Fuji First World Problem

SRHEdD

Regular
Location
Viera, Florida
Name
Steven
My wife surprised me with a trip to Cuba in June. Cuba has always been on my bucket list as a photo destination. I've picked out a backpack, but in trying to pack it lightly for the trip I'm conflicted. I have great gear and I want it ALL to go... stupid of me. So to start, do I go with RESOLUTION and take the A9 or A7Riii, or go with my heart and take GREAT COLOR in my XPro2? I may try to swing both, but then lenses get left behind. So far the most efficient packing is A7Riii, 12-24FE, 24-105FE and 70-300FE with a 50 or 85 1.8FE for low light as necessary and probably a flash.

The decision WAS going to be EASY with the new 16-80XF OIS, but alas, it will not be released until after we're back.

I'm not sure I can leave behind the 35/1.4XF or the 56/1.2XF, seems like so many opportunities would call for those. BTW, I may have an X-H1 by then if my dealings come to fruition, but if I'm talking an SLR-style body, it would probably be a Sony.

I am truly blessed to be able to make these choices, my wife recognizes this as my vice and tolerates me.
 
You won't be able to do this, I don't think, because the pull is so strong to bring too much. But .... what I'd do?

  • Sony A7Riii + 12-24FE
  • X-Pro 2 + 35 & 56

...And that's it. The Sony will have the resolution and dynamic range you'd benefit from in landscapes, city scenery shots. The Fuji setup, especially the 35, is just so incredibly good for its size. That way, walking around, you’ve got something set up and ready for wides, and for something longer. Just 2 things to manage and think about, not 40.
 
I get stuck with decision paralysis too often. And tend to carry too much gear when I go somewhere. Then I read blogs like the one here: Cuba with nothing but the Fujifilm X100F - FUJI X PASSION and remember what it was like decades ago when all I had was a camera and a 50 & 135, or a 35 & 85, or a 24-85 zoom. It seemed much simpler then. :doh: For me, anyways.

Speaking for myself, if I were doing that trip... I'd most likely take two bodies and two or three lenses. Probably from the same system in-case of a problem with a body. X-Pro2, X-H1, 10-24, 35/1.4, 56/1.2

Whatever you decide, enjoy the trip.
 
My current travel camera philosophy is:
  • one "point of view" camera that is of high enough quality to record once in a lifetime opportunities, but also portable enough to acrually record your point of view. Needs to be simple and get out of your way. Will be 28-50mm for most people, in my case the fuji x100. This would be used for 90% of the cases, leading to less gear choice stress, leading to more time actually being in the moment.
  • one flexible big gun for the 10% when the point of view doesnt suffice and the image potential is great enough to warrant disrupting the flow of your being there a bit. Needs sufficient quality for keepers, but flexibility still trumps ultimate iq. In my case i'm looking at an RX10 iii, if you can afford it (and it looks like you can), you can go for an ILC... But I would really not take more than 2 lenses for it, lest you spend more time on your gear than experiencing the location.
 
The only other concern for me is that I’ve been offered walk space in a local restaurant for a good shot of Hemingway’s home near Havana. I was thinking maybe a dusk or evening long exposure to add a little drama.
 
It's a hard call to make, really depending on what and how you like to shoot. Kyle's recommendation is a really good one. And one you could easily carry in small-medium size bag. It also gives you a backup body. Cause, you're in Cuba, and if something fails on your camera, there's no buying a replacement.

My only other recommendation is, if you have the X-H1, then take it and the Pro2. The 35, 56, and your preferred wide Fuji lens. For me, it would be the 16mm 1.4. But something else may be to your liking. While the Sony's will have more resolution for scapes shots. I can say from shooting a ton of scapes with the Pro2, that it does very well. Especially shooting in raw.

Also, since this is a bucket list once in a lifetime trip. I suggest loading up on memory cards and shooting everything backed up to the second card. Then storing the cards separately. With one set in something like a pelican card case. That may be the wedding photographer in me. But cards are cheap enough these days, so why tempt fate.
 
I'd buy an X100f and leave all that stuff at home. All the great old photos I've seen taken in Cuba were taken on similar 35mm film cameras......no interchangeable lenses. Just my point of view.

