After 43 Years, Switching from Nikon to Fujifilm
May 2015
May 2015
It has been over 40 years since I bought my first Nikon, a black Nikkormat FTn with a 50mm lens. I was 17 years old and had just won (part of) a football pool. That wasn’t even my first camera - I had already been experimenting with my first purchase, a Petri 7s. At school in Delft, we worked with an indestructible Russian camera, the Lubitel. But I remained loyal to Nikon until April of this year (2015), although I must admit that, purely for financial reasons, I sometimes screwed a Vivitar or Panagor lens onto my Nikon.
In the late ’70s, I briefly switched to a Mamiya 645, a beautiful medium-format camera for studio work. However, I quickly abandoned it due to its impracticality for photographing children and my dog, Oscar (the Bouvier). After that, I stuck with Nikon - moving from the FTn through various models, including the EM, FM, F301, F50, and even the underwater Nikonos IV and V, the latter of which I sadly drowned in the Red Sea.
I entered Nikon’s digital era with a D50, followed by a D80, and finally, a full-frame D700, which I purchased shortly after its release in 2009. The D700, paired with the flagship f/2.8 24-70mm lens and an f/1.4 50mm, remained my go-to setup for years.
Where Did It Go Wrong?
Well, nowhere really. The D700 was - and still is - an amazing camera. But it was a heavy burden to carry. At the end of 2010, after my first years in Rwanda, I decided not to take it on a trip to Canada. With the glass, it weighed about 1.7kg in my backpack, and we were planning to do a lot of hiking. Bringing the D700 and a travel tripod was out of the question. That was the first warning sign. Instead of the Nikon, I took a compact Panasonic LX5 for snapshots. The Panasonic performed so well that I even got an underwater housing for it.
Well, nowhere really. The D700 was - and still is - an amazing camera. But it was a heavy burden to carry. At the end of 2010, after my first years in Rwanda, I decided not to take it on a trip to Canada. With the glass, it weighed about 1.7kg in my backpack, and we were planning to do a lot of hiking. Bringing the D700 and a travel tripod was out of the question. That was the first warning sign. Instead of the Nikon, I took a compact Panasonic LX5 for snapshots. The Panasonic performed so well that I even got an underwater housing for it.
I noticed that I was carrying my Nikon less and less, and my output in terms of quantity started to decline. A bad sign. I didn’t want to change cameras - I wanted to change weight and, more importantly, mentality: the way I took my photos. The robust D700 was limiting my creativity. In 2012/2013, I saw a temporary surge in both quality and quantity, thanks to a photography course in Utrecht. But after that, the heavy Nikon once again stayed in my bag too often.
I knew something had to change. A compact Nikon? A pro-style compact Panasonic? While Googling, I stumbled upon the Fujifilm X-E1 and X-Pro1. They had great reviews and a cool retro look - though that wasn’t my main reason for considering them. They also offered the ability to use Zeiss lenses, which opened up interesting possibilities.
A YouTube video by Zack Arias ultimately convinced me to take the plunge. I bought the X-E1 with the 18-55mm lens. The X-Pro1 was still out of my budget at the time, but I was willing to take the risk with the X-E1. What immediately appealed to me was the histogram in the electronic viewfinder and the ability to make quick exposure corrections with my thumb in 1/3-stop increments. The Fujifilm sensor had already gained a reputation for its outstanding dynamic range.
Travel and Street Photography
The X-E1 was always within reach - discreet and perfect for my favorite snapshots on the street, photos of my grandchildren, and lightweight travel. I even took the leap and traveled to South Africa with just the X-E1 in my backpack, bringing an XF 55-200mm for wildlife. The results, printed at 60x80cm on Xpozer, were stunningly sharp with exceptional dynamic range. The quality of the XF lenses was so high that I never even considered getting Zeiss lenses. I later added a Fujinon 35mm f/1.4 lens.
The X-E1 was always within reach - discreet and perfect for my favorite snapshots on the street, photos of my grandchildren, and lightweight travel. I even took the leap and traveled to South Africa with just the X-E1 in my backpack, bringing an XF 55-200mm for wildlife. The results, printed at 60x80cm on Xpozer, were stunningly sharp with exceptional dynamic range. The quality of the XF lenses was so high that I never even considered getting Zeiss lenses. I later added a Fujinon 35mm f/1.4 lens.
The camera was so light and inconspicuous that I captured street photos I would never have taken with my trusty Nikon. On subsequent trips to California and Rwanda, I carried only the X-E1, and my creativity flourished.
