What camera do I buy? / general gear talk

Thanks a lot! Yeah, that would be great. :-D

Lenses - I have (for an Xpro-2) a 35mm F1.4 and a 56mm F1.2.

I'm debating getting the 90mm F2, but I'm wondering about whether it might not be better to get the 23mm F1.4. Obviously a big difference between the lenses, but my thinking (if I can call it that) is that I prefer the longer lense that I already have as it allows me to get close at a distance, as it were, but I suspect I tend to take better pictures with the shorter lense, even though I'm out of my comfort zone with it.

i.e. should I make the (not insubstantial) purchase of the 23mm (which would give me the classic 35mm effective on my camera) in order to make myself work harder and potentially take better photographs, or is this all bollocks and I should get the longer lense and snipe away with gay abandon?

I should disclose that I do have an X100t, also: https://www.fujivsfuji.com/x100-s-t-vs-23mm-f1pt4/

Running a 35mm equivalent on one body and either a short tele or a much wider angle on another was standard photojournalist protocol for many years. If you can bear carrying two cameras around.

Why don't you feel the 56 is long enough? That's already ~90mm equiv (that or the 50mm is probably the only lens I could justify getting - my longest is the 35mm at the mo).

Edit to add - at street photography distance and f4-f8, I don't think you'll see a massive difference between the 23mm on the X100 series, the f2 or the f1.4. The x100 lens gets super soft wide open at close distance, which is where lens testers love to try all their bokeh shots and so it gets slated even when it's a perfectly good lens. You'll only see the benefit of the 1.4 if you're shooting a lot in low light, or if you get up close and personal a lot. IMHO - I went for the f2 for the size and weather sealing and much lower cost in the end. Oh, and it focuses quicker than the first-gen lenses.

I'd echo this but really depends on what you want to shoot. Both X pro2 and X100 have the advantage of small form factor with great sensor, why would you want to add bulk? Bigger lenses are also slower to focus. I think the best companion lens is 18mm IMO. Again depends on what you want to shoot .. I've only been using manual cameras for last couple of months with f/8 and zone focussing, works a treat for what I want to do.

Maybe limit yourself to X100 for few days/outings and see what you can achieve. It will push you towards better I reckon.

Why don't you feel the 56 is long enough? That's already ~90mm equiv (that or the 50mm is probably the only lens I could justify getting - my longest is the 35mm at the mo).

Papping birds out of the window, mainly!

Twitchers/perverts use zooms and/or crop.

For absolutely no good reason I quite like the idea of sticking with primes. Also, the 100-400 Fuji lense resembles a whales penis.

@rogan you happy with your rx100iii?

Yeah i love it, i use it FAR more than i did my xpro1

sold my x100t as it wasn't meeting my (strict) portability criteria hence not getting used enough, only on trips/holidays etc where i could justify carrying it, so considering rx100iii or something similar.

My rx100 lives in my bag day to day, on holiday it fits in most short pockets / hangs off my backpack on a carabiner

RX100M3 is the best! I'd still rock it if I didn't break it in summer last year.

Anyone have an A7S2 they're thinking of parting with?

And has anyone picked up a GH5 yet?

For absolutely no good reason I quite like the idea of sticking with primes.

Of course you do. We're sophisticated gents of taste — aware of the historical, cultural and technical aspects of our endeavour. We're not some News of teh World pap. That is why we shoot prime lenses and ride gumwall tyres.

I look forward to the pigeon portrature.

@Hulsroy

This is worth a read:
http://www.johnnypatience.com/metering-for-film/

Apps I tried were not great (but loads of people swear by them).

Most people just want a meter for incident readings and occasionally for flash. The Sekonic L308 is the basic go-to meter for that.

Thank you. Should have asked here.

Whats the deal with Nicholas Cameras on Camden High Street?

Just walked in during lunch, old man is .. well being an old man. Then read some awful reviews. Some good stock there. Shame.

MICRO 4/3 or 4/3?

I only used nicholas' as a last resort. They have a great stock of rarer things, but there're kept off site. I prefer Ffordes as they're friendly and very helpful.

M4/3 or 4/3?
Are we talking ultra-wide or just wide?
And budget?

If we're talking about ultra wide for Mft, the Samyang 7.5mm/3.5 is my favourite.

I'm not too fond of the m4/3 ultra wides from Olympus or Panasonic because I normally leave it at the widest focal length and move with my feet for composition.

I would still look into the samyang. It's sharper (and cheaper) however is manual focus but at this focal length it is very easy to focus and you could just zone focus.

Panasonic 14mm F2.5 is good. Voigtlander 10.5mm F0.95 is awesome but pricey.