Take the 16-80 if you think that is too restrictive. But I've seen your photos.....and a good photographer like yourself is not restricted by the focal length. There are gazillions of great photos there, you will find some with whatever you have with you.
 
I'd think for the colors and such that the Fuji kit would make sense.

With my current outfit I would have 2 options.

Fuji XE3 and/or XPro2 with 18-55 and 55-200
OR
Nikon Z6 with the 24-70/4 and FTZ+ 70-300E AF-P VR and be done.

I get the same way you do...but find that once I'm out there I like having less options. Makes me shoot more and contemplate gear options less.

Not apples to apples here, but on a recent trip to Las Vegas - Took my m43 kit of :
PEN-F
P12-32
O17/1.8
Sigma 30/1.4
O45/1.8
O75/1.8
Laowa 7.5/2

Used the Laowa and O17 about 90% of the time, the 45 - 2% of the time, the Sigma 8% and never touched the 75/1.8.

If primes are your thing, then I think the Fuji kit should do you well. Small travel tripod for the night shots or a gorilla pod kind of thing - then enjoy the sights!!
 
Last evening I loaded up the new backpack with the Sony gear (A7Riii/12-24/24-105/70-300/50/flash), picked it up and slung it over my shoulders. There is no way in Hell, I'd spend this dream trip lugging THAT around. I'm packing my Domke F2 and going light. My left shoulder has had 40 years of carrying one of those, it just works.

For a little bit, I'd trade out the Sony kit for a GFX 50R...
 
Last evening I loaded up the new backpack with the Sony gear (A7Riii/12-24/24-105/70-300/50/flash), picked it up and slung it over my shoulders. There is no way in Hell, I'd spend this dream trip lugging THAT around. I'm packing my Domke F2 and going light. My left shoulder has had 40 years of carrying one of those, it just works.

For a little bit, I'd trade out the Sony kit for a GFX 50R...

it SOUNDED like a lot...
 
Yes, I feel your pain! I have the Leica M10. I keep a 50mm Summilux on it for my walk around. I then take the A7RIII and the ZM25 2.8 Biogon for the wide shots. This way I can always swap them around (with an adapter on the A7RIII). I took an 85mm to Venice but quite honestly it was of limited use. I sometimes take the Sony RX1 with it's 35mm as it's small and light.

I wouldn't worry about the colours. You can make them whatever you want in post anyway.
 
For the life of me, I can't make a Sony file look like a Fuji SOOC. I can THINK I have until the next time I shoot with the Fuji...

Someone asked me once about a Sony I had and a Nikon Df, I told him the Sony was an excellent image capture device, the Df was a great camera. IMHO that is doubly true with Fuji. Right now, I'm thinking the Fuji would be a better companion and more enjoyable addition to the trip.
 
(I've said this before but) when I had nothing but the original X100, we took a trip to Peru to hike to Machu Picchu over 5 days. I had that little 12mp Bayer sensor device right on the center of my chest as I hiked, in a tiny black case suspended on the chest compression strap between my hiking back's main vertical straps. One lens, no choices to make, super fast response times. Others on the trip had Canon bazookas, invariable stowed while they hiked. I can't take any credit for having willpower - there was no other gear for me to resist. But man, did it work out well for me.

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DSCF8534
by gordopuggy, on Flickr

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DSCF8463
by gordopuggy, on Flickr
 
Simplicity can be its own reward at times, IMHO.

As a hobbyist, I have completely sucked the enjoyment out of several trips in the past by obsessing over the photography thing, and may never get a chance to go back to those locations and just enjoy the trip.
 
Definitely go simple.

Sony A7Riii + 12-24FE
X-Pro 2 + 35

I recently went to Yellowstone and used an xe1 with a 7artisans 35 1.2 90% of the time. I did bring out the 7ii for a few shots, but the simplicity of the xe1 and manual prime was more enjoyable.
 
The prime (pun intended) reason to lug a long lens in a city is compression. Try standing at one end of Karlov Most and getting a decent shot of the opposite bank, for instance.

These days I am primarily prime with my X-Pro2 so for a once in a lifetime trip like this I would pack the "holy trinity" of 28, 35 and 75mm f2 lenses plus my 14mm and the 18-135 for that very reason.
 
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