Would switching from a Fujifilm APS-C kit to a Canon full-frame 24-70mm f/2.8 be an upgrade for portrait work?
Asked 3/26/2018
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I shoot portraits as a hobby, often at festivals and conventions. My current kit is a Fujifilm X-T2 with several lenses, and I especially like using a 90mm lens for head-and-shoulders portraits. A professional photographer told me I should stop carrying several primes and replace my setup with a full-frame Canon body and a 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom. I like my current Fujifilm gear because it is compact, works well for video, and gives me results I enjoy. Would moving to a Canon full-frame body with a 24-70mm f/2.8 actually be an upgrade over my current Fuji system for this kind of shooting?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
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The 24-70 is an incredibly good lens - it's as sharp wide-open as just about any prime at every focal length across just about its entire field.
But it's only 24-70. As you're talking about a full-frame Canon, that's as wide (16mm * crop factor of 1.5 = 24mm), but you'll be losing a lot of length at the telephoto end - your 90mm on APS-C is equivalent to 135mm on full-frame. Speed-wise, f/2.8 on full frame is about equivalent to f/2 on APS-C so there won't be a significant difference there except for your currently incredibly fast 35mm f/0.95.
To me, the main reason to change to a zoom lens would be if you're missing shots because you're having to change lenses. If you (and your clients if you are doing this for money) are happy with your current output, then there's absolutely no reason to change because a "professional" told you something - just because they do something for money doesn't mean they know more than you, especially about your personal preferences. I'd just politely ignore them.
Originally by user11371. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11371
8y ago
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Not automatically. It would be a different setup, not a universal upgrade.
A 24-70mm f/2.8 on full frame is an excellent lens, but it does not match your current coverage. Your Fuji 90mm on APS-C gives a field of view similar to about 135mm on full frame, which is well beyond 70mm. Since you like that focal length for portraits, switching to only a 24-70 would force you to change how you shoot.
Depth of field and light-gathering differences also may not be dramatic here: f/2.8 on full frame is roughly similar to about f/2 on APS-C for subject isolation, so it’s not a huge jump over some of your current lenses.
The main reason to move to one zoom would be convenience—if changing lenses is causing you to miss shots. If you’re happy with your results, and your current kit is light, compact, and suits both stills and video, there’s no strong reason to replace everything.
In short: for your portrait style, especially if you rely on the 90mm look, a Canon full-frame body with only a 24-70mm f/2.8 is not clearly an upgrade.
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