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For rural-ish landscapes, I'd say I usually focus on the mid-ground (Is that a phrase?!) or if its something like a mountain or something I lock focus to the back which is most likely infinity. In these situations, again not urban stuff), it's usually pretty sharp throughout the entire photo. I did a video on going to Summit One in NYC, and actually from the top - even cityscapes are very sharp throughout. Both scenarios at f4. To be totally honest though, both scenarios aren't my usual thing I shoot, so take this a bit lightly.

Exactly - both F4, might as well go for the zoom!

I'd absolutely get the 20-35 but it's a real bank buster.

@@MikeLikesChannel Cant go wrong with the GF23 though!

You would have been happy with either?! Idk… the grass is always greener!

@ I brought both of them with me on a Japan trip. Used 12-24/2.8 most of the time, but at times the 14/1.8 did come in clutch too I think I would’ve been able to make do with either one of them, but it ultimately comes down to the good old ‘zoom vs prime’ debate

Thanks for dropping a comment! I think you made the right move with the 20-35! It's weird. I tend on liking zooms better. On the XF system I loved the 8-16 and the 50-140, but GFX, I mainly went all primes, except for the wide. I really love the versatility with the wide for sure. Feel free to shoot me a message on IG, happy to talk gear good sir!

I like the idea of doing a real world test, but honestly thats a great idea. Thanks for the suggestion!

@@MikeBanom I already told you in other videos, where you shot 3 dimensional objects to test lens or camera "sharpness". That simply does not work. As it doesn't in your video here. You are putting in a lot of effort, so it's sad to see your methodology is all wonky. You need to look for "Gletscherbruchtest", and do that. It's better than shooting a test chart too, at least for wide angle lenses, which often aren't optimised for close range, which a test chart is usually located at. If you still have the lenses, do a Gletscherbruchtest, and report those results.

Ahaha thanks! Sometimes I come up with good ones lol

Also the moment the GF20-35 goes back on sale, I'm picking it up!

@@oxeneers I was about to say, I made this video for you sir. HAHA. This is the final cagematch!

@@MikeBanom No way! The GF500mm vs XF500mm cagematch has GOTTA be on the way, right?? Also, the GF55mm on video was soooo good. AF was legit.

@@oxeneers Thats a good idea! I might have an idea with the GF500mm for March… The GF55 is prob my fav lens on the system! Must buy (before the 20-35 ;) )

😅 For the next comparison, I got you. Thanks for watching!

Maybe for you it's peaceful 😅

Thanks for watching and I'm glad we align!

Nothing wrong with simple! How's that pentax 150mm treat you? Any plans for a GF lens soon?

@ for portraits it’s sublime. And it’s light as a feather, barely 1 pound. I’d like to some day get a 20-35 to cover wide but holy cow even used it’s a fortune 😆

Awesome combo. 40mm equivalent is so good. Most natural compression for the eye. My Canon 40mm f2.8 is my favorite of the bunch and it's basically an exact equivalent of the GFX version. For primes, I find it better be a normal lens, or a niche use case I plan for like portrait or wildlife. I don't tend to like wide angles, even for landscape, but maybe I'll come around on that. But the more lenses I carry, the fewer I seem to use. Two is the most I seem to swap back and forth between, often a 24-105 or 150-600 and the 40mm.

For me, that flip out screen for photo is a deal breaker. If I didn't go GFX, i'd wait years like I did when the 2015 macbook came out. Refused to buy it, finally got a new one in 2020 LOL. Interesting point though - would the grip really make things that cramped? I think it'd be the same body as the XH2 more or less with a grip no? I think the XT6 and XH3/s need to have the same screen as the A7R5. Flip out and 3 way articulation. It'd be awesome!

@@MikeBanom My point was that the XT series cameras for years had vertical grip options, and Fuji dumped them for the X-T5 claiming "poor sales" (Ok). I have one on my X-T3 and it makes using red badge lenses/on camera flash way more comfortable, not to mention it means all-day shooting is possible (though, given the shutter placement etc, it is still not ergonomically perfect). Without that option, the X-T5 was an automatic no-go for me. The super power of the X-T3 is that it is small enough to serve as a great "walk around" camera but, once gripped, is basically ready for pro work because big lenses and flashes feel better balanced. All that said, an XH2 with no grip appeals to me because it would be a little smaller than my current (gripped) setup, with a much better battery. I might even be able to get by without a grip, in that sense saving some money. But I'd hate the flip out screen. The tilt-screen is where its at for me, and yes, the A7R5 screen is what every camera now MUST have!

The GF110 is on the slower side of AF. XF50-140 is pretty fast! I havent used it a ton with the XH2 but naturally out of the 3 you listed, it is def the fastest. I found the XF56 gen 2 kind of slow. But it makes sense being a 1.2 portrait lens. Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a comment!

