I’m the same as you. I love new cameras and lenses.
There is something satisfying and gratifying about getting a new tool and I believe that a new camera or lens can often kick start your inspiration to create the images that you want.
However in all honesty most cameras these days are capable of creating high quality images so a wiser investment of our money is perhaps to increase our photographic knowledge and competence.
I’m a self taught photographer as I guess a lot of you are too.
When I first picked up a proper camera I quickly realised that I wanted to know what makes a good image.
I read and studied a huge amount of books on the subject. Ranging from simple tips and tricks books that tell you what to do (but not always why) such as Scott Kelbies Digital Photography series to books on classical painters to study composition.
Below are my top 5 books that I feel give the most useful information in the most easily digestible form.
Don’t forget to buy through my Amazon links below. It wont cost you any more but I get a small comission which helps me to create new content. Thank you and enjoy.
1. Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson.
This is my number one general photography book because it gives a great understanding of the basics of the exposure triangle (shutter speed, aperture, ISO) as well as the creative choices that these settings give us.
It teaches you to understand how to create images with total control over the final look of your photos in an easily digestible way.
This is the first book you should buy.
2. Digital Photography Series by Scott Kelby.
This series of books by Scott Kelby gives simple straight forward tips to help you create certain looks in your images. It never delves too deeply into the why but if you just want to know the how then these books are great.
3. Nature Photography: Insider secrets by Chris Weston
This book is not just about nature photography although it is a must read for anyone interested in shooting wildlife.
It also has some great explanations on the fundamental skills and principles needed to create high quality images of any subject. Its explanations on how to properly expose your photos to maximise image quality are the best I’ve read and it’s explanation of ISO is a ‘turning on the light switch’ moment.
4. The Photographers Eye by Michael Freeman.
Michael Freeman’s book concentrates on composition and is probably the most in depth of the books listed so far.
It explains the theories behind composition and goes in to more detail than just the rule of thirds which so many cite as the be all and end all of composition.
Information on Gestalt theory, how to use line, shape and form as well as great images to convey each point.
This book goes way beyond the basics but in an easy to read and interesting way.
If you want to really understand composition then I suggest this book as a great starting point.
5. Mastering Composition by Richard Garvey Williams.
This book offers a thorough examination of composition from the rule of thirds through to design, theory, colour and more.
It is the most thorough in its examination of composition. It is a little dry in the way it is written so perhaps not as engaging as Michael Freeman’s book above, however the content is excellent and worth working your way through.
So there you have it, my top 5 books on photography.
If you read just two of these I would suggest Understanding Exposure and The Photographers Eye as great places to start. Once you have read and digested the information in these books go out and put your new found knowledge in to practise and I guarantee you will be creating more interesting and compelling photos than the majority of people.
With the recently announced Olympus OM-D E-M1 II coming soon (we expect around November) I thought it would be fun to try out the fairly new Pen F and put it up against the OM-D E-M5 II.
I’m just waiting for the two cameras and a few lenses to arrive before testing them.
The Pen F is considered by some to be priced too high, especially when compared to the OM-D E-M5 II so I’m going to see what you get for the extra money and ultimately whether it’s worth the extra cash.
Updates will be posted in a couple of weeks along with the usual sample images and full resolution files on Flickr.
Then when released we will hopefully get in the new Olympus flagship OM-D E-M1 II nearer to Christmas time alongside some of the new range of Olympus Pro lenses like the 25mm f/1.2. I’ve got a trip to Hong Kong planned for the end of the year so it might be the perfect chance to take the mk ii with me.
The Nikon D7200 is considered as one of the best enthusiast DSLR’s on the market so after having used it for a few months alongside a Canon 80D I’m going to write up a quick review and give my thoughts on this Nikon DX APS-C DSLR.
Nikon D7200 key features
24.2MP CMOS sensor with no optical low-pass filter
Multi-CAM 3500DX II 51-point AF system, all sensitive to -3EV
2,016-pixel RGB metering sensor, used for 3D subject tracking in AF-C
ISO 100-25,600, with ISO 51,200 and 102,400 black and white modes
6 fps continuous shooting (7 fps in 1.3x crop mode) with increased buffer depth
1/8000 sec maximum shutter speed
3.2″, 1.2M dot RGBW LCD display
1080/60p video (1.3x crop only) with clean output over HDMI and Flat Picture Control
Dual SD card slots
Wi-Fi with NFC
Magnesium alloy weather-sealed body
I used to own a D7100 a couple of years ago and liked the camera a lot but had one major gripe that a camera with a 6 FPS shooting rate was basically crippled by a ridiculously small buffer effectively rendering it useless for fast action unless you were shooting jpegs.
You literally couldn’t even shoot a 1 second burst with the D7100 in Raw so I hoped that the increased buffer size would make the D7200 more useful in this respect.
Apart from the increased buffer size not a huge amount has changed on the D7200. The auto-focus has been improved slightly and there is the handy addition of both Wi-Fi and NFC. 1080 60p video has been added although only when shooting in a 1.3x crop.
For me this is not a video centric camera and as I don’t shoot much video I’m not really going to get in to the video side of things.
What I’m interested in with a DSLR like this is image quality, handling, useability and low light performance so that’s what I’m going to look at here.
Handling
Having shot the Canon 80D quite a lot lately and then more recently shooting the Nikon D7200 it reaffirms my preference for shooting Nikon DSLR bodies for 2 main reasons. The first being that the ergonomics just feel better. Secondly the sensor performance is still ahead in terms of dynamic range and ISO performance.
