Gear of the Year Picks

It's been a big year in the photo industry and I was privileged to try out more gear than ever.  Based on this, I've put together a list of my gear of the year.  The basic criteria is just that it had to become available in 2018 in something bigger than sample quantities.  So here it goes:

Camera of the year:  Tie between Fujifilm X-T3 and Fujifilm GFX-50R
Fuji had a huge year with a number of new bodies and continuing to introduce lenses that often have no rival in image quality at a given price point.  On the camera front, The X-T3 stands out and is now what I consider to be the very best, most well rounded mirrorless camera on the market capable of almost any type of photography from studio to fast action.  It's new 26mp sensor breaks new ground in the APS-C arena and it's controls are second to none.  The other camera picked as Camera of the Year is the GFX-50R - it offers essentially no innovative new features but it brings the price of medium format into the very high end 35mm DSLR space for the first time and also gives medium format shooters a lighter weight alternative.  The Fuji GF lenses are simply outstanding and often weigh half of their medium format rivals' lenses.  Of course both cameras have plenty of things that could still be desired to make them better, but for 2018, these two cameras stand above the rest.

Wide Angle of the year:  Sigma 14mm f/1.8 Art
This lens rocks, is very fast, has exceptional astro photography performance, and costs about half of what other manufacturer's f/2.8 versions of such a lens costs. 

Standard Lens of the Year: Canon RF 50mm f/1.2L
The fastest AF standard lens for mirrorless on the market and it has oodles of image quality all the way into the frame corners thanks to the large mount of the EOS R system.

Telephoto: Nikon 500mm f/5.6 PF
This lens is a game changer.  Professional quality on par with bigger heavier lenses in an all day hand-holdable package.

Standard Zoom:  Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8
This lens for Sony FE is incredible at the price and weight.  It is easily the second best standard zoom for Sony E-mount after the Sony 24-70 f/2.8 GM but it is MUCH lighter and smaller.  This is the lens to get for the traveling photographer.

Telephoto Zoom:  Nikon 180-400mm f/4 1.4x
The best telephoto zoom ever made, bar none.  Add in the built-in 1.4x you ahve a 180-560 f/4-5.6 lens capable of incredible image quality through the entire focal length range.  Yes it is insanely expensive but nothing else touches it, not even close.

Flash: Canon 470 EX-AI
This flash is very innovative - it uses AI to automatically adjust the flash head angle for optimal bounce.

Tripod:  iQuick3Pod from UniqBall
Very sturdy support with built in leveling base at a decent price for what you get.

Tripod Head - Arca-swiss p0-hybrid
Combining the upside down p-0 head with the excellent precision of the L-60 geared camera controls results in the p-0 hybrid - what I consider to be the best option for landscape photography today for all but the most heavy systems.

Accessory - Mindshift BackLight line
The Mindshift Backlight 26L has been around for a while but this year Mindshift added a larger 32L and smaller 18L back loading lightweight backpack.  All three are excellent and the combination of all 3 will handle almost any job with the convenience of backside loading.

Software - Topaz Studio
Topaz introduced the free Topaz Studio which will do most basic adjustments and then you can buy additional modules.  It is possible to use Topaz Studio as your only imaging software or you can run it as a plug-in to Photoshop or Affinity Photo.  It brings the capability of almost all of Topaz's extensive imaging products into a single application.  And if all you need is basic imaging editing, as I said, it is completely free.

Hey EJ

Cool. Would be nice to see a division between wide angle and ultra wide.

Cheers
Carl

walkinman wrote:Hey EJ

Cool. Would be nice to see a division between wide angle and ultra wide.

Cheers
Carl

Then I would nominate the Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM - probably the best 24mm ever made.

EJ,
Would the X-T3 replaces my D500 for action/BIF work, you think?

E.J. Peiker wrote:

walkinman wrote:Hey EJ

Cool. Would be nice to see a division between wide angle and ultra wide.

Cheers
Carl

Then I would nominate the Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM - probably the best 24mm ever made.

Ahhh, cool, thnx. 

Cheers
Carl

KK Hui wrote:EJ,
Would the X-T3 replaces my D500 for action/BIF work, you think?

No, there isn't the long lens choices.  And the D500/D5/D850 still ahve the very best AF for action tracking on the planet.

Please explain your comments regarding the Nikon 180-200 ("nothing else touches it").  Do you mean nothing else introduced in 2018, or nothing else period?  If it is the latter how does it exceed the Canon equivalent?

neubigod wrote:Please explain your comments regarding the Nikon 180-400 ("nothing else touches it").  Do you mean nothing else introduced in 2018, or nothing else period?  If it is the latter how does it exceed the Canon equivalent?

