So this was the first real test for my all Fuji kit... A church wedding followed by reception at a converted barn... This was a great test for the Fuji set up & it did prove challenging at times... I know people will want to hear about what I was shooting so here is a list to start with...
XT-1, X Pro 1, x100s, 56mm 1.2, 35mm 1.4, 18mm 2.0, Samyang 12mm 2.0, Nissin i40, 2 x Yongnuo YN560 II's & The North Face Roo II pack...
The first thing to mention is the weight! This set up was really light.... I had the x100s around my neck & the XT-1/X Pro 1 on an OpTech dual strap (designed for binoculars) fastened with a 'Blackrapid Fastnr Hitch' on each camera... After 14 hours I still felt fairly fresh which definitely would not have been the case if I was shooting my full frame Nikon set up... So Fuji wins here for sure...
However there were some issues... Autofocus still isn't quite there... I feel I will need to change my approach & opt to take different shots with the Fuji system... The AF just isn't as quick as with a DSLR when the light is a little low... Shooting with day light is fine, not an issue at all... But when the light drops I found the camera's struggling a little, even the XT-1... I did however manage to get most of the shots I went for so I feel this is just going to be a learning curve... I need to play the Fuji system to its advantages & know it's disadvantages... Practice is key here...
Macro work using the 16mm Extension Tube was a little messy too but again I feel I just need more practice with it... A dedicated macro lens with good manual focus would have been better & the 90mm Tamron macro lens is tempting although I do want to keep the weight & size of the kit down so for now I just need to practice with the extension tube & learn how to use it best...
Onto the lenses... I can't knock any of them to be honest, they all worked great... The 12mm didn't get much use but did come in handy for a shot where the bride was coming down the stairs when I wanted to get all the bridesmaids in the frame too... The 56 was great for candid portraits of the bide getting ready & guests from a distance... The 35 is a great leans for detail shots as it is fast, focuses close, is plenty sharp & has lovely bokeh in my opinion... The 18 was a great little lens... Some bash it because it is a little soft in the corners... Oh well, I don't really care much about corner sharpness as my corners are normally out of focus anyway... A lens with soft corners here is an advantage... The x100s is still my baby... Small, discreet, fast enough most of the time... I love shooting the x100s for candids at the reception... It gives a great perspective including enough of what is going on but still rendering soft backgrounds at f2 or 2.8...
Enough talking! Here is a slideshow with a selection of images throughout the day for you to click through... I feel the Fuji system has done a great little job... Let me know what you think... Please like, comment & subscribe...
Howard
