Omg i just realised that for the bit where i was chatting about autofocus i left the camera in manual focus and my face was not in focus. Couldn’t make this up lol
was thinking very similar thing about the cameras I like and use :D Also years ago I had EOS3 for short time - film camera - if you would set a drive into (C) and push the button for several seconds you ... just burned through serious money :D
I don't use my OM-1 much but is has a very nice feel to it & I know that if the photo is good, this is because I did a good job, not electronics doing all the work for me.
I did this with an AT-1, the shutter fires itself. Nice to know my camera has an all in one auto shutter feature. Apparently the magnet contact is dirty, cleaned it and now the feature is gone.
Just to comment -- One feature that I DO like for street photography is 'Auto-ISO.' I don't think a lot of people use it because it isn't mentioned very much. I like it because from minute to minute the lighting conditions change a lot on the street when walking between buildings and such. So I don't want to be fiddling around with settings trying to get a shot. Each camera has different settings and algorithms with this feature as to how it is structured. So it takes a little thoughtfullness to set up. But it works really well for me in the street situation.
I don't use auto Iso. I have tried a few times where the auto Iso went up to something like 1600 iso in bright sunlight with auto shutter speed of maybe 2000. So stupid, it's probably my fault. But until I understand my camera completely i don't use auto Iso when taking photos of something important
@@lollandz Hi! On my camera, the auto-ISO feature has the following setup items: default sensitivity (the lowest, basic ISO setting), max sensitivity (the highest ISO I allow), and minimum shutter speed. I set the max so that the camera always has minimal noise based on tests I have done. I set the min shutter speed so that camera shake is not going to blur the shot. What I want to happen is that the camera always maintains the lowest ISO possible, and then it varies shutter speed above the minimum to maintain exposure. It should raise the ISO if it can't slow down the shutter speed to get exposure. On my camera it won't go past the max ISO no matter what, so in extreme dark situations it will keep the shutter open to whatever it takes to get exposure. Every camera is probably different when it comes to what it does, it is worth testing for a little bit to determine how it reacts to various situations. In your case, I suspect that the 1600 ISO you saw was the max ISO setting on your screen. But if you look in Lightroom it will tell you that the picture was actually taken at a lower ISO. The last thing is that I set auto-ISO settings based on doing daylight street photography. Other situations, such as nighttime street photography, would dictate other settings.
The way you show the scene first then show the photo result in this video made me clap in real life. I am in awe of how you produce such beautiful results in such ordinary environments! Look up to you, Roman!
You can make GIFs if you have a high burst mode like XT-4. Really lovely for engagement and graduation pictures where you can capture movement, like throwing confetti or flowers.
I, an amateur, switched to the Fuji XS10 from a Nikon D500. However, the cameras I adore are my Nikon FE2 (35mm) and Pentax auto (110mm), because of their simplicity. Analogue isn’t for everyone, but one can take beautiful pictures with their digital camera without all the specs as well :) Great video, this should be the first message for beginners!
Yeh, pare back the complexity and start seeing more clearly what you’re creating. I’ve got a great full frame powerhouse in my Pentax K-1 but the simplicity of using just a prime manual focus lens on my Fuji X-E4 or Pentax MX is pure creative joy !
As a photographer who mostly captures birds, including birds on flight, I fall into the category in which the gear needs to be different. I would have missed lots of my favorite images had I not had animal eye tracking and a ludicrous burst rate. Enjoyed your video and great images which brought back memories of my three years living in London.
Personally I find the 10 chicken nuggets a crucial factor in my type of photography, but if you don't use them, then I guess don't buy a camera based on that🤷♂️
Another super video, Roman! Love to see my old home town and how it's changed. Your pragmatic style and approach is a much needed breathe of fresh air in the miasma of photog's hot air! (Yes, I've swallowed a dictionary today!!)
Not necessarily. The manufacturers have already started building obsolescence into their modern lenses by giving full computer control over the functions of the lens. I wouldn't be surprised if sooner or later, with each new ' generation ' of digital cameras ( imaging computer devices to be exact ) new lenses would not be required. This is no situation like the Leica M or Nikon F mount lenses where a 60 year old lens is perfectly functional on a new camera.
@@lensman5762 If you don't care to much about auto focus you can adjust the lenses you are talking about to most cameras. It's not a limitation, it's just more choice.
@@boozelala it is not the question of auto focus. The point is that when a lens is computerised its functions are controlled by the firmware . This is where the main problem lies, and then the mounts themselves. I still wonder why the sudden push towards mirrorless cameras? Makes one wonder.
Outstanding! Back in the late 70’s we had 1 fps and null focus points! Because it was film you solely depended on aperture, subject distance and the circle of confusion. Guess what we did weddings and sports that way! Kids today should learn a bit more!
My camera use 399 (!) Focus Points. 90% of my photos use 1 of them. It's the one in the middle, which I focus and hold it when the camera moves back to the frame i want to take. This technique comes from the mid 90s when 5 focus points are near to professional.
As someone who was always in pursuit of better image quality for the better part of the last two decades, more megapixels, full frame, prime lenses etc, I feel ashamed to admit that it took me so long to realise that you don't need the latest and greatest to take great photos. If anything the wrong camera, big, bulky, heavy, can have a negative impact on your enjoyment and therefore photography. Moving from a beast of a camera like the Pentax K1 to the much smaller Fuji x-e4 was a revelation. Yes it's apsc and the image quality can't really compare but it doesn't have to. It's perfectly fine and more than enough and the small size and weight has made me fall in love with going out more and shooting more which at the end of the day it's all that matters right. Anyhow, great video as always :)
Totally agree. I have just moved to the Nikon Z50 - with the adapter allowing me to use my old lenes; it's light, competent, and does what I need. My old camera, a D7200, was not a monster but I found it too heavy and cumbersome on long walks. It's what you need for the job rather than what you want.
My favourite Fuji is still my XT1. 49 focus points and an almost totally ISO invariant sensor lets me stick in at 400 and adjust away in LR. There is something about the look of the images that come out of the XT1 that I prefer over my XT3. I use it professionally for sports (cycling mainly) and product photography and it is a little gem.
