[Comments have been added, 3:15 p.m. Saturday]
-
Although you hear all about the ins and outs of my camera perseverations in excruciating detail—it's part 'n' parcel of our grand topic here—I don't actually buy that many cameras for my own self. I'm currently still mostly using my Fuji X-T1 from 2014. I have tried to replace it several times, most notably with the Panasonic GX8, but so far nothing's "took." I also own an X-H1 which is a good tool (see below) but is not my box, personally.
And although I really cannot afford a camera at the moment—I had some very serious difficulties with Amazon in the Summer of '20 and it cut my income grievously, more's the pity (ultimately all caused by the pandemic)—I recently did buy a Sony A6600. (Currently on sale. I bought mine from B&H Photo.)
Why the A6600?
Well, I should say first that I've never found anything better for B&W conversions than an X-T1. I don't know why, but there's something about that 16-MP Fuji X-Trans sensor that seems to match well with Nik Silver Efex Pro, the conversion software I use, and my personal taste in tone and how I like B&W images to look. I'm currently excited about the new Nik Silver Efex Pro 3* I just bought, which is part of the new Nik Collection 4 introduced in June. It's the first overhaul of Silver Efex in a long time.
Otherwise, however, I've just never been convinced that Fuji X-Trans files really play all that well with ACR, especially the ones from Fuji's 24-MP sensor. I'm not convinced they won't, either, and I'm the first to admit that people who are more adroit with software than I am (which is not saying much) might have no problems. One indicator, though, is that many deep Fujiphiles seem to like other raw converters better than Adobe's. Which is something I understand. Anyway, Sony's sensors seem to be a more natural match with ACR. I've never actually been all that happy with the results I get from the X-H1 and ACR.
Why not just change raw converters? Well, you can. In fact, if you have a 24-MP Fuji, you might just want to research and/or explore a few different raw converters. But ACR is what I want to use.
That lens
The second reason is that I want to (need to?) explore the Sigma 30mm ƒ/1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens more thoroughly. It's an elaborated Planar-type with a concave-convex grouping between elements 3 and 4, similar to the old Pentax Super-Takumar design, a design I've always known I particularly like. I go way back with it. Of course the Contemporary has aspherical followers and Sigma's current coatings and so forth—all the up-to-date special sauce—but the basic look is one I recognize and have always liked. It's a markedly inexpensive lens, and the sample of it that I received when I tested it was mildly decentered, so I'm aware that I might have to do a little sample experimentation to find a "good one," but I'm willing to go through the hassle. The lens seems like it might be balanced toward lens contrast a little more than resolution, a design choice I like, and I like the bokeh of lenses of this design. Not to everyone's taste perhaps but then, I'm me, and my taste is my taste.
And even though I can't afford a Zeiss 24mm ƒ/1.8 ZA, we may have to have a shootout with a rented one.
Those tangible intangibles
Finally, what the late Erwin Puts called "haptics." Although the A6600 design has blatantly obvious areas where it could and should be improved—I seriously hope the next major revision of Sony's flagship APS-C "NEX-style" body will have the top controls of the A7C (although without the damn flippy screen)—the A6600 fixes two of the things I most disliked about the A6500, the puny battery and the weak little hand grip. The A6600 gets the big high-capacity battery from the FF A7[x] cameras, and the handgrip is now big enough (I use the MHG-XT add-on grip with the X-T1).
Most of all, though, I've long been frustrated by the Japanese camera industry's convention of pairing big cameras with high or "pro" build quality and small cameras with cheap, flimsy "amateur" build quality. There are exceptions, of course, but for the most part there's a general correspondence. The A6600 is one of the exceptions. Despite its smallish size I find it to have the feel of a well-built, deluxe device and I like that. I like the heft of it, the feeling of solidity, the crisp action and damped feeling of the dials, the lovely shutter sound. Extraneous issues? Perhaps, but I think people like getting out and about with a camera they love to use better than with one that merely serves. Everybody says cameras are just tools, and if that's the way you feel I won't argue with you. But I'm not like that. I like to have a camera I enjoy using. I like the feel of this, that's all.
