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First Look: XF18-135mmF3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR

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PRE-ORDERS (and support FR)

Today you can support my work here on Fujirumors. If you choose to pre-order it using one of the 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 gear. Thanks in advance to those who decide to support this blog… your support will keep this blog running.

PRE-ORDERS

XF 18-135 pre-orders: USA: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Adorama – EUROPE: wexUKwexDE / PCHstore

LIVE BLOGGING HERE

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First Look: XF18-135mmF3.5-5.6 R LM OIS WR

by Rico Pfirstinger

Talk to Rico (open forum for questions & feedback)

Fuji X Secrets Workshops – Rico’s Flickr sets

Mastering the Fujifilm X-E1 and X-Pro1 – The Fujifilm X-E2 – Beyond the Manual

After postponing the date at least twice, Fujifilm is finally announcing its highly-anticipated 18-135mm weather resistant zoom lens for the X-T1 and other X-Mount system cameras, promising very good image quality and world record breaking 5 stops OIS performance at a reasonable price (799 EUR  incl. VAT here in Germany). All this in a more compact package than its Canikon competition (EF-S 18-135mmF3.5-5.6 IS STM and Nikkor 18-140mmF3.5-5.6 G ED VR).

I was able to shoot with a prototype and an early pre-production sample of the lens in May and June, also testing it at two recent Fuji X Secrets workshops south of Nuremberg. Since all my current workshop offerings are sold out except for one remaining slot for our workshop in Berlin on 20JUL, I have decided to offer another workshop in the Nuremberg area on 9AUG. Registration is now open.

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

miXed zone: “travel lite, travel smart, travel X”, Iridient update, Zeiss 32 and 12 first impressions and more

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Zeiss deal at BHphoto here and Adorama here

IRIDIENT

– Brian released Iridient Developer 2.4.1 with a number of improvements and bug fixes. One Fujfilm specific bug fix was for the X100S when shot in 1:1 aspect ratio in-camera which resulted in Iridient Developer 2.4 using an incorrect crop origin when loading these RAF files with the default options. This issue may have effected other models too, but Brian only had reports of problems with the X100S. The full release notes for 2.4.1 can be viewed here. The new version can be downloaded here.

TRAVEL

Travel Lite, Travel Smart, Travel X at michaelmcqueen: “if your looking to travel some place in the distant future I can most definitely recommend you think about what you want out of your travels in terms in making images, do you need to pack lite? do you need that bulky DSLR? there are better solutions out there and I highly recommend the X.”

X-T1 or DSLR

– Is the Fuji X-T1 as good as my 5d3 / D800? at mikecroshaw: “I’ve seen some pretty outrageous claims from the pro DSLR crowd about how bad the Fuji autofocus is.  One guy claimed he could only shoot still life with the fuji, for everything else he needed his DSLR.  Well I’m sorry, but that guy just fails at using the XT-1.  Of course its not as fast as a pro DSLR..people expecting it to be are, frankly, deluded.  But unless you are a professional sports or wildlife photographer, or just suck at taking photos without machine gun speed autofocus, its fast enough.”

–  Can the Fuji X system replace my DSLR system? at gambofoto: “In most of the comparison shots I prefer the look of the Nikkor 85mm.  Possibly because of the extra focal length.  Carrying the cameras around definitely goes to Fuji.  Handling- Fuji.  Enjoyment in use goes to Fuji.  Confidence while doing a paying job?  Well that depends.  I truly love the quietness and stealth of the Fuji cameras and had a lot of success in the last weddings I shot.  However the Nikon provides one of those intangibles by seeming to be faster in AF and thus more confidence inspiring.  Notice I say seemingly.  In the past I have experiences plenty of problems with AF and the Nikons.  And where I feel I miss shots with the Fuji, because of AF, I also get shots I don’t think I would gotten with the Nikons.  So I guess the answer to the original question is not clear cut, at least not for me.  With that said the rest of my Nikon kit will remain for the immediate future, but for how long?  It might not be clear in the above text, but I must say the [shoplink 21554]56mm[/shoplink] is one great lens.  It has been over a month now that I have had this lens and the longer I use it the more that I have come to appreciate it.  It just continues to surprise me how exactly sharp it is, even wide open.  Of all the fast lenses that I have owned, I will say that, this one is the best at wide open.”

– Fuji X-T1 and the ‘mirrorless inferiority complex’ at soundimageplus: “Yet again there are more recent posts about how people sold everything, bought a mirrorless camera and achieved photographic and personal nirvana, how the DSLR is dying, dead or really rather poorly and a heavily touted current Camera Store video that comes up with the staggering discovery that us idiots who don’t work as assistants in camera shops couldn’t possibly have discovered for ourselves, that mirrorless cameras have really quite fast AF. To me all this smacks of a ‘mirrorless inferiority complex‘.”

 Fujifilm X-T1
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– Fuji X-T1 for wedding photography at phildweddingphotography. There review includes a nice list with the Advantages of the X-T1 compared to a full frame DSLR and the Disadvantages of the X-T1 compared to a full frame DSLR.

“Over the next few years, with the right camera body, I think they can take a large part of the DSLR market. They have the viewfinder. They have the lenses. They have the sensor. They just need to concentrate on the list above and also speed of use for common actions like exposure changes (not a deal breaker for me, but it is for others).

For me, I’d happily pay an extra 20-30% on top of the price of the X-T1 to get everything I need and I suspect may pro photographers will feel the same, having been used to DSLR prices.”

– Fuji X-T1 vs Nikon Df: which is the best retro-style camera? at digitalcameraworld: “It may not be quite as versatile as the Nikon camera, but the Fuji X-T1 is capable of very high quality results. Modern features such as tilting touchscreen, the ability to shoot video, the electronic viewfinder and built-in Wi-Fi connectivity (for remote control and speedy image-sharing) make it a real winner. The Fuji X-T1 is the winner in our Nikon Df vs Fuji X-T1 comparison.

– X-T1 does fashion at johncaz: “Overall, I was really impressed by the X-T1 and its ability to not only do what my Nikon’s had offered in the past, but actually offer me new ways of creating images. Placing the camera on the ground with face detection ON and the screen flipped out was such a treat, look at the image of Michalis doing pushups with granny walking past! That was wide open and face detection nailed him.”

– Fujifilm X-T1 – Does it make a good travel camera? at richardberryphotography: “So does it make a good travel camera? I definitely think it does! Especially for those wanting creative options and convenience through the use of zoom lenses. With the added bonus of weather sealing and the rugged magnesium alloy body you can’t really go wrong.”

– Fujifilm X: gestalt or bust at ohm-image: “What I appreciate about Fujifilm’s X series is cohesiveness. There isn’t another camera manufacturer in Japan that cares as much about operational design, about physical layout, or about culling specific users from the larger customer base. Their cameras polarise. That is how it should be.”

– Fujifilm X-T1 from my X-Pro1 – how does the upgrade hold up? at kwaibun: “Overall, the X-T1 is one of the best you can get for street photography and vast variety of serious usage. Fuji has done it right in just 2 years. The only direct rival will be Olympus OMD-EM1, which i found equally, if not more, attractive as well: primarily its unbeatable, close-to-DSLR snappy focus and responsiveness. its 5-axis IBIS which effectively allows you to use lower ISO, compensating the higher ISO noise and lower resolving power disadvantage of m43 sensor. (some reviews said it’s similar but I still quite convinced Fuji is better, and for sure better in terms of high ISO performance)

– Fujifilm X-T1 Mirrorless Camera Review at digital-photography-school: “I can confidently state that a student with this camera system would probably find learning the basics a bit easier than with a standard digital SLR camera system if for no other reason than the live histogram available in the electronic viewfinder and the easy to access, logically laid out controls. Further, for the seasoned user, the X-T1 body and lenses make a great combination for producing high-quality professional results.”

