Oh My Gosh: I Will Assist Photographing My First Wedding – Should I Panic, or Just Buy Fujifilm X-T4 and More Lenses?

Hey folks,

This morning I woke up, with a message from one of my best friends, who marries in June.

The message said:

Hey Pat. Would you mind take your camera gear at the wedding? We do have an official photographer, but it would be nice if you can take some images, too. Also, the photographer will stay only until dinner. So if you could grab images of the late night dance party…

And you bet, I accepted, because isn’t there a better excuse to buy new gear, than to help to photograph the wedding of your best friend? :D

Now, I want to do things right for one of the most important days in the life of my friend.

So here are a couple of things I need to do:

  • Don’t Annoy the Photographer

Never be in the way of the photographer. I don’t want to be one of those annoying guest jumping into his frame to get an image. We pay those guys, so that we can enjoy the moment, and later have some cool shots to remember forever.

But the photographer can’t be everywhere at all time, so I will try to be there, where he is not, and maybe I’ll get some nice shots ;).

But overall my philosphoy:

Whatever the official Photographer does, he will do it much better than me. So stay out of his way. My focus is on the night shots, when he is gone.

  • Get a Beer with the official Photographer

I am a man on a mission: convert people to Fujifilm. So you can bet I’ll grab the photographer in one of his rare moments of rest, and try to convert him to the Fuji side of life!

  • It’s GAS Time

And now comes the gear part. And for that, I will make shameless use of FujiRumors for private reasons, and ask all of you guys, what you recommend me to do.

Maybe I could go along with what I own already, but I believe I need a gear upgrade.

Here is what I am considering to do.

  • Upgrade my Camera

I could need a low light autofocus boost over my X-E3, hence I am either considering the Fujifilm X-T3, Fujifilm X-Pro3 or even the Fujifilm X-T4.

  • X-Pro3 – PROS: Looks awesome / CONS: tilt screen allows to shoot only from the hip, not from above, which might come in handy on the dacing floor
  • X-T3 – PROS: most affordable option (I can find deals or second hand offers) / CONS: Won’t probably have latest features and AF performance of X-T4
  • X-T4 – PROS: latest and greatest AF performance and features / CONS: pay full price

At the moment I am tending towards getting the Fujifilm X-T4.

  • More Lenses

My current fastest lens options with autofocus are the Fujinon XF 23mm f/1.4 and XF 35mm f/1.4. But I believe I need more.

I am considering to get two more lenses: the Fujinon XF16mm f/1.4 for some wide shots on the dancing floor, and the XF56mmf/1.2.

These four fast primes should cover my needs properly.

What do you think, am I good to go, or do I need something else? Maybe one of those nice f/2.8 zooms?

  • Settings Tips Anyone?

Once I have the new gear, I will go out and practice to shoot in similar low light dancing scenarios. I need to see what works and what not, as I am not very familiar with those kinds of shots, as you can see from my instagram.

But I know many of you are so much more experienced than me, so if somebody of you can give me tips on settings, feel free to drop them down below in the comments.

  • It ain’t free, so something has to go

To get all this new goodness, something probably has go.

Hence I could soon put my X-T1 on sale, the camera that took my favorite image, and which story I told you here (I got it after I destroyed my X-E2).

As far as lenses go, I think I’ll have to let go the Fujinon XF 18-55 and XF 55-200, and stay with my XF 18-135 only. Letting those lenses go isn’t easy. Selling that gear will help to mitigate internal discussions with my wife when I get the new one ;).

And if you want, and have the possibility, you are always free to make a micro-donation on Patreon. Even just $1 or $2 a month can help a lot, if many do it. Mostly it will allow me to cover the costs of the site… but if the support is big, well, then maybe also to get new gear ;).

  • You Vote…

Down below are a couple of surveys, where you can offer your camera and lens suggestions also in form of a vote.

Also, I will try to get permission from my friend to share some images on my instagram, so that I can share the results .´

In addition to the XF35mmf/1.4 and XF23mmf/1.4, FujiRumors should buy...

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In addition to the Fujifilm X-E3, FujiRumors Should buy

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Fujifilm X-T4 G.A.S? These Fujifilm X-T3 Images will Help You to Resist to it ;)

Oscar Wilde once said:

The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it

But today we will prove him wrong.

We will display a series of stunning X-T3, X-T2 and X-T20 images, and show to Oscar that we don’t need a Fujifilm X-T4 to create stunning imagery.

Because no specs on the world can replace your feeling… and it’s a known fact, that feeling is the origin of your creativity and intuition.

30 Seconds Story of my Favorite Image

In the spirit of this post, do you want to hear the story behind my all time favorite image?

If you have 30 seconds… here it is:

I was in Cambodia (for my fair trade Fuji X T-shirts project), walking through an abandoned Casino in Bokor, with one of my very best friends.

I borrowed her my Fujifilm X-T1 camera, and she took a couple of snapshots.

At some point I saw some kids playing hide and seek in the building.

One of them hide behind a wall, waiting for his little friends to come up the stairs.

I noticed all this, and told to my friend “give me the X-T1, and I’ll grab the killer shot“.

She gave it to me, I placed myself in the right position… and waited.

And then it happened: the hiding kid leaned out beyond the wall, then suddenly watched down the stairs to see where his friends are. In that moment, I was ready and took the image.

I came home, printed it, and now I have it big on my wall.

And it was taken with a Fujifilm X-T1.

Call it luck, call it intuition. Whatever it was. It was nothing you can read on any specs paper.

So yes, let’s be happy about the Fujifilm X-T4, but also not forget, that what we own now, is plenty of good enough.

In the spirit of this post, enjoy the X-T image roundup below.

