AF-tracking comparison: X-T1 with XF 18-135 and XF 55-200 vs 5DMKIII and Canon 70-200mm F2.8 II

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image courtesy: bencherryphotos

Ben Cherry (website) tested the AF-tracking of the X-T1 with [shoplink 12892]XF 55-200[/shoplink] and a prototype XF 18-135mm WR vs the action combo [shoplink 13457]Canon 5D Mark III[/shoplink] with the $2,500 Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Telephoto Zoom Lens.

The subject is a dog running full speed towards the X-T1 or 5dMkIII. The results? Ben says: “So how did the X-T1 and the latest telephoto lenses hold up against the ultimate action combo? Well I have to say I am extremely impressed by the results. So much so I’m not sure whether people can tell the difference.” Consider that Ben did NOT enable the HIGH PERFORMANCE mode, which makes AF faster.

But Ben doesn’t reveal which test series was shot with which lens.

In fact he just launced this contest: “Guess which is which – If you have twitter then tweet your answer with #2fujis1canon. At the end of the week I will reveal the answer. Remember the three options are: 70-200 (canon), 55-200 (fuji) and 18-135 (prototype, fuji). Allocate one lens to option 1, 2 and 3.”

So start tweeting ;-)

For those who do not use twitter, here is a poll for you. Check out the 3 AF-tracking series at bencherryphotos and then feel free to come back and vote the poll.

NOTE: To anyone out there, who wants to make such comparisons. It happens that reviewers do not enable the “HIGH PERFORMANCE” mode on their X-series camera. If you do such a test, you must enable it, as it will considerably improve the AF-performance of the camera… btw, every X-shooter should use it. You’ll drain a bit more battery life, but it’s worth the extra performance. It’s one of the many many tips and tricks Rico shared in his brand new X-E2 book here (German Version at dpunkt here).

UDPATE: Here are the resutls: Lens 1 – Fujifilm 18-135mm prototype / Lens 2 – Canon 70-200mm / Lens 3 – Fujifilm 55-200mm: “To conclude – For me the 5D3 is still the daddy, it instantly finds the subjects and tracks accurately. Whereas the X-T1 can sometimes take a while to find the subject but once it has, it will track very well, hitting the subject the vast majority of the time. Once there are greater auto focus zones on the X-T1, like the 5D3, then I think the tracking capabilities will vastly improve. To bring it back to dogs, the 5D3 is like my springer spaniel, it is just happy to be out running around and will respond to any call I give no matter what. While the X-T1 is like my labrador, loyal as anything but if you want it to respond to a call quickly then an obvious treat is required (though the high performance setting would have improved its responsiveness)!”

How should I handle rumors?

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Is it worth to upgrade from the Fuji X-T1 to the Fuji X-T2?

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If they were priced the same, I'd prefer the...

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Unpublished X-shooter stories and shots!

When I started FR, a pleasent surprise was to discover that I’m not alone with my passion. I’ve received many emails from X-shooters all around the world telling me their stories and sharing their shots.

For a long time, I tried to feature them in the so called “X-shooter zones”. But it was not enough, as the waiting list grew more and more and I had to find better ways to share all your shots and stories.

So I had the idea to move the X-shooter zone to the FR-facebook page.

The big advantage was that everyone could share immediatly its story and shots with all the other X-shooters. And almost once a week I pick out the most voted shots and share them also on the Fujirumors blog.

But there are still many X-shooters who waited and waited to be featured. So today I’ll publish them all, all the X-shooters I’ve never shared here.

From now on, feel free to post your images on the FR-facebook page. The most liked ones will make it into the next X-shooter facebook zone.

take care,
Patirck facebook, google+, RSS-feed and twitter

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Robin Goossens

I’m just back from Iceland , and over there , in cold weather , climbing and walking all day , the low weight but incredible performance of the fuji cameras

came again more clear to me …

Altough the X100 and XE1 has no weather sealing , the cameras performed well without problems , and this even under splashing water from snow of waterfalls

http://photographyiceland.tumblr.com/   (First picture on the blog really show’s a simple XE1 does fine in cold weather and harsh conditions :) )

Hope to get my hands quickly on the new X-T1 which looks amazing …

Robin Goossens

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Neil Hennessy-Vass

My story is not unusual, I was a London based Leica film camera user (M6, M7) with a hand full of lenses.  I also had a couple of Leica point and shooters as well.  Then started hearing about the X100.  That was it really, I sold some Leica glass and took the plunge.