I prefer the slightly shallower grip of the D7200 over the 80D’s as it just feels more comfortable to hold over the course of a day.
The D7200 feels more natural in the hand and subtle things like the placement of the on/off switch being by the shutter release and therefore usable one handed and the placement of Nikon’s rear control dial feeling more natural than the Canon 80D’s thumb wheel when shooting in manual mode and wanting to quickly change aperture or shutter speed.
Nikon seems to understand how photographers work a little better than Canon.
Add to this that the D7200 has dual SD card slots, quick access to most shooting functions very good auto ISO implementation and it feels like a solid camera intended to get out of your way and let you shoot.
The one issue I do have with the D7200 is that when shooting in manual ISO you have to use the ISO button which is located to the left of the cameras screen. I would much rather have a dedicated button on the top right of the camera next to the exposure compensation button or at least be able to reassign one of the function buttons on the front of the camera to ISO which is not currently available.
I understand handling is a personal and subjective issue so if you prefer Canon that’s great but for me the Canons feel a little more uncomfortable and less user friendly. I used to shoot Canon on a 450d, 40d and the 5D mk ii was my main body for a long time and I never had any major gripes with them but then I used them purely in manual mode for slow and methodical shooting producing landscapes for galleries.
Since buying Nikons I found them to suit my style better.
Image Quality
The 24mp APS-C sensor in the Nikon D7200 performs very well even with the 18-140mm kit lens. The lack of AA filter allows for more detail in your shots and although it wont make or break a great image the added detail is welcome, especially when you pixel peep as I must admit I do sometimes. You can see individual eyelashes defined a little better than with Canon’s 80D which has an AA filter. I never found issues with moire so the added detail comes at no cost.
I may be in the minority here as many rave about the colours coming out of Canon’s cameras but I actually prefer the slightly more subdued look of Nikons Jpeg engine. However if I want to crank up the saturation contrast or sharpness you can easily do so in the picture settings menu or in post.
Overall the D7200 is still ahead of the Canon 80D for image quality both in terms of actual resolution and in particular the dynamic range offered by the sensor. When shooting high contrast scenes I noticed that the Canon would blow out highlights before the D7200.
High ISO performance is still a little better from the D7200 in comparison to the 80D although the gap has definitely been closed by the Canon in this area. For me the difference is now somewhere around 1/3 to 1/2 a stop in favour of the D7200.
ISO 3200 is very clean and for my personal tastes 6400 is the limit of what I would use.
It is all very well all these websites claiming that 6400 ISO and above is clean in good light but you generally use high ISO’s in poor light and even at ISO 5000 in poor light the images don’t always hold up to scrutiny on even modern cameras.
Auto Focus
I’ll keep this short and sweet. The Nikon D7200’s 3d tracking autofocus is better than the Canon 80D’s. It is faster to lock on, tracks moving subjects better and ultimately will give you a higher keeper rate even if it shoots at 1fps slower than the 80D.
If you want to see examples and a more detailed comparison check out the 80D review here
Conclusion
As I said this is just a quick review after actually buying and shooting these cameras over an extended period.
There are hundreds of Nikon D7200 reviews out there giving every minute detail so my aim here is to give a quick overview of the camera performance in the real world and let the image examples (full res files available on Flickr) do the talking.
If I was buying an enthusiast level DSLR at this price point the D7200 and 80D would be the two cameras I would be deciding between. In this case if you have no investment in either system then the Nikon D7200 is undoubtedly the better camera for stills photography.
It’s autofocus is better, the image quality is better thanks to a lack of AA filter and better dynamic range. It also has a slight lead in terms of high ISO performance. Handling is subjective but for me the Nikon wins in this area too.
If you shoot video in any serious way then the 80D would be better but that is the only area I would say it beats the D7200.
Final Thoughts
Having shot Fujifilm a lot over the past few years ( I still shoot the X100T) I’m particularly interested to see what they have done with the XT-2 so that will be my next move and of course putting it up against the Nikon D7200. [UPDATE] Check out my Fuji XT2 review
Since I have a young baby and lots of nieces and nephews I don’t want to miss any of those first time moments. I will be testing to see if the auto focus system can keep up with the D7200 for shooting erratically moving children as well as a whole host of other subjects. If they have cracked the auto focus (finally) and with the new 24mp X-Trans III sensor with the beautiful Fuji Jpegs that might be a replacement for my trusty Nikon D7200. The only issue I have is that the initial price seems a little high to me considering the D7200 can be bought with the 18-140mm for well under £1000. The Fuji is over 50% more at the time of release.
Following on from Hassleblads X1D mirrorless medium format announcement earlier in the year Fujifilm have announced their long rumoured and much anticipated venture in to mirrorless medium format with the GFX50s.
The GFX50s has a 51mp 43.8x 32.9 sensor which is 1.7x larger than full frame DSLR’s yet the body is around the same size as a professional level body from Canon or Nikon.
We are super excited to get our hands on one of these and see if Fuji have translated their X series know how in to the medium format world. With Fujifilms long history with medium format and their refined APS-C X series now maturing in to great all around cameras with the recently released X-Pro2 and X-T2 this might be the mirrorless medium format system to change the game.
Fujifilm also announced 6 lenses will be released during 2017 which is certainly a good start to the G system.
They claim that the camera and 63mm f/2.8 along with detachable (but included in the box viewfinder) will come in at ‘well under $10,000 US’.