The XT-1 has an X-Trans II sensor, which many people think is Fuji’s best sensor. I have an X-E2s, which has the same sensor and I just love the photos it takes. The JPEGS are excellent and very film-like.
Cheers Roman, it’s Sean in Atlanta! This was an excellent video and I learned so much and I wanted to say thank you and also hope that you are doing well. We get inundated with bullshit facts and figures from these camera companies trying to get us to continually buy new gear and this helped me get a lot of that nonsense out of my system! Thank you again and take care! Sean
I agree. I’m a sports photographer and I use the 1D Mark IV from 2009 a canon body. This body has a burst rate of 10 fps ideal for sports. This body is sufficient for me. but the later incarnations are shooting around 15 fps. This is too much. If you were to shoot a sequence of images in the goal mouth that leads to a goal and lasts a duration of 4 seconds you’ve just shot around 60 photos. Going through that your self is so time consuming. The difference in action is absolutely minuscule from frame to frame. It’s only when you jump several frames you can see difference. The quantity these days is too much. It’s nonsense.
@Wetterhoun Yes it’s nonsense. Canon I think announced another incarnation to their mirrorless camera range this week. A body that shoots 30fos. Now why would you need all this. I think what is happening here is that huge agencies like Gerry & Reuters dictate to the manufacturers what they want because these pro bodies are targeted at that market. Big agencies are competing with each other at these big sports tournaments or Premier League coverage & want all the images. They are just killing each other and the photographer is just a pawn in all this high end technological nonsense. Where is the creative mind of the photographer going to come from.
I Love your no nonsense videos you talk so much sense. It’s so easy to get blinded my specs that are not real world related. I’m also sorry that your neighbour stole your recycling bin.
Great video and much needed in the climate of buying every new device that is released. I personally choose to buy vintage and or try to get the most value in my spending whenever I can; seeing how usually I have a number in my head that prefer not to go over. Please if you would do a video on the vintage lens and the benefits to them over new age lenses from your perspective. Cheers
Amazing video, Roman! Content-wise is on point, debunking those unnecessary specs that might feel like one’s missing out for not having. Thank you for that! I love how straightforward and fun you managed to explain these. But the narrative was SO damn well done. It was really entertaining and interesting to follow along with you. I feel like I’ve been strolling by your side and finding those shots with you. It’s brilliantly done for such a simple idea. We get the whole picture, you pin point your view and then, we get the beautiful shot. It’s a genius storytelling, really. I just didn’t know exactly how far we’ve walked and if there’s anything I would suggest is maybe you could show a maps, at least at the beginning of the video. It really felt like a photographic walking tour. Keep it up!
Having more focus points helps - as more of the frame is covered without large gaps, however at some point the density of focus points will no longer provide any significant improvement. We are nearing full practical coverage and increasing the number is just marketing.
Most often I use the centre focus point, or a few central points, and recompose. I never find the camera reads my mind well enough to always focus where I want it to. I suppose it comes from spending the first 20 years of my photography with a manual focus film camera with a central split screen focus aid in the centre. Old habits die hard!
Enjoyed the video. I had to down grade my Olympus recently. I had an EM1 that I beat the hell out of for six years and finally it sort of gave out on me. I live and work in Thailand and I didn’t want my Olympus down. I mostly use a Ricoh GRii but I have a sweet spot for Olympus and I didn’t want my two lenses to be lying around idle. I found used a minty EM10 mark ii and bought it to have until I could get another EM1. Funny thing is even with the less bells and whistles I don’t notice any difference. It actually goes out with me more than the last EM1 did. Your video was like a dialogue in my head about all the things I thought I needed with the pro level camera and never used. Too late to say, “to make a long story, short”. Like all your videos. Your sort of like the voice in my head if I was British. Keep it up!
If you are a dedicated Portrait photographer a lot of focus points are neat, because usually eye af can aquire way further away and more reliable And e.g. between about 200-300 and 700 is a ton of difference with regards to that
New sub. Great video. It’s amazing that we live in a time when manufacturers can produce a “one size fits all” device that is capable of meeting the needs of many niche users who may end up only utilizing 20% of that device’s functionality.👍👍👍
its a bit like living in a £789,000 london apartment but to pay for it you work 10 hours days, sleep for 7 and commute for 3,,, leaving you with 4 hours to live in your £789,000 apartment apartment .....
Great video. Thanks for sharing. Seeing content like this really motivates me to keep uploading more and better content. Keep up the great work and stay safe
I love the X-T4, but I have rarely found myself using the 15-30crop burst mode. It's awesome that it's there. Anything less than 5fps is agony, which is what I experienced with my two Canon Rebels. They are still fantastic cameras.
as a part-time wedding photographer, i can only agree with you. What bothers me about many "pro" bodies like the Sony a7III is the poor implementation of the ISO setting, of course - auto iso and forget about it. but in some situations, ie when working with flash i'd prefer a dial on top to quickly change iso. Nobody really needs these exaggerated high ISO values, 5-6 values between 100 and 6400 would be sufficient for me...
Great insights! But, if your camera supports up to 425 focus points, why would you turn it down to 117? Wouldn't make lowing the amount of focus points focusing less accurate, as fewer points will make it harder achieving and maintaining accurate focus as the gaps between each point are larger? 🤔
All too true. I've just been using an old Canon P rangefinder, which has ASA setting (set once and forget), shutter speed, and aperture control. Oh, and manual focus. And I didn't once think 'I wish it had three Fn buttons and video' :)
I almost exclusively pull focus on my canon and Fuji . Center on subject, half press shutter and then frame. I let my Ricoh pick focus or touch because it’s hard to see
I have an X-T4 and am slowly getting to grips with it. Most of the features I'll never use, much as you've suggested in the video. One thing you mentioned that did spike my interest is using LR. Is this only for stitching Panoramas or do you do your editing in it? I have moved to Capture One Pro and after using it for some time find it a very powerful editing suite. It doesn't do stitching or HDR rendering but that can be done in Affinity Photo which works with Capture One. Great vid 👍🏼
My old super zoom shot 1 frame per second, for years it was all I used, and what got me passionate into photography. Never once I thought I needed more frames per second than that.