For the few commercial assignments, I still took the D700, but once on-site, it often stayed in the bag. Fujifilm’s firmware updates brought significant improvements, especially in autofocus speed. Meanwhile, Fuji launched the X-E2 and the flagship X-T1 - both tempting but not quite enough to make me upgrade.
With a Heavy Heart
The rapid advancements in mirrorless cameras - not just from Fuji but also Sony, Panasonic, and Samsung - seemed to be reshaping the market. If Canon and Nikon didn’t follow suit, they would be left behind. Even wedding photographers were ditching their bulky DSLRs for mirrorless systems.
The rapid advancements in mirrorless cameras - not just from Fuji but also Sony, Panasonic, and Samsung - seemed to be reshaping the market. If Canon and Nikon didn’t follow suit, they would be left behind. Even wedding photographers were ditching their bulky DSLRs for mirrorless systems.
I realized that I barely used my D700 anymore. I had a choice: sell it while it was still valuable or let it sit on a shelf for another year while the second-hand market flooded with obsolete full-frames. I chose to sell, and after 43 years, I parted ways with my Nikon gear.
At the same time, Fuji was slashing prices on the X-Pro1 due to the upcoming X-Pro2 and X-T10. To soften the blow of selling my Nikon, I picked up an X-Pro1 body and a Nissin i40 flash for a bargain - an excellent combo that I even used to shoot a wedding.
So, Is Fujifilm X Perfect?
Not at all. Battery life is unimpressive. The X-Pro1’s viewfinder isn’t great for glasses-wearers, and it lacks the diopter adjustment found on the X-E1 and X-E2 - a major oversight that can’t be fixed with firmware.
Not at all. Battery life is unimpressive. The X-Pro1’s viewfinder isn’t great for glasses-wearers, and it lacks the diopter adjustment found on the X-E1 and X-E2 - a major oversight that can’t be fixed with firmware.
Which Is Better, the Nikon D700 or the Fujifilm X-Pro1?
It’s hard to say - they’re too different to compare. But two things are clear: the D700 is twice as heavy and more than twice as expensive. Financial depreciation on the D700 was brutal. The weight and bulk of the D700 turned out to be its biggest drawback. Only now, with the X-cameras, do I realize how much more often I reach for my camera, leading to a surge in productivity. My clients don’t need to be impressed by a big camera and a massive lens. And needless to say, the image quality of the X-series - even in JPEG - is outstanding. There are more than enough megapixels for large prints. No bad words about the D700 and its fantastic lens, but it’s a studio camera - not ideal for a lightweight traveler like me.
It’s hard to say - they’re too different to compare. But two things are clear: the D700 is twice as heavy and more than twice as expensive. Financial depreciation on the D700 was brutal. The weight and bulk of the D700 turned out to be its biggest drawback. Only now, with the X-cameras, do I realize how much more often I reach for my camera, leading to a surge in productivity. My clients don’t need to be impressed by a big camera and a massive lens. And needless to say, the image quality of the X-series - even in JPEG - is outstanding. There are more than enough megapixels for large prints. No bad words about the D700 and its fantastic lens, but it’s a studio camera - not ideal for a lightweight traveler like me.
Continuous Improvement
Fujifilm is an innovative company that supports its users post-purchase. Even years later, firmware updates kept improving my camera. I can’t remember the last time Nikon released a meaningful update for me. In May 2015, Fuji announced the X-T10 and firmware version 4.0—bringing the flagship X-T1’s features into a smaller body for around $700. With a lifespan of three to four years, it’s an appealing camera, especially since I already had the lenses.
Fujifilm is an innovative company that supports its users post-purchase. Even years later, firmware updates kept improving my camera. I can’t remember the last time Nikon released a meaningful update for me. In May 2015, Fuji announced the X-T10 and firmware version 4.0—bringing the flagship X-T1’s features into a smaller body for around $700. With a lifespan of three to four years, it’s an appealing camera, especially since I already had the lenses.
Update April 2025
It’s now April 2025, and my journey with Fujifilm has continued. Next to my analog adventure with a Mamiya M645 I currently shoot with a Fujifilm X-H1 , a Panasonic point-and-shoot camera and a collection of Fujifilm lenses, proving that my switch from Nikon was the right decision for me. The advancements in mirrorless technology have been incredible, and I’ve never looked back.
It’s now April 2025, and my journey with Fujifilm has continued. Next to my analog adventure with a Mamiya M645 I currently shoot with a Fujifilm X-H1 , a Panasonic point-and-shoot camera and a collection of Fujifilm lenses, proving that my switch from Nikon was the right decision for me. The advancements in mirrorless technology have been incredible, and I’ve never looked back.