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XF23/1.4 on X-T10 body or X100s


Zenzaman

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Hello, Fuji people!

 

I hope this is the right place to ask, since it's a subjective question...

For the time being I have the Fuji X-T10, 18-55/2.8-4 kit lens and the XF18/2. I'd like to get the 23 and 56 in the future, probably SH as the prices for new lenses are quite high. I also intend to use the kit for event photography (weddings mainly).

My question is, should I get the 23/1.4 or the X100s instead? I know I'd be losing 1 stop of light (and get less OOF backgrounds) and probably some speed, but taking into account that I only have one body (+ a pentax k3 as secondary camera :D) I reckon I'd lose a lot less time putting the x100 and firing than switching lenses. Besides, I would get another camera (with a great lens as I hear) for the price of a single lens...

 

I'd love to hear your opinions, as subjective as they are.

Thank you!

 

alin

 

 

(I'm sorry if I posted in the wrong section... couldn't decide whether to start the topic here or in the photo forum)

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I'd personally recommend to buy XF23mm for it's price. X100s is totlaly different camera to X-T10. Different controls position, hand grip, buttons customization, menu customization.

 

When I had X-E1 it was not dramatic difference with X100s, but still significant for me enough to decide return to single camera + few lens option.

 

One more point. With a habit of wearing 2+ lens, X100s made me to buy and try Wide/Tele convertors. Which is increasing budget, but can't compete ergonomically with X-T10 + corresponding lens.

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23mm

 

I did a comparison against the X100T and for me personally, the 23mm F1.4 came out on top.

 

Sharper wide open, nicer bokeh (well f1.4 vs 2...yeah) and more light gathering (again...F1.4) so I can keep my ISO lower.

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thank you for your feedback. it's a tough one... i can probably get a fuji x100t as new for the price of a new 23/1.4. on the other hand i'm well aware that investing in good lenses is the way to go, but being on a low budget always changes things. i've also been considering for the past couple of days a different approach: keep the 18/2, buy the new 35/2 wr and wait a bit more for a cheap second body (either the xpro1 that retails now 'new' for around 400$) or even the xt1 (after the new xpro2 forces the prices down a bit). the xpro1 is appealing for it's design and price, but the xt1 would make a great WR combo with the 35/2 (not to mention the big differences in technology).

 

will sleep on the options a bit more. rushing things is rarely a good idea :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have the X-T1 with the 23mm f/1.4 as well as the the X100T. It terms of AF speed and overall image quality, the 23mm f/1.4 is a fair amount better. I do rarely use it though because I love using the X100T. The X100t is also much smaller and lighter than the X-T1 with the 23mm F/1.4. When it comes to weddings, I think you would appreciate the quicker AF of the 23mm on the X-T10. My only concern is you only have the one body, but I guess the Pentax would work. The X100T would be a great addition, but as mentioned it is different ergonomically and it also uses different batteries. If you decide X100 series, I'd go with the T and have hopes they upgrade it to the same AF of the X-T1, 10, X-E2, and the X-E2s. I would love to see that firmware update. Either choice would offer good results and work.

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A very simple reasoning for wedding events:

 

- If you have a second body, take the F1.4 lens, it will serves you better.

 

- If you still don't have a second body, grab the X100S/T.

 

I personally would go for the lens and buy another body for wedding events, lens is a better in a long term thinking since camera bodies come and goes but you invest into your lenses. So if for whatever reasons, the body holding the 23 F1.4 lens breaks down, I can just replace the body. If the X100S/T breaks down, I loose the focal length and need to replace the whole thing.

Also the extra X100S/T body means more batteries management.

 

On the down side, the lens is big, not that big but still large compared to the fixed one on the X100 series. Also, it's fiddly to swap the lens. It doesn't matter how good you are at swapping lenses blindfolded, hanging upside down while a bear is trying to eat you, grabbing the X100 camera out of your coat pocket is faster and easier.

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if i'd ever win the bloody lottery (without playing, of course)... :))

 

now, with all the (preproduction) xpro2 reviews... i'm preparing to sell my pentax and break the bank piggie a bit to finance the new bad boy in town. in this case i'll be having two bodies so the x100 is out of the question. if i do get the new pro2 i'll probably stick with the 18/2 for a while (as a wide angle, relatively fast, compact lens) and maybe add the 35/2 (as a relatively fast, WR normal prime). i'd be falling back on the kit lens for the short tele end until the budget allows for the 56/1.2

this is a terribly complicated situation  :lol:

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no i haven't. not many fuji shooters readily available where i'm from :))

the 90 is a bit long for my taste. most certainly it's an awesome lens and there would be plenty situations fit for it, but for wedding documentary photography it's a bit long (or at least not so versatile as the 56)

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I can get behind that. The length of the 90 is really is really its only drawback for me too.

