XF 56mm APD vs. XF 56mm

XF 56mm APD vs. XF 56mm

by Rico Pfirstinger

Talk to Rico (open forum for questions & feedback)

Fuji X Secrets Workshops – Rico’s Flickr Sets

Istanbul Calling – XF 56mm vs. XF 56mm APD Sample Images

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^ Istanbul (X-E2 with 18-55mm kit zoom, SOOC JPEG Velvia)

Happy New Year everybody!

I hope you’ve successfully navigated through the sometimes stressful holiday season. I certainly did, and now we don’t have time to waste, as new Fuji product announcements are just around the corner. Not to mention that I’m supposed to submit the English and German manuscripts of my book on the X-T1 in less than two weeks. The book (which will be available as an ebook and eventually also in print) will incorporate all changes and new features of the big firmware 3.00 update from 18DEC.

^ Istanbul (X-T1 with 18-135mm kit zoom, Lightroom)

But wait, there’s more: Fuji X Secrets is going to Istanbul, a marvelous city for photographers of all genres. From 30APR to 5MAY, an exclusive group of only 5 to 7 Fuji X series fans will be able to explore this mesmerizing city along with Fuji X-Photographer Mehrdad Abedi and myself. Mehrdad’s stunning work as a travel photographer earned him the title story in a recent Fuji X Magazine edition, so check-out his portfolio here, and also have a closer look at what’s in store for you during this one-time event, which will be conducted in German language. As of today, three spots have already been taken.

^ Fuji X Secrets Workshop in Schwabach, 3OCT14 (X-T1 & XF56mmF1.2 R, Lightroom)

For those of you who want to stay closer to my current home in Germany, I am also offering a new Fuji X Secrets weekend workshop here in Nuremberg/Schwabach on 11 and 12APR. Two of only four available spots are currently available.

^ Santa Barbara (X-T1 with 18-135mm kit zoom, Lightroom)

If you are interested in an English language Fuji X Secrets workshop this summer (July) in Southern California (Santa Barbara area), please drop me a note at info@fuji-x-secrets.com, so I can keep you informed.

^ XF 56mm F1.2 R APD

Since Fuji is about to officially announce another high-end lens tomorrow, let’s use the build-up for a comparative look at Fuji’s new XF56mmF1.2 R APD lens. As many of you will remember, this lens was on display in September at the Photokina show in Cologne, and it appears that its announcement led to a few misunderstandings.

** CLICK HERE to Read the Rest of the Article **

“Sharpness beyond my expectations!”: Fashion/Portrait shoot with Olivia Lazer and the 16MP X-Trans Fujifilm X-T1

Can the Fujifilm X-T1 do studio work? Are 16MP enough for a PRO fashion/portrait photo shoot? Well, dpreview tests confirm that “although it is “just” 16MP, thanks to the X-Trans sensor, combined with its XF range of lenses, its effective resolution is not much lower than 24MP… and no moiree, which is one of the benefits of the X-Trans in the X-T1 (for example for things like clothing with really high frequency patterns)”

But technical test are one thing… what about the real world? So, dpreview gave the Graphite Fujifilm X-T1 to professional portrait & fashion photographer Olivia Lazer (she uses Full Frame DSLR for her work) and she went through the whole process, from the photo shooting to the final post processing. At the end she says:

“I was surprised in terms of just the sharpness overall. The X-T1 definitely went beyond my expectation. When I’m retouching, the final step is to add sharpening, but what I noticed when I was using the Fuji, is that I didn’t apply the sharpening to any of the images.”

But the talk & test is not just about sharpness… check out the whole video on youtube here.

REMINDER

The deals expired on December 27, but there is a little time window for stores to keep them unofficially running… but just for a couple of days at best.

cameras

X-T1 body: BHphoto (save $100 + lots of freebies) / AmazonUS (save $100)
X-T1 + XF18-55: BHphoto (save $100 + lots of freebies) / AmazonUS (save $100)
X100S (save $450 – black version): BHphoto (free SD card and bag). The silver one comes for $973 at AmazonUS.
X-E1: BHphoto is offering the X-E1 + 18-55 for just $699.

