In our first post entitled 13 Amazing Professional Photographers Who Use Mirrorless Cameras on the Job, we met a wide range of professional photographers who all have one thing in common: they use one of the Fuji X, Olympus OM-D or Sony NEX system for work. These photographers either made the decision to drop their DSLRs for good, or chose to use mirrorless cameras in tandem with their other high-grade cameras in the professional sphere.
In this post, we’ve decided to specifically hone in on great professional photographers who use Fuji X series cameras for work.
Why? Because they appear to make up the largest group of converts from DSLR to mirrorless – an intriguing fact as the Fuji X series is still relatively new, has a less-varied lens roadmap than Olympus and Sony, and certainly isn’t without its flaws in terms of speed and autofocus.
So, where does the attraction lie when qualitatively speaking other mirrorless brands are just as good or even better?
There is no doubt that the sweet retro rangefinder design of all its models has something to do with it. After all, photographers are primarily visual creatures!
Fuji’s dedication to customer service and satisfaction, and its keen interest in user suggestions also help to create a strong bond between the company and its followers.
Furthermore, though the Fujinon lens range is still small compared to other mirrorless brands, the quality is superb.
Finally, we have that delicious X-Trans sensor combined with Fuji’s Film Simulation Modes which together manage to produce out-of-camera JPGs and raw files that really resemble film.
These four points make Fujifilm a tantalising option not only for the large community of long-time professionals who reminisce about the days of analog but also for the new generation of photographers who want to get back to the basics.
I hope that you enjoy this list as much as I enjoyed making it. The talent out there is phenomenal – Fujifilm should be proud to have such an artistically gifted and loyal following!
Sam Burton
“I use the Fuji X-Pro1 with the 35mm lens. I’m hoping to add the 14mm and recently announced 23mm to my kit soon. I did shoot with a Canon (5D mk2) with 24-105mm and 50mm lenses previously but slowly got fed up with the size and weight of the kit. After a recent trip to Vietnam lugging my Canon gear around I decided to switch to the smaller Fuji system. My passion is for travel, street and landscape photography. The X-Pro1 suits my needs perfectly. It is small and light enough to carry as an everyday camera, meaning I shoot a lot more than I did with my heavier Canon gear.”
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Nathan Elson
“I use the Fuji X-Pro1 w/ the 35mm f/1.4 & the 18mm f/2. I’m a portrait shooter, and the Fuji gets mixed in use with the Nikon D800. I also use it as my every day camera for traveling and photographing my kids.”
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Don Craig
“I work for the government of British Columbia in Canada as a photographer and graphic designer. I also shoot freelance jobs, whenever time permits. For government, I shoot a variety of subjects, including protocol events, press conferences, official portraits (individual and groups), trade missions, scenics from around the province as well as documenting education, jobs and industry. Although I have access to two full-frame DSLRs for my work photography, I use my Fujifilm X-Pro 1 and X100s whenever I am able. A recent exception was for a recent trip to document the natural gas industry in B.C. I used the work cameras as I didn’t want anything to happen to my equipment! I would estimate that I use my Fujifilm cameras and lenses 80% of the time for work photography.
For my freelance and personal projects, I use the X-cameras exclusively. A few years ago, I moved away from DSLRs to film and digital rangefinders. My last rangefinder was a Leica M9. After picking up the X-Pro 1 to use as a second body, I soon realized that I preferred the Fujifilm camera for a number of reasons. The image quality is superb, the Fujinon lenses on par with any other lenses and the X-camera was way more versatile than the M9. I sold the Leica, and eventually all of my M lenses, and have happily been using X-cameras ever since. I am a Fujiflim X-Photographer and I teach long exposure and Lightroom workshops at Lúz Studio in Victoria.”
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Jeff Seltzer
“Currently, I use the Fuji X-Pro1 with 18mm, 35mm, and 60mm primes. Most of my photography is still life “urban landscapes” (the stuff on my website). For that work, I use the Fuji 100% of time. However, I do occasionally shoot people. For that work, I tend to use my Canon DSLR (5DII) more often, but I’m getting more comfortable with the Fuji on those types of assignments.”
Robert-Paul Jansen
“I use the X-Pro1 with several lenses for landscape photography (prints). I am also part of Stocksy.com where I sell my work as stock photography.”
