Fujifilm 56mm f1.2 & Black X100s

Fuji have announced a lot of new products today at CES, but the two most important ones IMO are the Fujinon XF 56mm f1.2 R and the Black X100s.

The 56mm f1.2 is now the fastest lens available for the X Series and one that portrait photographers will be excited about. With a full frame equivalent to 85mm and a wide aperture of f1.2, this looks like it could be one of the finest lenses available for your X-Pro1, X-E1, X-E2 or even the M or A range. I was a bit surprised that the aperture ring is not the push/pull type (to select manual focus) found on the 23mm or 14mm. It could have made a nice trilogy of lenses with the same design and function. Check out the full spec on the Fujifilm website HERE

There's not much to say about the black X100s, other than it's black. It's the same amazing camera as the silver version, but it's..eh..black. I'm not sure which I would choose when I finally upgrade from my X100? The black looks great, but I still think the silver looks great too. The black case and lens hood for the original X100 Black also fit the S model, so no problem there. Take a look at the black X100s page HERE

There's an updated Lens Roadmap for the X Series too, with great news on the fast zoom front. There's the 16-55mm f2.8 (24-82mm in FF) and the 50-140mm f2.8 (75-210mm in FF), both lenses are OIS (Fuji's image stabilization). I'm sure this will mean a lot more photographers leaving DSLR's behind.

BlackRapid Yeti

I have an RS4 and RS5 strap from BlackRapid and a couple of straps to convert them into a double harness. This setup was great when I shot with two identical Nikon DSLR's. But These days I'm either shooting with a single Fuji X camera, a pair of X cameras or an X camera and a DSLR together. If I'm forced to shoot with a DSLR, it's usually because I need a fast 70-200mm (according to Rumors, Fuji is working on one). My double RS4, RS5 setup is great as long as both cameras are of a similar weight, but otherwise the heavier camera pulls the strap to one side and the full thing feels awkward and counterproductive. Enter The BlackRapid Yeti.

The Yeti has just become my favorite BlackRapid product and will make life so much easier in 2014. I'm a two camera shooter when I'm on a job, usually with one prime on each camera, but sometimes with a prime and zoom combination. The yeti has a similar design to the RS-Sport where the strap goes over the left shoulder using a comfortable pad with a rubber grip, then crosses over the back and chest and attaches to the cameras tripod mount via a FastenR (included). BlackRapid have redesigned both the FastenR, by making it more stelth, and the ConnectR (the clip that attaches to the FastenR), by making it smother. The new smother ConnectR allows you to clip it to the FasternR much easier (the older nobly version was awkward and scratched the FastenR).

As I said, the Yeti strap goes across the chest, but the magical part is that the second part of the strap connects to the shoulder pad front and back and hangs on the left side of the body with camera number two attached. Because the two cameras are hung from a single pad on the left shoulder, both cameras don't need to be the same weight. The downside of this is that the left shoulder is taking all the weight, but this should only be a problem with two DSLR's, but I don't think this strap is designed for that. It's more at home with a single DSLR (on the right) and a mirrorless camera (on the left). But where this strap really shines is with two Mirrorless cameras. I've been using it with the Fuji X-Pro1 (right) and the X-E1 (left) and it's absolutely perfect. It doesn't feel like you have to cameras on and the pad is very comfortable on the shoulder. The rubber grip on the underside of the shoulder pad does the job of keeping it in place and the adjustable sliders restrict the glide of the camera on the straps any way you like it.

The Yeti comes in two versions, the Yeti is the standard version and the Yeti Slim is..you guessed it, is a slimmer one. I went for the Slim as it will be used mostly for the Fuji X System and I wanted to get away from the bulk of the RS4/RS5 setup. Both Yeti versions come as a full kit with the main strap, the second strap, two optional stabilizer straps and two FastenR tripod mount connecters.

