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miXed zone: X-E2 overly agressive NR, pushing light, double lens cap, Gisele Bündchen and more!

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ebook – dynamic range

Pushing Light, a new eBook on post-processing images for enhanced Dynamic Range with Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop and plug-ins is available at Craft&Vision here. The eBook talks about in-camera solutions such as using reflectors, graduated filters and fill flash but the main focus is on postproduction techniques using Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Camera Raw, Photoshop, plug-ins and HDR software. In addition to the 112 pages, there is also 70 minutes worth of bonus video content that explains some of the techniques and concepts in greater detail… and the author, Piet Van den Eynde, also quotes Fujirumors and Rico’s dynamic range article!

X-series or DSLR?

– Is the X-series a real alternative to the DSLR? Yes, according to the Spanish dslrmagazine here (translation)… the hard part is just to choose which X is perfect for you.

– Will he switch? glyndewis put his order on the X-E2. From Nikon to Canon and now to Fuji? We will see. Read his blog post “first Nikon, then Canon… now Fuji?” here.

– Bryan Caporicci interview (skip the first 9 minutes of the podcast to get directly to the interview) – Mirrorless Cameras (specifically the Fuji system) for Professional Wedding and Portrait Photographers here at photobizx (shared via FR-twitter)

X-E2
USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / AdoramaDigitalRev / Pictureline / EUROPE: wexphotographicUK / DigitalRev / Fotomundus24 GER / PCHstore / AmazonDE (via DR)

mikecroshaw agrees with what said in neocamera’s review (see this miXed zone); images (JPEG) are soft from the overly aggressive noise-reduction at higher ISO: “There were a couple of shots I took where I immediately grabbed the D800 and shot them again as I could see a noticeable lack of detail. I just assumed I’d reached the limits of the sensor, but it was actually because of the noise compression on the jpegs. I deliberately used a fast shutter speed to bump up the ISO to 6400. Even with noise reduction turned down to -1 I was shocked at the difference. The raw file is noisier, but looks a lot more like the shot I would expect to see on the D800.” Read Mike’s post and see his shots here.

ronmartblog‘s X-E2 review here: “From an image quality standpoint, this camera is definitely on par or better than many DSLR’s with APS-C size sensors. […] I find the in-camera noise reduction to be horrible (it destroys detail), so when not reviewing for the blog I prefer to set Noise Reduction to –2 and use Noiseware to eliminate noise better while still preserving detail […] problematic face smearing.”

phoblographer X-E2 review here: “The X-E2 performs wonderfully for street and event photography, and its vintage aesthetic will have folks thinking your shooting with film. I find that this tends to be less intimidating to folks on the street. Point a D800 in someone’s direction and they might skulk away. With the X-E2, there’s less of that. The X-E2 will also introduce you to a family of great lenses that begins not surprisingly with one of the best kit lenses to come our way. It’s a great camera to learn with, too, and you’ll find that it could help realize your creative vision.”

– João Almeida via FR-facebook wall: “One of my first attempts with my new X-E2, I went to a concert to put my camera to the test. Despite that I’m still struggling with the it I loved how it felt in my hands, it’s small size made it very comfortable and fun to use. In the end I really loved the the results and it confirmed something I’ve been feeling with these first shots: I love the jpegs that come out of the camera, really love them! More photos here: http://www.joaoalmeidaphotography.com/2013/12/armada/”

– Fuji vs Fuji or X-E1 vs X-E2 here: “For me, the X-E2 was a must-buy. Partly because I wanted an all black camera, and my wife chose silver when we got the X-E1, but the main reason is autofocus and EVF performance in lowlight, where I love to use my Fuji cameras as I learn street photography.”

– Emanuele Cerquaglia: “Ciao, I follow your blog, and so I watn, firstly, to thank you for jour great job. Yesterday I did some shot in a vineyard. Nothing profesisonal, but I think it could give some information about the pictures I casual photographer can obtain with the new X-E2.” See them on flickr here.

– Fujifilm X-E2 and 23mm Lens at fixelpix here: “The 23mm f/1.4 and X-E2 is the perfect combination for documentary and even long exposure photography, any additional lens is simply a bonus. The X-E2 along with the 23mm lens has become my main rig over the last month of use and I can’t see that changing in 2014. If I had to give it a score it would have to be 10/10. I love it.”