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Charles Le
“The Fuji X100s is my main wedding camera. It’s always one of the two cameras around my neck. The other is either the XPro1, the Ricoh GR, or the Olympus OMD, depending on what I need to suppliment the 35mm of the X100s. I also have two 5d Mark 3’s that I take to weddings but more and more they now serve as backup cameras and for speciality purpose, like long reach or fisheye. More and more I find I don’t need them as much. The Fuji X100s has It’s become my main camera because of it’s deadly silent shooting, high flash sync speed and build in ND filter so I can shoot wide open outdoors. One of the most important feature to me is the focus peaking. It is so effective that I rely on for most of my low light reception shooting where autofocus is slow even on the Canon 5d Mark 3. It’s a great camera and I hope Fuji makes a 2nd version with fixed 85mm lens. That would be a great pair!”
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Dan Bailey
“My Fuji X20 sees heavy rotation in all of my photography work. I use it for shooting aerials, travel, people and landscapes, which I sell for stock and I use it as a second body while on assignment, sometimes giving it to an assistant or art director to grab environmental shots of the location. It’s so light, that it always goes with me, especially on outdoor adventures. The quality on these little X cameras is really getting up there, and my method is to try and make the camera invisible. In other words, I’ll shoot with both my Nikon DSLR and my little Fuji, but come at it with a similar approach, so that it’s not so apparent which camera I used. If the light is good, the X-Trans sensor really hold up well, even against bigger cameras. Of course, in the end, it’s the image that matters anyway, clients ultimately don’t really care what camera you used as long as you get the shot.”
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Giulio Limongelli
“I’ve been a professional photographer since 1985. I have a complete training from shooting to printing. In my professional life I have used almost every anagogic format, from 35mm film to 6×6 to optical benches in large format. With the arrival of digital technology, little changed for me. I place more importance on the person than the medium. And it is for this reason I use various Fujifilm cameras on the job from the X-E1 to the wonderful compact X20. For me photography is all about focus, shutter speed and aperture. It is also heart and substance, and I never miss the chance to print my images on real photosensitive paper. For me, Fujifilm has allowed me to think in a simpler manner … of the few things I have just listed.”
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Robert Vinet
“A few years ago I was getting tired of lugging 40 lbs of gear whenever I traveled to some remote corner of the world. I was becoming intrigued by the mirrorless systems and started investigating what was being released to the marketplace. The first camera I purchased was the Fuji X-E1 which I love. Yesterday I received my new X100s. Fuji listened to their user base and corrected all the issues they had with the X100. Since the days of film, Fuji has always been about wonderful colour and image quality. And they have again nailed it again with these new X-Series cameras. Their X-Trans sensor technology produces outstanding images and their low light performance beats any DSLR I’ve used. I couldn’t be more please with my Fuji kit.”
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Adam Riley
“I use the Fujifilm X-Pro1 on its own for my street and travel photography, and I use it alongside my DSLR for my wedding photography. I love the light weight, discreetness and superb image quality of the Fuji X system!”
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Do you know of a Fuji X photographer who you think deserves a mention here? Are you a professional photographer who shoots with Fuji X camera? If so, do not hesitate to let us know in the comments section as we’re planning to create more of these lists in the future! Remember, the more we make ourselves known, the more other professional photographers will hop onto the mirrorless bandwagon as well! 😀
We wrote this article back in 2013 when we were just starting out on our blogging journey, to be honest, there weren’t female photographers actively using mirrorless at the time. (I met Verity after this article had already been published, and since it was a finite list of ten, it wouldn’t have made sense to add her after the fact.)
Since then, we have featured a number of female photographers who use mirrorless systems, including Verity herself:
Tara Tanaka: https://www.mirrorlessons.com/2015/06/19/digiscoping-with-the-panasonic-gh4-swarovski-optik-scope-an-interview-with-tara-tanaka/
Katrin Küllenberg: https://www.mirrorlessons.com/2016/09/08/olympus-m43-family-photography/
Lindsay Dobson: https://www.mirrorlessons.com/2014/09/09/using-olympus-cameras-for-pet-animal-photography-an-interview-with-lindsay-dobson/
Verity Milligan: https://www.mirrorlessons.com/2014/08/19/the-art-of-chasing-light-an-interview-with-verity-milligan/
We also have other lists where female photographers have been included:
https://www.mirrorlessons.com/2013/08/23/13-amazing-professional-photographers-who-use-mirrorless-cameras-on-the-job/
Please bear in mind that most of these lists are from 4-5 years ago, and we recognise that much has changed since then.
Why did you not include her in this article then? There are a ton of photographers who are women who use the x series for professional work, around 40 of them alone are listed on the fuji x photographers website. If it bothers you, why did you not include some here. I’m very surprised at the lack of knowledge of your own industry you are writing articles in. No extreme feminism here, and I know the fuji x photographers are very male-heavy, but come on, do some thorough research for your own knowledge, there are a lot of gals out there making it happen professionally.
amazing work
Hi I have been a full time working professional photographer since re locating to the Isle of Skye 11years ago. My main interest is Landscape Photography which I sell in the Tea Room and Photography Gallery my wife and I run on the island. Since turning full time pro I have covered weddings, commercial work, documentary, journalism and even some visits by a member of the Royal Family to the Isle of Skye. Since adopting Fuji X system kit a year ago I have found a new lease of life.