For us ‘well under’ would be around the $6-8000 dollar mark so we will have to wait and see how the pricing works out. At the 6-8k mark we think it will seriously tempt affluent amateurs and professionals alike but if it’s pushing $10,000 it might be a bit much to open up a new demographic to digital medium format.
What interests us the most with this announcement is to see the rendering of those superb Fuji colours from a medium format digital sensor.
The camera should be available at the start of 2017 alongside the 63mm f/2.8 (50mm equiv) , 32-64mm f/4 (25-51mm equiv) and 120mm f/4 (95mm equiv), 110mm f/2 (87mm equiv), 23mm f/4 (18mm equiv), and 45mm f/2.8 (35mm equiv).
If as some have suggested the body could retail around the $4000 US mark I think it will gain traction very quickly. I will certainly be interested to see if it is worth investing the money and having APS-C X series for everyday use and the G series for more professional applications.
Especially when you look at the size of it next to a Nikon D810.
For some time now Fuji photographers in particular have been wondering if a mirrorless medium format camera was coming to us. We ll it looks like Hasselblad have stolen Fuji’s thunder having just announced the 50mp medium format Hasselblad X1D.
Featuring the same 43.8×32.9mm sensor that is used in the 50c backs for the H6D but with new processing allowing for up to 25600 ISo which is extremely high for medium format.
One of the other main features that we are excited about is the flash sync speed of up to 1/2000.
The new camera also features dual SD cards, weather sealing and a touch screen.
With a price coming in at just under $9000 US dollars this really could bring medium format to a whole new group of users and with rumours of a more affordable Fuji medium format camera possibly arriving at Photokina this year medium format might be about to become mainstream.
Having read our Canon 80D review, is this the camera for you?
The Canon 80D has improved on previous models in the series in some important aspects, not least of all image quality.
We welcome the new 24mp sensor which puts it on a more even playing field with it’s rivals from Nikon and Sony. The added resolution while not that noticeable and certainly not a deal breaker is always welcome.
What we like most about the new sensor is the improved dynamic range and the roughly 1 stop of extra high ISO performance. More importantly it allows 80% of the sensor to be used for the Dual Pixel Cmos AF.
The physical controls and handling of the 80D feel well refined and so they should after all these years. With the exception of the placement of the on/off switch and the rear control dial we can’t really fault the handling of the 80D. We also like the build quality as it feels like a solid tool that can stand up to plenty of abuse. It may not quite be in the same league as the Canon 7D MKII or Nikon D500 but at this price point it is certainly solid enough.
It would be nice to see dual card slots on the Canon 80D
The lack of dual card slots is disappointing, especially for professional use as having in camera back up is a great feature for pros.
The image quality is good but not mind blowing, the Nikon D7200 produces sharper images thanks to the lack of AA filter and the Sony A6300 images are better too in terms of dynamic range and high ISO performance.
We are a little disappointed that Canon did not implement 4k video on the 80D but then 1080 is all that a lot of people feel they need at the moment. However when Canon’s competitors offer it at around the same price point it may be wise for Canon to match it.
The actual video quality from the Canon 80D at 1080 is good and relatively free from artifacts and moire. Rolling shutter is also reasonably well controlled although as with the competition if that is a real issue for you then better to look elsewhere.
So it sounds like we don’t really rate the Canon 80D as being great for any one particular feature and that would be fair to say with the exception of Dual Pixel Cmos AF which is genuinely superb.
Yes the Nikon D7200 has better image quality and tracking focus for stills and the Sony A6300 offers better video quality.
However if you need a camera that shoots good stills and decent video then we would recommend the Canon EOS 80D over and above both of those cameras due to the following features. . The stills are good, the video is good, the auto focus in video is the best that there currently is, it handles nicely, has an articulated touch screen, is well built and allows you to use Canon’s vast range of native lenses.
Canon 80D vs Nikon D7200
The Nikon D7200 has a few advantages over the Canon 80D which will be particularly important to stills photographers. The lack of AA filter offers sharper images with more detail. The high ISO performance and dynamic range is also better. The Nikon D7200’s 3D tracking auto focus also works better than the Canon equivalent, offering better target acquisition and retention giving you more keepers.
In the Canon 80Ds favour are better movie auto focus thanks to dual pixel Cmos AF and a fully articulated touch screen which really does make shooting video very easy and intuitive. Touch to focus makes pulling focus incredibly easy and Dual Pixel Cmos AF is easily the best video focus system currently available.
Canon 80D vs Sony A6300
In the 80D’s favour are 100% coverage optical viewfinder, articulated touch screen, better ergonomics, much better battery life, better native lens selection, better choice of external flash accessories.
In favour of the Sony A6300 is most importantly 4k video, slightly better still image quality, small size and weight, faster FPS at 11 vs 7 for the Canon.
As a camera we prefer the Canon 80D due to its usability but there is no denying that on paper the Sony offers the better specs.
Here are our recommendations:
Stills only photographer with no current investment in lenses –
Get the Nikon D7200 for better image quality and auto focus.
Existing Canon users-
Get the Canon 80D over the Nikon D7200. It’s close enough in stills performance and offers better video.
Video Users-
If you don’t need 4k video then the 80D is a good choice, not just because it offers decent video quality but it is the usability of the 80D that makes it a good choice. The articulated touch screen along with dual pixel Cmos AF really do make shooting video a breeze.
If you need 4k then look at the Sony A6300, A7SII, A7RII or Panasonic GH4.
