First Look: Fujifilm X-T1

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Pre-orders (and support FR)

After several months of restless work to make of the X-T1 one of the most leaked cameras ever, today you can support my work here on Fujirumors. If you choose to pre-order it using one of the X-T1 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 camera. Thanks in advance to those who decide to support this blog… you will allow me to spread many exciting rumors also in 2014… I’m already investigating for you ;-).

PRE-ORDERS

X-T1 body only ($1,299): NORTH AMERICA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline / EUROPE: wexDE / wexUK / PCHstore /

X-T1 with 18-55 ($1,699): NORTH AMERICA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / Pictureline / EUROPE: wexDE / wexUK / PCHstore /

X-T1 Vertical Battery Grip ($ 249,99): NORTH AMERICA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / EUROPE: wexDE / wexUK /

For the live blogging CLICK HERE

and now enjoy Rico’s X-T1 review!

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First Look: Fujifilm X-T1

by Rico Pfirstinger

Talk to Rico (open forum for questions & feedback)

Rico’s Flickr sets

X-T1 Sample Images Set – X-T1 Predictive AF Tracking Samples (updated!)
XF56mmF1.2 R Sample Images –XQ1 Sample Images Set
X-E2 Sample Images Set – X-E2 AF Tracking Samples (updated!)

X-T1 Official Specs – X-T1 Official News Release

Mastering the Fujifilm X-Pro1 Reading Samples (65 free pages)
Mastering the Fujifilm X-E1 and X-Pro1 – The Fujifilm X-E2 – Beyond the Manual (pre-order)

The retro-styled X-T1 is Fujifilm’s attempt to inject state-of-the-art DSLR performance into its line of mirrorless X-series cameras. With twin multi-functional command dials, five manual dials (ISO, drive mode, shutter speed, photometry & exposure compensation) and an aperture ring on most native lenses, the X-T1 features a blend of classic and modern controls that should appeal to the X-series’ target audience of experienced photographers—enthusiasts and professionals alike.

The X-T1 looks and feels like a DSLR, and yet it’s still a mirrorless live-view camera with a large WYSIWYG real-time viewfinder in a lightweight, compact and weather resistant body. In an ironic twist of events, the X-T1 is pretty much the “hybrid camera” that Nikon promised—but never delivered—in its popular viral Df campaign.

The X-T1 features the same 16 MP X-Trans II sensor and EXR Processor II as the X-E2 (or X100S). However, overall processing speed has been improved through hardware and software changes. There’s no doubt that the X-T1 is Fujifilm’s fastest X-series camera. However, maximum shutter speed is still limited to 1/4000s, and maximum flash sync speed is limited to 1/180s (though many flash units will perfectly work at 1/250s).

Sample Images

I have prepared two sample sets shot with X-T1: a regular set and a set featuring high-speed series with tracking AF.

Real-time EVF (and LCD)

With a display lag of only 0.005 seconds (X-E2: 0.05s, Olympus OM-D E-M1: 0.029s), the X-T1 is ready to capture fast action, including moving objects. The camera’s predictive autofocus encompasses the central nine autofocus frames (there’s a total of 49) and works with bursts of either 3 or 8 frames per second (fps) of continuous shooting. The large electronic viewfinder (EVF) is housed in the “hump” and delivers an impressive magnification of 0.77x (E-M1: 0.74x, X-E2: 0.64x) and a refresh rate of 54 fps (E-M1: 60 fps, X-E2: 50 fps). The X-T1 offers this high refresh rate even in low light: At 1.6 EV, it still clocks 54 fps, while the E-M1 slows down to 30 fps and the X-E2 to 20 fps.

DSCF0843 – SOOC JPEG
SOOC JPEG (click image for full-size view)

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

First Look: Fujinon XF56mmF1.2 R

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XF 56mm f/1.2 ($999): USA AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / DigitalRev / – EUROPE: wexUK / wexDE / PCHstore / DigitalRev

X-T1 coming at 04:30 AM London Time, this Tuesday, January 28th (11:30 PM, January 27th, New York).

