“The X system goes from strength to strength”: 56mm Highly Recommended at cameralabs!

– It might be the best Fujinon lens ever produced: the XF 56mm f/1.2! Camerlabs just published their full review here:

Bottom line? The Fujifilm 56mm f1.2 is another great quality lens for the X-series. It’s a confidently-built, optically superb, well-priced for a lens of its class and exploits the latest body technologies to deliver crisp details into the corners and effective tracking of moving subjects. Bokeh obsessives may prefer the rendering of some higher-end options, but there’s few who wouldn’t look at the images from the 56mm on a modern X-series body and be anything other than delighted.

If you’re an X-series owner who needs a short, bright telephoto with AF, it may be your only choice, but thankfully it’s also a great one. What with the fabulous X-T1 and new 10-24mm ultra wide zoom, the X system goes from strength to strength.”

– Getting Married with the Fuji X-T1 & XF 56mm F1.2 at olafblog: “After reviewing our material, we both agreed that this is the best, sharpest X-series lens from Fuji ever, and one of the best we have ever shot with. But see for yourself.

– X-T1 face detection AF at f/1.2 with the 56mm Lens at f-sunny: “Even with this set-up, I was unsure as to how well the FD AF would pick out the model’s eyes as the key point of focus – DOF at f/1.2 is razor thin, so this was a significant challenge. […] No more worrying about AF box location over the eyes, I could (in theory) just line up the perfect comp, and shoot – the camera would do the rest. […] The pictures tell the story – I am immensely impressed with the Face Detection AF on the X-T1.”

–  Nocticron vs M.Zuiko Digital vs Fujinon XF at the Spanish site dslrmagazine (translation).

X-T1 roundup: very likely the first magazine cover ever photographed with a Fuji X-T1, walk in Paris and more.

 photo moda_bambini_kids_fashion_magazine_1354_zps206b7fa0.jpg

image courtesy: modabambinimagazine (facebook)

– Pro photographer Sinjun shared the image above with FR via email. I told him that finally the X-T1 could be the camera that lets many Pros like him get rid of their DSLR. He answered:

What? are you suggesting we trade a 4 pound DSLR and 8 heavy lenses for a 1.5 pound mirrorless and 3 lightweight Leica comparable lenses that we could put in a coat pocket and shoot anywhere in the world without having to lug a big camera case around?  ;-p

what we have experienced so far: IQ on the XT1 is comparable to pro DSLR’s up to about 1600 ISO, X series lenses are as good or better and the X series IQ at higher ISO’s will only get better with time so we will very likely go all Fujifilm mirrorless within the next year or so.

Street Looks a Go Go on facebook / Moda Bambini on Twitter / the digital version of the entire first issue of Moda Bambini Magazine can be seen here

Fuji X-T1: [shopcountry 21553]

_ _ _

 photo DSCF5170_zpsbb1b24c2.jpg

image courtesy: Sabino Parente

– A walk in Paris with the Fuji X-T1 at sabinoparente: “Just few days before my long trip to Japan and to improve the confidence with the new Fuji X-T1, I’ve got a nice weekend in Paris, a walk between the “bistrot” and “patisserie” of the “rive gauche” and with a visit to the extraordinary photographic exhibition of the master Henri Cartier Bresson at the Centre Pompidou. I did pure street photography, a great workout in view of the intense japanese days that has improved the feeling with the X-T1, the perfect camera for travel photography.” And if you wanna see what gear Sabino put in his bag for his Japan trip, check out this article here: “The purpose is to travel as light as possible and also don’t appear as a tourist photographer, full of gears and big heavy lenses. This is where the magic of the Fuji X come

– X-T1 Shooting from the hip ~ A day at the races at the-owl: “I decided to shoot entirely from the hip, pretty much most of the time without the flip screen deployed either.  I used a zone focusing technique and added a little bit of hope to the mix. You know what, it was a bit of fun but I’m happy with a selection of the images.”

– Maarten: “I’ve created an XT-1 firmware update wishlist. Everyone can add suggestions and vote for ideas. Please check it out! Thanks!” Vote the poll here.

