Iridient

Brian just released Iridient Developer 2.3.2. No Fujifilm specific changes in this one. This version does fix a critical issue with the exposure slider for users running 10.6.8 and some non-English localizations introduced in the last update. Also fixes a preview display bug that could produce edge artifacts when viewing at high magnification in the preview window and also fixes potential issues with the UltraRez resizing methods when exporting very, very high resolution images (such as 24MP images scaled to 400% or more).

The new version can be downloaded from my web site here:
http://www.iridientdigital.com/products/rawdeveloper_download.html

The full release notes for this and all previous version are available here:
http://www.iridientdigital.com/products/rawdeveloper_history.html

Photo Ninja

– “Photo Ninja – Some comments from Jim Christian, the developer” can be read at soundimageplus here. Seems that now also PC user have a good alternative to Lightroom (MAC users already have Iridient). Soundimageplus says: “I and many others have been seriously impressed by what Photo Ninja has achieved with the Fuji X-Trans sensor raw files, finally ‘liberating’ them from the over processed ‘mush’ that has been the result of some more well-known software companies efforts and indeed the unimpressive Fuji / Silkypix software.”

Alternative Workflow

– The Alternative Workflow: from Lightroom to Photo Mechanic and Iridient Developer at thevisualexperience here: “Adobe Lightroom is great. Gives you a lot of possibilities, manages your library, develops your RAWs. It’s a great piece of software. Now, up to December 31st, you can have it with Photoshop for 10 USD a month if you, like me, have a licensed version of a Photoshop >CS3. So it’s a no brainer kind of buy. BUT. But if you’re looking for the best image quality out of your RAW then, well, there is something more. Previous tests on Iridient Developer  actually confirm that, especially with X-Trans sensors, you can get much better results out of your RAWs. So the question is: If there is a good alternative for the RAW processing part, is there  also a good alternative for the Library Management part?”

Fuji X-Trans Sharpening Presets for Lightroom

– Fuji X-Trans Sharpening Presets for Lightroom at thomasfitzgeraldphotography.com: “Incidentally, a lot of people have recommended Iridient Developer to me as it does a really good job with X-Trans files and I’ve been trying it out this weekend. It does indeed do a great job and certainly does a better job of de-moosiacing than Lightroom, however it does lack many of Lightroom’s creative tools. Still, I’m working on a workflow for using the two in tandem, and I’ll have a post about it soon.”

X-Trans

– Continuing Yin and Yang, the good and the bad with the Fuji X sensor at soundimageplus here: “Sometimes I think the images from my X-E1 are amongst the best I’ve ever seen, sometimes, if they happen to contain a lot of smeared similar looking green foliage, I wonder why on earth I bought it. However, spending the last few days in a heavy editing cycle, I’ve found a way to both deal with that and come to terms with it. You may have noticed that despite all my many reservations about the X-E1, poor battery life, smeary foliage, poor video etc. I still have it and still use it. I expressed some reservations in a previous post about the performance at low ISO’s, but I’ve made an interesting discovery. The more you upsize the files the better the camera / sensor does in relationship to others.”

– Don’t forget the Fuji details at simonpeckham here.

Online petition 1

– And if you are still not happy with how LR handles X-Trans files, then here is an online petition: “Please [Fuji and Adobe] cooperate to provide your common customers with better X-Trans raw files support.”

Online petition 2

Stop the discontinuation of Fuji 3000b Instant Film by Fujifilm: “Fuji FP-3000B is the most versatile instant film on the market today. Not only does it have the highest ISO rating of any instant film currently produced, it is the only one that produces a very easy to work with negative. There IS a market for this film. We ARE out here using it and supporting it every day. There are groups on Flickr and Facebook designated specifically to instant film. We highly encourage you to STOP the discontinuation of your wonderful and beloved 3000b film!” Do you agree? Then sign the petition here.

George

Hi Patrick,

I’m a new convert to Fuji and thought I’d share the journey with you. I did a blog on the change, and then a review on the X-E1, and you can find them here:

The DSLRosaurus (“All I can feel is freedom!”)/ Fuji X-E1 review (“All my concerns about changing from a DSLR system were totally unfounded. I doubt I will ever own a DSLRosaurus ever again.”)

The biggest anxiety I had during the changeover was if the Fuji’s could handle wildlife. To give you an idea of whether or not the [shoplink 12881]X-E1[/shoplink] can handle wildlife, I’ll just say that where I used to be happy if I managed a dozen keepers, I’m now finding I’m managing 30 keepers or more. Not only that, but the RAW files are a real joy to work with. Check out these recent photos from a wildlife shoot, all taken with the X-E1 with [shoplink 12892]55-200mm[/shoplink].

shot 1 / shot 2 / shot 3 / Many thanks to Fuji for transforming my photography life, and I can’t wait for the X-Pro 2!

