Fuji XT3 vs Sigma FP (sort of...)

[MrSMW]

3 minutes ago, Chris Whitten said:

I think early on, first adopters got frustrated with it and just wanted to get rid of it at any price. But now people are starting to appreciate it, especially with the last two firmware updates.

The usual thing then...

I have actually looked at it several times previously from just before it came out to a few months back but ended up dismissing it each time because I was looking at it as a hybrid replacement for my XT3s and in that regard, it did not and still does not work. For my needs.

But as a static video unit at work and as a personal stills camera for considered work in my own time, a lot of boxes.

[Chris Whitten]

I wonder if you grabbed one whether you would lose interest in the XT3?

Best things about the XT3 for me are its easy and fun to use. The images are lovely. The lenses are nice and there's plenty of choice.

FP is quirky and can be a bit annoying.

 

[Anaconda_]

1 hour ago, MrSMW said:

1949 euros with 45mm f2.8 open box from Germany...

1600 in Holland, also with an adapter for Leica M lenses. 

https://link.marktplaats.nl/m1586586466?utm_source=ios_social&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialbuttons&utm_content=app_ios

the problem is, for an extra 100 or so you can get it brand new, with warranty if you’re in a position to get tax back.

[MrSMW]

59 minutes ago, Anaconda_ said:

the problem is, for an extra 100 or so you can get it brand new, with warranty if you’re in a position to get tax back

I am...and I wouldn't be using any Leica M lenses.

1 hour ago, Chris Whitten said:

I wonder if you grabbed one whether you would lose interest in the XT3?

Best things about the XT3 for me are its easy and fun to use. The images are lovely. The lenses are nice and there's plenty of choice.

FP is quirky and can be a bit annoying.

 

Nah...

It's all a juggling act, - specific needs + budget mainly...

I could 'upgrade' my XT3's to XT4's but even if I had the money now, I wouldn't because as things stand, when I come to upgrade that pair for my current work stills & filming needs, it will either be XH2 or Panasonic S5 and either Metabones focal reducer adapted on the Fuji, or Fotodiox adapted on the Lumix. The XT4 doesn't give me enough or really anything I need over XT3 and I much MUCH prefer the XT3 tilt screen.

Otherwise I can't see how the FP would be able to meet my needs as a replacement. In fact I already know it can't, because for work needs of combined photography & filming at weddings, I need reliable AF because that reliable AF acts as another pair of hands and brain, ie, if one unit is on a freestanding mono right in front of me capturing couple walking towards me, I can be shooting stills at the same time.

And by reliable AF, I don't necessarily mean stellar because of course the Canon and Sony kick it's arse in this regard, but it's actually quite good and fairly reliable with the Fringer Pro adapted glass I use.

But the FP capturing 4k 25p on a tripod, manually focused, just speeches and ceremony, - well it should work pretty well for that and replace my 1" camcorder and I do wish to replace that as the quality in low light is...well a bit shit.

For personal, I don't shoot kids or rabbits or airshows or anything that needs rabid AF. In fact I could shoot all my personal stuff quite happily manual focus and with the FP, may very well do just that.

But I did think...just for a minute, "what if I really liked the FP, could I use it instead of XT3?" For my work needs, nah and at the same time, an XT3 doesn't encourage me to shoot personal stuff. To me it's just a tool. I like and respect what it can do and at this point in time and it's the right tool for me but it does not inspire me to go out and shoot.

A Leica Q2 would, but I don't have the budget and it isn't dual purpose, ie, can't switch from being my personal stills camera to being a long form video camera which the FP can be.

Ditto a few other compacts and quirkier cameras, - nothing quite fits the purpose.

[Chris Whitten]

Yeah, I imagine the XT3 is great for weddings. The auto focus is great too.

I have a Q. For me the 28mm lens is the biggest downside. I would rather 35 without having to crop in.

Everything else about it is great. It's small, it does what it says and it's easy to carry around.

[MrSMW]

One other FP question...

I think I am right in this, but need to confirm.

So let's say I have my FP now and it's on a tripod with the 45mm f2.8 shooting 25p 4k...but it's not quite tight enough.

Damn, I don't have another (longer) lens and can't move the tripod any closer.

No problem, switch to APSC crop and hey presto, it's now a '67-68mm equivalent' focal length?!