The closest rivals to the Canon 80D are Canon’s own top of the line APS-C 7D MK II and Nikon’s D7200. While the Canon 80D can’t compete with the 7d mk II’s 10fps shooting speed it does get quite close at 7fps.
Is this good enough to negate the need to splash out more cash on the 7d MK II. It also offers a 1 fps advantage over the Nikon D7200 so is it better for rapid shooting than its Nikon rival.
Also of interest is that the 80D now offers a 45 point focus system (all cross type) and can focus down to -3ev. This is quite a significant upgrade from the 70d’s 19 point focus system which also only focused down to -.5 ev.
We did some basic testing with the 80D and Nikon D7200 side by side to get a feel for the performance of the two.
The Canon 80D was set to high speed mode with tracking auto focus enabled and the sensitivity of the auto focus set to its default level.
The Nikon D7200 was set to high speed mode with 3D auto focus.
We found that the 80D’s 7fps shooting rate seemed significantly faster than the D7200 in use. It felt faster and more fluid and on top of that we were able to take about 50% more photos with the 80D before the buffer filled up. One of the issues we found with the D7100 a few years ago was that it had a really small buffer which hindered shooting lots of photos at high fps in raw.
The D7200 hundred has improved in this area but the 80D is noticeably better.
However when it came to auto focus accuracy when tracking a moving subject the Nikon D7200 performed better than the 80D. With the Nikon shooting a burst of 10 photos of our scruffy little poodle running at us it managed to get 8 shots in focus. The 80D only achieved a score of 6 images in focus. We repeated this test several times, always using the 18-135 Canon kit lens and the Nikon 18-140mm kit lens supplied with the D7200 and found the results to be similar each time.
Canon 80D Auto Focus
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Nikon D7200 Auto Focus
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In conclusion if good fast tracking auto focus for stills is important to you then you may be better served by the Nikon D7200 or better still either the 7D MK II or D500.
Although we didn’t run side by side tests of the 80D vs the 7D MKII we have used the 7D Mk II a lot previously and while the 80D put in a decent performance it is simply not in the same league for fast action as its bigger brother. The 7D MK II has a separate auto focus section within the menu which allows for a variety of customisation not available on the 80D.
The spread of the auto focus points on the 7D MK II is larger and you are given more options to fine tune the system. It is also more responsive and accurate. From out testing the 7D MK II achieved hit rates of 80-90% on moving subjects. Combine that with 10fps shooting and it clearly bests the 80D.
However most people who want or need to shoot fast action will in all likelihood already be looking at the 7D MK II or the new Nikon D500. However the 80D is no slouch and compared to mirrorless offerings the system is fast, responsive but perhaps not quite as accurate.
Video Performance
What the 80D does offer is a competitive stills camera while also being a very nice video camera. The combination of an articulated touch screen with Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology makes shooting videos a breeze.
Flip out the LCD screen and simply touch to focus and the response from the camera is very fast, quickly moving the desired part of the image in to focus. The new 18-135mm Nano lens is fast and quiet while focusing.
Check out our quick video below to see touch to focus in action.
When put in to tracking mode the auto focus can keep up with steadily moving objects such as a presenter walking through a scene without hunting back and forth for focus and ruining the shot.
The combination of the above technologies puts it way ahead of the D7200 if you shoot video as the performance of the Nikon auto focus in video is sketchy at best and of course, there is no articulated screen. The 7D MK II actually focuses better than the 80D for video but the articulated touch screen makes the 80D a better, more usable choice for video overall.
The Canon EOS 80D offers mic in and headphone out jacks which adds a level of professionalism to those more in to creating video but the lack of 4K video at this price point when competitors like the Sony A6300 offer it is disappointing.
There is also no truly flat picture profile although we found shooting in Canon’s natural picture profile with sharpness, contrast and saturation all set to their minimum settings gave a fairly flat image that could be graded in post quite nicely.
The video coming out of the 80D at 1080 24p is good if not mind blowing. It doesn’t suffer with major artifacts and is clean. However video from the Panasonic GH4 and Sony A6300 is sharper and in the case of the latter, holds together better at high ISO’s. Don’t forget that with those two cameras you can also shoot in 4k and down sample the video to a 1080p timeline and get even sharper looking video too.
Even though other cameras offer more in terms of video image quality and indeed functionality the 80D is a nice tool when creating video thanks to its articulated touch screen and the fact that you can use the vast range of Canon EF lenses without having to mess around with adapters (albeit EF lenses will be subject to a crop factor of 1.6x on the 80D body).
Image Quality
One area where Canon seem to have been overtaken recently is image quality. This all started with the Nikon D810 a couple of years ago offering a 36mp sensor and improved dynamic range thanks to Sony’s sensor technology. Canon’s high ISO performance was also lacking so have they managed to catch up with the new 24mp APS-C sensor in the 80D or not.
We have now been shooting the Canon EOS 80D for around a month and in that time we have come to appreciate the new sensor. It is an improvement over the older 20mp sensor found in the 7dMK II in terms of high ISO performance and dynamic range and it offers a small improvement in IQ thanks to the jump up from 20 to 24mp.
Below are samples of some portraits taken with the 80D. They were shot in Raw and Jpeg using window light and just the on-camera flash for a little fill light. The aim was to shoot some nice high key shots and we found that the 80D did a decent job. The full resolution files are available on Flickr
Canon 80D Portraits
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Here is a straight conversion of the original Raw file and a 100% crop of the same file. The image was shot with the new 18-135mm nano lens at f/5.6, 1/160, ISO 500 and shows good detail thanks to the new 24mp sensor.
