The damn gear. Part II

Continuing to think about this matter (really: why can't I let go? I don't to be focussed on this) I'd like to talk little about what draws me to different systems. Especially what I feel may be really neat about Fuji and Sony.

Fuji, my current setup

What drew me to Fuji in the first place - and still does - is fairly simple: it's a high quality compact system with a bunch of stunning lenses. Being an APS-sized mirrorless system means that cameras and lenses are lightweight, at the same time the quality of the equipment is really great. I currently own 2 Fuji lenses (XF 23mm f/2 WR and XF 35mm f/2 WR) and both of them are really great lenses. They are well built, robust and have great optical quality. I own a single Zeiss lens for the system: the Touit 32/1.8. This is also a great lens of outstanding quality. Its autofocus may not be as great as the newer Fuji ones, but that's really all there is to this. So yeah, nothing to complain.

There was another bug point thet drew me to Fuji: ergonomics. In many ways their cameras and lenses work like classical cameras. They have aperture dials on the lenses and loads of dials on the camera to set things in a very direct way. I really am very fond of that. The one thing I don't like about my Fuji equipment is that the lenses I own all use focus by wire when used in manual mode. This really is something I am disliking, but that's about it.

Sony, the contender

So what let's me even consider Sony after using the Fuji stuff for a few months and being happy with it?

• Interoperability with the 35mm world without any crop-factor or anything.
• The general aesthetics of the larger sensor.
• Another stunning lens lineup.

There is also whan major drawback: I'd have to give up on my beloved dials for everything.

Considerations

The Sony part of this post may look rather short: but some of there factors (mainly their lens lineup) weigh heavily. Of course even I were to decide to switch there are things to consider. When I went to Fuji I made the choice to spend less on the camera (I just got an X-T10) and more on a few great lenses. I feel that with sony I'd have to spend more on the camera-side of things (I'd gravitate towards the A7R at this time) and then see that I'd still end up with one or two nice primes. Since one of the things that really draw me to this system are the Loxia primes (and some of the other Zeiss lenses) this might be getting expensive really quickly.

Conclusion, for now...

For now I am certainly going to stick with my current system for a while. THere will be a trip to Scandinavia later this summer where I am sure the Fuji equipment will perform greately. In the meanwhile: if somebody wants to lend me some Sony equipment to play around with that would be great ... In all seriousness: getting my hands on some of this gear and trying to form an opinion that way may really be a helpful thing.