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Somebody, talk me off the ledge


JamesD

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To each their own, as it should be.  I'm enthusiastically upgrading from my X-T1 for the following reasons:

  1. Dual card slots
  2. High quality video
  3. USB charging
  4. Because I can afford to and already have all the Fuji lens I want

These factors make a world of difference on long-distance backpacking trips: instant data backups, 1 lightweight camera that can do both stills & video, and I can recharge in the field from a USB battery pack.

 

I am not expecting much increase in still image quality and I rarely use C-AF, so I don't care if it's not as good as hyped.  I'm actually hoping that the face recognition has been improved, and I don't mind that it still used CDAF.

Many others will have priorities different from mine.  That's fine.  Buy the camera that meets your needs.

However, good luck with that Sony glass lineup.  Yikes. :-)

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To each their own, as it should be.  I'm enthusiastically upgrading from my X-T1 for the following reasons:

  1. Dual card slots
  2. High quality video
  3. USB charging
  4. Because I can afford to and already have all the Fuji lens I want

These factors make a world of difference on long-distance backpacking trips: instant data backups, 1 lightweight camera that can do both stills & video, and I can recharge in the field from a USB battery pack.

 

I am not expecting much increase in still image quality and I rarely use C-AF, so I don't care if it's not as good as hyped.  I'm actually hoping that the face recognition has been improved, and I don't mind that it still used CDAF.

 

Many others will have priorities different from mine.  That's fine.  Buy the camera that meets your needs.

 

However, good luck with that Sony glass lineup.  Yikes. :-)

 

Sorry to say that the face/eye detection still isn't up to the task. If you want to get the shot, you're better off disabling it and positioning the AF point manually. I hope Fuji hasn't given up on on improving it, as this feature is really the 'killer app' of mirrorless.

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I got offered an X-T2 as a trade in for my X-T1 and some personal one on one workshops. Otherwise I'd be more than happy to just use my X-T1.

 

Like Milandro said, "need" and "want" are not the same thing. The whole upgrade thing is a classic industry tactic to make people think they are missing out if they don't have the latest model.

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Well, as these types of discussions are wont to do, this conversation has gone pretty much off track. A few of the responses have been relevant, but the discussion of the merits of the X-T2 vs the X-T1 are really irrelevant to me. Contrary to what some believe, I did my homework, including shooting with the X-T2 for the better part of a month. And yes Mike, I'm talking about bugs not features. I am very aware of the features. I've never understood folks complaining about features or lack there of, after they bought the camera. The information is all there if you take the time,  So, I made an informed decision that the X-T2 was the system I wanted to invest in and I really don't care if anybody disagrees with that decision. It was my decision and thats that. What I wanted to know, and I thought I expressed that in the OP was, is this camera reliable or does it have as many problems as the quantity of negative threads seem to imply. Well, I've done what I probably should have done in the first place, I've read all sixteen negative threads in their  entirety, and it strikes me  that most of the issues are one off deals and are not reason enough to change my choice. So,I'm thinking MirrorMirror is a wise man and I haven chosen to take his sage advice. Thanks all. You can go on without me from here. (anybody have experience with Newegg?)

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Well, as these types of discussions are wont to do, this conversation has gone pretty much off track. A few of the responses have been relevant, but the discussion of the merits of the X-T2 vs the X-T1 are really irrelevant to me. Contrary to what some believe, I did my homework, including shooting with the X-T2 for the better part of a month. And yes Mike, I'm talking about bugs not features. I am very aware of the features. I've never understood folks complaining about features or lack there of, after they bought the camera. The information is all there if you take the time,  So, I made an informed decision that the X-T2 was the system I wanted to invest in and I really don't care if anybody disagrees with that decision. It was my decision and thats that. What I wanted to know, and I thought I expressed that in the OP was, is this camera reliable or does it have as many problems as the quantity of negative threads seem to imply. Well, I've done what I probably should have done in the first place, I've read all sixteen negative threads in their  entirety, and it strikes me  that most of the issues are one off deals and are not reason enough to change my choice. So,I'm thinking MirrorMirror is a wise man and I haven chosen to take his sage advice. Thanks all. You can go on without me from here. (anybody have experience with Newegg?)

