a X100V for everyday carry

Nope

2. Get a full Frame camera and a lens ( Sony A7IV and 35G). I may need to add a little money for this option.

Could be, but will you use it instead of the best camera ever made i.e. the X-Pro3?  Been there and done that and keep going back to the X-Pro.

3. Get a used Leica M240 and a nice voigtlander 35mm M mount lens such as 35/1.7 Ultron or the Voigtlander AOP 35mm

Yes, this is a cool option...

4. Buy a summicron 35mm and add a little money to get the X-M adaptor

Nope... not as fun as a real RF.

5. Add some money myself and buy used summicron 35 and 50 ( used market price is about 4700 for the two lenses. ) + an X-M adaptor

No

6. Add some money and get a Leica Q

Could be...but is 28mm your favorite focal length?

I am open to ideas, feel free to make any suggestion... and have fun spending my budget here.

Used Fujifilm GFX-50R with a 50mm 3.5

If *I* had all that swimming around in my head I’d just put the money in the bank until  most of those thoughts went away. 😀

John Gellings wrote:

This is what I'd do:  Used Fujifilm GFX-50R with a 50mm 3.5

You've already said your current set up covers 99% of your needs.  Why buy more gear?

Take some trips and make the most of that gear you have

Personally, I would go with one of your first two options. I am not sold on the value prop for Leica and I like AF though.

1. Sell the 18/2. 23/1.4 and 35/1.4 and Upgrade to the newer, better, bigger f/1.4 trio + get a X100V for everyday carry

I like this option, though I would skip the 23mm 1.4 as between the other two lenses and x100v don’t see a big need for it.

2. Get a full Frame camera and a lens ( Sony A7IV and 35G). I may need to add a little money for this option.

I also like this option, as long as you are comfortable with the change in the shooting experience (less marked dials, DSLR style, no OVF etc)

John Gellings wrote:

nonicks wrote:

I have just learned my toy budget for the fist half of 2022. I can spend up to 3500 on photography gear (or any other toys). If you were me, What will you buy?

I currently use two X-pro3 Dura Black bodies, XF 14/2.8, 18/2, 23/1.4, 35 1.4 and Viltrox 56/1.4

Ok, well you are all set here... so;

I figured a few options I am entertainng:

1. Sell the 18/2. 23/1.4 and 35/1.4 and Upgrade to the newer, better, bigger f/1.4 trio + get a X100V for everyday carry

Nope

2. Get a full Frame camera and a lens ( Sony A7IV and 35G). I may need to add a little money for this option.

Could be, but will you use it instead of the best camera ever made i.e. the X-Pro3? Been there and done that and keep going back to the X-Pro.

3. Get a used Leica M240 and a nice voigtlander 35mm M mount lens such as 35/1.7 Ultron or the Voigtlander AOP 35mm

Yes, this is a cool option...

4. Buy a summicron 35mm and add a little money to get the X-M adaptor

Nope... not as fun as a real RF.

5. Add some money myself and buy used summicron 35 and 50 ( used market price is about 4700 for the two lenses. ) + an X-M adaptor

No

6. Add some money and get a Leica Q

Could be...but is 28mm your favorite focal length?

I am open to ideas, feel free to make any suggestion... and have fun spending my budget here.

Used Fujifilm GFX-50R with a 50mm 3.5

Thanks for the comments! Yeah, the first option may sound less attractive on its face value as all the Fuji XF lenses I have are just so perfectly matching and working with the Xpro3 and its sensor.

However that option will max the image quality of what fuji can offer and it will prepare myself for future body upgrades assuming all newer bodies in the futures will have new sensors with high MP.

That is why it is my first choice. But of course, If I don't upgrade, it really don't matter.

The second option ( Sony) is because I always want to experience how good the SONY technology is. Their SOOC color vastly improved in the latest models. And the 35GM is a beautiful glass TBH. And I found SONY latest FF bodies are pretty compact and light and the ergonomic is somewhat better than most Fuji's DSLR style bodies such as XT3, XT4 and XT2. But you asked the right question. How much I would use it? I dont know at this point. But it seems a good compromise between weight, AF, technology, speed, IQ, sensor size and cost.

The third option is for soothing my Leica Itch. LOL It is a cool option. I know But I won't have enough budget to get a summicron 35mm which I alway want to have on a Leica RF. Voigtlander ultron is a good lens but it is not summicron..

Yeah, you are right, the fly by wire MF on Fuji is not the best MF experience. It might be a waste of the lenses too as those lenses are optimized for Leica bodies.

The last option was actually Leica Q2. I like 28mm as I bring 18mm+ XPro3 with me almost equally often as the 23mm + xpro3. I am totally okay to live with 28mm. And the Leica Q2 can crop to 35mm. But this option requires the highest additional fund.

Thanks for suggesting the 50R. I thought about that too but I am not sure why but I am not a fan of fuji's 50R or MF in general. Just not clicking with it. The shooting experience is not what I would find very inspiring ( I believe) or I am not sure if it has any big difference comparing to shooting with Xpro3 using EVF. The heavy chunky RF style body of the 50R really turned me off I guess.

