Buy XT1 or XT2

[Chard]

Hi to all the expert out there. I am looking to buy a fujifilm X series camera and len but unsure which one will be best for me. 

My budget allow me to get:

XT 1 with 16-55mm kit lens

Or

XT 2 with 18-55mm kit & 35mm prime len

(XT2 with 18-55mm is a package)

I love to take landscape during travel and while at home i photo my new born and some group outing. 

Would appreciate if the experts here can advise me. Thanks!

[milandro]

I don’t think that you could describe the 16-55 as a “ kit lens” since it is a very expensive piece of kit and certainly belongs to the more expensive series of the Fuji range.

It’s a huge lens which I had briefly and didn’t really like for its size. It offers minimal advantages over the 18-55 in terms of maximum aperture  ( my opinion is that maximum aperture had a meaning in the years before autofocus to facilitate focussing and in  the portrait lenses to isolate the subject  but in an autofocus zoom this is of little consequence because there aren’t many instances when you are going to shoot pictures at maximum aperture  )  and wider focal length range and of course it comes with WR, which may or may not be of importance.

I have gone back to owning the 18-55 and have no complaints.

 

I own a XT-1 and will only replace it when it dies ( I am not looking forward to this) because it gives me everything I need.

 

But if your question is if I would buy, now, as a first time fuji buyer, an older camera? No I wouldn’t. Despite the fact that I don’t need 24Mp or any other of the characteristics, I would buy a more advanced model and live with it until this will die. Whether this more advanced model is the X-T2 or something else is a problem that I don’t have and will only face, if and when, my XT-1 ceases to operate.

 

 

[George_P]

Hi Chard, welcome,

Get the X-T2 and 18-55 for sure. That is a sure bet. 

• The 18-55 is not to be considered a "kit lens" in terms of what you are used from the DSLR world. A "kit lens" used to be a medium quality lens. In Fujifilm world, the 18-55 is a high quality lens, most people would compare it to the quality of the "L-Glass" from Canon. The 16-55 even more so, but like milandro said, that is perhaps too big. And it has no OIS !
• There is a big difference between the X-T2 and the X-T1. Asking "which camera" is a little bit like asking "which car" - for someone a Lamborghini and for someone a concrete mixer. Depends on what you plan to do with it. But with the X-T2 you are right in the middle and you get the best value IMHO.

Reconsider the 35 f2. I have it and I love it. I use it on my X-T2, but mostly on my X-T10 to make a small package. But it falls within the focal range of the 18-55, so maybe you would benefit more from another focal length, e.g. the Samyang 12mm for landscapes and astrophotography, or a tele (the 50-230 is very good value for money). Or if your budget will increase in the future, go for the Fujinon wide angle lens or the more expensive tele lens. 

Good luck, let us know how you fared and share some photos ! 

[milandro]

The 12mm and 50-230mm are indeed great recommendations. I have both and I love them. The 50-230 has to be the best bang for the buck of any Fuji lens out there. Granted I don’t take a lot of long focal photography but given its quality for the absurdly low price that you can buy one of these for (often together with cameras and 18-55) is very good value for money.

[George_P]

50-230: You are right. I got mine brand new from the best local shop for 170€. (!!!) Crazy. I would not mind if the other Fujinon lenses would go for such low prices every now and then. 

[Chard]

Thanks Guys for your valuable advise

Looks like XT2 + 18-55mm is the way to go! 

[merlin]

I have the X-T2 and 18-55 mm along with a bunch of primes.  The 18-55 goes with me on all my hikes and other nature outings, and makes for superb photographs.

[plaidshirts]

Having used both, the X-T2 is the right choice. The bigger sensor, improved dials, thumbstick, dual SD slots, the list goes on...

[Freddy1]

X-T2 with 18-55.  I have used it for the past 20 months and it goes with me all over the world.  Done many hikes with it - can't beat the size and weight of this combo. I was using a Canon 7D with various lenses before and am very happy with the switch to Fuji.