– Fujifilm X-T1: Technology in a Headlong Rush at jjsemplephotography: “Fuji, among all the leading brands, seems to understand the customer very well. And that’s why I like the closed loop of camera bodies, lenses and accessories being made by the same company and sold at a reasonable price. Guess it comes with being an Apple devotee. In the meantime, I’ll go back to making myself a better artist, now that Fuji has given me some of the best tools available.”

– Trusting the Fuji X-T1’s Panoramic Mode at macleancomms: “The new X-T1 also has a panoramic mode which is on the drive selector, located on the top panel under the ISO dial (see top image).  I have tried this function on several occasions and I can report that this is a lot more user friendly than the function on the X-Pro1 and X100.  More importantly I haven’t had a misaligned shot yet and I have found myself trusting the system more and more.”

photographymonthly: “The fact that the X-T1 looks as good as the pictures it takes is part of the attraction. It’s the perfect blend of new technology and old school charm. If the thought of giving up your beloved DSLR scares the pants off you, don’t worry, it does me too. But I’m seriously thinking of investing in an X-T1 to run alongside my professional Nikon gear. I’ve dipped my toe in the water with the X-Pro1 and I’m finding I’m using it more than I thought I would. The more time I spend with the X-T1, the more I’m convinced it’s the way forward.”

–  The Palouse – A Visual Journey with the Fuji X-Series – Part 2 at olafblog: “the Fuji X-T1 large viewfinder was such a joy to use. Being able to see the final composition, colours and exposure makes a huge difference. The days when I had to look at the back of the camera to check the photo are gone.”

– Fuji X-T1 Review: The Best X-Series Camera at ishootshows: “it’s simply fun to shoot with the X-T1. It’s well built without feeling like it’s made out of precious metal mined from space rocks. The camera does what you want, when you want it. It’s fast. The RAW files are gorgeous. The lenses in the X-Series lineup are the kind of glass that beg to be shot wide-open.

– Fujifilm XT-1 review at danielbader: “Pound for pound, the X-T1 is one of the most enjoyable cameras I’ve ever used; whether it’s the most practical is another story, but I think it’s worth the price of entry.”

– Gianni Galassi: “I’d just like to inform you that the third chapter of my in-progress Fuji X-T1 review is online“. Read it here at giannigalassi.

– Is the Fuji XT-1 as good as my 5d3 / D800? at mikecroshaw: “kept my DSLR until I was sure I could rely on the fuji for all my work, and I think if you can afford it, this is the way to go.  It’s not a complete system or a DSLR killer..yet.  But for me, and for a lot of people, its now good enough to use without having a DSLR there as a backup.”

– Sigma DP2 V Fujifilm X-T1 at christianfletcher: “And to let you know, I paid for my X-T1 and I paid for my Sigma. Also I am no expert so don’t think this is a fair test of both cameras. I shot a toy dinosaur with both cameras, the focal lengths are slightly different but I tried to get everything else as similar as possible. I still think in this crude test the Sigma came out on top. Saying that you will not use it for lots of things you would use the Fuji. The Fuji loves low light, the DP2 Merrill is scared of the dark (so I have read, not tested that theory myself yet)

– Fuji X-T1 in the hands of a woman and a Boudoir Photographer at fabyandcarlo: “I could honestly go on and on, but the moral of the story is that I have not touched a Canon camera since buying my new Fuji T-X1. I have not even looked at it. I have ditched Canon forever and I just know that I will never look back again. I Love love love my Fuji X-T1.”

– Review: Fuji XT-1 camera neilvn: “The images looked superb, even with my misgivings about over-sharpened JPGs and the aggressive noise reduction. Even though Fuji is known for excellent skin tones, I would still recommend shooting in RAW to be able to fine-tune the images.”

– AF-test at mirrorlessons: “A couple of weeks ago, The Camera Store released an interesting comparison video between the four MILC cameras that claim to have the fastest AF in the world. The Fujifilm X-T1 proved to be the least efficient of the four. Is it bad? Well, we actually found that the X-T1 is very capable. And if we analyse it a step further, the next models could be terrific regarding AF.

– Toronto beach model shoot with Fujifilm X-T1 & SLR Magic 35mm T0.95 lens at kittle: “You should try to select lenses that compliment your personal style and help you create photos that you love.  I really value shallow depth of field above all so I’m super happy buying this hyperprime.  If you don’t need the speed and value sharpness above all else, Fuji’s 35mm f1.4 is likely a much better fit for you and is a lot cheaper, smaller and lighter as well.

– Tip – Andrew Van Beek Reviews Fuji X-T1 at fundysoftware: “With all of the cons listed above one might get the impression that the X-T1 is not that great. Truthfully, there are people who don’t like it and have returned it. I’m on the opposite end of the scale where none of the quirks really bother me. If I had to pick one area that would be great to improve it would be everything to do with focus. This would include the focus speed as well as how to choose a focal point. That said, the X-T1 is currently my favorite camera of the over 30 that I have ever owned. Despite this, I don’t feel like I can get rid of my full-size DSLRs, so the X-T1 strongly complements rather than replaces my other cameras.”

– Jonas Jacobsson: “This time I have some great street photography from a very special event here in my hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden. The event is called “Andra Långdagen” and it’s just a melting pot with all kinds of people, all kinds of cultures and a everything in between coming together for one day of complete mayhem! It’s kind of hard to explain in words – it must be experienced! Or via my images of course! I rarely praise my own work – but this time I’m very happy with the results. Do have a look! (All photos taken with the X-T1 and the XF 35mm)” jonasjacobsson.

ZEISS TOUIT

The Zeiss 32 and 12, save $800, at BHphoto and Adorama.

– Zeiss Touit 12mm & 32mm First Impressions at street-photography-workshops: “I really enjoyed my time with the Zeiss Touit twins. Both exemplify outstanding image quality, high-quality build, great feel and excellent balance. The 12mm manages distortion astoundingly well–probably better than any super-wide lens I’ve ever used, and it’s very sharp wide open. The 32mm has a beautiful, almost classic rendering that tempted me greatly. But since I already owned the Fuji 35mm f/1.4, I didn’t buy it. But with the current deal on these lenses, they are a must-buy! Whether you own the Fuji X system or the Sony NEX/Alpha (E-Mount) system, you cannot go wrong.

 Samyang 12mm
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– Rokinon 12mm f/2.0 NCS CS Review at lonelyspeck: “Optically, the Rokinon 12mm f/2.0 NCS CS is very good.  It’s very sharp at almost all f/numbers, even sharper than the much more expensive Zeiss Touit 12mm f/2.8. I have no reservations recommending it to anyone looking for a nice sharp lens. For astrophotographers, its excellent coma performance, fast aperture and an ultra-wide field of view make it a prime tool for shooting the stars.” the reviwer mention an “astrophoto lens rating system”. Le link is this one.

– Samyang 12 mm f/2.0 NCS CS at lenstip: “The Samyang 12 mm f/2.0 NCS CS of course can’t be called a flawless lens; still you can forgive a lot a trailblazer. If you take into account its very sensible price you would be hard pressed not to recommend it. In fact I personally found the Samyang so good that, instead of sending it back to the distributor, I asked for the invoice and bought it. The lens will stay in my arsenal and I am going to use it for landscape photography and wide-field astrophotography. I don’t doubt it will perform very well.

 XF 56mm f/1.2
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–  Review: Fujifilm XF56mm vs XF18-55mm? at bigheadtaco: “The XF56mm F/1.2 prime lens is a beautiful lens for those who need this focal length and wants shallow depth of field for portraiture or subject isolation. I wish it had OIS (optical image stabilization), and a manual focus and DOF scale like other Fuji primes. Other than these two small complaints, the lens is perfect for what it is. If I had a studio and used the X-series cameras as my primary tool (the X-T1 has a built in PC terminal for studio fash triggering), I would definitely have the XF56mm in my arsenal of lenses. The XF18-55mm zoom is the do-it-all lens. It’s not specialized, but it can pull anything off with very good image quality. You won’t get the bokeh that you can get with a F/1.2 lens, but you do get OIS and also a compact and light package. I enjoyed my time with the XF56 and wouldn’t hesitate to shoot with it again. If you need a portrait lens with decent bokeh, this is the lens for you.”

