Fuji Is X-T2 prone to flares and should I go to FF?

[mesmerized]

Hello there,

I keep hearing about some kind of issue with flares that X-T2, supposedly, suffers from. Can anyone shed some light on it?

Another thing and much bigger than the first question... I've been shooting E-M5mk2 for a while now and while I love that camera, I would like to have a better performer in low-light situations, along with other bonuses, such as shallower DOF and more megapixels. People say that in terms of picture quality and DOF both sensors (m43 and APS-C) are quite similar and the differences are negligible... Fuji wins me over with manual controls...

I'd go FF and get a Sony, except that A7r2 is... well, it's expensive... and I don't know if waiting a bit for the new generation isn't a better idea. On the other hand, if A7r3 brings that monster of a sensor with 60 megapixels, such a camera wouldn't be for me since the files would be enormous... 42 is more than enough for my purposes. I do want a better dynamic range and that buttery shallow DOF, though.

I know. It sounds like I want everything. Any thoughts?

 

[davidzvi]

No idea on the flare question.

Yes m4/3 and APS-C have pretty similar DOF abilities when you compare chip to chip. But you can't really just look at that. You need to look at what focal length you want and what lens options are available for it. That said it you're really chasing DOF than yes FX will probably be a better option.

 

[Lightmancer]

The XT-1 when first released had a light leakage issue if used, for example while tethered, with the ports open. It was fixed by Fuji without quibble for free. I have not heard of any other light leakage issues with the X-Series.

If you want smooth bokeh it is as much about the lens and how you use it as the sensor. Fuji delivers superlative bokeh with the 35 1.4, the 56 1.2 and the 90 2 0 with other lenses in the range giving them a close run.

I come from a background of using Leica Summiluxes and Zeiss Sonnars and have never had an issue with the performance of Fujinon glass - quite the contrary.

 

[Bobby T]

I'm not aware of any flare issues. No issues with the Pro2, which has the same sensor as the T2.

DOF is a formula. Distance to subject+subject distance to backround+focal length+aperture. You can achieve a great shallow DOF @f5.6 with a focal length around 35mm on up. Yes, the larger aperture primes make this easier. But as you can see from the replies, sensor size is not the most important factor.

For low light performance, the current fuji sensors are on par with the Canon 5D3, and the previous generation are better than the Canon 5D2. For me, the Fuji sensors are at the point that if I need more than what they're capable of in low light, the scene needs a speedlight.

 

[david reitze]

I haven't heard any issues. I shoot with both the xpro 2 and xt2 and I have had no problems with either. The only time I've observed lens flares is when using legacy glass such as the old takumar lenses which are prone to that.

I don't think you have much to worry about there.

 

[serhan]

It looks like X-T20 doesn't have the flare issue that X-T2 has:
Fujifilm X-T2 vs X-T20 – The complete comparison

Maybe they fixed it on the later cameras...

 

[Lightmancer]

I find this all rather odd...

I struggle to believe that a flagship camera has a manufacturer-unacknowledged "flare issue"... I can make any camera/lens combination flare if I try hard enough... That doesn't make it an "issue".

 

[Bobby T]

I've always thought of flare as being from the lens and never due to the sensor or film.

 

[Adam Bonn]

I'm not sure if the OP is talking about flare in general or the 'purple grid' artifact

Problem solving: How to deal with the Fujifilm X-Pro2 and X-T2 “grid” artefacts

Re DOF there's so many variables and so much is in the eye of the viewer that one could write a thesis about it

Primarily nothing has a greater affect on DOF than subject distance... and secondly lens length is very important

Leica make a 50mm F0.95 lens. Wide open and standing several miles away you could probably get a whole mountain in focus, at minimum focusing distance and f8 DOF might only be a few centimetres

Scene plays a big role as well, a subject standing at the end of a pier with nothing behind them except empty ocean will exhibit more subject isloation than they would with a busy background

Also, lenses are lenses are lenses (he said profundly ) a lens cannot change its physical properties simply by being attached to a different size sensor camera. That summicron is an F2. Doesn't matter if you've got it on your FF Sony, APSC Fuji or M43 Oly. It's the same lens

I think FWIW my advice to the OP would be to look at the lenses that one might wish to own, factor in the cost and size of them, and then buy the body that fits on the back of them

The crop factor with Fuji means that the 23/35 f1.4s will (give or take) produce images that look like 35/50 F2 on the FF cameras. So if one were to go with FF, but F1.4 glass them you'd get a more shallow DOF than fuji offers... but at a considerable size and weight and price increase

But like I said a few paragraphs back... getting closer to the subject and having a suitable background will produce a nicer 'subject pop' than merely throwing money at glass can do

RE low light... my sole m43 experience is my lx100 (which is a great compact). Even my X-Pro1 (a few gens old now) killed it in high ISO (>1600), and I mean in print (10x8) not just on screen