Scenes Seen: A Work Festival.

For starters preferred and best are not synonymous.

I spent most of my last post making my logic defying case for my rangefinder habit.

But I will admit it is not the best solution for all purposes. Mainly as I said in that post:

Modern AF killed it with fast moving subjects.

This would include nearly any “real” work. Because here is the thing…

MeeMaw does not care how much I “enjoyed the experience”. She wants pictures of her baby… in focus.

What is special to me about this setup is that it provides aspects of another camera system. Medium format. More specifically in my case, Fujfilm’s GFX system. As has been stated in this space often I am a friend of Fuji. In the past I went a few rounds with the APS-C line up, I still enjoy their film, and one of their medium format film cameras is my go to. So GAS almost got me a couple of times. But unlike a rangefinder the user experience offers nothing unique. And it is arguably worse. A quick back to back with a GFX 50S II/80mm f/1.7 in my local camera shop did no favors for the GFX. And then some photo sessions…

…proved that it covered my very short medium format wish list.

That subject isolation at a distance “look”.
Resolution better than the GFX 50S II.
- Even I must admit that the 100MP options are far beyond my use case needs.

So that left me with this. Functionally, for me, all the GFX would do was allow me to say that I had a modern medium format digital camera (Had fun with a Pentax 645D but it could not keep up with the modern performance expectations I had grown accustomed to.). And there was a downside. No amount of money could replicate a GFX equivalent for my most used lenses.

In the end I was not willing to give up AF performance and lens options.

But this is not a penalty box. Far from it. Knowing that I was going to a work event where folks would be moving about it was great to have modern AF on the table.

Made easy work of capturing proceedings. And as expected it was a sledgehammer to drive in a thumbtack solution for less challenging pics on the way home.

Please notice something.

I did not mention a brand, camera, or lens model.

Who cares?

I am the first to admit that what I used was overkill fueled by my own good/better/best internal issues.

I could have used a recently made body and lens made in the last few years from any number of brands. I could have used lesser spec’d variants in my chosen system or years older camera models. I have grown very tired of brand debates. I support none of these debates, even those that argue in favor of what I chose. Because again… who cares?

Yes, I mentioned my own minor obsession with replicating a medium format “look” but one could easily dismiss that and the options open up even more.

All main line offerings are capable enough to pull off what you see above. Sure, I mention MP but even that is optional. I still use cameras with MP counts in the teens and they do just fine for most of my use cases. More tech? Great. But often not necessary.

If I had to come up with a point I guess it I this.

Stop listening to them.

You know the them I am talking about. Those constantly questioning what you chose, lifting up what they chose, and trying to convince you that some manner of upgrade is needed.

I find it odd that people ask me for advice. More odd is who asked me for advice. Recently in one day I was asked for my opinion by a person relatively new to interchangeable lens digital photography and one who is beyond well established. They were asking about whether or not they should upgrade. In both cases I asked what they hoped to achieve and ended up saying no both times. What they had met the requirements. But if they do decide to upgrade I get it. I have done the same.

But I asked them both to ensure it is because they want to. Not because they are caving in to some deep-seated internal insecurity or outside influence trying to convince them that what they have is not good enough.

Just go out and take some pictures.

Ok. Enough of that.

Happy capturing.

-ELW