One of my biggest challenges in the past has been capturing the moments. Well, not really capturing the moments, but having RAW files at the end of the day that were usable. It’s been a problem. In the past, if files weren’t too noisy, they would be too soft, or not have enough dynamic range, or something else that mostly prevented me from using them professionally even though I’d caught the moment. Since changing to the Fuji X series, my keeper rate has rocketed up. We were on a seals shoot this past weekend, and I jokingly said to my gf that I thought I might have as many as 40 keepers. I laughed when I said it as it was a joke, as I expected *hopefully* perhaps up to 20 *in my dreams*. I’ve just finished working through the RAWs today and I have 36 keepers! For example, here is a grey seal mother and her pup having a kiss out in the ocean. I knew I’d caught a once in a lifetime moment, but in my heart I doubted my gear. Had my gear caught focus? Would there be enough dynamic range as I was shooting almost into the sun. Would the pup’s white fur be too burned out? What would the noise be like? Again, the RAW files astounded me. Here’s the photo. Not only was it sharp, there was hardly any noise, and I was able to pull the detail out of the pup’s white fur with no problems at all.

Here is a heavily backlit sun shot of a male grey seal mating with a female. I couldn’t believe how much dynamic range there was to play with in the RAW file. I know for a fact that if I’d taken this with my old gear, this shot would have ended up in the recycle bin as the highlights would have been totally burned out.

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Here is another example of a heavily backlit subject, a bull grey seal who decided to come out of the water to check me out. You can’t mess around with wildlife when shots like this present themselves, you just have to take the shots. Again, I was convinced that the RAWs would be unusable, but as you can see there is plenty of detail and colour in the highlights and in the shadows. This is another keeper I most definitely would not have had with my old gear.

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The details and textures in the RAW files are also astonishing. You can’t really see it in these small jpgs, but this seal you could almost reach out and touch in the full sized image it’s fur and whiskers look so real.

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As to favourites? Well, here are three very recent ones [Patrick: one is shared at the beginning of this post] from the last couple of weeks which I love, and which I’ll be entering into a top Scottish photography competition – a family portrait, a pup, and a seal in the surf. Next week I’ll be trying out the [shoplink 12887]18-55mm[/shoplink] with wildlife, and I’m excited about it. I’ve not been this excited about photography for a long, long time.

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X-E2 in stock check

BHphoto, Adorama and Pictureline have the silver X-E2 with kit lens in stock right now (it’s not in stock anymore at AmazonUS).  DigitalRev has the silver kit and the black body in stock.

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

photozone XF27mm review

“Highly recommended” at the photozone XF27mm review here: “In terms of sharpness it plays in the highest league especially when stopping down a bit. There is a bit of field curvature which softens images in the last mm of the image frame so for tack sharp results you may wish to stop down to medium aperture settings. Lateral CAs are essentially absent which also contributes to the high sharpness perception. Vignetting and distortions are auto-corrected and as such not an issue for most users.”

Finally some time for an X-shooter zone! This time we have 5 stories to tell:

1) Mike’s switch to the X.
2) Mehrdad talks about his inspiring liberation from the heavy DSLR’s and about street photography using his X-PRO1 and X100S
3) Jan photographed cars that have a top speeds of approximately 167,7 mph (270 km/h) and accelerate from 0-62,14 mph (0-100 km/h) in 3 seconds and also dogs running full speed towards a camera… with an X-PRO1. Fast action shots with an X-PRO1. Impossible… or not?
4) Robert’s thoughts about the XF 27mm [shoplink 13829](specs&price)[/shoplink] he used to shoot the “Linzer Höhenrausch”.
5) It’s well-known that Fuji X cameras produce awesome JPEG’s. This is why Daniel opened a new Flickr group for Fuji jpeg lovers.

Thanks for sharing all your stories and shots with Fujirumors… and keep it up!

enjoy your Sunday,
  (google+, facebook and twitter)

Mike

Hi Patrick,

I wanted to share a set with you to demonstrate use of graduated ND filters in Lightroom 5. I decided to try it out and it’s fantastic – I was finally able to produce that surreal mojo possessed by so many landscapes. These are all from a camping trip where I was able to bring my [shoplink 12881 ebay]X-E1[/shoplink], [shoplink 12946 ebay]Rokinon fisheye[/shoplink], [shoplink 12889 ebay]XF 35 1.4[/shoplink], [shoplink 12892 ebay]XF 55-200[/shoplink], and [shoplink 13645 ebay]Touit 12mm[/shoplink] in a [shoplink 14261]mirrorless mover bag[/shoplink], and hiked 8 miles with it no problem. I’m officially selling my Nikon DSLR and never looking back, the size and quality of the X system can’t be beat – looking forward to the X70.

