New Equipment
I apologize, I have not posted a blog in a long time. I have been spending the last couple of months of learning video. There is a bit of a steep learning curve learning Adobe Premier.
Back in March, right at the beginning of a global pandemic and financial uncertainty… I bought into a new camera system, yeehaw! I have been keeping an eye on the mirrorless side for a while, just waiting for the right time to pull the trigger. Am I ditching my DSLR? No. However, I want to add to the tools available to me. I needed something smaller in size, and I wanted video capabilities as I want to start filming my adventures. Size, walking around Las Vegas, especially downtown and the Strip, with a DSLR and a lens like my 24-70 F2.8 VR, I have been getting stopped by security more often than not just asking what I am doing. Big professional cameras with a big professional lens can draw attention to you in a crowded place. Also, when I am out doing street photography, people notice you and behaviors that you want to capture change before you can press the shutter button. You stick out like a sore thumb. Also, the weight, carry around a DSLR and fast glass can hurt after a while. Also, for travel, I want to take something small with me that’s easy to pack. I was looking at the Nikon Z series, but the lack of a flippy screen was a deal-breaker for me. If I am self-producing, I need to be able to see myself to make sure I am in focus. I am not all that concerned about the amount of memory card slots, but having two is added insurance. I did take a good hard look at the Sony A7III, but again no flippy screen and the glass is pricey. I visited my local camera shop once they received stock of the Fuji X-T4, held one in my hand, and that was it, love at first sight. It was compact, lightweight, flippy screen, and dual card slots. I also liked the classic look to it. All the controls I need are easily accessible with dials on the top. I went ahead and bought one with the Fuji XF 10-24mm F4 OIS Lens. The lens was great for vlogging and photography, but it was a bit wide, so two days later, I picked up a Fuji XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR Lens as my general walking around lens. I have been shooting this camera a lot over the past few months and couldn’t be happier with its performance. Fuji color science is a lot more pleasant to my eye compared to my Nikon. Skin tones are a little bit “rosier” with Nikon being a little more on the yellow/green side. Of course, any color weirdness can be fixed in POST. Here in the desert, we have a lot of reds, yellows, and oranges, so the colors are looking good out of the camera, so I am not doing a lot of editing. Nighttime street photography, I do not have to carry a tripod with me all the time, so less gear. The IBIS works great for my needs. Doing astrophotography and nighttime landscape, I do believe my full-frame DSLR has an advantage. The photos are super sharp and detailed, even on my older D810. I’ll be doing more video and on the photo’s I post, I’ll put a note on what camera it was shot on.