Some great points there Roman. Especially the one about focus points. One other reason to choose a lower focus point count is that you’re able to move your focus point around quicker 👍 Really enjoying your content of late! Keep it up man! Subscribed 👍
Great observation Glen. This video made me think: I know that many photographers shoot the same scene with different focal points, then stack them in post. I wonder if any cameras have a ‘focus point’ burst setting where-in the span of a millisecond-you get 10 nearly identical frames with all foreground and background (and objects in between) all sharp to facilitate later compositing?
Nice video thank you very much, That bring it on the point. I think what the camera industry needs to do now is much better screens in a much better software without blocking any camera and having a much better usability overall.Also getting the pictures easier to the smart phone which faster transfer rates is key as well as the ability to share much faster is very key
Interesting points. And, I really enjoyed your framing of the Houses of Parliament across the Thames with the leaves. I prefer the prosumer cameras that don’t have the goofy scene modes and effects.
You are really on point on this one! I have the same complaints and questions about why these features are advertised as upgrades yet they're not really that helping on taking photos (HDR, Panorama).
Great insight, Thanks for sharing! I just noticed that you changed how you display your photos in videos with the new flashing colors background, please consider changing that as it can trigger headaches for light-sensitive people. Thanks again! love your content
I agree, I'm mainly taking landscape and woods so my settings range is quite limited, but for walking around with the camera all the basic settings are more than adequate. One thing I'd rather see included instead of the gimmicks is a couple of spare eye caps. Wouldn't that be reassuring?
I've been taking photos for 35 years and have never needed more than one centre focus point and a few frames per second -- and anything over 6400 iso has always been scary territory! Still, I love my Sony A7r iv -- but that's for IQ and not the extra features.
Great video because you explained why the features are not so useful. Regarding the 'effect modes' (which I have never used) can't you add these in post-production if you shoot in raw? If I'm happy with a jpg, I'll just use the phone; the proper camera is for proper photography!
Thanks for sharing your experience & thoughts on added values....I must admit I fell into the trap of upgrading my camera when I should have spent the money on better glass...my old D7100 was great to use so added/upgraded features was not worth the money...I am only a hobbyist so I learnt the hard way... cheers from Australia 😀
@Roman Fox Thanks for yet another fantastic and informative session. Can I ask whether you've ever considered the Olympus Omd M1 mk 3 and what made you use Fuji film instead? I'm moving away from Nikon DSLR and it's either XT4 or the Oly. Given the smaller format of the OMD, which would lend itself to Street, what persuaded you to go Fuji?
Let's face the truth for the most of us non professionals: Neither my photos from my overhyped fully featured XT3 nor the photos from my pristine simple Olympus OM1 film camera with absolutely no features are outstanding. Guess why ? My compositions are not outstanding. It's the composition that makes "the" photo and none of all these camera features will ever help one to become better with that ;-) Encouraging video, Roman. Good advice. Thx a lot.
I totally agree with that, but there's a point where gear can become quite limiting... I'm shooting with an old pentax k3 ; I've gotten more and more into sports shooting (freeride skiing in the winter), and this is where things like af speed, tracking and weight are really really becoming a big thing... I played with my friend's alpha 7c and man that was really eye-opening... I just got the shots I wanted, no laggy af tracking or weird colors, it just worked every time, which made it sooo much easier both for me and the guys i had to photograph !
All you need to do to start is have the rule of thirds grid on your evf. And whatever you're shooting try to have any lines line up with the 4 on the grid. If you're doing portraits this could be the edge of a wall, a building in the distance. A wall running left to right. Start there.
Your Philosophical/wise observations are equally special(besides you talk on camera features)--manages to convey the points very well--such as wild-life being left in years/Camera extreme ISO and required by MI5
I use Fuji film recipes *all the time* and have sold photos to Procter & Gamble, 5/3 Bank and Kroger... YUP, with a Classic Chrome recipe from Fuji X Weekly =)
Great video man, I'm just starting so went for a Canon G7X So i think it doesn't have some of these. Basically wanted something good to start on and get used to. If i do go for another years down the line ill bear these in mind. Im going for more Street / Landscape / Abstract photography. Btw awesome photos man!
Good list. I could list off a crap load more. The reality is the the ergonomics of a camera and how it makes you feel will have more of a bearing on whether a camera is good for you (the more you like a camera - the more you will actually take it out). The sooner people forget all the settings and just shoot (and not be afraid to miss shots) the better. No matter what gear you have or what you take with you - you are always going to miss shots. It is the limitations that we impose upon ourselves that inspire creativity - embrace a simpler world...
As someone who shoots some wildlife for fun I generally try to use burst modes as little as possible. The amount of pictures you have to go through after half a day of shooting is staggering. While your chances obviously increase to be able to get the exact shot you want, I would cry if I had to go through the 120fps (or maybe even 160fps) the Z9 apparently is going to get. Aside from that I think the numbers get displayed so prominently because it's much easier for a consumer to compare a number than to gauge how well a camera will feel in hand, if it's going to last a while or if it's fun to take pictures with.
So true, especially with the FPS, mines set on 5.7 and only gets pushed up for panning shots, which I’ve done once since having the XT-3 but yes once I get my long lens I may use higher now and then
The ‘burst-rate’ and ‘focus-point’ topics got me thinking: I know that many photographers shoot the same scene with different focal points, then stack them in post. I wonder if any cameras have a ‘focus point’ burst setting where-in the span of a millisecond-you get 10 nearly identical frames with a selected range foreground and background objects (and those in between) all sharp to facilitate later compositing?
I know that my Fuji X-T3 has that and it’s called focus bracketing. You can choose the nummer of steps/pictures it takes and then you can merge them in post processing. Is that what you meant?
@@rubenkraaij91 I just checked further and discovered the Canon 90D has focus bracketing. Apparently Olympus and Panasonic have cameras with built in focus ‘stacking’. Sounds like fun. BTW: I subbed your channel 👍
What is the trade off for using 425 focus points over 117? Is it battery life, focussing speed and/or something else? I've always wondered why there is even a choice.