– Some shots taken with the X-E2 in New Orleans at Tom Grill’s website here.

– Fuji X-E2 for streetphotography review at edwardphotos here: “As Fuji promised to improve, the X-E2 AF has improved dramatically which is close to the M43 camera. The Olympus OMD still more accurate and faster, but the Fuji is fast enough in most situation unless you are shooting sports. […] For all the bokeh lovers, the X-E2 can track down the moving object at F/1.4 and create very shallow depth of field. I was amazed by the output too! 35mm F/1.4 R […] I think the image quality from the Fuji X camera is more than enough for 95% of people. It is up to the photographer to deliver the quality output rather than the camera itself. I’m really engaging with the camera at the moment and wish everyone can find the camera that they love and enjoy.”

– Review at photographylife here: “When the X-E2 was launched, I thought that the ISO performance of the sensor would remain the same. Seems like I was wrong – the X-E2 demonstrates a slight improvement in noise performance over the X-E1. […] Thanks to Fuji’s continuous efforts, the Fuji X line is now one of the best mirrorless systems on the market. With the X-E2 leading the X series cameras […] Its image quality is amazing, overall performance is very impressive and the camera is a pure joy to use.”

wiselyguide‘s X-E2 review can be read here: “Compared to its predecessor the Fujifilm X-E2 has improved only moderately but decisively: The auto focus is much faster now. The continuous shooting speed may be slightly increased, and the display will now trigger befitting to high. The image quality of X-E2 is very good, even excellent in some areas. The Fujifilm X-E2 must let a few feathers, but the overall very positive impression hardly detracts only in color accuracy and input dynamics. These certainly also contribute to the outstanding and bright kit lens, which is an ideal partner for the somewhat bulky camera.”

– Fuji X E2 vs Nikon D4 Low Light Test at stanleyleary here: “I think the Fuji X E2 rocks and the main reason I wanted it was to be able to take photos in low light when I didn’t want to carry the Nikon D4.  I think it works just fine.”

X100S
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image courtesy: olafblog

– The X100S is “still the one”. Read why at olafblog here: “In fact, I have been shooting with the X100S so much that this “One Camera, One Lens” combo has become the natural extension of my sight. What freedom!

– Via FR-facebook wall: “Not related to a rumor, but thought you may enjoy nonetheless. A travelogue with my X100sColorado Travel Photography – X100S“. See more here.

– [shoplink 12893]WCL-X100[/shoplink] review at ephotozine here: ” The Fujifilm WCL-X100 wide-angle conversion lens gives a 28mm equivalent view while maintaining the high image quality that is expected with the X100 / X100s.”

– One year with the X100S at flixelpix here: “The X100s is a powerhouse of portability and style. It is capable of capturing images that are sharp with magnetically appealing colour rendition and dynamic range. My X100s goes everywhere, it has captured plenty of images I would have missed  if I was reliant on having a digital SLR system packed. In a split second the camera is ready and capturing images whether it be live music, detailed long exposures, panoramas or just everyday documentary. I pack a second battery, the lens hood and the Lee system but rarely have I had to call on the second battery when on a day shoot. I love the X100s and after a year of shooting it still holds the same excitement it offered on day one. I can’t recommend it enough.

bandwidthblog X100S review here: “The simplicity in creating stunning pics is the real selling point of this camera. I am a staunch DSLR fan (because I like fiddling with EVERYTHING) and I must admit it would probably take me about 5mins of “setting up” to produce some of the shots that the X100s produces with the click of a button.”

– The Fujifilm X100S from an Olympus micro 4/3 user perspective at atmtxphoto here: ” Perhaps for me, it’s a poor man’s Leica. A Leica M is wonderfully constructed but I can never fathom spending $10,000 for it. At $1,300 the Fujifilm X100S is more palatable, even for someone like me that already owns too many cameras.”

Scott Schuman bought the X100S. Just a few lines to tell the world that he’s very happy with his new camera. Check it here.