XF 10-24
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 – First Impressions of the Fujinon XF10-24mm f4R OIS at macleancomms: “The price reflects the premium quality of this lens and at £849 it cannot be considered cheap but it is good value for money. By comparison Nikon’s two f4 wide angle zooms, the full frame 16-35mm and the crop frame 12-24mm, both have a street price at around the same level and, while the Nikkors are capable of producing top quality images, neither of these offer the same angle of view or build quality of the Fujinon.”

–  Review: Fujifilm 10-24mm f4 R OIS at arnyzona: “Likes:finally an ultra wide in the x-mount, the all-metal construction, Image quallity, no barrel distortion, no chromati abberations, no vignetting. Dislikes: Heavy, The max aperture isn’t the best for low light / night photography, Expensive, Flimsy plastic lens hood, 72mm filter threat (most wide angles use 77mm filters, but nothing a cheap adapter can’t fix)

– Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4 R OIS Wide Angle X-Mount lens – First Impressions at photomadd: “this is yet another fantastic lens from Fujinon and when I can afford one I’ll be adding it to my collection.  It is certainly one that I can highly recommended to anyone wanting to fill that ultra-wide angle gap in the Fuji range, especially landscape and architectural photographers.”

– “I had a fifteen minute opportunity to capturing the castle during a family visit to the coast. I was only able to capture six images in total so I am considering these photos to be test shots given the extra struggling of capturing during the mid afternoon sun. Using the Fujifilm X-T1, the 10-24mm lens and the lee filter system I decided to try some long exposure photography.” Read more at flixelpix.

– Fujifilm XF 10-24mm f/4R OIS Zoom Review at mikemander: “The chromatic aberration is actually very minimal and for landscape photos, I rarely feel the need to correct for the slight bit of barrel distortion it shows at the wider focal lengths. I still feel it is a bit weak at the long end (over 21mm) and definitely recommend shooting with the amazingly good XF 23mm f/1.4, if you own one.”

– More X-T1 + 10-24mm samples at upperplayground.

X-E2
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– Brian: “We had a very pretty day in Chicago – sunny, 80 °Fs , and low humidity. I walked around for two hours with my gear (X-E2, 12 mm, 23 mm, and 50-230 mm glass) and snapped a bunch of photos. Here are my favorites.”

– Fuji X System Wedding Review at jessejamesphotography: “I have always shot weddings with a 2 body system. Im proud to say I haven’t taken 1 single photograph with my D600 this wedding season. The X series has completely replaced my need to use a DSLR as a 2nd body. And honestly, I enjoy the files out of the XE-2 more then what my Nikon D3s produces. When it comes to portraits I grab the Fuji and the XF56 lens now and leave the D3s in the bag. Just amazing!”

– The Fujifilm X-E2: a Landscape Photographer’s Perspective at michalography: “The X-E2 is a pretty good little camera, albeit with a number of annoying handling nags. I would be willing to forgive some of the handling problems if the image quality were up-to-par for my landscape work, but ultimately the X-trans sensor is unacceptable for me. Sadly, my landscape work has turned me into an obsessive pixel-peeper: I demand good detail from my RAW files, and the X-E2 doesn’t deliver in that regard.”

– 6 Months of Mirrorless Photography at lightwith: “Wrapping up here, I’d say I have no regrets ditching my big guns and moving to a mirrorless platform. After only six months I have such a sentimental attachment to my camera now I couldn’t imagine taking pictures without it. I simply love my X-E2 and the amazing images it gives me every time I use it. Even when I’m not shooting, I’m thinking about shooting and I can’t wait to pick up my camera and point it at somebody.”

 X100S
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  – Cactus V6 With Fuji X100s at jasonpitcher: “At the end of the day, these are probably my favourite triggers. My PW setup is good. Very good. But I’m keeping that dedicated to my Nikon system. PW of any type, on an X100s, are just radio triggers and these offer more flexibility. No TTL, of course, but to be honest, I don’t like TTL much anyway.  They are a bit cumbersome, I wish they were half the size for portability. If (when) I add an X-Pro 1 to my arsenal, these will suit perfectly – especially as the X-Pro 1 doesn’t have a built in flash to use as an optical trigger. I hate wires between the camera and flash, so these will add some interesting abilities to that system.”

–  Fujifilm X100s Review at roninphoto: “I’ve been more than pleased with my purchase of the X100s.  I would even go so far as to say this camera has changed the way I view photography and make images.  I’ve since spent time with the X-Pro1 and have purchased the X-T1 and a few fast primes.  My DSLR’s have been collecting a lot of dust as of late and it feels great not to be hauling around a boat load of gear!”

– First hands on experiences with a Fuji X100s at mattevansphotography: “overall this is a fantastic camera. Sure there’s a few niggly bits like the short battery life, soft images when shooting wide open and weird skin smoothing at high iso when shooting jpegs. But nothing that would seriously put me off this camera. All the important things are there, high iso performance, fast lens, image quality is excellent once stopped down beyond f4, the images are sharp and its a devilishly good looking camera.”

– Review of the Fujifilm x100s for Street Photography at erickimphotography: “The Fujifilm x100s is the ideal companion for street photography, travel, and just taking with you on a regular basis. In terms of the value, you can’t beat it in terms of bang-for-the-buck.”

– San Francisco and an Amateurs review of the Fujifilm x100s at folkloredesign.

– Review of the Fujifilm x100s and Tips for Street Photography of Eric Kim at youtube.

X-E1
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– Bradley Hampson: “Hi Patrick. I see lots of tests of our favourite gear, but I took it to an extreme last April. I was waiting for my X-T1 (in transit) and thought, heck, why not see what it takes to make my trusty X-E1 retire? I did not want to break it, I love it, but I wanted to really see its limits… Check it out, if you think it’s of interest feel free to share as you see fit. http://bradleyphoto.ca/projects.

– Wonderful Copenhagen, part 2 at lightpriority: “The great thing about the Fuji system for travel photography is that it’s so compact and lightweight compared to even a small DSLR setup – crucially while still producing top notch results. It’s taken awhile for mirrorless cameras to reach this point, but now I know there’s no going back.”

X-PRO1
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– Two Years on a Bike With the Fuji X-Pro1 at theradavist: “It has been over two years since I switched over from Canon DSLR to the Fuji X-Pro1 and I haven’t looked back. I’ve traveled all over the world with this camera. I road from Paris to Lausanne with her slung around my back. I’ve shot photos for commercial clients and for publications. This little camera has more than met my expectations as a professional use camera.”

lenses

– Fuji XF35 f/1.4 and XF60 f/2.4 – A Street Photography Review . . . at streetphotographyblog: “The biggest and most unexpected revelation though was the XF35. Sure I was well aware of the superb image quality, but for me the speed with which focus could be achieved, the overall tactile feel and all round usefulness of the focal length, means this lens will be mounted more often than first imagined. Previously I had anticipated that the XF60 would account for 90% of my shooting. It now looks as though this figure could be more like 50-50.”

– Review: Fujifilm 60mm f2.4 Macro (X series) at thephoblographer: “Fujifilm’s 60mm f2.4 X series lens isn’t really a macro lens per se due to the fact that it doesn’t focus down to a 1:1 ratio; but it can surely focus closely. Besides checking out little things under the lens, you can turn it into a kick ass portrait lens when the right lighting is applied. Its sharpness isn’t spectacular, but it isn’t at all horrible either. Overall though, we’ve been more excited about other lenses from Fujifilm. And this one isn’t particularly making us drool as much.”

– Carlo Milani: “I want to share with our Fuji friends a portrait shooting taken with XT-1 and the 55-200“. See it at milani.info.