– reiview at neocamera: “With its professional features and top-notch image-quality, the Fuji X-T1 is very promising. Those who are careful enough with its controls and do not shoot in the cold [with gloves] should find this an extremely rewarding mirrorless camera.”

– MrGecko: “I see you are posting a few pics shot with the new X-T1  You are welcome to post links to my shots (also X100) at 500px.com/thegecko/  If you would like me to send files of anything in particular I would be glad to.”

Sorry Fuji Fans, The X-T1 is Going Back at thewanderinglensman: “In the mean time, I can’t afford to have a great camera and 4 lenses sitting around not being used because of the aforementioned issues.  When and if everyone agrees the green foliage detail issues are solved, I will probably delve back into this system.  After all, it is a good system for photographers.”

– First session with the X-T1 at schwarzweissart: “What can I say after some portrait shoots with the X-T1. It is the right camera for my available light portrait work. I like the new view finder, my XF-60 is now focusing much faster. The files are superb, especially the jpg quality (my preferred film simulations are MONOCHROME+Ye and RO Neg. Std). Ok I need to learn again the positions of the buttons and I have to say I prefer the 4 way controller of the X-pro1.”

– Fuji X-T1 First Impression by Mike Villa at artoftheimage: “For me, it’s proof that mirrorless (and particularly Fuji) is serious about gunning for a spot in a professional photographer’s bag. As someone who doesn’t shoot sports very often, this little camera easily fills 90% of what I ask from my D800.”

– Review at flemmingbojensen: “In conclusion, there is no conclusion. It is an amazing camera with a truly outstanding viewfinder – and some other pros and cons. I shall be traveling the world and working the upcoming Copenhagen Summer festivals with both my X-pro1 and XT1 and post much more. Stay tuned.”

– Review at boxedlight: “But know this… it’s not perfect.. no camera is… but it is small, lightweight and is capable of producing some pretty amazing and detailed photographs at a price that most can afford. It holds its own against many more expensive cameras. The most important thing is this.. it is fun to use and you will never have an aching back or neck at the end of the day from carrying it with you… and you will have some outstanding photos to show for your efforts. Fuji’s lens lineup keeps getting better and you will be hard pressed to find lenses of Fuji’s quality at Fuji prices.”

– review at camera.itmedia (translation).

miXed zone: migration to Fuji, what X-T1 designers think, Zeiss Touit review by Max Angeloni, podcast and more!

[shoplink 22918 ebay] photo bb_zps31e329a9.jpg[/shoplink]

The X-T1 body is right now available at [shoplink 22918 ebay]Best Buy (via ebayUS)[/shoplink].
There is also an auction ending soon at ebayUS [shoplink 22920 ebay]here[/shoplink].
One more available at ebayUS [shoplink 22921 ebay]here[/shoplink]. According to the serial number of the product, it’s not a light leaking one.

 Fuji X-T1

X-T1 body only ($1,299): USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / PicturelineeBay / digitalrev / EU: wexDE / wexUK / PCHstore / eBay / digitalrev
X-T1 with 18-55 ($1,699): USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / PicturelineeBay / digitalrev / EU: wexDE / wexUK / PCHstore / eBay / digitalrev

– What makes the Fuji X-T1 so special? Here’s what its designers think… at imaging-resource here: “So that’s what Fujifilm themselves consider most significant about the X-T1. As you can tell from my writeup, I personally found the technology that went into the viewfinder the most impressive, but stay tuned as we update our Fuji X-T1 review, for more details on viewfinder performance, AF speed, and connectivity.”

– “Well to add to the confusion and general information here is Yet Another Rolling Review of the new Fujifilm X-T1 mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. I decided to write up a few of my initial observations and why I wanted to get this camera.” Read more at aps-photo here.

