Christa and I have been Canon shooters for a long time. It was a beautiful relationship. When Fuji Released the X-T1, the look and size of the camera really intrigued us, so we placed an order on B&H immediately. Upon receiving it, we enjoyed it; however, it did not have the speed or focus we really were looking for, so we returned it and continued our relationship with Canon. Though people were jumping ship from Canon to Nikon by the hundreds, we stayed faithful. I, Phil, had numerous conversations with other photographers about the Portos being “Team Canon” forever. Though we had switched to Sony for video, we did not see ourselves ever leaving Canon for photography. 

Then, Fuji announced the X-T2. After reading about the improvements of the speed and focus points, our faithful Canon hearts were struck with curiosity. I remember thinking, “If this camera is everything I loved about the X-T1, but is suitable for weddings, we may have to consider switching.” We rented the camera as soon as Fuji released it and, instantly, we were sold. There have always been conversations in Facebook groups and photographer message boards about how Fuji cameras are not suited for professional wedding photographers. Let me be clear in saying this, that could not be further from the truth. After shooting with the camera at one wedding and playing around with the RAW files, Christa and I, along with some of our close friends in the industry, were all ready to say goodbye to our long relationship with Canon. We wanted to be wise, though, and make the decision that was best for our business, so we also rented Sony A7II and Zeiss and G-Master lenses to compare with our Fuji experience. All it took was one wedding to make us see that Fuji had, indeed, stollen our hearts. 

So what about Fuji pushed us over the edge?

1. Size and Weight: We shoot a lot of weddings and we travel quite a bit and carrying around Canons cameras and lenses was really starting to take a toll on our bodies. Even with the amazing Hold Fast Money Maker, it was still a lot to carry around. 6-10 hour wedding days carrying around all our Canon gear was not easy. I, Phil, also have had some issues with my legs that we still do not know what the cause is, and the weight of our previous gear wasn’t helping. With Fuji we get quality gear without our bodies having to suffer. We want to be around for a while and we want to protect our bodies in the process. 

2. Usability: The Fuji X-T2 is so user friendly and we truly enjoy the experience. Within a few hours of playing with the camera, we were ready to tackle the next wedding. I, Christa, tend not to like to play the guessing game when it comes to settings. I’ve been told for a long time now that I should be able to master any lighting situation and be able to change my settings on a dime without looking. If you can do that, I truly applaud you. I, on the other hand, tend to second guess most decisions that I make. So, flipping settings in a high-stakes situation that catches you off-guard tended to be a high-stress experience for me. It usually turned out ok, but who wants that anxiety? With Fuji, I can see what I’m doing in real time, which not only puts me at ease, but has made getting comfortable with the Fuji settings like second-nature. And I, Phil, am short so I love that swivel screen. 

3. Product: We have loved the quality of images we have been able to produce thus far with the X-T2. The tones are rich and the glass is amazing. The 56 1.2 is eye candy!

4. Customer service: Due to my previous years working with Apple, a company whose credo was all about Enriching Lives, customer service means a lot to me. A bad experience with customer service can make me leave a company quickly. I can not say anything bad about our experiences with Canon. They were always good to us and ,if you are a Canon user, you should truly enlist in their CPS program. That being said, for us to switch, we would need to find a company whose customer service was equally on par. Our experience in communication with the Fuji team during the two weeks we rented the camera was amazing. They were quick to respond and always willing to accommodate. That made us feel comfortable and confident in taking the leap to switch.

5. Go against the grain: The Portos, our Heights Wedding Collective team member Ernie Lemon, and our good friends the Hons have always enjoyed coloring outside the lines. When people say something can’t be done, we enjoy the challenge. When naysayers say the Fuji X Series isn’t suitable for professional wedding photographers, we want our work to prove those statements wrong. 

We know that no camera system is perfect, but we are looking forward to our journey with Fuji!