– Fujinon XF 23mm f/1.4: Great ‘Xpectations at betterphotography: “There is absolutely no doubt that the Fujinon 23mm f/1.4 is a stunning piece of optics. It does sound a little repetitive to say this—almost every Fuji XF lens we’ve tested has had us searching for new adjectives. But in a growing lineup of excellent lenses, the 23mm seems to be one of the very best.”

RAW-conversion

 – Michael:

“Hey… This in no rumor. You are talking a lot of iridient developer. This is a good raw converter, for sure. But you should give a look to apples aperture. This a also a very very good raw developer and storage solution for the fuji x-t1.

After the mess with adobe lightroom i am very happy and satisfied with aperture. The colors are very nice and natural, just with standard settings. i don’t have to adjust something, for making good pictures. sure, you CAN adjust anything you like, but you don’t have to. ;)

You have to do just one tiny step:

In Raw-Adjustment of the Camera you should adjust the controller “Details” from 0 to 50 to get that very sharp and crispy images, that the fuji x-t1 can deliver. save this setting as standard setting for that camera and you are good! You have to do it just one time.

I deleted lightroom from my hard drive after getting familiar with aperture. the workflow is fantastic! The pictures are also very natural and crisp, even without provia, velvia etc. settings. You don’t have to switch between your library and developing, as you have to in lightroom. that makes my workflow much easier. You have a good database, you can share to fotostream, flickr, Facebook and smugmug, you can even access and edit this online storages. Database is library based, so aperture creates a big library with original (Masters) and working copies of your pictures. nothing can be deleted or lost!

Maybe you can take a look at Aperture by Apple an recommend it to your readers… I am fascinated by that app!

The fuji x-t1 rocks!”

– A Look at Replichrome II from Totally Rad at thomasfitzgeraldphotography: “In my opinion VSCO gives a much stronger effect than Replicrome. In someways it’s probably more like what people are expecting, but I’ve always found the contrast a little much on it. I would often have to adjust the shadow and highlight levels. Which you prefer is kind of a subjective choice though and it depends on your tastes. Personally I do prefer the look of VSCO film, but then I’ve been using it a lot longer and that’s just my personal opinion anyway. You may prefer Replichrome’s more subtle approach.”

 switch to the X

– Fuji X series, how I got here! at smithographer: “The fuji’s are light and compact, have exceptional image quality, have extremely sharp lenses that are very well built, and are simple and easy to use free of gimmicky features. Most importantly though, I actually want to shoot again. The X-PRO1 actually brought back that feeling I had when I was studying photography. Its impossible to put into words what that feeling was but there is a certain excitement and sense of wonder. This was in the days of film mind you where you were not certain of your results, you didn’t have that instant feedback we have in the digital era.”

– Going mirror less – Switching to Fuji X at sftwins: “Wow. Big news. Still can’t believe that I actually did it. A few weeks ago I sold my entire Nikon DSLR equipment and have switched to the Fuji X system. After 20 years of being a loyal Nikon customer I finally decided to take a step into the future. Over the years, I had amassed a collection of lenses, flashes and small tools such as remotes, batteries etc.. Nikon had never let me down. As a matter of fact, I simply loved my Nikon D800. It is an amazing camera with probably the best possible image quality out there in the market. But it was time to move on and I am actually very happy that I switched to the Fuji x system. In this post I want to share a few thoughts about making such a drastic switch.

tips

– Tips for street Photography at artphotofeature.

X-E2: Behind Firmware 2.00

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X-E2 DEAL

The X-E2 body is currently $62 off at BHphoto (+ 4%reward), AmazonUS and Adorama (+ 4% reward) / The silver X-E2 kit is $100 off at BHphoto (+4% reward) and AmazonUS .

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X-E2: Behind Firmware 2.00

by Rico Pfirstinger

Talk to Rico (open forum for questions & feedback)

Fuji X Secrets Workshops – Rico’s Flickr sets

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 (coming soon)

Berlin Calling!

The German version of my new eBook The Fujifilm X-E2 – Beyond the Manual is finally entering production. As you may guess, the delay was due to Fuji issuing firmware 2.00 for the X-E2 today. Luckily, I was able to get my hand on an early copy of the firmware, and after a week of testing, I feel comfortable telling you what this update is about – and what’s still missing.

Don’t have the new firmware, yet? Click here to get it.

As I am now working on the English version of the eBook, I am also adding two new dates to my Fuji X Secrets workshop schedule. That’s because except for two open seats at the Beginners Workshop on 31MAY in Nuremberg, all other Fuji X Secrets workshops are currently sold-out. So on 19JUL and 20JUL, we are going to Berlin! If you live in the area or happen to be there on this summer weekend, let’s meet in person and experience a “real-life version” of X-Pert Corner!

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X-E2 Goes X-T1

While the X-T1 is pretty popular these days, I also really like my X-E2. As a matter of fact, it’s still my favorite X-Mount camera to date. So I’m glad that Fuji keeps making it better.

The main improvement in firmware 2.00 is bringing the X-E2 on par with the X-T1 regarding display lag time. With the new firmware, the camera’s electronic viewfinder (EVF) display lag is now 0.005 seconds, matching the X-T1’s highly touted Real Time Viewfinder.

Minimizing the display lag helps with action shots, as the lag between actual and perceived reality (through the EVF) is shrinking. Basically, this helps you pressing the shutter just in time instead of missing crucial moments. In addition to that, the X-E2 viewfinder now offers the same low light performance as the X-T1, maintaining a high frame rate of at least 50 fps.

Essentially, the X-E2 becomes a faster, more responsive camera.

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

The Fuji X-gear IN & OUT of stock check!

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Which Fuji X-gear is IN or OUT of stock at the moment? And where can you find it? Here is an overview.

The X-T1 is still mostly out of stock. Same for the 56mm. And after the latest Fuji X-deals, many XF lenses are still a rarity on the market.

USA IN STOCK CHECK

X-T1 body: AmazonUS (1 left via third party) / DigitalRev
X-T1 kit: Pictureline / [shoplink 23995 ebay]eBay 1[/shoplink] / [shoplink 23996 ebay]eBay 2[/shoplink] / DigitalRev /
XF56mm: AmazonUS / [shoplink 23999 ebay]eBay[/shoplink] / DigitalRev
XF10-24: BHphoto / AmazonUS / Pictureline / [shoplink 23997 ebay]eBay 1[/shoplink] / [shoplink 23998 ebay]eBay 2[/shoplink] / DigitalRev
XF23mm: OUT OF STOCK
XF55-200: AmazonUS / Pictureline /
XF27mm (black): Pictureline /
XF27mm (silver): BHphoto / AmazonUS /
XF 35mm: OUT OF STOCK

First Look: Fujifilm TCL-X100 Teleconverter for X100(S) Cameras

Fujifilm TCL-X100 Teleconverter for X100(S) Cameras

by Rico Pfirstinger

Talk to Rico (open forum for questions & feedback)

TCL-X100 Sample Images Set – Fuji X Secrets Workshops – Rico’s Flickr sets

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 (coming soon)

Hello Again!

It’s been a while, as I have been busy wrapping up my new eBook The Fujifilm X-E2 – Beyond the Manual. The German version of the manuscript will enter conversion later this week, and I am currently working on the English version.

When a member of the German Fuji X Forum inquired about workshops covering Fujifilm X-series cameras, one user suggested me to offer one, though I honestly didn’t expect much interest, given how small the Fuji universe still is. Turns out I was wrong: The first three Fuji X Secrets workshops each sold-out within just a few hours.

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We kick-off the series with a Beginners Workshop on 31MAY, followed by two “standard” workshops in Nuremberg on 7JUN and 14JUN, then two more in Heidelberg on 28/29JUN. Here’s a list for those of you who might be interested and are based in Germany or nearby countries (even though we have participants that come from as far as Australia). There’s a fair chance that we’ll tour other cities (such as Berlin) after summer break. As I am going to spend a few weeks in Santa Barbara, CA in late November and December, I’d like to offer one or two workshops there, as well. Stay tuned.

