FR-readers roundup: where the trains go to die, X-PRO1+Nokton 50mm, Lego rangefinder and Laguna Beach

in stock (55-200)

-The Fuji XF 55-200 is now in stock at Amazon Japan (via third party reseller. Click here).
XF 55-200 pre-order: USA:  Adorama / BHphoto / AmazonUS / DigitalRev / Uniquephoto / Pictureline / Europe: AmazonUK / AmazonDE / PCHstore Brussel

deals (via dealsrunner)

I’ve found all the following deals at dealsrunner. To see more Fuji-deals or insert by yourself new deals stop by dealsrunner.com.
-Save about $50 on the X20 (DEMO camera) at ebay here.
-$25 price drop for the X-E1+18-55 at AmazonUS here.
-X-PRO1 body only for $1.1120 at ebay here.

Fujirumors readers roundup

- Olivier:

“Hi Patrick, a big HELLO from tiny Luxembourg I’ve been following Fujirumors ever since my interest in Fujifilm cameras arose, with the announcement of the fantastic X-E1 last year.

A couple of weeks ago, I spent a morning shooting an old industry and railway park with my best friend who carried along 4 (!!!) Sony Alpha bodies (he hates changing lenses ), while I only took along the X-E1 equipped with the XF18-55mm lens, the XF 35mm and XF 60mm.

In the end though, I only used the XF 18-55mm. This is one seriously great allrounder!

As far as postprocessing goes: I shot raw and (minimally) edited the shots under LR 4.4. Really love the improved X-Trans support.

The results can be found under: http://500px.com/OliGlod/stories/85077/where-trains-go-to-die (short excerpt) and http://www.blurb.com/b/4228521-one-day-in-fond-de-gras (complete book). I hope you’ll enjoy looking at these as much as I enjoyed taking them

Best regards, Oli

P.s. Thanks again for all of the hard work you put into Fujirumors!!!

Olivier (where trains go to die)

book preview

- Jim “Hi Patrick, First off thank you for your site and all of the work you put into it for our Fuji community.  On my blog site gambofoto.blogspot.nl  I have just posted a review/user impressions of using the X-Pro 1 with a Cosina Voigtlander Nokton 50mm f/1.5 lens. Possibly some of your readers might enjoy it. Regards, Jim Gamblin”

Jim

- Nick: “Hi there. Your blog has been of great assistance to me now that I’m a Fuji convert. I’ve even started blogging my Fuji photos and my camera collection [...]. Thanks for all of your efforts. Nick http://camerapassion.wordpress.com”

Nick

LEGO-rangefinder: made by Nick’s son! (Fuji X100s, Aperture RAW conversion, cropped)

- Shahrokni: “I have a Fuji X100 and recently I bought a beautiful Fuji X Pro1 with 18-55mm ( I ordered it separately ). At the beginning I was not happy with the color of sky and landscape until I found out about a correct setting [...] I have to say Now I love my Fuji X Pro1. Yesterday was HOT Here in Laguna Beach in SoCal. I took many pictures and here are some of them , Hope You like them. Best Regards SM Shahrokni
http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/seyed-m-shahrokni.html?page=1
http://digitalcitycenter.blogspot.com/

Shahrokni

Samyang Tilt-Shift lens for Fuji X + review (for Canon version)

Samyang T-S lens for Canon at AmazonUS

Yesterday FR-reader Andrew wrote me an email and asked me if there are Tilt Shift lenses for the Fuji X. I told him that Samyang will release a 24mm T-S lens… and I’ve realised that I’ve never told you about it, so I’ll do it now!

At last year’s photokina Samyang presented the 24mm f/3.5 Tilt Shift lens.

It will be initially available with mounts for Canon EF, Nikon F and Sony A. Versions with Canon M, Fujifilm X, Samsung NX and Sony will also be released afterwards.

The first T-S lenses are now in stock. Check the Samyang T-S at your amazon here and your ebay here

There are also the first reviews on the web, as this one of ephotozine (for the Canon version).

“Although this tilt-shift lens is far from being an inexpensive optic, with its launch price being over £500 less than equivalents from Canon or Nikon, it does bring tilt-shift control within the reach of more people.It manages to be less expensive, whilst offering excellent optical performance, great build quality and handling. Those in the market for a tilt-shift lens should definitely add this to this list of considered optics.”

You can read also the Samyang T-S presentation (with sample pics) here at samyang.pl.

enjoy your day
Patrick

New X-E1 and X-PRO1 firmware udpate imrpoves AF performance with 55-200mm lens.

You can download the new firmware for your X-E1 and X PRO 1 cameras:
- X-E1 Firmware Update Ver.1.05
- X-Pro1 Firmware Update Ver.2.04

The “only” improvement is the AF speed with XF55-200mmF3.5-4.8 R LM OIS.

