A Trip To NYC Answered My Long Standing One Camera Question: FUJFILM X100VI Update.

A Trip To NYC Answered My Long Standing One Camera Question: @fujifilmx_us X100VI Update.

Subtitle: The Answer Was Not What I Thought It Would Be.

As recently documented in this space last weekend, I traveled to NYC for a funeral.

I do not enjoy packing. And I am referring to clothing.

But that was a breeze compared to deciding what to pack camera-wise.

I changed my mind quite a few times. What I thought I would bring:

Sony A7C II Part 1: That Escalated Quickly… First Impressions.

Packed the Vitrox primes:

Viltrox AF 14mm f/4 Air: Seriously. What The Heck, Viltrox?

Viltrox AF 20mm f/2.8 Air: Again. What The Heck, Viltrox?

Viltrox AF 50mm f/2 Air (Very Longwinded) Preview: So All New Lenses Are Good Now Then?

Viltrox AF 85mm f/2 EVO: The “Premium” Lens Distinction Has Been Blurred Beyond Recognition.

Then it struck me. Something I learned on my last trip to NYC.

NYC Gallery Part 1 – Harlem “Wonderful and Amazing” Stranger Portraits

I do not want to change lenses. Photography was not the main point at all for this trip.

So even though the bag was packed earlier in the week… I pivoted the night before leaving. Why?

I am glad I imagined that you asked.

As mentioned earlier, I did not want to… nor did I feel I would have the opportunity to change lenses. So, I had thought I would primarily use a more… “special” camera with one lens.

So… The GFX 50R Intro: Or How A Leica Camera Release Freed Me Up To Get A Fujifilm Camera.

My First And Perhaps Only Native GF Lens: FUJIFILM GF 50mm f/3.5 R LM WR.

Some may scoff at the AF of the contrast AF only GFX 50R. In the past, I would have also. But I was wrong. While not as swift as phase detect, I found it does just fine most of the time…

…and if that will not do, zone focus would also do just fine.

No IBIS is also something I used to bemoan. Erroneously.

A lesson I learned while testing another, much newer release.

Fujifilm Face Off Series. Part 1: Intro/Rangefinder-ish Meet Up/Exhibition Serendipity.

Preferred? Yes. Necessary? No.

So… we are good… right?

Nope.

A lovely bit of kit. But a bit of a bus.

So what did I use?

What some may see as the little brother to the GFX 100RF.

The X100VI.

FUJIFILM X100VI: Unobtanium Obtained. Part 1 – The Arrival.

Some may view the X100VI as a consolation prize to its larger sensor siblings, the GFX 100RF and 50R.

But it can be argued that the X100VI is a superior choice.

• Smaller and thus better suited to travel photography.
• Enough MP. Half of the ridiculous 100MP count of the 100RF, and at 40MP, pretty near the 50R.
• IBIS. Pretty straightforward.
• Phase detect AF.
• Better suited to video, should I feel so inspired.

So, what about compared to my original choice, the A7C II? Once again, a case can be made for the X100VI being the better choice.

• While the A7C II is compact for a full-frame offering, the X100VI is even smaller and thus better suited to travel photography.
• More MP than the A7C II.
• For stills, I prefer the X100VI’s tilt screen over the A7C II’s video-friendly flip-around screen.

More “what abouts”.

What about the RICOH GR line?

• Better AF. Snap focus is great. Competent AF is even better.
• Better suited to video, should I feel so inspired.
• More MP. Preferred with a fixed lens camera as it offers more post-edit cropping options.
• A tilt screen wins out over a fixed screen.

What about the Sony ZV-1 I go on about?

• APS-C sensor.
• For stills, I prefer the X100VI’s tilt screen over the ZV-1’s video-friendly flip-around screen.

So… How did it go?

Fantastic.

It is the only “real” camera I used the entire weekend, and I could not ask for a better result. Here are some of my favorite images.

A perfect tool for the task.

Never did I once miss the A7C II’s AF. The X100VI kept up with proceedings just fine.

Never did I once miss the additional MPs offered by its GFX siblings.

Never once did I miss the smaller bodies of the GR and ZV-1 cameras.

And here is the kicker.

Yes. It was chosen as a one focal length solution. I brought a couple of other lenses for the GFX 50R… that went unused.

Hindsight being 20/20, you know what I wished I had brought instead of that additional camera body and lenses?

The Viltrox converters I picked up recently.

X100VI Accessories: Viltrox WCL-X100VI (Wide Conversion Lens).

X100VI Accessories: Viltrox TCL-X100VI (Tele Conversion Lens).

Much smaller and lighter, and would have done just fine if additional focal lengths were needed.

So…the one camera thing.

Not a replacement for a whole proper “big boy” professional kit. Specifically, a minimalist kit solution.

I mentioned above that I thought the win would go to another camera. That would have been the A7C II if you had asked me before last weekend. Paired with the Viltrox lenses I have been prattling on about.

But the X100VI did absolutely everything I asked of it last weekend. And paired with the two Viltrox converters I have been prattling on about… Viltrox is on a tear, isn’t it?… I would choose it instead of everything above

Well done FUJIFILM.

Happy capturing.

-ELW