X100(S) Turns Into a Mini System

When Fuji displayed a telephoto conversion lens for their X100 and X100S cameras at CP+, it was a dream come true for many X-Philes who had kept asking for such an option since this camera’s inception. Adding 19mm (wide-angle conversion lens WCL-X100) and 33mm (telephoto conversion lens TCL-X100) options to the fixed 23mm lens of the X100(S) turns the camera into a three lens mini system with silent leaf shutter operation and fast flash synchronization speeds.

X100S with standard 23mmF2 lens

X100S with 19mmF2 WCL-X100

X100S with 33mmF2 TCL-X100

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

Finally! X-T1 + 18-55mm in stock NOW at AmazonUS (1 left) and Adorama! XF 10-24 on ebay!

[shoplink 23682 ebay] photo ebay_zps17d89bfc.jpg[/shoplink]

It was a long wait, but finally also the X-T1 with 18-55 kit lens is in stock at AmazonUS here ( sold out just ONE left, sold via third party at normal price) and Adorama here (+4%reward) and at top rated ebay reseller [shoplink 23682 ebay]cameraspot[/shoplink]

The body is easier to find. A limited number is available at AmazonUS here (via third party at normal price), at Adorama here (with 4% reward) and Pictureline.

The XF10-24 is available in a limted number at AmazonUS (sold via third party at normal price) and at top rated ebay reseller [shoplink 23672 ebay]popflash here[/shoplink] + [shoplink 23673 ebay]samyscamerainc[/shoplink].

The XF 56mm f/1.2 is still out of stock or $50 more expensive at AmazonUS via third party reseller.

Fuji X-T1: [shopcountry 21553] Fuji XF 56mm: [shopcountry 21554] Fuji XF 10-24mm: [shopcountry 20414]  photo d_zps8e13fc57.jpg

miXed zone: The rise of mirrorless?, Fujifilm X-T1 reviews and more

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The rise of mirrorless?

According to the figures published by the CIPA here, compared to February 2013, this year Japanese companies shipped 33,7% more mirrorless cameras and 12,3% less DSLR cameras! This trend can’t be seen in North America, where the mirrorless market is still suffering and decreasing. But keep in mind that, overall, the camera sales wordwide dropped by 34,5%.

via Mirrorlessrumors / phoblograher/imaging resource/amateur photographer

Fuji X-T1
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image courtesy: brianfletcherblog

 – Brian: “Hi Patrick. I recently ditched all my Canon gear (5D Mk3’s plus L glass) for the X series of bodies and glass.  I shot my first Wedding with them a couple weeks ago, if you would like to take a look.  I used 2 X-T1’s and the 23mm and 56mm.” See more here. Brian also send me this text:

“The bride is a friend of mine and it was very mellow, relaxed day.  I am really excited to try it out in a more traditional wedding setting and I have no doubt that it will perform admirably.  I have done enough weddings to know what is going to work and what isn’t and the X-T1 will work for the way I shoot.

For dancing, my assistant was providing off-camera light and I didn’t have any issues focusing, really.  It wasn’t spot on every single frame, but neither were my Mk3’s.  The biggest difference for me was when I did use some flash on my camera for a few shots, you have to switch to Single shot mode, but it causes you to shoot more conservatively instead of rapid file style like with my Mk3’s.  It may not be ideal for some wedding photographers, but for someone like me, it is a welcome change.  I don’t want to miss any moments, for sure but I also don’t want to be going through 6k images after a wedding anymore.

The ONLY time I got a bit frustrated was when I was trying to get some family formals in open shade with the mid-day sun blasting down behind the subjects, and the camera wouldn’t lock focus at all – I assumed it has to do with the lack of contrast/focus issue that already has been discussed.  I just switched to manual with focus peaking and got it, but it definitely was a little frustrating.  I am confident Fuji will fix this with a firmware update someday.”

– Fujifilm X-T1 – Sport assignment at joengphotography: “I had an assignment to shoot an indoor track race for Gastown Cycling, a local cycling club in Vancouver, BC Canada. I wanted to put the X-T1 to use with the 55-200mm on the field and try testing its limits. […] The performance of the continuous focus tracking was very similar to my Nikon D700 once the subject was locked.

– Full write-up on using pro wireless flash with the X-T1 at f-sunny.

– Comments and Comparisons About the Olympus E-M1 in Comparison to the FujiFilm X-T1 at thewanderinglensman: “The Olympus, in my subjective judgment, focuses faster in the “S” mode.  Also, in my judgment, the X-T1 focuses better in the “Tracking” mode.”

– Full Review: Fujifilm X-T1 and XF 10-24mm at bigheadtaco: “If I had to choose right now between the two, I would choose the X-T1 over the X-E2. The main reasons for this is because of the improved and larger EVF, the articulating screen, and the dedicated ISO dial.”

Fuji X-T1 Review: Fuji X system starts getting serious at darrenobrien: “The Fuji X-T1 is quite a camera, it is fast, responsive, quick to focus and that EVF is stunning.  The image quality is the typical, high standard, Fuji offering.  The images from the X-T1 are possibly the best I have seen from a non-full frame camera, same goes for the ISO performance.”

– Fuji X-T1 Review: The ideal travel photography camera? at danielkcheung: “the X-T1 is a very sound camera. Technically there is not much wrong with it (apart from perhaps that issue of NR applied to smudged foliage thing). I have enjoyed using it extensively. Most of my complaints can be resolved with time. For casual use, I think the X-T1 ticks all the boxes.”

– A day with Fuji – part 2 – X-T1, 10-24mm f/4 and 56mm f1.2 lenses – Fuji ‘Full frame’?? NO!!!!! at soundimageplus: “And I’m becoming more and more convinced that Fuji are most definitely becoming one of the great lens makers. Plus they seem to be getting better. The 23mm f/1.4, 10-24mm f/4 and 56mm f/1.2, their latest, are terrific lenses. Close to the best I’ve ever used. And yes that includes Leica, Zeiss, Nikon and medium format lenses as well.”

– The Fujifilm X-T1-the wheel comes full circle at thistonybridge: “Fujifilm’s philosophy of better pixels, not more pixels, appears to be paying off. While it uses a 16.3Mp X-Trans II APS-C size sensor, properly captured and post-produced files are capable of generating high quality A1 prints with exquisite resolution and micro-detail. Subtle mid-tone separation is still no match for the creamy tonalities from a D 800 or Phase 1, but it comes close. Damned close. Use Photo Ninja and you will be blown away by the quality of the files.”

– Fuji Xt1 autofocus speed at thebigpicturegallery: “Using the 55-200 zoom I aquired focus and hit the shutter, I shot 10 frames in total and only the last 2 frames showed oof, due to losing focus as the birds dropped into the water. Pretty amazed at this set, given the 55-200 is not the easiest lens to work with. The tracking works a treat. It was fortunate I guess  that the 2 birds stayed at a similar distance to each other. Hope you find some interest in this wee test.”

– Sebastian: “Hi Patrick, for many of us the X-T1 has already been out there for six weeks now. Hence, I thought the period of grace and praise might be coming to an end and started creating my wishlist for firmware updates and hardware improvements for the upcoming “X-T2” ;-) I published the first part which tackles firmware issues at my newly created blog which I will mainly devote to suggestions of this kind.” Read it here at sonop.

– X-E2 vs X-T1 at the Japanese site trendy.nikkeibp (tranlsation).

– X-T1 at camera.itmedia (translation).

– review at the Polish site optyczne (translation).

 XF 56mm f/1.2
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image courtesy: thedigitaltrekker

– A few thoughts of the Fujifilm FX56 mm F/1.2 R at thedigitaltrekker: “It is everything that X-Photographers had hoped for and more. It is fast, sharp and gives your photos the bokeh you come to expect from an f/1.2 lens. If there is any problem with this lens it is the lack of a fast shutter speed on any camera it was intended for. My rating on this lens is 5 out of 5 stars. Fujifilm hit this one right out of the ballpark!”

– Scharf, schärfer, Fujinon xf56mm (sharp, sharper, 56mm) f1.2 at qimago (translation).

