First mirrorless for me was the Fujifilm X-T5. High resolution, great design, easy and fun to use. I find editing is rarely needed with the film simulations. I started with the 16-80 f4 and it really is an excellent all rounder but for wildlife the XF150-600 can’t be beat. Light and sharp!
Neutral
I went with the Fujifilm 150-600mm F5.6-8 and I’m shooting on an X-T5. Because it’s an APS-C sensor, it’s a 225-900mm full frame equivalent focal length. I had tried the Fuji 70-300 with a 1.4X teleconverter before that, and while it’s a nice lens in a small package, I wad unhappy with the reach. The 150-600 is pretty great so far, but is not good in low light.
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Behind my phone, the Fuji XF10 - their answer to Ricoh's GR - is probably my most-used camera out of a cabal that includes the X100V, X-T3, and X-Pro2. It's a shame that this pocket of pocketable cameras with physical controls is dying out.
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The list of Fujis I've owned/sold/kept: - 5 X100s (2x T, 2x F, currently own a V) - 2 X-Pro2s (one went to my younger cousin) - 1 X-T2 (upgraded to an X-T3) - 2 X70s (sold them - too heavy for a point-and-shoot, fantastic otherwise) - 1 XF10 I don't think I will ever not have an X100. The XF10 on the other hand is always with me. In a second I can go from single-point auto-focus and -exposure to zone-focused slow-sync flash; the only other camera that's this usable, from my experience, is the Ricoh GR II. The immediacy of physical buttons and controls is something phones have yet to replicate.
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I have the Fuji X-S10 and the fantastic XF 56mm f/1.2. I love the sharpness and bokeh that this combo delivers. Definitely no match for a smartphone. On the other hand, my old Pixel 3a delivers much better dynamic range in low-light situations with its HDR mode. (Of course, it only looks good on the phone, not on the computer screen, but I sometimes wish the Fuji hat better HDR.)
Neutral
The X100 line has a fixed lens, it does not swap out. It’s a bit of a larger, fancier point and shoot that does not zoom. They look really nice and I’ve always wanted one! I have an X-T2 and have started a collection of lenses. The 56mm F1.2 is a bokeh monster with the autofocus speed of a slug! But when it hits it is beautiful. They just came out with a new version of the 56mm lens that might do better in Auto Focus, and they are up to the X-T4 which has a bunch of features that are nicer too, like IBIS. Note that the Fuji cameras are unique in that they use a custom colour filter, not a Bayer filter on the sensor. This can affect the RAW processing depending on how you might want to do it. Honestly I got into Fuji cause a friend shot with it, lent me the body when he was out of country for a while, then I just got used to it and that was that. The XT line has more dials than a lot of other makes, some people like that. I’ve decided on suggesting this to people who ask what camera they should get: 1. Pick your budget first 2. Pick the type (point and shoot, mirrorless interchangeable lens) 3. Go to a camera store and pick up some of the models you might be interested in. See what you like the feel of and the interface of. Between all the big companies, you can’t really go wrong. 4. Don’t go all out on the body (go used!) and get nicer lenses. Once you pick a make with a certain mount, you can have the lenses for life and upgrade the body as you go along. Try 2 lenses to star…
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I bought a Fujifilm X-T4 for my first "big boy" camera last year and the deciding factor in my head was that the best camera is one you want to carry. The 18-55mm kit lens is one of the best + the X-T4 has easy knobs and settings for great snaps out of the box. I shoot everything JPEG, usually 16:9, immediately download to phone, and basically delete the raw as soon as the edits are done in Snapseed or VN. Photography in the age of social media is highly ephemeral. It's there for a day and then people are onto the next story or snap dopamine hit. I prefer a form of photography that is more like blitz chess, which is to see how quickly you can snap something good and create/post a decent edit.
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As a "serious amateur" photographer at this stage of my life, the last thing I want my camera to do is be "smart". I use a Fujifilm X-Pro3, and while I have a variety of lenses, I almost always have my 23mm f/1.4 mounted. With the crop factor that gives me a "traditional" 35mm focal length. I almost always shoot with fully manual exposure, and only use autofocus about half the time. I chose this kit specifically because I have full control over the image with physical controls to make changes - I can change shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and even dynamic range without taking my eye out of the viewfinder. The X-Pro3 is pretty much made for me and my use case. While it has a "screen", it's folded into the back of the camera and isn't visible unless I manually flip it down. It can't practically be exposed when I'm using the camera normally. It's handy if I want to shoot at waist level or if I want to show someone standing next to me an image... but that's it. I have nothing against "computational photography", and it definitely has its place - but for me, as for most photographers, that place is in post-processing. Adobe is responsible for that stuff, not my camera. I expect my camera to produce a RAW file as an artifact, not an "image".