X pro3 For A Noob to ILC

[Death The Photographer]

I've never used an ILC before but I am wondering if this would be a good first camera to last me 5-10+ years. I first started using a smartphone four years ago while discovering everything I could do in manual. Fast forward and I'm using a different phone that takes the fun out of photography.

I shoot in raw now due to my phone taking poor pictures in auto/jpg that end up grainy.  When I shoot I don't really check my images until I go in Lightroom plus operating the manual options on the touchscreen is frustrating. I'm not a professional by any means but I do like taking pictures of most everything besides animals and people. Video isn't a concern for me, I can do it with my phone or the camera but I 99% do stills. 

Are the SOOC jpegs good enough to shoot Jpg+raw? I'd like to do prints every so often

Also any recommendations for lenses? I am considering the 27mm f/2, a standard zoom, the 35mm f/1.4, and a Venus laowa 65mm f/2.

Could I do macros with this? It isn't the bulk of what I do but I do enjoy them enough to get a lens and I thought the manual focus for portraits would be nice.

 

Edited May 17, 2021 by Death The Photographer

[itchy shutter finger]

Death, any X body will fill your photographic needs, but in my opinion, the X-Pro 3 is pro-tough and likely your best choice to live a 10 year tough environment pro life.

While I never compared, publications say the Fujifilm JPEG's SOOC are a cut above other brands because of Fujifilm's history of film chemistry and color science. I now believe this, as I recently went exploring film simulations and image quality adjustments. The control over a finished image using these features is surprisingly comprehensive and really impressive. If I did pro work, I would shoot JPEG+RAW, but as an amateur, I may never shoot RAW again.

I just did a deep dive on lenses, and was really impressed with the 27 mm pancake lens. It was great for literally any purpose. Its versatility is noteworthy. The 35 mm f/1.4 was an awesome lens, but the 35 mm f/2 really wasn't far behind. It's much smaller, lighter, and less expensive than the 1.4. If I didn't already have a 35 mm f/2, I'd buy the 27 mm in a heartbeat. As far as a zoom goes, the choices are many. If you are considering a general purpose zoom for just the occasional shot, I was shocked at how good the lowly (and tiny) XC15-45 is for this purpose. If you are looking for more zoom quality, the XF10-24, XF16-55, and XF16-80 are all great. No compromises in image quality with them. Bigger, heavier, and more expensive, though. I know little of the Laowa except it gets good reviews. I don't think any of these are natively macro, but I use extension tubes with my 35 mm f/2, and the results are more than satisfactory for me - I mean *really* sharp.