– First pictures with the Fujifilm Fujinon XF 56mm f/1.2 R Lens at soundimageplus: “Though just as a little teaser, it’s fast, it’s sharp and no lens has any right whatsoever to be this good at f/1.2. Forget Leica, Zeiss and yes I am actually going to write it, Nikon (and I already have forgotten them) Fuji are incredibly good at making lenses for cameras.”

– 56mm compared to the 60mm at fujivsfuji: “Well, if you want to shoot a lot of portraits, need fast focusing, or you’re a shallow depth of field nut, the answer is obvious, you want the 56mm ƒ/1.2. If you want a more versatile, lighter, smaller lens that is a little slower in every way, but costs just over half as much, the FUJINON XF 60mm ƒ/2.4 Macro is an excellent option.”

– plenty of pixel peeping at slrclub (translation).

XF 10-24
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– A few thoughts of the Fujifilm XF10-24mm f/4 R OIS at thedigitaltrekker: “Overall, I am pleased with this lens. I am frustrated that I only had it for a few days and didn’t have a chance to try it out on a landscape or some other more traditional use of a lens of this type. The lens does fit into my style of shooting and I will be purchasing it as soon as more stock arrives here in Malaysia. It is really wide and deliverers the images you can expect from a 10/15mm lens. My biggest gripe is that it is rather slow. Even with OIS at f/4 this lens doesn’t allow the camera to shoot faster shutter speeds, and so more chance of motion blur is guaranteed. With that said, I would give this lens a 3.5 out of 5 stars.”

– Hands on review at Tom Grill’s website aboutphotography: “I went into this test expecting many of the typical disappointments associated with super-wide angle zoom lenses — corner softness, rectilinear distortion, heavy vignetting. Instead I came away with even more respect for the folks at Fujifilm for making such an excellent lens with virtually none of the aberrations that usually plague this breed of zoom. This truly is one of the best super-wide angle zooms I have even used, and well worth its modest price of $999.99.

– Jeroen de Jong: “Last weekend I picked up a XF 10-24mm so that I can use my new X-T1 also for landscapes. During my first series of testshots I made this beautiful picture, which I wanted to share with Fujirumors. It made immediately to Flickr explore (12000+ views and over 350 faves).” See them here.

benjacobsenphoto XF10-24 images.

–  Fuji 10-24mm f/4 zoom and Photoshop lens ‘corrections’ at soundimageplus. Check out also this article here.

X-E2
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 – Apollon: “Hi Patrick. I love your website! I am writing to ask if you could kindly share a set I’ve posted on FlickR on Costa Rica, taken with the Fuji X-E2 and a variety of lenses: Canon FD 300 4L, Fuji 55-200, Fuji 56 1.2, Fuji 27 2.8, Fuji 14 2.8 and Bower 8mm 2.8. I have tried to demonstrate the beautiful Fuji colors in a variety of photographic situations.” And here is the Flickr link.

X100S
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– X100S musings, a camera for old man? at jasonpitcher: “I hate to say it, but I’m really starting to prefer the Fuji X system for most of the stuff I do. I like the body style of the rangefinders over the SLR form factor. There has been a lot of buzz around the new X-T1, but that camera doesn’t appeal to me. It’s a small DSLR shape and if I want to use a camera like that, I’m going to use my D800, dodgy eyes or no.”

– Macro Photography with Fuji X : x100s + Raynox-250 at kstphotography: “Since I started using the Fuji X system a few months ago, I often come across people in various forum asking if Fuji X system is good for macro and what lens or accessories should they use? I have decided to write a few articles about this with some pictures I took using different set up.”

– Gene Smirnov: “Hey, Hope all is well. I couldn’t find how to submit images, but I recently used x100s for an advertising shoot for Converse. AD: http://www.genesmirnov.com/PORTFOLIOS/In-Print/4/ One of the additional shots. http://www.genesmirnov.com/PORTFOLIOS/Music/96/ I was shooting a mini promo doc (http://www.genesmirnov.com/MOTION/Ruby-The-Hatchet/1/) about this band Ruby The Hatchet, using Canons and x100s was very very handy when I had to shoot some stills. At some points I would have my shoulder video rig on and then it would take a few seconds to be able to switch to x100s and keep shooting action due it’s compactness.”

– Fujifilm X100S and Sony A7 Comparison at stephenip: “Mainly that for how and what I shoot, the APS-C sensors on the X100S and X-Pro1/X-T1 are good enough. Based on the results of my completely unscientific comparison and the fact that I rarely make large prints, I really can’t find any reason to consider a move to Sony. It’s not that the Sony A7 (and A7R which I haven’t used) aren’t great cameras. It’s just that for my needs and preferences, the Fuji X Series cameras and lenses simply suit me better.”

– X100S review at framework.latimes: “Professional photographers and serious photographers alike will find this camera hard to put down, a great little walk around that’s more than just a pretty piece of neck candy. The X100S inspires your inner street photographer and will take you back to the golden era of photography, when photographers took their sweet time to make photos and the cameras were precision instruments of reverence and potent power.

– Fuji X100s + [shoplink 12893]WCL-X100[/shoplink] Wide-angle adapter at soundimageplus: “Optically it’s the usual Fuji standard, i.e. very good indeed. Sharp to the corners and as you can see the distortion in the brick wall shots is very well controlled. These add-on adapters are supposed to be terrible, but then Fuji tore up the rule book on lenses some time ago.” For his article “The rather beautiful Fuji X100sclick here.

– The Kaza Fuji X100S combo case review at mrare: “Overall I’m pretty happy with the case because of the design and the quality of the material. If I were to wish for anything, it would be a slightly larger opening on the bottom for the door, a smaller option for those without needing the room for a lens hood, a revised design to accommodate a thumbs up and to ditch the loop on the back of the case to attach to your belt loop.”

X-E1
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 – Fuji X-E1 review at musicphotographer: “This camera is obviously not for everybody, and it does not replace your heavy duty DSRL, but instead it completes your kit, it’s the camera to bring always with you and have no regrets when it comes to image quality, it’s not perfect, as I mentioned several times the sensor is great but with some flaws, but despite some of the camera limitations, I enjoyed every single time I used it, and it actually surprised me more than once for what this little camera is capable of.”

X-PRO1
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– Sergio Sorrentino: “Hi Patrick, thanks for the great work on fujirumors, I’m following you since 2012. I’m a professional wedding photographer, based in Italy. I used to shoot my works with a 5D Mark II and a 1D MarkII. Last summer, sold the huge 1D, I finally bought a X-Pro1 with 35mm for using as second camera with my 5D Mark II. Well, I was so happy for the images I obtained that recently I sold the 35L which was my main lens and bought the 23mm f/1.4R. The next step will be buying another X-Series camera (X-E2 or X-T1) and the 56 f/1.2 and the complete switch will be done! Here’s the full article on my website.”

– X-PRO1 on a rainy day in New York at aboutphotography.

X100
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– Fuji X100 at kbesios: “After a long time, today I am posting a few images taken with the Fuji X100 camera. My relationship with the X100 has gone from various stages. At one point, I reached a step before selling it, but thankfully, I decided to keep it. The last firmware update has transformed it to a much much better camera and this is something that no other company has ever done to a discontinued model (at least to the level of update Fuji did).”

Fuji and Flash

Geoff: “Hi. Have there been any tips about an upcoming flash system? I was reading about the meeting that David Hobby, Zack Arias, David Mullins, and Bert Stephani had with Fuji. It would have to be a massive coincidence for three of those chosen to meet with Fuji to be three of the most popular bloggers re. off camera flash use.  The fourth is a wedding photographer who would also benefit from a pro flash system. I’d be interested in hearing others’ thoughts on this. It seems like a glaring hint, to me, that Fuji would invite those three people for a meeting, yet I haven’t seen others discuss the implication that Fuji must/may be working on a new flash system. I wonder if you would consider posting this observation for discussion.  Thank you.”