– X-T1 + 23mm review at byethan here: “So which one do I choose? Based on specs alone I would have picked the E-M1. It is a pro-level performer will very few flaws. However, based on my shooting style, the X-T1 is more suitable for me. Having quick access to all my manual exposure settings and a stellar EVF to focus trumps everything else. I wish I could put all of the E-M1’s features into the Fuji but in the end I have to pick one. Both cameras are excellent and I’m very lucky to even own either one.”

– The first outing with the new Fuji X-T1 at chuqui here: “I’ll give the camera 8.5 out of 10. I still need to spend time learning the quirks of the body and figuring out how to customize it to my preferences, but the “out of the box” experiment went very well, the image quality is stunning, and it handled a tough shooting situation with relative ease and gave me images I could easily haul through Lightroom and export good quality images.”

– fuji x-t1 review #5: face detect autofocus at f8blog here.

– initial thoughts and impressions at photosbygalloway here: “Throughout the post are some images that I’ve shot with the XT-1, on location, in the studio, on location with off camera flash. So far there are only two complaints about the camera. First is that the viewfinder is hard to use and compose on low key studio work. Quick work around is to adjust shutter and aperture so that you can see the subject, compose and focus the image then stop down to desired settings. Thats if you don’t have a modeling light to hand you can use that will not impact the image. Secondly with a standard tripod plate attached I could n’t manoeuvre the fold out screen, without loosening the tripod plate. Inconveniences more than actual problems using the camera.”

– setting up the X-T1 at johncaz.

Took the X-T1 Out All Day Yesterday; What a Pleasure! A Shooter’s Camera but I have Mixed Feelings; Why? at thewanderinglensman: “I don’t know what to think about all this.  I think Fujifilm has made a terrific camera.  The X-T1 is a real “shooter’s camera” as I like to say.  I really like using it.  The size, weight, shape and controls are perfect.  The ergonomics and haptics are great.  Everything works as it should and it screams quality.  I think the problems with the files have to do with Adobe not rendering the RAW files to reflect the real quality available.  I had read one photographer’s blog where he felt that Adobe had now solved the past issues with this version of ACR.  I disagree.  I see mush. ”

 XF 56mm f/1.2
[shopcountry 21554]

Highly Recommended: the XF 56mm at cameralabs: “The Fujifilm 56mm f1.2 is another great quality lens for the X-series. It’s a confidently-built, optically superb, well-priced for a lens of its class and exploits the latest body technologies to deliver crisp details into the corners and effective tracking of moving subjects. Bokeh obsessives may prefer the rendering of some higher-end options, but there’s few who wouldn’t look at the images from the 56mm on a modern X-series body and be anything other than delighted. If you’re an X-series owner who needs a short, bright telephoto with AF, it may be your only choice, but thankfully it’s also a great one.”

– Patrick: “I know it is supposed to be a portrait lens, but I climbed up on the roof of the school and took this picture of the entire student body yesterday with an X-T1 and a 56mm.  I was about 100 yards away, but the shot came out pretty good … here is the full-sized file.”

XF 10-24
[shopcountry 20414]

– 10-24mm Lens – unboxing and initial Images at f-sunny: “AF is fast and silent – in fact it hardly seems to move at all – which you’d expect with the super wide DOF of a lens of this focal length.”

– Fujifilm XF10-24mm f4 OIS R Lens, Unboxing and Sample Gallery at grittymonkey: “The new XF10-24mm f4 OIS R lens by Fujifilm is a joy to use. It is bulkier and heavier than most of the other X-mount lenses, but as a consequence it feels well-built and solid in the hand.”

X-E2
[shopcountry 17992]

– Victor: “I dont know if you are following bill claff on dpreview. He has a site with sensor analysis similar do DXOMARK but he is not using their software. I contacted him and offered him to measure the XE-1/2 data. He agreed. I provided him the data, (and maybe other people as well) and he has it now analyzed. It is finally posible to compare between fuji and the other sensors. Here is a link to the data with comparison to D7000 16mp sensor. Remember he is using the reported iso values rather then the normalized values. Data looks very interesting!”

– Zirkus Lamberti with the X-E2 and 60mm here at mingart.

