Film Simulations in RAW File Converter EX Version 2

Film Simulations in RAW File Converter EX Version 2

by Rico Pfirstinger

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Rico’s Books at Rocky Nook – Fuji X Secrets Workshops – Rico’s Flickr Sets

The Fujifilm X-E2: Beyond the Manual (use coupon XPERT40 for a 40% discount)

NEW: The Fujifilm X-T1: 111 X-Pert Tipps (use coupon XPERT40 for a 40% discount)

Fuji Film Simulation Sample Images

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My new book featuring 111 tipps for X-T1 users is now available as an eBook. Please use this link and enter coupon code XPERT40 to get a PDF version and an ePub (Apple iBooks) file and the Kindle version for just $11.99, all DRM-free. If you are still undecided, click here to download 47 free sample pages. If you like the book and can afford the time, please leave a review at Amazon.

On Thursday (26FEB), Fuji will release a new version of its free Silkypix-based RAW File Converter EX converter for Windows and Mac OS. It isn’t much different from the previous version, with one notable exception: RFC EX 2 supports Fujifilm’s original film simulations Provia, Velvia, Astia, Classic Chrome, Pro Neg. Hi, Pro Neg. Std, Monochrome, Monochrome+Yellow filter, Monochrome+Red filter, Monochrome+Green filter and Sepia. Only those simulations will be available in RFC EX 2 that are also available in the respective camera. So if your camera doesn’t support Classic Chrome, neither will RAW File Converter EX 2 when you are processing a RAW file from this camera.

Once the release version of RFC EX 2 is available, you can find your free download here. Initially, the software will offer Fuji film simulation support for X-T1, X100T, X-A2, X30 and XQ2 cameras. Film simulation support for older X models will be available later this year through a free update.

As of now, it’s unclear if the current commercial version of Silkypix 6 will also be updated to support Fuji’s film simulations. I certainly hope so, since Silkypix 6 is more advanced than RAW File Converter EX 2, which is still based on an older release of Silkypix (probably version 4).

Compared to the previous version of RFC EX, sharpening and noise reduction algorithms have been enhanced. However, there is still no Retina display support for Mac OS users.

During the past three weeks, I was able to preview a beta release of RFC EX 2. Since the feature set of version 2 remains mostly unchanged, I concentrated on the new film simulation aspect and compared several straight-out-of-camera JPEG samples with their respective film simulations in RFC EX 2. I also compared shots that were recorded with varying dynamic range settings (DR100%, DR200% and DR400%), and I looked at differences regarding highlight clipping and rendering.

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XF 50-140: “Admirably fast AF […] best lens for action and sports among the Fuji lenses” (Jonas) + “Fantastic IQ” (engaged)

photo dog_zps6hu75gos.jpg

image courtesy: jonasjacobsson (Review PART 1)

XF 50-140
USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / EUROPE: WexUK / PCHstore / AmazonUK

In PART 1 of his review, jonasjacobsson tested the autofocus speed of XF 50-140 (on a X-T1). The subject? A dog running full speed in any direction. So how did it work? From the conclusions.

“The toughest test was for sure the first one, when he came towards me, resulting in 5 missed shots. Otherwise, for the most part, the lens performed admirably. Fast and accurate. And like I stated above, some of the missed once are a result of me not being used to shoot fast-moving dogs and it was really hard to predict the movement sometimes, so do keep that in mind. Without a doubt this is the best lens suited for action and sports among the Fuji lenses. In terms of autofocus speed the XF 50-140 is miles ahead of the slower XF 55-200, along with many other advantages like weather sealing and a fast constant aperture of f/2.8. It is however also almost 2.5-3 times as pricy as the older sibling. Once you lock on target the lens tend to keep that focus very well unless you do a some drastic movement that might interfere.”

In PART 2 of the 50-140 review, jonasjacobsson judges the IQ of the lens.

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Also engaged tested the XF 50-140 and they say:

“Image quality is fantastic throughout regardless of focal length, with pleasingly sharp details and accurate focus. Without Fuji’s current speed king, the X-T1, I wasn’t able to test out the upper end of its autofocus abilities, but it performed quickly enough on my trusty X-E2. As for bokeh, out-of-focus background elements were generally smooth and not distracting, meaning this should be a solid portrait lens if that’s your thing.”

miXed zone: CP+ Fuji Booth Report, Best Lightroom X-Trans workflow, XF 16-55 vs XF 18-55, Nissin i40 … and more!

photo hairs_zpsvfd2eits.jpg

At the moment, one of the most liked images at the X-shooter facebook zone
shot taken by Stéphane Ginefuji X-T1 1/180 f5.6 200iso
check out more here

Keep up voting and sharing your absolute favorite X-shot… and here is how to do it:

1) SHARE & DESCRIBE: go to the Fujirumors facebook timeline and submit your favorite X-shot (and a short description) in the timeline by selecting “Photo/Video” .
2) VOTE & COMMENT: All the images will be displayed at the Fujirumors facebook photostream. You can vote & comment the images there.