XF 10-24 in stock at AmazonUS!

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Just a flash: the XF10-24 is in stock at at AmazonUS!

LAST 3 DAYS

XF lens deals end April 5th

XF 14mm: $200 off (price $700) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 18mm: $200 off (price $400) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 23mm: $150 off (price $750) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 27mm: $250 off (price $200) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 35mm: $150 off (price $450) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 60mm: $250 off (price $400) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 55-200: $200 off (price $500) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline

EU-orders: Julien: “Bought The XF27 and XF60 at amazon.us shipped in france and import fees managed by amazon (paid on order)… Received in less than 2 weeks. Cost me respectively 196€ and 388€ all included (instead of 430 and 580 in France…). I saved 420€… what a deal!” FR-reader Luzu bought lenses at BHphoto: “Choose UPS for international delivery, their option “UPS Super Saver” for around 45$ is the cheapest anyways. If you “pay on delivery”, UPS will handle all the customs work for you and deliver the item home to you where you pay the customs costs directly to the mailman.

No more X-PRO1S… all R&D placed into the X-PRO2!

 photo pro_zpsfd438901.jpg

Several months ago I told you that Fuji planed to launch an X-PRO1S first, and then follow with the X-PRO2 in 2015. Now, an anonymous source, told me that:

„no X-Pro1s on the horizon… all R&D [research and development] is being placed into X-Pro2 for 2015.“

Maybe, given the great success of the X-T1, Fuji decided to cut off plans for the X-PRO1S and let the X-T1 remain their top high-end X-series camera until the launch of the X-PRO2.

This rumor comes from an anonymous source, who gave itself a nickname, so that I can recognize it in future (thanks for this). It also shared rumors in the past. Some of the rumors are still unconfirmed and others (X-T1 price) were correct.

For now, take it with a tiny grain of salt.

And feel free to use the rumor box to contact me anonymously (feel free to use a nickname) or drop me an email at fujirumor [at] gmail.com.

cheers
facebook, google+ and twitter

_ _ _

XF10-24 in stock at at AmazonUS!

LAST 3 DAYS

XF lens deals end April 5th

XF 14mm: $200 off (price $700) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 18mm: $200 off (price $400) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 23mm: $150 off (price $750) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 27mm: $250 off (price $200) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 35mm: $150 off (price $450) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 60mm: $250 off (price $400) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 55-200: $200 off (price $500) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline

EU-orders: Julien: “Bought The XF27 and XF60 at amazon.us shipped in france and import fees managed by amazon (paid on order)… Received in less than 2 weeks. Cost me respectively 196€ and 388€ all included (instead of 430 and 580 in France…). I saved 420€… what a deal!” FR-reader Luzu bought lenses at BHphoto: “Choose UPS for international delivery, their option “UPS Super Saver” for around 45$ is the cheapest anyways. If you “pay on delivery”, UPS will handle all the customs work for you and deliver the item home to you where you pay the customs costs directly to the mailman.

miXed zone: XF 10-24 “easily the best W/A zoom I’ve used” (soundimageplus), X-T1 and more!

LAST WEEK: X deals expire April 5th

BHphoto: New Benefits for International Customers: PayPal now open to all countries!

XF 14mm: $200 off (price $700) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 18mm: $200 off (price $400) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 23mm: $150 off (price $750) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 27mm: $250 off (price $200) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 35mm: $150 off (price $450) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 60mm: $250 off (price $400) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline
XF 55-200: $200 off (price $500) at BHphoto / Adorama / AmazonUS / Pictureline

X-E2: save $100 on the kit ($1,299) and also on the body ($899) at AmazonUS, BHphoto (4% reward), Adorama (4% reward) and Pictureline.
X-M1: Save $200 (price $599) on the kit and $200 on the body (price $499) at AmazonUS, BHphoto and Adorama.
X-A1: get it for $449 with kit lens (save $150) at AmazonUS, BHphoto and Adorama.
X-PRO1: get the body for $999!! (save $200) at AmazonUSAdorama (+4%reward) and BHphoto (+4%reward).
XQ1: save $130 at AmazonUS, BHphoto and Adorama

 Fuji X-T1
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– A rich past meets a promising future in the next X evolution at cameras.reviewed: “Specs are one thing, and the X-T1 undoubtedly delivers what you’d expect, adding surprise and delight to the ownership package. Not only is the X Mount system burgeoning with well-priced premium primes (say that ten times fast), you also get the unique X-Trans sensor technology, and Fujifilm’s authentically lovely film simulation modes. Then there’s the now-famous Fujifilm support. Fujifilm has taken customer listening to the next level, making sure that owners get timely firmware updates with useful feature additions and often transformative performance improvements. Fujifilm keeps improving existing models through downloads in ways that are blow the competition out of the water.

– Fujifilm X-T1 from my X-Pro1 – how does the upgrade hold up? at kwaibun: “Is it worth to upgrade from X-Pro1 to X-T1, I would say yes. Afterall, you are upgrading from version 1 to version 4 of the X-series. Does it beat Olympus EM-1 and Sony A7R? well, they are quite evenly great at their own area. I wish I can own all 3 of them.”

– Some Thoughts on the X-T1 and Raw Processing at thewanderinglensman: “First, I think the Fujifilm X-T1, as well as the lenses I purchased, were terrific.  I have nothing negative to say about them.  The camera is well designed, speaks quality, handles really well, has the controls just where I like them and the menu system is easy and simple to use and understand. […] Here is the tricky part; Image quality and raw processing. […] From the feedback I received as well as what I have read independently, mushy, watercolor looking foliage with little detail is indicative of how Adobe, in ACR and Lightroom, have set their algorithms to demosaic the raw files.  However, and this is a big however, many of you indicated that other raw processing programs do a great job with not only the X-T1 files, but all the FujiFilm X-Trans files.  I don’t have any other processor, so I will take your word for it.”

How the Fujifilm X-T1 Shocked Me: A Quick Hands-On Overview by Dave Kai Piper over at slrlounge: “At first, I was unsure if I liked the design, the button placements or even the smaller size and weight.  Pre X-T1, I was a huge fan of the Fujifilm X-Pro. I am still thinking the X-Pro is the right camera for me, but I was pleasantly surprised at just how good the X-T1 is.”

– Cédric: “Last Friday, i bought the X-T1. Lucky Boy i am…but unfortunately, i discovered hot pixels on the sensor just after 3 mn of use… It’ s not the first time i got this problem. My X-E1 was already exposed to hot pixels and i had to send it back in warranty to remap the sensor. Same case for a good friend of mine with an X-E2. As i know you’re influent in the sphere of the lovers of Fuji X system, do you think it would be possible that Fujifilm offers us the possibility to make the remap sensor operation by ourselves instead of sending our product in warranty ? Some brands like Canon already offers this option via the menu. It would be easier for the customers and avoid an horrible frustation :)”

– X-T1 with [shoplink 13645]Zeiss 12 2,8[/shoplink] at Fariz Abasov’s Flickr here.

– Fujifilm X-T1 :: de Nikon à Fuji at k-pture (translation).

 XF 56mm f/1.2
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 -Shooting report at yodobashi (translation).

– Review at johncaz: “It’s spectacularly sharp from wide open all the way to f/16. At f/1.2 it’s so sharp you’ll cut yourself! Anyway you will be blown away by the results. Even the edges of the frame are sharp. As with most lenses in this focal range, as you start to increase the focus distance, the performance drops. Don’t be alarmed though, as a portrait lens you will be using wide apertures at close distances and for any other work, such as street or landscapes, you will be working at longer distances and smaller apertures preferably between f/4 – f/8.”