XF-lenses

XF 18-135 WR : BHphoto (save $100) / AmazonUS (save $100)
XF 56mm f/1.2: BHphoto (save $150) / AmazonUS (save $150) / [shoplink 31324 ebay]Cameraland[/shoplink] (save $150)
XF 23mm f/1.4: BHphoto (save $200) / AmazonUS  (save $200)
XF 14mm f/2.8: BHphoto (save $169) / AmazonUS  (save $169)
XF 35mm f/1.4: BHphoto (save $100) / AmazonUS  (save $100)
XF 60mm f/2.4: BHphoto (save $100)
XF 10-24mm: BHphoto (save $200) / AmazonUS  (save $200)
XF 55-200mm: BHphoto (save $150) / AmazonUS  (save $150)

FIRST FEEDBACK + SAMPLES of the XF 16-55mm f/2.8: “Superb AF, Sharp, Sharp & Sharp, Fantastic Lens… but Heavy & Bulky!”

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[UDPATE: Content removed by the photographer]

It’s heavy, it’s bulky and it has no OIS… but if size doesn’t matter for you, weill, it seems that optically this lens is amazing. At least according to the feedback of Hung Nguyen over at the FR-facebook photostream.

As you can see, he is really testing the 16-55 and literally says:  “Fantastic lens, sharp sharp & sharp whole range, wonderful bokeh […] PROS: Excellent photo quality Superb AF. CONS: heavy & Bulky like DSLR (nikon & canon 24-70 f2.8) no more lightweight”

It seems that he also shared some samples taken with it… sure, no high-res samples, but you can see them here on facebook.

miXed zone: Firmware Feedback, X-Gear reviews, Capture One 8.1 with X100T support, Fiji Workshop, Nissin i40 and more!

XF 50-140mm f/2.8
USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / EUROPE:WexUK / WexDE / PCHstore /

Fujinon 50-140mm f2.8 LM OIS WR: Review at thedigitaltrekker / Fuji 50-140mm f/2.8 vs. Fuji 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 at admiringlight + Full Review of the XF 50-140 at admiringlight / Out & About With The Fuji 50-140mm f2.8 at derekclarkphotography / One Week With the Fujinon XF 50-140 at fujiboys / Review and many samples at mobile01 (translation) / Bohek, vignetting test and more at dcfever (translation) /

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

– XF 56mm at mapcamera (translation) / First Impression: Fujifilm XF56mm f/1.2 R APD is Insanely Bokehlicious! at bigheadtaco /

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

 X100 and X100T jpgs at mingart / bigheadtaco (youtube) recommends to upgrade from the X100S and talks about the way he uses the X100T for street photography / Fujifilm X100T review: Naughty but niche at pocket-lint / Fuji X100T Preview – Initial Thoughts & Sample Images at slrlounge / Mr. T. – an X100T review at jonasraskphotography / Thoughts on the Fujifilm X100T at hellomikee / The X100T stretching out at dearsusan / The X100T’s Electronic Shutter: 1/32000s In 1/15 at janssico / A Casual Review of the Fujifilm X100T at petapixel / My first two weeks with the Fujifilm X100T at dylanhaskin / Fujifilm X100T review at cameralabs / Fuji X100T – A Real World Review at alikgriffin / First impression at mirrorlessons / My Year With Mirrorless Fuji Cameras at leighmiller /

NEW FIRMWARE

Review of Fuji X-E2 Camera Body Update Ver 3.00 and Camera Remote APP at stanleyleary / The Fuji X-T1 3.0 Firmware Update – A New Camera Or Just A Few Tweaks? at soundimageplus /
X-T1 setup guide v:3.00 at johncaz / Why I HATE Fujifilm and the X-T1 at gianlucacolla /

And as spotted by FR-reader João, please fix that little typo ;)

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Fujifilm X-T1 + Graphite X-T1
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graphite edition

Fujifilm X-T1 Graphite Silver Review at photographyblog / graphite X-T1, a simple user review at lbk / Fuji X-T1 Silver Graphite: Love At First Sight or Just Another Bad Date? Initial Thoughts at slrlounge /

classic black

The Italian Job – Haute Route Dolomites Swiss Alps 2014 by Steve Thomas (thesoftsaddle) vimeo video here / Shooting Lightning – Fujifilm X-T1 at jacobrinkphotography / Family vacation in San Diego with the Fujifilm X-T1 and 4 XF primes (14mm, 23mm, 35mm, 56mm) at peterlangfelder / Fuji X-T1 And 23mm F/1.4. Raw File Samples For Download – Is This The Best Fuji X Offers? at soundimageplus / Berlin, with the X-T1 & X100S at gaborimages / X-T1 + 23mm at Kaushik Parmar’s youtube / Top 12 Best Mirrorless Compact System Cameras 2014 at ephotozine /