Upcoming Lenses / CP+ report

Complete report from the Fujifilm booth at CP+ 2015 at grittymonkey / Upcoming Fuji Lenses – “Old School’ and very tempting at soundimageplus /

Tethering

MUST READ: X-T1: Tethering with Adobe Lightroom and Fujifilm HS-V5 / Hands-on: X-T1 and Lightroom Tethered Plugin. Yessss.at laroquephoto /

Fujifilm X-A2

The Fujifilm X-A2 at high-ISO at Rico’s fujixsecrets (in German) – translated version /

PRE-ORDER XF 16-55mmF2.8 WR
USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / EUROPE: wexUK / PCHstore /

MUST READ: First Look at the XF 16-55mmF2.8 WR / Fuji 16-55mm f/2.8 vs 18-55mm f/2.8-4 at admiringlight / Another Afternoon with Rachel Bowler & the XF 16-55mm at ideasandimages / Fuji XF 16-55mm f/2.8 R LM WR Lens Review at planopora / Review at wimarys / Spanish Review at dslrmagazine (translation) / Fujinon XF 16-55mm F/2.8 | Initial Thoughts at slrlounge / The Fuji XF 16-55 LM WR (Part 1) at adamkingphoto / Fuji XF16-55mm 1:2.8 R LM WR Part 1 at leighmiller / Real World Samples at dpreview / Samples at photographyblog / Atmospheric photography at Witley Court in Worcestershire (shot with 16-55) at dcphotographic /

XF 50-140
USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / EUROPE:WexUK / PCHstore /

Review at 1000wordpics /

Gilles Baribeau: “I just wanted to share the result I got with my X-T1 and XF50-140mmm combo at sports and action photography… The engineering department at Laval University was hosting one of the SAE Baja competition this weekend. It was a great! The full set: https://flic.kr/s/aHsk8gaj3W, Gilles Baribeau“

XF 56mm f/1.2 APD
USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / DigitalRev EUROPE: AmazonUK / PCHstore / WexUK / DigitalRev AUSTRALIA: CameraPro / DigitalRev

MUST READ: Rico’s X-pert corner comparison XF 56 vs XF 56 APD / Review at photographyblog / Fujifilm’s Fifty-Sixes Compared! The APD Effect… at mikemander / 56 APD Review at bigheadtaco / Samples (56 APD vs 56) at dcdv.zol / Side by Side Comparison: XF56mm F1.2 R Lens vs XF56mm F1.2 R APD Lens at Fuji Australia / Fujifilm Completes the F2.8 Lineup! 16-55mm F2.8 WR Lens Review at bokeh-monster /

X100/S/T + TCL/WCL

X1ooT
USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / EUROPE: WexUK / PCHstore / AUSTRALIA: CameraPro

23, the T and me, part 3 – A challenging day with the x100T at photogenykstudios / Fuji Colors with the Fuji X100T at alessandromichelazzi / Why I Chose Small Compact Camera Like Fujifilm X100T at wazariwazir / Less is often MORE at hendriximages / Test at the German site pctipp / review at newcamera /

X100/S

Leica T (Typ 701) And Fuji X100s Comparisons at soundimageplus / Florida with the X100S at mjrussellphotography / Business Trip to Dubai at simonburgessphotography / MY 2014 Review | London Documentary Wedding Photographer at vopoku / Playing with a Fuji X100s at Eatology at rkhmn / Swiss Travels with the X100 at thebigpicturegallery / London – Columbia Road Market at simonburgessphotography / The Poor Mans Leica, FUJI X100S at getprismatic /

TCL/WCL

Photographing London with a X100s and a TCL-x100 at Henrysmithscottage / 87 Pitti Uomo Firenze / Photos, life and people. Fuji X100T and TCL-X100 teleconverter test at alessandromichelazzi /

Fujifilm X-T1 + Graphite X-T1
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Vienna on the street with Sony A7R and Fuji X-T1 at glyons / X-T1 goes medieval at johncaz / Macro product photography with the Fujifilm X-T1 at dan-taylor / Photographing Pope Francis with the Fujifilm X series at mirrorlessons / Back Out With the Fuji at mattwilkinsonphotography / Short review at mkaz / Fuji X-T1 video mode settings, test and overview at Lukas Gisbert-mora youtube / Fujifilm X-T1 – Mini Review at photofocus / Indianapolis Children’s Museum at feddestudios / The Digital Contact Sheet :: Episode 6 at derekclarkphotography / The Fujifilm X-T1; My Likes and Dislikes After a Couple of Months of Heavy Use at thewanderinglensman / Fujifilm One Year On… at gnasherseye / To Africa with the Fuji X-T1 at davidduchemin /

other X-series cameras

Fuji Guys – Fujifilm XQ2 – Top Features at youtube / Faces of India at exposure / A walk around my hometown with the Fuji X-Pro1 at tcrphotography / X-E2 + 27mm: Athens: a week after the elections at robertlorenzmeyer / X-E1, 2 years of mirrorless shooting at lichtscheu / X-E2: South Pacific Sojourn – To Zoom or Not To Zoom at findingrange / X-E2+X-PRO1 cocktail session at wilsonchiew.exposure /

lenses

photo 35mm test_zps0dbzfwlf.jpg

XF 35mm review at fuji-Xperience (translation)