– Panasonic GX7 compared to Fuji X-E2 at soundimageplus here: “With all the provisos about personal taste and choice if I was forced to choose one or the other, I would choose the X-E2. For me the OLED viewfinder, the ability to use higher ISO’s and still get clean files, the exceptional lens range that suits me well, the prices of said lens range and the look and feel of the camera all contribute to that choice. Plus perhaps more importantly I’ve written enough times about how I’m a can’t help myself Fuji fanboy. I pick up the X-E2, attach one of those beautiful lenses and I just go weak at the knees.”

– Fujifilm X-E2: Using only available light for meeting at stanleyleary here.

lenses

 photo _dsf1656_zpse3d764cb.jpg

image courtesy: riflessifotografici

– Zeiss Tuoit 12mm and 32mm review at riflessifotografici by Max Angeloni here (English version): “It’s not a mistery my love affair with Zeiss. I think lenses are the most important things for a photographer and Zeiss is always capable of creating unique lenses regardless the size of the sensor and the mount they are designed for. Sure, the price is higher than the comparable lenses by other manufacturers and sometimes it’s not clear the reason behind that. But trust me, there is a reason.”

Zeiss Touit 12mm ($999): [shopcountry 13645] Zeiss Touit 32mm ($720): [shopcountry 13646]

The Zeiss Touit 1:1 macro 50/2.8 is now available for pre-order also at Adorama here.

– Cody: “I just posted the best of my photos from this weekend taken with the Fuji X-E2 & Zeiss 32mm X Mount. I believe I am the 1st one on Flickr with this camera combo. Here is the link.”

– Must Shoot Primes!? Fujifilm X-Pro1 w/XF 18-55 OIS & 55-200 OIS (Part 1/4) at roblowephoto here: “In this first part (intentionally a four-part post) I am going to begin my exploration of two of Fujifilm’s zoom lenses, namely the 18-55mm OIS and the 55-200mm OIS. The only reason for separating into four editions is subject matter, pure and simple. There are plenty of reviews of these two excellent lenses, everywhere you look, so I am not going to review them scientifically as such. These posts will be all about real-world usage and images, latterly, the whole point of the exercise.”

– 55-200 review at henrysmithscottage here: “The [shoplink 12892]XF55-200mm[/shoplink] is clearly another high quality Fuji lens. It is easily as crisp (but not as fast) as my big Nikkor 70-200mm. The image stabilization allows me to easily shoot freehand, without a monopod, and still obtain critical sharpness.”

XF 55-200: $200 off (price $500) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline

– Fuji XF 27mm f2.8 review at lightpriority here: “The 27mm isn’t a lens for everybody, those with deep pockets will likely opt for an X100S or 23mm f1.4. But for anybody looking for a really tiny, affordable lens to make their X series body as portable as possible and with a good all-round focal length, its hard to beat. It punches far above its weight in terms of sharpness, rivalling Fuji’s best performing primes from f5.6. AF is quick and quiet although sadly not internal, so the front element does pump in and out during focusing.”

– 27mm review at danbaileyphoto here: “The XF 27mm also makes a great first lens for anyone just getting into the X camera system, it’s like having a nifty fifty, just a little bit wider and a whole lot smaller.

XF 27mm: $250 off (price $200) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline

– lenstip XF 23mm review here: “The Fujinon XF 23 mm f/1.4 R, tested here by us, must get a really positive assessment. Still the situation is hardly so rosy if you start comparing the price of that lens to the prices of its rivals. The Sigma A 35 mm f/1.4 HSM, a device more difficult to design and produce, is not only cheaper but also its optically a bit better. It shows that the Fuji specialists could have done a better job. Perhaps the savings on low dispersion glass made themselves felt but, if you actually save on something the price of the lens should reflect it as well and in the case of the Fujinon it cannot be noticed at all.”

