Personal ramblings on photography
Tim Bray wrote a love letter to Fujifilm:
He starts with the conclusion:
It’s the best camera I’ve ever used: Light, wonderful in the hand, perfect controls, astounding lenses, pleasing pictures. So if you were thinking of buying a Serious Camera, this is totally one of the ones you should look at. Or maybe the X-E2; more on that below.
I’ll let you read the rest.
As an X-Pro1 owner I can tell that almost everything applies to it too.
Fuji announced the Fuji XF23mm f1.4 for the Fuji X series (like the X-Pro1)
This lens will provide a fast 35mm-like lens ; one of the favourite field of view of street photographers.
Jorge Ledesma call the Thinktank Retrospective 5
The Best Street (Casual) Photography Bag for the Ricoh GR and Companion.
I’ve tried quite a few bags, too many to name, but let me tell that the Thinktank Photo Retrospective 5 has stolen my heart and the hearts of my two primary photographic tools — the Ricoh GR and the Pentax K5 IIs. Its like this: you know how you fall in love with a certain comforter and that’s what you like to sleep in all time. Well, its like that for the GR/K5IIs and the Retrospective 5. I can’t think of any other bag that has all the features that one needs to have while on the field photographing.
While I don’t have a Ricoh GR, I bought this bag over a year ago to use with my Fujifilm X-Pro1 – after having bought the Retrospective 30 – and I love it. It even fits the 5DMkII with the 24-105 or the 40mm pancake.
Highly anticipated, the Leica M type 240, aka Leica new M as announced in 2012, is starting to appear in the hands of various photographers.
Ming Thein, a Kuala Lumpur based photographer, reviews the new M:
First off: the M 240 is an enormous leap forward ahead of the M9 in every area; in fact, it feels like several generations have been skipped.
He even ask about the relevance of the rangefinder design, whether it is still the best today.
I actually wonder if the appearance of the EVF on an M camera means that the rangefinder’s days may be numbered; the reality is that the system requires very precise calibration, is prone to drift, is limited when it comes to zoom lenses, long lenses or off-center subjects, and is manual focus only. […] Perhaps Fuji is going in the right direction after all.
In my opinion, the Leica is about the rangefinder, but Fujifilm has shown the way to the best of both world with the X100 and X-Pro1, except it is not yet a rangefinder, and is not as accurate as one. But do we need one or do we just need a good focusing system for mirror less systems?
Also read Thein’s B&W with the Leica M Typ 240.
At a time where people mostly use digital cameras for family pictures, with phone becoming more and more the prevalent tool to snap family memories, Fujifilm is trying to bring the instant film back to fashion, outside of the niche market by offering the Baby Box as Tokyo Camera Style is telling us back in November. The Baby box is meant to help you document the early days of your child.
The box encourages parents to take a photo of their child every day to document their first year of life. Rather than just a bunch of digital files on their mom’s iPhone, these lucky kids will actually end up with an actual album of actual photographs to look back though for the rest of their lives.
Let’s hope people realize the importance of the physical picture that generations discover in shoe boxes and albums – and don’t require the complicated maintenance that electronic archive need.
Fujifilm Reala 100 Discontinued in 120 Format:
It is with great sadness that I have to report the announcement of the discontinuation of Fujifilm’s Reala C-41 color film in 120 format.
Thanks to the phoblographer.
Concerning the Fuji X-E1 announcement, I have one more thing to say:
They added an audio input jack – which the X-Pro1 didn’t have, sadly.
While this doesn’t matter for the still photographer, the videographers will really appreciate. And hybrid still / movie cameras are the future. And I have that pet peeve about Youtube videos with awful sound.
Fujifilm just announced the X-E1. Simply put, it is a cheaper version of the X-Pro1, without the optical-hybrid viewfinder, slightly shrunk down, albeit with a very similar design. In addition it has a popup flash next to the EVF. Engadget has a preview of the X-E1. The camera body only will be around $1000. Comes in silver or black.
As previously announced in the XF lens roadmap, the 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS zoom for the X- series will be available at the same time in November, standalone for $900 or as a kit with the X-E1 for $1400. The 14mm f/2.8 will also be available in November for $700.
The speed improvements in the X-E1 seems to have been rolled into the firmware 2.0 update that will be released September 18 for the X-Pro1 ; DPReview had the privilege to get their hands on the update.
While the X-E1 isn’t really for me, as I own a X-Pro1, it is very nice to see that Fujifilm seems to be committed to the system and release more than just one camera. By lowering the price point of the body, and catering to zoom users, they really want to expand their market. And this is good news.
Prophotonut: Fujifilm X-Pro 1 ~ 8000 frame user review, by Damien Lovegrove, where he took the camera on a trip.
The X-Pro1 is a camera that I believe is best suited for street, travel and portrait photography. It’s not at home in a flash lit studio and it’s not fast enough for any sort of action photography. It’s definitely a niche camera and one I will love using on a daily basis.
Via the photographblog, Fujifilm to discontinue Fujichrome Velvia 100F in 35mm, 120 and 4×5 formats and Velvia 50 in 4×5 and 8×10. Last shipment in December 2012 for the UK.
This is sad, even for the Velvia 50 at it represent one of the best color film today for landscape. The market for inversible color film is shrinking even more.