Fujifilm X30
USA: BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / BestBuy / EUROPE: wexUK / wexDE / PCHstore

Fuji X30 review at camerahoarders on youtube /

X100/S + Converters
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– The Fuji X100s and Why are some cameras ‘internet hits’ and yet sell very little? at soundimageplus / Fuji X100s – Wide Angle And Tele Converters – Raw File Samples For Download at soundimageplus /

other X-series cameras

– Fujifilm X-E1: Burmese Days 4: the Rangoon Circle Train at worldofdecay. To see the Rangoon Central Railroad Station check out worldofdecay here / Photos Of Kimbra @Urbanscapes with Fuji Xs at kenandagnesphotoworks / A year with Fuji XE2 Mirrorless.. do i miss the DSLR? at oncamphoto / Fuji’ing in Europe- Part 1: Istanbul at doctography / Scotland for Ernest Journal / Fuji X-E2 Travel Photography at colinnichollsphotography /

lenses

X-mount lenses

FUJINON XF 18-135 versus the XF18-55 at fuji-xperience (English version) / Zeiss Touit 2.8/50 review at lenstip / Objektiv-Test (Part 2): Fujinon XF 10-24mm F4 R – Auf Reisen in German at oz50 (English version) / The return of the Fujinon XF 18mm F/2 R lens… at larsauthen / Fujinon XF 56 mm f/1.2 R at lenstip / Fuji’s Neglected Gem – The Fujifilm XF 14mm F2.8 R Fujinon Lens – Raw File Samples To Download at soundimageplus / My New Fuji 55-200 Zoom Lens at jlmphotos / The soundimageplus AWARDS 2014 at soundimageplus / X-T1 + 18-135 and 10-24 shots at joshmoss /

Adapted lenses / Converter

Review: Zhongyi Lens Turbo Adapters ver II for Fuji X mount cameras (FX) at thedigitaltrekker /

RAW-conversion / processing / Jpeg

– Using RAW or SOOC jpegs with Fuji X? – A discussion at jaysonoertel / Classic Chrome – Raw vs Jpeg With The Fuji X100T at alikgriffin / Caputre One (website) added support for X100T and X30.

Fuji X for Weddings

– A 3-Day Indian Wedding at vopoku /

Acessories + Nissin i40

REVIEW: First Impressions of the Nissin i40 Flashgun for the Fuji X-Series at macleancomms /

a bit of everything

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New Facebook page for X-shooter Craig Litten’s STREET PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS.. join it here.

– A familiy roadtrip around Australia with the Fuji X-system at tomleuntjensphotography / 7700 km with the Fuji X-series at olafblog / specific X100 series photographic tumbler at x-frame / . / High Iso: Life at 3200 with our Fuji X at fabyandcarlo / Fuji X-Pro 2: Bill Palmer polishes his crystal ball in anticipation at macfilos / The man behind X-series design at fujifilmblog / Fuji’ing in Europe- Part 2: Glasgow. at doctopgraphy / Fuji X System – 2 years of use at xtographer / Considering converting to the Fujifilm X series as a professional Photographer? at aspirephotographytraining / Bhutan: Tranquility in the Land of the Thunder Dragon at rosskennedyimages /

Fiji Workshop

F Stop Lounge just announced their Fiji (not Fuji ;)) workshop 2015. Many PRO’s will share their knowledge with you, and amongst the others also X-photographers such as Elia Locardi. Check out more at F-StopLounge.

Iridient Developer now 30% off + :: “The ‘Real Deal’ For Fuji X… my software of the year” (soundimageplus)

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It’s Iridient Developer’s 10 year anniversary, and Brian decided to start a sale that runs through the end of the year! The price for the probably best X-Trans RAW conversion software is right now discounted to $69.95 (30% off). Get it here at iridientdigital.

Also Soundimageplus highly recommends Iridient to every X-shooter. Read why here. Download Iridient 3.0 beta 4 for Mac here.

“I absolutely love what IR does to all my files and particularly my Fuji X images which have frustrated me over the years. My lenses look sharper, my sensors look better and over the past day I’ve processed hundreds of images using IR and have been consistently impressed with what I can achieve.”