 

I've bought a lot of computer gear from them over the years... Never had much reason to test their return policy, though. I'd make sure whoever you buy from has a liberal one. If I were you I'd at least wait for the next firmware release to come out and see if Fuji fixes any of these bugs. There are plenty of not-one-off-defects left in the software, mostly of the feature-doesn't-work-as-advertised type. You don't want to fall into the trap I did and have your return window closing just as the new firmware is announced.

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Thanks Kim. You are undoubtedly correct, but you know how hard it is to not pull the trigger once you've decided. I will be strong! I did a little research on Newegg. I bought computer components from them in the past. Their return time is 14 days from receipt. 1/2 the time B&H gives. Not to mention, they are located in California (as am I), so there would be another $200 tax. Guess I'll wait.

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My X-Pro1 worked fine and I had no operational issues with it.

 

So far (6 months) my X-Pro2 has been the same.

 

I upgraded because of the improvement to MF aids (I don't really use AF), the greater working ISO range and the improved OVF/ERF

 

Things that have come in handy, that I wasn't overly bothered about before purchase, are the ES (slient & fast), vastly improved shutter lag and dual SD cards

 

Features I have no use for (face detection for example) I haven't used (except to confirm they worked)

 

The OP asked if the XP2 was a better bet, as less people seemed to be unhappy with it.

 

I think... it's a poor comparison!

 

Not only is the XP2 v the XP1 are far bigger jump (meaning that upgraders have more to be wowed about) but also the XP2 is quite a niche camera, if one is considering XT2, then one could easily be considering the Sony or Oly options as they all broadly share the same features and form factor

 

That combined with the more incremental nature of the XT2 vs the XT1 means that users have more alternative brand comparisons to make and less 'new things' to get excited about.

 

By contrast, the XP2 is the highest spec OVF mirrorless camera available anywhere, and its only real comparison is Leica, which is actually a completely different product, feature set and price point.

 

I suspect this make XP2 owners very happy with their choice, rather than the XP2 is a vastly superior product to the XT2.

 

In short.. the XP2 appeals to a fairly narrow demographic of togs and meets their expectations well, the XT2 is a far more mainstream product that faces stiff competition from other brands, which can make people question whether they have the right camera

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Adzman, I guess I gave the wrong impression. I never seriously considered the X-Pro2 for myself. I recognize that it is aimed at a different set of photographers than the X-T2. What I was observing was that I didn't see the same barrage, if you will, of complaints about  bugs with the X-Pro2 that I was seeing with the X-T2.

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Adzman, I guess I gave the wrong impression. I never seriously considered the X-Pro2 for myself. I recognize that it is aimed at a different set of photographers than the X-T2. What I was observing was that I didn't see the same barrage, if you will, of complaints about  bugs with the X-Pro2 that I was seeing with the X-T2.

 

I had the X-Pro2 and returned it, I can attest to the fact that it has the same kinds of problems the X-T2 does (more, in fact). I think the difference probably lies in the users. Many loved the X-Pro1 in spite of its faults, because of the form factor. Many X-Pro users are also of the mentality of "Shutter speed, ISO, and Aperture are the only settings I change, because that's all REAL photographers care about" are thus unlikely to use any of the many advanced features of the cameras enough to realize that they're buggy/don't work as advertised.

 

Very little of this is the hardware's fault, it's just Fuji's policy of releasing the camera's with half baked firmware (not just buggy, but not even fully thought-out/designed), and then fixing it later.

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I had the X-Pro2 and returned it, I can attest to the fact that it has the same kinds of problems the X-T2 does (more, in fact). I think the difference probably lies in the users. Many loved the X-Pro1 in spite of its faults, because of the form factor. Many X-Pro users are also of the mentality of "Shutter speed, ISO, and Aperture are the only settings I change, because that's all REAL photographers care about" are thus unlikely to use any of the many advanced features of the cameras enough to realize that they're buggy/don't work as advertised.