The X100 is a lovely little camera that demands you to consider what you are doing.  It slowed down my photography for the better.  I then expanded with the X-E1 which I still have with the original three release lenses (18mm, 35mm and 60mm).

Then last month I went for the X-T1.  What a camera, I shoot a lot of close up work, mainly food and the view finder is a great boon in this area it is so large and clear.  It is also a lot faster in just about every way than the X-E1 and having an ‘exoskeleton’ design approach is just a joy, coming from a film background I hate fumbling through menus.  Here are a few of my recent exploits with my new ’toy’.  You can see more of my pics on my blog www.neilhennessyvass.com

Neil Hennessy-Vass

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SEE MORE

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miXed zone: XF 56mm in stock with freebies, free X-PRO1 guidebook, Samyang 8mm II review and more

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The XF 56mm is available right now at AmazonUS here, at ebayUS at the following stores: [shoplink 25372 ebay]cametaauctions 1[/shoplink] (with 3 UV/CPL/ND8 Filters + Accessory Kit for free), [shoplink 25373 ebay]cametaauctions 2[/shoplink] (no freebies) and [shoplink 25374 ebay]occamera[/shoplink] and also at BestBuy.

Fujifilm X-T1
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– Matt Brandon: “A Tribute to Hollywood Glamor. I always thought the glamor shots of those classic 1930’s and 40’s Hollywood beauties were amazing. But for some reason I never tried to emulate them until this week. Maybe because the the British drama, Indian Summers, for which I have been shooting. The drama takes place in the 1930′s, so I thought it might be fun to make some stills of the actors in the style of George Hurrell.. A Tribute to Hollywood Glamor: I shot these on my Fujifilm X-T1 using the 56 mm. I used three speed lights. Two were the Cactus RF 60 and the other the Phottix Mitros for Canon. I used two Cactus V6 wireless Transceivers. Read more how I achieved the 1940’s glamor look here –> www.thedigitaltrekker.com

– Sean Marc Lee: “My first big XT1 job for Monocle Magazine! Combination of 23, 35, 56, 10-24 lenses!” See here.

– Sean Marc Lee, Some Thoughts and a (sort of) Fujifilm X-T1 Review (at seanmarclee): “If you’ve used any of the previous Fuji digital cameras before, then you know image quality is up to par. I’m pretty old school as far as my standards go and for me the colors on these guys trump everything else. I’m not going to argue megapixels and show you MTF charts, I honestly don’t care about that stuff. There’s just something the Fuji engineers got right, the way their sensor and colors react to light. As much as people love shooting the JPG engine, for me RAW is the way to go. Using lightroom and VSCO as a basis, I’ve found the files approximate closely to all the film stocks I love and still use.  Comparing to both the 5D Classic and MK2 colorwise, it kills them. Long story short, it’s fucking badass.”

– Gnat: “I’ve been shooting both the Olympus EM1 and Fuji X-T1 back to back for some time, this time shooting track racing at the National Sports Center in Blaine, MN.” Read and see more at olyallthetime.

– Tobias Rice: “There has been some much noise around the capabilities of the X-Systems and sports I thought I’d experiment with the settings and found it to do quite well. I outline the setting in the post for people who might want to give it a whirl, too.” Read How To Shoot Sports With A Fuji X-E2 and X-T1 at lightwith.

– All about the gear X-T1 review video here

– FUJIFILM X-T1 + Canon 50mm F1.8 at the Japanese site dc.watch (translation).

– John: “Hey all, just wanted to share with you a recent quick review I did of the Fuji X-T1 during my trip to Peru. Enjoy!” Website: filmdigital.