Regarding extended ISO: The question for me is whether or not having a higher maximum ISO will make the lower ISO settings any better or not? Even if I will not use those extended ISO values, maybe the lower ones I might actually use, will be less noisy? Another target audience worth mentioning might be celebrity photographers who often take photos at night and need to be able to have a high shutter speed to freeze motion.
Extended ISO: I would say this is an actual draw for a camera WITH the asterisk that it can't be a noise-filled garbage picture like you said. As the technology is getting more and more improvements with newer cameras, sensors, and so forth, we are getting better light sensitive DSLRs without the noise we'd have had just 5 years ago. As an analog film fan who's suffered through indoors photo metering for a very long time, when I chose a proper DSLR the ISO rating being good at higher levels was one of the deciding factors for me. I want to be able to take photos indoors, in darker conditions, without losing the quality I want. I want also to be able to take more low-light or even night-time photos without resorting to a tripod and a 30s timer. There were other factors that went into it, but IMO ISO isn't a gimmick like it used to be (so long as you do the research to find which camera knows what it's doing and avoid those that are clueless).
I think most of this is the result of the fact we've pretty much perfected the digital camera. And by perfected I mean that every camera you can buy right now at every budget level is just capable of nailing the perfect photo. All modern developments are just increasing numbers or focused on things like continuous AF.
Hey Roman! I’m currently on holiday with my family in England. Ill be in London for 1 day and was hoping to go to some secondhand camera shops. I plan to go to Mr. Cad. Are there any other secondhand camera shops you recommend?
Terrific video asking some very sensible questions. Just one comment about high ISO though. My Z6 range goes up to ISO 50000 although I have my max set to about ISO 3200. The high spec itself is not usable but the benefit of the added sensitivity that ISO 3200 still gives good quality. On a camera with a sensor spec was only ISO 12000, ISO 3200 will likely be very average. Hence I do think high ISO capability is good value but not for the reasons used for marketing.
I’ve taken some decent handheld panoramas with my x-t30. It depends on the lens and definitely takes some practice to get good at. Good for ultrawide wallpapers and other casual use, but of course not good enough for professional work 😂
Focus points - AF works by comparison whether CD or PD. When the focus points are too close together, the camera can struggle to find a difference. Particularly in low light. Too many focus points. Less is more. Extended High ISO - possibly of use to photo journalists where they must get the shot, without flash. Workaround - use the flash gun. Yeah. we still need flash. Camera sensors start getting noisy above ISO3200. Modern sensors produce less noise, so we might get away with doubling that or more. Larger sensors produce more electronic noise than small ones. Several reasons for that, less even heating and cooling, greater distance for stray electrons to whizz around on. The NR is usually too aggressive especially at higher ISO and adds artefacts, try reducing it a bit. Also look to see if you have moire or diffraction reduction to play with. Art and Scene 'filters' - some are just toys but some are actually useful, like grain effect on B&W. Most menus can be customised to remove the unwanted. Colour filters for B&W, yes. We still need pola and grad filters. Panoramic - Have you seen a Lumix do a pano? It just does it.
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Omg i just realised that for the bit where i was chatting about autofocus i left the camera in manual focus and my face was not in focus. Couldn’t make this up lol
I wasn’t going to mention it 🤣
Was going to comment about that 😄…. Excellent video nonetheless.
the video quality was superb !
Ah the skin smoothing AF filter mode!! The secret is out.
I hat to say this but I did not see one of your images that you could call sharp, sorry but that is my opinion.
My OM-1 does about 1 frame per 2 seconds, if I wind it really fast.🙂
😂
was thinking very similar thing about the cameras I like and use :D Also years ago I had EOS3 for short time - film camera - if you would set a drive into (C) and push the button for several seconds you ... just burned through serious money :D
I don't use my OM-1 much but is has a very nice feel to it & I know that if the photo is good, this is because I did a good job, not electronics doing all the work for me.
@@TheRip72 yes.👍🏻 See my latest POV video for the OM-1 in action in NYC.
I did this with an AT-1, the shutter fires itself. Nice to know my camera has an all in one auto shutter feature.
Apparently the magnet contact is dirty, cleaned it and now the feature is gone.
Just to comment -- One feature that I DO like for street photography is 'Auto-ISO.' I don't think a lot of people use it because it isn't mentioned very much. I like it because from minute to minute the lighting conditions change a lot on the street when walking between buildings and such. So I don't want to be fiddling around with settings trying to get a shot. Each camera has different settings and algorithms with this feature as to how it is structured. So it takes a little thoughtfullness to set up. But it works really well for me in the street situation.
I don't use auto Iso.
I have tried a few times where the auto Iso went up to something like 1600 iso in bright sunlight with auto shutter speed of maybe 2000.
So stupid, it's probably my fault. But until I understand my camera completely i don't use auto Iso when taking photos of something important
Yes auto iso is the best thing ever. I use it 95% of the time
@@lollandz Hi! On my camera, the auto-ISO feature has the following setup items: default sensitivity (the lowest, basic ISO setting), max sensitivity (the highest ISO I allow), and minimum shutter speed. I set the max so that the camera always has minimal noise based on tests I have done. I set the min shutter speed so that camera shake is not going to blur the shot. What I want to happen is that the camera always maintains the lowest ISO possible, and then it varies shutter speed above the minimum to maintain exposure. It should raise the ISO if it can't slow down the shutter speed to get exposure. On my camera it won't go past the max ISO no matter what, so in extreme dark situations it will keep the shutter open to whatever it takes to get exposure. Every camera is probably different when it comes to what it does, it is worth testing for a little bit to determine how it reacts to various situations. In your case, I suspect that the 1600 ISO you saw was the max ISO setting on your screen. But if you look in Lightroom it will tell you that the picture was actually taken at a lower ISO. The last thing is that I set auto-ISO settings based on doing daylight street photography. Other situations, such as nighttime street photography, would dictate other settings.
Oh, I don't like auto iso at all. Id rather set an ISO to 800 or even 1600, depending on the condition, and use Shutter Speed Priority.