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First Look: Fujinon XF56mmF1.2 R

by Rico Pfirstinger

Talk to Rico (open forum for questions & feedback)

Rico’s Flickr sets
XF56mmF1.2 R Samples –XQ1 Sample Images Set – X-E2 Sample Images Set – X-E2 AF tracking samples

Mastering the Fujifilm X-Pro1 reading samples (65 free pages) – Mastering the Fujifilm X-E1 and X-Pro1 –
The Fujifilm X-E2 – Beyond the Manual (pre-order)

January has been abuzz with product announcements and rumors. As you may expect, I will soon post another First Look X-Pert Corner article about the X-“you know what”, so let’s begin the week with a quick look at the new Fujinon XF56mmF1.2 R prime (click here for specs), a typical 85mm full-frame equivalent “portrait lens” with shallow depth-of-field for superior subject/background separation.

DSCF1027 – Lightroom 5.3, f/1.2

Please click in the sample images to see larger viewing options, or click here to see the full sample set.

With a bright maximum aperture of f/1.2, the lens is also suitable for available light photography. However, this bonus feature is somewhat offset by the lack of optical image stabilization. For crisp hand-held shots, one would typically use shutter speeds north of 1/80s. However, I managed to achieve pleasing results with speeds as low as 1/40s:

DSCF1106 – SOOC JPEG, f/1.2
SOOC JPEG

The XF56mm isn’t cheap by any means , but it may well be Fuji’s best X-Mount prime so far. Like it’s 14, 23 and 35mm siblings, it is fully optically corrected with a solid build, but still lightweight enough to fit well into the mirrorless tribe. It comes with aperture and focus rings (both “fly by wire”, as usual), and it really is—at least for me—a joy to use. Even wide open, I found the results of my January-built pre-production sample highly convincing. While minor axial chromatic aberration can sometimes be visible wide-open, there’s no visible distortion and no field curvature.

DSCF1060 – SOOC JPEG, f/1.2
SOOC JPEG

Autofocus is on the snappy side and fully compatible with the ever-improving hybrid PDAF/CDAF system of the X-E2 and future Fujifilm X-Mount cameras. And as you will soon find out here on X-Pert Corner, the XF56mm also does a very good job as an action lens. Who’d have thought?

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

Exposing Right

dealExposing Right

by Rico Pfirstinger

Talk to Rico (open forum for questions & feedback) – Rico’s Flickr sets – Expanded XQ1 Sample Images Set – Expanded X-E2 Sample Images Set – X-E2 AF tracking samples – Mastering the Fujifilm X-Pro1 reading samples (65 free pages) – Get my NEW book (print or DRM-free eBook/PDF): Mastering the Fujifilm X-E1 and X-Pro1 (use code FUJIRUMORS to save 35%!)

DSCF0748 – Lightroom 5.3

Welcome to the X-Pert Corner Holiday Edition!

‘Tis the season of festive lights and crazy contrasts. Your X-series camera can master these challenging situations—but can you master your X-series camera? ;)

No worries! We are going to have a look at how Fuji’s latest firmware update can make your life easier, and we will also look into the DR expansion function of your camera. However, let’s start with the basics: ETTR, or “Expose To The Right”.

ETTR – “Expose To The Right”

ETTR is often misunderstood as “overexposing” an image, then correcting the exposure by “pulling the brightness back down” in an external RAW converter like Adobe Lightroom.

Well, that’s the theory. In reality, ETTR often means to perform quite the opposite: to underexpose an image in order to save important highlights from clipping, then “pushing” the shadows and midtones back up in an external RAW converter. You can read more about the background story of this method in my books, so let’s focus on the practical side of things.

DSCF1422 – Lightroom 5.3RC

Per definition, ETTR is best-suited for RAW-only shooters: They set the camera to DR100% and use the live histogram to settle with an exposure that won’t clip important highlights. All X-series photographers can use this method in P, A and S exposure modes. However, in order to also use it in M (manual exposure) mode, you need either an X-E2 or XQ1, or an X-E1, X-Pro1 or X100S with the latest 18DEC firmware update. Manual mode shooters should make sure that SETUP MENU > SCREEN SET-UP > PREVIEW EXP. IN MANUAL MODE is set to ON. This setting enables the WYSIWYG live view and the live histogram in manual exposure mode.

That said, here’s a quick ETTR example:

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

Using Auto-ISO

Using Auto-ISO

by Rico Pfirstinger

Talk to Rico (open forum for questions & feedback) – Rico’s Flickr sets – Expanded XQ1 Sample Images Set – Expanded X-E2 Sample Images Set (includes full-size SOOC JPEG and RAW samples) – X-E2 AF tracking samples – Mastering the Fujifilm X-Pro1 reading samples (65 free pages) – Order my NEW book (print or DRM-free eBook/PDF): Mastering the Fujifilm X-E1 and X-Pro1 (use code FUJISAVES30 to save 30%!)