– Schanae and the Fuji X-T1 at joshmcleodphotography: “Yet again, the [shoplink 21553] Fuji X-T1[/shoplink] and [shoplink 21554]Fuji 1,2/56mm lens[/shoplink] performed flawlessly…. The more time I spend shooting with this camera the more I like it. I have only 2 minor dislikes… the flash sync speed is too slow and the maximum shutter speed is too slow. This is where my Olympus OM-D EM-1 wins out (and part of the reason I have kept it)”. Read his feedback about the 55-200 here.

– Sony A77 II vs many other cameras, including the X-T1. Pixel peeper should check out imaging-resource.

–  The versatile Fuji X-T1 at thebigpicturegallery: “Focus focus focus, lots of issues and conversations all over the web about this, but for me the focus was the key to me buying the XT1, and I am seriously impressed with it. Last weekend saw me shooting a wedding for 12 hours, in torrential rain, in low light and bright sunshine, I can honestly say with hand on my heart the focus speed was never an issue.”

– Why Fuji ? at matthewhartphotography: “I know for a fact some of the other brands are very jealous of Fuji and so they should be. I believe Fuji are shaking this industry up, they are making a camera for photographers to use and control, not just a camera that anyone can use. […] Allowing the Photographer to control the camera and not the camera control the Photographer!

–  Using M Lenses on Fujifilm X Cameras at lavidaleica.

– The Dutch coast with the Fuji X-T1 at wimarys: “If you’ve read me going on about the Fuji XT1 colours, you’ll know I’m a big fan. Especially what you can do with the colours in Capture One, that still has an edge over Lightroom when it comes to processing Fuji files. The X-Trans II sensors’ special colour filter array means that it is exceptionally good at colour reproduction (and manipulation), and I love playing with them in Capture One. I might have gone a bit overboard today, but if it suits the picture, why not…”

– My initial experiences with off camera flash and the X-T1 at smithographer: “The Phottix Strato II performed flawlessly and worked with the X-T1 without issue. I didn’t have a single misfire nor any sync issues. Granted, I was shooting at a low shutter speed. I have since tested the maximum sync speed before any banding appears in the bottom of the frame and determined that I can get away shooting at 1/200 sec. This is just a fraction faster than the cameras specified max sync speed of 1/180th sec.”

– X-T1 does fashion II at johncaz: “As I’ve mentioned plenty of times before, I love the camera, but there are some issues. While shooting the lovely model Evi Lanou the battery in the grip went red, but i was not worried since I had a full battery in the body. Unfortunately though, the X-T1 does a weird dance on-off while deciding every time you wake it up from sleep mode whether to use the battery in the grip or the body. This weird and obnoxious behavior surely needs to be fixed by Fuji soon!”

– Making intimate pictures means packing light and indiscreet at kalejf: “As any obsessive photographers might admit, when planning a trip, one of the biggest anxieties is what will I need ? How much gear can I squeeze in my carry on?. This was my first time out of many trips to Europe where I brought a small kit, and left my DSLR at home. For this trip I packed one of my favourite cameras I’ve ever owned the Fujifilm X-E1 and the brand new Fujifilm X-T1, 3 batteries, and for lenses the XF 18mm f2, XF 14mm f2.8 and the beautiful 35mm f1.4. All this fit into my small shoulder bag, versus the backpack I used to have to lug around.”

– Eight hours, windswept | An X-T1 time-lapse experiment at laroquephoto.

–  Fujfilm X-T1 screen protection by Expert Shield at bjornmoerman: “Both of them fit the screen perfectly. Maybe even a bit too perfect. Given I’m no professional in applying screen protectors, I would even prefer if they would be a tiny bit smaller than the actual screen. This way a very small misalignment would not mean one needs to try again and open the opportunity for dust/bubbles. Having said that, I understand most people probably do not agree with this… ”

– Paul Baggio: “I’m a new fan of Fuji since I get my X-T1. I’m also the author of PhotoGeek.fr, a blog around many info on digital photography.
Even if it’s in French, your readers could be interested by my new article about this camera. I will try to write 3 or 4 ones until mid-July.
Fist one is here (photogeek).”

– Fuji X-T1: ISO test at wimarys: “One last remark on noise reduction: applying it to the Fuji X-T1 does impact sharpness, so it should be used carefully.”

