Switching from a film Leica to a Digital Fuji X-Pro 2
by Richard Landberg
Hi! I have been shooting film Leica for some years. Always in black and white. A while ago I wanted to start shooting color, but developing color in Sweden is now really expensive. I Bought a Ricoh GRII, GREAT camera but it was to limited. I missed a 50mm equivalent lens and a real optical viewfinder. I then tried the Leica M9 but I did not like it at all so I went back to shooting black and white with my Leica M5.
Then I saw a youtube video with a young photographer named Dante Sisofo. He was shooting the Fuji X-Pro 2 and the colors in his photos was stunning. I ordered a X-Pro2 and a 35mm f/2 straight away. And wow! The colors from this camera! I shoot raw and then apply the standard/provia color profile in Lightroom and that is it! I Shoot with the optical viewfinder, using the EVF only to check exposure. At first I missed the rangefinder focus that Leica use but now I no longer think about it. For me this is a really great camera. Here are som photos from this summer. Mainly Norway and Italy.
Glad you like your new Fuji X and its film simulations!
If ever bored with Lightroom default rendering – try it with RNI All Films for Lightroom.
It’s an add-on package that installs some custom camera profiles and film presets into your LR. Its rendering is something. Very subtle, well-balanced and so similar to real film.
Glad you found the “tool” that give you the results you are looking for.
Cameras – there is nothing mystical inside it.
The picture happens 15cm behind the viewfinder.
Cameras can change the way you have to take pictures
and make you feel this process better and maybe your
pictures are better to or at last you feel happy !
After shooting Digital for almost a decade I went back to film
which gave me more satisfaction – then I changed to Digital Full Format.
Now There is a Nikon S2 with just a 1,4/50 lens in my bag, add some rolls
of Kodak Tri-X 400 and everything has changed again.
What will be next ?
Glad you like your new Fuji X and its film simulations!
If ever bored with Lightroom default rendering – try it with RNI All Films for Lightroom.
It’s an add-on package that installs some custom camera profiles and film presets into your LR. Its rendering is something. Very subtle, well-balanced and so similar to real film.
Thanks for sharing your opinion but this is a personal preference and possibly leading to missdirection.
A camera is a tool that a photographer chooses to create images.
It seems that you missed all other films or you are stuck to Provia because there is no other filter available? Also you associate digital images to a film camera rather to a film. This is a little odd.
I like digital cameras because of the convenience and certain functionality. But I choose digital or analog media based on the creation that I like to make. I use Lightroom for post processing in all occasions that I find appropriate. But using film and Lightroom is gift that did not exist in the past. I wonder what Ansel Adams would have done if he had Lightroom.
Also, lets not forget that a cropped sensor is not the same as a full frame sensor and at the end the images can be quiet different.
Very strong photos .. the Flickr sites really worth a look. I’m not really thinking about the type of camera you used
mmm, still not convinced about the XT-2, mostly for hispanic skin colors, they are not rendered correctly. but haven´t shot with Leica
It is great and i also changed mey leica to fujifilm gfx.Detail is amazing,no comperrison there but for the pop and draving i still mis my leica M and 50mm apo summicron.
Very nice pictures! Can I ask you which lenses did you use?
Thank you! 🙂
Fuji 35/2
Some nice images Richard, I agree with you about the colours. I was an early adaptor of the transX cameras. My early experience was the film simulations were fantastic but the raw files processed in adobe LR tended a little toward blue/green. I think the later cameras really deliver and I am seriously considering upgrading myself.
Beautiful photos Richard. I have the same combo and some other lenses in the system too. I’m shooting raw plus jpeg. I often use the jpegs as the final product and have the raw file as a backup in case I want to change the film simulation. The jpegs are great out of camera. I highly recommend you try them. I set in camera sharpening to -4. Looks great. Acros B&W simulation is appreciated more done in camera the way the grain looks than adding later in Lightroom. I find this approach saves a lot of time in post production.
Very nice photos. The Fuji system has a lot going for it for serious photographers. I’m sure you will remain pleased with your switch from Leica to Fuji.