Here is an image that we deliberately over exposed and then in post attempted to recover the highlights by reducing the exposure by 2EV
Un-Edited Jpeg intentionally over exposed.
Raw file of the same shot with highlights recovered by 2EV in Lightroom
As you can see the 80D did a pretty decent job of recovering the hghlights but there are areas where there is significant loss of detail such as in the curtain in the centre of the image. It does show that if you accidentally clip the highlights a little then there is some headroom for recovery with the new sensor.
Below is a shot which was underexposed and Lightroom warned of blocked shadows in the subjects hair.
Shot at ISO 100
And here is a crop from the top of the hair with the image pushed +3EV
Shadow Recovery is definitely an improved area with the new sensor
We are pretty impressed with the 80D’s ability to push the shadows by +3EV and still retain detail without much noise at all. For landscape photographers in particular this marks a significant improvement over previous Canon sensors which would introduce noise trying to perform similar tasks. For landscape photographers in particular this will give the ability to shoot to ensure no clipped highlights and simply push the shadows as required in post, giving a boost to dynamic range.
Noise performance
One area we were interested in was how the new 24mp sensor performs at high ISOs in real world situations. You can shoot all the test charts you want but it is in the real world that we see the true performance available.
Below are a few samples shot at high ISOs.
Raw shot at f/2.5 , 1/125, ISO 6400100% crop of the above image
As you can see from the cropped image at ISo 6400 we are still getting pretty usable files. There is some noise but it is not objectionable and in fact the noise pattern is quite pleasant. This image is an unedited raw file so with a tiny bit of luminance noise reduction in Lightroom we would have no problem using this image. One thing we did notice was that under indoor lighting the Canon 80D’s white balance tended to oversaturate the red channel so we would advise shooting in Raw to easily correct this in post.
Below is another raw image at ISO 6400. We have shown a 100% crop with no noise reduction and then a further one with just 25 of luminance noise reduction in Lightroom to show the results you can easily obtain. Note the white balance is over saturated in the red and magenta channels again.
f/2.5, 1/100, ISO 6400 Unedited Raw100% Crop of the above ImageSame as above with +25 Luminance NR in Lightroom added.
From our testing we think the sensor in the Canon 80D provides about a 1 stop advantage in high ISO performance over the 7D MK II.
Here is another example, this time at ISO 3200
f/4, 1/160, ISO 3200, 100% crop no PP
Below is a gallery of SOOC Jpeg images we shot with the 80D. These and more are available on our Flickr page
The Canon EOS 80D is a mid range DSLR featuring a new 24mp APS-C sensor, 7 FPS continuous shooting along with a 45 point AF system and full HD 1080/60p video.
The Canon 80D comes about 3 years after the 70d which is in line with Canon’s standard release schedule with XXD bodies.
The Canon 80D is a step up from entry level cameras offering a more fully featured body and better build construction for those seeking more control while not wanting the size, weight and cost of professional DSLR’s.
The most interesting points of note with the Canon 80D is the new 24mp sensor which promises better resolution, low light performance and importantly for Canon when competing against Nikon’s D7xx series bodies, better dynamic range.
The new 24mp sensor like that of the 20mp 70d employs Canon’s dual pixel CMOS AF technology allowing 80% of the pixels on the sensor to act as phase detect AF points. This in theory allows for smooth continuous AF in live view and video mode. It has been upgraded from the 70d to work with all lenses and all video quality settings. We will take a look to see what the updated technology has to offer.
The new 45 point AF system now features all cross type AF points, with 27 working at F/8 and all of them now focusing down to -3EV. Along with a fully articulated touch screen and WiFi the 80D now features NFC for quick connections to smart devices.
We tested the Canon 80D alongside the new 18-135mm Nano USM kit lens which is supposed to offer both the speed and smoothness of focusing of STM lenses for movies while keeping up with USM lenses for Stills.
Build Quality and handling
Having used a Fuji X100T for a lot of shooting in recent years there is something substantial and reassuring about handling the Canon 80D. There is no doubt that the ergonomics of a DSLR are pretty much near perfect when it comes to photography.
The camera feels very solid in the hand yet it doesn’t feel too heavy to shoot for extended periods of time. The grip is substantial and allows you to confidently hold the camera in one hand, something not always true of mirror-less bodies.
The first thing we notice about the Canon 80D as we switch it on is that it has retained the position of the on/off switch on top of the body just behind the PASM dial. We hate this position a it prevents us from turning the camera on while holding it one handed (ala Nikon bodies). However it is a small gripe as once turned on you can just leave it that way and rely on the camera to enter sleep mode to save battery life. The battery used for the Canon 80D is the same as all the newer Canon bodies, the LP-E6N 1865 mAh. Our first charge gave us 686 shots but that included a lot of playing with the menus and setting up the camera as well as shooting numerous short videos. Our subsequent charges gave us around 1000 shots each time. More than enough for a days shooting.
With the new 18-135mm Nano USM kit lens attached the camera feels well balanced and at 730g it is substantial but doesn’t feel overly bulky like the 7D mk II (910g) can.
If you are used to shooting Canon bodies then the 80D will feel reassuringly familiar with similar button layout. There is no AF joystick which you get on the 7dmkII but instead we have the ability to use the articulated touch screen for quick focusing in video and live view modes. However that doesn’t help when shooting stills through the optical viewfinder.
