On Friday, the European studio strobe lighting company Priolite announced on their instagram here, that it is introducing a version of its RC-HS-F radio trigger for Fujifilm X-Pro2, X-T2 und GFX 50S cameras that will allow syncs at up to 1/8,000 of a second.
Priolite has just a small market share, but there are Fujifilm X shooter using their products, and who lookf forward to Priolite support, such as the FR-reader, who informed me about this news.
Oh right, Elinchrom! They don’t seem to be in a hurry to support Fujifilm.
As we reported here, Elinchrom should add Fujifilm support in 2018 according to a press release they made with Rotolight. But so far nothing has happened.
So I did search on their facebook page, and I have found the following Elinchrom statement, made last week: “We are working on it“.
At the moment I would be very careful with any comparison that is out on the web, since the test for sure uses still a pre-production firmware, and we don’t know if it’s the latest one. Also, we don’t know which AF tracking settings were used on those cameras.
So watch the video, feel free to comment here on FujiRumors, and keep in mind that what you see is pre-production firmware. In fact it seems strange to me that the X-T2 with the same settings and a slower focusing lens (the XF18-55) is more successful than the X-H1 with a faster focusing lens (the XF16-55).
Fujifilm X-H1 versus X-T2
DPReview wonders, what does the new X-H1 bring over the X-T2?
I know that there are tons of articles like these on the web, so I will point out only, what so far has almost passed unnoticed, and that DPReview makes well to highlight, and some important confirmations, like the improved AF.
“Less obvious improvements, but equally significant to serious videographers include a video-specific shutter speed of 1/48sec, which will give a 360, 180 and 90 degree shutter angle for 24, 30 and 60p footage.
phase-detection autofocus system has been seriously upgraded […] Quite how Fujifilm has managed this without upgrading the X-H1’s processor (which is the same as the one used in the X-T2) is a mystery to us, but it’s impressive.
The X-H1’s eye sensor can react in as little as 0.15sec, when your eye is raised to the finder (compared to the X-T2’s 0.4sec).
Fujifilm has been putting ‘DR’ dynamic range expansion settings in its mirrorless and compact cameras for years, but the X-H1 expands on this (no pun intended) with a ‘Dynamic Range Priority’ mode. This has two settings: weak and strong, which use the camera’s existing DR modes in combination with flattening of the highlight and shadow ends of the tone curve. This gives a flatter, wider DR version of DR200 and DR400% modes, respectively. There’s also an ‘Auto’ setting that selects which level to apply.“
Last but not least, listen in the video below, how the shutter sound of the X-H1 compares to the one of the X-T2. Video shared by Bjorn Moerman on youtube here.
FUJIFILM TO SHOWCASE NEW AND INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS AT WPPI 2018
Featuring the latest additions to the X Series Line, INSTAX Instant Cameras & Film and Digital Printing Solutions
Valhalla, N.Y., February 23, 2018 – As the leader in photo imaging, FUJIFILM North America Corporation will showcase a comprehensive portfolio of products that offer photographers the highest performance —from capture to print—at the 2018 Wedding and Portrait Photography International Conference & Expo (WPPI) from February 26-28 at Booth #1121 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Palle Schultz has published Part 2 of his Fujifilm X-H1 videos here on youtube.
While in his first X-H1 video, which we shared in our epic 48+ hours non stop live blogging here, Palle went over all the features in an interesting 20 minutes video, this second part will show you those features in action in Nepal.
Amongst the others, he shows
how the autofocus behaves when you set focus speed and tracking independently for natural looking focus (more manual focus-like)
lens flare
ETERNA
120fps FullHD slow motion upscaled to 4K
extreme shadow push
AF tracking of a group of funny and adorable kids
& more
Shooting Stills with ETERNA
Palle Schultz shows us some great video footage taken with the X-H1’s new ETERNA film simulation. And as also reported earlier today in the ETERNA development story, it is specifically designed for video use, where “time, the movement of performers, and the sounds and voices” have to create a “seamless flow” with the image itself.
So maybe ETERNA will, for most of us, not become our favorite film simulation for stills, but there are situation, where ETERNA can work well also in stills.
In his ETERNA dedicated article, with lot of ETERNA sample images, ivanjoshualoh writes:
“I must say initially I didn’t like Eterna. I find it’s a bit flat and the color are not its strongest feature. […] The more I shoot with it, I realize with all things; it has its weaknesses and strength. […] I feel not all pictures works beautifully with Eterna but a good number do. Its does give a beautiful mood to the feel. And I am beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel.”
& More
Thoughts on the Fuji X-H1 after hands-on with it at Zed ProMedia Youtube. He says:
IBIS is really really good
Linear focus mode is awesome for video. Wherever you put the lens and bring it back, it is going to be the exact same distance every single time. It will sync up your focus exactly where you want it to be.
Fujifilm re-worked the camera. Has the same sensor/processor as X-T2, but it’s a completely different camera
More a professional body
It’s good that it’s bigger. There are tons of smaller options out there if you want a smaller camera
Back-button focussing button feels perfect and is in perfect position. Works great
Let’s examine the difference between photographic and cinematic expression.
In photographic expression, the basic communication is complete in a single frame. For that purpose we put emphasis on color as an important element to deliver the photographer’s message. For example, the blue sky is enhanced so when reflecting back to the memory, it is as clear as it can be. The colors are enhanced to an extent so that the image still looks natural. Other colors are treated the same way. In FUJIFILM, we refer the color reproduction as “Image Color”.
Cinema communicates differently. In cinema, there are the transition of time, the movement of performers, and the sounds and voices. The image designing in cinema should complement all these elements to create a seamless flow. If the cinematic image design were completed in each frame in the same way as the photographic expression with enhanced colors, then the flow would not be so smooth. In Cinema, the saturation is suppressed, so a particular color would not stand out. The tonality is wide to deliver the atmospheric vibe of the scene. This is the characteristic of cinematic image design. People often refer to it as “Cinema Look” or “Film Look”.
[…] The film simulation “ETERNA” is designed to achieve the “Cinema Look” in one take. The dynamic range is 12-stop wide. The highlight and shadow tones are both soft. The difference is obvious when it is compared with PROVIA (with the dynamic rage set at 100%). The dynamic range is comparable to that of F-Log. It has room for post production, so this also comes handy.
[…] The saturation is suppressed and is slightly adjusted on each key color. A touch of magenta was added on blue to achieve the image color, but to achieve the cinema look, the color is shifted toward cyan. The blue sky in the background will then complement the story. The cinema look is like an art of omission.
It’s interesting that they say that cinema look is the art of omission. This is what they also told us about the Classic Chrome film simulation here, where they said it “omits the element of color in order to stand for the story you want to tell to stand out“.
So ETERNA follows the Classic Chrome philosophy, but is even more desaturated.
If you want to know and see more of ETERNA, we have published a dedicated ETERNA article, which also includes a comparison of ETERNA Vs. other film simulations.