– “[…] after a long walk around the town and a half-a-dozen pretty lights, we can come to the conclusion that the Fuji X100s performs better than the [shoplink 16816 ebay]GX7[/shoplink] in low light at high ISO. The difference is evident even as low as 1600 ISO, but becomes truly pronounced at 6400 ISO and above” See more at mirrorlessons here.

– David Hobby writes about the X-series here.

neillsoden said here: “The colours of the Fujifilm cameras are just amazing and I really like the tones, so I’ve been forcing my self to shoot in jpeg only.”

– “X100s One Small Camera, One Big Heart” at dylanswart here: “It’s been an awesome past two weeks with the Fuji x100s – wow is all I can say! […] The x100s is small…stealthily small, silent and oozes retro sexiness! Funny how so many people mistook the x100s for a film camera – dismissing it as a serious camera is a big plus for any photographer. It’s nice to work on a scene without getting noticed.”

– The Fuji x100s in the hands of a Boudoir Photographer at fabyandcarlo.com here: “Would I use the Fuji x100s professionally for our Boudoir Photography? We loved it so much that we bought one.”

– shooting wedding with the X100S at dennisberti.com here.

– Lee Filters on darcymoore’s X100s here.

fujifulmxseries 3 months with the X100S… a review here: “This camera produces class leading images that many feel can compete, in some areas, with some contemporary full frame cameras. That means the image quality is outstanding and way good enough for most uses.”

X-E1
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– Paulo Pinto via FR-facebook wall: “Hi. Just to tell you that I’ve started a blog with my recent street photography work. I own the X-E1 and the X100s and I am amazed with the quality of the Fujinon lenses. I have the 14mm F2.8, 23mm F1.4, Zeiss Touit 32mm F1.8 and 18-55mm LM OIS. You can check my images at http://urbanxfiles.wordpress.com/”

– Long Term Review: Fujifilm X-E1 for Travel and Astrophotography here at lonelyspeck: “I think that Fuji has a camera system that very well may completely replace my DSLR for both casual and professional work someday. But it’s some of the shortcomings like the X-E1′s less robust build, small software quirks and lack of weather sealing are the small details that are preventing me from ditching the DSLR.

notjustaphoto went with the X-E1 and X100S to Vietnam. What did he like and what not of the camera? Read it here:The battery gets drained very fast. […] Compact size. I travelled with a relatively small bag and a backpack so I didn’t have a lot of room in my bags. The 2 cameras with their accessories fit in perfectly in my backpack.

– “Doug has fallen in love with Fujifilm’s little X-E1 and her younger sister, the new X-E2. But Frederick digs deeper and gets Doug to explain the real strengths and weaknesses of this unique camera system.” See the video here.

– The last days of autumn in Fujicolors here at thomasfitzgeraldphotography.com.

– “My X-Trans-Formation”: First Impressions of the Fuji X System from a Canon DSLR User at visualdepartures here: “On the whole, my experience has been positive. The lenses in particular have been wonderful. […] The “weaknesses” of the system have forced me to become a more competent photographer; as in any kind of art, putting constraints on yourself can be invigorating.”

– “Fuji X-E1 and my X100 hard at work” at simonpeckham here: “I use the 18-55 on the X-E1 for the wide shots and the X100 for the details and macro.”

– Justin Balog: “Howdy Patrick! You are always my first stop in the morning.  I wanted to let you know that we are about to launch a landscape video workshop, all of which I was using a Fuji X-E1.  You can find it here… http://www.thephotofrontier.com/ I thought your readers might enjoy it. Take care!”

– 20 Photos using the Fuji X-E1 and the 35mm f/1.4 lens in Ethiopia at martinspencephotography here: “I love the X-E1 because of the fact it draws little attention to the photographer due to it’s small size.”

X-PRO1
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– 100 km (62 miles) of walk in Norway, 100km of happiness… all captured with an X-PRO1 here at joelwagner.de (translation).

– Three Lenses (14mm, 35mm, 60mm), an X-PRO1 & Endless Opportunities – beautriful shots of the Lake Waikaremoana at bokeh-monster here.