@@MikeBanom NP - I'll have to edit my comment since I made a few errors in it - but kudos for understanding what I was asking! I meant to say I'd like a portrait stunner that also has stunning AF performance - the 56 WR does very well, but is definitely more challenging to work with at times.

IMO if you shoot faster moving subjects OR really need AF to be crucial (lock eye) for your profession its def a worthy upgrade for sure. If i shot weddings, I'd buy the 100sii.

Def!

You sound like my kind of people!! Well said sir haha

Hey Tom, I appreciate you shooting me a question, unfortunately, I don't know the answer for this one. Sorry! Thanks for watching!

@@MikeBanomno worries Mike! Have a great one 🤙🏼😃

Thanks for watching!

Really? What were their complaints? So far all the reviews I have seen of this lens was favoriable.

Thanks good sir!

I’ve read a bunch of initial feedback with the standard “slow af”, which you know… GFX lol

⁠@@ryanvacation7319 complaints about slow af. Weight. Noise when focusing etc.

I got your back good sir! Thanks for leaving a comment letting me know - def helps.

Perfectly said - GF55, the new standard!

I'd love to try the tilt-shift lenses out!

We're very much on the same page! Check out the video I did talking about the lenses in my kit. We're very aligned! One thing that is kind of fun with Fuji is being restricted. It makes decisions easy. If you want midrange, easy. GF55. That lens eliminated the 45, 50 and 63. Not necessarily, but IMO it did. Then the 110 is superior to the 80 IMO. wide? Well the 20-35 is better than the 23mm in terms of IQ. anyway, IMO you're spot on.

@@MikeBanom yeah its easy and also hard to decide… started 2005 with canon equipment then nikon now sony and after some years I get a bit bored of systems I know toooo well - so something new has to come and be excited to learn a new system - first I thought about Hasselblad x2d but the gfx system is superior except the look - the x2d is really a beauty but but af slower no video function(nice to have but wont be used much) and lenses that deliver the sams quality for double the price doesnt make sense - I‘m glad to leave sony because I hat too much - have the 14gm/20/24-70gm/40/85gm/135gm/70-200gm/200-600/ and some macro laowa … lenses always too much to carry around 😂 - so only 18 gfx lenses to choose from is refreshing 😂 checking your videos and others to eliminate lenses that are loud/focus breathing/have ca‘s80mm)/extend when focusing … keep your fine reviews going like them a lot👍🏻 by the way love dogs too - have a great dane that has to work as a model for me to test lenses 😜

Ahahahaha thats a great idea! I could run the stats and see what the most popular lenses are from all who commented. Although it wouldnt be a MASSIVE pool. Funny!

Phones? What are you saying?

How do you like the 17mm?

Valid point, the only thing I would say is every Fuji lens is a walk around if you have the willpower 😁

@@MikeBanom It is true, they are all so good, but at night, I like the relatively compactness of the 50.

Fuji you better be listening!!!!

🤷‍♂️

I mean potentially sure. Depending on what final resolution you need. But I upgraded to the GFX to have more resolution for product shots. I recently did a watch shoot and I thought the XH2+XF80 would be just as good as I could get closer with the XF80 vs GF120. But in reality even cropping heavy, the XF files are really no where near the quality of the GFX. Beyond resolution too. Color and all. So I won't say there isnt a specific use where using the XF would be better or maybe you have a cheap project and you dont want to use the GFX, but for me, I'd pretty much always use the GFX.

@@MikeBanom No offense. I also have GFX & XF, but I used GFX only for landscape and XF for macro & product as it slow down my work process on focus stacking because of very huge files to process. That's just my suggestion & opinions for your viewers that is in my same position. No right or wrong but only a suggestion

Thanks for watching and taking the time to leave a comment! I have a mega comparison video on the 23 vs 20-35.. But most likely wont be up until Nov as I'm traveling a bit this month. The 20-35mm is the right choice if you want the better lens. 23 is a better choice budget wise.

Ha - yeah this was my 3rd video before i had a lav. Sound super bad.

You won't regret the 55 purchase! Thanks for watching!

Perfectly said.

You do have a point 😁. But as I said, its a medium format studio camera that you can bring outside of the studio. AF is not the strong point.

@@MikeBanom i know, i totally understand, but just still difficult to adjust the mindset and expectation for some one came from and still mainly shooting with good FF like Z9 and A1.

@@dannyli9424 100% agreed. It really just depends on what you shoot. If you can get away with not needing AF pretty much, using a GFX will get you the best image quality. But it all depends.

So you could get that same shot manual focus and lock eye when a dog is walking towards you?