I do use, setting a limit though. I know some people they are very sensitive to iso and always shoot at , highest 200 )))
The way you show the scene first then show the photo result in this video made me clap in real life. I am in awe of how you produce such beautiful results in such ordinary environments! Look up to you, Roman!
You can make GIFs if you have a high burst mode like XT-4. Really lovely for engagement and graduation pictures where you can capture movement, like throwing confetti or flowers.
my camera does 20fps(afc), makes a smooth gif for sure, but generally it's more useful for capturing wildlife in motion
I, an amateur, switched to the Fuji XS10 from a Nikon D500. However, the cameras I adore are my Nikon FE2 (35mm) and Pentax auto (110mm), because of their simplicity. Analogue isn’t for everyone, but one can take beautiful pictures with their digital camera without all the specs as well :) Great video, this should be the first message for beginners!
Yeh, pare back the complexity and start seeing more clearly what you’re creating. I’ve got a great full frame powerhouse in my Pentax K-1 but the simplicity of using just a prime manual focus lens on my Fuji X-E4 or Pentax MX is pure creative joy !
which is why ppl love smartphones these days, it's darn simple (and if you need it badly you can even get that 40Mpix raw as well)
As a photographer who mostly captures birds, including birds on flight, I fall into the category in which the gear needs to be different. I would have missed lots of my favorite images had I not had animal eye tracking and a ludicrous burst rate. Enjoyed your video and great images which brought back memories of my three years living in London.
Personally I find the 10 chicken nuggets a crucial factor in my type of photography, but if you don't use them, then I guess don't buy a camera based on that🤷♂️
Filming 10 chicken nuggets in 4k (downsampled from 6k) 10 bit 4-2-2 400mbps in Log profile is an out of this world experience!
I prefer my nuggets branded.
There's no chicken nugget dail on my camera, maybe i could add it as a custom function?
@@emgee44 I did that and still didn't get any chicken nuggets.
i agree with you completely--those spec sheets are often a lot of distracting noise-- and i'm not talking high iso
Another super video, Roman! Love to see my old home town and how it's changed. Your pragmatic style and approach is a much needed breathe of fresh air in the miasma of photog's hot air! (Yes, I've swallowed a dictionary today!!)
Lenses lenses lenses is where most money should be spent
and guess 10 yrs later you'll just say - good shoes and plane tickets - this is where the most money shoud be spent on photograpy :-)
And lights and reflectors
Not necessarily. The manufacturers have already started building obsolescence into their modern lenses by giving full computer control over the functions of the lens. I wouldn't be surprised if sooner or later, with each new ' generation ' of digital cameras ( imaging computer devices to be exact ) new lenses would not be required. This is no situation like the Leica M or Nikon F mount lenses where a 60 year old lens is perfectly functional on a new camera.
@@lensman5762 If you don't care to much about auto focus you can adjust the lenses you are talking about to most cameras. It's not a limitation, it's just more choice.
@@boozelala it is not the question of auto focus. The point is that when a lens is computerised its functions are controlled by the firmware . This is where the main problem lies, and then the mounts themselves. I still wonder why the sudden push towards mirrorless cameras? Makes one wonder.
Outstanding! Back in the late 70’s we had 1 fps and null focus points! Because it was film you solely depended on aperture, subject distance and the circle of confusion. Guess what we did weddings and sports that way! Kids today should learn a bit more!
My camera use 399 (!) Focus Points. 90% of my photos use 1 of them. It's the one in the middle, which I focus and hold it when the camera moves back to the frame i want to take. This technique comes from the mid 90s when 5 focus points are near to professional.
As someone who was always in pursuit of better image quality for the better part of the last two decades, more megapixels, full frame, prime lenses etc, I feel ashamed to admit that it took me so long to realise that you don't need the latest and greatest to take great photos. If anything the wrong camera, big, bulky, heavy, can have a negative impact on your enjoyment and therefore photography. Moving from a beast of a camera like the Pentax K1 to the much smaller Fuji x-e4 was a revelation. Yes it's apsc and the image quality can't really compare but it doesn't have to. It's perfectly fine and more than enough and the small size and weight has made me fall in love with going out more and shooting more which at the end of the day it's all that matters right. Anyhow, great video as always :)
Totally agree. I have just moved to the Nikon Z50 - with the adapter allowing me to use my old lenes; it's light, competent, and does what I need. My old camera, a D7200, was not a monster but I found it too heavy and cumbersome on long walks. It's what you need for the job rather than what you want.
My favourite Fuji is still my XT1. 49 focus points and an almost totally ISO invariant sensor lets me stick in at 400 and adjust away in LR. There is something about the look of the images that come out of the XT1 that I prefer over my XT3. I use it professionally for sports (cycling mainly) and product photography and it is a little gem.
The XT-1 has an X-Trans II sensor, which many people think is Fuji’s best sensor. I have an X-E2s, which has the same sensor and I just love the photos it takes. The JPEGS are excellent and very film-like.
Cheers Roman, it’s Sean in Atlanta! This was an excellent video and I learned so much and I wanted to say thank you and also hope that you are doing well. We get inundated with bullshit facts and figures from these camera companies trying to get us to continually buy new gear and this helped me get a lot of that nonsense out of my system! Thank you again and take care!
Sean
absolute must see video for anyone looking to get their first camera, quality content yet again mate
Triple Gain ISO at 25,600 allows you to capture a moment during next Tuesday but the corners are pretty noisy
hahahahaha
back in the day 9 fps was considered a high point in sports photography. Those were the days.
Don't forget all the extra photos to trawl through
back in the day 99% of photos hanging now in the best world's galleris were made with cameras with 1fps, manual rewind :-P
I agree. I’m a sports photographer and I use the 1D Mark IV from 2009 a canon body. This body has a burst rate of 10 fps ideal for sports. This body is sufficient for me. but the later incarnations are shooting around 15 fps. This is too much. If you were to shoot a sequence of images in the goal mouth that leads to a goal and lasts a duration of 4 seconds you’ve just shot around 60 photos. Going through that your self is so time consuming. The difference in action is absolutely minuscule from frame to frame. It’s only when you jump several frames you can see difference. The quantity these days is too much. It’s nonsense.