 

But I got lately an Helios 44-2 for M42 mount, obviously I need more practice with it but I plan on taking it with in April for a wedding where I will be the second shooter for just pure portraiture work, like shots in parks and such where I have the time to actually aim and focus.

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  • 2 weeks later...

If you plan on shooting weddings, you can't F-up so, at the very least, you should have a second body that can use your lenses. You have the 2/18 and the 23 is close to that. If I where you I'd sell your 18-55 and your k3 and go buy a 1.4/35 or 2/35 and 1.2/56 and another body. Then you'll have wide tight and middling. If you are on a tight budget sure borrow second hand or borrow what you need from a friend/bank/whatever. Shooting a non repeatable event as a primary with out the necessary gear would be foolish for all involved.

 

I have the 2/18 and the 1.4/23 no doubt the 23 is a better lens optically but the 18 is really overlooked and being that bit wider helps out on the documentary a bit.

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A couple of thoughts:

1) The x100T doesn't have a flippy screen. That is a major difference with the x-t10 + 23mm

2) The X100t is more discrete and less intimidating than an x-body with the 23mm and the huge lens hood. Fab for getting intimate with subjects.

3) Having 2 bodies is great. A 23mm and a 56mm are going to cover over 90% of your needs at a wedding (and most of the time elsewhere). Swapping bodies without changing lens is very comfortable and you will miss less shots.

4) The 23mm f/1.4 is a better lens than the 23mm on the x100t apart from the close fox using distance where the x100t is very soft wide open... And it is probably cheaper in the long run to separate lens purchases from body purchases.

 

Hope this helps!

Nicolas

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I've been doing a lot of thought lately and since my last post my plans have suffered some changes. A Fujinon 56/1.2 should arrive next week and I have serious intentions in buying the new xpro2 when it hits the markets (maybe wait a month or so to see some more real life reviews - much improved AF speed and high ISO performance are critical for my decision (the xt10 performs quite well at highISO but the jpgs look waxy-smudgy and that means shooting raw, which in turn means i can't use the in-camera film simulation modes)).

a 23/1.4 is next on the list (with the xpro2 in mind i'd be having two bodies) and the 35/2 is also taken into consideration for its speed and WR, but i'm not a big fan of the actual focal length (a 38 would have been closer to my favorite film photography go-to lens - minolta rokkor 58/1.4)

 

i guess i'm about to spend quite a bit so hopefully things will go ok. i wouldn't mind getting my money back at some point :D

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I think for event photography it'd be great if you have two camera bodies, but we all work differently so it really depends on how your workflow goes.

 

I used to own a XF23 1.4 and now own a X100T. I love my X100T in that I can stuff it into my jacket pocket; the XF23 1.4 is a bit heavy to me in comparison to some other XF lenses from Fuji. I also don't think there's a huge difference between the apertures.

 

Oh and btw, the X100T can shoot much closer to macro range than the XF23 1.4. I'm a fan of anything that can focus really close, so take this with a grain of salt :)

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Like kid1002 said, it all depends on your shooting style. I have an X-T1 with the 18mm, 23mm, 35mm, and 56mm I use for jobs. I got the 23mm last spring and while I love that lens, I regret not getting an X100 instead. 23mm is my favourite focal length, but I could really use a second body, and the X100 would be a perfect casual camera, too.

 

If you're planning on getting the 56mm, I'd say get the X100S now, so you can run the two in tandem. With that combo I could probably shoot 95% of my wedding stuff easily.

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When it comes to having two bodies, especially for shooting weddings, it is usually better if they are identical. Then your controls and menus are the same. I did a photoshoot about 6 months ago and brought my X-T1 with the 56mm f/1.2 and 23mm f/1.4 and 6D with the 50mm f/1.2. Going between the Fuji and Canon was a bit confusing. Of course some of this was because I hadn't used the Canon gear for a while. I shot a 5D and 5D MKII side by side for a few years and that wasn't too bad. The X100T is closer to the X-E2 than X-T1 so I think it depends on the cameras you have. I love my X100T, but often forget about the leaf shutter speed limitations wide open when I grab it after shooting my X-T1. Just my thoughts and experience using both.

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In the mean time I've massacred the piggy bank. Only the second body left now (and maybe replace the 18/2 with a 16/1.4 in the future). Even with all the hype around the xpro2 I'm not totally convinced it's the right camera for me (although it looks great). Maybe I should wait for more news about the xt2. I could also get the xe2 at a very good price (around 360$ new) as I understand it's as good as the xt10 with the new firmware upgrade. If the performance difference between the xe2/xt1/xt10 and the xpro2 is not major, it's not really worth paying more than 5 times the price of the xe2 (or almost 3 times the price of the xt1). Will have to think it over...

 

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