Thanks to continuous firmware updates, all Fujifilm X-Mount cameras will eventually use the same Auto-ISO paradigm. This “new” feature is actually based on the original custom Auto-ISO function in the classic X100. Since the Auto-ISO section in my book Mastering the Fujifilm X-E1 and X-Pro1 is still describing the previous (and not so popular) Auto-ISO version, this X-Pert Corner column also serves as a free update for my loyal readers.

Auto-ISO Parameters

How do you make the most out of the improved Auto-ISO feature? First, let’s see how it works:

Instead of automatically using a minimum shutter speed (MSS) based on the focal length (FL) setting of your lens, the new Auto-ISO lets you choose and set any MSS between 1/4s and 1/500s (or 1/125s in the X-A1 and X-M1). That’s quite a range! For the record: The MSS formula for the previous Auto-ISO version used to be MSS = 1 / [FL x 1.5], with exceptions for very long lenses and lenses and active image stabilization.

In addition to setting your own minimum shutter speed, you can now also set the default sensitivity and the maximum sensitivity. These two sensitivity parameters define your Auto-ISO range: The camera will never pick an ISO setting that is lower than the default sensitivity, and it will never exceed the maximum sensitivity setting. Within these limits, it will always try to meet the set minimum shutter speed requirements, and in order to do so, it will automatically increase the ISO value.

Auto-ISO and Exposure Modes

How does Auto-ISO work in concert with your camera’s four PASM exposure modes? Let’s have a look:

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

Using Face Detection

Using Face Detection

by Rico Pfirstinger

Talk to Rico (open forum for questions & feedback) – Rico’s Flickr sets – Expanded XQ1 Sample Images Set – Expanded X-E2 Sample Images Set – X-E2 AF tracking samples – Mastering the Fujifilm X-Pro1 reading samples (65 free pages) – Order my NEW book (print or DRM-free eBook/PDF): Mastering the Fujifilm X-E1 and X-Pro1 (use code FUJISAVES30 to save 30%!)

Fujifilm kindly delivered the LMO and PDAF upgrades for most of the X-Mount lenses a day earlier than expected, and they have also fixed the manual focus glitch in firmware 2.00 for the classic X100. I am looking forward to read about your first impressions with the X-E2 (and XQ1) using the new hybrid tracking autofocus.

If you need assistance upgrading your camera or lens firmware, you might find this article helpful. Sadly, there’s still no word if or when Zeiss will issue similar firmware updates for their X-Mount Touit lenses.

In Your Face!

Face Detection has always been available in most of Fujifilm’s “consumer” cameras. Among others, you can find this feature in the X10, X-S1, X20, XF1 and XQ1, and now also in the X-A1, X-M1 and X-E2. Face Detection is also available in combination with the tracking autofocus feature of the XQ1 and X-E2. This means that you can use Face Detection along with AF-C (in either single shot or low-speed burst mode) to keep the face of a person in focus while this person is moving left or right, or towards or away the camera.

While the hybrid PDAF/CDAF (combining on-sensor Phase Detection Auto Focus with on-sensor Contrast Detection Auto Focus) allows the camera to focus faster on a subject, Face Detection has to rely mostly (if not entirely) on the camera’s CDAF, because in many real-life situations, the face the camera is locking on will not be fully located inside of the nine central AF frames (the area that is equipped with PDAF pixels).

PDAF helps the camera establish and lock focus faster, but it’s not mandatory to enable autofocus tracking. Just think of the Olympus OM-D EM-5, which doesn’t have PDAF, but still offers fast AF and subject tracking capabilities. Your X-E2 and XQ1 can do this, too: Both cameras can track subjects with any of their 49 AF frames, not just the nine central ones (aka those with PDAF pixels).

In addition to selecting one of the camera’s 49 AF frames, you can also set the X-E2 and XQ1 to track subjects using Face Detection. Click here to access a private Flickr set that illustrates both standard AF tracking (pre-production 23mm lens) and Face Detection AF tracking (pre-production 50-230mm lens) with a pre-production X-E2.

Wait, There’s More!

While most users will immediately understand how Face Detection and the camera’s autofocus work hand-in-hand, some may not realize that Face Detection also influences the exposure metering of the camera. To illustrate this, let’s have a look at an example.

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