It’s been a year since I left Fujifilm for Nikon, will I go back?

It is hard to believe that it has been just over 12 months since I left my beloved Fujifilm for the Nikon Z system. It was a change that really did shake the World I live in, as I was a huge part of the Fujifilm community and sung the praises of the system for over 6 years. Will I ever go back to Fujifilm? Well, read on…

Was the change worth the investment?

I had a large collection of Fujifilm cameras and lenses, and spent 6 years building up Fujifilm communities on the internet via websites and Facebook. As one of the main proprietors of Fuji film recipes, I was having huge traffic to my website, and had a great following on social media. A change to Nikon would mean stepping back from all that and starting fresh, and you know me, rather than be half-hearted, I went all out and dived (back) into Nikon.

I thought the change was going to be harder than it was. At first, I thought I would miss everything I had accomplished with my time with Fujifilm, but from the time I picked up my Nikon Z6ii and the very first outings with the camera, I knew that all was not lost, and a new future could be made.

I’ve actually stood well back from the things I was doing with Fujifilm, and I now concentrate much more on doing photography for myself. I took a whole new approach to my photography when I left, and to be honest, I think it is the best thing I have ever done.

What is better about Nikon over Fujifilm?

A lot of people still ask me this question, and then they look at my work and can see the difference moving to Nikon has made. My whole mindset changed that day I moved, and I believe I improved for the better. Indeed, I have had many comments letting me know that they know there are alternatives to Fujifilm, and that they have seen a dramatic increase in the quality in my work since moving to the Nikon Z system.

But, what is better? Well, for me I would like to outline three things that I feel are objectively better for me and for my photography since moving away from Fuji.

1. Image quality – Without a doubt, the biggest change in my photography has been the image quality between Fuji and Nikon. Obviously, one is an APS-C system and one is a full-frame system, but the differences run so deep. I have banged on about this since my first video on the subject over on my YouTube channel, and I still standby it. The Nikon Z6ii produces images that are just mind-blowingly beautiful in their output.
   
   I have had people arguing with me that they do not believe me on this, but usually it is because they are simply looking on the internet, usually Facebook or my website where images are compressed or I’ve shrunken them to a much smaller resolution. Side by side, the images are like night and day. I can crop into the Z6ii images (of birds for example), to my usual 1200px across, and the detail remains outstanding, where as cropping in on the Fujifilm’s did not give this same detail. I have since used a Fuji XH2 on numerous occasions, and even though that has 40mp, the detail is still no-where near as nice as the Nikon’s.
   
2. RAW file dynamic range and flexibility – Yes, I have always shot raw and jpeg, and I remember the first time I edited a Z6ii raw file, and I just smiled. The dynamic range and the flexibility of the raw files is otherworldly. I can pull back shows with little to no noise with ease, I can bring back highlights and find detail I never seen with the Fuji and the files are just a joy to use.
   
   Of course, I still use the jpeg images occasionally, but because the raw files are so nice to use, I just can not help myself edit raw files more than I have ever done before. Nikon jpegs are lush too, with amazing colours… talking of which, it is so nice to have natural colours again, instead of those Fuji colours, which, looking back at my photos, just do not seem to hold their appeal as much as real colours after many years.
   
3. The entire full frame ecosystem – Don’t get me wrong. I loved Fuji. I had a great collection of lenses and used and owned many of their cameras, however, it is very different on the Nikon Z system. The lenses are just… quality. And if you want a lens type, you just know you can get it, be it a native Z-mount lens, or the F-Mount (via the adaptor). I started my Z journey with a number of F-Mount lenses, however, since then I am now all Z-Mount.
   
   Full frame glass just makes sense. You know a 35mm lens is going to be a 35mm lens, and not one that is almost equivalent to a 50mm lens for example. You know vintage lenses act and behave like they should with the right depth of field and so on.
   

Of course, there are many more reasons such as the great autofocus, the fact I can just rely on the camera and it will get it right for white balance and exposure etc. There is just something Nikon gives, that makes it feel like a more grown-up and serious camera. And that is probably the main thing. Where the Fujifilm felt like a piece of fun (which was perfect for the mindset I was in), the Nikon is a workhorse… As shown by the fact I’ve started photographing portraits, weddings, events and so much more. I know the camera is not going to let me down.

Will I move back to Fujifilm?

Let us not forget, I still own a Fuji camera. My Fuji Instax Evo, which I enjoy using, is a fun camera once again, but also a printer for Instax film which is very useful. However, will I move back to Fujifilm?

The answer my friends… is… a resounding…. No.

I look back at my images, I think back to the mindset the cameras put me in and I honestly would not go back to Fujifilm. The GFX line is interesting, although again, I doubt I will ever have one as the lens choice etc is just not there. And as much as a serious photographer that I am these days, I do like some fun lenses such as fisheye lenses and unique lenses that you do not see on medium format.

Conclusion

It was a really happy transition from Fuji to Nikon, and in hindsight I wish I had done the change a long time ago. That said, I did enjoy my time with Fuji, and I had some great experiences and took some great images. However, in my short time back with Nikon, I feel my ratio of great images has far exceeded anything I ever did with Fuji.

Of course, only time will tell! So do not forget to subscribe and come back to see if I ever go back to Fuji.