 

Very little of this is the hardware's fault, it's just Fuji's policy of releasing the camera's with half baked firmware (not just buggy, but not even fully thought-out/designed), and then fixing it later.

What specific bugs did your X-Pro2 have exactly?

 

And well yeah... auto ISO, Aperture priority so the EV dial and aperture ring are about all I need to change regaularly :D

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As a frequent reader and poster to many of the "16 or so negative posts", in the end virtually all were operator error.

 

I know of one poster who complained of a problem but claims now it was simply a lens.

 

The few remaining are "wish list" and "improvements" items, not bugs or problems.

 

The two or three actual hardcore problems were all quickly resolved by Fuji service when the poster took folks advice and returned the unit. 

 

Their customer service is frequently praised here.

 

I'm not certain of any significant remaining and actually occurring camera issues.

 

The LCD color issue remains a bit of a bug for some, but I think all the other "problems" were user errors or individual units quickly resolved by customer service.

 

Keep in mind virtually no one, we are talking just a few thousand users, even read this forum, much less report an error, and it's almost always user error/misunderstanding (me included).

 

You would have to read every thread here.

 

If you follow them all but one or two were fixed.

 

This place isn't "the gospel".

 

It's just a place on the internet...

 

Take it all with a grain of salt.

 

People come here to vent, solve problems, learn, and try to influence Fuji.

 

In that regard it is very helpful.

 

The sky did not fall.

 

:-)

 

It's a very, very, very, solid camera system capable of amazing photographs.

 

Jump in.

 

Try it out.

 

It you don't like it (very doubtful) return it.

 

Peter

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I agree with most of what you say Peter. As I commented in a previous post I did go back and read all the complaint threads and came to the same conclusion as you. The reason seeing all these complaints makes me reluctant to jump in is that when I had the camera before, the problems I had were not user error and I returned the camera and lens on advice from Fuji tech support. I really don't want B&H to put me on their bad list for returning the same camera twice, so until I'm comfortable that the odds of that are minimal, I'll hold off. From what I'm reading here, the issues that I had have not been conclusively resolved.

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I've been shooting with the x-t10 for over a year and x-t1 more recently, but I really want to move to the x-t2.

Okay, here's a slightly different perspective, from someone who had an X-T 10 and sold it to buy an X-Pro 2 (just to get OVF): The X-T 10 is a REALLY nice camera. In a lot of ways I think it's the best camera Fuji makes. It has a handy compact size and light weight; control placements are good and handling is as good as it gets in the Fuji world; the EVF is really nice; real-world AF performance is just fine; picture results are excellent; and it's much more sensibly priced than Fuji's newer high-end cameras.

 

Why would you walk away from all that? It's not like you're not missing out on much. The big-buck Fujis have weather sealing, but do you need that? The difference between 24mp and 16mp is trivial in the real world (it only increases your maximum print size by 1.2x) and the 24mp sensor introduces some new problems (harsher tonal transitions, more noise in midtone shadows.) If you really cared about video you probably wouldn't be using Fuji.

 

You've already got the best of what Fuji has to offer. Stick with it!

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I had no idea so many people were complaining about the T2. I have had the T2 and Pro2 since each launched and they have both been awesome.

 

The only thing I've noticed with the T2 is occasionally it lags a bit after being turned on but left idle for a while. Not sure if it's designed that way or if it's a bug.

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I know that there were some folks experiencing freezes with their X-T2, but as best as I can determine, this may have been due to using non-S batteres in boost mode, the battery overheating as a result, and the camera locking up because it cannot pull the voltage required in the time required.

 

I've been shooting with mine for three months now, including putting it through the rigors of a photojournalism assignment for a professional motorsports event over the course of three days straight, and it has performed flawlessly. The camera has completely exceeded my expectations for performance for my racing photography work, which my X-T1, as good as it is, could not do. In fact, the track I shoot for used one of my images for it's press release for the event. 

 

The files appear to have an incredible amount of dynamic range, as well as superb image quality, as well as the gorgeous color Fuji's are known for. 