@@NoName-jq7tj I'm into birding, and I fully agree with you!!!
@Wetterhoun Yes it’s nonsense. Canon I think announced another incarnation to their mirrorless camera range this week. A body that shoots 30fos. Now why would you need all this. I think what is happening here is that huge agencies like Gerry & Reuters dictate to the manufacturers what they want because these pro bodies are targeted at that market. Big agencies are competing with each other at these big sports tournaments or Premier League coverage & want all the images. They are just killing each other and the photographer is just a pawn in all this high end technological nonsense. Where is the creative mind of the photographer going to come from.
I Love your no nonsense videos you talk so much sense. It’s so easy to get blinded my specs that are not real world related. I’m also sorry that your neighbour stole your recycling bin.
Great video and much needed in the climate of buying every new device that is released. I personally choose to buy vintage and or try to get the most value in my spending whenever I can; seeing how usually I have a number in my head that prefer not to go over. Please if you would do a video on the vintage lens and the benefits to them over new age lenses from your perspective. Cheers
Amazing video, Roman! Content-wise is on point, debunking those unnecessary specs that might feel like one’s missing out for not having. Thank you for that! I love how straightforward and fun you managed to explain these.
But the narrative was SO damn well done. It was really entertaining and interesting to follow along with you. I feel like I’ve been strolling by your side and finding those shots with you. It’s brilliantly done for such a simple idea. We get the whole picture, you pin point your view and then, we get the beautiful shot. It’s a genius storytelling, really.
I just didn’t know exactly how far we’ve walked and if there’s anything I would suggest is maybe you could show a maps, at least at the beginning of the video. It really felt like a photographic walking tour. Keep it up!
Having more focus points helps - as more of the frame is covered without large gaps, however at some point the density of focus points will no longer provide any significant improvement. We are nearing full practical coverage and increasing the number is just marketing.
Most often I use the centre focus point, or a few central points, and recompose. I never find the camera reads my mind well enough to always focus where I want it to. I suppose it comes from spending the first 20 years of my photography with a manual focus film camera with a central split screen focus aid in the centre. Old habits die hard!
Enjoyed the video. I had to down grade my Olympus recently. I had an EM1 that I beat the hell out of for six years and finally it sort of gave out on me. I live and work in Thailand and I didn’t want my Olympus down. I mostly use a Ricoh GRii but I have a sweet spot for Olympus and I didn’t want my two lenses to be lying around idle. I found used a minty EM10 mark ii and bought it to have until I could get another EM1. Funny thing is even with the less bells and whistles I don’t notice any difference. It actually goes out with me more than the last EM1 did. Your video was like a dialogue in my head about all the things I thought I needed with the pro level camera and never used. Too late to say, “to make a long story, short”. Like all your videos. Your sort of like the voice in my head if I was British. Keep it up!
I like the video image and how it looks when you walk. What ibis and focus settings were you using?
It's nice to see the river front. That's a nice city to walk and to take pictures from one end to another.
You’re good mate. Your content is great, well done, skilful & useful more importantly. You’ve got me hooked.
I really dig the transition music you used here-far, far superior to what usually comes standard in any given youtube video.
If you are a dedicated Portrait photographer a lot of focus points are neat, because usually eye af can aquire way further away and more reliable
And e.g. between about 200-300 and 700 is a ton of difference with regards to that
New sub. Great video. It’s amazing that we live in a time when manufacturers can produce a “one size fits all” device that is capable of meeting the needs of many niche users who may end up only utilizing 20% of that device’s functionality.👍👍👍
its a bit like living in a £789,000 london apartment but to pay for it you work 10 hours days, sleep for 7 and commute for 3,,, leaving you with 4 hours to live in your £789,000 apartment apartment .....
Which lens did you use while preparing your tea? That's such a pleasing look.
Great video. Thanks for sharing. Seeing content like this really motivates me to keep uploading more and better content. Keep up the great work and stay safe
This video and many others of yours offers very useful information. Thank you!!
The main feature I need on my camera is actually on my iPhone: using the maps app for a good coffee shop to review my shots!
I love the X-T4, but I have rarely found myself using the 15-30crop burst mode. It's awesome that it's there. Anything less than 5fps is agony, which is what I experienced with my two Canon Rebels. They are still fantastic cameras.
as a part-time wedding photographer, i can only agree with you. What bothers me about many "pro" bodies like the Sony a7III is the poor implementation of the ISO setting, of course - auto iso and forget about it. but in some situations, ie when working with flash i'd prefer a dial on top to quickly change iso. Nobody really needs these exaggerated high ISO values, 5-6 values between 100 and 6400 would be sufficient for me...
Always find your videos useful mate. Simple language and very easy to understand and many times food for thought, cheers.
Great insights! But, if your camera supports up to 425 focus points, why would you turn it down to 117? Wouldn't make lowing the amount of focus points focusing less accurate, as fewer points will make it harder achieving and maintaining accurate focus as the gaps between each point are larger? 🤔
If you are in single point focus and adjusting your focus point with the joystick, it takes longer and could be more distracting
Really interesting video Roman, is your opinion the same with the JPEG film style settings that you get with Fuji cameras too?
All too true. I've just been using an old Canon P rangefinder, which has ASA setting (set once and forget), shutter speed, and aperture control. Oh, and manual focus. And I didn't once think 'I wish it had three Fn buttons and video' :)
I really like your photographic style! Clean, vivid colors w/o being oversaturated and atmospheric. LIKE
Loooove this format of video walking around, explaining the topic, and making photos. Really fresh. Also great topic, great points
This is the first of your videos I have seen, really like your style of delivery and your perspective of shots
I almost exclusively pull focus on my canon and Fuji . Center on subject, half press shutter and then frame. I let my Ricoh pick focus or touch because it’s hard to see
I have an X-T4 and am slowly getting to grips with it. Most of the features I'll never use, much as you've suggested in the video. One thing you mentioned that did spike my interest is using LR. Is this only for stitching Panoramas or do you do your editing in it? I have moved to Capture One Pro and after using it for some time find it a very powerful editing suite. It doesn't do stitching or HDR rendering but that can be done in Affinity Photo which works with Capture One. Great vid 👍🏼
Hi Roman, love the videos, can I ask what strap system you are using please? Tnx
My old super zoom shot 1 frame per second, for years it was all I used, and what got me passionate into photography. Never once I thought I needed more frames per second than that.
