Megapixels, Gas and Fuji XT-1

[David Sutton]

There have been some recent posts on the latest entries in the high megapixel race and on gear aquisition syndrome. As I'm vulnerable to "gas" as the next person I need to be reminded of the following.
Last night I ran a quick and dirty test on my Fuji lenses for sharpness across the frame and for decentering. Image one below is the layout of the star charts on the loungeroom wall from an idea I got here using the 50-140mm lens @ 50mm. A little sharpening in PhotoNinja and then some in PS. The Lightroom version wasn't that much different. I think the crops are a little oversharpened but I ain't going to re-do them.
Next is what I guess is a 200%  crop of the bottom left chart at f/2.8, ditto at f/8 and then the same uprezzed because I ran out of pixels for a real close up.
I can only print to a max of 24" wide and it occurs to me that this 16mp camera and lens is good enough for my real needs. Doesn't seem right somehow but I have to trust my eyes.
Now I feel safe just to choose a camera based on the system's handling, menu system, bokeh, DR and whether I'm going to throw the camera in the car and enjoy using it or think twice about dragging out a bunch of stuff that makes me tired. Last time I flew with the Fuji gear I was 3kg underweight with my carry-on containing two bodies, 3 zooms and sundries. Good.
Will I upgrade when the XT-2 comes out? Oh yes. But I realise there will be no hurry. Maybe wait until there is a cash-back (fat chance say my friends).
David

[Petrus]

I have started to use my own Fujifilm X-T1 bodies for practically all reportage type assignments, even though the company provides me with D4 and D800e with practically all possible Nikkors and Sigma Art lenses. Reason: weight, weight and invisibility. I have actually travelled on assignments to Middle East and SAE with only a 24-32 liter carry-on daypack with EVERYTHING stuffed inside it for flights. That means also all clothing etc. Even the camera bag.

For my recent exhibition I printed most photos myself with R3000 in A3+ size, but there were also bigger 50x70 cm prints made by a fine art printing house (who did the mounting also for all prints). The detail is quite amazing even in those, even if "only" 16 MPix. Looks as good or better (in many ways) than 645 negative.

Of course, starting form the ancient 4.7 MPix Canon EOS-1D anything over 10 MPix has been enough for me.

I admit to GAS syndrome though, it is the splendid lenses this time, difficult to decide what to leave home...

[rdonson]

I truly enjoy my Fuji X-T1 and I don't actually believe that mo' megapixels solves much for me perosnally.

I still have on my wall a 16x24 that I printed of a sports image (cycling) that is as tack sharp as I need and it's from my now ancient Canon 1D Mark II and its now measly 8 megapixels.

17x22 prints from my Fuji X-T1 look just fine to me.

[armand]

While I enjoy the Fuji there is always room for improvement.
I will go in Everglades this winter and I plan to take my Nikon D750 with probably 4 lenses (Rokinon 14 F2.8, Nikkor 24-120 F4, 105 F2.8 macro and 70-200 F4) even as my Fuji lenses are superior because for tripod work the Nikon files are definitely better in DR and easier to push in postprocessing (the extra resolution is nice also for landscape).

PS. the Nikon D500 sounds also really good for a rugged action/wildlife shots until I recall why I switched to Fuji for APS-C: lack of great wide/normal lenses for DX.

[rdonson]

I'm pretty much of the mind that there is no one size fits all camera made or likely to be made.  I don't know why there would be one with all the genres of photography that are out there.  I don't know why a street camera would be good for wildlife or why a sports DSLR would be good for street.

[David Sutton]

Yes, if I'd specialised in BIF I would have stuck with Canon, though I don't know whether I could have afforded the cost of the specialist lenses. And their weight.
As to street photography, I was out photographing with a friend who has kept her 7D. We were sitting in the car with the window down focussing on some horses in a nearby paddock. I ran off a short burst with the XT-1. No problem. She took one shot with the 7D and the whole herd turned and took off.
DR? Yes I would always like more. As for resolution, I seem to have enough, though there is always uprezzing which is free as against the outlay of thousands of dollars for another camera/system. At what point that becomes desirable depends on a lot of factors I guess.