– The Fuji Xpro1 in Studio | Part 1 of 2 at nathanelson here: “Focus was fast, images were sharp as hell (a lot of the images were shot between f/1.4 – f/2 to blur the background) and with the optional (but overpriced) hand grip, the X-Pro1 is super comfortable to hold all day. The only issue I ran into was that with a 50mm equivalent I had to be right up in the models space to be able to properly fill the frame, so I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of the 56mm f/1.2 (85mm equivalent) which would have been perfect for this shoot. With any luck Fuji makes that happen soon.” For Part 2 click here: “I already know that the X-Pro1 would hold it’s own as a working camera, I put it through those paces and it passed, but the decision to keep it away from client work, and use it strictly for personal work, makes it that much more appealing to me. It takes me back to a time when photography had nothing to do with the money I was making, and that’s a good place to get back to as a creative.”

– APS-C vs FF or Fuji X-Pro1 23mm versus A900 full frame at 35mm here at dpreview.

– The Halong Bay in Vietnam shot with the X-PRO1 here at tristancrane: “It performed perfectly, even in the middle of a rainstorm.”

–  Exploring the Pacific Ocean coast at Santa Cruz with the X-PRO1 here at schwarzweissart.

– X-Pro1 and OVF at Jeff Seltzer here: “The OVF is definitely more difficult to use when it comes to nailing the focus point, particularly when I shoot wide open. But, it didn’t take long before I became comfortable with the process. For me, the OVF is the only reason for me to stick with the X-Pro1.”

Jonathan: “Hey, heres a music video shot on the Fuji X Pro-1″

– Fujifilm X-Pro1 Review at shukurjahar here: “I felt much intimate with Fujifilm because they do care about Fuji users with Firmware updates. They (Fujilfilm) hear our voices out here.”

– Green with the X-PRO1 at neillsoden here: “X-Pro1 with my favourite 35mm f/1.4. Even though I shot in RAW + Jpeg, all the photos I posted were the jpeg version.”

Christmas Market on the Champs Elysee at macleancomms here: “With the ISO set to automatic 3200, with a minimum ISO of 200, and aperture priority selected with f2 being my preferred option as this gave me 1 stop in hand (ie f1.4) if I needed it, I was able to let the camera do the hard work while I concentrated on the composition.  This camera is amazing in low light and coped extremely well with the difficult conditions presented by the different levels of lighting.”

X100
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– Some eye candy for fuji lovers.  A fuji x100 was the co-star in an ad for Gisele’s lingerie line, check it out here.

– The Death & Life Of The Fujifilm X100 at derekclarkphotography here: “The release of firmware 2.0 for the X100 was a very welcome present from Fuji that a lot of people thought wouldn’t happen. They’ve replaced the X100 for the X100s, so why would they update an older model and give it a bit of what entices people to upgrade. Because they’re Fuji, that’s why.”

– Fujifilm X100 Settings for portraiture at prophotonut.com here.

– J. “Hi Patrick, I want to share my X100 street photography . It’s my one and only camera since it arrived home last year. It’s a love/hate relationship mainly because you can’t work too fast with it, but…nobody’s perfect. Hope you enjoy. Greetings from Spain.” website here.

Marc Sadowski via FR-facebook: “I’ve been digging through my 2013 archives, in particularly the photos that I took with my Fuji gear. Here are some of my favorite candid moments that I photographed with the X100. I posted more here.”

lenses

XF 55-200mm: [shopcountry 12892] XF 35mm: [shopcountry 12889] XF18-55: [shopcountry 12887] XF 18mm: [shopcountry 12891]

– “It’s not unusual for well-known photographers to use their camera of choice rather than their camera of expectation, and it strikes me that the Fuji X-System is more suited to being accepted as a ‘commercial tool’ more readily than other mirrorless systems.” Read “the long and the short of it” at soundimageplus here. You can read also Part 3 of his 55-200 review here: “One thing I’m discovering about the 55-200mm is that it’s very consistent across the zoom range. There is none of that fall off in quality at the long end that’s often very noticeable with other zooms of this type. Plus it is very nice to use as I’ve written before. The zoom and aperture rings have a lovely positive feel about them and you do get the impression that the lens is very robust and well put together.”

– A review about Using Nikon Lenses on a Fuji X Camera at soundimageplus here. For his article ” The benefits (or otherwise) of legacy and adapted lenses. Part 2 (of 3) APS-C (FUJI X-E2)” click here.