XF 10-24
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– Fujifilm Fujinon XF10-24mm f/4 Wide-angle zoom lens at soundimageplus: “Anyone expecting any kind of negative review from me is in for a disappointment. I really must negotiate with Fuji for a fee for all this fanboyistic gratuitous brand worship. I might as well get something out of it. […] So Fuji do it yet again. Another well-made, optically excellent, relatively inexpensive lens with great specs. […] For me, already the best mirrorless system out there and again, as far as I’m concerned, pretty much the best all-round camera / lens system out there as well that isn’t going to mean I end up in traction.” He also wrote another article (Fuji 10-24mm straight into action) with more images and first impressions here: “this is easily the best W/A zoom I’ve used. It’s sharp to the cormers and really well corrected. […] I wrote in a previous post about how this is all getting a bit boring. Another Fuji lens, another superb performer. But of course it isn’t boring at all.”

-Peter shared some images he took with the 10-24 with me. He says that: “It was my first day with the 10-24, this lens produces  definitely produces stunning results. The grip MHG-XT is worth it, you have a better hold on the X-T1 and it is very handy with the tripod.” X-T1 Vertical Battery Grip ($ 249,99): USA: AmazonUS / BHphoto / Adorama / EU: wexDE / wexUK /

– Fuji XF10-24mm F4 R OIS images at the-owl.

TCL-X100

TCL-X100, Some thoughts and more at ledesmaphotography.

X-E2
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 – Duch X-E2 review at pixelmania here (translation).

– Norway with the X-E2 at mfergusson: “I have taken more keepers with the XE-2 in the past 3 months than I have with my Nikons. Not to say I don’t use the Nikons or that I can’t make great images with them. I still carry one of them plus a couple lenses with me wherever I go since I only have the Fuji 35mm f1.4. In the case of this trip, I kept the Df with an 85mm and the D800 with a 35mm on the passenger seat next to the XE-2. I just didn’t use them as much.”

– Xpro1 and XE2 v Nikon D3s at matthewhartphotography: “I am not going to go in to the technical side of the Fuji XE2 or the XPro1, there are plenty of places for that on the web for that, but I will say I am so glad I sold all my Nikon Pro gear and went over to Fuji. Size and weight alone is a big reason, the Fuji crop sensors are stunning, I have used most of the Nikon crop sensor cameras and I can tell you they do not come close to the sensor in the Fuji X series!”

X100S
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Marc: “Having been shooting exclusively fuji for the last 2 years, and 100% with the x100s for the last year, your site has been invaluable to me in my rediscovery of just how much fun my photography can be.  along with your site, the x100s has brought me back to what ive been missing in my photography for a long time, namely a real sense of control over my images, and a real love for the tool.  i feel like im starting over, but with 20 years of experience to draw on.” Check out his blog here.

– Review: Fujifilm x100s – The perfect Image  at doublexposurephoto: “If it wasn’t obvious thus far, I LOVE this camera. After waiting a long while for it and reading so many positive reviews I was wondering if the it could stand up to my overblown expectations of it. Turns out it easily does! The camera never leaves my sight. I can take it everywhere I go and not be burdened by it. In fact, I rarely use my Canon any more. I was looking for a smaller camera to go along my DSLR and ended up finding a whole new photographic experience. Not to mention David Beckham has one :-P”

– Frederic Kelder: “Hi! As I’ve discovered the X100s 3 weeks ago, I’m really seduced by its hybrid VF and its stunning IQ. My first shots, postprocessed with Silverefex.” See them on Flickr.

– The Fujifilm X100S for Travel Photography at stephenip: “The X100S very much embodies everything the X100 was, but with fewer quirks. Sure it’s not perfect, but no camera is. As a travel camera however, the X100S is as close to perfect as I have found. It is small enough to fit in a coat pocket, yet capable enough to handle almost any photographic situation I throw at it.”

X-PRO1
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image courstey: www.cuno.co

– Cuno: “Hallo, just set my new homepage online. All pictures made with x-pro 1 and [shoplink 12889]fujinon 35,[/shoplink] [shoplink 12888]14mm[/shoplink].”

– My love for adventure, with my Fuji Film camera’s… at jasonryanphotography: “The Fuji Film X series camera’s allow me to do just that… explore, and let my feet do the walking, and my camera do the talking. Just like I did in Texas, New Orleans, Virginia, DC, Los Angeles, Mexico and only God knows where else along the way. It’s been fun!”

X20
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fuji-xperience review in Spanish here (translation)

X100
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– Edward: “I have just finished a blog post about shooting infrared with a non-converted Fuji X100 here.”

RAW-conversion

– Fuji X-T1 – Raw Processing at soundimageplus: “Though I write all the time about how much I rate the Fuji X system, I still haven’t found a raw conversion method that gives me the sharpness the sensor is capable of and doesn’t take twice (or more) as long as just running the images through ACR and Photoshop. Photo Ninja, Iridient Developer and even the Fuji SilkyPix software all give me decent flat files to work on in Photoshop, where I do most of my processing, but this requires saving the image as a .tiff file and then opening it up again. PN and IR are both quite slow, so this frustrates me somewhat. ”

 switch to the X

– How Fuji helped me out of my creative plateau as a professional photographer at sproutingphotographer: “Let’s talk about increasing your photographic quality. If you want to truly take your business to a new level, this is the next logical step – improving your photography. It’s all great and well to want to improve your imagery, but how? And what if you’ve been shooting for a while and don’t know where to go? What if you’ve hit a creative plateau?”

Fujifilm + GlobeTrotter = Style

– Fujifilm X-Pro1, X-E2 And X20 cooperated with Globe-Trotter to create luxury camera cases and kits. I don’t know who really cares about it, but here is the link to ephotozine with the whole announcement.

a little bit of everything

– Massimo: “Hi Fuji Rumors, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to my latest photography project, TOUCH GROUND. Over the last years I took photographs of the places where immigrants from Africa have arrived (or just tried to land) by boat.
You can see the project on my website at this address.” And these are the shots taken with a Fuji: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4

– A love letter to the Fuji X Series at rpe.me: “What about Sony, Olympus, Panasonic, and the like? Frankly, they all make great cameras. The latest mirrorless systems all have terrific image quality and large(ish) sensors. The differences between manufacturers are mostly in design and usability, and in this respect Fuji has it nailed. An X-series camera feels, well, like a camera. If you’re comfortable with a shutter speed dial and an aperture ring, à la 35mm Rangefinders and SLRs, you’ll love the Fujis.”

– The Popup Flash: A Pro Tool? at thedigitaltrekker: “These images would not have been useable right out of the camera, but with the boost of A. shooting RAW for the extra digital information in the image to work with and B. equaling out the dynamic range of the image using the popup fill we have some really nice images that would not have been possible before.”

– After 3 years with Fuji X-Cameras at fujixfiles: “After tenthousands of images taken with my X-Cameras I hope that Fujifilm continues to innovate the X-System like they have done in the past 3 years. And if they do, my DSLR gear will be obsolete for me one day.”

– Is there such a thing as too many megapixels? at soundimageplus: “Finally, 35mm film has always been considered to compare with around 10-12MP. And certainly from my film scans I would agree with that. And look at all the classic photographs taken on that format. Cartier-Bresson, Capa, David Bailey and Don McCullin shot some or all of their most famous pictures with 35mm film cameras and I don’t remember anybody saying that they should have been using something bigger. Maybe it’s a sign of insecurity to keep chasing bigger and bigger MP counts and I’m probably not immune to that.”

– Fuji X field report ” over at thephotofrontier: “The following are my thoughts about taking the Fuji X system through the Panama Canal and getting the photos to my mother as soon as possible.”

– Pete Delaney: “Hi Patrick, Really enjoy keeping upto date at Fuji Rumors. I thoroughly appreciate the X Series line up. Here’s a shot taken with my X-E1 and 60mm macro. Would it be ok to refer to your site occasionally on my Blog? Please see http://www.surroundinglight.com/. Thank you. Pete

– Chris: “I’m an avid reader of your site and a proud owner of the fuji xt1. I also write for Fstoppers.com and have recently written an article about constructing the best, lightest travel kit to backpack with. A large part of my writing this is due to my love affair with the fuji. Feel free to take a look and share if you feel inclined.” Read it here at fstoppers.