– X-T1 review at davedillonphoto: “With the Fujifilm X-T1′s robust build, extensive features, amazing EVF, and stellar image quality it’s coming out on top in the sea of mirrorless camera options we have to choose from today. The Sony full frame A7 bodies may have a leg up in some image quality comparisons. but when it comes to the controls, EVF, and features of the X-T1 its a hands down winner for me. Dispite the manufacturing defects I received on my early serial number model, Fuji took care of it with great customer service and a fast turn around repair. The Fujifilm X-T1 will earn its place in your camera bag.”

– Review at imaging-resource: “This is a camera that’s just plain fun to shoot with, and it takes some really great photos as well. And perhaps more importantly, since it’s less bulky than your DSLR, you’re more likely to have it with you when you need it most.”

– Review at eyalg: “Not having to use the menus ninety-five percent of the time is a blessing, the large viewfinder with its split image manual focus assist is clear, bright and genuinely useful, and the image output is a feast for the eyes. Despite the meagre video controls and the ability to shoot with no card, it’s a winner end-to-end.”

– Steven Dupuy: “Hey Patrick, Just finished my edit of a road trip in california almost entirely shot with the XT1. Do not hesitate to share it if you like it ;) Here it is.

– Travelling Light at tuan-nguyen: “As I became more confident with the X-T1 & its kit lens, I began to use it more exclusively, often leaving the D800 at home or in the hotel safe. At the beginning of May, I travelled to the beautiful island of Madeira, the X-T1 became my unobtrusive camera of choice.”

– Really Right Stuff L-Plate for XT-1 and Battery Grip at ottokite, youtube video here.

– Fujifilm X-T1 compact system camera at pcworld: “Our overall experience with this camera was a positive one and we think it’s a great piece of kit. We’re happy to recommend it to anyone who favours tactile, labelled controls over screens and menu systems (though you can still use the screen and menu on this if you wish), but the cost is the main issue. Equivalent pricing ($2000) can get you a fairly substantial Canon EOS digital SLR kit, such as an EOS 70D with a couple of lenses. But that sort of camera might not give you the same level of satisfaction as the X-T1. The X-T1 is more interesting due to its body size, excellent image performance, and in-your-face features. It’s an elegant camera that people will look at and then proceed to ask you questions about it. It definitely stands out in such a crowded marketplace and, to us at least, this means that Fujifilm is onto a good thing.”

 Rokinon (Samyang) 8mm Fisheye Version II
AmazonUS / Adorama / BHphoto

 – Review: Rokinon (Samyang) 8mm f/2.8 Fisheye II (Fujifilm X-Mount) at admiringlight: “Overall, Samyang has provided us with a new optical design for its 8mm fisheye lens for mirorrless cameras, and overall this new version is a slightly better lens.  Images are extremely sharp across the entire image frame, and the lens is solidly built and very compact.  However, the new design is actually slightly worse against bright light, though that’s really the only optical issue present with an otherwise extremely good lens.”

 XF 56mm f/1.2
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Review at the Japanese site dc.watch (translation).

 X-E2
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–  Low light can be sometimes the best mood light at stanleyleary: “If you have an older camera that the ISO goes no higher than ISO 1600 this is a great reason to go out and buy some of the newer technology.  If you do look for cameras that will shoot at ISO 6400 or higher. My Fuji X-E2 will go up to 25600, which I have used a few times.”

 X100S
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– Fujifilm X100s Review at danhawk: “I wasn’t sure that this type of camera would be a good fit for me, but I’ve found it to be refreshing and inspiring. I’m making photos that I wouldn’t have before and I’m more inclined to bring along a camera, even if it isn’t this one. In other words, it answers all three questions with a “Yes”. I believe I will continue to have a camera that fits this role for the foreseeable future.”

– The Fujifilm X100s… at helensjournal: “Do I think as reported that it is the death of the DSLR, no I don’t, if you are a landscape photographer you still need a DSLR for better dynamic range and clarity. But, it is an amazing second camera.”