If so, fanfuckintastic, because that means I could lose both the Sigma 18-35mm and Tamron 45mm, because as much as I love them, the former especially is a bit of a weighty beast and both require adapters which just adds even more to the load, but being able to switch to an APSC crop and effectively increase my focal length would be perfect for my needs.

[BTM_Pix]

1 hour ago, MrSMW said:

One other FP question...

I think I am right in this, but need to confirm.

So let's say I have my FP now and it's on a tripod with the 45mm f2.8 shooting 25p 4k...but it's not quite tight enough.

Damn, I don't have another (longer) lens and can't move the tripod any closer.

No problem, switch to APSC crop and hey presto, it's now a '67-68mm equivalent' focal length?!

If so, fanfuckintastic, because that means I could lose both the Sigma 18-35mm and Tamron 45mm, because as much as I love them, the former especially is a bit of a weighty beast and both require adapters which just adds even more to the load, but being able to switch to an APSC crop and effectively increase my focal length would be perfect for my needs.

Yes you can but obviously you have to stop recording first.

To change quickly between them, you can save setups the Custom mode functions (C1 to C3) as the APS-C selection is also saved.

So you would have C1 as your Full Frame setup with APS-C set to off and then C2 to be the same but with APS-C set to on.

Although I would be inclined to save C1 with it set to Auto as this would then be a dual purpose single mode if you were only using APS-C lenses.

One thing to bear in mind about tripod usage - although I'm sure with long record times you would be using a small SSD - is that Sigma have committed the sin of putting the SD card slot in the battery compartment so you would have to remove it from a tripod if you wanted to swap cards.

Anyway, just done this as a quick demo to show you the 45mm 2.8 in full frame and crop mode.

[MrSMW]

@BTM_Pix THANKS and SUPERB!

OK, I'm pretty much sold now on moving lock stock and 3 smoking barrels over to the L Mount Alliance.

For this static stuff, I'll hook it up to my power bank and get an external SSD then. I don't think I need to go down the route of anything like an external monitor as my use here is very much; set up, focus lock, press record and what will be will be and all my clients know this and are advised in regard to what the optimal set up is and that's it's static and unmanned.

Single FP + 2x S5 looks my immediate future and next few years.

Thanks everyone for all your input, much appreciated.

[Chris Whitten]

You can crop in with a video editor anyway? Like Davinci Resolve.

Personally I would rather carry two prime lenses. Sigma have just announced an L mount 85mm f1.4. OK, it's expensive.

I bought a whole set of Pentax Takumar lenses for my FP for peanuts. My longest is 135mm. The quality is superb. You can get very affordable Nikon (use with an adapter). I don't own a single L mount lens yet, although I agree, auto-focus is definitely a great option to have.

[MrSMW]

Well sale and purchase buttons have all been pressed now.

At least that is the sale button and courier collects today.

Pre-order in for the first stage of my move to L Mount.

I've had some fun (and some frustrations, especially in the early days) with Fuji, but the time for change has come.

[meudig]

Also just got the FP, decided between it and the Fuji x-t3. Been trying to replace my bmpccOG for quite a while and didn't like any of the "stills body"-cameras I tested, also having a hard time justifying keeping several cameras. The FP seemed like a no-brainer.

Payed about 1070 GBP body only, looks unused.

Still undecided as for what lenses to get for it, vintage for sure. Maybe Minoltas? The metabones MD to L mount adapter seems nice.

[MrSMW]

31 minutes ago, meudig said:

Still undecided as for what lenses to get for it

I'm just going with the free Sigma 45mm f2.8 I am getting as part of the deal with the Lumix S5 + 20-60mm.

Actually, I am going to flip between these 2 lenses.

With the Sigma prime, I will be using the combo just like a fixed prime lens compact for all my 'personal' work.

For family trips, I'll use just the 20-60 as it has more flexibility and on holiday, I'd like that extra versatility for less serious use.

I've also decided that I will use the FP + 20-60 at the widest end only, all day at weddings purely as a stills camera for those rare times I want a really wide, but also on the tripod with power bank and Rode Wireless Go for pure long form static video capture during ceremony & speeches.

So kind of 4 uses out of 1 unit with the 2 lenses which is pretty cool.