The best? Naw
I've little doubt that, in a battle between the Sony A6600 and the Fuji X-T4, the Fuji would score the win by knockout. (In fact the X-T4 might be the No. 1 most recommendable all-around, all-purpose camera on the entire market at this moment. Although sadly not for me, because I don't like flippy screens.) And I have a lot of Fuji lenses—more than I've ever had for any camera I've owned since the Olympus OM-4Ti in the '90s, actually. I'll be keeping the X-H1 as well as the X-T1. But I just felt the need to get to grips with the A6600 and the Sigma 30mm, use it a while, and get familiar with it. And have some fun with it.
Mike
Ken Bennett adds: "I guess I am a 'deep Fujiphile' and I get along with Adobe software just fine. I am currently shooting work assignments with three X-H1 bodies and a very complete GFX-100 kit. I have a couple of X-Pro2 bodies for personal work, and I have an overly complete selection of lenses.
"The key for X-Trans raw files is to change the default sharpening. (Try 42/1.4/40/30 for starters, in Lightroom.) But the really big difference is to use the Enhance...Raw Details command in the Photo menu. IMHO this fixes all the issues that the Adobe raw engine has with X-Trans files. It's especially helpful for landscape images. The Enhance command can take a while to work, especially on large sets of files.
"Have fun with the little Sony, Mike."
*The most important thing with this software is restraint, restraint, restraint. It's very easy and perhaps too tempting to take things over the top. Subtlety is not its natural strong suit. You have to be ever vigilant.
Book o' the Week
Photo No-Nos: Meditations on What Not to Photograph by Jason Fulford. Although I would never actually let anyone tell me not to photograph anything, this is a fun book for getting "the lay of the land" as what subjects and treatments are common. There are some nice insights, and it's a pleasant read, although I think it will be more fun if you already know a lot about photography and can relate to the subjects he discusses.
The above is a link to Amazon from TOP. Once you're at Amazon, anything you search and buy will be credited to TOP. The following logo is also a link:
Original contents copyright 2020 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:
schralp: "Did you consider the Nikon Z5 with the 40mm ƒ/2? About the same size with excellent haptics, and produces files very compatible with ACR."
Mike replies: I didn't, although that would be a very sensible alternative to consider. I came at this sort of backwards: I didn't start with the idea that I wanted a new camera, compile a list of potential candidates, research the alternatives, try out the leading contenders, and then make a decision. That would be the sensible, logical way to shop. I wasn't even in the market for a new camera. I tried the A6600 + 30mm Contemporary to write about it, liked it a lot, and found as the months passed that I wanted to get to know it better. The reason I reviewed the A6600 in the first place was because I have a history with the lineage: I reviewed the A6500 before that, and owned a NEX-6 before that. The A6600 addresses some of my issues with the earlier iterations in a satisfying way. I still have other issues, which we'll discuss in due time.
The Z5 + 40mm ƒ/2 would be an excellent choice of a camera for us to review in the future, however, and I'll put it on the list. I really do need to try the Nikon, Canon, and Panasonic mirrorless FF options now that they're here; I'm already familiar with the A7-series cameras to some extent, and fair is fair. Although I'm not personally very interested in FF mirrorless cameras, they are certainly a current top choice for the kind of people who read TOP.
Jeff1000: "If a camera is not a tool, then what is the alternative? A toy?"
Mike replies: Well, it is a tool, in that I'm more interested in pictures than in cameras (some photo hobbyists are the opposite, and there's nothing wrong with that). But I'm an amateur photographer essentially, in that I don't work for clients or shoot on assignment. While my photography is not merely a casual pastime because it's what I write about, it's at least entirely up to me what I photograph and what I use. So I can afford to shoot with cameras that appeal to me and that I enjoy using.
Beyond that, I'll let robert e's comment do the talking. Here's that:
robert e: "Haptics matter for any tool. How much they matter is down to the use case—casual vs. critical, momentary vs. long-term, etc., and of course to the user's intentions and sensitivities.
"At the level of, say, a chisel or knife, haptics directly affect users' comfort, endurance, safety and confidence, and thus ultimately their capabilities and even health.
