All Things Must Pass

dscf0679FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/5.6, 1/340 sec, ISO200)

Yes. I have been here before. Even two times but for a good reason.

For me this the most beautiful temple in Chennai. Chennai in Tamil a state in the South of India. Also known as the city of temples. This temple has been renovated a couple of years back and that’s why it is now one of the most colorful temples I have seen. The Arulmigu Kapaleeswarar Temple.

dscf0682FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (27mm, f/4, 1/350 sec, ISO200)
dscf0694FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (27mm, f/7.1, 1/250 sec, ISO200)
dscf0700FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (27mm, f/7.1, 1/420 sec, ISO200)

For the first two visits I was a little late but this time I came here a little earlier. The sun was already low enough to provide warm light but still high enough to lit the temple and especially its impressive gate. Now with the Fuji X Pro-2 I can record all the fine detail. Finally a compact travel camera that doesn’t compromise on image quality.

I just wished that I had such a camera many years back when I started to travel. I was used to carry either an excessive amount of gear with me when traveling for pleasure or just a compact camera when traveling for business. Today I carry the same camera no matter if I’m on a business trip or on a vacation. The only difference is the lenses that I bring. For my last vacation in the South West of the USA I took all three zooms I own: 10-24, 18-55, 55-200  plus the 14, 16, 23 and the 27 prime lenses. On business trips I take nothing but the 14 and the 27 most of the time. Super small and light.

dscf0705FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/5.6, 1/450 sec, ISO200)
dscf0715FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (14mm, f/5.6, 1/420 sec, ISO200)

Even though I have just these two prime lenses I never feel restricted. Of course a longer lens would be nice sometimes but it is surprising what can be done with those two. Instead of the 27mm I could also choose the 35mm but I find it a little but too long. A better option would be my 23/1.4 but it’s a little on the heavy side. The 27mm is a great compromise in focal length and it’s super small and weighs almost nothing.

I have to admit that I don’t like to switch lenses so sometimes I shoot everything with the 14mm, switch to the 27mm and shoot everything with the 27mm again. If the location is small enough like i.e. a temple this works very good. I can reduce the lens switches to an absolut minimum and can focus on my subjects instead.

dscf0740FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (27mm, f/5.6, 1/240 sec, ISO200)
dscf0774FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (27mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec, ISO640)
dscf0777FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (27mm, f/2.8, 1/170 sec, ISO200)

14/27 a perfect prime combo? Well there is one thing I miss from time to time. A faster aperture. Both lenses are just f2.8. This is not fast for a prime at all. Why not simply shoot a zoom instead? The kit lens, as good as it is, is not an option. It only starts at 18mm and therefore it is simply not wide enough. The 16-55/2.8 would be a different animal but it is very big and heavy. But most of all it is still not wide enough. Within the last 3 years I got used to the 14mm and its field of view. I also got used to its compact size and weight. I switched to Fuji to have a small camera and the 14mm gives me that.

With 16-55/2.8 attached my Fuji X Pro-2 would be too close to an DSLR. I’m not sure if I would enjoy it. I will give it a try though because its range is so nice. It would not replace my primes in general but could replace the kit lens plus some primes on my vacations.

dscf0780FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (27mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec, ISO640)
dscf0794FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (27mm, f/8, 1/160 sec, ISO200)

But until I have this lens I can’t really say anything about it. On my last trip to Singapore I added the 56mm to the mix. So I travel with 3 primes now. It looks like it would make better sense to take nothing but the 16-55/2.8 zoom instead but it is not that simple.

The 14mm offers a much wider view and the 56mm offers a much brighter aperture than the 16-55/2.8. The 14, 27 and 56 combo is slightly heavier than the 16-55/2.8 but not by much and it is not the same at all. I can always leave the 56mm is the hotel to have a lighter bag and even if I take all three lenses the camera that I have in hand and shoot with will be significantly smaller and lighter even with the 56mm lens attached.

Currently I’m very happy with my strange 14-56/2.8-1.2 zoom and most of the times I’m fine with nothing but the 14 and the 27.

dscf0809FUJIFILM X-Pro2 (27mm, f/4, 1/240 sec, ISO200)