Walking yes. With a manual lens. Not playing. Definitely not running. That’s for an old school highly skilled specialist. But I was talking about the dude sitting in a chair with a smoke machine chugging away. You measure from the focal plane to his eye, set the lens and leave it. You’re not shooting wide open so he can move a few inches and still be fine. The focus depth doesn’t change. And shot at a reasonable aperture he can shift quite a lot. 5.6 is handy. How do you think they’ve shot movies for over a century?? Now they have laser guided focus pulling rigs but many many movies are made with a human focus puller and a monitor or in the past, pre-measured marks in the floor and a puller with the eyes of a god. Autofocus is way overused and frankly, a crutch for many. The focus features on my 5D Mk IV are pretty basic and I rarely missed shooting bicycle racing, my dogs and events. I would like a Sony FF as a second camera for the Fuji GFX 100S II I’m about to order. The canon has a wonky dial that’s not worth fixing. A proper global shutter camera would be awesome if I were returning to production work but my back won’t take holding a gimbal, etc. and as a portrait photographer that A9 is kind of a dog. I love autofocus for photographing sports. For dogs and kids playing and events where speed is essential. Video cameras don’t need it for action because of back focus and even for events you can zoom and focus by hand. That’s why people should use actual video cameras with zoom buttons like they use for news for event work. Modern Hybrid cameras are cinema cameras for prepared productions. They’re not the best tool for a wedding or street. And modern video cameras don’t weigh 35lbs anymore!

@@f.kieranfinney457 Thanks for your response! I enjoyed reading it. Yeah well said on AF. For my 100s, I shoot manual most of the time honestly. For the 100sii I was mainly interested in pet eye AF. But for the most part, I dont see what the big deal on shooting manual is. Agreed most people use it as a crutch. Thanks for watching!

My Canon is ailing and my preference for replacement is the GFXs II. But. I am heavily invested in Canon lenses, speed lights and Paul Buff lights. The Canon stuff I can sell and the studio lights are universal. But I need an outdoor moonlight with HSS. Buff don’t have their HUB hss transmitter in a Fuji version. Another (much more $$$) option is a Profoto B10X or similar and again, no Fuji transmitter. They do have an on camera flash that (I think?) has a Fuji transmitter. Lighting gear is a problem for the Fuji brand. Though to be fair the same problem exists for my alternate choice, a used Leica. Did I miss an obvious option?

​@@f.kieranfinney457 Funny you bring this up, I am in the very early stages of researching strobes for my studio. I currently use aputure 300d lights. So far I was considering either Godox 600s or the ProFoto B10s. I know, extreme. But both have Fuji transmitters. Apparantly the new Godox transmitter (X3) is really really nice. (amzn.to/3XFbDjV) Overall the B10s are nicer lights for sure, but not triple the price nicer. Also bowens mount is way better than the profoto mount. Its wild profoto doesnt have bowens. And lastly I ear the profoto transmitter isnt amazing. But I havent really made a decision yet. I am leaning godox though. (amzn.to/3TrwS6q)

Cheers

Thanks for watching my videos! Unfortunately video on the GFX isn't something I'm really interested in showing. Maybe in the future! I wont say never.

@@MikeBanom claro... solo no te olvides de traer el x2d ii

Interesting! I'll have to get my hands on some sigma primes to test!

depending on how wide you want to go - i found myself bouncing between the GF20-35 and GF55.

Accurate. Haha

What do you typically shoot?

@@MikeBanom Portraits - I have the 56mm F1.7 TTArtisan, I had the Fujifilm 23mm F2.8. I liked the portability for travel pictures but ended returning because the autofocus was terrible on close distance for the food pictures I usually take when I go to try new restaurants.

@@DarklvlAge Not this XF30 macro would be ideal for portraits, but also, it might not be horrible. For food i could see this being AWESOME! XF23 f2 better for portraits for sure. I have a link in the description if you want to grab the XF30 😇 I REALLY enjoyed the XF30. I shoot GFX, but of all the newer XF glass i have tried, the XF18 1.4 and XF30 macro really really impressed me. I'd love to have a need for the XF30. Its a killer lens.

@@MikeBanom Thanks for input. I ended up getting the 30mm macro to test out. Does your 30mm macro have this weird zoom scope thing inside move around when you roll the lens upside down? Is this normal?

@@DarklvlAge I just had this lens for a few weeks from Fuji - sorry I dont remember.

Thanks so much David! I appreciate you watching.

Honestly - no idea. I don't believe they have a brand name on it, I'll check tomorrow! I was gifted them from someone. Very heavy lol

@@MikeBanom That would be awesome! Thanks!

This is it! Its by the brand Silk. slikusa.com/products/the-professional-4 Very heavy duty. If i were to buy one, i'd prob go manfrotto. But these seem to be a really good price for the level of quality.

@@MikeBanom thanks so much! I appreciate it

Thanks so much for watching!