You answered this in you statement.

"I am happy with them in term of color, sharpness, quality with some reservation on the Viltrox."

Fuji 56mm f1.4 or Fuji 50mm f1.  Then again, you could higher a well respected wildlife photographer for some mentoring.

Morris

7. Save the money or spend it on a holiday etc. You seem to have all the gear you need. Avoid the GAS!

Oregon Dawg wrote:

John Gellings wrote:

This is what I'd do: Used Fujifilm GFX-50R with a 50mm 3.5

You've already said your current set up covers 99% of your needs. Why buy more gear?

You re right! It doesn't have to be photography gears. It can be any other toys indeed. The reason of asking for gear advice /ideas is because one of my top ideas is to upgrade or get some gears I always want with the budget. And since this is a gear forum, I try to be relevant here.

My second idea is actually to buy a nice entry level "luxury" watch.

YetAnotherUnsername wrote:

Take some trips and make the most of that gear you have

Thanks for your comment. Not planning any trips for this year until things become less crazy.... I meant the costs of travel, work  schedule as well as the omicron /covid situation.

If I would go for trips, it will be from a different budget. This budget is pretty much for toys, gears or gadgets.

astonehouse wrote:

Personally, I would go with one of your first two options. I am not sold on the value prop for Leica and I like AF though.

1. Sell the 18/2. 23/1.4 and 35/1.4 and Upgrade to the newer, better, bigger f/1.4 trio + get a X100V for everyday carry

I like this option, though I would skip the 23mm 1.4 as between the other two lenses and x100v don’t see a big need for it.

Good observation! Thanks for pointing it out.

2. Get a full Frame camera and a lens ( Sony A7IV and 35G). I may need to add a little money for this option.

I also like this option, as long as you are comfortable with the change in the shooting experience (less marked dials, DSLR style, no OVF etc)

Yes. You are right. After 2+ years with the Xpro3, those changes can be something to get used to "again". I definitely need to give it some serious consideration.

Morris0 wrote:

You answered this in you statement.

"I am happy with them in term of color, sharpness, quality with some reservation on the Viltrox."

Fuji 56mm f1.4 or Fuji 50mm f1. Then again, you could higher a well respected wildlife photographer for some mentoring.

Morris

Hi Morris! Thank you for your comment! You actually read my mind! You are so right. The rumored new Fuji 56/1.2 will be soon on my radar. But that purchase probably belongs to my next budget ( second half of 2022 or early 2023) as I don't expect it will be available anytime soon.:-)

"Then again, you could higher a well respected wildlife photographer for some mentoring."

This is actually a good idea!

Flying Fijian wrote:

7. Save the money or spend it on a holiday etc. You seem to have all the gear you need. Avoid the GAS!

I am sure it Is a partial GAS! LOL

Thanks for the suggestion!

jnesselrode wrote:

If *I* had all that swimming around in my head I’d just put the money in the bank until most of those thoughts went away. 😀

It is a little complicated... I will lose at about 30-35% if I choose to do so. Not to mention the the 15% real inflation rate.

nonicks wrote:

Flying Fijian wrote:

7. Save the money or spend it on a holiday etc. You seem to have all the gear you need. Avoid the GAS!

I am sure it Is a partial GAS! LOL

Thanks for the suggestion!

Well if you really need to spend, you could get the X100V and possibly the wcl-x100...and then sell one xpro3, 23mm f1.4 and the 18mm f2.

nurseMarty wrote:

Dear nonicks:

Nice set of kit. Do you NEED, much less want, anything else? Why?

Education or experience may be the way to go. Take a workshop. Learn more about what you love shooting. Surround yourself with others who love what you are doing. Maybe take a workshop with somebody who loves what you are doing and is a Fuji ambassador.

I just signed up for a four day workshop with Hugh Brownstone of three blind men and the elephant from YouTube. October in NYC on the street. $1900 plus airfare, room & board. I’m a street photographer and have done it for ~ 10 years. Open to learn more. Open to implement what I’ve learned but am not doing. Open to criticism (feedback). Will have fun. Maybe learn or be reminded of things. Did I mention having fun?

Or take a photography class at the community college. You have enough gear to do what you want. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

Mask on Nurse Marty

I was going to suggest waiting for the X-H2 before making a decision re:  different body/lenses/ecosystem.  But I think I like this suggestion even better.

Also, there is to consider how the rest of your workflow setup is going.  Do you have a nice, modern day monitor?  I spent like $400 on a new 32" 4K Samsung and it really upped my game.  I know I coulda spent much more for calibrated color display and etc, but what I have now is great for both computer and movie watching use.  Whether PC or Mac, $2000 can get you a whole lot of swanky, fast new computer and capacious storage to match.  NAS is a good investment, also.

I still like the 'take a class' idea best, however.  I know I could use some!  Even if that class is just you putting your camera in front of some nicer scenery in order to get nicer pictures