On the top of the camera body we have the display screen giving quick access to your settings along with dedicated buttons to change AF, Drive modes, ISO and metering, as well as a button to light up the display. A little further forward we have the control dial and a further button to quickly change focusing mode. In front of that is the shutter release button.
All the buttons feel well made, solid and give positive tactile feedback for easy use with your eye to the viewfinder.
The only issue we have with the controls are the on/off switch placement (as previously mentioned) and the D-pad on the rear of the body which is somewhat obstructed by the control wheel around it. It just doesn’t feel natural when using it as the wheel is a little too deep and obstructs your thumb from getting purchase on the D-pad.
Taking a leaf out of Fuji’s book we have a Q button on the reverse which gives quick access to your most regularly used features and functions. We really like this as we can quickly change settings without having to either delve in to the menus or use Canon’s customisable My Menu tab, which lets be honest is a bit rubbish.
Dedicated live view/video button, AF-on, zoom, playback . delete, control wheel lock, menu and info buttons round out the layout on the back of the camera body.
The mode dial on top now features two programmable custom modes which is always a welcome feature.
The new viewfinder is crisp, clear and now offers 100% viewfinder coverage, up from 98% on the 70D making composition much better with the 80D. It also offers diopter adjustment, always good for users of eye glasses.
The Canon 80D like its predecessor features a fully articulated touch screen. Some people bemoan articulated screens however we really appreciate them. It is easy to underestimate just how useful they are for composing shots in unusual angles and combined with the touch screen it is a fantastic tool and one that video enthusiasts in particular will appreciate.
If you don’t like an articulated screen (and we don’t know why you wouldn’t once you have used one) you can simply flip it in to the body, screen facing out and use it as a standard fixed screen. Alternatively if you are shooting using only the viewfinder you can close the LCD altogether with the glass facing the body and know that it is protected from scratches and damage.
The articulated screen is very flexible in terms of how you choose to use it.
We found the articulated screen one of the best features of the 80D and wish that Nikon would implement it on their D7xx series of bodies.
One disappointment is that the Canon 80D only takes a single SD card. We would have liked Canon to take from the Nikon D7xx series bodies which have had dual SD card slots for some time now.
In this Fuji X100T review I’ll talk about how I have found this camera in real World use having used it for nearly two years.
The Fuji X100T builds on the previous success of the X100 and X100s series with the same 16mp X-Trans sensor, a fixed 23mm f/2 lens (35mm equivalent focal length), aperture control ring and lots of physical dials for a rewarding range finder style shooting experience.
The Fuji 100T was announced in September 2014 and we have been using it for general shooting and travel photography since its release date.
In our Fuji X100T review we uncover the good and the bad about this popular enthusiast camera.
New to the X100T is the ability for exposure control in movies as well as 1080p video at 24, 25, 30, 50 and 60p. However more noticeable to stills photographers is the upgrading of the aperture ring on the lens to accommodate 1/3 exposure increments, the new Classic Chrome film simulation and the new hybrid viewfinder which offers both electronic and optical views and the choice to have a small overlay image of the in focus area at the bottom corner of the viewfinder.
We have had the chance to use the Fuji X100T for general travel photography in Europe and Asia, shooting some casual landscapes and some model shoots which has enabled us to get a real feel for the camera over an extended period of time. This review will give a real feel for the new features but also what it is like to live with this camera day in and day out for a long period of time.
Fuji X100T Review – Design and Handling
The Fuji X100 series of cameras offer range finder style photography and aim for simplicity when shooting. However this doesn’t mean that they are simple cameras.
In the hand the Fuji X100T feels very light and compact (in comparison to DSLR’s) yet solid enough to not feel like a plastic toy. It measures 127x74x52.4mm and weighs in at 440gm. Although quite small it is too large to be slipped in to normal size pockets but the weight is negligible if slung on your shoulder with the strap all day. Size wise it is very similar to the X-T1 although of course the X-T1’s weight can vary considerably depending upon the lens used.
Here is the Fuji X100T compared with a Nikon D7200 + 50mm f/1.4 lens
The design is elegant and aesthetically pleasing. Although this might not be important for everyone it is always appreciated by us when we get to use a camera that feels good and looks good too. It has the feel and look of a classic camera from the film era and we found that most people we encounter appreciate the design and styling. The camera is available in black and silver/black combination.
You can purchase through my Amazon UK links here at no extra cost
For US and international readers here are the Amazon.com links
We have the silver version although some street photographers prefer the black version to avoid unwanted attention. We have never found this camera to garner too much attention when street shooting though. This is mainly due to it’s small size as most people probably think it’s a cheap little compact. That’s also good if you are in a crowded place and don’t want it getting the attention of thieves.
The Fuji X100T is not weather sealed unlike the X-T1 but it feels well made with the top and bottom being of magnesium alloy construction. The hand grip on the fornt protrudes very slightly although we do find it a little small to give real confidence while holding it. However it is a light camera so it tends to nestle into the palm of your hand when shooting allowing for decent if not confidence inspiring grip.
The buttons on the back offer a clear click when pressing them, allowing for tactile feedback when shooting with your eye to the viewfinder. However they are a bit on the small side, especially the control wheel.
On the top we have the much talked about control dials. There is an exposure compensation dial offering +/-3ev. This is the one dial that could benefit from being a little stiffer in our eyes as it had quite often changed position when we took the camera out of our bag. Therefore we would recommend checking this every time you take it out of your bag.There is also a function button which by default is set up to record video although it can be customised as can 6 other fn buttons.