[embed title="BlackRapid Yeti & Yeti Slim Straps - How To Instructions"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hz84LiBJaMU[/embed]

I'm really impressed with the Yeti. As soon as I put it on with two of my X cameras I knew it was a winner. BlackRapid's usual way of connecting strap to camera via the tripod mount is very secure, but as I'm using Gariz half cases on both my X cameras and the FastenR's will be connected to the bottom of the cases which are then connected to the cameras, I'm wondering if I should play it safe. I was thinking of adding a wrist strap to each camera for times when I'm not using the Yeti. These wrist straps could be used as a tether to the BlackRapid ConnectR for a bit of piece of mind. I wouldn't bother with this if the FastenR's were going directly into the camera tripod mount, but with the half cases between them, I'd maybe prefer to play it safe. I'll give it some thought. BlackRapid also have a dedicated tether kit available which do a similar job (although I haven't tried them). The Yeti is available in the UK from WEX for £79 or from B&H in the US for $100.

Street - Fuji 23mm f1.4 - Colour or B&W?

This is a cross post with 35mmStreet for the following reason. When it comes to street photography I've always had my feet planted in the black and white side of the fence as it just looks more interesting to me. It strips away the distraction of colour and narrows the photograph down to composition and content. It also gives street shots a timeless quality. 35mmStreet has had only three colour pictures (I think), which were on the earliest posts. Since then it's been B&W all the way and even the post processing has been the exact same home made recipe that I cooked up in Silver Efex Pro way back. But lately I've noticed that some colour street photography has been catching my eye and that's unusual for me. I tend to think colour street shots look a little too bland, but never say never!

So here's the thing. All the shots on this post are in colour, but you will find the same ones in black and white over at 35mmStreet HERE. They were all shot with the amazing new Fujifilm 23mm f1.4 on the X-Pro1, a pair that hasn't been separated since the lens was released. Have a look at both blog posts and see what you prefer. I'd love to here what you think. Do they all look better in colour? Do they all look better in B&W? Or does it depend on the individual photo?

Leave a comment & use the poll on the post at 35mmStreet HERE.

Asia 2013 Part 7 :: All That Glitters Is Not Gold

Sometimes life takes us by the hand and helps us to see what otherwise might be missed. It shows you one thing to allow you to see another. You might not realise it at the time, you might not realise it until after it happens, but the aha moment shows it's face and makes you wonder just how the universe nudges us one way or another as we stumble through life.  The divide between rich and poor was projected on the walls of  shops and houses, but first I would be taken on an unexpected journey with the Chinese workers of Taipa and Macau.

I woke early and slipped out of the hotel room with my shoes in my hand and my camera bag over my shoulder. This was fast becoming my MO, up early and out either before, or as the sun comes up, leaving the others to sleep. I slipped my shoes on and stepped into the elevator and hit G. The lobby was empty, nobody on the desk and nobody on the door. I stepped outside and felt the Asian heat hanging from the night before. The sun had just came up, but was nothing more than a bright spot in the thick fog. I was in Taipa, but  I has heading to Macau, the Chinese gambling capital. The Taipa Bridge wasn't far from the hotel and would take around ten to fifteen minutes to walk across (it's long), but I felt like commuting with the local workers that were just starting to surface from their grey hi-rise flats.

I asked the driver of the first bus if it went to Macau and he nodded and gestured me inside, looking a bit annoyed that I wasn't speaking Chinese. I had a good idea he didn't have a clue what I was saying, but I got on, sat on a single seat and felt the laser-like stares of thirty-odd pairs of eyes. The bus headed off in the opposite direction from Macau and the Taipa Bridge, but hey, it's a bus route and it will get there eventually right...wrong. I sat there hoping the bus wouldn't cross over some Chinese border with this dumb Gweilo (white ghost) with no passport. Eventually I asked a collage student (guessing they would have a better chance of knowing some English) if the bus went to Macau. He shook his head and spoke to the driver briefly. The bus pulled into the station and the driver looked back at me and  pointed out the door. As I left the bus he used his right index finger to tap each of the five fingers on his left hand, which he repeated and then pointed to the departure area. As the bus pulled away, I thought "did he mean 5 or 10?". Number 5 bus came first, so I jump on, but it was the wrong bus. Another wrong direction, then a third bus and I was travelling toward Macau.

I had gone miles off the reservation, but I was back on track and heading into Macau. In a way, I felt there was a point to my journey through the streets of Taipa and Macau. I was looking at the average Chinese person in an average working class area, both on and off the buss. This was no tourist tour!