– Street Photography with the Fujifilm X-T1 and X100S at willlee: “Using the Fujis, in particular the X100S with its leaf shutter, even if somebody saw me point a camera in their direction the lack of noise makes it unlikely they could tell whether I’d taken a photo or not. Let’s not forget the X-T1′s flappy LCD which I made good use of for candid street photography. The remote wi-fi trigger offers another incredibly useful tool for candids, but it wasn’t one that I felt the need to make much use of.”

– Fujifilm WCL-X100 review: We test the 0.8x wide angle conversion lens for the X100 / X100S at imaging-resource: “If I were an X100 or X100S shooter (or let me perhaps say not if, but once I can afford to become one) and had an extra $325 or so available, I’d very much consider adding the WCL-X100 to my arsenal. For my style, it wouldn’t be an obvious, no-brainer choice like the newer TCL-X100 though. If it allowed for the more classical 24mm eq. it would be another slam-dunk for me, but at 28mm eq. range, not quite so much. That’s just me, though, street shooters will undoubtedly find it a higher priority need.”

X-E1
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 – Yeap Chin Meng: “I am Meng a fellow X user. I wish to share my blog post on Fujirumors on using Fuji X-E1 to shoot wedding. tRhis will be the link http://mengyeap.blogspot.com.”

X-PRO1
[shopcountry 12882]

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FREE DOWNLOAD: An official guidebook for the premium interchangeable lens camera, FUJIFILM X-Pro1 at fujifilm.com / guidebook on iTunes.

– Gavin Millar: “Hi Patrick, I just wanter to forward you a link to some menswear images shot with the X-Pro1 for yokeclothing.com (site should go live today!) Meantime,  the photos are here… http://www.gavinmillar.com/yoke-lookbook

– On a street photography mission armed with my Fuji X-Pro 1 at streetphotographycourses: “As a footnote, today the temperature has been really hot and humid it has provided a real test for my Fuji X-Pro 1, but I have to say that it has come through with flying colours performing its duty really well, I’m beginning to become quite attached to this little beast.”

– REVIEW: My Thoughts on the X-T1 after 10,000 images in 2 Months at macleancomms: “For me the Fujifilm X-T1 is a game changer, pure and simple;  this is the camera that made me decide to put my Nikon DSLR gear up for sale, which is a huge step for someone like me. Two months and 10,000 shots into ownership of the Fujifilm flagship camera, here are my thoughts, both good and bad. […] The X-T1 is an impressive camera and while not 100% perfect it demonstrates how far Compact System Cameras have come in a few short years.  For me they are the perfect tools for my work.  CSCs are not ideal for every type of photography (professional sports photography for example) but I have proven on this blog that the X-T1 is capable of getting usable images even in these situations.”

– Night Street Photography in Budapest With a Fuji X-Pro 1 at streetphotographycourses.

lenses

 – Review | Fuji’s XF 23mm f/1.4. With A 35mm Full Frame FOV, Is It A Rival For The X100S? at slrlounge: “I know I may seem to be giving away my sentiments about the lens already, but with this one in particular, there’s much to consider. Its focal length is about equivalent to that of 35mm on full frame, which makes it ripe for a go-to prime, and a go-to street shooter. Though a 50 is my favorite, I do love a good 35, and this felt good from the moment I picked it up.”

– Leo: “I have recently took advantage of the Zeiss 12mm and 32mm deal. I have made a video comparing the lens side to side  with some of the XF lens that I have. I think it might be benefit to your readers who are considering these lens. Feel free to share it with the fellow reader if you think it fit your blog. Thanks.” See the video here.

– Choosing between the Fuji 10-24mm f/4 zoom or Zeiss Touit 12mm f/2.8 and Fuji 14mm f/2.8 primes at aboutphotography-tomgrill: “In the end the deciding factors come down to how the lens will be used. Indoors and hand held argue for a fast aperture. Landscapes, where fast aperture is not a factor, argue for the flexibility of a zoom. Travel, where portability comes into play coupled with some hand-held interior shooting, argues for a smaller, fast aperture prime.”