The Lack of an ISO dial on the X100T didn’t prove to be an issue for us.
The X100T also has a shutter speed dial with full stop increments from 1 second- 1/4000 in addition to bulb and timer mode. To make less than one stop adjustments to shutter speed you adjust the small control wheel on the top right of the rear of the camera. Lastly on the top plate we have the on off switch which can be a little awkward to quickly engage as the grip does not protrude quite far enough. It does have a thread for a shutter release cable which is a welcome addition. Note there is no ISO dial on the Fuji X100T unlike its sibling the X-T1. However in all honesty we don’t really miss it as auto ISO allows for setting minimum shutter speeds to compensate so we leave it in auto for the most part.
The rear of the camera has the viewfinder (which we shall discuss later) as well as view mode button to switch how the viewfinder/LCD screen behave when shooting. Playback button, Delete button and a further Fn button. Above and to the right of the LCD screen we have the drive mode button as well as the control dial which we mentioned earlier (used for adjusting shutter speed in 1/3 stops and can be clicked to zoom in when manually focusing).
On the right of the LCD is the AEL/AFL, Q menu and Display buttons as well as the control dial and menu buttons.
In general we like the ability to customise up to 7 of these buttons to do a whole variety of functions rather than just the default functions. For instance we set the delete button to switch the built in ND filter on and off, the up button on the control dial to turn face recognition auto focus on, right button for flash exposure compensation, down to adjust focus points and left to quickly access the different film simulations. The number of different combinations is exhaustive and allows for each user to set the camera up pretty much how they like.
The Fuji X100T has 7 customisable function buttons
On the left hand side of the body is a switch to swap between single shot, continuous and manual focusing modes.
The Fuji X100T has a Type D HDMI Micro connector, Micro USB port and a new 2.5mm microphone input; the mic input and USB port can be used with optional remote controls and the USB port can be used for charging which is great when travelling with several cameras as you can cut out the bulk of all the various different camera chargers. The Fuji X100T does of course, come with its own AC power charger.
Along with an external flash hot-shoe the Fuji X100T has an internal flash and we found it to be much better than the average in built DSLR flash at providing subtle and usable fill flash for portraits. It can be set to various modes including slow sync which is perfect for getting correctly balanced exposures with -2/3 FEC dialled in. What should also be noted is the ability of the X100T to hit flash sync speeds of up to 1/4000 thanks to its leaf shutter. This makes it easily able to shoot with fill flash in bright conditions which is a huge advantage over the X-T1 as well as all DSLR’s unless an external flash is used. We almost always use fill flash when shooting outdoor portraits with the X100T as it seems to nail the exposure and give natural results 99% of the time.
The leaf shutter allow for fast flash sync speeds and shooting at large apertures in bright light thanks to the built in ND filter.
Once you have taken a shot it is also quick and easy to transfer those files to your smart device thanks to the in built wifi of the X100T. While the Fuji app is not the best it does the job and we could transfer over full resolution Jpegs ready for upload to social media. There is an annoying limit of 30 images per transfer but this is a minor inconvenience. The app also lets you remotely control the camera although not shoot video which is a shame.
Fuji X100T Review – Viewfinder and shooting experience
The viewfinder in the Fuji X100T is clearer than the previous models. When using the optical viewfinder the X100T displays a bright and clear electronic overlay which shows, the active focus point, shooting settings such as shutter speed, ISO and aperture as well as a rectangular marker which indicates the actual area of your image corrected for parallax. Because the viewfinder and the image sensor are not in line as on a DSLR what you see straight through the viewfinder is not exactly what will be recorded on the image. This parallax correction is therefore really useful to avoid hidden surprises in your final composition and image.
The switch (left of image) is used to switch between OVF and EVF.
Flick the switch on the front of the camera and the X100T viewfinder changes to wholly electronic view. The refresh rate is fairly quick and although there is a little lag compared with an OVF we generally preferred to shoot with the EVF because it shows in real time adjustments made to the exposure before you take the shot. We just find EVFs in general a great artistic tool as you can see your image before you click the shutter. Any changes to the film simulation are reflected in the EVF so it reduces the need to chimp images after the fact. The only exception to this would be when shooting faster moving subjects which can benefit from the real time view of the OVF.
On the whole the electronic viewfinder is on par with others in the mirrorless world like the FUji X-E2s and Olympus OM-D series.
What is new on the Fuji X100T is the addition of the electronic overlay for focusing when using the optical viewfinder. When using the optical viewfinder flick the switch on the front of the camera to the left and a small rectangular electronic over lay pops up in the bottom right corner showing the in focus area. You can click the rear control dial to zoom in and now manual focusing becomes ever so easy. Add to this the manual focus aids found on the FUji X100T like focus peaking and it gives the ability to quickly and easily achieve manual focus.
In general shooting we found the X100T’s auto focus to be a notch faster than the X100s although not quite on par with the X-T1. If you are shooting portraits, landscapes and general travel photography then the auto focus in good light is quick enough to keep up.
Where we did have a few issues was when shooting moving subjects such as kids or pets. Here we found a relatively high rate of out of focus shots simply because the auto focus could not attain focus before the subject had moved on slightly. This can be frustrating but if you shoot a lot of moving subjects then it would be wise to look at other mirrorless options like the Olympus OM-D E-M1, Fuji XT-1 or Sony A6300.