 

Acura%20T9%20GT%20race.jpg

 

The press release the track used....Simon Pagenaud

Press%20Release.jpg

 

Hunter-Reay%20Qualifying.jpg

 

_DSF2462.jpg

 

_DSF2596.jpg

 

McLaren%20650S%20Bus%20Stop.jpg

 

Gottsacker%20Ginetta.jpg

 

Hunter-Reay%20T%202.jpg

 

For  me the X-T2, along with it's Vertical Power Booster Grip, has proven the foundation to be a formidable professional system. 

 

Goat%20Rock%20Beach%20GM.jpg

 

Goat-Rock-Soft-Color-small-frame.jpg

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Okay, here's a slightly different perspective, from someone who had an X-T 10 and sold it to buy an X-Pro 2 (just to get OVF): The X-T 10 is a REALLY nice camera. In a lot of ways I think it's the best camera Fuji makes. It has a handy compact size and light weight; control placements are good and handling is as good as it gets in the Fuji world; the EVF is really nice; real-world AF performance is just fine; picture results are excellent; and it's much more sensibly priced than Fuji's newer high-end cameras.

Why would you walk away from all that? It's not like you're not missing out on much. The big-buck Fujis have weather sealing, but do you need that? The difference between 24mp and 16mp is trivial in the real world (it only increases your maximum print size by 1.2x) and the 24mp sensor introduces some new problems (harsher tonal transitions, more noise in midtone shadows.) If you really cared about video you probably wouldn't be using Fuji.

You've already got the best of what Fuji has to offer. Stick with it!

Actually I like the X-t10 as well. Sounds stupid, but for travel I take my 18-135. It's a bit awkward (unbalanced) on the x-t10, so I put a grip with an area Swiss plate on it for use with the 18-135. Problem with that was, the X-T10 is narrow enough that there's not room between the grip and lens for my fingers. The ultimate plan, ( as of today anyway) is to put the 18-135 on the X-T2 for daytime and put a 23/f2 on the X-T10 for a small night time shooter.
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Puma Cat, My problems were slightly different with that body. I was having the situation where it switched into electronic shutter spontaneously and then grossly over exposed the images. The only way to remedy it was to pull the battery. I was using the S battery and it happened to me in both boost and non-boost mode, with and without the grip, and on multiple different lenses. Fuji tech-support actually told me to send it back.

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Puma Cat, My problems were slightly different with that body. I was having the situation where it switched into electronic shutter spontaneously and then grossly over exposed the images. The only way to remedy it was to pull the battery. I was using the S battery and it happened to me in both boost and non-boost mode, with and without the grip, and on multiple different lenses. Fuji tech-support actually told me to send it back.

Really sorry to hear that, James. 

 

That's a real failure mode that can occur; if Fuji wanted it back, they likely will do a fault-tree analysis to figure it out and remedy the situation. 

 

Unfortunately, the facts are there are no defect-free manufacturing processes; from any company. This is a maxim in the area of quality, and is the basis for quality disciplines e.g. TGM, Six Sigma and/or LEAN. There is alway a (small, hopefully) proportion of products that could be, or are, defective, or can have failure modes in specific use situations. I know it may not be much solace to the folks that have to deal with the issues, but Fuji is a responsible company and takes resolving quality issues and continuous improvement very seriously, so the factors that affected your or others' cameras will be resolved. 

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For me the xt2 has been a game changer for me. I have shot a lot of wildlife with the 5d mark3 7d mark2 and 5d mark 1 40 d etc. I sold all of my canon gear and I am very happy with the auto focus performance of the xt2 and 100-400. I have had to change some settings mainly to use back button focus and created my own continuous custom focus set. The Fuji have always had quirks but what camera does not have a few quirks? The 100-400 is a stellar lens and once you know how to use the camera the rest is up to your skill s as a photographer. The sensor is isoless you can recover shadows without getting a bunch of noise! I will hopefully get out once the roads are cleared here(blizzard conditions dropped about 30cm) and I will post some photos of birds in flight. If you want to see some of my work I am on 500px under Mlala. Michelle is my first name. In summary I think the xt2 is worth the upgrade if you shoot moving subjects.

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