I can carry two X-Pro1 bodies and three sometimes four lenses, a spare battery or two, and some filters all in a Billingham Hadley Pro Bag. Much easier than the heavyweight DSLR system that I carried for almost 40 years.
Thanks Rob, and you’re right. As long as you aren’t shooting intense action, the Fujis have got you covered. Thanks for sharing your story!
I started out in ’97 with film of course, on an old Pentax ME Super & a Nifty50 but for the last 3 years have been shooting with X-system almost exclusively after ditching my two full Nikon rigs. I haven’t looked back. The 35 & 56 make a wonderful pairing and the X100/s (and probably the ‘T’ also – are in my opinion the finest cameras ever made, since the birth of digital photography. There’s not much that the X system of cameras can’t do – and I don’t shoot sports, so… what else do I need?! Portraiture, weddings, fine art and close-up stills – I want for nothing.
Thanks for a great site.
Best regards,
Rob.
Hi,
I have 20 years experience as a wedding / portrait photographer and have always been a Nikon shooter, but have been playing with the X100s (first) and the XT-1 at weddings and have just ordered my second XT-1 body and will be leaving my Nikons at home this season. I am in love with the XT-1’s for their versatility, light weight, ease of use ( after all I used to be a film guy and love the retro design and functionality) and their fantastic files.
Hi David and thanks for sharing your story!
a few other professionals come to mind …
– David Nightingale (http://www.chromasia.com/iblog/)
– Zack Arias (http://zackarias.com/blog/)
– Bobbi Lane (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bobbi-Lane-PhotographerEducator/236096583088791) (http://theprosight.wordpress.com/)
– David Hobby of Strobist (http://strobist.blogspot.in/2013/12/fuji-follow-up.html)
Ciao
Hi, I’m a photojournalist and contributor to Corbis Images, as well as a contract photographer for the New York Times in Europe. I’m also the founder and director of The Compelling Image (www.thecompellingimage.com), an online-interactive school of photography and multimedia storytelling. Additionally I’m a Fuji X Photographer featured in their online gallery. I swapped my entire kit of Canon cameras and lenses for Fuji X over a year ago and now use the X T-1 with lenses 14 and 18mm. The X 100s is always over my shoulder, as well. Never looked back, never regretted the change!
Best,
David
Great article Heather. I too am surprised about the lack of women shooters. Anyway, very interesting and a way to see who’s out there doing what! Thanks for writing this.
Believe me, it bothers me as much as it does you! I have met one: Verity Milligan. She uses the X-Pro1 for landscapes. http://www.veritymilliganphotography.com/
No woman in there? I thought the camera size would have tempted someone!
Yes true, most of it taken using x100 except for beijing trip and also touch-up using photoshop.
You’ve taken some fabulous images with your Fujis, Thomas! The 1001 Faces project seems to be coming along really well. I used to live in Japan as well (a year in Hiroshima and another in Gunma) but I never had the pleasure of visiting Okinawa. Hopefully, Mat and I will have the chance to visit someday soon. 🙂
These are beautiful photos! Thank you for sharing them. Were they mostly taken with the X100?
Hi, thank you for the awesome article
I’m a photographer for De’Prima Studio,Malaysia since 2010. I’ve been using x100 since 2011 together with D90 for any event and travel photos. Fuji x100 has brought excellent results which inline with dslr camera. No doubt for professional photgraphy purposes. With compact size, lighter and good quality photos,it always been my choice to bring it anywhere i go. I really hope to get the x-pro1 soon.
This are some of my photowork http://achikaliza.wordpress.com
Hi Heather,
As some have already said, thank you for writing this article. I’ve been a pro photographer for a little more than a decade now and I’m currently the Staff Photographer for Okinawa Living magazine published in Okinawa, Japan. It’s a small publication with less than 30,000 distribution published monthly as an educational resource for the U.S. Military in Okinawa. I shoot a variety of Portraits, Landscape and Street in my personal time. I’ve been a long time Nikon shooter until the last couple years. After purchasing an x100 a couple years ago I was so impressed that I sold my personal Nikon gear and bought an X-Pro1 and the three primes available at the time the 18mm, 35mm, and 60mm. I have never loved a camera as much as I do the x100 and X-Pro1. My favorite is the x100 and 80+ percent of my street photos are shot with it. My 1001 Faces Project has been exclusively shot so far with my X-Pro1 and 35mm in studio using strobes and Pocket Wizards. While we are still a Nikon shop at work (D2,D4 and D800) I use my personal Fuji’s whenever I can and have published photos essays, features and covers shot with the Fujis.