The auto focus got confused here and resulted in focusing on the wrong subject.
Every time we look at the Fuji X100T it makes us want to pick it up and shoot. It’s size combined with its excellent image quality mean that we feel like taking it with us everywhere we go without worrying about the weight and size. So how about the image quality. Well lets take a look at that in more detail in the next section. Click the link below to see the results for image quality and some sample images.
The 16mp X-Trans sensor remains unchanged from that in the X100s and the same one as found in all the recent (not the new 24mp sensor found in the X-PRO2) high end X-series cameras like the XT-1 and XE-2.
The Fuji X100T image quality continues to impress although the competition has now moved on to 20mp+ as the norm so the X-Trans sensor is starting to lag behind a little bit in terms of resolution.
SOOC Jpeg shot at f/2 Click the image for the full resolution file on Flickr
The Fuji X-Trans sensor combined with the f/2 lens on the X100T are giving plenty of detail in images. We found that at f/2 things were a little less sharp with detail increasing up to f/8 before starting to decrease at f/11. Even so, Fuji’s lens modulation optimizer does help to lessen the effects of diffraction at smaller apertures.
SOOC Jpeg, f/4 1/240 ISO 200 Click the image for the full resolution file on Flickr
and 100% crop from the above image
100% crop from the centre of the same image.
SOOC Jpeg, f/4, 1/150, ISO 200, Click the image to see the full resolution file on Flickr100% Crop
In addition to the usual film simulations we now have Classic Chrome which offers a more subtle muted pallet which quickly turned in to one of our favourites for general photography. Prior to shooting Fuji we have always been in favour of shooting raw and processing the images in post in software such as Lightroom. However Fuji are just about the only cameras that we use where we don’t feel the need to shoot raw. The Jpegs straight out of camera are just so pleasing to the eye that we can spend ages editing a raw image only for us to prefer the SOOC Jpeg anyway. The only time we shoot raw with the X100T is for important shoots where we want the flexibility to edit later if we don’t quite get the results we want from the Jpeg file. You could of course shoot raw and take advantage of the X100T’s in camera raw processing to choose your film simulation etc later but we like to make these creative choices before pressing the shutter.
Provia
Velvia
Astia
Classic Chrome
Pro Neg Hi
Pro Neg STandard
Monochrome
Monochrome + Green Filter
Monochrome + Red Filter
Monochrome Yellow
Sepia
Below we have a large number of images created using the Fuji X100T . If you want to see the full resolution files along with many more shots then head over to our Flickr page.
SOOC Jpeg monochrome + Green filter
+2EV in post
No Adjustments
SOOC Jpeg Velvia
Raw conversion into B&W
f-2 ISO 640 1-125 pro neg standard
Noise performance
We still think that the performance of the X-Trans sensor is more than enough for most needs. Its 16mp sensor results in nicely detailed images and the ISO performance up to 6400 is very good. One thing to note though is that there is some talk of Fuji fudging the numbers a little in this regard and in our testing we reckon they are over estimating the ISO by 2/3 of a stop. That means that for any given ISO number stated by the X100T we should basically compare it to a Canon or Nikon at 2/3 stop lower ISO to get a fair comparison. That means that Fuji’s 6400 ISO is actually closer to 3200.
Even so the noise performance of the Fuji X100T is still decent and usable up to an indicated 6400.
Below is a SOOC Jpeg shot around sunset at ISO 1000. The image is very clean straight out of camera with just the slightest hint of noise in the shadows.
SOOC Jpeg, ISO 1000, f/5.6 1/4000
And below is a 100% crop from the same image
100% Crop
Below is a shot at 3200 ISO. These shots are straight out of camera Jpegs with no post processing done on them. You can tweak the in camera noise reduction to suit your tastes. Obviously the raw files are more noisy.
Here is a 100% crop from the same image.
Files at 3200 are still clean and retain most details. We have no hesitation shooting at ISO 3200 with the X100T.
The following image was shot at ISO 6400 and is as high as we would go if you want a usable image unless it is an emergency. Again, this is a SOOC Jpeg with standard Fuji NR applied. No post processing work was done to the image.
ISO 6400
and the 100% crop from the same image
At ISO 6400 we are seeing a loss of detail due to the in camera noise reduction being applied. Still quite usable for non professional work.
Video
Let’s be honest, if you are serious about video then you should not even be considering a Fuji. The Panasonic GH4, Sony A7 series or the new Canon 80d are where the better video-centric options lie
Even so the Fuji X100T does offer 1080 at up to 60p which gives the ability to shoot in high definition and even shoot some slow motion video too.
One of the main issue when shooting video on the X100T is the lack of image stabilisation. Given that most people will only use it for casual video, the lack of IS is a bit of a problem as it makes getting smooth pans or stable video quite difficult.
The quality of the video itself is not too bad and certainly an improvement over previous models but there are still some artifacts present and the lack of a touch or articulated LCD screen make it difficult to shoot from interesting angles. It also means that if you want to shoot video using the screen you have to hold it out in front of you which is not the most stable position. You could use the viewfinder but it just doesn’t feel right for video. In fairness to the Fuji X100T it doesn’t really set out to be a video camera so most people wont mind the issues as when required they can grab a quick HD video.
The below video was shot at 1080 24p and show some of the artifacts on the petrol tank of the green motorbike that we mentioned previously
The following video, again shot at 1080 24p shows some effects of moire on the headlight of the near scooter.