"If the idea is that it's only the end results that matter, well, haptics affect how good those results can be, or how consistently or frequently 'good' can be achieved, or even attempted, or the kinds of 'good' possible; not to mention how pleasant or efficient it is to get there.
"To the possible objection that cameras these days are complex systems and can't be compared to chisels or brushes, countless studies as well as practice in fields like laparoscopic surgery or aviation disagree. Haptics can be as or more impactful in complex tools as they are in simple ones."
"And, OK, I've been one of those people who can find pleasure in working around or even leveraging poor haptics or design, especially in vintage or toy photo gear, but that's its own category, or maybe a 'branch' of this hobby. But even we camera masochists can argue that haptics matter, if often in reverse. ;-) "
Hah.
I get the 'flippy screen' thing. I shoot a lot with Fuji's, mostly an X-H1 that lives in my car but also a couple of lovely silver X-T2/3 bodies. I exclusively view and compose using the (barely adequate) electronic viewfinder. I only use the rear display for chimping. I have never flipped out, rotated or otherwise used the rear screens as anything other than a chimping display, or to go through the (terrible, poorly organized) menus. It just feels all wrong to me. So I would not miss an articulating rear screen for one nanosecond if Fuji did away with it.
Posted by: Geoff Wittig | Friday, 29 October 2021 at 11:01 AM
I figured you would have gotten one of the Z cameras with the 40mm f/2 lens!
Posted by: Spencer H | Friday, 29 October 2021 at 11:37 AM
Supposedly Sigma will soon announce Fuji support, and perhaps that means we will see the 30 1.4 soon in X-mount as well. Have fun with the Sony! By the way, I've been having fun with the new masking tools in Lightroom, available in the latest release (the AI detect subject, for instance). I wish it had more user control, of course, and didn't for something in the middle. The same features are likely in ACR.
I will have to try out the latest Silver FX. I hope you return to a few posts about how to create good BW images digitally. Those are some of my favorite.
Posted by: John Krumm | Friday, 29 October 2021 at 11:39 AM
[Off-topic, if there was one]
I'm sure that when you do a B&W conversion you work hard to match what you printed with film and paper. Even for those who have never used film, the classic examples are film and paper with their limitations. Is anyone going beyond that? I actually have trouble imagining this... maybe I'll look around.
[My position is that digital was the coming-of-age of color, but that B&W was perfect as it was. The problem is not going beyond the best of B&W in direct-negative film and paper, the problem is getting back to that high standard. We're doing poorly. --Mike]
Posted by: Bruce Bordner | Friday, 29 October 2021 at 11:57 AM
I've been using the A6600 for the past six months. It's a fine camera.
The files are clean, the color is good, lens options abound, and it's AF is a dream.
4K video capture is very good (8-bit), however care must be taken to minimize "jello" readout while filming active subjects.
It pairs well with the Tamron 11-20 f/2.8, a nice all-rounder for video, great wide angle for stills.
It's a solid camera with a premium feel, the haptics are right for me.
Posted by: Bob Rosinsky | Friday, 29 October 2021 at 01:13 PM
I've been a license holder of Capture One since version 7 in 2012, back when C1 was only convertor that did an excellent job with Fujifilm X-trans RAF conversions (this was before Iridient Developer added X-Trans support). ACR/LR never did the trick to meet my requirements.
And since Luminosity Masking was introduced in Capture One (version 18? 19?), I've moved completely away from LR/ACR and only use it for photos I deliver to the the real-estate photographer I shoot twilights for.
Capture One has really been on a roll the last few years, and added a lot of useful new features, including full layers support, the aforementioned luminosity masking, and style brushes. They also have the code from Fujifilm to do the same exact B&W film conversions on RAW files that Fujifilm does.
The introduction of Luminosity Masking in C1 was really significant, and it's the most significant editing technique I've learned in the last 10 years. Having it easily and readily useable and editable as a separate layer in C1 is an absolute game-changer for me.
Also, many, many working fashion pro photographers and retouchers (e.g. Pratik Naik and Earth Oliver) will tell you that LR/ACR simply cannot render skin tones the way C1 does. I agree with them.