X-mount lenses

XF 35mm review in Spanish at fuji-Xperience (translation) / XF 23mmF1.4 at 1000wordpics / Fujifilm Fujinon 27mm f2.8 Review at peeceestudio / Zeiss Touit 32mm f1.8 T* Review at peeceestudio / 55-200 review at slrgear / What Fujinon XF Lens Should I Buy? 2nd Edition part 2 at youtube / Fujinon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS Review at peeceestudio / Fuji 18mm f2 review – A little piece of magic at photogenykstudios / Fujinon 10-24mm f/4 OIS Review at peeceestudio / The Fuji X-T1 with Fujinon lenses at ianmacdonaldphotography / 1.2 Point of View: Fuji XF 56mm First Impression at rivalsvs / FUJIFILM FUJINON XF 27 Mm F/2.8 Pancake Lens + LEICA T And Some Amazing Bokeh at soundimageplus / 14mm review at camerastuffreview / French XF 18mm review at k-pture / Fujinon 60mm f/2.4 Macro Review at peeceestudio / German Testbericht: Fuji X-T1 mit Fujinon XF 23 mm at kwerfeldein /

other lenses

Das Carl Zeiss Distagon 35mm f1.4 zm at qimago (translation) / Mitakon 35mm F0.95 Review at fujixman / Rikenon 55mm f/1.2 review at jonasraskphotography /

RAW-conversion / processing / Jpeg

The Very Best X-Trans Lightroom Workflow at hendriximages / Does Lightroom now do a better job converting X-Trans files? at thewanderinglensman / Fujifilm X-T1 Raw Files edited in Lightroom 5.7.1, Photo Ninja and Topaz Detail 3; What Is The Visual Difference? at thewanderinglensman / Fuji X Raw editing – How to get the jpeg look at finn-b / Supplement to the X-trans RAW conversion article at eyesuncloudedphoto /

Switch to the X

What Makes Someone Jump Ship? at mirrorlessminutes /

Acessories / Flash / Extension Tubes

5 Tricks to improve the battery life of your X-series camera at the Spanish site fuji-xperience (translation) / Fuji X-E1 and X-E2 L Bracket Grip with Leather at andrewnewson / Nissin i40 flash for Fuji at johncaz / Gariz Leather Half-Case for Fujifilm X-E1/X-E2 Review at photographylife / Fujifilm Macro Tubes MCEX-11 & MCEX-16 at derekclarkphotography / Fujifilm MCEX-11 review at the French site k-pture / Fuji’s new extension tubes: To infinity and beyond at macfilos /

Novoflex BALPRO T/S adapter review: Part 3 – Fun with the BALPRO T/S

Novoflex BALPRO T/S adapter review Part 3
Fun with the BALPRO T/S

guest post by Nathan Wright (ohm-image.net)

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In part 1 of this review, I covered the design and operation of the BALPRO T/S. In part 2, I discussed how its controls apply to professional work, and to what extent it can replace, or augment larger bellow systems.

This part is all about images. Images taken when hiking. Images taken when touring around Japan’s country side .Images taken whilst drinking from high pylons overlooking Chiba Kun’s crotch.

I am not a landscape photographer. I’m not even an artist. So the images in this section should be treated as simple, sophomoric attempts at fun. And fun they were.

Every image in this part of the review was drawn by a fantastic Fujifilm wide-angle large format lens. Its spec goes like this:

135mm f/5,6
Copal 0
Fits in an iPod sock

One of the reason I love large format lenses is that they are so small and light. And they can make great images. This Fujifilm isn’t the sharpest when put on small format sensors, but it has lovely, painterly bokeh. No, not ultra smooth, but ultra brushed-on, and full of ultra earthy tones.

I has a 52mm front thread, making it instantly compatible with all of my Nikon 135 format film lenses and caps. It is sharp when shot straight on, with little tilt or shift applied. It is less than sharp when the film plane is skewed in one direction or another.

But I’m of the mind that when not being paid for producing it, sharpness isn’t that important.