As soon as I spotted the unmistakable shape of the Grand Lisboa casino in the distance, I knew where I was and got of the bus at the next stop (in case it changed direction). I had got off way to early, but I was happy to be walking in an area that I recognised. As I turned the corner, it hit me like a slap in the face, and it was as though I had been guided here at just the right time. I would have missed it if I hadn't made the unplanned extended journey first. The sun shone on the facade of the the Grand Lisboa and bathed the run down buildings behind it in the most amazing ocean of gold. I stopped in my tracks and stared. It seemed to shimmer and the words literally popped into my head 'All That Glitters Is Not Gold'. The physical gap between these two buildings was nothing more than a narrow street, but the real gap was vast. One of the most iconic casino buildings stood there proudly showing off it's gold and rubbing the little guys face in it.

Ghandi once wrote "There is enough in the world for everyone's need, but not enough for everyone's greed!". You see it in every country.  Rich man,  poor man, beggar man, politician. It's Robin Hood in reverse!

Looking from Taipa towards Macau. The Grand Lisboa can be seen at the end of the bridge with its exploding firework design.

All photos shot using the Fujifilm X-E1 & 18-55mm lens, except image number 2, which was shot with the X100 (obviously).

Kage Collective :: Call For Submissions

So we (The Kage Collective) are one year old and feel that it's time to expand a little. We're looking for one or two, male of female documentary photographers to join our close knit group. We're an international collective, so there are no restrictions to location or nationality. we're looking for photographers with their own vision who are shooting with Fujifilm X cameras. For more information and to apply, please click HERE

X-Pro1 v3.10 : Satisfaction & Hopes

One of the most important firmware updates for the Fujifilm X-Pro1 is released on Dec 5th 19th and it looks like the camera is finally complete. Although v3.0 was a very welcome update recently that gave us quicker focus and focus peaking (amongst others), this new firmware v3:10 gives us some great new features, one of which should have been in the camera from day one. Here’s a list of what's new. I've included a list of four things I would like to see in a future firmware at the bottom of this post.

1. We can now edit file names in the camera. So instead of your files being named DSCF*** you can now choose your own letters. Four letters if you shoot in the sRGB colour space and three if you shoot in Adobe RGB. This is great if like me, you have two X cameras that have shot a similar amount of frames. Files from both cameras can now live in one folder.
2. Improved RAW file conversion. After converting a RAW file in camera, instead of being left at the JPEG, it now goes back to the original RAW file
3. See the exposure setting in live view and histogram.
4. Change of numbering for images shot using continuous shooting mode. Before the upgrade, only the first image was displayed full screen and the others were shown smaller at the bottom right of the screen and the file number was set to S+7-digit number. With the new firmware, all shots are shown in full screen and the number sequence is the same as if they were shot in standard single shot mode.
5. Aperture and shutter speed can now be changed once AE Lock has been selected.
6. Minimum shutter speed in Auto ISO. This is the best feature of this upgrade and one that should have been in the camera from day one (as it was in the X100). When selecting Auto ISO, we can now set Standard ISO, Maximum ISO and Minimum Shutter Speed.
7. Improved cover range and accuracy of the bright frame in the OVF. The position of the bright frame with parallax compensation during AF Lock, the shooting area can be checked, even after letting go of the shutter button (not available in EVF only cameras like the X-E1 and X-E2.

WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE IN FUTURE FIRMWARE UPDATES

Exposure Compensation in Manual Mode with Auto ISO. Sounds strange, but I'd like to be able to use Auto ISO but be able to manually choose aperture and shutter speed. Yes you can do that right now, but auto ISO kicks in and makes Manual Mode act pore like Full Automatic. Meanwhile the EV Comp dial is doing nothing.

Loose the Basic setting in the Custom Settings Menu (1st position in Q). This serves no purpose and is a source of confusion. No matter what Custom Setting is selected (C1-C7), Basic will always be displayed the next time the Q menu or Custom Setting menu is accessed. Kill it Fuji!

I'd still like to be able to select Macro from the Fn button or the Q Menu and free up the four way pad on the back so it can always be live for selecting focus points (like on Nikon DSLR's), no need to activate the function, just move one of the four switches

On the X-Pro1 and X-E1, make the AF Button on the bottom left side a second Fn Button. Allow this to be used for Macro (see above), AF-L, AE-L and all the other functions attached to the original Fn Button.