Bottom line for me is I only use LR/ACR when I'm absolutely forced to. Otherwise, nooo, thank you.
Posted by: Stephen Scharf | Friday, 29 October 2021 at 01:57 PM
"...fact the X-T4 might be the No. 1 most recommendable all-around, all-purpose camera on the entire market at this moment. Although sadly not for me, because I don't like flippy screens..."
If you discover that you should have stayed in Fuji world after your experiment, don't over look the X-T3. They are pretty cheap, still in production and if video is not important to you pretty much as good as the -T4 assuming you can live without IBIS. The screen is the same as the one on the X-T2... hinged up and down, plus some side hinge for vertical shots. It is not a floppy screen like the X-T4's.
I like my X-T3 so much that I bought a second, the first redundant body for Fuji in my arsenal.
Posted by: Albert Smith | Friday, 29 October 2021 at 03:46 PM
Saw this one the other day. Doesn't fit my system, otherwise I would put it on my shortlist.
https://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/multi-purpose-lenses/18-50mm-f2-8-dc-dn-c
Posted by: s.wolters | Friday, 29 October 2021 at 03:51 PM
If you still want to use your X-T1 or X-H1 Mike I recommend a $40 piece of software called Iridient X-Transformer. It demosaics your raw file into a DHG with handling of detail as good as Capture One can do. Then you do the rest in ACR as normal.
Posted by: Bob Johnston | Friday, 29 October 2021 at 04:08 PM
Congratulations Mike! I have been hoping you would find a way to allow yourself to buy an a6600 since I saw the strong emotion in your review of it.
I wonder if the Sigma DC 30 has any optical similarity to the compact Samyang 45/1.8 that I recently got for using on my a7R III? (The camera, BTW, bought 11 months ago on sale and being my first step outside of µ4/3 since 2013 and a real pleasure.) The FOV, at least, is identical. I don’t know how to read a lens’ optical layout, but you can find it here: https://www.samyanglens.com/en/product/product-view.php?seq=434
Posted by: Arg | Friday, 29 October 2021 at 06:17 PM
USA: Sony A6600 for $1198, Sigma 30mm for $298. Total $1496.
Europe: Sony A6600 for €1359, Sigma 30mm for €349. Total €1708 or $1973.
Amsterdam - New York return ticket for €298 or $344.
Profit $133 and a trip to NY!
Posted by: s.wolters | Saturday, 30 October 2021 at 01:29 AM
I've been mulling over buying a new camera for the past year or so and I've reached the conclusion you did, it needs to be Sony. My reason? Given that the sensor produces pleasing and sufficient quality, it boils down to lens choice for me. Like you, I'm impressed by Sigma and it's very noticeable that virtually every Sigma lens is available first in Sony mount. As are virtually all other independent makers' lenses.
The other reason is that I own the trio of Zeiss/Contax G lenses, the 28mm, 35mm and 90mm, with their idiosyncratic autofocus. Now that there's an adapter to Sony for them that retains the autofocus (Shoten), I might finally get to use them to their full potential.
On the other hand, I need a new camera like a new hole in my head. I have more cameras than I need and I don't use them. Fool.
Note that this is one occasion when the US price is cheaper than the Australian price.
Posted by: Peter Jeffrey Croft | Saturday, 30 October 2021 at 01:50 AM
I think you'll get along with this camera well. I moved from Canon to the a6500 and then to the a6600 for the battery life, brighter screen for video and tracking autofocus. Try setting the latter to a back button and let it lock on a subject- it really does change the way you can shoot for moving subjects and is more reliable than older approaches.
I also have the Zeiss 24mm 1.8 and 55mm and bought both used and heavily discounted (<$500). That's the only way I'd do it!
I also am using the Sigma 30mm 1.4 as a main lens but actually the EOS version plus Metabones. I just couldn't justify buying the same focal length a second time. It's a great, well-sorted camera system for both photo and video and I don't need to upgrade to anything any time soon.