Here’s how the BALPRO T/S and Fufjilm 135/5,6 combo makes a scene look toyish:

photo toy cars_zpsy0llvh1y.jpg

Here it is making a tree look scary:

photo plug_zpsftihqg3r.jpg

This image was taken at a polluted reservoir made famous by Kent Shiraishi’s OSX desktop image. It is a ridiculous attempt at creating something unique when in my brain, all that burned was Blue Pond:

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miXed zone: Win a MindShift Rotation 180, XF 16-55 on a bridal fashion show and more!

photo mindshift_zpszq7lbln0.jpg

There is not much time left to win an amazing Mindshift Rotation180 bag. Join the contest is easy… check out the details at thedigitaltrekker.

PRE-ORDER XF 16-55mmF2.8 WR
USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / EUROPE: wexUK / PCHstore /

MUST READ: First Look at the XF 16-55mmF2.8 WR / Fujinon XF16-55mm f/2.8 tested it on a bridal fashion show – in Portuguese at namourfilho (translation) /

XF 50-140
USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / EUROPE:WexUK / PCHstore /

Zoom! At f2.8 at doncraigphoto / Spanish review at quesabesde (translation) /

XF 56mm f/1.2 APD
USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / DigitalRev EUROPE: AmazonUK / PCHstore / WexUK / DigitalRev AUSTRALIA: CameraPro / DigitalRev

MUST READ: Rico’s X-pert corner comparison XF 56 vs XF 56 APD / Some samples at htxt / INK at bokeh-monster / Review at dcfever (translation) / Samples at photographyblog /

X100/S/T + TCL/WCL

X100T
USA: BHphoto  / AmazonUS / Adorama / EUROPE: WexUK / PCHstore / AUSTRALIA: CameraPro

My Review of the Fujifilm X100T at amrosario / Fuji X100T vs X100s – 9 Reasons Why You Should Upgrade at alikgriffin / Fuji X100s vs x100t: Portraits & More at theinspiredeye / Fuji X100T: How Matchtechnical’s new ThumbsUp transforms handling and adds to stability at macfilos / Fujifilm X100T : test complet at focus-numerique (translation) / Fujifilm X100T Shooter’s Report Part II: Exploring performance, image quality at imaging-resource / Field test | In the zone with the Fujifilm X100T at basilimobilephotographs / Fujifilm X100T, a new friend at studio46west /

X100/S

Shooting weddings, street, family…anything…. with the Fuji X100s, ….the camera with soul! at gregcoltmanphotography / Winter Doldrums Defeated By … Andre’ The Fuji X100s at streetshooter / Underground with the X100s at mattlaw / Acrobats at Muscle Beach in Southern California taken my X100S at adamjohnrichardson / X100S Classic Chrome – when? And workarround at dpreview /

TCL/WCL

 I detached the tele converter at jonnenaarala /

NEW FIRMWARE

USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / EUROPE: WexUK / AUSTRALIA: CameraPro

Fujifilm X-T1 Firmware Update: New Features at digital-photography-school /

Fujifilm X-T1 + Graphite X-T1
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Fuji X-T1 Graphite Silver Edition Review |What Happens In Vegas… at slrlounge / Fuji X-T1 – Sports and Battery Life from a Canon user’s perspective at caveiraphotography / Fuji X-T1 – The perfect travel camera? at whereswheels / How to improve the Fujifilm X-T1 D-PAD with Sugru at erohne / Fujifilm X-T1 Graphite Silver Edition: So good they coloured it twice at htxt / Some Settings I Found Work for Me on the Fujifilm X-T1 at thewanderinglensman / Rome – Shooting jpeg! at finn-b / Windy here in Lofoton Norway — Red Fishing Cabins— 1st class living in a amazing area! at jackgrahamphoto / How Does the Fujuifilm X-T1 Handle? at thewanderinglensman / Video by X-T1 + XF 56mm F1.2 youtube /

other X-series cameras

Fujifilm X30 review at fuji-Xperience (English version) / Fuji XPRO 1 Reviewat rorylewisphotography / Fujifilm X-E2 Review – Hands On Review at malachiajose / My love affair with a fujifilm xe2 (noob review) at xyzabacaniphotography /

 Acessories / Flash / Extension Tubes

 Full Frame envy? Focal reducers to the rescue: a review of the Camdiox focal reducer for Fuji (part 1)  at eyesuncloudedphoto /

a bit of everything

Talking Money with Zack Arias at davidduchemin / Interview of Street Photographer Matthew Hart from Liverpool at lenspeople / Street Photography Colour / Black and White at matthewhartphotography / Death Valley – A Journey to a Visual Mecca at olafblog / V. Opoku, Fuji X user and wedding photographer at k-pture / Fuji Camera Remote App for Street Photography at expat-photographer / Fuji X – Flawed But Irresistably Addictive at soundimageplus / blogs to follow in 2015 at mirrorlessons