The Death & Life Of The Fujifilm X100

The release of firmware 2.0 for the X100 was a very welcome present from Fuji that a lot of people thought wouldn't happen. They've replaced the X100 for the X100s, so why would they update an older model and give it a bit of what entices people to upgrade. Because they're Fuji, that's why.

So on the morning v2.0 was released, I got ready for the upgrade by playing around with the focus so that I could compare the difference after upgrading. I got my Fuji branded 4gb card that I keep just for firmware updates and reformatted it in the camera. I put an original Fuji battery, fresh from a full overnight charge, into the camera. I then put the downloaded file on the SD card (checking that the file size matched the download page) and placed it into the camera. After the ritual was complete and I started the update. I placed the camera on the desk to avoid pressing anything and watched the progress bar on the LCD move from right to left. But just after about quarter of the way through, the LCD went dark. It had never done this before, but I left it for a few minutes incase it was a new way updates worked. Nothing, Nada, Wala. I picked my X100 up and lightly half pressed the shutter button, expecting to see the camera coming out of sleep mode. The write lamp on the back blinked red and I knew something was wrong. I turned it off and then back on, but the same thing, nothing but the blink of a light on half pressing the shutter. My X100 was dead. This was an ex-X100

A couple of shots of Hong Kong International Airport from the X100. No hassle from security with this camera.

After sending a tweet to Fujifilm UK, I got a phone call from a nice man from the Service Department, who said it would have to go in to be looked at. After the weekend a box arrived from Fuji. I packed up my X100 and waved it goodbye. In my mind, I imagined the full town lining the street and throwing flowers on the Royal Mail van as it moved slowly through a prearranged route, but people have no respect these days!

My trusty X100 returned a few days later when major brain surgery had been performed and v2.0 firmware had been installed. It was back, but it wasn't the same (I did say major brain surgery for Fuji's sake). My X100 meter was way off and everything was over exposed by two stops. The preview image in the viewfinder was also very blue. I dragged the beast outside and chained it to the barn. Slowly I raised the shotgun up and took aim, my finger trembling on the trigger. The X100 flickered it's EVF screen at me and I could see the glint in it's lens. I went to the shed and bent the barrels of the shotgun in a vice, so that I could never be tempted again.

Luckily, Fuji had some sort of glitch in firmware 2.0 and they released v2.01 a few days later. Although the problems I was experiencing had nothing to do with the glitch in v2.0, the update to v2.01 gave it a reset and the meter and EVF were back to normal. But like The Six Million Dollar man, the X100 would never be the same. Start-up is quicker, Auto Focus is quicker in all situations, it now has Focus Peaking and Manual Focus has gone from the worst of my three Fuji cameras to probably the best. The main reason being that the focus ring only needs to travel a short distance, rather than the multiple rotations it did before the update.

A big thanks to Fujifilm UK for their first class customer service. It's second to none. Customer support is also amazing, with updates that take our cameras from great to amazing! Not many companies produce updates for legacy products.

This is the camera that I shot the photo above with, and won Professional Photographer of The Year in 2012 (News category), but I don't think I would enter any competitions with it after the v2 firmware. It probably wouldn't pass a drugs test...too many steroids in that little X100 now!

Freedom Through Photography :: Part 2

The second phase of Freedom Through Photography is underway with the first of the videos and an advertorial in Digital Camera Magazine. David Cleland drew the short straw and had to get up at 4:30 to go out into the beautiful Lake District hills (only the first part was a short straw). Of course, David done a stellar job and between his relaxing accent and the great work  of the Video crew, this is a chill out experience. David (Cleland), Andrew (James) and I were there at the invitation of Fujifilm UK and Millican to promote two new bags made for the Fuji X range and the Freedom Through Photography campaign. It was a fantastic weekend with fantastic people and one of those times that you wish you could go back and savour the full thing even more.