Posted by: Roger S | Saturday, 30 October 2021 at 04:53 AM
I have a Fuji X-T20 which has the 24MP X-Trans sensor and in my experience, the files work well with Lightroom/ACR. For me, the bonus is that with ACR, you're not stuck with their Film Simulations (which I don't like). I made myself an import preset which applies the "Adobe Neutral" profile on import. This results in natural, pleasing colors.
Posted by: Thomas Rink | Saturday, 30 October 2021 at 05:27 AM
It’s the lenses! I am not sure that I understand you reasoning. Once you have a stable of lenses, why shift to another system? The camera body, while important, is basically just a support for the lenses. If you’re happy with the lenses and happy with the basic body configuration, why start on the ground floor with a different system? Why not just upgrade the body?
[I mentioned that I'm keeping 2 Fujis as well as my Fuji lenses. I'm not intending to switch systems. --Mike]
Posted by: Ken Rowin | Saturday, 30 October 2021 at 10:31 AM
I feel for s.wolters and the seemingly exorbitant prices in Europe. But I think he misses two things. In USA prices are usually listed without tax. When you go and buy the camera and lens, the shop adds local sales tax, about $100 in this case. You might be able to get it tax free as it is for export, but not every shop does that. And when you import them into Europe you are supposed to pay the ~20% VAT, as it is over the tax free allowance. Otherwise you are smuggling and breaking the law.
Posted by: Ilkka | Saturday, 30 October 2021 at 05:22 PM
You might already be aware of this, however if you are not, DXO Photo Lab has recently added Fuji Xtrans raw conversion to their latest Photolab update, PhotoLab 5. It is still in the Beta version, however I think we can assume it works quite well now. You can download a full working Free edition to try for 30 days. I have been using photolab since version 3 and it is quite awesome. I think it deserves serious consideration for anyone using Micro 4/3, as I do. Their already excellent "Deep Prime" noise reduction has also been improved and it is quite amazing to say the least. It makes noise disappear while keeping the details sharp. A side benefit is the way it smooths the out of focus areas for creamy bokeh. I realize I sound like a Photolab evangelist, but I personally think if you own a 4/3 camera, it is the way to go. It is not just the raw conversions that are nice, the lens corrections are great also. I recently purchased a budget Olympus 40-150 lens because I heard good things about it and it was also on sale for a very good price. I took a few photos with it on my camera and opened the files in Lightroom. It was ok but I was a little disappointed. However, when I sent the files over to Photolab...it became the "little lens that could." I'm quite sure it will make your already excellent sigma lens even better. Just go to "plug in extras" in lightroom and it will export the photos to Photolab. You can set photolab so it will apply the standard corrections to your photos, which I use and just make changes to taste, or no corrections or just lens corrections. It will open with the standard settings the first time you use it.
Posted by: Chris White | Saturday, 30 October 2021 at 09:27 PM
Re B&W, (hopefully you'll get back to comments for this post):
I am itching to plunge into carbon ink sets for printing B&W. I've seen examples in some local art club shows, and they are freaking amazing. But, you have to be willing to fuss around with non-standard pigments and software. Being ex-IT and a geek by nature, I would love to delve into that world. (But I've got to clean out the basement and garage first, both of which have become an embarrassment).
Posted by: MikeR | Saturday, 30 October 2021 at 09:28 PM
I get the desire to have the Sigma 30mm f/1.4. I have it in Pentax K mount, from back when it was in the Art series and had only one aspherical element and no special glass - truly a modern resolution lens with an old soul. The bokeh is truly gorgeous and the files are a pleasure to work with. If I could have only one lens I think this would be the one.
And I get the flippy thing as well... I don't have any cameras with a flippy screen. And it's interesting that the new Pentax K-3 III doesn't have one... but that's another story I guess.
Posted by: Chris | Saturday, 30 October 2021 at 11:44 PM
"Capture One Express for Fujifilm - Instantly boost your Fujifilm images with free photo editing software"
https://www.captureone.com/en/products-plans/capture-one-express/fujifilm
You know it is free?
[It's a good option. I prefer to stick with Photoshop, which I've been using for 27 years now (although that seems very hard to believe!) and ACR. --Mike]
Posted by: David Bennett | Sunday, 31 October 2021 at 03:41 AM
Too many people buy cameras that are "the most advanced" in one regard or another instead of buying a camera they love for one reason or another. As a matter of fact, this holds true for cars as well. I have learned that you can research all you want, in the end you have to buy with your heart.