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Cure Your Bokeh Addiction… or When Too Much Background Blur Removes the Story and Creates Distraction

The Bokeh

We recently posted this story, about a Canon shooter, who tried Fujifilm for the first time, and there was so much she loved about it (starting from the fun using Fuji and the inspiration that comes with it), but one thing she missed: the bokeh she had with her Canon f/1.2 lenses.

So I thought to dedicate an own article to the “bokeh-discussion”, starting from two youtube videos below, that I have summed up for you.

And to give it all are more light and fun touch, I’ll share also the recent Camera Conspiracies video :).

I just remind you, that for the ultimate bokeh Fujifilm is going to release the Fujinon XF 50mm f/1.0.

  • fujirumors.com  – Fujinon XF 50mm f/1.0 Accurate Size Comparison with XF 56mm f/1.2 and XF 50mm f/2

Camera Conspiracies

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The Rumor Year 2019: The Right, the Wrong and the Still to Come!

The Rumor Year 2019

As you know, I am a teacher, and usually it’s me, who has to judge and give votes to others.

But not today, as it’s time for our yearly 2019 rumors check, and to see if I did my homework well or not.

Also, there will be an accuracy rating of those rumors, that still could not be verified.

Keep in mind, there could be further rumors before the end of the year, in which case I will update this list!

Ready? Cool, so let’s start,

But be warned: I will be incredible severe to myself, as I will include in the wrong rumor section, rumors that were actually correct at the time of sharing, but just turned out wrong because Fujifilm changed plans.

It’s the case for example of the new lens roadmaps. In fact, just a few days after our rumor, top Fujifilm manager confirmed here, that indeed there would have been new roadmaps in 2019, but 2019 is now ending, and nothing came. So I was wrong, but so was the top Fujifilm manager.

  • 52 rumors shared
  • 14 rumors still to be verified
  • 34 correct rumors out of 38 verifiable rumors
  • 4 wrong rumors out of 38 verifiable rumors
  • 89,4% correct rumors

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Rumor Overview with Accuracy Rating

HIGH RATING*
* 75% to 99% correct

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Top Fujifilm Product 2019 – VOTE NOW

Top Fujifilm Gear 2019

Another Fujifilm year is ending.

With 4 cameras and 4 lenses released in 2019, Fujifilm has a little bit slowed down, if we compare it to the Fujifilm year 2018 (7 new cameras and 6 lenses) and to the Fuji year 2017 (4 cameras and 8 lenses).

But it was definitely quality over quantity.

And then there were these lenses:

Now it’s your time to vote what you consider the overall top Fujifilm gear launched in 2019. Vote down below.

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The Top Fujifilm Product of 2019 is... (max 1 selection)

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DPReview and Lenstip Fujinon XF16-80mm f/4 Reviews

DPReview

DPReivew says about the Fujinon XF16-80mm f/4:

  • at 80mm corners are a little bit soft even at f/8
  • at 40mm corner performance improves
  • at 16mm corners fall apart again, even at f/8
  • center looks very sharp
  • minimal chromatic aberration. Incredibly well controlled
  • OIS works great, very impressive. It keeps what it promises
  • for video, corner sharpness is not so important if you shoot 16:9. OIS is impressive. Great manual focus ring and very minimal breathing
  • 16-80 has great OIS for low light
  • nice rounded bokeh, pretty impressive. Nice rounded. But quite some onion rights. So it’s a mixed bag. Good, but not the best they have seen on zooms
  • amazing close focus capabilities
  • AF is fast
  • F/4 is great choice length for such a lens
  • great for travels and video
  • overall a very convenient lens

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Lenstip

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Fujifilm X-T3 New Features Guide for Firmware 3.10 Released

Fujifilm X-T3

Fujifilm has just released several firmware updates, including firmware 3.10 for Fujifilm X-T3.

With the new firmware, Fujifilm also released the new features guide for Fujifilm X-T3. At the beginning it was available only in Japanese, but now you can get in English here as well as other languages.

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Dear Fujifilm, it Would be About Time for that New Lens Roadmap!

New Lens Roadmaps?

I feel this is a necessary article, as I get tons of emails lately asking me where the new X and GFX lens roadmaps are.

So I want to adress this today.

Back in September we rumored here, that a new roadmap was about to come.

Just a few days later, top manager Toshihisa Iida confirmed it, by literally saying after being asked when a new roadmap will come:

The roadmap is updated once a year

And given that both, the latest Fujifilm X Mount Roadmap and Fujifilm G Mount Roadmap have been updated in 2018, this means we should see one in 2019.

Actually, after letting us vote on the official Fujifilm lens options poll he even said during the first Fujifilm X summit in February:

after seeing the results, maybe next week, you will see a new lens roadmap

But 2019 is ending, and personally I have a hard time to believe Fujifilm will update the roadmap at the end of December, right during the biggest holiday season in many parts of the world.

Sure, I hope they will, but chances are that this time Fujifilm will wait longer than usual.

What we can surely say, is that back in September 2019, Fujifilm did plan to release a new roadmap this year (as the manager confirmed it), but for some reason they might have postponed it.

Sadly I can’t give you more answers and details than what is published here in this article. One lens that will surely come next, is this one rumored here.

That’s currently the most exhaustive answer I can give on this topic, to all of those, writing me emails.

Please just follow FujiRumors, as I will publish more details as soon as I can.

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This Photographer Left Fujifilm APS-C for Sony FF and then Switched Back Fujifilm APS-C… Here is Why!

From Sony to Fuji – Why?

Italian photographer Roberto owned Fujifilm X series gear, but at some point followed the siren songs of full frame Sony.

Now, after using Sony for a while, he switched back to Fujifilm.

In his (Italian) video he explains why.

But don’t worry, you are lucky that FujiRumors is a polyglot (I speak 4 languages), so I am going to translate it for you ;).

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