– vimamu and his 55-200 in the zoo. See the images on vimeo here.

photographyblog XF 35mm review here: “The Fujifilm XF 35mm F1.4 R lens is remarkably sharp in the image centre virtually throughout the entire aperture range, and the edges are very good from f/4 onwards. The fast maximum aperture of f/1.4 makes it incredibly easy to creatively throw the background out of focus, with the seven-blade iris diaphragm achieving some lovely bokeh effects. Vignetting is practically a non-issue, and chromatic aberrations are very well-controlled.”

photographylife‘s XF 35mm review can be read here: “Overall, I really like the Fuji XF 35mm f/1.4 lens. Its small size, fast f/1.4 aperture, excellent build quality, relatively low price and above all, impressive optics, make it a fine choice for any of the Fuji’s X-series cameras.”

– Mike Croshaw worte me: “Hi, not sure if this is of any interest, but I’ve put together an article on using old lenses with the fuji systemRead it here.

photographyblog XF18mm review here: “The Fujifilm XF 18mm F2 R is one of the oldest lenses in the XF line-up, and optically one of the worst-performing, with significant distortion and chromatic aberrations, plus a lack of center and particularly edge sharpness when shooting wide-open at the faster apertures.”

– Learning to Love a lens, Fujifilm XF 55-200mm F3.5-4.8 at fujishooter here: “There are plenty of great reviews of this lens, thats not what I’m doing here I’m just sharing my thoughts and experience as I’ve grown to love it for what it is and get over what its not. The quality is there, its fun to use and it brings something to the X series cameras that wasn’t there before it. I didn’t really want it, but now I love it. It’s not the reason you buy in to the X series but its a lens that adds value to the body you already own and love.”

phoblographer‘s XF18-55 review here: “Fujifilm’s XF 18-55mm f2.8-4 R LM OIS is the most refreshing take we’ve seen on an otherwise forgettable form. Kit lenses are often cast aside in favor of faster options with better build quality, but with this lens, we found that we kept it on for longer than we thought we would. Fujifilm gives each new owner complete optical control, and this lens performs exceptionally well at every point on the spectrum. With accurate colors, sharp lines, and bokeh that just won’t quit, the 18-55mm is a fantastic kit option.”

switch to the X

– You wanna go mirrorless? Then go Fuji, says ashmolephotography here: “In my opinion, this is where Fuji has the advantage over any other company in the mirrorless camera market. Their X-mount lenses really are of the highest quality available. The great thing about the lens line up is that it’s backbone is a set of super sharp, fast prime lenses.”

Fuji Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic
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– Review at thephoblographer here: “The Instax Mini 90 is a creative camera with an emphasis on giving people that love the fun-filled party cameras a bit more creativity and versatility. With that said though, this is a camera that will be targeted at and sold to people that value creativity and looks first. It can be the fun little camera that they snap instant moments with and then take with them to a weekend getaway.”

photographybay hands on review here: “The biggest highlight of the Fuji Instax Mini 90 is, of course, the styling. The other features are nice, but these mini instant film cameras are typically seen as more of a party camera. I’m not sure the styling and other features are enough to justify the $200 asking price when lower-end Instax Mini cameras can be had for under $70.”

 Fuji X-mount double lens cap

– Blair (website): “I found this great device for mounting to XF lenses back to back. I have used one for years with my Leica M lenses and have been looking for something similar for my Fuji lenses. See it here. Cheers, Blair”

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Ultralight Panohead

“Hi Patrick, I make and sell lightweight panoheads for panorama photography for mirrorless cameras. The technique captures a panoramic view in a complete sphere. What may interest your readers is the version that is made for the [shoplink 12946]Samyang 8mm f2.8 Fisheye Lens[/shoplink] with a Fuji X mount. Would you please make a post about it? The Samyang 8mm f2.8 Fisheye Lens can fit Fuji X mount cameras. When the new Full Frame cameras come out from Sony, Samsung, and Fuji, they can also be used with the 8mm Samyang Fisheye lens for a truly portable, high resolution panorama setup requiring only 4 shots.” Check it out here.

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