Posted by: Bernd Reinhardt | Sunday, 31 October 2021 at 10:16 AM
Sony has so many models of cameras for sale that I can't keep track of them. By chance, I just found Sony's A7C, a full-frame camera with similar insides to the A7 III and built in the style of the A6600.
The A7C is full-frame sensor in an APS body. It also comes with a super-compact Zoom that covers 28-60mm. Sounds like it would make a good travel companion.
Not for me though, I'm still using my 8 year old Fuji X-T1.
Posted by: Robert Hudyma | Sunday, 31 October 2021 at 03:58 PM
My biggest issue, by far, with my A6500 is the abysmal battery life. I heavily researched it prior to purchasing, and noted mentions of non-class-leading battery life, but it is considerably worse than I anticipated. Otherwise, I am happy with the camera.
[The A6600 certainly fixes that. I had the test camera for a week and didn't need to recharge the battery once. I'm not a heavy shooter, but that's impressive. My new camera is still on its first charge. I'll report back when I've had more experience with it. --Mike]
Posted by: Mike Potter | Sunday, 31 October 2021 at 11:33 PM
A camera may be a tool, but it is first and foremost an instrument. Some cameras are so entertaining that they can turn as a toy.
Posted by: Pierre Charbonneau | Monday, 01 November 2021 at 12:18 PM
The Sigma 30mm 1.4 is a wonderful lens. Very sharp. I like the way it renders and I like the versatility. It will do portraits, group shots, landscapes, street etc. It is my most used lens by far. I'm still shooting with an A6000. I get along quite well with it and it seems to give me all the image quality and AF performance I need. I have a nice collection of E mount lenses, some Sony some not. Eventually, I will upgrade from the A6000 but it's not a priority.
Posted by: Carlo Santin | Monday, 01 November 2021 at 02:15 PM
Sorry to say, but I’m afraid TOP is becoming, well, boring. Posts are up to three days apart, and if posted late enough, it seems like four days. Then, “I bought a new camera!” Oh….ok….
[Sorry Basil. It's true that this post was not one of the more popular recent posts. I'm still trying to feel out a reduced schedule and I don't feel I've achieved success yet, so please stay turned and pardon our growing pains, or, as a waggish reader put it the other day, our shrinking pains. --Mike]
Posted by: Basil Steinle | Monday, 01 November 2021 at 03:53 PM
Wikipedia tells me that Adams "Moonrise over Hernandez, New Mexico" was shot on this day in 1941
Posted by: KeithB | Monday, 01 November 2021 at 04:38 PM
I take haptics to mean the precision and quality of the feedback one gets from applying an input to a mechanical control. That feedback is not limited to tactile. For me, I always include the sound.
Haptics may be, but is not necessarily, correlated with functionality or good outcome. It is an additional, rarified dimension to the best mechanical design -- one which appears to be the special domain of the Germans, the Swiss, and to a lesser extent, the Japanese. In other words, notorious joyless OCD types.
Some of us gearheads are addicted to haptics independent of functionality or outcome: the film advance crank; the aperture ring; the way the door closed on earlier generations of Porsches, Bimmers and Mercs (only Ferraris have managed to retain that delicious, precise engagement.)
Sad to say, but good haptics is a disappearing art because it is a disappearing concern.
Posted by: Al C. | Monday, 01 November 2021 at 07:02 PM
Mike, I share your detestation of "flippy" screens. Which why have the X-E4 instead of the X-T4.
Posted by: Allan Ostling | Monday, 01 November 2021 at 09:48 PM
Did any other Fuji cameras share the same sensor as the XT1? I know Fuji often (always?) share sensors across multiple cameras.
Posted by: Neil partridge | Thursday, 04 November 2021 at 12:52 AM
Did the later fuji models (XT2, XT3, XT4) continue to improve in the areas you found so appealing with the XT1 (i.e. B&W images)?
Posted by: Neil | Friday, 05 November 2021 at 04:24 AM