Some great points there Roman. Especially the one about focus points. One other reason to choose a lower focus point count is that you’re able to move your focus point around quicker 👍
Really enjoying your content of late! Keep it up man!
Subscribed 👍
Great observation Glen. This video made me think: I know that many photographers shoot the same scene with different focal points, then stack them in post. I wonder if any cameras have a ‘focus point’ burst setting where-in the span of a millisecond-you get 10 nearly identical frames with all foreground and background (and objects in between) all sharp to facilitate later compositing?
@@richardsilva-spokane3436 yes they do, various Olympus and Panasonic have automatic focus stacking options built in.
Nice video thank you very much, That bring it on the point. I think what the camera industry needs to do now is much better screens in a much better software without blocking any camera and having a much better usability overall.Also getting the pictures easier to the smart phone which faster transfer rates is key as well as the ability to share much faster is very key
Interesting points. And, I really enjoyed your framing of the Houses of Parliament across the Thames with the leaves. I prefer the prosumer cameras that don’t have the goofy scene modes and effects.
Good points well made Roman. 👍
You are really on point on this one! I have the same complaints and questions about why these features are advertised as upgrades yet they're not really that helping on taking photos (HDR, Panorama).
Great video, I love my Fuji XE2s, its old at this point, but having access to the Fuji XF series of lenses is great.
"If there's any left" haha hilarious but unfortunately true
Great insight, Thanks for sharing!
I just noticed that you changed how you display your photos in videos with the new flashing colors background, please consider changing that as it can trigger headaches for light-sensitive people.
Thanks again! love your content
My eye shot straight to the ‘10 chicken nuggets’ 👀🍗 😂
Great video to simplify the buying process in a different way
I agree, I'm mainly taking landscape and woods so my settings range is quite limited, but for walking around with the camera all the basic settings are more than adequate. One thing I'd rather see included instead of the gimmicks is a couple of spare eye caps. Wouldn't that be reassuring?
haha or eye cups that dont get ripped off. I took mine off because i always ended up damaging them, buying new ones to damage again
What film simulation are you using? Or do you shoot raw?
I've been taking photos for 35 years and have never needed more than one centre focus point and a few frames per second -- and anything over 6400 iso has always been scary territory! Still, I love my Sony A7r iv -- but that's for IQ and not the extra features.
Great video because you explained why the features are not so useful. Regarding the 'effect modes' (which I have never used) can't you add these in post-production if you shoot in raw? If I'm happy with a jpg, I'll just use the phone; the proper camera is for proper photography!
A lot of phones can shoot RAW now
Nice informative video! I heard you edit in lightroom...what is your work around the wormy details from the raws?
i dont sharpen really so never ha major issues
Thanks for sharing your experience & thoughts on added values....I must admit I fell into the trap of upgrading my camera when I should have spent the money on better glass...my old D7100 was great to use so added/upgraded features was not worth the money...I am only a hobbyist so I learnt the hard way... cheers from Australia 😀
You're absolutely right, great photos. I'm hoping to get to London in the next week or so.
@Roman Fox Thanks for yet another fantastic and informative session. Can I ask whether you've ever considered the Olympus Omd M1 mk 3 and what made you use Fuji film instead? I'm moving away from Nikon DSLR and it's either XT4 or the Oly. Given the smaller format of the OMD, which would lend itself to Street, what persuaded you to go Fuji?
Let's face the truth for the most of us non professionals: Neither my photos from my overhyped fully featured XT3 nor the photos from my pristine simple Olympus OM1 film camera with absolutely no features are outstanding. Guess why ? My compositions are not outstanding. It's the composition that makes "the" photo and none of all these camera features will ever help one to become better with that ;-)
Encouraging video, Roman. Good advice. Thx a lot.
I totally agree with that, but there's a point where gear can become quite limiting... I'm shooting with an old pentax k3 ; I've gotten more and more into sports shooting (freeride skiing in the winter), and this is where things like af speed, tracking and weight are really really becoming a big thing... I played with my friend's alpha 7c and man that was really eye-opening... I just got the shots I wanted, no laggy af tracking or weird colors, it just worked every time, which made it sooo much easier both for me and the guys i had to photograph !
All you need to do to start is have the rule of thirds grid on your evf. And whatever you're shooting try to have any lines line up with the 4 on the grid. If you're doing portraits this could be the edge of a wall, a building in the distance. A wall running left to right. Start there.
Your Philosophical/wise observations are equally special(besides you talk on camera features)--manages to convey the points very well--such as wild-life being left in years/Camera extreme ISO and required by MI5
Mate you need to do a whole shoot with your camera in miniature mode I’d love to see that ha ha
I use Fuji film recipes *all the time* and have sold photos to Procter & Gamble, 5/3 Bank and Kroger... YUP, with a Classic Chrome recipe from Fuji X Weekly =)
Great video man, I'm just starting so went for a Canon G7X So i think it doesn't have some of these. Basically wanted something good to start on and get used to. If i do go for another years down the line ill bear these in mind. Im going for more Street / Landscape / Abstract photography.
Btw awesome photos man!
Interesting video and I agree with you but quick question: why did you buy a camera with all those features on it?
From my perspective you buy the best that your budget allows at the time as you intend to keep it for at least 5 years.
Good vid Roman! What’s your thoughts on jpeg vs raw format?
both serve a different purpose and are useful. I am planning to make a video on it soon
Cracking summary! 👍🏻
I do like your videos Roman, very honest and you say it as it is.
Your photography is pretty good too😉😉👍
Love the photos you showed during the video.
