Fuji XE-2 versus Olympus OM-D E-M1

This week I had an enquiry from a photographer considering moving from a Canon DSLR  to a lightweight mirror-less camera. She referred to it as a downgrade but there are some who would say it is as an upgrade.

The shift to high-end compacts has been surging for the last 18 months.  High end compacts are capable of producing images equal to or better than many DSLRs. More photographers are taking advantage of the physical advantages afforded by smaller, lighter cameras with superb optics, especially for travel and street photography.

'I am looking at an Olympus OM-D E-M1 or the Fuji X-E2' my enquirer wrote.

My reply: 'The Olympus is a neat little package. One of my pro colleagues owns one and loves it. It also shoot very rapidly. Its not on my recommended list, mainly because of the sensor size.

Pic 1: Fujifilm XE-1 18-55 lens 1/4000 @ f4 250ISO 37mm

In brief, the Olympus weighs almost twice as much as the X-E2 but its sensor is little more than half the size of the Fuji. That just doesn't make sense.  Olympus  hasn't worked out the fundamentals as well as Fuji. I'm not saying the Olympus is a bad camera. Its not. But if image quality and weight are two important issues Fuji is clearly in front.'

My enquirer wrote back asking what lens I'd recommend for the Fuji XE-2.

Pic 2: Crop approx 5% of original image

'I think the Fuji 18-55 is a great all round travel lens affording you wide angle through to short telephoto. Its very sharp.

I have the XE-1 and thats the lens I use. If you want to be very clever you can buy an adapter further down the track and fit the Fuji with Leica lenses. The lens comes with a lens hood. The only extras you should consider is a a UV filter (Hoya)  and a camera case (Lowepro).  The XE-2 is lightweight with beautiful balance in your hand and good ergonomics so it should be a pleasure to use.'

oOo

Take a look at the wide array of  UWA photography workshops and get straight camera advice right from the horse's mouth - click HERE.

21 Tips for Street Photographers

'Please don't show me any more perfectly exposed, perfectly sharp, colour saturated photoshopped landscapes. Show me photographs of real people enjoying life and having fun.' 

1. Dress down
2. Avoid hunting in packs – alone or with 1 friend is best
3. Use a small, quiet camera (eg Fujifilm X100S)
4. Select a wide-angle, prime lens
5. The ‘2 sec’ rule – camera ready to shoot in less than 2 secs
6. Pre-set manual focus to 3m when zoning
7. Look for an interesting background
8. Check the lighting on people's clothes and faces
9. Separate subject from background using colour, focus and tone
10. Moving subjects – more space in front of subject
11. Camouflage 101 - fix gaze beyond subject – use a ‘screen’
12. Befriend your subject
13. Smile lots
14. Camouflage 102 - drink coffee, read the newspaper
15. Street performances – buskers and crowds
16. Major events – festivals and parades
17. Avoid looking at LCD until you have left location
18. Carry a pocket release (brief model release)
19. Be working on a ‘project’ in order to answer ‘why’
20. Vary camera height – from worm's to bird's eye view
21. Use cine approach – establishing shot, medium, close-up, macro.
    
    
    Note: All images shot in Fremantle, WA using a Fuji X100

'I don't know where I'm going from here but I promise it won't be boring'

David Bowie

On the Move: Travel and Street Photography Workshop 15/16 November 2014