Fujifilm X-E2 for active toddlers and mountian landscapes

[LiveMinimal]

I've had a Canon t1i for a few years, but would like to switch to a smaller system as I have two kids under 4 (+1 on the way). We hike and camp in Colorado fairly often and I find myself leaving the camera in the car most of the time due to the size.

 

The G7 seems like the practical choice with 4K video to pull stills from and what think would be a decent autofocus. However, I've had the chance to play around with one and I'm just not that excited about it. Maybe it's the DSLR styling or build quality?

 

I love the idea of the Fujifilm x-mount system and have seen the X-E2 as low as $500 for the body. I'd likely start with the F2 35mm ($300) for a total of $800 to start. I'd probably purchase one or two lenses a year until I have the basics.

 

Contrast this with the G7 with 14-42 kit at $600 and a $200-300 prime.

 

Pros of the Fujifilm: great JPEGs (I don't have much time for post processing), great lenses, larger sensor. Cons: autofocus (was this fixed with the 4.0 firmware?)

 

Pros of the Linux G7: 4k video (seems cool, but I don't do much video and my phone seems to do fine), articulating screen, maybe a better autofocus, easier to use?

 

Can the x-e2 get a small kid in motion? Is the f2 35mm versatile enough to last me a few months?

 

I'd love any suggestions or feedback. Thanks!

[DarnGoodPhotos]

You can rent s Fuji to be sure.

[Max_Elmar]

Agree with above. Rent them to try them. Personally I find a small DSLR to be better for "active" toddlers - and toddlers sometimes grow up to play sports.... But the X-E2 for travel and family trips, concerts, plays - in short everything else. I would not dump the Canon until you are sure.

[Larry Bolch]

I've had a Canon t1i for a few years, but would like to switch to a smaller system as I have two kids under 4 (+1 on the way). We hike and camp in 

Can the x-e2 get a small kid in motion? Is the f2 35mm versatile enough to last me a few months?

 

I'd love any suggestions or feedback. Thanks!

 

Any camera can do a fine job on ballistic toddlers if you use zone focus. The f/2.0 35mm lens is at its peak of sharpness like most lenses, in the f4/0 to f/8.0 range. Set to f/5.6-f/8.0 you not only are taking advantage of the optimum aperture for quality but also generating a generous depth of field. There is no need to focus directly on the kid. As long as they are in the zone, they will be sharp. Mode to manual focus. Tap the AF-L button with the kid as the target, then use your feet to keep a roughly similar distance. Since the camera no longer has to refocus for every exposure, it becomes much more responsive. Zone focus is an excellent solution to almost every action photograph that takes place at roughly a given distance. Great for sports too.

 

Good light is an asset. If you must shoot with low light, bop the ISO up to give yourself reasonable shutter speeds. A bit of noise is far better than a smooth, silky blur with minimal detail. Viewers will be concentrating on the child, not the noise (which can be reduced greatly in processing if it matters to you.) Again, this applies to any camera.

[LiveMinimal]

Thanks all for the advice! I took the plunge after handling a couple of other Fujifilm X cameras (while not the x-E2, they each just felt right).

 

The x-e2 body and 35mm f2 should get here by the end of the week! Now I'm eyeing a couple of Minolta Rokkor lenses for $30-60.

 

I'll post an update in a couple weeks!

[addicted2light]

I might be late, considering you already took the plunge.

 

But I don't think a camera with an EVF is the right choice for active toddlers. I notice a definite lag using the EVF of the X-T10 (that for all other things I love) for active toddlers, and that even using it in zone focusing with an adapted MF lens (so no AF delay to speak of).

 

Meaning: I often see an expression, I immediately press the shutter, but the picture is wildly different. This happens because, looking through the EVF, when you see something you're not looking in real time at the actual scene, but at a "recording" (so to speak) of the scene, so the expressions you're seeing through the EVF are in reality already gone even before you press the shutter.

 

To be honest, this is much more evident in low light, because probably the refresh rate of the EVF plummets.

 

For this kind of subject I'd definitely go for either a DSLR or an X-Pro 1, X-Pro 2 or an X-100 series camera with their optical viewfinder.

Edited June 28, 2016 by addicted2light

[DarnGoodPhotos]

The benefit of a left-side viewfinder is that I can have both eyes open when shooting; even with the EVF on even my X-Pro1. I can see what is actually going on with my left eye and check framing through the EVF with my right eye. I usually have mine set to burst so its easy to grab two or three shots of the subject.

Edited June 28, 2016 by darngooddesign

[LiveMinimal]

I went ahead with the X-E2 and I absolutely love the camera. While there may have been camera's in my price range that may have been slightly better for fast moving kids, the other attributes more than make up for a slightly slower autofocus, though it's plenty quick for most situations.

[collaborationwithlight]

I might be late, considering you already took the plunge.

 

But I don't think a camera with an EVF is the right choice for active toddlers. I notice a definite lag using the EVF of the X-T10 (that for all other things I love) for active toddlers, and that even using it in zone focusing with an adapted MF lens (so no AF delay to speak of).

 

Meaning: I often see an expression, I immediately press the shutter, but the picture is wildly different. This happens because, looking through the EVF, when you see something you're not looking in real time at the actual scene, but at a "recording" (so to speak) of the scene, so the expressions you're seeing through the EVF are in reality already gone even before you press the shutter.

 

To be honest, this is much more evident in low light, because probably the refresh rate of the EVF plummets.

 

For this kind of subject I'd definitely go for either a DSLR or an X-Pro 1, X-Pro 2 or an X-100 series camera with their optical viewfinder.

I don't understand where you're coming from with this. I shoot my 5 year old and very active 11 month old with a Sony a7 and have also tried a xt10 and I never gave the evf a second thought.

[addicted2light]

I don't understand where you're coming from with this. I shoot my 5 year old and very active 11 month old with a Sony a7 and have also tried a xt10 and I never gave the evf a second thought.

 

 

I don't shoot kid that often given I don't have any. But then from time to time one of my friends asks me to take pictures at their kids' birthdays and such.

 

Last time I took the X-T10 and I experienced what I detailed in the post. Granted, it was a very dark venue and that might have had quite a bit of influence on this behavior. But considering you cannot always control the lighting levels I still think, for this kind of use, a camera with an optical viewfinder of sort might be better.

 

Obviously YMMV