Click on these links for more information. More on this project. David Cleland (Flixelpix) Andrew James Fujifilm UK Home Of Millican Digital Camera Magazine

Autumn Frost :: More from the Fuji 23mm

The first real frost of winter hit this week and it collided nicely with all the colours of autumn. The sun had just came up and it was a good time to grab more shots with the Fuji XF 23mm f1.4 R. Check the last post to read my first thoughts on the lens, or click HERE. I haven't been able to do what I'd call a propper shoot with the lens yet as I've got two jobs in the post production stage that I need to complete ASAP. I thought these photos went well together as they have the same composition and are all shot with the Velvia film simulation. I've been shooting the Fuji X Series since day one, but I think this might be the first time I've used Velvia. I wasn't getting the rich colours in the camera that I was seeing with my eyes, so I popped it into V mode and it done the trick. I'm loving this lens, but I have a problem with petal style lens hoods. I don't care much that the hood is plastic, but I think a lens hood should be even so that you can sit the lens down on a flat surface. Then you can change lenses and swap the bottom caps easier. It's not a problem when working out of a bag, but when using flat surfaces it's essential!

Fujifilm XF 23mm f1.4 :: Mofo & Mopho

The XF 23mm f1.4 R is probably the most eagerly awaited lens of the X-Series (or is that just me). I'll get out and about shooting with it soon and post more real world photos soon. But due to a heavy editing schedule and the need to get this post out, I thought I'd just grab a few of my instruments and fire off some shots. First up is the Mopho from Dave Smith Instruments, a fantastic little old school mono synth from the original designer of the legendary Prophet 5 back in the day. This little synth is as creamy and buttery as the 23mm f1.4 (see how I pulled it back on track:o).

I'm sure you've read elsewhere that the build quality is superb on this lens and it absolutely is. But it's one of those products that you need to hold in your hands to get just how pukka it is. Lenses for the X Series have moved into a version 2.0 phase. The original three lenses (and the two zooms) are fantastic (the 35mm f1.4 is a modern day classic) and the built quality is very high, but the 14mm was a higher quality build and the 23mm is definitely from the same mould. The mould for this one is definitely bigger though, and the 23mm dwarfs the other lenses in girth. It's one fat beehatch of a lens and all though not as large, it reminds me of the Nikon 85mm f1.4G, short and fat.

Like the 14mm, this too has the push pull focus ring to switch from Auto to Manual Focus. It's worth mentioning something here that I haven't read about the 14mm or 23mm (though I might have missed it). If you're a back button focus shooter, things are a little different now. On the other X Series lenses, if you put the camera into Manual Focus the AFL/AEL Button would act as auto focus and then you could tweak with the focus ring. Things have changed with the new style of lenses and it's one more thing you have to get your head round when shooting on the go.

The focus ring on the 23mm (and 14mm) is not continuous like the other lenses, it travels from one end to the other and stops (just like old school lenses). It's still fly by wire, but this new glass works like a lens should, which means you don't keep turning the ring after you've reached minimum focus distance or infinity. But here's the thing; if you switch to manual focus on the camera body, you can use the back button to focus, but the focus ring is locked. If you work it the other way and instead of switching to manual mode via the camera body, you pull the focus ring back, the AFL/AEL button doesn't work as a focus button. I shoot in manual focus a lot and I really miss the ability to flick the back button to get the focus close and then tweak it with the ring. But the up side to this new design, is that the Manual/AF selector on the camera is a quick way to switch between trigger finger focus and back button focus (as long as the focus ring is pushed forward into the AF Mode).

The 23mm feels perfect in your hands, especially on the X-Pro. But the quality of this lens is just stunning and Fuji has done a fantastic job in producing a lens that is more than the sum of it's parts. The 35mm f1.4 has always had the edge over the other X Series lenses, but the 23mm has a look that is just as special and I can't wait to use it on a real shoot. I'm a documentary photographer and this is a lens to tell stories. You get a great perspective with an old school 35mm, just the right amount of foreground to background without a load of distortion. It's also a lens that you can move in close and still get a great look without peoples faces getting all bent out of shape. The 18mm f2 can be a little wide for my liking, but this new 23mm foots the bill.

So the 23mm f1.4 has been worth the wait. The 56mm f1.2 should be out early 2014 and if it's in the same league as the 23mm it will be stunning. I shoot with two bodies a lot and the 23mm on the X-Pro1 and 56mm on the X-E1 will be a great partnership. I'll have more photos from the 23mm in the next few days on this blog as well as Twitter and Facebook. I'll also shoot some street photography and post them on 35mmStreet. I'll leave you with the horn, or rather, two horns. My Selmer Tenor and Yanagisawa curved soprano, two amazing saxophones. If you've got the horn and still not satisfied, take a look at Project Jazz on this here site.