By Tommy Simonsen – Harstad, northern Norway
I am a documentary photographer who works with animals in the natural world, and my environments are often extreme. If not remote Arctic regions, I’m in expeditions in tropical jungles or high elevations. Being able to pack light is crucial. When working on a mountain top, skiing alongside dogsleds, or walking for days, my tent and everything else I need for living in the field goes into the big pack on my back. So my camera equipment, by necessity, is in a small bag around my neck. You simply don’t get good shots from your backpack!
Equipment size and weight are critical considerations for my work – when I first packed the X-Pro2 for a three week field trip to Svalbard in March 2016, it was true love.
X-Pro2 and X-T2 in the Arctic
These are both highly anticipated sequels of already very popular cameras.
The X-Pro2 was made for street photography and similar, the X-T2 as a good all rounder. I have used the former since March 2016, and participated in the testing of the latter when Fujifilm released the pre-production models to some photographers in April 2016.
Much has been said about these cameras, through lab tests and personal tests, but most users are photographers who shoot in urban environments. I use these cameras in somewhat different surroundings: in northern Norway, with its peculiar, capricious climate, and spectacular light. Polar night and midnight sun. Here, weathersealing is tested to the max!
I am particularly impressed with the X-T2 and X-Pro2 in several dog sledding and snowmobile expeditions in the high Arctic: Spitsbergen, Svalbard, 78 degrees north. The reference temperatures from Fujifilm’s test lab don’t exactly apply here!
Here is what I’ve experienced with Fujifilm cameras in the deep freeze.
Weathersealing
Both these cameras are impeccable in all types of weather. Last week I worked with the Nordic Lynx (mountain cats) in heavy rain, without any plastic covers. All I needed handy was a dry microfiber cloth for the lens front: Wipe and shoot, wipe and shoot!
Handling
I LOVE that all the cameras’ basic adjustments are easily accessible on the top plate and with the aperture ring on the lens. No small nonsense buttons or menus to mess around with – this is crucial when working in the Arctic with thick gloves or mittens. Everything I need for the immediacy of making images is on the body: aperture, shutter, ISO and exposure compensation.
However, I did find that with the X-Pro2 turned on, I would occasionally bump the buttons on the back, especially in the cold where I wear a lot of clothing. I have unwittingly changed settings while moving around with the camera over my shoulder, which can be rather confusing when taking it up to use afterwards!
On the X-Pro2, there’s a simple solution to this: Hold the menu button down for three seconds, and you lock both the menu and buttons. Hold for three seconds to unlock. Ingenious!
On the X-T2, Fujifilm has added lockable dials which keeps my settings securely in place.
I find the top dials a bit low on the X-Pro2. Fujifilm fixed this with the X-T2 though – its dials are higher and easier to grip. This is particularly important to Arctic freaks like me who shoot with thick gloves on. Fujifilm has also put the movie, metering and other functions into a lower ring under one of the top dials.
On both cameras the focus and metering are absolutely insane! I have never experienced anything like it before. It focuses even in heavy blizzards, and works the same way when using the 1.4x converter.
Battery life
Some camera systems “shut down” in extreme cold, or are reduced functionally.
This has not happened with the X-series cameras.
The challenge however, is battery capacity. Driving at a good speed on snowmobile increases chill factor, turning minus 20 degrees C to minus 60 degrees C – THAT eats batteries!
In fully electronic cameras like these two, batteries are a challenge. Sometimes, solar charging stations are an option, but I often have to work for several days without being able to charge my batteries.
So I have batteries, many batteries. And I use them with care. Batteries to be used must be kept warm. The batteries I think I’m going to use during the day, I keep in the pockets close to my body. My winter pants are high with braces and additional pockets on the stomach, which is kept warm close to my stomach, well hidden and isolated by the sweater and jacket. This is where the rest of the expected day’s consumption of batteries are kept warm.
The batteries that I don’t intend to use that day, I keep frozen in my big backpack.
When batteries are not in use, they keep their charge when frozen. If a battery is empty in the cold, I replace it with a new one. But the used one I put in my left pocket to ‘reheat’ it. When it is heated, I can put it in the camera again, and get decent amount of power out of it. This may well be repeated two to three times before it is completely empty.
