20 yr Fujifilm user switching to Sony — first impressions
Edit: 12 year user, not 20. Started with the XT1 in 2014
There’s always a lot of chatter on here about different platforms and switching to and away from Fujifilm, so I thought I’d share some initial impressions after a 20-year long Fujifilm user who is testing the switch to Sony.
I’ve previously owned the XE3, XT1, XT3, XE5, X100V, XS20, XT4 and the whole series of fuji f2 primes and the 56mm f1.2. I just bought a used A7Cii and 40mm f2 ttartisan lens for the same price as a new XT5 would have been.
Image Quality
All modern cameras are capable of almost identical outputs. But what’s impressive and partly the reason I switched is that unless you are using tele zooms, there isn’t any real size savings with apsc anymore and you are able to get faster aperture primes for the same size now—and that means potential for much better images. The attached photos were shot at 40mm f2, equivalent to around 27mm f1.4 on Fuji—yet the lens is only 45mm long and 160g, smaller than the closest equivalent Fuji options.
Autofocus and tracking is insane and a huge benefit for family photos with kids. Even on the $200 ttartisan lens, it’s not even comparable to Fuji.
Colours
This was the biggest surprise. The attached are straight out of camera using Sonys creative picture profiles and I actually like the colour more than any Fuji film sim. I can tweak them further to get even better results but this was a quick first attempt.
It’s not nearly as advanced as Panasonic’s LUT systems, but I’d say it’s comparable to Fuji now. Some of the options are worse, some are better. I personally find Fujis sims mostly bad except for classic negative and acros. The Sony ones are similar but seem to have better more subtle options. The app is also 100x better and you can quickly download picture profiles via the app and send it to your phone with one button.
Size
Pretty incredible. The A7Cii and 40mm f2 lens is identical to my XS20 with the 23mm f2 lens. Same weight as well. Not much to say other than it’s incredible what Sony did here. Ergonomics are the
same as well.
User experience
Different system so takes time getting used to, but I’d say no more or less intuitive than Fuji. I personally have never understood the arguments that Fujis are somehow magical for use unless you get a model with an OVF. The Sony feels about as nice to use as the XT cameras and XS cameras. It is nice that you can customize things further with the Sony. It obviously won’t match an X-Pro for experience though.
Early takeaways
Fuji will always have a place in my heart as a twenty year user, but so far I think the switch will be permanent. It’s nice that Sony has such huge third party lens support, so you can get exceptional lenses for cheap and have dozens of options. I just got the sigma 35mm f2 on sale for $500 Canadian, and it’s an incredible lens.
I was growing a bit frustrated by Fujis recent shifts making huge expensive lenses instead of compact ones (like updates to the 35mm f1.4), so now there isn’t even a size benefit to Fuji. They also sat on their early lead in film sims and seem equivalent to other companies now and gate keep (only release new ones with new bodies).
Welcome to answer any questions! If people are interested I can share more reflections after a few more weeks. A part of my heart still pulls me to an X100 but you can get such small lenses for the A7Cii that I probably will stay with Sony
