andymcd

My Mitakon Nikon->Fuji Turbo II will hopefully be delivered tomorrow. I will post an update here to say how it performs - hopefully it will be a lot better than the cheaper version that I tried back in December.

I've put together some software for myself that allows me to add lens information for pictures taken with adapted/manual lenses on my Fuji X (i.e. anything that is using the "Shoot without lens" option). I find it annoying that all my pictures have a default focal length and nothing else in them. I have a list of my lenses, with their focal lengths and min/max apertures and just select lens, focal length (for a zoom) and aperture and it gets added to the picture's setting file (my own format) and the information is then added into the EXIF using EXIFTool when uploading to Flickr or outputing a JPEG etc. So far, so good and this appears to work quite well. My question is whether I should create an extra entry for each lens if/when using a focal reducer. For example, my Nikon 50/1.8E has a declared focal length of 50. I'm thinking that I could have a second entry called "Nikon 50/1.8E (+ Focal Reducer)" and declare the focal length as 35. Any thoughts?

I've ordered the Nikon->Fuji version and will report once I have it. I have the Cosina 24/2.8 which is one of the lenses I am keen to try it with.

Thanks for posting samples from the Mitakon Turbo II - I've ordered the Nikon -> Fuji version, just have to wait a week or three for it to arrive now Andy

As I've said, I really like the effect it created - looks like an interesting photo prop!

My love affair with this lens continues... Bark by Andy McDonald, on Flickr

I picked one of these up at Christmas (thank you Santa) for my X-E2. Here are a couple of pictures from it that I took earlier... Rufford Robin by Andy McDonald, on Flickr Rufford Dragons by Andy McDonald, on Flickr Andy

I really like the lighting on this one, and great title. But I can't help noticing the untied shoelace and worrying that they'll be no Jedis left at all when he trips with his light sabre Andy

Hopefully these Flickr links will work: 1) Woodland by Andy McDonald, on Flickr Checking what the sunstars look like, f16 (possible f22) I think 2) Moss by Andy McDonald, on Flickr Closer in, wide open @ f1.4 3) Evening Dog Walk by Andy McDonald, on Flickr Wide open @1.4 to help in very dark conditions - 1/30, ISO 6400 4) Knitting by Andy McDonald, on Flickr Wide open again Andy

My old X-E1 and 18/2 being put to good use... Fuji Girl by Andy McDonald, on Flickr Taken with X-E2 and Samyang 21/1.4 (wide open).

I bought an X-E2 as an upgrade from the X-E1 in the summer because of the extra features that it already had, but knowing that an X-E2 firmware update was coming soon(ish). I am looking forward to seeing what improvements the X-E2 gets, but it will still be the camera that I chose to purchase back in the summer. Ultimately, the X-E2 is already doing everything that I want it to do but any extras that I pick up through this firmware update will be a bonus and will be much better than anything that was ever improved in any of my Nikon DLSRs through a firmware update. I am sure that everyone is correct and that there will be a backlash from disgruntled X-E2 owners when the X-E2s is announced and has more features than the updated X-E2 but it is important to see this from Fuji's perspective - they have to make money to survive and (to my eyes) they are trying to look after as many of their existing users as they can within that. To try to put this in perspective, I am also a member of one of the Nikon forums, where the announcement of the D500 has left many feeling very unhappy because they have recently paid out for D7200's believing that Nikon were never going to produce a true D300s replacement - having only just lost money on D7100's which had inadequate buffering for the required frame rate. Andy

If I'm carrying a few lenses plus flash etc, then I have an old Domke F1x that is left over from my Nikon days. I also have a Domke satchel for trips with a camera and a couple of lenses. If I need to carry more than just camera gear then I have a cheap canvas rucksack with a padded camera insert in the bottom - I really like that one because the camera compartment is only accessible from the back of the rucksack. Generally, I love that I can carry more kit without the weight that came with my old DSLR setup. Andy

Has anyone else got one of these? I got one a few weeks ago and it has been pretty much glued to my X-E2 ever since - it is very nicely built and is a great size for the X-E2. Once I work out how to post here I will maybe add a couple of pictures. Andy

Thanks for replying. I still don't understand why it took me so long to discover how good the Fujis are - DSLR snobbery I guess

I use a Nikon AF 60/2.8 which goes to 1:1. It's the only AF lens I kept when I switched from Nikon to Fuji