Moisture challenges in cold climates
Cold traps moisture in camera bodies and lenses. Once I leave civilization on a winter expedition, the camera bag NEVER comes into my tent or cabin. Bringing cold camera gear into warmth means that condensation will immediately cover surfaces and particularly, lens elements. Moisture that builds up inside lenses does not evaporate easily. Once the camera is back out in the cold, this moisture freezes and optics turn into ice blocks, and are unusable for the rest of the trip.
The cold is dry, and both cameras tolerate it exceptionally well. So I often put my camera bag in a waterproof sack outside the tent – securing it to something solid so it won’t blow away if there is a storm during the night – in the cold outer corridor of the cabin, cargo crates on the snowmobile or dog sled. But NEVER into the warm room.
Dust challenges
You can´t get away from this topic with a mirrorless system. And it is a challenge in the field. I’ve learned to shelter the camera from the wind when I change lenses, so it doesn’t blow straight in. I keep the housing close to my body, back against the wind with the lens down, and change fast to limit any dust entering. The best is of course to have two bodies.
Threeway tilt screen on the X-T2
Love it! Absolutely invaluable for landscape and documentary. Never has it been easier to go so low with super wide angles in the terrain!
Wifi
JPEG files that come straight out of the camera are of very high quality. Of course I shoot in RAW, but it’s okay to save JPEG simultaneously for quick use on social media when there is internet connection. The Fujifilm Camera Remote app for smartphones and the cameras’ built-in wifi is brilliantly simple to use, allowing me to post photos instantly, rather than wait weeks to get home and edit the raw files.
Lenses
When it comes to lenses, I mostly use these:
XF 10-24mm F4 (hoping for an F:2.8 option),
XF 16-55mm F2.8,
XF 50-140mm F2.8, and
XF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6.
In addition, I sometimes use a 1.4x converter.
Thoughts on the XF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6
Polar bears and landscapes are at the top my of list, so I had high expectations for the XF100-400mm. With the 1.4x converter, it gives me 600-800mm full frame equivalent focal length, something I never had previously. It was so small and light that it went in standard bag.
But what a fulfillment of expectations! The autofocus surpassed them all. I have never experienced such accurate AF before. The rapid location of the focal point with the rear thumb joystick was a pleasure, and especially important when working with animals that move and change direction quickly. The long focal length allowed me to be far enough away from the animals that they were aware of me without being disturbed.
This was especially important in the period where ring seals were born on the ice. The newborn seals can´t swim, so they are very vulnerable if the mother is scared away. I came across several that could only have been a few hours old. They were aware of my presence, but I was far enough away to not be considered a threat. A few minutes after I arrived, the seal pup lay down to drink the milk of the mother. They had accepted me, and I got close-up images from a good distance away.
Final result, print
I print a lot of my work, so I was excited to see how it the crop factor files from the X-series would compare with my older full frame files in print. I typically make prints around 50x60cm to 60x90cm, and could not see any difference between the old and new.
Build quality
Both cameras are sturdy, good looking workhorses which can withstand rough treatment in the field. One of the more serious incidents I experienced was a solid dogsled turnover going downhill on glacial moraine, where I was dragged several meters after the sled, with cameras underneath me. I thought there would be some serious damage to the cameras, but they were fine! I have slipped on ice and fallen with the cameras several times, but they tolerate A LOT of beating.
I bought my first SLR system back in 1991, and have used it continually since. But a change has come. At this point, I have had X-series equipment for a while, and have been able to test the gear under different conditions and all types of shooting.
Am I going to go back to the heavy and old-fashioned system?
Not a chance!
I know what I will bring with me on the many exciting adventures to come: Of course Fujifilm will continue with me on these journeys! ☺
To see more of Tommy Simonsen’s work, click here.
Great shots indeed, and a wonderful landscape to explore.
Regards, Pete.
Now that’s what I call a proper camera review. Well done Tommy – great to see the X2 cameras & lenses surviving your habitat so well.
Interesting to learn you keep them outside in Arctic environment and also your thoughts on the 100-400mm.
Wonderful photos – particularly the polar bear against the blue-ice glacier.
I’m sure we’d all be interested to hear from you again, perhaps in an equally extreme equatorial location?
Thanks a lot Stephen.
I really give the cameras a rough time, and they does truely do the job. Tons of fun.