Good list. I could list off a crap load more. The reality is the the ergonomics of a camera and how it makes you feel will have more of a bearing on whether a camera is good for you (the more you like a camera - the more you will actually take it out). The sooner people forget all the settings and just shoot (and not be afraid to miss shots) the better. No matter what gear you have or what you take with you - you are always going to miss shots. It is the limitations that we impose upon ourselves that inspire creativity - embrace a simpler world...
As someone who shoots some wildlife for fun I generally try to use burst modes as little as possible. The amount of pictures you have to go through after half a day of shooting is staggering. While your chances obviously increase to be able to get the exact shot you want, I would cry if I had to go through the 120fps (or maybe even 160fps) the Z9 apparently is going to get. Aside from that I think the numbers get displayed so prominently because it's much easier for a consumer to compare a number than to gauge how well a camera will feel in hand, if it's going to last a while or if it's fun to take pictures with.
Great video, Roman! Loving your stuff!
So true, especially with the FPS, mines set on 5.7 and only gets pushed up for panning shots, which I’ve done once since having the XT-3 but yes once I get my long lens I may use higher now and then
I walk through battersea power station on Sunday 😎 Great Advice matey!!
The ‘burst-rate’ and ‘focus-point’ topics got me thinking:
I know that many photographers shoot the same scene with different focal points, then stack them in post. I wonder if any cameras have a ‘focus point’ burst setting where-in the span of a millisecond-you get 10 nearly identical frames with a selected range foreground and background objects (and those in between) all sharp to facilitate later compositing?
I know that my Fuji X-T3 has that and it’s called focus bracketing. You can choose the nummer of steps/pictures it takes and then you can merge them in post processing. Is that what you meant?
@@rubenkraaij91 Yes! Exactly that!! Thanks, I’ll check it out👍
@@richardsilva-spokane3436 No worries! It’s great for landscape photography and you need everything to be in focus!
@@rubenkraaij91 I just checked further and discovered the Canon 90D has focus bracketing. Apparently Olympus and Panasonic have cameras with built in focus ‘stacking’.
Sounds like fun. BTW: I subbed your channel 👍
'Extended ISO'.....let's you see in the dark and into the future.....love that comment !!
What is the trade off for using 425 focus points over 117? Is it battery life, focussing speed and/or something else? I've always wondered why there is even a choice.
Laughed out loud (spelled proper) more than once , oh and most informative.
Totally agree,,, Why pay for features you probably don't,,, or wont use.
Regarding extended ISO: The question for me is whether or not having a higher maximum ISO will make the lower ISO settings any better or not? Even if I will not use those extended ISO values, maybe the lower ones I might actually use, will be less noisy? Another target audience worth mentioning might be celebrity photographers who often take photos at night and need to be able to have a high shutter speed to freeze motion.
Extended ISO: I would say this is an actual draw for a camera WITH the asterisk that it can't be a noise-filled garbage picture like you said. As the technology is getting more and more improvements with newer cameras, sensors, and so forth, we are getting better light sensitive DSLRs without the noise we'd have had just 5 years ago. As an analog film fan who's suffered through indoors photo metering for a very long time, when I chose a proper DSLR the ISO rating being good at higher levels was one of the deciding factors for me. I want to be able to take photos indoors, in darker conditions, without losing the quality I want. I want also to be able to take more low-light or even night-time photos without resorting to a tripod and a 30s timer. There were other factors that went into it, but IMO ISO isn't a gimmick like it used to be (so long as you do the research to find which camera knows what it's doing and avoid those that are clueless).
0:06
Hey I upgraded my fuji when it went from the 6 chicken nugget sensor to the 10 chicken nugget sensor… DONT LISTEN TO ROMAN! 😂
I think most of this is the result of the fact we've pretty much perfected the digital camera. And by perfected I mean that every camera you can buy right now at every budget level is just capable of nailing the perfect photo. All modern developments are just increasing numbers or focused on things like continuous AF.
I agree with you, fully. Yet, they were saying the exact same thing in the late 80s with, for example, the Nikon F801.
Hey Roman, i've noticed that the viewfinder eyecup on your X-T4 looks somewhat different than mine. Is that an aftermarket mod of some sort?
Iso invariance I assume makes extended iso moot?
Love your work! First time on your chanel
Dude, GREAT photos.
Hey Roman! I’m currently on holiday with my family in England. Ill be in London for 1 day and was hoping to go to some secondhand camera shops. I plan to go to Mr. Cad. Are there any other secondhand camera shops you recommend?
WEX is good
Could listen to this guy all day.
Camera Manufacturers: “you need 500 focus points”
Me, who shoots manual focus: no ❤️
I do use the focus points to zoom into a section for MF though…
Terrific video asking some very sensible questions. Just one comment about high ISO though. My Z6 range goes up to ISO 50000 although I have my max set to about ISO 3200. The high spec itself is not usable but the benefit of the added sensitivity that ISO 3200 still gives good quality. On a camera with a sensor spec was only ISO 12000, ISO 3200 will likely be very average. Hence I do think high ISO capability is good value but not for the reasons used for marketing.
I’ve taken some decent handheld panoramas with my x-t30. It depends on the lens and definitely takes some practice to get good at. Good for ultrawide wallpapers and other casual use, but of course not good enough for professional work 😂
Great video & great photos!
Focus points - AF works by comparison whether CD or PD. When the focus points are too close together, the camera can struggle to find a difference. Particularly in low light. Too many focus points. Less is more.
Extended High ISO - possibly of use to photo journalists where they must get the shot, without flash. Workaround - use the flash gun. Yeah. we still need flash.
Camera sensors start getting noisy above ISO3200. Modern sensors produce less noise, so we might get away with doubling that or more. Larger sensors produce more electronic noise than small ones. Several reasons for that, less even heating and cooling, greater distance for stray electrons to whizz around on. The NR is usually too aggressive especially at higher ISO and adds artefacts, try reducing it a bit. Also look to see if you have moire or diffraction reduction to play with.
Art and Scene 'filters' - some are just toys but some are actually useful, like grain effect on B&W. Most menus can be customised to remove the unwanted. Colour filters for B&W, yes. We still need pola and grad filters.
Panoramic - Have you seen a Lumix do a pano? It just does it.
Great Information as always!!