Anyways sorry so long winded and thank you again.
Thomas 🙂
I’m looking to go with a similar setup for wedding and event photography. I already have an XE1 and 18-55mm. I can’t decide whether to get the X100 as a companion or another XE1 and the 35mm. I’d love to know how this shoot went for you and to see the samples.
Awesome, let us know how it goes and good luck!
I’m a wedding photographer and I’m shooting my first full wedding with all Fuji’s tomorrow. Currently rocking the x100s, xe-2, 35mm, 18-55 and 55-200. I haven’t been this excited to shoot a wedding in a long time.
No problem. Thanks Mathieu.
Yes I use the Fuji for all of my work.
It is a very nice portrait. Thanks for sharing. Do you often use your X100s for editorial work?
Magazine Cover with my x100s.
I used the FujiFilm x100s to shoot the December cover of PDN Magazine. The photo is of award winning recording artist Janelle Monae.
My name is Glenford Nunez and I am based in Baltimore, MD.
Thanks.
I didn’t miss them at all, actually! I left them out on purpose as they are already very well-known. Sometimes it’s nice to promote those who tend to stay under the radar. 😉
Thanks for sharing, Bradley! Do you use a different prime on every camera?
I’ve been shooting weddings and portraits exclusively with 3 Fuji X-Pro1 cameras for a year now and couldn’t be happier. My portfolio is http://www.bradleyhanson.com
You’ve missed a few biggies!
Kevin Mullins, Zack Arias, Bert Stephani, David Hobby, Dave Kai Piper, Damien Lovegrove.
For my money, these guys are producing the most impressive results with the X line of cameras.
Thanks for your comment, Andrew! I just popped by your website and had a browse through your travel work. You have a wonderful way of capturing fleeting moments. I think this one is my favourite: http://andrew-sullivan.com/#/travel/guatemala/flores-web. 🙂 I agree that the X series cameras are the perfect fit for street and photojournalism. And I love the way people around you will always ask why you’re still using film! It’s a great way to kick off a conversation. Looking forward to seeing you back here! 🙂
Hi Heather,
I’m an editorial photographer, often working for The New York Times and also recently for The Washington Post, and rely on my X-Pro1 and X100 as my primary cameras. My 5DMkII only comes out when I need to shoot video or the rare telephoto. That’s it. I plan to expand my Fuji system as needed, and I haven’t been as fond of a camera since buying my first Nikon F3 as an excited rookie in 1993. The X series of cameras is perfect for photojournalism with its light weight low-profile bodies and incredible lenses. Sometimes the cameras are a little quirky, but I like how they make me slow down and consider things more deeply. And I haven’t missed an important shot with either of them. Instead, there’s been pictures I’ve been able to take because of them.
Thanks for your site! First time here, and I’ll be back!
The GR is a little wonder, with great ergonomy. Everything is possible with only 2 fingers.
The x100s is beautiful and very pleasant to use. The thumb wheel (exposure) is the key.
The Om-D is a no-pain-tool. Grab it and shoot when you’re too lazy to use anothe one. No fear of motion blur nor raindrops.
My dream is to have an XE-1 with olympus blazing AF and stablilization and Ricoh ergonomy.
I hope it will come true. Thus, I would be ready to drop my EOS bodies 🙂
Bogarte
Hi Bogarte et merci pour ton commentaire! 😉
I think it’s wonderful that you use so many mirrorless bodies on the job. Mathieu, too, uses the X100s and OMD for work whereas we haven’t had the chance to use the Ricoh GR yet. How do you like it? Which compact body do you think you’ll stick with in the end?
Thanks for sharing your work with us – you’ve got a great style and I love the way you capture the expressions of children. 🙂
Keep in touch!
Hi, thank you for such an article.
I’m a french professional wedding photojournalist who uses 2 full frame bodies with 35L 1.4 & 50L 1.2.
Since I’m a compact bodies lover, I also uses fujifilm x100s, Olympus OM-D EM5 and Ricoh GR (aps-c) for my reportage.
They are some good companions to my 5d2s because they are lighter and less intrusive.
I hope one day I will use only one extra compact body rather than 3.
You can have a look at my pictures here http://www.bogarte.fr (in progress) and here http://www.flickr.com/bogarte-photojournalisme and here https://www.facebook.com/BogartePhotographeMariage
à bientôt 🙂
Bogarte