XF 55-200 pre-order: USA:  Adorama / BHphoto / AmazonUS / DigitalRev / Uniquephoto / Pictureline / Europe: AmazonUK / AmazonDE / PCHstore Brussel

miXed zone: X100S, X20, Touit and XF 14mm

X100S
Amazon, Adorama, DigitalRev, J&R, Canon USA, B&H, eBay

-FR-reader Olaf continues his coverage of the Fuji X100s. This time you’ll find a clear list of thoughts about the camera and the files it produces: “JPEGs straight from the camera continue to impress us. The prints from JPEGs are gorgeous (11×17) and from TIFFs they are even better. The fun factor, portability, is unlike anything on the market now.” Read the whole list here (and see his beautiful shots of Vancouver).

image courtesy: Olaf

- The most popular digital cameras or April according to digitalcamerareview? The top three are: 1) Nikon D7100 2) X100S 3) Canon PowerShot SX50 HS . Check the whole list here.

X20
Amazon, Adorama, DigitalRev, J&R, Canon USA, B&H, eBay

- amateurphotographer X20 preview here. “Although it handles almost identically to its predecessor, the X20 could be a significant leap forward due to its use of the X-Trans sensor. If this type of sensor has the same improvement in resolution that we saw when it was used in the X-Pro1, then it could push the X20 into the same bracket as the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100. The X20 has the potential to be a very exciting compact camera.”

- danbaileyphoto X20 sample shots and impressions can be checked out here. “The X20 holds its own because OVERALL, it’s a great camera with solid quality, lots of usable features and a really cool design. Without at doubt, it’s one of the best compact cameras on the market today.”

 Zeiss Touit

- The riflessifotografici guys Max and Donato are two of those photographers chosen by Zeiss to test the two new X-mount lenses. Seems that they are already working on it, as they announced that the review is coming soon. Looking forward it.

- Zeiss touit hands on + photos at findingrange (Zeiss press event).

“I love the Fuji lenses but from the limited time that I was able to use the  Zeiss Touit lenses, I feel like there’s more life to the images. I really feel like images look less clinical than images shot with the Fuji lenses. The 32mm f1.8 will definitely be a hot little portrait lens because of the way it draws.  It’s a little slower than the XF 35mm F1.4 R lens but that’s perfectly ok by me.  The bokeh is ultra smooth and inviting. The 12mm f2.8 is priced at $1250, which might seem like a hard pill to swallow but think about it this way; the XF 14mm is already priced at $899. You’re already at the $1,000 range, so if it was me, I would just jump for the Zeiss.  You’re getting a better built lens with all glass, and again, the Zeiss look and image quality. Plus, don’t forget; you probably bought the Fuji (or the Sony) because of the image quality. If that’s the case, then it only makes sense to put top quality lenses on it.”

Zeiss Touit 32mm pre-order: USA: Adorama / BHphoto / Uniquephoto / Pictureline / Europe: AmazonDE / ebayUK / PCHstore Brussel
Zeiss Touit 12mm pre-order: USA: Adorama / BHphoto / Uniquephoto / Pictureline / Europe: AmazonDE / ebayUK / PCHstore Brussel

XF14mm
Amazon, Adorama, DigitalRev, J&R, Canon USA, B&H, eBay

- “A walk on the wide side, …or how I use ultra wides like the Fujinon 14mm.” Read the article at wideanglecafe.com. Here just an extract… and if you read it all, George will tell you the 4 golden rules for ultra wides.

“The obvious impulse is to go large and look for grand vistas. I find this is invariably a mistake. With a field of view of 21mm on the X-Pro1, the Fujinon 14mm is still a 14mm lens and its perspective reduces even the mightiest of mountains to hillocks in your images if you are not close enough. My wife took me up a mountain recently to show me the perilous route she took across the mountain on horseback. The image below was shot for fun with the X-Pro1 panorama feature and the 14mm lens. The mountains in the background are not that far away and they are over 1200m high. Where I am standing is at around 600m. The image is….well…rubbish really and gives no sense of the dramatic route that she took. A better way to take this shot would be to stitch multiple shots using a lens that is closer to the perspective of the human eye, say 50mm or so.”

image courtesy: wideanglecafe

Dave Kai-Piper: Mixed Lighting & the X-Pro + workshops (27th and 28th July)

This is Dave’s simple guide to better use of light with the X-Pro… well, it’s just half of the list. To read it all click here. You can participate to Dave Kai Piper’s workshops on the 27th and 28th of July. Click here if you want to know more about the “Lighting for Location” workshops.

1. Shoot on RAW (auto white Balance)
2. Balance your Natural Lighting elements first
3. Add in your created light to give high lights or balance the Images
4. Strobe lighting can be great for lighting other things than people.
5. Rear Sync your flash if your using long exposures
6. Shoot in Manual
7. In low light, a torch can help focusing. But I like to use manual
8. NEVER underestimate how useful a tripod can be
9. Always carry spare battery power ( lights, Camera & for your Pocketwizards)

image courtesy: Dave Kai Piper