Nothing else in the super-tele zoom world period and that includes the Canon 200-400 1.4x which for it's time was an excellent lens (especially without the 1.4x engaged) but against this lens isn't even on the same playing field (especially with the 1.4x engaged).  Here is my review of the lens published last April:
http://www.ejphoto.com/Quack%20PDF/180-400.pdf

do you see topaz studio replacing the topaz plugins?

Wildflower-nut wrote:do you see topaz studio replacing the topaz plugins?

They pretty much already have. There's only a few plug-ins that aren't available as part of the single interface of Studio.

Though its appeal to most NSN'ers is probably quite limited, I liked what I saw about the Fujifilm GFX-50R enough that I picked one up when they first hit town. It's somewhat lacking in hand-holdable ergonomics compared to my Pentax 645Z, but then the GFX is smaller, more compact and about half the weight. Hopefully somebody will fabricate an aftermarket grip that will improve the hand leverage, which will address my biggest concern. (Maybe RRS can design an L-plate that also has extra grip surface.) I'm quite looking forward to putting this camera through its paces in the coming months. And probably also the 100mp camera Fujifilm is set to release later next year.

I have loved my Pentax 645 digital system for 8 years. But Ricoh / Pentax unfortunately has stagnated in several important areas, while Fuji has been tearing it up in many of those same areas...

Royce Howland wrote:Though its appeal to most NSN'ers is probably quite limited, I liked what I saw about the Fujifilm GFX-50R enough that I picked one up when they first hit town. It's somewhat lacking in hand-holdable ergonomics compared to my Pentax 645Z, but then the GFX is smaller, more compact and about half the weight. Hopefully somebody will fabricate an aftermarket grip that will improve the hand leverage, which will address my biggest concern. (Maybe RRS can design an L-plate that also has extra grip surface.) I'm quite looking forward to putting this camera through its paces in the coming months. And probably also the 100mp camera Fujifilm is set to release later next year.

I have loved my Pentax 645 digital system for 8 years. But Ricoh / Pentax unfortunately has stagnated in several important areas, while Fuji has been tearing it up in many of those same areas...

Ah, if only I was right eyed   For me the GFX-50S works much better than the 50R and it has an excellent hand grip without really weighing all that much more.  Looking forward to what the GFX-100 brings...

I wonder if Fuji will use the old 100mpix sensor or will use a new family that seems to be on the horizon. The xt-3 seems to be using the imx571 rather the new high end imx510.

Mike in O wrote:I wonder if Fuji will use the old 100mpix sensor or will use a new family that seems to be on the horizon.  The xt-3 seems to be using the imx571 rather the new high end imx510.

There is no old 44x33 100mp sensor, only the new one.  It is not on the horizon, it's in production and has been used in some aerial surveillance systems from Phase One for several months now.  This is the sensor that will be in the GFX-100.  It is the Sony IMX461 sensor. The "old" 100mp sensor is a 53x40 sensor for full frame 645 medium format not cropped 44x33.

Note this graphic is over a year old so the things that are indicated as "developing" are on the market now.  4.2 is the 53x40 sensor, 3.6 is the 44x33 sensor:

Thanks for you great line-up. Would you recommend the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 for Nikon as well as for Sony?

Cynthia Crawford wrote:Thanks for you great line-up. Would you recommend the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 for Nikon as well as for Sony?

No that's a totally different lens, different optical formula, different everything.  i would recommend their 24-70 G2 lens though.

E.J. Peiker wrote:

Cynthia Crawford wrote:Thanks for you great line-up. Would you recommend the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 for Nikon as well as for Sony?

No that's a totally different lens, different optical formula, different everything.  i would recommend their 24-70 G2 lens though.

Hmmm- Ok thanks- big difference in price!

I am considering a replacement for my aging Gitzo, corrosion and peeling paint, and wonder if the Iquick3pod series are strong enough for the 400 2.8 II etc..?

Neilyb wrote:I am considering a replacement for my aging Gitzo, corrosion and peeling paint, and wonder if the Iquick3pod series are strong enough for the 400 2.8 II etc..?

Easily, strong enough for the Canon 1200 f/5.6   These are really strong and sturdy tripods.
Here is my full review:
http://www.ejphoto.com/Quack%20PDF/iQuick3pod.pdf

I am intrigued by the built in leveling base, great feature that. Does look good. Great write up. €750. Wow tripods got pricey since I last bought mine