From time to time I do jungles and equator stuff. Next up is South Africa. Not the most extreme place, but the Fuji’s will come along there too😊
The photographs speak for themselves as well as you, the photographer. The shot of the three wolves just drew me in; great job! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experiences!
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the article😊
Reblogged this on Secret Admirer Society.
Stunning photographs and a great review of the cameras I can’t afford (yet!).
Fantastic work and, yes, a nice diversion from the usual urban shots of most Fuji users.
Amazing shots, inspiring!
Hi Tommy
Great article and images. I understand the 10-24 is non weather proof lens, you sceem to have had no issues did you do anything extra to protect this lens
Hi.
Well, thats a good question.
I have definately told Fuji that a weatherprooved 1:2.8 is on my wishlist.
I need of course to be more careful when I use that lens in rain. If its really hard rain I use a regular small plasticbag and a rubberband around the lensfront.
However, if its a dry snowblizzard, I dont care. Dry is dry, I just need to whipe the glass😊
Hi Tommy
Thank you for the reply. As I live in Qld Australia, rain is my concern so I will get the plastic bag as you suggested and put this lens in my kit.
Fantastic photos and write up. I read on Fuji rumours there may be an XF 8-16mm f2.8 WR next year, would love this to be true as I love my 10-24 but wish it was faster for low light event work
One of the reasons I have not yet considered the Fuji xt cameras is my concern with extreme cold and wet conditions. This has given me hope but the battery issue is still an issue. My Nikon performs remarkably well, and remarkably long in cold conditions. I rarely need more than 2 batteries for a days shooting. How many batteries would you recommend and how much weight saving is there with the system? I’m s=especially interested in the 100-400!!
Hi Ron.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Earlyer I used Canon for many years. It hardly used any batteries either. That is as I marked a challenge with all the mirrorless cameras.
How many batteries? It all depends on how long I should be out without chargingpossibilities. I got a grabbag with about 10 batteries, and I seldom use them all on a trip. I’ve just returned from a three week log journey to autumn Svalbard in a seldom terrible weather, about zero celsius. I think I might have charged the batteries 2 times over those weeks. So when its not extremely cold, the batteryuse is not so bad.
But the favor of light weight on bigger lenses and two houses is remarkable. I do the same as I did earlier, but I never brought two houses or a lens equal to 600mm out in the field then 😊
Thanks for the reply. This is good news for me as I now consider lightening up for my polar trip. Right now I carry two Nikon DSLR’s and Three lenses and tripod. I was in Svalbard in June and while I LOVE the 80-400 Nikkor. It’s a lot to use all day long handheld. I often bring a monopod for stability when I am on shore landings.
Nice read and beautiful photographs. I already found out that earlier generations (X100S and X-T1 with 14mm) performed very well in extreme conditions. X100S and 14mm prime are not even weather sealed, yet the worked like a charm in 6000m+ in Himalayas, -30 degrees C winter in Mongolia. My 14mm survived gusts storms of volcanic ash in Indonesia while climbing. Quite exceptional.
Thank you for sharing your experience.Learned alot on how to handle a digital camera in the cold. And thanks also for the great images – very impressive.
Thank you for sharing your experience.Learned alot on how to handle a digital camera in the cold. And thanks also for the great images – very impressive.
Hey Tommy,
Like others have said, hugely helpful post. Question for ya: coming from a stills perspective, have you found yourself drawn to the XPro2 or the XT-2 more? Pros and cons of each? Wondering if there is a winner in your mind at all. Also, are you still a full-frame owner? If yes, are there things you miss about the larger sensor, if you’re critical? Perhaps its all out of mind now. Thanks man.
Hi Dane.
Sorry for late reply.
I definately choose the X-T2 mostly: –because of handling, but especially the tilt screen. -And filming..
The X-Pro2 I use in the city, but I might just as well use the X-T2 here also.
Havent used my full frame for 1 1/2 year now, and I doesnt miss it😊
A great read, and very inspiring Tommy! I can’t even begin to understand the harsh conditions you work in, even though we’re from the same country. Respect!!
Great to hear that this cameras can handle extreme conditions. X Pro 2 is on my list… happy to do the switch, due to Fuji’s retro look, colors and small weight/size. Great article!
Excellent review with great images and kudos to the model in that cold!