All the best, and keep up the great work!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_lensman/10013989224/in/set-72157636038044676/

Mike

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Mehrdad

“I always have my x100s with me, and I really do mean always! I also often have my [shoplink 12882]X-Pro 1[/shoplink] with me. This was impossible for me with the [shoplink 16850 ebay]Canon 5D MKII[/shoplink], which I have used previously. The size and weight are big advantages, too. Maybe this was the biggest game changer for my street photography. Now I am able to have my camera wherever I go and take photos that I would otherwise not have taken.

Travelling light weight is so liberating and gives me so much inspiration.

Images taken with long focal lengths, such as a 90mm or longer, also rarely turn out for me. I prefer wide angle lenses. The [shoplink 12883]X100S’s[/shoplink] 23mm and the X-Pro 1′s 14mm are my preferred focal lengths. I find that the wide angle lenses help the viewer to dive into the scene — to “smell the street.”

Mehrdad

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Jan Oscarsson

Hello Patrick,

I have been following FR for a couple of months, not posting much in the comments. But when I saw the comments on your latest post, the one where Bert Stephanie has shot some soccer with the X-E2, I just had to post something. Bert does a great job sharing his knowledge and his images and people just rants on about the AF and high f-stops. I felt I had to share my own findings about the AF-speed and accuracy of the X-serie cameras, and as Bert says you can clearly shoot soccer as well as other action with the Fuji. I didn’t want to hijack the thread and link to my own blog, but If you want to, you are welcome to post my blog post thru Fuji rumors. Keep up the good work. Here is the link: http://www.oscarsson.dk/blog/?p=1205

Best regards

Jan Oscarsson (X-PRO1 + XF55-200)

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Robert

Hi Patrick,

just finished my photo essay of the “Linzer Höhenrausch” – an exhibition dedicated to towers on top of the roofs in the city of Linz. I took 95% of the photos with the new [shoplink 13829]fujinon xf27[/shoplink]f lens and shared my impressions here:
http://www.refro.at/refroto/wp/?p=530

the photos can be found inside my Gallery: http://www.refro.at/refroto/wp/?page_id=103

Keep up the interesting work! like so many others, there’s no day for me without stopping at fujiumors :-)

Robert

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Daniel

Hi Patrick,

Being a long time Fuji X user (now near enough 3 years) and a Fuji jpeg lover I thought it might be time to start a new flickr group for us jpeg shooters.

Like a lot of Fuji users I also find the jpeg´s ooc so great that I rarely use the raw files.
Some time back I also wrote up a blog entry about why I shoot jpegs and what my favorite settings are.

http://www.stockografie.de/2013/04/fuji-x-or-why-i-mostly-shoot-jpegs.html

So here it is. Feel free to post this on Fuji Rumors if you wish

Daniel

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

1) FR-reader Roger informed me that he got shipping confirmation from AmazonUS for his X-E2.

2) The X-E2 owner’s manual is also available here (thanks Amnon).

3) Part III of soundimageplus review is online here. This time he looks into the video function on the X-E2. Click here if your wanna read part V: manuaf focus, EVF and more about the AF. In Part VI at soundimageplus it’s X-E2 vs GH3. And the winner is? Discover it here. And there is also part VII here (X-E2 with the 18mm and RAW processing).

4) Randall Cipriano went on vacation with the X-E2. Read his experience here: “Long exposures are still clean even after crossing the 2 minute mark. The shot above is 4 minutes long and the quality is just about the same as what I get from my D600 and leaps and bounds cleaner than my old APS-C dslr.  […] Pushing the exposure 2 stops and pulling the shadows 70% in this jpeg still resulted in minimal noise apart from the sky on the upper right where the ND grad filter was concentrated. The image is clear of any pattern noise or banding. […] For those who have used an X-Series camera, you probably know that these output fantastic high-ISO images out of the camera. It’s even hard to get the same level of jpeg noise processing the camera does for RAW files in post.”

5) Check out Ralf’s X-E2 review on his youtube channel here (German video). He says that the two problems with the X-E1 are solved: EVF is now smooth and focus is faster.

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