XF 23mm: $150 off (price $750) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline

 switch to the X

– The road to the X, migrating from Canon to Fuji at tomleuntjensphotography: “I still haven’t answered my intro question. Why? Because the X system really matured. Because it’s much more compact and weighs significantly less. You don’t stand out from the crowd. (I now don’t mind that uncle bob is sporting a bigger L lens) The lenses are amazingly sharp and the image quality is up to par with the bigger guns out there. But the most important reason for me is that I simply love holding & shooting these X camera’s and how they helped me rediscover my love for photography in a more pure form.”

– Mike: “I’ve been shooting with an X-E2 the past few months, and just spent 10 days in Norway. I shot almost exclusively with it even though I had a D800 and Df with me. I just posted some of my thoughts and my favourites on Exposure, and thought you might be interested in sharing.” See his top 10 images of Norway and read more here at mfergusson.

-switching from Nikon to the X-E2 at mirrorlessons here: “Yes, I am selling my entire reflex system. The switch is effective as of now – I’m going mirrorless and the Fujifilm X-E2 is my camera of choice.”

– Daniel: “I made the plunge from the Canon 5DII to the X-E2 four months ago and haven’t looked back! I thought you’d enjoy a look through some of my shots with it. The EXIF data is under each photo.” See the shots here at hermosawavephotography.

– From DSLR to Mirrorless at johncaz: “I have long desired to reduce my kit and have now found the answer to my needs, its the Fuji X-T1.

podcast

– Matt Brandon: “Last year after the Rajasthan Photo Trek, Piet Van den Eynde and I decided to take a few minutes to talk about our experience with the X-series cameras in the field. It was such a big hit, we decided to do it again.” Here the conversation podcast here at thedigitaltrekker. “Also if you are intersted, I reviewed the new Fujifilm Instax printer, the Share SP-1. It is a real photographers friend using it with the wifi system on the X-E2 7 X-T1. Read it here.”

new blog

– Boris: “I decided to start a new blog and have a short article about street photography with the X-E1 and how I try to work around the slow operations if the camera to take candid shots. If by chance you find it worth sharing, I would be happy of you want to post a link to it on the Fuji Rumors (if not, no worries :-)).” bt-photoblog: ”

 X100S
[shopcountry 12883]

–  The Streets of San Francisco at valeriejardin.

– Barcelona, perfect place for street photography at nicole-struppert.

– Streets of Dublin at gaborimages.

X-E1 + X100
X-E1: [shopcountry 12881]

 – Fuji X-E1 with some Japanese touch at mengyeap here.

– (X-E1+X100) A visit to Easthope Stained Glass Studio, Folkestone at timallenphoto.

X-PRO1
[shopcountry 12882]

 – Carlo: “just to share my last two published works with X Pro1 and 35mm” Toccata and fugue in Venice here and The old house on the mountain here.

XQ1
[shopcountry 17996]

– review at eyalg: “The XQ1 almost stands out among these serious competitors – its imaging capabilities are very impressive – with output as good as the X20’s. The bug in the ointment is its focusing – quick as it may be, it misses on too many occasions, spoiling the good taste it otherwise leaves in your mouth.”

XF 56/1.2 vs Leica 42.5/1.2 Redux at admiringlight

Some days ago admiringlight posted a comparison between the XF56 and the Leica 42.5 f/1.2. The winner was pretty clear: it was the Leica. But the battle wasn’t fair. Jordan used a faulty 56mm for the comparison. Now he got a new one and repeated the test and re-evaluated the results here:

So who wins?  We do!  If you shoot Fuji, you’ve got an awesome fast telephoto in the 56mm f/1.2, and if you shoot Micro 4/3, the Panasonic Leica is phenomenal. When I first conducted this test with my slightly faulty Fuji 56mm, I ruled that the Panasonic was the slightly more corrected lens.  Now with a properly functioning Fuji 56mm, it’s far less clear cut.  Close up, where these lenses would be used for portraiture and the like, the Fuji has a slight edge.  At a distance, the Panasonic does slightly better.”

Not bad at all for a lens that costs 37% less than the [shoplink 22883]Panasonic Leica 42.5mm f/1.2![/shoplink].

Fuji XF 56mm: [shopcountry 21554] Panasonic Leica 42.5mm: [shopcountry 22883]