Great article and I picked up a number of tips. I use the XT1 and XPro2 and absolutely love the latter. It’s brilliant! Tommy if ever you need an amateur assistant with a XPro2 on one of your trips, I’ll be happy to consider your invitation to come with you and learn on the job.
Hi, ,
First, thank you for the great article ! Images incroyables !… Second,, I want to say sorry for my bad written english,,, french is my first language. .
I am wondering if anybody had some issues with the Xpro 2 in cold weather. The camera body I have is new ( 1 month old ). After 20 mins in – 16 C here in quebec, I could not use the camera anymore. Batteries are still warm (I have 3 ) and show as full. I can still play with the setting and look at picture on the screen, everything seems to be find,, no sign of slow down or anything.
But then when I take a shot, I get either an ” written error ” after the shot. Or the camera take the shot and then freeze…. then I have to take the battery out. I even got that problem at -2 C when in Montreal 2 weeks ago. Has soon as it warms out after 30 mins inside at room temp. . everything comes back to normal. . It is really related with cold temp..
I lived in the Yukon for 6 years… I had nikon, olympus and ricoh Gr cameras during dog sledding weekends in cold weather ( -30 and below )..I took pictures with a nikon D90 at the start of the Yukon quest… 3 hours at -40 C in whitehorse city one year…. I never experienced any problem like that with any camera. I took pictures of northern lights,,, leaving my gear outside for hours in the cold. still… never had a problem.
I know the Xpro2 is rated -10 C,, but is in it weird ?
I run the last firmware on the camera..
I dont know what could be the problem…
Thank you
JF
Hi Jean-Francois.
Thats a prob I never have experienced.
I have often used the X-Pro2 on snowmobile in -20, hanging by the strap on me, driving at 80-100 kmph.
That gives an chill factor so cold, cooling down the metal, that working it with my gloves makes my fingers numb.
I am talking out of my experiences, not out of official politics on what this camera should be able to do, but I think I would have asked Fujifilm Canada directly what they think.
Best regards Tommy
Awesome, very inspiring journey, insightful advices and gorgeous shots!
Thanks for sharing this.
You, sir, did just outstanding work with this article and overall with the Fujis! I was looking for someone who tested them in THOSE particular locations since I’m also going there with my Fujis and was really bothered how will they perform compared to Canon. Thank You!
You, sir, did just outstanding work with this article and overall with the Fujis! I was looking for someone who tested them in THOSE particular locations since I’m also going there with my Fujis and was really bothered how will they perform compared to Canon. Thank You!
Hi Tommy, I had a thought about how to keep batteries at a reasonable temperature while shooting in arctic conditions: use the tether tools adapter to store a USB battery bank inside your coat (warm) and run the cable with false battery (camera coupler) at the end out from your coat to the camera. I have never tried this specific setup for cold weather, but I can vouch for the use of the tether tools usb battery adapter with Fuji and Nikon cameras as a definite winner for time lapse photography.
Thanks, thats a good idea. I will test it out.
Whats important here is that the cable exposed to the cold must contain a high amount of latex. If it’s too much regular plastic, it will easily break in the cold. Had a simular device many years ago special made for the camera I used then, and I had to return it to the workshop three times to change/improve the cable.
Thank you for a very informative article, I have only just purchased an XT-2 with and 18-55 lense and I am really looking forward to getting out and using it. I would like to have a 100-400 mm but cant afford that at the moment, but will be saving hard. Fantastic photographs, loved the wolves
Tommy,
Thank you so much for your excellent article and I found it so timely as I am planning a Greenland shoot in 2020 and have had concerns about upgrading my equipment and then finding out the cold extremes would not allow the performance I seek. I was in Iceland in October 2018 and the blowing, cold rain was quite a challenge. I left my XE-1 and lenses behind thinking I would ruin them under those conditions and perhaps I was wrong. My equipment is rather dated and I took My Olympus E-5 and mainly used my weather sealed 12-60 zoom. They are bullet proof but the 12MPX sensor is noisy and I was disappointed with some of my photos (may be viewed on Flickr under “Chi”.
I have been looking for the Hasselblad HV as it is rated to -40 uniquely to no avail, however, your article has inspired me to consider the XT-2 or XT3 and WR lenses for both my Greenland and return trip(s) to Iceland. Thank you again for taking the time to write this article and I especially like the Lynx photos!
Don Chitwood