RAW-conversion

 – Which RAW software DxO vs Capture One vs Lr at frankdoorhof: “So which one is best….? It seems Capture One right? Well at first glance I would also say yes, but again it’s not the complete story, to get a real winner we have to look at much more and that would go way too deep for this blogpost, but let’s just scratch the surface for what I use.”

XF 18-135mm: some more initial impressions

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If the 18-135 is the allrounder travel lens you’ve waited for, feel free to pre-order it at BHphoto, AmazonUS, Adorama to support FR. You won’t pay a single penny more on your lens, but a small comission is valued back to Fujirumors. Thanks in advance to those who decide to support this blog.

XF 18-135 pre-orders: USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama / – EUROPE: wexUKwexDE / PCHstore

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

MUST READ: Rico’s First Look here

– Fujinon 18-135mm First Impressions at flixelpix: “The focus is quick and accurate and I was able to quick pick off shots as I walked casually around the city. I opted to shoot at the largest aperture which obviously changes according to focal length. The lens offers an aperture of 1/3.5 at 18mm through to f/5.6 at 135mm and is image stabilised to 5 stops!! […] Will I be adding Fujifilm’s first weather sealed lens to my own kitbag? Definitely, although the versatility of such a focal range means the lens offers more than just outdoor landscape photography. It is a remarkable, versatile lens with fantastic focal range and performance…. the technology is simply stunning.”

– XF18-135mm F3.5-5.6 R OIS WR Initial Impressions at bencherryphotos: “With this lens attached to a X-T1 I was able to capture a variety of photographs that wouldn’t be possible with any one lens currently in the Fujifilm line up. The other bonus of this lens is that it’s the first weather sealed lens, which came in handy during one extreme downpour. Overall this is a fantastic lens if you’re looking for an extremely versatile lens to always have on your Fuji camera.”

– On the test bench: The New Fuji 18-135mm at lovetheimage: “The OIS (image stabilisation to you and I) does seem to be very effective when shooting handheld – giving you a little extra room for manoeuvre on shutter speed and aperture. This has been really useful lately as even some of the outdoor shoots have been in very low light and dark sky conditions. It hailed so hard at the polo, they all charged off the pitch to take shelter!! You can see the rain drops in the final image (better on the high res file). And of course, being the first ‘Weather Sealed’ lens in the Fuji range – perfect for my outdoor, muddy playground!

Video: the X-T1 with the 18-135mm WR lens under the rain (youtube video)

XF 18-135: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama

Fuji X-T1: [shopcountry 21553]

First Look: XF18-135mmF3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR

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PRE-ORDERS (and support FR)

Today you can support my work here on Fujirumors. If you choose to pre-order it using one of the shoplinks (AmazonUS, BHphoto, Adorama, wexDE, wexUK & Co) in this post, FR will get a small commission on it. It won’t cost you a single penny extra on your gear. Thanks in advance to those who decide to support this blog… your support will keep this blog running.

PRE-ORDERS

XF 18-135 pre-orders: USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama – EUROPE: wexUKwexDE / PCHstore

LIVE BLOGGING HERE

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First Look: XF18-135mmF3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR

by Rico Pfirstinger

Talk to Rico (open forum for questions & feedback)

Fuji X Secrets Workshops – Rico’s Flickr sets

Mastering the Fujifilm X-E1 and X-Pro1 – The Fujifilm X-E2 – Beyond the Manual

After postponing the date at least twice, Fujifilm is finally announcing its highly-anticipated 18-135mm weather resistant zoom lens for the X-T1 and other X-Mount system cameras, promising very good image quality and world record breaking 5 stops OIS performance at a reasonable price (799 EUR  incl. VAT here in Germany). All this in a more compact package than its Canikon competition (EF-S 18-135mmF3.5-5.6 IS STM and Nikkor 18-140mmF3.5-5.6 G ED VR).

I was able to shoot with a prototype and an early pre-production sample of the lens in May and June, also testing it at two recent Fuji X Secrets workshops south of Nuremberg. Since all my current workshop offerings are sold out except for one remaining slot for our workshop in Berlin on 20JUL, I have decided to offer another workshop in the Nuremberg area on 9AUG. Registration is now open.

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